898Men. The Agurer tels me, wee shall haue Newes to

899night.

900Bru. Good or bad?

901Men. Not according to the prayer of the people, for

902they loue not Martius.

903Sicin. Nature teaches Beasts to know their Friends.

904Men. Pray you, who does the Wolfe loue?

905Sicin. The Lambe.

906Men. I, to deuour him, as the hungry Plebeians would

907the Noble Martius.

908Bru. He's a Lambe indeed, that baes like a Beare.

909Men. Hee's a Beare indeede, that liues like a Lambe.

910You two are old men, tell me one thing that I shall aske

911you.

912Both. Well sir.

913Men. In what enormity is Martius poore in, that you

914two haue not in abundance?

915Bru. He's poore in no one fault, but stor'd withall.

916Sicin. Especially in Pride.

917Bru. And topping all others in boasting.

918Men. This is strange now: Do you two know, how

919you are censured heere in the City, I mean of vs a'th' right

920hand File, do you?

921Both. Why? how are we censur'd?

922Men. Because you talke of Pride now, will you not

923be angry.

924Both. Well, well sir, well.

925Men. Why 'tis no great matter: for a very little theefe

926of Occasion, will rob you of a great deale of Patience:

927Giue your dispositions the reines, and bee angry at your

928pleasures (at the least) if you take it as a pleasure to you, in

929being so: you blame Martius for being proud.

930Brut. We do it not alone, sir.

931Men. I know you can doe very little alone, for your

932helpes are many, or else your actions would growe won-

933drous single: your abilities are to Infant-like, for dooing

934much alone. You talke of Pride: Oh, that you could turn

935your eyes toward the Napes of your neckes, and make

936but an Interiour suruey of your good selues. Oh that you

937could.

938Both. What then sir?

939Men. Why then you should discouer a brace of vn-

940meriting, proud, violent, testie Magistrates (alias Fooles)

941as any in Rome.

942Sicin. Menenius, you are knowne well enough too.

943Men. I am knowne to be a humorous Patritian, and

944one that loues a cup of hot Wine, with not a drop of alay-

945ing Tiber in't: Said, to be something imperfect in fauou-

946ring the first complaint, hasty and Tinder-like vppon, to

947triuiall motion: One, that conuerses more with the But-

948tocke of the night, then with the forhead of the morning.

949What I think, I vtter, and spend my malice in my breath.

950Meeting two such Weales men as you are (I cannot call

951you Licurgusses,) if the drinke you giue me, touch my Pa-

952lat aduersly, I make a crooked face at it, I can say, your

953Worshippes haue deliuer'd the matter well, when I finde

954the Asse in compound, with the Maior part of your sylla-

955bles. And though I must be content to beare with those,

956that say you are reuerend graue men, yet they lye deadly,

957that tell you haue good faces, if you see this in the Map

958of my Microcosme, followes it that I am knowne well e-

959nough too? What harme can your beesome Conspectui-

960ties gleane out of this Charracter, if I be knowne well e-

961nough too.

962Bru. Come sir come, we know you well enough.

963Menen. You know neither mee, your selues, nor any

964thing: you are ambitious, for poore knaues cappes and

965legges: you weare out a good wholesome Forenoone, in

966hearing a cause betweene an Orendge wife, and a Forfet-

967seller, and then reiourne the Controuersie of three-pence

968to a second day of Audience. When you are hearing a

969matter betweene party and party, if you chaunce to bee

970pinch'd with the Collicke, you make faces like Mum-

971mers, set vp the bloodie Flagge against all Patience, and

972in roaring for a Chamber-pot, dismisse the Controuersie

973bleeding, the more intangled by your hearing: All the

974peace you make in their Cause, is calling both the parties

975Knaues. You are a payre of strange ones.

976Bru. Come, come, you are well vnderstood to bee a

977perfecter gyber for the Table, then a necessary Bencher in

978the Capitoll.

979Men. Our very Priests must become Mockers, if they

980shall encounter such ridiculous Subiects as you are, when

981you speake best vnto the purpose. It is not woorth the

982wagging of your Beards, and your Beards deserue not so

983honourable a graue, as to stuffe a Botchers Cushion, or to

984be intomb'd in an Asses Packe-saddle; yet you must bee

985saying, Martius is proud: who in a cheape estimation, is

986worth all your predecessors, since Deucalion, though per-

987aduenture some of the best of 'em were hereditarie hang-

988men. Godden to your Worships, more of your conuer-

989sation would infect my Braine, being the Heardsmen of

990the Beastly Plebeans. I will be bold to take my leaue of

991you.

994How now (my as faire as Noble) Ladyes, and the Moone

995were shee Earthly, no Nobler; whither doe you follow

996your Eyes so fast?

