it being no dead outward ty But natures strong and inward sympathy Can make a marriage which the Gods alone Have power to breede in us and therfore they Have only power to ty so sweete a knot I am thy mate nor did thy father when Hee gave that snowy hand unto another Ought but rebell against the Gods decree Poppaea Thou art to good an advocate and I Too partiall for a judge Otho Bee constant to mee Till fortune give a bolder priviledge And warrant to our love of which I have Receiv'd such faire presages as I cannot Despaire meane while by stealth I must behold Those starry eyes and think my selfe most happy In that though no man know my happinesse Poppaea Can men count those delights a happinesse Which they conceale Otho Yes those that truly love Enter Fulvia Fulvia Madam my Lord is come Poppaea Farewell deare Otho Otho Farewell love guard thee till wee meete againe exit Enter CRISPINUS GETA Crispinus Come Lucius study to forget it now And let 's bee truly merry my Poppaea Bid' Lucius Geta welcome my colleague That was but still my frend Poppaea You are most welcome Geta. Thankes fairest Lady Poppaea But my Lord what meanes That speech of yours that Lucius Geta once Was your colleague and is not Crispinus I tell thee Great Agrippina has commanded Caesar To command Pallas to command us two To quit our charge and suddainly resigne The governement of the Praetorian campe 〈◊〉 Burrhus hand at which hee stormes but I am merryer farre and lighter then before Wee may live freely now Caesar has tane 〈◊〉 weighty burthen from my weary necke Thanke his goodnesse Geta. Thanke his sottishnesse T is that has pleasured you ah frend it needes Must grieve all noble hearts that can love justice And pity suffring innocence to see The harmelesse yeares of young Britannicus Expos'd to all the malice of his foes And stupid Caesar made the instrument To ruine his owne sonne whilest his great power By others is abus'd against himselfe And his posterity Crispinus I do beleive it Geta. His servants all that to himselfe were true Or faithfull to his sonne are murther'd now Or else displac'd by her our truth 's the cause That wee have lost our places Crispinus T is no matter Wee loose no honour by our truth and since While wee had power wee faithfully discharg'd Our trust to Caesar let 's no longer stirve To guard him 'gainst his will but take his gift Hee gives us ease and freedome to retire And tast the sweetes of privaty and there Enjoy our lives free from the glorious noise And troubles of a Court instead of waiting On Caesar now on thee I will bestow That time my faire Poppaea and attend On thy delights thou wilt not cast mee off As Caesar does Fulvia Shee cannot promise you I know her heart better then you in that Crispinus None can describe the sweetes of countrey life But those blest men that do enjoy and tast them Plaine husband men though farre below our pitch Of fortune plac'd enjoy a wealth above us To whome the earth with true and bountious justice Free from warres cares returnes an easy food They breath the fresh and uncorrupted aire And by cleare brookes enjoy untroubled sleepes Their state is fearlesse and secure enrich'd With severall blessings such as greatest Kings Might in true justice envy and themselves Would count too happy if they truly knew them Geta. T is true Crispinus greatest Monarchs oft Have in the midst of all theyr carefull gloryes Desir'd such lives as those plaine people lead Crispinus Let us enjoy that huppinesse then Lucius The countrey sports and recreations And friends as innocent as wee with whom Wee need not feare the strength of richest wine In drawing out our secrets but well fill'd At suppertime may hold a free discourse Of Caesar's weakenesse of the wealth and pride Of his freed'men how lordly Pallas rules How feirce and cruell Arippina is What slaves the Roman Senate are become And yet next morne awake with confidence Poppoea All this my Lord you may discourse at Rome If you can wisely choose your company Crispinus Well said Poppaea thou art a woman right Thou lov'st the city well Geta. I cannot blame her Such beauty seekes no corners but may well Become th' Imperiall city of the world Crispinus Come Lucius Geta let 's goe in and laugh At our proud enemyes enjoy theire malice And drowne our cares in rich Falernian wine As ancient as Opimius Consulship Enter to them NARCISSUS Geta. Here comes a man Crispinus I beleive Is sory for this change Crispinus I thinke so Lucius Narcissus Haile noble Romans Crispinus Haile to you Narcissus How dare you venture a salute on us Or make a visite to such guilty men Narcissus Guilty my Lord in what Crispinus In beeing wrong'd Those that are wrong'd in Court are made offendours Narcissus I must confesse my Lord it was a wrong To you and your Colleague to bee displac'd But you have spirits great enough to scorne That injury and pity him that did it I meane that suffer'd his proud foes to doo it Rather against himselfe then you the wrong Must fall on Caesar and his haplesse house Blinded by fate and neere his fall hee throwes Away the best supporters of his state Geta. The thought of that as I am true Narcissus Afflicts mee more then mine owne losse can doe Crispinus For mee I thinke my selfe well free'd from trouble Were 't not for feare of poore Britannicus Narcissus I doo beleeve it noble Lords but you Are now dischar'gd and may retire with safety My part is yet to play a part of danger And I will act it bravely here I vow By all the Gods no feare shall make mee shrinke Till I have once more righted Claudius Against the lusts and treasons of a wife Nor do I boast of Messalinaes death It was the times necessity that made Mee then to shew my power that power perchance Is yet as much nor shall the Lordly Pallas Though swell'd with Agrippinaes lustfull favours And back'd by her authority hee thinke Himselfe sole ruler in th' Imperiall house Finde that Narcissus is so fall'n in spirit But that I dare attempt as much as then Great Caesar's safety is as much in danger As then it was his nuptiall bed as stain'd And I will dy or take the same revenge That then was taken all their plots and treasons Will I reveale to Caesar and pursue it With such a dauntlesse constancy that if The Gods forget not to bee just this day Proud Agrippina and her minion fall The young Britannicus shall stand secure In his high birthright Messalinaes ghost Shall then perchance although shee hate mee now forgive the hand that caus'd her overthrow Geta. Bravely resolu'd Narcissus Crispinus You shall doe An act that all good men shall thank you for Will you goe in and tast my wine Narcissus Not now I came but only to reveale my purpose To
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
sweet prince Grow up to strengthen the Imperiall house And Curbe the furious malice of thy foes Enter NERO PALLAS Nero Brother Britannicus haile Britannicus Haile to you Domitius Anobarbus Nero Doe you scorne My salutation or not know my name Britannicus That was your fathers name and why not yours Nero How 's that Proud boy Exeunt Brit. reliq Pallas Well let them goe my Lord 'T was not the braine of young Britannicus That could give birth to this minurious scorne Though for his yeeres the boy be capable But riper heads then his there went his counsell Crispinus Rufus and that Lucius Geta Who swell the youth with boasting hopes and thinke Their power can give protection to his pride I 'le make them see their errour and perceive One breath of mine can blow them from their strength This newes I 'll beare to Agrippina straight Come Prince Britannicus shall find anon What feeble props his pride has lean'd upon Exeunt AGRIPPINA SENECA VITELLIUS POLLIO Agrippina You are my Judges Seneca Your poore servants Madam Agrippina Nay that must be your office you have read My Commentaries over and I looke for A faithfull censure I am sure my Lords You have both learning able to discerne And such integritie as will not