DRAMATIS PERSONE.

SATURNINUS, Son to the late Emperor of Rome, and afterwards declar'd Emperor himself.

BASSIANUS, Brother to Saturninus, in love with Lavinia. TITUS ANDRONICUs, a Noble Roman, General against the Goths.

MARCUS ANDRONICUS, Tribune of the People, and Brother to Titus.

MARCUS,

QUINTUS,

LUCIUS,
MUTIUS,

Sons to Titus Andronicus.

Young LUCIUS, a Boy, Son to Lucius.

PUBLIUS, Son to Marcus Andronicus the Tribune.

ALARBUS,

Sons to Tamora.

CHIRON,
DEMETRIUS,
AARON, a Moor, belov'd by Tamora.
EMILIUS, a Roman.

TAMORA, Queen of the Goths, and afterwards married to Saturninus.

LAVINIA, Daughter to Titus Andronicus.
A Nurfe with a black-a-moor Child.

Senators, Judges, Officers, Soldiers, and other Attendants.

SCENE Rome, and the Country near it.

* TITUS ANDRONICUS.

ACT I. SCENE I.

ROME.

Enter the Tribunes and Senators aloft, as in the Senate, Enter Saturninus and bis followers at one door, and Baffianus and bis followers at the other, with drum and colours,

Sat.

N

O BLE Patricians, patrons of my right, Defend the juftice of my cause with arms: And countrymen my loving followers, Plead my fucceffive title with your fwords.. I am the firft-born fon of him that laft Wore the imperial diadem of Rome: Then let my father's honours live in me, Nor wrong mine age with this indignity.

Baf. Romans, friends, foll' wers, favourers of my right; If ever Baffianus, Cefar's fon, Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome, Keep then this paffage to the Capitol ; And fuffer not difhonour to approach Th' imperial feat, to virtue confecrate, To justice, continence, and nobility:

This is one of the Plays which ought not to be look'd upon to be of Shakespear's compofition. By giving it the credit of a few of his lines inferted here and there he got the difcredit of writing the whole.

But

But let defert in pure election fhine;

And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice.
Enter Marcus Andronicus aloft with the crown.
Mar. Princes, that strive by factions and by friends,
Ambitiously for rule and empery!
Know that the people of Rome, for whom we stand
A fpecial party, have by common voice,
In free election for the Roman empery,
Chofen Andronicus, fur-named Pius,

For many good and great deserts to Rome.
A nobler man, a braver warrior,
Lives not this day within our city walls.
He by the Senate is accited home,
From weary wars against the barb'rous Goths,
That with his fons (a terror to our foes)
Hath yoak'd a nation strong, train'd up in arms.
Ten years are spent fince firft he undertook
This caufe of Rome, and chaftifed with arms
Our enemies pride. Five times he hath return'd
Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant fons
In coffins from the field.

And now at laft, laden with honour's spoils,
Returns the good Andronicus to Rome,
Renowned Titus, flourishing in arms.
Let us intreat, by honour of his name,
Whom (worthily) you would have now fucceed,
And in the Capitol and Senate's right,
Whom you pretend to honour and adore,
That you withdraw you, and abate your strength;
Difmifs your followers, and as fuitors should,
Plead your deferts in peace and humbleness.

Sat. How fair the Tribune speaks, to calm my thoughts!
Baf. Marcus Andronicus, fo I do affie
In thy uprightness and integrity,
And fo I love and honour thee and thine,
Thy noble brother Titus, and his fons,
And her to whom our thoughts are humbled all,
Gracious Lavinia, Rome's rich Ornament,
That I will here difmifs my loving friends;
And to my fortunes, and the people's favour,

Commit my caufe in ballance to be weigh'd. [Exe. Soldiers
Sat. Friends that have been thus forward in my right,
I thank you all, and here difmifs you all,
And to the love and favour of my country
Commit my self, my person and the cause:
Rome, be as just and gracious unto me,
As I am confident and kind to thee.
Open the gates, and let me in.

Baf. Tribunes, and me, a poor competitor.
[They go up into the Senate-house,
SCENE II. Enter a Captain.

Cap. Romans, make way: the good Andronicus, Patron of virtue, Rome's beft champion, Successful in the battels that he fights, With honour and with fortune is return'd From whence he circumfcribed with his sword, And brought to yoak the enemies of Rome. Sound drums and trumpets, and then enter Mutius and Mazcus: after them, two men bearing a coffin cover'd with black; then Quintus and Lucius. After them Titus Andronicus; and then Tamora, the Queen of Goths, Alarbus, Chiron and Demetrius, with Aaron the Moor, prifoners; Soldiers, and other Attendants. They fet down the coffin, and Titus fpeaks.

Tit. Hail, Rome, victorious in thy mourning weeds? Lo, as the bark that hath discharg'd her freight, Returns with precious lading to the bay, From whence at firft fhe weigh'd her anchorage, Cometh Andronicus with laurel boughs, To re-falute his country with his tears; Tears of true joy, for his return to Rome, Thou great defender of this Capitol, Stand gracious to the rites that we intend! Romans, of five and twenty valiant fons, Half of the number that King Priam had, Behold the poor remains alive and dead! These that survive, let Rome reward with love! These that I bring unto their latest home, With burial among their ancestors,

Here

Here Goths have given me leave to sheath my sword :
Titus, unkind, and careless of thine own,
Why fuffer'ft thou thy fons, unburied yet,
To hover on the dreadful fhore of Styx ?
Make way to lay them by their brethren. [They open the tomb,
There greet in filence, as the dead are wont,
And fleep in peace, flain in your country's wars:
O facred receptacle of my joys,
Sweet cell of virtue and nobility,

How many fons of mine haft thou in ftore,
That thou wilt never render to me more!

Luc. Give us the proudeft prifoner of the Goths,
That we may hew his limbs, and on a pile,
Ad manes Fratrum facrifice his flefh,
Before this earthly prison of their bones:
That fo the fhadows be not unappeas'd,
Nor we difturb'd with prodigies on earth.

Tit. I give him you, the nobleft that survives, The eldeft fon of this diftreffed Queen.

Tam. Stay, Roman brethren, gracious conqueror,
Victorious Titus, rue the tears I fhed,
A mother's tears in paffion for her fon:
And if thy fons were ever dear to thee,
O think my fons to be as dear to me.
Sufficeth not, that we are brought to Rome,
To beautifie thy triumphs and return,
Captive to thee and to thy Roman yoak?
But muft my fons be flaughter'd in the streets,
For valiant doings in their country's caufe?
O! if to fight for King and common-weal
Were piety in thine, it is in thefe:
Andronicus, ftain not thy tomb with blood.
Wilt thou draw near the nature of the Gods?
Draw near them then in being merciful;
Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge.
Thrice noble Titus, fpare my firft-born son.

Tit. Patient your felf, Madam, and pardon me.
These are their brethren, whom you Goths behold
Alive and dead, and for their brethren flain
Religiously they ask a facrifice;