997Volum. Honorable Menenius, my Boy Martius appro-

998ches: for the loue of Iuno let's goe.

999Menen. Ha? Martius comming home?

1000Volum. I, worthy Menenius, and with most prosperous

1001approbation.

1002Menen. Take my Cappe Iupiter, and I thanke thee:

1003hoo, Martius comming home?

10042. Ladies. Nay, 'tis true.

1005Volum. Looke, here's a Letter from him, the State hath

1006another, his Wife another, and (I thinke) there's one at

1007home for you.

1008Menen. I will make my very house reele to night:

1009A Letter for me?

1010Virgil. Yes certaine, there's a Letter for you, I saw't.

1011Menen. A Letter for me? it giues me an Estate of se-

1012uen yeeres health; in which time, I will make a Lippe at

1013the Physician: The most soueraigne Prescription in Galen,

1014is but Emperickqutique; and to this Preseruatiue, of no

1015better report then a Horse-drench. Is he not wounded?

1016he was wont to come home wounded?

1017Virgil. Oh no, no, no.

1018Volum. Oh, he is wounded, I thanke the Gods for't.

1019Menen. So doe I too, if it be not too much: brings a

1020Victorie in his Pocket? the wounds become him.

1021Volum. On's Browes: Menenius, hee comes the third

1022time home with the Oaken Garland.

1023Menen. Ha's he disciplin'd Auffidius soundly?

1024Volum. Titus Lartius writes, they fought together, but

1025Auffidius got off.

1026Menen. And 'twas time for him too, Ile warrant him

1027that: and he had stay'd by him, I would not haue been so

1028fiddious'd, for all the Chests in Carioles, and the Gold

1029that's in them. Is the Senate possest of this?

1030Volum. Good Ladies let's goe. Yes, yes, yes: The

1031Senate ha's Letters from the Generall, wherein hee giues

1032my Sonne the whole Name of the Warre: he hath in this

1033action out-done his former deeds doubly.

1034Valer. In troth, there's wondrous things spoke of him.

1035Menen. Wondrous: I, I warrant you, and not with-

1036out his true purchasing.

1037Virgil. The Gods graunt them true.

1038Volum. True? pow waw.

1039Mene. True? Ile be sworne they are true: where is

1040hee wounded, God saue your good Worships? Martius

1041is comming home: hee ha's more cause to be prowd:

1042where is he wounded?

1043Volum. Ith' Shoulder, and ith' left Arme: there will be

1044large Cicatrices to shew the People, when hee shall stand

1045for his place: he receiued in the repulse of Tarquin seuen

1046hurts ith' Body.

1047Mene. One ith' Neck, and two ith' Thigh, there's nine

1048that I know.

1049Volum. Hee had, before this last Expedition, twentie

1050fiue Wounds vpon him.

1051Mene. Now it's twentie seuen; euery gash was an

1052Enemies Graue. Hearke, the Trumpets.

1054Volum. These are the Vshers of Martius:

1055Before him, hee carryes Noyse;

1056And behinde him, hee leaues Teares:

1057Death, that darke Spirit, in's neruie Arme doth lye,

1058Which being aduanc'd, declines, and then men dye.

1064Herauld. Know Rome, that all alone Martius did fight

1065Within Corioles Gates: where he hath wonne,

1066With Fame, a Name to Martius Caius:

1067These in honor followes Martius Caius Coriolanus.

1068Welcome to Rome, renowned Coriolanus.

1070All. Welcome to Rome, renowned Coriolanus.

1071Coriol. No more of this, it does offend my heart: pray

1072now no more.

1073Com. Looke, Sir, your Mother.

1074Coriol. Oh! you haue, I know, petition'd all the Gods

1075for my prosperitie. Kneeles.

1076Volum. Nay, my good Souldier, vp:

1077My gentle Martius, worthy Caius,

1078And by deed-atchieuing Honor newly nam'd,

1079What is it (Coriolanus) must I call thee?

1080But oh, thy Wife.

1081Corio. My gracious silence, hayle:

1082Would'st thou haue laugh'd, had I come Coffin'd home,

1083That weep'st to see me triumph? Ah my deare,

1084Such eyes the Widowes in Carioles were,

1085And Mothers that lacke Sonnes.

1086Mene. Now the Gods Crowne thee.

1087Com. And liue you yet? Oh my sweet Lady, pardon.

1088Volum. I know not where to turne.

1089Oh welcome home: and welcome Generall,

1090And y'are welcome all.

1091Mene. A hundred thousand Welcomes:

1092I could weepe, and I could laugh,

1093I am light, and heauie; welcome:

1094A Curse begin at very root on's heart,

1095That is not glad to see thee.