flatter Speake Seneca I see they looke on you How doe you like them Seneca Royall Agrippina Such and so good they bee that ablest men May boldly speake and not offend the truth Nor you at all the stile is full and Princely Vitellius Stately and absolute beyond what ere These eyes have seene and Rome whose majestie Is there describ'd in after times shall owe For her memoriall to your learned pen More then to all those fading monuments Built with the riches of the spoiled world When rust shall eate her brasse when times strong hand Shall bruise to dust her marble Palaces Triumphall Arches Pillars Obeliskes When Julius Temple Claudius Aquaeducts Agrippa's Baths and Pompey's Theater Nay Rome it selfe shall not be found at all Historians books shall live those strong records Those deathlesse monuments alone shall shew What and how great the Roman Empire was Pollio The act is Noble not the present world Alone shall owe to Agrippinas worth As for her gratious government it does But future ages shall acknowledge more To the rich labours of her Royall pen Agrippina The wisest Princes never sought to raise Their present state alone but to preserve Themselves immortall by an endlesse fame For memory of mee besides these bookes If that our Augures faile not in their skill Or flatter not that German Colony Which I of late deducted o're the Rhine To Ubium for evermore the name Of Agrippinaes Colony shall beare Vitellius That act though great declares your power alone Your wealth and greatnesse but these learned bookes Expresse your wisedome and for these you owe Nothing at all to Fortune Agrippina Thus I meane To spend all time which from affaires of state And businesse of our Empire can be spar'd Seneca Is she already turn'd our Emperour Agrippina Those wretches have too narrow soules who thinke That persons great and eminent in state Can spare no time to purchase same by writing But what they steale from action and imployment As if no mind were large enough for both Who was more full of action and more fit To rule nay rule the world then Julius Caesar Yet he was of my mind Seneca Oh strange male spirit Can there be found no other parallell But Julius Caesar to a womans minde Agrippina Yet Julius was too blame hee toild too much To get his honour and too much debarr'd His nature the free use of Princely pleasures Sure Lucius Sylla had an ample minde T is Syllaes Character that Salust gives him A free and great enjoyer of his pleasures Yet how industrious his actions speake Hee found fit time to rule the Romane world And write both Greeke and Latine Commentaries Seneca The soules of Sylla and of Caesar both I thinke have enter'd her Agrippina Well worthy friends You doe approve my way of writing then Seneca Yes gracious Madam and because you nam'd Great Julius to us I was thinking now That as in blood so in your stiles of writing There was some neerenesse Agrippina Seneca I thanke you But I confesse your positive approbation Pleas'd mee as well as that comparison Seneca Does not your Majestie esteeme his booke Agrippina Indifferent well a good loose carelesse way I thinke directly with Asinius Pollio Had Caesar liv'd hee would have mended it The man had farre more in him then that shewes Seneca Yet under favour Madam some have thought Those Commentaryes hardly could be mended A stile so strong naked and beautifull Free from affected words and from all glosse Or dresse of Oratory as in stead Of leading others in a way to write It quite discourages the ablest men So Hirtius thought and that fam'd Cicero The greatest master of Romes eloquence Agrippina Are those your authors then that Hirtius Was Caesars servant partiall in his heart Or else hee flatter'd him for Cicero They were so farre out of his tedious straine Hee could not censure them Seneca Yet able men Can truly censure of another stile Then what themselves have us'd Agrippina Hee was not able No not in Oratory had I rul'd Rome and her Senate then as now I doe Not all th' Orations that e're Cicero Made in the Senate should have sav'd one haire Of an offendour or condemn'd a Mouse Vitellius How confident shee is in censuring Seneca I am amaz'd but let her have her way Forgive my silence noble Cicero Here thy defence is vaine but what I spare The tongues of all posterity shall speake Enter PALLAS Tribune Pallas The Tribune Madam is return'd and brings Lollia Paulinaes head Agrippina Let him come in Tribune Your pleasure great Augusta is perform'd Agrippina Let me peruse this face ha 't is much chang'd Her teeth shall make me sure they did not grow Dio. The common way I am confirm'd 't is shee Reward him Pallas Tribune The Gods preserve Augusta Agrippina Agrippina O pale death Thou mock of beauty and of greatnesse too Was this the face that once in Caesar's love Was Agrippinaes rivall and durst hope As much 'gainst mee as my unquestion'd power Has wrought on her Was this that beautie once That wore the riches of the world about it For whose attire all lands all seas were search'd All creatures rob'd This This was that Paulina Whom Cajus Caesar serv'd whom Rome ador'd And the world feared Seneca Such a sight mee'thinks Should make her sadly thinke of humane frailty Agrippina Take hence the head least in her death shee gaine A greater conquest o're mee then her life Could ever doe to make me shed a teare I would not wrong the justice I have done So much as to lament it now You know My friends shee had a spirit dangerous And though my nature could have pardon'd her Reason of state forbade it
which then told mee Great ruines have been wrought by foolish pity Seneca Would shee had such a nature but 't is now Too late to give her counsell Pallas So let all That dare contest with Agrippina fall Enter servant Servant Caesar is come to visite you Agrippina Now friends Vitellius Pollio Pallas second mee Enter CAESAR ANTISTIUS Caesar How fares my Agrippina Agrippina Wondrous well When I am blest with Caesars company Caesar That shall be oft my love when Romes affaires And publike businesse will give me leave Agrippina I would partake my selfe of those affaires Rather then want your presence Pallas I beleeve it Caesar Thou shalt 't is onely for thy dearest sake I love my fortunes thy sweet fellowship Makes light the burthen of my government Agrippina To ease great Caesars care shall ever bee The height of my desires before you came My heart was sad I sent for these my friends T' impart the reason to them Caesar Sad for what Agrippina Weighing the troubles of a Princely state And all the dangers that still threaten it Caesar Dangers Pallas Shee strikes upon the fittest string No passion reignes in him so much as feare Agrippina Wee were devising of the fittest meanes To give your state security you know Your strongest guard is the Praetorian campe Caesar Most true Agrippina That campe commanded now by two May be by Captaines too ambitious strife Divided into factions and so made Lesse serviceable should your safety need them Vitellius Caesar remembers when that bold attempt Of Silius was how the Praetorian campe Was by their generall strife in mutiny And had not one been chosen for that day To rule them all Caesar had not been safe Pollio Wise men in calmes provide for stormes to come None knowes how dangerous the times may prove Though now the state be safe and may the Gods To Caesar's honor long preserve it so Seneca What new designe is this that all of them aside Second so readily and I was not Acquainted with it If 't prove mischievous I thanke the Empresse for my ignorance Agrippina Burrhus Afranius is a worthy man Fit for the place and faithfull well-belov'd By all the souldiers such a change my Lord None can except against Let him take all Seneca What ere her ends may bee this proposition For noble Burrhus sake I must approve Caesar 'T is true my love I make no question Of Burrhus worth and fitnesse for the place But what offence have Geta and Crispinus Been e're accus'd of Or