Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
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A07332
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The tragedy of Julia Agrippina; Empresse of Rome. By T.M.
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May, Thomas, 1595-1650.
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1639
(1639)
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STC 17718A; ESTC S122054
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40,303
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104
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of your loves Vitellius Pollio Farewell brave Pallas Exeunt Vitel. Pol. Pallas Farewell my Lords Goe flattering Senatours Goe use your best perswasive eloquence Whilest I alone upon your envie rise Whilest I injoy in Agrippinaes love The fruit of your obsequious diligence What though my birth be humble and my stile But one of Caesars freed-men though I boast not Patritian blood nor in my galleries Display old ranks of nose-lesse ancestours Or eare-cropt images if I enjoy What ever high Nobility can give Respect and power the state can witnesse it The Senate feare mee and in flattery Have su'd to Caesar to conferre on mee Praetorian and Quaestorian ornaments Which I at last vouchsafed to accept When my command alone has doom'd to death The noblest of that order men whose names Old Rome has boasted of whose vertues rais'd Her to that envi'd height that now she holds Their murders stupid Caesar rather chose To take upon himselfe then question mee Let dull Patricians boast their aery titles And count me base whilest I commend their lives And for the furtherance of my high intents Make noblest men my hated instruments Enter NARCISSUS But ha Narcissus yes there comes a man That was my rivall once whom I fear'd more Then all the Lords of Rome my fellow free'd man That knew our wayes of power that not the Senate But Caesars chamber did command the world And rule the fate of men but Fortune 's turn'd And he not worth my regard or feare In mastring him I feele my greatest strength exit Narcissus Not looke upon mee am I fall'n so low Did I in equall place with this proud man Nay farre above him sway the state and rule Great Caesar's heart while Messallina liv'd And was not there content Oh punishment Of my ambitious aimes but caus'd the death Of that loose Empresse to bring in th' expulst Aelia Petina and instead of her Have let this Tygresse Agrippina in This dragon spirit to devour us all Except proud Pallas her adulterer What unavoided dangers every way Threaten this life For if young Nero reigne I dye that sought to crosse his mothers match If ere Britannicus do reigne I dye That caus'd his mothers death What shall I doo Where shall I leane for safety better trust The innocent goodnesse of Britannicus Then Agrippinaes feirce and cruell nature Nor can I hope more goodnesse from her sonne That may give longer respite to my feare Besides it beares the greater shew of justice And honest service to my Roiall Master Since wee must fall it is some happinesse To fall the honest way if wee may call That honesty at all or reall vertue To which necessity enforces us And wee by fortune not election practise Enter GETA CRISPINUS Here comes two freinds of young Britannicus Haile Lucius Geta haile Crispinus Rufus Geta. Narcissus haile Narcissus Brave Romans you are come Fitly to ease my overburden'd breast Of weighty thoughts which I dare freely trust Vnto your noble eares Geta. You may Narcissus Trust truth with us Crispinus Or any honest secret Geta. What is 't you would with us Narcissus You know my Lords And I must needs confesse I was a meanes Of Messalinaes death but all the Gods Can witnesse with mee how unwillingly I lent a hand to that sad action And but for Caesar's safety which I prize Above my life and fortunes and which then I thought endanger'd much by her hold act Nought in the world could ere have moov'd mee to it Crispinus What hence would you inferre Narcissus Then Know my Lords How little I respect my private ends To doe the publike service and can loose My selfe for Caesars good it may be thought When the most hopefull Prince Britannicus Shall weare that wreath which all the world adores To me it may be fatall as a foe Vnto his mother but I rather wish My selfe for ever lost then that brave Prince Should not succeed his father Geta. How succeed What feare is there of that Crispinus What power on earth Can barre his right whilest wee command the campe I 'de rather see which all the Gods avert Rome rent againe with civill broiles then hee Should loose unjustly the Imperiall throne Narcissus Y' are true and Noble friends and here