Chi. Belike, for joy the emperor hath a son. Enter Nurse, with a Black-a-Moor Child. Nurse. Good-morrow, lords: 180 O, tell me, did you see Aaron the Moor? Aar. Why, what a caterwauling dost thou keep ? eye, 190 Our emperess' shame, and stately Rome's dis grace ; She is deliver'd, lords, she is deliver'd. Aar. To whom? Nur. I mean, she is brought to bed. Aar. Well, God Give her good rest! What hath he sent her! Nur. A devil. Aar. Why, then she is the devil's dam; a joyful issue. Nur. A joyless, dismal, black, and sorrowful issue : Here is the babe, as loathsome as a toad The emperess' sends it thee, thy stamp, thy seal, 200 Aar, 1 ། Aar. Out, out, you whore! is black so base a hue? Sweet blowse, you are a beauteous blossom, sure. Dem. Villain, what hast thou done? Aar. That which thou Can'st not undo. Chi. Thou hast undone our mother. Aar. Villain, I have done thy mother. 210 Dem. And therein, hellish dog, thou hast undone. Woe to her chance, and damn'd her loathed choice! Accurs'd the offspring of so foul a fiend! Chi. It shall not live. Aar. It shall not die. Nur. Aaron, it must; the mother wills it so. Aar. What, must it nurse? then let no man, but I, Do execution on my flesh and blood. Dem. I'll broach the tadpole on my rapier's point: Nurse, give it me; my sword shall soon dispatch it. Aar. Sooner this sword shall plough thy bowels up. Stay, murderous villains! will you kill your brother? Now, by the burning tapers of the sky, That shone so brightly when this boy was got, He dies upon my scymitar's sharp point, That touches this my first-born son and heir! I tell you, younglings, not Enceladus, With all his threat'ning band of Typhon's brood, 230 Coal Coal-black is better than another hue, Can never turn the swan's black legs to white, 239 Dem. Wilt thou betray thy noble mistress thus ? Aar. My Mistress is my mistress; this, myself; The vigour, and the picture of my youth: This, before all the world, do I prefer; This, maugre all the world, will I keep safe, Or some of you shall smoke for it in Rome. Dem. By this our mother is for ever sham'd. Chi. Rome will despise her for this foul escape. Nur. The emperor, in his rage, will doom her death. Chi. I blush to think upon this ignomy. 249 Aar. Why there's the privilege your beauty bears: Fye, treacherous hue! that will betray with blushing The close enacts and counsels of the heart! Here's a young lad fram'd of another leer: Nay, he's your brother by the surer side, G 260 Nur. Nur. Aaron, what shall I say unto the emperess ? Dem. Advise thee, Aaron, what is to be done, And we will all subscribe to thy advice; Save you the child, so we may all be safe. Aar. Then sit we down, and let us all consult. My son and I will have the wind of you: Keep there: Now talk at pleasure of your safety. [They sit on the Ground. Dem. How many women saw this child of his? Aar. Why, so, brave lords; When we all join in league, I am a lamb: but if you brave the Moor, And no one else, but the deliver'd emperess. 270 Aar. The emperess, the midwife, and yourself:Two may keep counsel, when the third's away: Go to the emperess; tell her this I said : [He kills her. Weke, weke !-so cries a pig, prepar'd to the spit. Dem. What mean'st thou, Aaron? Wherefore did'st thou this? Aar. O lord, sir, 'tis a deed of policy: 281 His child is like to her, fair as you are: Go pack with him, and give the mother gold, And let the emperor dandle him for his own. 290 Hark ye, my lords; ye see, I have given her physick, [Pointing to the Nurse. And you must needs bestow her funeral; The fields are near, and you are gallant grooms: Dem. For this care of Tamora, 1 300 Herself, and hers, are highly bound to thee. [Exeunt. 311 For it is you that puts us to our shifts : I'll make you feed on berries, and on roots, And feed on curds and whey, and suck the goat, And cabin in a cave; and bring you up To be a warrior, and command a camp. Gij [Exit. SCENE |