what just suspitions Are there of them Agrippina I will not be unjust To accuse guiltlesse men although I price Thy safety Caesar equall to my life I know no crimes of note they have committe Vitellius Caesar it is no losse to them at all They both have plentious fortunes to retire to Pollio And in so neere a cause who dares examine Great Caesar's counsells or enquire the reason Agrippina Shall Burrhus have it Caesar speake thy pleasure Or if my care offend I shall hereafter Forbeare to meddle Caesar No sweet Agrippina Since thou wilt have it so goe Pallas draw The warrant straight and seale it in our name Let Geta and Crispinus be remoov'd And Burrhus take possession presently This day my love the Britane prisoners Sent from Ostorius Scapula and late Arriv'd at Rome shall be in publike shew'd There thou shalt see that brave Barbarian Prince That bold Caractacus whose stubborne spirit So many yeares contemn'd the Roman power Hee now is taken Pollio 'T was a victory Sent from the Gods to honor Claudius reigne Agrippina Had he been basely taken or at first Yeelded himselfe as hee had got no honour But been forgotten in his fall and nought Had e're been mention'd of him but his death So had thy glory Caesar been farre lesse Vitellius Not warre-like Syphax the Numidian King Stubborne Jugurtha nor great Perseus Ere brought to Rome by their captivity More reall honour then this Britane Prince Caesar Nor doe wee price our name Brittannicus Fetch'd from that Iland lesse then Scipio His honour'd name of Africanus priz'd Pollio Thy stile O Caesar is the greater farre Drawne from the conquest of another world Which nature ment by enterposing cold And stormy seas to guard from Latian armes Vitellius Great Julius Caesar did but only shew That land to us whose conquest was reserv'd By heavens decree to honour Claudius name Agrippina Caesar let 's sit together one Tribunall Will hold us both Caesar It shall bee so my love Thou as my selfe shalt pardon or condemne ACTUS II. POPPAEA OTHO Poppaea MY love deare Otho faine would bid thee stay But danger now forbids it for my Lord Returnes by this time homewards from the Pallace Otho Wee must obey the times necessity Sweetest Poppoea though I part from thee With such a sad'nesse as will loose by all Comparisons and cannot bee exprest But by it selfe to say that Otho parts From faire Poppaea is more tragicall Then soule from body honour from a man Poppoea I could mee thinkes flatter my feares to keepe Thee ever heere Otho And I can scorne all feares And dangers too if thou command mee stay Poppaea No goe my Love and warily let 's meete That wee may often meete but why should still Our highest blisse want freedome Otho 'T is my faire one The envy of the Gods who thinke the state Of men would aequall theirs if greatest joyes Were easyest to obtaine and therfore still In horrid dangers wrap their dearest guifts As all the Poëts ancient fables taught Fire-breathing Buls did guard the Colchian fleece A waking dragon kept the golden fruit But thou Poppaea in my thoughts a prize Of greater value and more lustre farre Then that which drew the bold Thessalian forth So farre from Greece or made Alcmenaes sonne Invade th' Hesperides art kept from mee By stronger guards the awfull Roman lawes Those lawes resist our love Poppaea Oh where was Otho Then when my virgin blossome was the hope Of thousand noble youths hadst thou beene seene Poppaeaes bed and beautyes had beene thine And with a lawfull uncontrolled flame Had met thy wish in those delights which now Wee are inforc'd to steale Otho Must it bee so For ever then Poppaea It must while Rufus lives Otho Nor can I blame blest Rufus if hee strive To keepe that wealth which if it lay beyond The Indian Ganges Scythian Tanais Or horned Ammons scorch'd and thirsty sands Would draw the Roman Monarch to forsake His worlds Imperiall seat there to enjoy And think those banish'd that remain'd at Rome If I were Caesar and condemn'd by fate To want Poppaeaes love I should bee poore No other deare prerogative could that High wreath bestow but only power to make Thee mine without a rivall I might then With boldnesse take thee from Crispinus armes Poppaea But could that act bee lawfull Otho Canst thou doubt it Where two loves meete can marriage bee unlawfull Of which love is the soule the very forme That gives
against such Wise Princes have forborne to draw the sword And rather sought some wayes of policy How to ensnare them Narcissus Caesar those are wayes As much unfit for Princes as unsafe As many Monarchs have in dangerous times Beene ruin'd quite by going wayes too low Though they have seemed subtle as proud subjects Have beene undone by playing Princes parts And as this high and open way befits The power and person of earths greatest Monarch So it befits the times necessity You have already Caesar shew'd your sword And if you strike not now you do not right Your selfe at all but only arme your foes With plots of mischeife to prevent their owne And hasten on your quicke destruction You have already threaten'd and those speeches By Agrippina and her minion Pallas Were overheard who like seene snakes will now Bestirre themselves in a more desperate fury I have already cast mine owne poore life Into the utmost hazard but alas That is a thing not now considerable The Gods above can tell how willingly For Caesar's safety I would sacrifice This life make mee the cheifest instrument Impose what part of this exploit you please Upon Narcissus hand and if I faile To execute I 'll not refuse to dy Caesar Oh my Narcissus I have found thy faith In other services it is resolv'd Their pride shall feele my justice thou shalt see How soone I will secure my self and thee Exeunt AGRIPPINA PALLAS Agrippina Wee are discover'd Pallas all our drifts Are sounded by Narcissus and by him Lay'd ope to Caesar who dissembling yet The knowledge of it seekes a suddaine way To ruine both of us nor had wee fear'd So soone as felt his fury had not wine Betray'd his thoughts to us you know last night What speeches Caesar in his drunkennesse Let fall before us and t was lately told mee That meeting young Britannicus hee wept Confest that hee had wrong'd him and there vow'd A quicke redresse what counsell shall wee take Pallas Wee have no time for counsell but must act As soone as thinke wee goe not now to worke But to prevent a mischeife and our cure Must bee as strong and quicke of operation As our disease is dangerous and suddaine That bird that sees the snare and will bee caught Deserves his death and since that Caesar knowes His purpose is discover'd as Narcissus Ha's before this inform'd him that wee heard it Hee 'l quickly act what else hee had deferr'd No way is left us but to meete the danger And for prevention first attempt to doe That which wee feare to suffer Agrippina By what meanes Shall wee procure his death for poison slow Perchance may faile to lend a timely helpe Unto our safety and too quicke a venome May make the fact supected Pallas Should the fact Bee nere so much suspected your estate Would bee more safe then now it is but who Would dare to utter it when Caesar's dead And your owne Sonne the Emperour for so My confidence assures mee it will bee Therfore bee speedy Madam for your danger Where fame where life and Empire all are threaten'd Gives you no nice election So 't bee done No matter how Agrippina Thou hast confirm'd mee Pallas The way 's resolv'd already there were lately The fairest mushromes sent from Lybia That ere these eyes beheld a meat which hee Affects with greedinesse in one of those Caesar shall meete his death if that should faile His cheife Physitian Xenophon is mine But are things stong and ready to confirme The Empire upon Nero Pallas T is the best And happiest time before Britannicus Bee growne to riper yeares while yet hee weares His childish robe and Nero has beene showne To all the people in triumphall weedes But when the deed is done place