I vow To joyne with you and use my uttermost power T' advance the honour of Britannicus Crispinus What danger threatens it Narcissus Doe you not know To whom the Sonne of Agrippina's married Crispinus Yes Narcissus And that honor were enough for him Without adoption too were his aimes private And that his crafty Mother did not cast A way for him to the succession Crispinus 'T was strangely done of Caesar I confesse Narcissus They make the faction strong and cunningly Encrease the traine of Nero and displace The faithfull servants af Britannicus Wise Seneca's recall'd from banishment By Agrippinaes meanes not for the love Shee beares his vertue but to make him hers That Seneca's authority may gaine The peoples love to her ambitious sonne Of whose young yeares hee takes tuition Crispinus I think no lesse Geta. Besides to make the match For her young Nero with Octavia Noble Silanus dy'd who might have proov'd A faithfull prop to Claudius family Narcissus In blood that fatall marriage was begun I feare the Omen Agrippina's feirce And cruell nature has too much been seene In this short time Lollia Paulina Neece To Cotta Messalinus and late wife To Caius Caesar for no other cause Then aiming once at Claudius marriage Is banish'd Italy her goods are seiz'd And but five millions of Sesterces left her Of all her great estate but there the malice Of this fell woman stayes not now wee heare A Tribune is dispach'd away to kill The banish'd Lady and bring back her head Crispinus Oh barbarous cruelty Narcissus Yet more I feare Since her Domitius is adopted now I feare shee 'll shortly aime at higher blood Geta. Wee 'll guard the life of young Britannicus Narcissus And I 'll be vigilant for Caesar's safety When all her ends are wrought his death is next Enter BRITANNICUS Geta. Here comes the youthfull hope of Rome and us Britanicus Tell mee my friends am not I Caesar's sonne Crispinus My Lord who dares to question it Britannicus I 'm sure I was his eldest sonne and whilest I liv'd I thought that Caesar had not lack'd an heire But I at last have found an elder brother Domitius is adopted Caesar's sonne His name is Nero now I cannot tell What is my fault Geta. Excellent youth how much Beyond his yeeres hee apprehends his wrongs Crispinus Feare not sweet Prince though Agrippinas sonne Bee two yeere elder then your selfe the Senate Will never judge that an adopted Sonne Shall in succession bee preferr'd before The true and naturall heire Britannicus You ever lov'd mee Pray doe so still Geta While wee have breath my Lord you shall command our lives Crispinus How unawares Has feeble Caesar wrought a snare to catch His own unhappy life in grow
Pallas first of all Let a centurion bee dispach'd into Campania to kill Narcissus there Xiphilin Hee must not live that did contrive our ruine And knowes I feare the meanes by which wee scap'd it By our command it shall bee warranted But tell me Pallas ere thou goest are all The German souldiers come Pall: Madam they are You have a royall guard Ag: Go dearest Pallas Dispatch Celerius into Asia And the Centurion to Campania Exit Pallas Now Agrippina is her selfe and all The power and dignity she holds her own I do not owe it to a marriage bed Or poore dependence on a husbands love Where every minion might have rival'd mee There is no power no state at all but what Is undependent absolute and free Besides my proper and peculiar guards Two lictors by the Senate are assign'd Distinct from Caesar and the Consuls state To wate on mee that all the world at last Th' Imperiall power may in a woman know I was an Empresse but ne're reign'd till now Exit A banquet Enter NERO BRITANNICUS OTHO PETRONIUS MONTANUS ACTE Ne. Come sit my friends they here are freely welcome That bring free Joviall hearts farre hence bee all Sad lookes sower gestures and Censorious thoughts They fit not Nero's table kisse mee Acte And smile upon the feast Acte Caesar's command Is warrant strong enough Nero And thou shalt finde No rigid Catoes here Petronius True great Caesar Let such sowre Scauri sit at home and write Against the pleasure of this happy age Dull satyres such as water or the lees Of Tuscan wine beget let them admire Those old penurious times when Curius fed On leekes and onions when Fabritius Feasted the frugall Senate with hung beefe And rusty bacon and in earthen pots Drunke smal Etrurian wine let them bee still Such as themselves would make themselves unworthy To taste the plenty that Rome now enjoyes Nero Why did our famed ancestours so farre Extend their conquering armes and strive to get The riches of the world but that their Nephews Might now enjoy them t were ingratitude To their rich labours should wee scorne to use What