to a slaughtered Lambe In this detested darke blood drinking pit Quintus If it be darke how dost thou know t is hee Martius Vpon his bloody finger he doth weare A pretious ring that lightens all this hole VVhich like a tapeâ— in some monument Doth shine vpon the dead mans earthy cheekes And shewes the ragged intrals of this pit So pale did shine the Moone on Prâ—amus VVhen he by night lay bathd in Maiden blood O Brother help me with thy fainting hand If fearâ— hath made thee faint as me it hath Out of this fell deuouring receptacle As hatefull as Ocitus mistie mouth Quint. Reach me thy hand that I may helpe thee ouâ— Or wanting strength to doe thee so much good I may be pluckt into the swallowing wombe Of this deepe pit poore Bassianus graue I haue no strength to plucke thee to the brinck Martius Nor I no strength to clime without thy help Quint. Thy hand once more I will not loose againe Till thou art here a loft or I belowe Thou canst not come to me I come to thee Enter the Emperour and Aron the Moore Saturninus Along with me I le see what hole is here And what he is that now is leapt into it Say who art thou that lately didst descend Into this gaping hollow of the earth Martius The vâ—happie sonnes of old Andronicus Brought hither in a most vnluckie houre To finde thy brother Bassianus dead Saturninus My brother dead I know thou doâ—t but iest He and his Ladie both are at the lodge Vpon the north side of this pleâ—sant chase T is not an houre since I left them there Mart. VVe know not where you left them all a liue But out alas here haue we found him dead Enter Tamora Andronicus and Lucius Tamora VVhere is my Lord the King King Here Tamora though griâ—de with killing griefe Tamora VVhere is thy brother Bassianus King Now to the bottome dost thou search my wound Poore Bassianus here lies murthered Tamora Then all too late I bâ—ing this fatall writ The complot of this timelesse Tragedie And wonder greatly that mans face can fold In pleasing smiles such murderous tyrranie She giueth Saturnine a letter Saturninus reads the letter And if wee misse to meete him handsomelie Sweet huntsman Bassianus t is we meane Doe thou so much as dig the graue for him Thou knowst our meaning looke for thy reward Among the Nettlâ—s at the Elder tree Which ouer shades the mouth of that same pit Where we decreed to burie Bassianus Doe this and purchase vs thy lasting friends King Oh Tamora was euer heard the like This is the pit and this the Elder tree Looke Sirs if you can fiâ—de the huntsman out That should haue murthered Bassianus here Aron My gratious Lord here is the bag of gold King Two of thy whelps fell â—urs of bloody kinde Haue here bereft my brother of his life Sirs drag them from the pit vnto the prison There let them bide vntill we haue deuisd Some neuer hard of tortering paine for them Tam. VVhat are they in this pit Oh wondrous thing How easily murder is discouered Titus High Emperour vpon my feeble knee I beg this boone with teares not lightly shed That this fell fault of my accursed sonnes Accursed if the faults be proud in them King If it be proude you see it is apparant Who found this letter Tamora was it you Tamora Andronicus himselfe did take it vp Titus I did my Lord yet let me be their baile For by my Fathers reuerent toombe I vowe They shall be ready at your highnes will To answere their suspition with their liues King Thou shalt not baile them see thou follow me Some bring the murthered body some the murtherers Let them not speake a word the guilt is plaine For by my soule were there worse end than death That end vpon them should be executed Tamora Andronicus I will intreat the King Feare not thy sonnes they shall doe well enough Titus Come Lucius come stay not to talke with themâ— Enter the Empresse sonnes with Lauinia her handes cut off and her tongue cut out rauisht Deme. So now go tell and if thy tongue can speake VVho t was that â—ut thy tongue and rauisht thee Chi. VVrite downe thy minde bewray thy meaning so And if thy stumpes will let thee play the scribe Deme. See how with signes and tokens she can scrowleâ— Chi. Goe home call for sweet water wash thy hands Demet. She hath no tongue to call nor hands to wash ' And so le ts leaue her to her silent walkes Chi. And t were my cause I should goe hang my selfe Dmet If thou hadst hands to helpe thee knit the cordeâ— Exeunt Enter Marcus from hunting VVho