warily Your guards about the Pallace gates and keepe Britannicus within whilest Nero back'd By Seneca and Burrhus by the campe And Senate bee saluted Emperour And all be setled sure Agrippina How fit a time To work his own destruction Caesar chose To tempt with threatning Agrippinas fury ACTUS III. SCENA I. PETRONIUS OTHO MONTANUS Petronius Is Nero fir'd Otho Extremly I at first Seem'd melancholy to loose Acte so And hee seem'd loath to wrong mee but at last When his desires were high I cunningly Withdrew my interest and gave way to his Which hee has taken for the greatest favour That ever man could doe him and I hope It has endear'd him strongly Montanus Thou wilt grow A happy man Petronius T is the best way to rise The wench is faire and of behaviour Wanton enough to make the arrantst novice A perfect scholler in the schoole of Venus Seneca himselfe rather will give way That hee should satisfie his lust on her Then seeke th' adulteries of noble women Montanus But gentlemen have you not heard the newes There is a great combustion in the Palace As I have been inform'd theeves are fall'n out The two proud freemen Pallas and Narcissus Are clashing 'gainst each other Petronius I am glad on t I hope some curious rogeries will come on 't Those are the fellowes that have rul'd the state These many yeeres and trampled on the lives Of noble men Caesar's credulous weakenesse But yet mee thinks Narcissus should not dare Now to contest with Pallas he has got Too great a start of him and is too neere Acquainted with the empresse Montanus So they say Otho Has a fine time on 't who would think the rogue Sould bee so ambitious as to court an Empresse Petronius 'T was her ambitions to bee made the wife Of Claudius that first made her prostitute Her selfe so low and court this fellows love Whom she perceiv'd to have a ruling power Over his doating master to ambition Shee sacrific'd her honour t is well known Montanus And hee by dooing of the Empresse takes The surest way of keeping Caesars love Petronius Yes there 's no doubt of that You know the proverbe Enter to them ANICETUS Anicetus Well met my Lords I come to finde you out Otho What 's the newes Anicetus Anicetus Great my Lord Caesar is wondrous sick 't is thought to death The Pallas is by souldiers guarded round A great and frequent Senate is assembling The Consuls and the Priests are making vowes For Caesar's safety Montanus Claudius is old Petronius There have been other wayes to end a Prince Besides old age But what is that to us Come let 's away and shew our forwardnesse To joy or mourning as occasion serves I am prepar'd for both Montanus And so am I Otho Both must be done if Caesar dye our greife Must last but till the successor bee known And then wee must rejoyce Petronius T is true Otho But I Shall have true cause of joy if Nero reigne Exeunt BRITANNICUS OCTAVIA XENOPHON Britannicus Shall I not see my father ere hee dy Octavia Good Xenophon Xenophon Good Madam pardon mee Nothing is now so great an enemy To his disease as noise and company Hee 's lately
fall'n into a gentle slumber Deep sleeps his feaver will not let him take I 'll certify your highnesse when hee wakes And wait upon you Octavia Thankes good Xenophon Exeunt AGRIPPINA Agrippina I long to heare what favour Nero findes In the Pretorian campe how Caesar's death Is by the souldiers and the Senate taken Enter PALLAS Welcome my dearest Pallas What 's the newes Pallas Madam as good as Jove himselfe could send No sooner in the campe was Caesar's death Divulgd but Burrhus enters to his charge And Nero with him who by all the cohorts Was presently saluted Emperour Only some few were silent and a while Stood still expecting young Britannicus But when they saw their expectation Was all in vaine and none but Nero came Fearing at last to loose the Donative Which Burrhus promis'd them in Neros name They joyn'd themselves unto the greater part Agrippina Britannicus within the Pallace here Is safe enough for comming forth to day The Senate have scarse heard of Caesar's death For wee conceal'd it till all things were ready Pallas Now in a Princely chariot mounted high Guarded by Burrhus and the souldiers Nero sets forward to the Senate house But having past the campe you need not feare The Senate Madam Agrippina Pallas thou wert ever A messenger of lucky newes to mee A safe contriver of the highest plots A happy instrument thou hast deserv'd What ere thou hast enioy'd though thou have tasted That which a Caesar su'd to tast and bought The world in recompence Pallas If ever Pallas Had any fire that could advance his thoughts To high and great exploits hee kindled it At your caelestiall beauty as from heaven Prometheus stole that active fire by which Hee durst himself adventure to create The noblest creature man What act on earth What undertaking should he tremble at Whom Agrippinas favours animate And what had I been but a peece of earth Cold dull and uselesse had I not been quickn'd By your aetheriall touch Agrippina The happinesse Of this high day has made thee eloquent Pallas The love of royall Agrippina can Inspire the dullest Soule with life and language When the Idalian Queene was pleas'd to grace A shepheards boy more then his humble thoughts Could hope or wish the ravish'd tongue forgot That rurall language which before it us'd Agrippina Ah Pallas what a glorious change is here How is the lownesse of our late despaire Turn'd to the height of joy and happinesse Pallas Quicke resolution well pursu'd will cure The saddest state Agrippina Goe thou and heare more newes Whilest I dispose of things about the Palace Exeunt A SENATE POLLIO CONSUL VITELLIUS SENECA OTHO PETRONIUS MONTANUS Pollio May all the Gods accept our sacrifice And bee propitious to the vowes that wee Have vow'd for Caesar's safety Vitellius Let the great Divine and sacred Nero Claudius The care of heaven sole ruler of the earth And Romes high Father not forsake his world So soone t' encrease the number of the Gods Enter BURRHUS Burrhus Exile to the Consul and this sacred Senate Great Claudius Caesar's dead in whose high throne With one consent the souldiers have agreed To seat young Nero his adopted sonne And do by mee entreat your suffrages Fathers conscript to ratifie their choice Seneca Let not young Nero's yeeres disparage him Nor trouble you since happy presidents May well be showne grave Fathers Great Augustus Of glorious memory no more in debt To yeeres then hee began to rule the state With what successe not one in all this noble And great assembly can bee ignorant But weigh with mee the difference of the times The state is setled and has flourish'd long In peacefull government no civill rents No factions now nor armies are a foot To staine with Latian blood Philippi plaines To dye the Actiak and Sicilian Seas And through all regions beare th' unnaturall wounds Of bleeding Rome No such affrighting names As Marcus Brutus Cassius Lepidus Great Pompey's sonne or feirce Antonius Arm'd with the power of halfe the Roman world Stand to oppose him Oh yee Gods how great How many dangers had beset the state When young Augustus mannag'd it yet hee Withstood and vanquish'd all those difficulties And why should Nero our elected Prince Ag'd like Augustus not bee able now To sway a peacefull scepter for the right To this high wreath although Britannicus Were borne the naturall sonne of Claudius A Prince of hope enough and may by some Bee thought much wrong'd in this election Yet weigh it rightly and no wrong is done For Nero was adopted But besides The claime of his adoption hee is borne A truer heire to our Imperiall house Sprung up from the loines of great Augustus Caesar Britannicus from Liviaes sonnes alone Vitellius Nor are the yeeres of young Britannicus So ripe as his to govern Pollio Seneca Has wisely shewed his undoubted right And I with joy approve the souldiers choise Octavia The Gods preserve Nero our Emperour Otho Now is the height of all my