In peace and honour reft you here, my sons,
Rome's readieft champions, repose you here,
Secure from worldly chances and mishaps:
Here lurks no treason, here no envy fwells;
Here grow no damned grudges, here no ftorms,
No noife, but filence and eternal fleep.

SCENE III.

Enter Lavinia.

In peace and honour reft you here, my fons!
Lav. In peace and honour live Lord Titus long,
My noble Lord and father, live in fame!
Lo! at this tomb my tributary tears
I render, for my brethren's obfequies;
And at thy feet I kneel, with tears of joy
Shed on the earth, for thy return to Rome.
O, bless me here with thy victorious hand,
Whofe fortune Rome's best citizens applaud.
Tit. Kind Rome, that haft thus lovingly referv'd
The Cordial of mine age, to glad mine heart!
Lavinia, live; out-live thy father's days,
'And fame's eternal date for virtue's praife!

Mar. Long live Lord Titus, my beloved brother, Gracious triumpher in the eyes of Rome!

Tit. Thanks, gentle Tribune, noble brother Marcus. Mar. And welcome, Nephews, from fuccefsful wars, You that furvive, and you that fleep in fame; Fair Lords, your fortunes are alike in all, That in your country's fervice drew your fwords; But fafer triumph is this funeral pomp,

3 AND fame's eternal date for virtue's praife!] This abfurd with is made fenfe of by changing and into IN. WARB.

To live in fame's date is, if an allowable, yet a harsh expreffion.

To outlive an eternal date is, tho? not philofophical, yet poetical fenfe. He wishes that her life may be longer than his, and her praife longer than fame,

That

That hath afpir'd to Solon's happiness;
And triumphs over chance, in Honour's bed.
Titus Andronicus, the people of Rome,
Whofe friend in juftice thou haft ever been,
Send thee by me their Tribune and their trust,
This Palliament of white and spotless hue,
And name thee in election for the Empire,
With these our late deceased Emperor's fons;
Be Candidatus then, and put it on,

And help to fet a head on headless Rome.
Tit. A better head her glorious body fits,
Than his, that shakes for age and feebleness:
What! fhould I don this robe, and trouble you?
Be chofe with Proclamations to-day,
To-morrow yield up Rule, refign my life,
And fet abroach new business for you all?
Rome, I have been thy foldier forty years,
And led my country's ftrength fuccefsfully;
And buried one and twenty valiant fons,
Knighted in field, flain manfully in arms,
In Right and Service of their noble Country.
Give me a staff of honour for mine age,
But not a fceptre to controll the world.
Upright he held it, Lords, that held it laft.

Mar. Titus, thou fhalt obtain and afk the Empery, Sat. Proud and ambitious Tribune, canft thou tell?

Tit. Patience, Prince Saturninus.

Sat. Romans, do me Right.

Patricians, draw your fwords, and fheath them not
'Till Saturninus be Rome's Emperor.

Andronicus, 'would thou were fhipt to hell,
Rather than rob me of the people's hearts.

Luc. Proud Saturnine, interrupter of the Good
That noble-minded Titus means to thee.-

Tit. Content thee, Prince; I will restore to thee The people's hearts, and wean them from themfelves. Baf. Andronicus, I do not flatter thee,

4

But

But honour thee, and will do till I die;
My faction if thou ftrengthen with thy friends,
I will r.oft thankful be, and Thanks to men
Of noble minds is honourable meed.

Tit. People of Rome, and noble Tribunes here,
I ask your voices and your fuffrages;

Will you bestow them friendly on Andronicus?
Mar. To gratify the good Andronicus,
And gratulate his fafe Return to Rome,
The people will accept whom he admits.

Ti. Tribunes, I thank you, and this fuit I make, That you create your Emperor's eldeit fon, Lord Saturnine; whofe virtues will, I hope, Reflect on Rome, as Titan's rays on earth, And ripen juftice in this Common-weal. Then if you will elect by my advice, Crown him, and fay,-Long live our Emperor! Mar. With voices and applause of every sort, Fan.cians and Plebeians, we create Lord Saturninus, Rome's great Emperor; And fav,-Long live our Emperor Saturnine!

