Of Lucius, fon to old Andronicus;

Who threats, in course of this revenge, to do
As much as ever Coriolanus did.

Sat. Is warlike Lucius general of the Goths?
These tidings nip me; and I hang the head

As flowers with frost, or grafs beat down with ftorms. Ay, now begin our forrows to approach : 'Tis he, the common people love so much i Myself hath often over-heard them say, (When I have walked like a private man,) 'That Lucius' banishment was wrongfully,

And they have wish'd that Lucius were their emperor. Tam. Why should you fear? is not your city strong? Sat. Ay, but the citizens favour Lucius ;

And will revolt from me, to fuccour him.

Tam. King, be thy thoughts imperious, like thy name.
Is the fun dimm'd, that gnats do fly in it?
The eagle fuffers little birds to fing,

And is not careful what they mean thereby
Knowing, that with the shadow of his wings,
He can at pleasure stint their melody:

Even fo may'st thou the giddy men of Rome.
Then cheer thy fpirit: for know, thou emperor,
I will enchant the old Andronicus,

With words more fweet, and yet more dangerous,
Than baits to fish, or honey-ftalks to sheep;
When as the one is wounded with the bait,
The other rotted with delicious feed.

Sat. But he will not entreat his fon for us.
Tam. If Tamora entreat him, then he will:
For I can smooth, and fill his aged ear
With golden promises; that were his heart
Almoft impregnable, his old ears deaf,

Yet

Yet should both ear and heart obey my tongue.-
Go thou before, be our ambassador:

[To ÆMILIUS.

Say, that the emperor requests a parley
Of warlike Lucius, and appoint the meeting.
Sat. Æmilius, do this meffage honourably:
And if he stand on hoftage for his fafety,
Bid him demand what pledge will please him beft,
Emil. Your bidding shall I do effectually.

[Exit EMILIUS

Tam. Now will I to that old Andronicus;
And temper him, with all the art I have,
To pluck proud Lucius from the warlike Goths,
And now, sweet emperor, be blithe again,

And bury all thy fear in my devices.

Sat. Then go fuccessfully, and plead to him. [Exeunt.

ACT V. SCENE I.

Plains near Rome.

Enter LUCIUS, and Goths, with drum and colours,

Luc. Approved warriors, and my faithful friends,
I have received letters from great Rome,
Which fignify, what hate they bear their emperor,
And how defirous of our fight they are.

Therefore, great lords, be, as your titles witness,
Imperious, and impatient of your wrongs;
And, wherein Rome hath done you any scath,
Let him make treble fatisfaction.

1 Goth. Brave flip, fprung from the great Andronicus,
Whose name was once our terror, now our comfort;
Whofe high exploits, and honourable deeds,
Ingrateful Rome requites with foul contempt,
Be bold in us: we'll follow where thou lead'ft,—
Like ftinging bees in hottest fummer's day,
Led by their master to the flower'd fields,—
And be aveng'd on curfed Tamora.

Goths. And, as he faith, fo fay we all with him. Luc. I humbly thank him, and I thank you all. But who comes here, led by a lufty Goth?

Enter a Goth, leading AARON, with his child in his arms.

2 Goth. Renowned Lucius, from our troops I stray'd, To gaze upon a ruinous monastery;

And as I earneftly did fix mine eye

Upon

Upon the wafted building, fuddenly

I heard a child cry underneath a wall:
I made unto the noise; when foon I heard
The crying babe controll'd with this discourse:
Peace, tawny flave; half me, and half thy dam!
Did not thy bue bewray whose brat thou art,
Had nature lent thee but thy mother's look,
Villain, thou might'ft have been an emperor :
But where the bull and cow are both milk-white,
They never do beget a coal-black calf.

Peace, villain, peace!-even thus he rates the babe,—
For I must bear thee to a trufty Goth;

Who, when he knows thou art the empress' babe,
Will hold thee dearly for thy mother's fake.

With this, my weapon drawn, I rufh'd upon him,
Surpriz'd him fuddenly; and brought him hither,
To use as you think needful of the man.

Luc. O worthy Goth! this is the incarnate devil,
That robb'd Andronicus of his good hand:
This is the pearl that pleas'd your emprefs' eye;
And here's the bafe fruit of his burning luft.-
Say, wall-ey'd slave, whither would'st thou convey
This growing image of thy fiend-like face?
Why doft not speak? What! deaf? No; not a word?
A halter, foldiers; hang him on this tree,
And by his fide his fruit of bastardy.

Aar. Touch not the boy, he is of royal blood.
Luc. Too like the fire for ever being good.-

First, hang the child, that he may fee it sprawl;
A fight to vex the father's foul withal.

Get me a ladder.

[A ladder brought, which AARON is obliged to ascend. Aar. Lucius, fave the child; And bear it from me to the emperefs.

If thou do this, I'll how thee wond'rous things,
That highly may advantage thee to hear;

If thou wilt not, befall what may befall,

I'll speak no more; But vengeance rot you all!

Luc. Say on; and, if it please me which thou speak'st, Thy child fhall live, and I will fee it nourish'd,

Aar. An if it please thee? why, affure thee, Lucius, "Twill vex thy foul to hear what I shall speak;

For I must talk of murders, rapes, and maffacres,
Acts of black night, abominable deeds,

Complots of mischiefs, treason; villainies
Ruthful to hear, yet piteously perform'd;
And this fhall all be buried by my death,
Unless thou swear to me, my child shall live.

Luc. Tell on thy mind; I fay, thy child fhall live,
Aar. Swear, that he shall, and then I will begin.
Luc. Who should I swear by? thou believ'st noꞌgod;
That granted, how canft thou believe an oath ?
Aar. What if I do not? as, indeed, I do not;
Yet, for I know thou art religious,

And haft a thing within thee, called confcience;
With twenty popish tricks and ceremonies,
Which I have feen thee careful to obferve,-
Therefore I urge thy oath ;-For that, I know,
An idiot holds his bauble for a god,

And keeps the oath, which by that god he swears;
To that I'll urge him :-Therefore, thoy shalt vow
By that fame god, what god foe'er it be,
That thou ador'ft and haft in reverence,➡
To fave my boy, to nourish, and bring him up;
Or elfe I will discover nought to thee.

Luc. Even by my god, I fwear to thee, I will,
Aar. First, know thou, I begot him on the empress.
Luc. O moft infatiate, luxurious woman!

Aar.