is this my Neece that flies away so fast Cosen a word where is your husband If I doe dreame would all my wealth would wake me If I doe wake some Plannet strike me downe That I may slumber an eternall sleepe Speake gentle Neece what sterne vngentle hands Hath lopt and hewde and made thy body bare Of her two branches those sweet Ornaments VVhose cyrcling shadowes Kings haue sought to sleepe in And might not gaine so great a happines As halfe thy loue VVhy dost not speake to me Alas a crimson Riuer of warme blood Like to a bubling Fountaine stirde with winde Doth rise and fall betweene thy Rosed lips Comming and going with thy honie breath But sure some Tereus hath deflowred thee And lest thou shouldst detect them cut thy tongue Ah now thou turnst awaie thy face for shame And notwithstanding all this losse of blood As from a Conduit with their issuing spouts Yeâ— doe thy cheekes looke red as Titans face Bâ—ushing to be encountred with a Clowdeâ— Shall I speake for thee shall I say t is so Oh that I knew thy hart and knew the beast That I might raile at him to ease my minde Sorrow concealed like an Ouen stoppt Doth burne the hart to cinders where it is Faire Philomela why she but lost her tongue And in a tedious sampler sowed her minde But louely Neece that meane is cut from thee A crafâ—ier Tereus Cosen hast thou met And he hath cut those prettie fingers off That could haue better sowed than Philomel Oh had the mâ—nster seene those Lillie hands Tremble like aspen leaues vpon a Lute And make the silken strings delight to kisse them He would not then haue tucht them for his life Or had he heard the heauenly Harmonie VVhich that sweete tongue hath madeâ— He would haue dropt his knife and fell a sleepe As Cerberus at the Thracian Poets feete Come leâ— vs goe and make thy fâ—ther blind For such a sight will blind a fathers eie One houres storme will drowne the fragrant meades VVhat will whole moâ—ths of teares thy fathers eies Doe not drawe backe for we will mourne with thee Oh could our mourning ease thy miserie Exeunt Enter the Iudges and Senatours with Titus twâ— sonnes bound paâ—sing on the Stage
to the place of execution and Titus going before pleading Titus Heare me graue Fathers Noble Tribunes stay For pittie of mine age whose youth was spent In dangerous warres whiâ—st you securelie slept For all my blood in Roomes great quarrell shed For all the frostie nights that I haue watcht And for these bitter teares which now you see Filling the aged wrincles in my cheeks Be pittifull to my condemned sonnes VVhose soules is not corrupted as t is thought For two and twentie sonnes I neuer wept Because they died in honours loftie bed Andronicus lieth downe and the Iudges passe by himâ— For these Tribunes in the dust I write My harts deepe languor and my soules sad teares Let my teares staunch the earths drie appetite My sonnes sweete blood will make it shame and blush O earth I will be friend thee more with raine That shall distill from these two auntient ruines Than youthfull Aprill shall with all his showres In summeâ—s drought I le drop vpon thee still In winâ—er with warme teares I le melt the snow And keepe eternall â—pring time out hy face So thou refuse to drinke my deare sonnes blood Enter Lucius with his weapon drawne Oh reuerent Tribunes Oh gentle aged men Vnbinde my sonnes reuerse the doome of death And let me say that neuer wept before My teares are now preuailing Oratours Lucius Oh Noble Father you lament in vaine The Tribunes heare you not no man is by And you recount your sorrowes to a stone Titus Ah Lucius for thy brothers let me plead â—raâ—e Tribunes once more I intreat of you Lucius My gratious Lord no Tribune heares you speak Titus VVhy t is no matter man if they did heare They would not marke me if they did marke They would not pittie me yet pleade I must And bootlesse vnto them Therefore I tell my sorrowes to the stones who though they cannot answere my distresse Yet in some sort they are better than the Tribunes â— For that they will not intercept my tale when I doe weepe they humblie at my feete Receiue my teares and seeme to weepe with me And were they but attired in graue weeds Rome could afford no Tribunes like to these A stone is soft as waxe Tribunes more hard than stones A stone is silent and offendeth not And Tribunes with their tongues doome men to death But wherefore standst thou with