wishes reach'd Enter NERO with TRIBUNE Tribune Roome for Caesar Hee goes on and takes his state Pollio Haile Nero Caesar Seneca Haile great Emperour Vitellius Ever Augustus Otho Most invincible Petronius Most sacred Tribune Montanus Holyest highest Priest Pollio Father of Rome Nero That honorable title Is yet too weighty for my tender yeeres Then let mee weare it fathers when my paines My toile and travell for the publike weale By ayde and favour of the Gods have made Mee worthy of it But your free consent Fathers conscript your powerfull suffrages Powerfull and honor'd as the voice of heaven In confirmation of the souldiers choise Fils mee with joy immortall and shall binde My best indeavours to requite that love My heart is cleare my education Was not in factious in tumultuous times Or civil broiles my former life has been As free from doing as receiving wrong And therefore bring I to th' Imperiall Throne No feares no grudges hatred or revenge This sacred Senate which the world adores Shall still retaine her old prerogative While Nero lives My privat house affayres Shall from the free Republicke bee divided And never turne the course of common Justice No publike Office shall bee bought for gold The sacred Consulary power shall judge As heretofore th' affaires of Italy And forreigne provinces My care alone Sall bee to rule and lead the Souldiers And such to all the people will I bee As I would wish th' immortall Gods to mee Vitellius Oh speech most worthy Jupiter himselfe Worthy for ever to be registed In brazen Pillars for the world to read Pollio Let publike thanks by Senate bee decreed To Caesar's grace and goodnesse Nero No Asinius Let me deserve them first first give me leave What I have promis'd to performe in deedes That then if thankes or praises bee bestow'd They my bee judg'd as due and better Crowne Your owne true justice and the Princes merits Pollio Oh happy Rome in such an Emperour Long may hee reigne on
earth and late oh late Become a glorious starre in Heaven Tribune What word Will Caesar give the watching souldiers Nero The excellent mother Tribune is their word Your company noble Consul wee 'll entreate Home to the Pallace Pollio I 'll attend on Caesar Exeunt Manent OTHO PETRONIUS MONTANUS Montanus The Prince has promis'd faire Petronius Life Seneca That made the speech for him had been too blame Otho Well let him speake as Seneca instructs In publicke still say I I know his heart And secret thoughts better then Seneca Shall ever doe and there are Joviall dayes A comming gallants say I prophecy Montanus Will it bee lawfull to eat Lybian mushroms And British oysters without being cited Before the censor Otho Yes Curtius and to whore For vacuation after them those gifts Will bee Court vertues Come the Prince is hopefull Petronius Would I might have the bringing of him up Otho If I can helpe it thou shalt have a share In his tuition Welcome Anicetus Anicetus Is it to mee you come Anicetus To you my Lord Caesar desires your company at the pallace Otho Caesars desire is a command which I With joy obey returne my humble duty Good Anicetus I 'll attend him strait Exit Anicetus Otho Now my mad shavers do you know me yet Petronius Yes very well the question is if thou Wilt know us now Otho Tut man Nero shall know you I 'll bring you both into his neare acquaintance Now faire Poppaea's mine and mine alone Caesar must grant my first petition Or else deny the love hee swore to mee If ere hee wore the worlds Imperiall wreath His power must fetch Poppaea from her husband Nor is the deed so envious Other Princes Have done the like and yet not tax'd in story Petronius Besides hee knowes Crispinus never lov'd him And was an enemy to his adoption 'Gainst him perchance hee will the sooner grant it Exeunt Agrip This is the day that sets a glorious Crown On all my great designes this day declares My power and makes the trembling world to know That Agrippina only can bestow The Roman Empire and command the wheel Of suffring Fortune holding in her hand The fate of nation Is there not a name Above Augusta to enforme the world How great I am What Roman Deity Shall I assume the petty Goddesses Would all resigne but that they blushing think Their stiles and altars are too meane for mee â—acinion Juno shall bee proud to share Her gloryes all with mee and think her power Grac'd with my fellowship would brighter shine Or leave her name and bee ador'd by mine Enter NERO POLLIO SENECA Burrhus My Nero is return'd haile Nero Caesar Nero Haile great and deare Augusta best of Mothers To whose sole care and goodnesse Caesar owes All those rich honours that he weares to day And will ackowledge ever Agrippina Brighter still For many yeeres let this blest day returne That does bestow for my deare Lord and husband The ne're enough lamented Claudius To true a solace on my greiv'd Soule This is that Caesar now on whom my hopes And comforts all rely Nero This is that Caesar Who in obedience and true filiall love To Agrippina will for ever strive With vertuous aemulation to excell Her most admir'd and exemplary goodnesse Pollio How well this piety becomes them both Pallas Enter Pallas Long live great Nero Caesar Nero Thankes good Pallas Wee are indebted to thy faithfull service And therefore till wee finde some greater meanes To make requitall still retaine that office Which in our father Claudius time thou held'st Bee still our steward of th' Emperiall house Agrippina Hee has deserv'd it Nero For the funerals Of our dead father in what state and order They shall bee celebrated wee refer To you deare Mother Agrippina Let the order of them Bee like Augustus Caesar's Let him have A Censors funeralls with divine honours And put among the number of the Gods Nor shall our grandmother great Livia With her Tiberius to Augustus show More piety or more magnificence Then wee to our divinest Claudius Exeunt ACTUS IIII NARCISSUS GETA Narcissus If wee bee bound to think the Gods consider This humane world why are wee not as well Bound to beleeve the greatest members of it On whom the fates of all the rest depend Should be their greatest care why should the Gods Extend their narrow providence and show Their power in woods and rurall villages Yet thinke th' Imperiall family of Rome Not worth their care at all for if they had Where slept their justice when great Claudius Was murdred by his servants and his wife And they ador'd and honour'd by the state For acting that accursed deed what right Can all the subject world receive from thence What good can dwell upon the earth with safety Proud Pallas thou hast got the victory O're poore Narcissus and mayest safely triumph With thy false Empresse for no law can reach The height you soare at now but yet take heed That very crime the same Impiety That aided you in your foule enterprise To vanquish mee and justice on my side May one day pull you downe Geta. Alas Narcissus Too truly Rufus thou and I foresaw This fatall storme 'gainst Claudius wofull house Britannicus is now the object growne Of all mens pitty Narcissus In the wrong hee did Into his hopefull sonne hee needs must see His own destruction woven But if Claudius When I detected all their plots to him Had beene of nature quick and resolute Hee had prevented all and scap'd his murder T is certaine hee was poison'd Geta. Rome it selfe I feare will rue that sad adoption And in the wrongs of young Britannicus Will beare too deepe a share while the firce rule Of Agrippina lasts Narcissus What better hope Does Nero promise us Those that are neere Xiphilin And inward with his nature doe suspect In him all seedes of vice and tyranny Though smoother'd for a time at least not hurtfull While he refraines from medling with the state That his night rambling revels drinking feasts And cruell sports that he 's delighted in Are vices of his nature not his youth Geta T is true Narcissus I of late have heard Many beginne to feare the prophecy of Aenobarbus his detested sire Xiphilin That nothing good could be begot twixt him And Agrippina Too too true alas Such prophecies of some of our late Princes Have prov'd to Rome as that Augustus made Of the slow-jaw'd Tiberius and Tiberius Of his successour Caius whom hee nam'd A Phaëton to the unhappy world Narcissus All that I hope for is a wretched life If that bee not too much for mee to hope Into Campania will I go but there If death pursue mee Caesars armes are long And I am arm'd for any accident Let none but with a spirit prepar'd to dye Dare to adventure on prosperity Geta. Rufus and I are both resolv'd to leave The city too wee are not safe within it But farre perchance removed from her
