TITUS

ANDRONICUS.

A a

SATURNINUS, Son to the late Emperor of Rome, and afterwards declared 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 Boother to Titus.

MARCUS,.

QUINTUS,

LUCIUS,

MUTIUS,

Sons to Titus Andronicus.

Young LUCIUS, a Boy, Sen to Lucius.

PUBLIUS, Son to Marcus Andronicus the Tribune.

TAMORA, Queen of the Goths, and afterwards married

to Saturninus.

LAVINIA, Daughter to Titus Andronicus.

Nurfe with a black-a-moor Child.

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

SCENE, Rome, and the Country near it.

*TITUS ANDRONICUS.

Sat.

ACT I SCENE I

N

RO ME..

Enter the Tribunes and Senators aloft, as in the Senate.
Enter Saturninus and his followers at one door, and Baf-
fianus and his followers at the other, with drum and colours.
OBLE Patricians, patrons of my right,
Defend the juftice of my caufe 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, Cæfar'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 juftice, 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 shine

And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice.
Enter Marcus Andronicus aloft with the crown,
Mar. Princes, that ftrive 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 deferts 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 ftrong, train'd up in arms.
Ten years are spent fince first he undertook
This caufe of Rome, and chaftised 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 last, 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 ftrength;

Difmifs your followers, and as fuitors fhould,

Plead your deferts in peace and humblenefs.

Sot. How fair the Tribune fpeaks, 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 cause in balance 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 felf, my perfon and the caufe:
Rome, be as juft 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-boufe.

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 Marcus: 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, prisoners ; 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 first she 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.
The 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;
Thefe that I bring unto their latest home,
With burial among their ancestors.

Here