thy weapon drawne Luciusâ— To rescue my two brothers from their death For which attempt the Iudges â—aue pronounâ—st My euerlasting doome of banishment Titus O happie man they haue befriended thâ—e why foolish Lucius dost thou not perceiue That Rome is but a wildernes of tygers Tygers muâ—t pray and Rome affords no pray But me and mine how happie art thou then From these deuourers to be banished But who comes with our brother Marcus here Enter Maâ—cus with Lauinia Marcus Titus prepare thy aged eies to weepe Or if not so thy Noble hart to breake I bring consuming sorrow to thine age Titus will it consume mee Let me see it then Marcus This was thy Daughter Titus why Marcus so shee is Lucius Ay mee this Obiect kils mee Titus Faint-harted-boy arise and looke vpon her Speake Lauinea what accursed hand Hath made thee handles in thy fathers sight what foole hath added water to the sea Or brought a faggot to bright burning Troy My griefe was at the height before thou camst And now like Nylus it disdaineth bounds Giue me a sword I le choppe off my hands too For they haue fought for Rome and all in vaine And they haue nurst this woe in feeding life In bootlesse praier haue they beene held vp And they haue serude me to effectles vse Now all the seruice I require of them Is that the one will helpe to cut the other T is well Lauinia that thou hast no hands For hands to doe Rome seruice is but vaine Lucius Speake gentle sister who hath martred thee Marcus Oh that delightfull engine of her thoughts That blabd them with such pleasing eloquence Is torne from forth that prettie hollow cage VVâ—ere like a sweete mellodious bird it sung Sweete varied notes inchaunting euerie eare Lucius Oh say thou for her who hath done this deed Marcus Oh thus I found her straying in the Parke Seeking to hide her selfe as doth the Deare That hath receaude some vnrecuring wound Titus It was my Deare and he that wounded her Hath hurt me more than had he kild me dead For now I stand as one vpon a rocke Inuirond with a wildernes of sea VVho markes the waxing tide grow waue by waue Expecting euer when some enuious surge VVill in his brinish bowels swallow him This way to death my wretched sonnes are gone Here stands my other sonne a banisht man And here my brother weeping at my woes But that which giues my â—oule the greatest spurne Is deare Lauinia dearer than my soule Had I but seene thy picture in this plight It would haue madded me what shall I doo Now I behold thy liuelie bodie so Thou hast no hands to wipe away thy teares Nor tongue to tell me who hath martred thee Thy husband he is dead and for his death Thy brothers are condemnde and dead by this Looke Marcus Ah sonne Lucius looke on her VVhen I did name her brothers then fresh teares Stood on her cheeks as doth the honie dew Vpon a gathred Lillie almost withered Marcus Perchance shee weepes because they kild her husband Perchance because shee knowes them innocent Titus If they did kill thy husband then be ioyfull Because the Law hath tâ—ne reuenge on them No no they would not doo so fowle a deede VVitnes the sorrow that their sister makes Gentle Lauinia let me kisse thy lips Or make some signe how I may doe thee ease Shall thy good Vncle and thy brother Lucius And thou and I sit round about some Fountaine Looking all downewards to behold our cheekes How they are staind like meadowes yet not drie VVith mierie slime left on them by a flood And in the fountaine shall wee gaze so long Till the fresh tast be taken from that clearenes And made a brine pit with our bitter teares Or shall we cut away our hands like thine Or shall we bite our tongues and in dumbe showes Passe the remainder of our hatefull daies VVhat shall we doe Let vs that haue our tongues Plot some deuise of further miserie To make vs wonderd at in time to come Lucius Sweete father cease your teares for at your grieâ— See how my wretched â—ister sobs and weepes Marcus Patience deare niece good Titus dry thine eies Titus Ah Marcus Marcus Brother well I wote Thy napkin cannot drinke a teare of mine For thou poore man hast drownd it with thine owne Lucius Ah my Lauinia I will wipe thy cheekes Titus Marke Marcus marke I vnderstand her signes Had shee a tongue to speake now would shee say That to her Brother which I said to thee His napking with her true teares all beweâ— Can doe
