5BEfore we proceed any further, heare me speake.

6All. Speake, speake.

71. Cit. You are all resolu'd rather to dy then

8to famish?

9All. Resolu'd, resolu'd.

101. Cit. First you know, Caius Martius is chiefe enemy

11to the people.

12All. We know't, we know't.

131. Cit. Let vs kill him, and wee'l haue Corne at our own

14price. Is't a Verdict?

15All. No more talking on't; Let it be done, away, away

162. Cit. One word, good Citizens.

171. Cit. We are accounted poore Citizens, the Patri-

18cians good: what Authority surfets one, would releeue

19vs. If they would yeelde vs but the superfluitie while it

20were wholsome, wee might guesse they releeued vs hu-

21manely: But they thinke we are too deere, the leannesse

22that afflicts vs, the obiect of our misery, is as an inuento-

23ry to particularize their abundance, our sufferance is a

24gaine to them. Let vs reuenge this with our Pikes, ere

25we become Rakes. For the Gods know, I speake this in

26hunger for Bread, not in thirst for Reuenge.

272. Cit. Would you proceede especially against Caius

28Martius.

29All. Against him first: He's a very dog to the Com-

30monalty.

312. Cit. Consider you what Seruices he ha's done for his

32Country?

331. Cit. Very well, and could bee content to giue him

34good report for't, but that hee payes himselfe with bee-

35ing proud.

36All. Nay, but speak not maliciously.

371. Cit. I say vnto you, what he hath done Famouslie,

38he did it to that end: though soft conscienc'd men can be

39content to say it was for his Countrey, he did it to please

40his Mother, and to be partly proud, which he is, euen to

41the altitude of his vertue.

422. Cit. What he cannot helpe in his Nature, you ac-

43count a Vice in him: You must in no way say he is co-

44uetous.

451. Cit. If I must not, I neede not be barren of Accusa-

46tions he hath faults (with surplus) to tyre in repetition.

48What showts are these? The other side a'th City is risen:

49why stay we prating heere? To th' Capitoll.

50All. Come, come.

511 Cit. Soft, who comes heere?

532 Cit. Worthy Menenius Agrippa, one that hath al-

54wayes lou'd the people.

551 Cit. He's one honest enough, wold al the rest wer so.

56Men. What work's my Countrimen in hand?

57Where go you with Bats and Clubs? The matter

58Speake I pray you.

592 Cit. Our busines is not vnknowne to th' Senat, they

60haue had inkling this fortnight what we intend to do, w^t

61now wee'l shew em in deeds: they say poore Suters haue

62strong breaths, they shal know we haue strong arms too.

63Menen. Why Masters, my good Friends, mine honest

64Neighbours, will you vndo your selues?

652 Cit. We cannot Sir, we are vndone already.

66Men. I tell you Friends, most charitable care

67Haue the Patricians of you for your wants.

68Your suffering in this dearth, you may as well

69Strike at the Heauen with your staues, as lift them

70Against the Roman State, whose course will on

71The way it takes: cracking ten thousand Curbes

72Of more strong linke assunder, then can euer

73Appeare in your impediment. For the Dearth,

74The Gods, not the Patricians make it, and

75Your knees to them (not armes) must helpe. Alacke,

76You are transported by Calamity

77Thether, where more attends you, and you slander

78The Helmes o'th State; who care for you like Fathers,

79When you curse them, as Enemies.

802 Cit. Care for vs? True indeed, they nere car'd for vs

81yet. Suffer vs to famish, and their Store-houses cramm'd

82with Graine: Make Edicts for Vsurie, to support Vsu-

83rers; repeale daily any wholsome Act established against

84the rich, and prouide more piercing Statutes daily, to

85chaine vp and restraine the poore. If the Warres eate vs

86not vppe, they will; and there's all the loue they beare

87vs.

88Menen. Either you must

89Confesse your selues wondrous Malicious,

90Or be accus'd of Folly. I shall tell you

91A pretty Tale, it may be you haue heard it,

92But since it serues my purpose, I will venture

93To scale't a little more.

942 Citizen. Well,

95Ile heare it Sir: yet you must not thinke

96To fobbe off our disgrace with a tale:

97But and't please you deliuer.

98Men. There was a time, when all the bodies members

99Rebell'd against the Belly; thus accus'd it:

100That onely like a Gulfe it did remaine

101I'th midd'st a th' body, idle and vnactiue,

102Still cubbording the Viand, neuer bearing

103Like labour with the rest, where th' other Instruments

104Did see, and heare, deuise, instruct, walke, feele,

105And mutually participate, did minister

106Vnto the appetite; and affection common

107Of the whole body, the Belly answer'd.