[Alang Flourish, 'till they come down. Sat. Titus Andronicus, for thy favours done To us in our Election this day,

I give thee thanks in part of thy deferts,
And will with deeds requite thy gentleness;
And for an onfet, Titus, to advance
Thy name, and honourable family,
Lavinia will I make my Emprefs,

Rome's royal Mistress, Miftrefs of my heart,

And in the facred Pantbeen her espouse.

Tell me, Andronicus, doth this motion please thee?

Tit. It doth, my worthy Lord; and, in this match, I hold me highly honour'd of your Grace;

And here in fight of Rome, to Saturninus,
King and Commander of our Common-weal,
The wide world's Emperor, do I confecrate
My fword, my chariot, and my prifoners,

Pre

Prefents well worthy Rome's Imperial Lord.
Receive them then, the Tribute that I owe,
Mine Honour's Enfigns, humbled at thy feet.
Sat. Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life'
How proud I am of thee, and of thy gifts,
Rome thall record; and when I do forget
The least of these unspeakable deferts,
Romans forget your fealty to me.

Tit. Now, Madam, are you prifoner to an Emperor

[To Tamora. To him, that for your honour and your state Will ufe you nobly, and your followers.

Sat. A goodly lady, truft me, of the hue That I would chufe, were I to chufe anew. -Clear up, fair Queen, that cloudy countenance; Tho' chance of war hath wrought this change of cheer, Thou com'ft not to be made a scorn in Rome; Princely fhall be thy ufage every way. Reft on my word, and let not discontent Daunt all your hopes; Madam, who comforts you, Can make you greater than the Queen of Goths. Lavinia, you are not difpleas'd with this?

Lav. Not I, my Lord; fith true nobility Warrants these words in princely courtesy.

Sat. Thanks, fweet Lavinia. Romans, let us go. Ranfomless here we fet our prifoners free; Proclaim our honours, Lords, with trump and drum. Baf. Lord Titus, by your Leave, this Maid is mine.

[Seizing Lavinia. Tit. How, Sir? are you in earnest then, my Lord? Baf. Ay, noble Titus; and refolv'd withal,

To do myself this Reafon and this Right.

[The Emperor courts Tamora in dumb fhew.

Mar. Suum cuique is our Roman justice: This Prince in juftice feizeth but his own. Luc. And that he will, and fhall, if Lucius live. Tit. Traitors, avant! Where is the Emperor's Guard? Treafon, my Lord; Lavinia is furpriz'd.

Sat.

Sat. Surpriz'd! by whom?

Baf. By him, that justly may

Bear his betroth'd from all the world away.

[Exit Baflianus with Lavinia.

SCENE

IV.

Mut. Brothers, help to convey her hence away, And with my fword I'll keep this door fecure.

Tit. Follow, my Lord, and I'll foon bring her back. Mut. My Lord, you pass not here

Tit. What! villain-boy,

Barr'ft me my way in Rome?

Mut. Help, Lucius, help!

[Titus kills Mutius.

Luc. My Lord, you are unjuft, and more than fo;

In wrongful quarrel you have flain your fon.

Tit. Nor thou, nor he, are any fons of mine;
My fons would never fo difhonour me.
Traitor, restore Lavinia to the Emperor.

Luc. Dead, if you will, but not to be his wife,
That is another's lawful promis'd love.

Sat. No, Titus, no, the Emperor needs her not,
Nor her, nor thee, nor any of thy ftock,
I'll truft by leisure, him that mocks me once;
Thee never, nor thy traiterous haughty fons,
Confederates all, thus to dishonour me.

Was there none else in Rome to make a Stale of,
But Saturnine? Full well, Andronicus,

Agree thofe deeds with that proud brag of thine,
That faid'ft, I begg'd the Empire at thy hands.

6

Tit. O monftrous! what reproachful words are these? Sat. But go thy ways. Go give that changing piece,

To him that flourish'd for her with his fword;

-changing piece,] Spoken of Lavinia. Piece was then, as

VOL. VI.

it is now, ufed perfonally as a word of contempt.

U

A