should he dispaire that knows to court it VVith words faire looks and liberalitie VVhat hast not thou full often stroke a Doe And borne her cleanlie by the Keepers nose Moore VVhy then it seemes some certaine snatch or so VVould serue your turnes Chiron I so the turne were serued Demetrius Aron thou hast hit it Moore VVould you had hit it too Then should not we be â—irde with this adoo VVhy harke ye harke ye and are you such fooles To square for this would it offend you then That both should speede Chiron Faith not me Demetrius Nor me so I were one Aron For shame be friends and ioine for that you iar â—Tis pollicie and stratageme must doo That you affect and so must you resolue That what you cannot as you would atchiue You must perforce accomplish as you may Take this of mee Lucrece was not more chast Than this Lauinia Bascianus loue A speedier course this lingring languishment Must we pursue and I haue found the path My Lords a solemne hunting is in hand There will the louelie Romane Ladies troope The forrest walks are wide and spatious And many vnfrequented plots there are Fitted by kinde for rape and villanie Single you thiâ—her then this daintie Doe And strike her home by force if not by words This waie or not at all stand you in hope Come come our Empresse with her sacred wit To villanie and vengeance consecrate VVill we acquaint withall what we intend And shee shall file our engines with aduise That will not suffer you to square your selues But to your wishes hight aduaunce you both The Emperours Court is like the house of fame The Pallace full of tongues of eies and eares The woods are ruthles dreadfull deafe and dull There speake and strike braue boies and take your turns There serue your lustâ— shâ—dowed from heauens eie And reuell in Lauinias treasurieâ— Chiron Thy counsell Lad smels of no cowardize Demetrius Sit fas aut nefas till I finde the streame To coole this heate a charme to calme these fits Per Stigia per manes Vebor Exeunt Enter Titus Andronicus and his three sonnes making a noise with hounds hornes Titus The hunt is vp the Moone is bright and gray The fields are fragrant and the woods are greene Vncouple here and let vs make a bay And wake the Emperour and his louelie Bride And rowze the Prince and ring a Hunters peale That all the Court may eccho with the noise Sonnes let it be your charge as it is ours To attend the Emperours person carefullie I haue beene troubled in my sleepe this night But dawning day new comfort hath inspirde Here a crie of Hounds and wind hornes in a peale then enter Saturninus Tamora Bascianus Lauinia Chiron Demetrius and their Attendants Titus Many good morrowes to your Maiestie Madam to you as many and as good I promised your Grace a Hunters peale Saturnine And you haue rung it lustilie my Lords Somewhat too earlie for new married Ladies Bascianus Lauinia how say you Laui I say no I haue been broad awake two howres more Saturnine Come on then horse and Chariots let vs haue And to our sport Madam now shall ye see Our Romane hunting Marcus I haue Dogges my Lord VVill rouze the prowdest Panther in the Chase And clime the highest promontarie topp Titus And I haue horse will follow where the game Mâ—kâ—s wayâ— and runnes like swallowes ore the plaine Demetrius Chiron we hunt not we with horse nor hound But hope to plucke a dâ—intie Doe to ground Exeunt Enter Aron alone Moore He that had wit would thinke that I had none To burie so much gold vnder a tree And neuer after to inherit it Let him that thinks of me so abiectlie Know that this gold must coine a stratageme VVhich cunning lie effected will beget A verie excellent peece of villanie And so repose sweet gold for their vnrest That haue their almes out of the Empresse Chest. Enter Tamora alone to thâ— Moore Tamora My louelie Aron wherefore lookst thou sad VVhen euerie thing dorh make a gleefull bost The birds chaunt melodie on euerie bush The snakes lies rolled in the chearefull sunne The greene leaues quiuer with the cooling winde And make a checkerd shadow on the ground Vnder their sweet shade Aron let vs sit And whilst the babling eccho mocks the hounds Replying shrillie to the well tun'd hornes As if a double hunt were heard at once Let vs sit downe and marke their yellowing noyse And after conflict such as was supposde The wandring Prince and Dido once inioyed VVhen with a happie storme they were surprisde And curtaind with a counsaile-keeping Caue VVe may each