sight Wee may escape fell Agrippinas spight Enter to them CRISPINUS Crispinus Ah Lucius Geta I am now enforc'd To that retirement which wee lately talk'd of Because my danger mov'd mee not before Fresh cause is giv'n mee Now I would not breath The aire of Rome for all the wealth within it Geta. What cause is that Crispinus speake Crispinus Poppaea That was my wife is carried from my house And divoc'd from mee by command from Caesar Narcissus The Prince begins his reigne most hopefully Crispinus Do you not wonder how I beare it thus Geta. I must confesse the losse is wondrous great Crispinus True had shee been my chast and faithfull wife The losse had been beyond all aestimation Nor could a manly spirit have borne the wrong But shee was none of mine her heart my Lucius As I have since discover'd long ago Was given to wanton Otho and with him T is thought she stole her close adulterous houres For on that Otho Nero has bestow'd her Xiphilin ex Dione Wanting her heart that gawdy peice of Earth That men call beauty I should soone have scorn'd Though Caesar's warrant had not come at all Shall wee be gone my freind Geta. With all my heart It was my feare Poppaea would have caus'd Your stay too long Crispinus I 'll put her from my thoughts Narcissus Farewell my Lords all happinesse attend Your Country life though I can hope for none Crispinus Farewell Narcissus may the Gods protect thee Exeunt Otho Otho Poppaea Thus greatest Monarchs oft have given away What they themselves ne're saw nor e're knew how To value truely Nero has bestow'd A guift unknown on mee which I that taste How sweet it is would not againe forgo For all his Empires wealth Poppaea Nor would I change My Otho's love for great Augustus state Otho There to enjoy where both extreamly love Is such a happines as I have heard Some do observe it seldome does befall A marryed paire or if it doe that blisse Endures not long so envious are the fates But that 's a dreame my love I doe not feare Poppaea Thou need'st not feare Poppaeas constancy Though Caesar were thy rivall Otho Sweet I do not I dare not wrong thy truth or take so much From mine own happinesse as to suspect Thy constant minde at all but Caesar's power Is of extent as large as mans desire 'T was that that made thee mine and nought but that That gave can take my happinesse away Thou hast a face Poppaea that would cleare A ravisher from guilt that would excuse The treason of a freind and make my wrong No staine to Caesar 's honour though the Gods Or Cato were his judges Poppaea Caesar would not Hee loves thee wel besides a noble minde Would scorne to taste the fruites of forced love Otho A long beseidging is as forcible As an assault and wins the fort as sure Though not so soone Poppaea Nay spare your arguments I can looke through them thou art fearfull Otho That I should long to see the Court alas I have no such ambition to bee known To Agrippina or Octavia Otho Mistake mee not sweete love I am so farre From jealousy of thee that 't was my purpose To make it my request that thou would'st go And see great Caesar's Court nor do I thinke Octavia would bee jealous or that danger That once befell the faire Calphurnia Whom Agrippina banish'd Italy Because that Claudius Caesar prais'd her beauty Should fall on thee Poppaea It shall not fall on mee I will noe see the Court fy Otho fy How wretchedly in striving to conceale Thy jelousy thou dost betray it to mee Why dost thou tell mee so of Caesar's power Octaviaes wrath Calphuniaes banishment Through Agrippinaes envy t is thy love Better then all these subtle tricks will keepe My thoughts at home Otho It shall appeare to thee I do not feare at all or if I did T is not the failing of thy constancy Enjoy what freedome thou desir'st Poppaea Now for a little while excuse my absence I must forsake thee though unwillingly Caesar I feare expected my return Long before this love has beguil'd the time And made my stay seeme shorter then it is But I shall think till I returne againe The houres are long till then farewell Poppaea Exit Poppaea I finde his feares alreadie my estate Was better farre before Rufus Crispinus Was grave and knew not wantonnesse enough To make him jealous as this Otho does That too unlawfull love which then I shew'd To Otho is the mother of these feares Is old Seleucus the Magician come Enter Fulvia Fulvia Madam hee waites without Poppaea Go call him hither Seleucus is the master of his Art All his praedictions hitherto have prov'd Most true and certaine why should I desire To know my future fate and hasten woe Should it prove ill before the time of woe But t is a longing that I cannot check Enter Seleucus Welcom Seleucus have you found it out Seleucus Madam your scheme is drawn and there I finde The stars alot another husband to you Poppaea Another after Otho Seleucus Yes a third Poppaea What shall hee bee Seleucus The greatest Prince on earth Poppaea Ha Caesar Seleucus Yes it must be Caesar Madam And t is as true as if the oracles Of Jove and Phoebus had foretold it both Poppaea This Caesar that now lives Seleucus I can no further Instruct you Madam what you heare is true Poppaea Drinke this Seleucus for my sake Farewell Exit Seleucus To bee Augusta is the greatest gift The fates can give nor does it seems to mee A thing so much unlikely Otho's feare Perchance was fatall If it were in vaine His care will bee nor can hee then accuse Mee but the fates that overrul'd my love AGRIPPINA PALLAS Agrippina It is decreed Silanus must not live Th' Imperial blood that runs within his veines Were there no other cause is crime enough Hee is descended in the same degree That Nero is from great Augustus loines And some have lately whisper'd that his age Is more mature for soveraignty then Nero's Besides thou know'st his brother Lucius That should have marryed young Octavia By us was hunted to his death and hee May meditate revenge Pallas You need not feare A spirit so sluggish as Silanus is Your brother Caius Caesar in the midd'st Of all his feares and jealousyes to which Hee sacrific'd so many noble branches Of your Imperiall house contemn'd Silanus As one in whom there was no spirit or danger And call'd him nothing but the golden beast Agrippina Wee cannot tell if times of trouble come How much that beast by courage of attendants And confluence of souldiers may bee chang'd Hee is Proconsul now of Asia And may here after if the people should Maligne our government bring power against us Pallas If you will have it so Publius Celerius And Aelius now going for Asia Have undertaken there to poison him Agrippina Let it bee done But
