Tit. I know not, Marcus; but, I know, it is ;
If by device or no, the heavens can tell.
Is the not then beholden to the man,
That brought her for this high good turn fo far?
Yes; and will nobly him remunerate.
Flourish. Re enter the Emperor, Tamora, Chiron, and Demetrius, with Aaron the Moor, at one door: At the other door, Baffianus and Lavinia, with others.
Sat. So, Baffianus, you have plaid your prize; God give you joy, fir, of your gallant bride. Baf. And you of yours, my lord; I fay no more, Nor with no less, and so I take my leave.
Sat. Traitor, if Rome have law, or we have power, Thou and thy faction shall repent this rape.
Baf. Rape, call you it, my lord, to feize my own, My true betrothed love, and now my wife? But let the laws of Rome determine all; Mean while I am poffeft of that is mine.
Sat. 'Tis good, fir: you are very fhort with us;
But, if we live, we'll be as fharp with you.
Baf. My lord, what I have done, as best I may,
Anfwer 1 muft, and fhall do with my life;
Only thus much I give your grace to know,
By all the duties which I owe to Rome,
This noble gentleman, lord Titus here,
Is in opinion and in honour wrong'd;
That in the refcue of Lavinia,
With his own hand did flay his youngest fon,
In zeal to you, and highly mov'd to wrath
To be controul'd in that he frankly gave;
Receive him then to favour, Saturnine;
That hath exprefs'd himself in all his deeds,
A father and a friend to thee, and Rome.
Tit. Prince Baffianus, leave to plead my deeds, 'Tis thou, and thofe, that have difhonour'd me;
Rome and the righteous heavens be my judge,
How I have lov'd and honour'd Saturnine.
Tam. My worthy lord, if ever Tamora
Were gracious in thofe princely eyes of thine,
Then hear me speak, indifferently for all;
And, at my fuit, fweet, pardon what is past.
Sat. What, madam! be dishonour'd openly,
And bafely put it up without revenge?
Tam. Not fo, my lord; the Gods of Rome fore fend,
I fhould be author to difhonour you
But, on mine honour, dare I undertake
For good lord Titus' innocence in all;
Whose fury, not diffembled, fpeaks his griefs:
Then, at my fuit, look graciously on him,
Lofe not fo noble a friend on vain suppose,
Nor with four looks afflict his gentle heart.-
My lord, be rul'd by me, be won at last,
Diffemble all your griefs and difcontents:
You are but newly planted in your throne;
Left then the people and patricians too,
Upon a juft furvey, take Titus' part;
And fo fupplant us for ingratitude,
Which Rome reputes to be a heinous fin,
Yield at intreats, and then let me alone;
I'll find a day to maffacre them all,
And raze their faction, and their family,
The cruel father and his traiterous fons,
To whom I fued for my dear fon's life;
And make them know, what 'tis to let a
Kneel in the streets, and beg for grace in
Come, come, fweet emperor,-come, Andronicus, -e Take up this good old man, and chear the he art That dies in tempeft of thy angry frown.
Sat. Rife, Titus, rife; my emprefs hath prevail'd.
Tit. I thank your majesty, and her. My lord,
These words, these looks infuse new life in me.
Tam. Titus, I am incorporate in Rome,
A Roman now adopted happily:
And must advise the emperor for his good.
This day all quarrels die, Andronicus;
And let it be my honour, good my lord,
That I have reconcil'd your friends and you,
For you, prince Baffianus, I have past
My word and promife to the emperor,
That you will be more mild and tractable.
And fear not, lords, and you, Lavinia,
By my advice, all humbled on your knees,
You fhall afk pardon of his majesty.
Luc. We do, and vow to heaven and to his highnefs,
That what we did was mildly, as we might,
Tend'ring our fifter's honour, and our own.
Mar. That, on mine honour, here I do proteft.
Sat. Away, and talk not; trouble us no more.-
Tam. Nay, nay, fweet emperor, we must all be
friends.
The tribune and his nephews kneel for grace,
I will not be denied. Sweet heart, look back.
Sat. Marcus, for thy fake, and thy brother's here,
And at my lovely Tamora's intreats,
I do remit these young men's heinous faults.
Lavinia, though you left me like a churl,
I found a friend; and fure, as death, I fwore,
I would not part a batchelor from the priest.
Come, if the emperor's court can feast two brides,
You are my guest, Lavinia, and your friends;
This day fhall be a love-day, Tamora.
Tit. To-morrow, an it please your majesty,
To hunt the panther and the hart with me,
With horn and hound, we'll give your grace bon-jour. Sat. Be it fo, Titus, and gramercy too.
Before the Palace.
Enter Aaron alone.
OW climbeth Tamora Olympus' top,
Safe out of fortune's fhot; and fits aloft,
Secure of thunder's crack, or lightning flash;
Advanc'd above pale envy's threatning reach.
As when the golden fun falutes the morn,
And, having gilt the ocean with his beams,
Gallops the zodiack in his gliftering coach,
And over-looks the highest peering hills;
So Tamora-
? Upon her wit doth earthly honour wait,
And virtue stoops, and trembles at her frown.
Then, Aaron, arm thy heart, and fit thy thoughts,
To mount aloft with thy imperial mistress,
And mount her pitch; whom thou in triumph long
Haft prifoner held, fetter'd in amorous chains;
And fafter bound to Aaron's charming eyes,
Than is Prometheus ty'd to Caucafus.
Away with flavish weeds, and idle thoughts,
I will be bright, and fhine in pearl and gold,
To wait upon this new-made emperefs.
To wait, faid I? to wanton with this queen,
This Goddess, this Semiramis;-this queen,
In the quarto, the direction is, Manet Aaron, and he is before made to enter with Tamora, though he fays nothing. This fcene ought to continue the first act.
I think wit, for which she is eminent in the drama, is right.
This fyren, that will charm Rome's Saturnine,
And fee his fhipwreck, and his common-weal's.
Holla! what storm is this?
Enter Chiron and Demetrius, braving,
Dem. Chiron, thy years want wit, thy wit wants
edge
And manners, to intrude where I am grac'd;
And may, for aught thou know'ft, affected be.
Chi. Demetrius, thou doft over-ween in all,
And fo in this, to bear me down with braves;
'Tis not the difference of a year or two
Makes me less gracious, or thee more fortunate;
I am as able, and as fit as thou
To ferve, and to deferve my mistress' grace;
And that my fword upon thee fhall approve,
And plead my paffion for Lavinia's love.
Aar. Clubs, clubs! -Thefe lovers will not keep the peace.
Dem. Why, boy, although our mother, unadvis'd, Gave you a dancing rapier by your fide,
Are you fo defperate grown, to threat your friends? Go to; have your lath glu'd within your sheath, Till you know better how to handle it.
Chi. Mean while, fir, with the little skill I have, Full well fhalt thou perceive how much I dare.
Dem. Ay, boy, grow ye fo brave?
Aar. Why, how now, lords?
So near the emperor's palace dare you draw,
And maintain fuch a quarrel openly?
Full well I wot the ground of all this grudge:
I would not for a million of gold,
The cause were known to them it moft concerns.
Nor would your noble mother, for much more,
Be fo difhonour'd in the court of Rome,
For fhame, put up-
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