wreathed in the others armes Our pastimes done possesse a golden slumber VVhiles hounds and hornes and sweete mellodious birds Be vnto vs as is a Nurces song Of Lullabie to bring her Babe a sleepe Moore Maddam though Venus gouerne your desires Saturne is dominator ouer mine VVhat signifies my deadlie standing eie My silence ann my clowdie melancholie My fleece of wollie haire that now vncurles Euen as an Adder when shee doth vnrowle To doo some fatall execution No Maddam these are no veneriall signes Vengeance is in my hart death in my hand Blood and reuenge are hammering in my head Harke Tamora the Empresse of my soule Which neuer hopes more heauen than rests in thee This is the daie of doome for Bassianus His Philomel must loose her tongue to daie Thy sonnes make pillage of her chasttitie And wash their hands in Bascianus blood Seest thou this letter take it vp I pray thee And giue the king this fatall plotted scrowle Now question me no more we are espied Here comes a parcell of our hopeful lbootie VVhich dreads not yet their liues destruction Enter Bascianus and Lauinia Tamora Ah my sweete Moore sweeter to me than life Moore No more great Empresse Bascianus comes Be crosse with him and I le goe fetch thy sonnes To backe thy quarrels what so ere they bee Bascianus who haue we here Romes Royall Empresse Vnfurnisht of her well beseeming troope Or is it Dian habited like her VVho hath abandoned her holie groues To see the generall hunting in this Forrest Tamora Sawcie controwler of my priuate steps Had I the powre that some say Dian had Thy temples should be planted presentlie VVith hornes as was Acteons and the hounds Should driue vpon thy new transformed limbes Vnmannerly intruder as thou art Lauinea Vnder your patience gentle Empresse T is thought you haue a goodly gift in horning And to be doubted that your Moore and you Are singled forth to trie thy experimens Ioue sheeld your husband from his hounds to day T is pittie they should take him for a Stag. Bassianusâ— Beleeue me Queene your swartie Cymerion Doth make your honour of his bodies hue Spotted detested and abhominable VVhy are you sequestred from all your traine Dismounted from your snow white goodly steede And wandred hither to an obsure plot Accompanied
but with a barbarous Moore If soule desire had not conducted you Lauinia And being intercepted in your sport Great reason that my Noble Lord be rated For sausines I pray you let vs hence And let her ioy her Rauen culloured loue This valie fitâ—s the purpose passing well Bass. The King my brother shall haue notice of this Lauinia I for these slips haue made him noted long Good King to be so mightily abused Queene VVhy I haue patience to indure all this Enter Chiron and Demetrius Dâ—met How now deare soueraigne and our gratious Mother VVhy doth your highnes looke so pale and wan Queene Haue I not reason thinke you to looke pale These two haue ticed me hither to this place A barren detested vale you see it is The trees though summery yet forlorne and leane Ouercome with mosse and balefull misselto Here neuer shines the sunne here nothing breeds Vnlesse the nightly Owle or fatall Rauen And when they showd me this abhorred pit They told me here at dead time of the night A thousand feends a thousand hissing snakes Ten thousand swelling toades as manie vrchins VVould make such fearefull and confused cries As any mortall body hearing it Should strait fall mad or els die suddainely No sooner had they told this hellish tale Buâ— strait they told me they would binde me here Vnto the body of a dismall Ewghe And leaue me to this miserable death And then they calde me foule adulteresse Lauicious Goth and all the bitterestâ—tearmes That euer eare did heare to such effect And had you not by wondrous fortune come This vengeance on me had they executed Reuenge it as you loue your Mothers life Or be yee not hence forth cald my Children Demetrius This is a witnes that I am thy son stab him Chi And this for me struck home to shew my strength Lauinia I come Semeranis nay barbarous Tamora For no name fits thy nature but thy owne Tamora Giue me the poynard you shall know my boies Your Mothers hand shall right your Mothers wrong Demetrius Stay Madame here is more belongs to her First thrash the corne then after burne the straw This minion stood vpon her chastitie Vpon her Nuptiall vow her loyaltie And with that painted