brought before him Nero No respect can bee Too much for mee to give great Agrippina Agrippina Excuse mee Caesar if it bee respect T is now unseasonable take your seate I 'll fit with you my selfe and here th' affaires Of these Armenian Embassadors Nero Wee have deferred the businesse a while And thought upon a fitter time to heare it Agrippina If you arise because the audience Is ended or deferr'd upon just reasons T is not respect to mee that made you rise As you alldg'd at first but I have found it The reason that deferr'd this audience Was Agrippinaes comming Burrhus This I fear'd Seneca T was carryed ill of Caesar at the first Agrpppina I see thou blushest Nero and may'st justly To call that reverence which was affront Was a dissembling not befitting Caesar And to affront a mother so deserving Was not the duty that befitted Nero Nero Can nearest Agrippina thinke her Nero Will ever doo an act that may bee judg'd Affront to her Agrippina This was thou know'st it Nero And so does thy adviser Seneca From him it came no other Senator Durst to have councell'd my disgrace but hee Seneca Never will Seneca so much obleidg'd To Agrippinaes royall favour wish Or councell her disgrace Agrippina Oh Seneca Philosophy nere taught ingratitude If you had thought the place unfit for mee You might have told mee privatly before Not us'd this tricke which how so ere it hold In Stoticisme I 'm sure is nought in state Vitellius Shee payes him home Pallas Her spirit cannot brooke The least appearance of an injury Agrippina Caesar I 'll leave thee now nor shall my presence Bee any hinderance to thy state affaires Nero I 'll go along with you Agrippina For Seneca I 'll shortly teach him new Philosophy Exeunt manent BURRHUS SENECA Seneca Shee 's full of anger but it moves not mee Since what I did was just and for the honour Of Rome and Caesar honest actions Will bee enough protection to them selves Burrhus Take the best courses to prevent her fury Seneca Ah noble Burrhus it must bee hereafter Our greatest care to curbe that womans pride And what wee can remove her from all rule And government of state for Agrippina Is of too hot and fierce a disposition Burrhus What should wee doo t were pitty to incense Her sonne against her Seneca The Gods forbid that wee Should stirve to make the Prince unnaturall But to prevent this inconvenience I will perswade young Caesar not with purpose To wrong his mother somewhat to abate Her dangerous greatenesse to remove from her Part of her guard of German souldiers And to displace her wicked counsellour That insolent and Lordly free'dman Pallas Burrhus You need not use perswasions to your Pupill The Gods forgive it if I judge amisse To stand against his mother I much feare Hee will too quickly hate her for no reason To state belonging but because shee growes Imperious over him and strives to curbe His lust and riots those those Seneca I feare are seedes of future tyranny And for his love as if the fates decreed To make his passions all preposterous His vertuous wife noble Octavia The only instance in this wicked age Of women great and good is loath'd by him Seneca That most afflicts mee could wee finde a cure For that disease all other maladyes A riper age will in some part redresse And I will strive to change them by degrees And get him to forsake his loose associates But let us first endeavour to remove Fierce Agrippina from all rule of state Burrhus I 'l joyne with you and use my best endeavours Exeunt NERO. Nero Shall I that am an Emperor bee check'd Control'd and baffled in my Pallace thus I will remove this mother farre from mee And give command to Burrhus to provide That house that was Antoniaes for her The Pallace shall bee free to my delights I make no doubt but that the people know And hate her pride and will the lesse repine At what I do against her I have told her For shee provok'd mee past all patience Part of my minde already shee shall rue Perchance too late the fiercenesse shee has shew'd Exit AGRIPPINA Agrippina Ingratefull Nero is thy mothers power So soone offensive growne canst thou so soone Cast off all filiall dutyes and forget What I deserve from thee wouldst thou deprive Mee of all power that gave all power to thee Did I so wickedly for thee procure The height of human state that thou shouldst take All state from mee with greater wickednesse Oh wronged Claudius this sad punishment My bloody treason and ingratitude To thy offended Manes justly payes By the most loving and most injur'd Lord The worst of wives was more belov'd then now The best of mothers by a wicked Sonne I 'le make him know what hand it was that rais'd His fortunes to this height but wherefore weeps Enter Octavia My deare Octavia Octavia What accursed fate Pursues the wofull Claudian family Agrippina Deare daughter speake thy griefe Octavia Was I bestow'd Or rather lost in marriage to advance Upon my brother's ruine Nero's state To bee by him despys'd hated and made A base freed-womans slave Agrippina What freed woman Xiphilin Octavia Acte thy Nero's concubine my mistris That dares within the palace to contest Nay to revile Octavia Agrippina She dares not Nor shall she doo 't I 'll slit the strumpets nose If she dare speake 'gainst thee Octavia You cannot mother Nero delights in none but her his soule In Acte lives on her he does bestow That love that 's due to mee But mee hee loaths Oh dismall love Oh fatall marriage Agrippina Take comfort sweete Octavia I 'll redresse Thy wrongs or venture mine owne fall with thee Enter Nero Nero You have complain'd I see Octavia Is there a chiding toward Agrippina Has thy guilt And th' unkinde wrongs thou hast already done Unthankefull Nero to thy vertuous wife Xiphilin Arm'd thee with such an impudence that now Thou canst prevent her just accusing thus Nero How 's this Agrippina Mee thinkes although thou hadd'st no sparke Of goodnesse left thee yet in Pollicy Thou should'st not dare maintain a base borne strumpet Against thy lawfull wife great Claudius daughter Nero Mee thinkes in policy you might remember You speake to Caesar not a childe Agrippina T is true Thou hast forgot the duty of a childe Nero I will bee better known if I bee Crost In my delights I will bee bold to crosse You in your pleasures too Agrippina Oh heavens what pleasures What joyes or studies have I ever had But to preferre thee Nero are my cares And all my labours thus requited now Let not too vaine and foolish confidence Of what thou art make thee presume to wrong Thy mother and thy wife or thou shalt know The Empires lawfull heire is yet alive The wrong'd Britannicus is growing up To take his right and to revenge the wrongs Which hee and all his family susteine Xiphilin I 'll go my selfe
And I a Scholler too too forward then Oh would great Caesars power to cure my wound Could but bestow so privative a good As losse of memory but that alas Were too unjust a cure and I could wish Rather to suffer still then quite forget That I was once Poppaeaes envi'd love I 'll rather strive to solace my sick soul With contemplation of past happinesse And by recounting ore our former joyes Deceive those houres of sorrow I must passe Pop. And I for comfort of our absent love Will cherrish hopes that wee shall meet againe Oth. No thinke mee dead bright love and I 'll enforce My imagination to beleeve that thou Translated by some amorous Deity Hast left the earth to beautify the sky And turne Astronomer in love to finde Thy figure out among those radiant lights Which Joves transformed Paramours have made 'Mongst those I 'll seeke for faire Poppaeaes starre And sweare I see it rather then beleeve Thou liv'st on earth debarr'd from Otho's sight I must begin to part I see for thou In modesty art loath to chide mee hence And bid mee quit the place Farewell Poppaea Such height of happinesse mayst thou enjoy As Caesars constant love can bring to thee Pop. As much good fortune follow Otho still T is power that parts us all the Gods can tell Exit Otho How well I love thee Otho but those Gods That have ordain'd another fate for mee Must bee obey'd yet Nero must bee wrought With cunning to my ends or else my fortune Is low and poore my title nought at all T is not the love of Caesar but the honour And that high title which attends his love That is Poppaeaes aime Octavia Debarres mee yet from that and Agrippina Is fierce and keeps her sonne in Pupillage Enter NERO. Nero Now faire Poppaea thou art mine alone Otho 's remov'd embrace the happy change That fortune brings thee thou hast found instead Of him a Caesar who besides his state Has brought a heart as true to thee and love As strong and