they have got or if the use of it In us bee riot sure 't was avarice In them that toil'd so much to purchase it Otho Which of those rigid Censors that declaime Against the vices of the times and tax Rome as luxurious now would call it vertue In a rich Citizen whose store-houses Were fraught with the best provisions his chests crowded His cellars full of rich Campanian wine Yet hee himselfe to drinke the coursest lees To feede on ackornes pulse and crabs to wrong His nature and defraud his Genius T is said the Furies keep pin'd Tantalus From tasting those delicious fruits hee sees Such would the Roman vertue bee should shee Affright her sonnes the masters of the world From tasting that which they themselves possesse Petronius T is true those former ages were most frugall Wee thank them for 't the better is our fare Let those that list now when they have no need Still imitate and boast their hungry vertue Whilest wee poore sinners are content with pheasants Numidian hens and Lybian purple wings Wilde goates bores hares thrushes and musheroms Oysters and mullets and such vicious meates Nero Fill mee some wine Montanus melancholy And silent now Montanus Caesar I was but listning To heare Petronius good morality Nero Otho I know cannot bee melancholy Hee is a bridegrome and but new possest Of that faire treasure he has courted So long well Otho I must have a sight Of faire Poppaea such I know shee is Otho· Shee is unworthy of great Caesar's sight Nero A round go Anicetus bring the lots Because that no respect of power shall let The freedome of our mirth who ever drawes The longest cut shall bee our King to night And bee obey'd what ere hee shall command I will resigne my chaire to him Com draw Enter Anicetus they draw T is I that am your King Montanus I shall beleive That Fortune has her eyes Britannius In getting Crownes Nero thy fortune is too good for mine Nero I know none envy mee Britannicus No envy can Redresse my wrongs I will beginne with Otho I do command thee send by Anicetus Some trusty token that immediatly May fetch Poppaea hither to the banquet Otho It shall bee done this ring will fetch her hither Exit Anicetus I ever though 't would come to this Petronius Thy plot Of bringing Acte in I see has fail'd Otho I care not much he would at last have seene her Nero Thou wilt not frowne my Acte though thou see Another beauty here Acte No royall Caesar Nor shall you heare mee envious or detracting Although I know Poppaea is a Lady Whose beauty does as farre excell poore Acte As Cinthia does the lesser starres or Venus The other Sea-nimphs Nero Freely spoke faire Acte Acte Here you shall finde the saying does not hold That women are detractors from each other Nero Meane time begin a health Montanus So please it Caesar To great Augusta Agrippina's health Nero Let it go round And now Petronius I come to thee I doo command thee write A Satyre presently against those pleasures Thou didst so lately prayse against th' attire And costly diet of this notorious age This is thy Taske Petronius I must obey the King And now 's the fittest time for such a satyre I never finde my vertue of that strength As to contemne good Victualls but upon A well fill'd stomacke Nero Give him wine to heighten 't Petronius I 've writ already a Satirick Poëm In a grave angry way where I complaine That Romes excesse corruption luxury Ruin'd the present governement and twixt Caesar and Pompey caus'd a civill warre Listen and heare my castigations Now all the world victorious Rome had wonne All lands all Seas the morne and evening Sunne Nor was content the Ocean 's furrow'd ore With armed ships if any farre-hid shore Or land there were whence burnish'd gold was brought It was their foe by impious warre they sought Fates fitted so for wealth old known delight They scorne and Vulgar bare-worne pleasure slight Pearles in th' Assirian lakes the souldiers love Bright polish'd earth in hew with purple strove Numidia marble brings the Scythian yeilds His early fleece the Arabs spoile their fields But see more ruine yet and greater wounds Of injur'd peace the Mauritanian grownds And Libyan Ammon's farthest woods to get Wilde beasts are search'd whose teeth a price must set Upon their death fierce Tigers fetch'd from farre And stalking stately on the Theater Are fed with humane slaughter to delight The peoples eyes after the persian rite Alas I shame to speake it and display The ruine-threatning fates they cut away Manhood from growth spoil'd youths for Venery Softning their nature to keepe backe thereby In spite of time their age her selfe in kinde Abused nature seekes but cannot finde They dote on Catamites weake bending hammes Uunerved bodyes and a thousand names Of new