1082. Cit. Well sir, what answer made the Belly.

109Men. Sir, I shall tell you with a kinde of Smile,

110Which ne're came from the Lungs, but euen thus:

111For looke you I may make the belly Smile,

112As well as speake, it taintingly replyed

113To'th' discontented Members, the mutinous parts

114That enuied his receite: euen so most fitly,

115As you maligne our Senators, for that

116They are not such as you.

1172. Cit. Your Bellies answer: What

118The Kingly crown'd head, the vigilant eye,

119The Counsailor Heart, the Arme our Souldier,

120Our Steed the Legge, the Tongue our Trumpeter,

121With other Muniments and petty helpes

122In this our Fabricke, if that they---

123Men. What then? Fore me, this Fellow speakes.

124What then? What then?

1252. Cit. Should by the Cormorant belly be restrain'd,

126Who is the sinke a th' body.

127Men. Well, what then?

1282. Cit. The former Agents, if they did complaine,

129What could the Belly answer?

130Men. I will tell you,

131If you'l bestow a small (of what you haue little)

132Patience awhile; you'st heare the Bellies answer.

1332. Cit. Y'are long about it.

134Men. Note me this good Friend;

135Your most graue Belly was deliberate,

136Not rash like his Accusers, and thus answered.

137True is it my Incorporate Friends (quoth he)

138That I receiue the generall Food at first

139Which you do liue vpon: and fit it is,

140Because I am the Store-house, and the Shop

141Of the whole Body. But, if you do remember,

142I send it through the Riuers of your blood

143Euen to the Court, the Heart, to th' seate o'th' Braine,

144And through the Crankes and Offices of man,

145The strongest Nerues, and small inferiour Veines

146From me receiue that naturall competencie

147Whereby they liue. And though that all at once

148(You my good Friends, this sayes the Belly) marke me.

1492. Cit. I sir, well, well.

150Men. Though all at once, cannot

151See what I do deliuer out to each,

152Yet I can make my Awdit vp, that all

153From me do backe receiue the Flowre of all,

154And leaue me but the Bran. What say you too't?

1552. Cit. It was an answer, how apply you this?

156Men. The Senators of Rome, are this good Belly,

157And you the mutinous Members: For examine

158Their Counsailes, and their Cares; disgest things rightly,

159Touching the Weale a'th Common, you shall finde

160No publique benefit which you receiue

161But it proceeds, or comes from them to you,

162And no way from your selues. What do you thinke?

163You, the great Toe of this Assembly?

1642. Cit. I the great Toe? Why the great Toe?

165Men. For that being one o'th lowest, basest, poorest

166Of this most wise Rebellion, thou goest formost:

167Thou Rascall, that art worst in blood to run,

168Lead'st first to win some vantage.

169But make you ready your stiffe bats and clubs,

170Rome, and her Rats, are at the point of battell,

171The one side must haue baile.

173Hayle, Noble Martius.

174Mar. Thanks. What's the matter you dissentious rogues

175That rubbing the poore Itch of your Opinion,

176Make your selues Scabs.

1772. Cit. We haue euer your good word.

178Mar. He that will giue good words to thee, wil flatter

179Beneath abhorring. What would you haue, you Curres,

180That like nor Peace, nor Warre? The one affrights you,

181The other makes you proud. He that trusts to you,

182Where he should finde you Lyons, findes you Hares:

183Where Foxes, Geese you are: No surer, no,

184Then is the coale of fire vpon the Ice,

185Or Hailstone in the Sun. Your Vertue is,

186To make him worthy, whose offence subdues him,

187And curse that Iustice did it. Who deserues Greatnes,

188Deserues your Hate: and your Affections are

189A sickmans Appetite; who desires most that

190Which would encrease his euill. He that depends

191Vpon your fauours, swimmes with finnes of Leade,

192And hewes downe Oakes, with rushes. Hang ye: trust ye?

193With euery Minute you do change a Minde,

194And call him Noble, that was now your Hate:

195Him vilde, that was your Garland. What's the matter,

196That in these seuerall places of the Citie,

197You cry against the Noble Senate, who

198(Vnder the Gods) keepe you in awe, which else

199Would feede on one another? What's their seeking?

200Men. For Corne at their owne rates, wherof they say

201The Citie is well stor'd.

202Mar. Hang 'em: They say?

203They'l sit by th' fire, and presume to know

204What's done i'th Capitoll: Who's like to rise,

205Who thriues, & who declines: Side factions, & giue out

206Coniecturall Marriages, making parties strong,

207And feebling such as stand not in their liking,

208Below their cobled Shooes. They say ther's grain enough?