1096Yon are three, that Rome should dote on:

1097Yet by the faith of men, we haue

1098Some old Crab-trees here at home,

1099That will not be grafted to your Rallish.

1100Yet welcome Warriors:

1101Wee call a Nettle, but a Nettle;

1102And the faults of fooles, but folly.

1103Com. Euer right.

1104Cor. Menenius, euer, euer.

1105Herauld. Giue way there, and goe on.

1106Cor. Your Hand, and yours?

1107Ere in our owne house I doe shade my Head,

1108The good Patricians must be visited,

1109From whom I haue receiu'd not onely greetings,

1110But with them, change of Honors.

1111Volum. I haue liued,

1112To see inherited my very Wishes,

1113And the Buildings of my Fancie:

1114Onely there's one thing wanting,

1115Which (I doubt not) but our Rome

1116Will cast vpon thee.

1117Cor. Know, good Mother,

1118I had rather be their seruant in my way,

1119Then sway with them in theirs.

1120Com. On, to the Capitall. Flourish. Cornets.

1123Bru. All tongues speake of him, and the bleared sights

1124Are spectacled to see him. Your pratling Nurse

1125Into a rapture lets her Baby crie,

1126While she chats him: the Kitchin Malkin pinnes

1127Her richest Lockram 'bout her reechie necke,

1128Clambring the Walls to eye him:

1129Stalls, Bulkes, Windowes, are smother'd vp,

1130Leades fill'd, and Ridges hors'd

1131With variable Complexions; all agreeing

1132In earnestnesse to see him: seld-showne Flamins

1133Doe presse among the popular Throngs, and puffe

1134To winne a vulgar station: our veyl'd Dames

1135Commit the Warre of White and Damaske

1136In their nicely gawded Cheekes, to th'wanton spoyle

1137Of Phoebus burning Kisses: such a poother,

1138As if that whatsoeuer God, who leades him,

1139Were slyly crept into his humane powers,

1140And gaue him gracefull posture.

1141Scicin. On the suddaine, I warrant him Consull.

1142Brutus. Then our Office may, during his power, goe

1143sleepe.

1144Scicin. He cannot temp'rately transport his Honors,

1145From where he should begin, and end, but will

1146Lose those he hath wonne.

1147Brutus. In that there's comfort.

1148Scici. Doubt not,

1149The Commoners, for whom we stand, but they

1150Vpon their ancient mallice, will forget

1151With the least cause, these his new Honors,

1152Which that he will giue them, make I as little question,

1153As he is prowd to doo't.

1154Brutus. I heard him sweare,

1155Were he to stand for Consull, neuer would he

1156Appeare i'th' Market place, nor on him put

1157The Naples Vesture of Humilitie,

1158Nor shewing (as the manner is) his Wounds

1159To th' People, begge their stinking Breaths.

1160Scicin. 'Tis right.

1161Brutus. It was his word:

1162Oh he would misse it, rather then carry it,

1163But by the suite of the Gentry to him,

1164And the desire of the Nobles.

1165Scicin. I wish no better, then haue him hold that pur-

1166pose, and to put it in execution.

1167Brutus. 'Tis most like he will.

1168Scicin. It shall be to him then, as our good wills; a

1169sure destruction.

1170Brutus. So it must fall out

1171To him, or our Authorities, for an end.

1172We must suggest the People, in what hatred

1173He still hath held them: that to's power he would

1174Haue made them Mules, silenc'd their Pleaders,

1175And dispropertied their Freedomes; holding them,

1176In humane Action, and Capacitie,

1177Of no more Soule, nor fitnesse for the World,

1178Then Cammels in their Warre, who haue their Prouand

1179Onely for bearing Burthens, and sore blowes

1180For sinking vnder them.

1181Scicin. This (as you say) suggested,

1182At some time, when his soaring Insolence

1183Shall teach the People, which time shall not want,

1184If he be put vpon't, and that's as easie,

1185As to set Dogges on Sheepe, will be his fire

1186To kindle their dry Stubble: and their Blaze

1187Shall darken him for euer.

1189Brutus. What's the matter?

1190Mess. You are sent for to the Capitoll:

1191'Tis thought, that Martius shall be Consull:

1192I haue seene the dumbe men throng to see him,

1193And the blind to heare him speak: Matrons flong Gloues,

1194Ladies and Maids their Scarffes, and Handkerchers,

1195Vpon him as he pass'd: the Nobles bended

1196As to Ioues Statue, and the Commons made

1197A Shower, and Thunder, with their Caps, and Showts:

1198I neuer saw the like.

1199Brutus. Let's to the Capitoll,

1200And carry with vs Eares and Eyes for th' time,

1201But Hearts for the euent.

1202Scicin. Haue with you. Exeunt.