hope braues your mightenes And shall she carrie this vnto her graue Chiron And if she doe I would I were an Euenuke Drag hence her husband to some secret hole And make his dead trunke pillow to our lust Tamora But when yee haue the honie we desire Let not this waspe out liue vs both to sting Chiron I warrant you maddame we will make that sure Come Mistris now perforce we will enioy That nice preserued honestie of yours Lauinia Oh Tamora thou bearest a womans face Tamora I will not heare her speake awaie with her Lauinia Sweet Lords intreat her heare me but a word Demetrius Listen faire Maddame let it be your glory To see her teares but be your hart to them As vnrelenting Flint to drops of raine Lauinia VVhen did the Tigers young ones teach the dam Oh doe not learne her wrath she taught it thee The Milke thou suckst from her did turne to Marble Euen at thy teat thou hadst thy tyrranie Yet euerie Mother breeds not sonnes a like Doe thou intreat her shew a womans pittie Chiron VVhat wouldst thou haue me proue my selfe a bastard Lauinia T is true the Rauen doth not hatch a Larke Yet haue I hard Oh could I finde it now The Lion moued with pittie did indure To haue his Princelie pawes parde all away Some say that Rauens foster forlorne children The whilst their owne birds famish in their nests Oh be to me though thy hard hart say no Nothing so kinde but something pittiâ—ull Tamora I know not what it meanes away with her Lauinia Oh let me teach thee for my Fathers sake That gaue thee life when well he might haue slaine thee Be not obdurate open thy deafe yeares Tamora Hadst thou in person nere offended mee Euen for his sake am I pittilesse Remember boyes I powrd forth teares in vaine To saue your brotheâ— from the sacrifice But fearce Andronicus would not relent Therefore away with her and vse her as you will The worse to her the better lou'd of mee Lauinia Oh Tamora be calld a Gentle Queene And with thine owne hands kill me in this place For t is not life that I haue begd so long Poore I was slaine when Bascianus dide Tamora VVhat begst thou then fond woman let me goe Lauinia T is present death I beg and one thing more That woman-hood denies my tong to tell Oh keepe me from there worse than killing lust And tumble me into some lothsome pit VVhere neuer mans eye may behold my bodie Doe this and be a charitable murderer Tamora So should I rob my sweet sonnes of their fee No let them satisfiee their lust on thee Demetrius Away for thou hast staide vs here too long Lauinia No grace no womanhood ah beastly creature The blot and enemie to our generall name Confusion fall Chiron Nay then I le stop your mouth bring thou her husband This is the hole where Aron bid vs hide him Tamora Farewell my sons see that you make her sure Nere let my hart know merry cheare indeede Till all the Andronicie be made away Now will I hence to seeke my louely Moore And let my spleenfull sonnes this Trull defloure Enter Aron with two of Titus sonnes Come on my Lords the better foot before Straight will I bring you to the lothsome pit VVhere I espied the Panther fast a sleepe Quintus My sight is verie dull what ere it bodes Mart. And mine I promise you were it not for shame VVell could I leaue our sport to sleepe a while Quintus VVhat art thou fallen what subtill hole is this VVhose mouth is couered with rude growing briers Vpon whose leaues are drops of new shed blood As fresh as morning dew distild on flowers A verie fatall place it seemes to mee Speake brother hast thou hurt thee with the fall Martius Oh brother with the dismalst obiect hurt That euer eie with sight made hart lament Aron Now will I fetch the King to finde them here That he thereby may haue a likely gesse Exit How these were they that made away his brother Martius VVhy dost not comfort me and help me out From this vnhollow and blood stained hole Quintus I am surprised with an vncouth feare A chilling sweat oreruns my trembling ioynts My hart suspects more than mine eie can see Martius To proue thou hast a true diuining hart Aron and thou looke downe into this den And see a fearefull â—ight of blood and death Quintus Aron is gone and my compassionate hart Will not permit mine eyes once to behold The thing where at it trembles by furmise Oh tell me who it is for nere till now VVas I a child to feare I know not what Martius Lord Bassianus lies bereaud in blood All on a heape like