fervent as poore Otho's was Thou wert before a diamond coursly set A clouded starre the Fates did pitty thee And would no longer let that beauty ly Ecclippsed in a private family No seat but Romes Imperiall throne no sphaere But Caesars armes were fit for these bright eyes To shine in and the subject world t' adore Their lustre like some constellation New risen to amaze mortality Not Rome alone but all the farthest shores That Peleus silver-footed wife ere knew Shall call Poppaea mistresse Poppaea Those are honours Caesar too high too great for mee to hope Nero To hope my love they are thine owne already Poppaea Caesar thou know'st it cannot bee and I That might have liv'd content with Otho's love And there enjoy'd the honour'd name of wife Must in the Palace find a baser stile Nero Thou wrong'st my power Poppaea if thou thinke I cannot give the highest stile to thee And if thou thinke I meane it not thou wrong'st My truest love Poppaea Octavia is alive No love of thine can beare Augustus state But onely shee Nero Shee shall bee soon remov'd To make a roome for faire Poppaeaes honour Nor will the Senate dare to grumble at it Poppaea Though all were silent else fierce Agrippina Xiphilin Would in that act controll thee and thinke mee To meane for Caesars wife though I am sprung For I may speake a truth that Rome can witnesse From noble and triumphant Ancestors Nero There love thou strik'st upon the truest string That Agrippina was my greatest feare Though now shee is not for I 'll tell it thee If Anicetus stratagem have taken Ere this shee wanders on the Stygian shore Weary I was of her imperious pride And fear'd her cruell plots How that succeedes Is now my greatest expectation Nor do I live till Anicetus come And bring my safety in that womans death Enter ANICETUS Poppaea See Anicetus is return'd Nero Speake man What is my fate thou carriest in thy voyce The life and death of Caesar Anicetus Your command Was done great Caesar but your mother scap'd Nero Escap'd how could it bee but you were false And all conspir'd together to betray Xiphilin My life in saving hers how could shee scape Anicetus Wee chose the night to act it in but night Prov'd not so black as night the starrs gave light No wind at all blew as wee lanched forth Xiphilin Down in the Galley Agrippina lay And at her feet lay Aceronia With joy discoursing of your curtesie And favour lately shew'd her but when I The watch-word gave the covering of the place Loaden with lead fell downe and prest to death Her servant Gallus But when th' other part By fortune stronger broke not nor the vessell Was loos'd asunder all beeing in amaze The rowers straitway thought it best to weigh The galley at one side and sinke her so There Aceronia floating in the waves Faining her selfe to bee the Empresse cry'd Helpe helpe the Prince his mother But the rowers With poles and oares straight kill'd her as shee swamme But Agrippina in a silence caus'd By policy or feare swamme to the banke Having received but one wound and there Succour'd by little barkes through Lucrine lake To her owne house was carryed at the last Nero Oh I am lost and dead I shall bee straight Surpris'd and kill'd shee 'll arme her slaves and stirre The souldiers up or to the Senate house Complaine and shew the wound shee has receiv'd And tell the story there What shall I doo Advise mee my Poppaea Anicetus But yet advise mee nothing but her death No other course is safe Nero must dy If Arippina live call Burrhus to mee Send forth the souldiers to dispach her straight Poppaea It is no action for a souldiers hand Nor will the campe for brave Germanicus Her father's sake bee drawne to butcher her Let Anicetus finish the exploit Hee has begunne Nero It must be so go on With thy religious act good Anicetus Thou art obleig'd to finish it or else What thou hast done already will procure My ruine rather then security Choose thee what aide thou wilt Anicetus I have them ready Feare it not Caesar Agrippinaes dead Nero Oh comfortable voice thou art the man Thou only Anicetus that bestow'st The Empire upon Nero to thy guift I will acknowlegd it and celebrate This as my day of coronation What plot shall wee invent to hide the deede And put th' intent of murder upon her To bring you newes of her escape I 'll finde A way to doo 't t is strange none yet come from her See Agerinus comes Enter Agerinus Agrerinus All health to Caesar Augusta by the favour of the Gods Has lately scap'd a strange and wounderfull Danger at Sea Ani. Caesar when any of her servants come What meanes this ponyard Anicetus lets fall a ponyard behinde Agerinus In Caesars presence Agerinus Nero Treason Ziphilin Shee sends to murder mee dragge hence the slave And torture him to death Agerinus I am as free From guilt in this as innocence it selfe Nero Hence with the villaine to his death and thou Deare Anicetus forward with thy plot Exeunt AGRIPPINA brought in by Mnester and Seleucus shee sits Agripina Leave mee alone but bee not farre from mee Exeunt Who would rely upon the gratitude Of men or trust the fruit of benefits That now behold or shall hereafter reade My wofull fortune I that have bestow'd What ere the world containes to bee possest By impious Nero in reward expect Nothing but bloody death t was too too true That strange deceitfull galley was a plot An impious engine made to murder mee As by the fiercenesse of the slaves my wound And Aceroniaes death it did appeare Can I expect that Nero should relent Or that the tyrant in a brothers blood Embrew'd already should not rather thinke No mischeife can bee safe till fully done Oh had his thoughts beene good had my escape Beene gratefull to him all the house ere this With visitants and clients had been fill'd To aske and see how Caesars mother did Where now are all the hailes the bended knees Low prostrate faces and officious tongues That strove in honoring Agrippinaes name Vanish'd alas and nought but solitude Ill-boding silence and neglect remaine In this forsaken Palace But too soone Ay mee I feare the approach of vilany What noise is that at doore where are my servants Mnester Seleucus Galla Xenophon No answer made are they departed too Then vanish all my hopes false world farewell With all thy fading glories But alas Whither from hence shall Agrippina fly What regions are there in the other world But my injustice has already fill'd With wronged Ghoasts there young Silanus wanders Lollia Paullina and great Claudius My murdred Lord yet those sad spirits perchance Abhorring Nero's base ingratitude And glutted with revenge will cease to hate At last and pitty Agrippinas state Enter ANICETUS OLOARITUS and others Ay mee is Anicetus come againe Then I am dead past hope murder helpe help Xiphilin Anicetus You guesse our businesse right but t is in vaine To call for helpe your guards are farre enough Agrippina Oh hold your hands a while heare mee but speake Consider with your selves before you act A deed so execrable as will stick A lasting brand on your abhorred names This murder will bee famous through the world All men will fly your hated company Like birds of night shall you for ever hide Youre guilty heads or which is worse then that Nero himselfe who did command the deede As you pretend shall guerdon you with death And quit himselfe by punishing of you O rather venter Neros frowne and keepe Your innocence Anicetus Can they bee innocent That disobey their Prince his will Agrippina But sure You did mistake the Prince I am his mother T was I that gave him birth nay more that put Into his hand the scepter of the world Could hee command my death Anicetus Wee did not stand Examining the cause Agrippina Then strike this wombe This tragicall and ever cursed wombe That to the ruine of mankinde brought forth Xiphilin That monster Nero here here take revenge Here Justice bids you strike let these sad wounds Serve to appease the hatred of the earth 'Gainst Agrippina for dire Nero's birth shee dyes FINIS