209Would the Nobility lay aside their ruth,

210And let me vse my Sword, I'de make a Quarrie

211With thousands of these quarter'd slaues, as high

212As I could picke my Lance.

213Menen. Nay these are almost thoroughly perswaded:

214For though abundantly they lacke discretion

215Yet are they passing Cowardly. But I beseech you,

216What sayes the other Troope?

217Mar. They are dissolu'd: Hang em;

218They said they were an hungry, sigh'd forth Prouerbes

219That Hunger-broke stone wals: that dogges must eate

220That meate was made for mouths. That the gods sent not

221Corne for the Richmen onely: With these shreds

222They vented their Complainings, which being answer'd

223And a petition granted them, a strange one,

224To breake the heart of generosity,

225And make bold power looke pale, they threw their caps

226As they would hang them on the hornes a'th Moone,

227Shooting their Emulation.

228Menen. What is graunted them?

229Mar. Fiue Tribunes to defend their vulgar wisdoms

230Of their owne choice. One's Iunius Brutus,

231Sicinius Velutus, and I know not. Sdeath,

232The rabble should haue first vnroo'st the City

233Ere so preuayl'd with me; it will in time

234Win vpon power, and throw forth greater Theames

235For Insurrections arguing.

236Menen. This is strange.

237Mar. Go get you home you Fragments.

239Mess. Where's Caius Martius?

240Mar. Heere: what's the matter?

241Mes. The newes is sir, the Volcies are in Armes.

242Mar. I am glad on't, then we shall ha meanes to vent

243Our mustie superfluity. See our best Elders.

2461. Sen. Martius 'tis true, that you haue lately told vs,

247The Volces are in Armes.

248Mar. They haue a Leader,

249Tullus Auffidius that will put you too't:

250I sinne in enuying his Nobility:

251And were I any thing but what I am,

252I would wish me onely he.

253Com. You haue fought together?

254Mar. Were halfe to halfe the world by th' eares, & he

255vpon my partie, I'de reuolt to make

256Onely my warres with him. He is a Lion

257That I am proud to hunt.

2581. Sen. Then worthy Martius,

259Attend vpon Cominius to these Warres.

260Com. It is your former promise.

261Mar. Sir it is,

262And I am constant: Titus Lucius, thou

263Shalt see me once more strike at Tullus face.

264What art thou stiffe? Stand'st out?

265Tit. No Caius Martius,

266Ile leane vpon one Crutch, and fight with tother,

267Ere stay behinde this Businesse.

268Men. Oh true-bred.

269Sen. Your Company to'th' Capitoll, where I know

270Our greatest Friends attend vs.

271Tit. Lead you on: Follow Cominius, we must followe

272you, right worthy you Priority.

273Com. Noble Martius.

274Sen. Hence to your homes, be gone.

275Mar. Nay let them follow,

276The Volces haue much Corne: take these Rats thither,

277To gnaw their Garners. Worshipfull Mutiners,

278Your valour puts well forth: Pray follow. Exeunt.

280Sicin. Was euer man so proud as is this Martius?

281Bru. He has no equall.

282Sicin. When we were chosen Tribunes for the people.

283Bru. Mark'd you his lip and eyes.

284Sicin. Nay, but his taunts.

285Bru. Being mou'd, he will not spare to gird the Gods.

286Sicin. Bemocke the modest Moone.

287Bru. The present VVarres deuoure him, he is growne

288Too proud to be so valiant.

289Sicin. Such a Nature, tickled with good successe, dis-

290daines the shadow which he treads on at noone, but I do

291wonder, his insolence can brooke to be commanded vn-

292der Cominius?

293Bru. Fame, at the which he aymes,

294In whom already he's well grac'd, cannot

295Better be held, nor more attain'd then by

296A place below the first: for what miscarries

297Shall be the Generals fault, though he performe

298To th' vtmost of a man, and giddy censure

299Will then cry out of Martius: Oh, if he

300Had borne the businesse.

301Sicin. Besides, if things go well,

302Opinion that so stickes on Martius, shall

303Of his demerits rob Cominius.

304Bru. Come: halfe all Cominius Honors are to Martius

305Though Martius earn'd them not: and all his faults

306To Martius shall be Honors, though indeed

307In ought he merit not.

308Sicin. Let's hence, and heare

309How the dispatch is made, and in what fashion

310More then his singularity, he goes

311Vpon this present Action.

312Bru. Let's along. Exeunt