1616This after me, I haue writ my name,

1617Without the helpe of any hand at all.

1618Curst be that hart that forc'st vs to that shift:

1619Write thou good Neece, and heere display at last,

1620What God will haue discouered for reuenge,

1621Heauen guide thy pen to print thy sorrowes plaine,

1622That we may know the Traytors and the truth.

1625Ti. Oh doe ye read my Lord what she hath writs?

1626Stuprum, Chiron, Demetrius.

1627Mar. What, what, the lustfull sonnes of Tamora,

1628Performers of this hainous bloody deed?

1629Ti. Magni Dominator poli,

1630Tam lentus audis scelera, tam lentus vides?

1631Mar. Oh calme thee gentle Lord: Although I know

1632There is enough written vpon this earth,

1633To stirre a mutinie in the mildest thoughts,

1634And arme the mindes of infants to exclaimes.

1635My Lord kneele downe with me: Lauinia kneele,

1636And kneele sweet boy, the Romaine Hectors hope,

1637And sweare with me, as with the wofull Feere

1638And father of that chast dishonoured Dame,

1639Lord Iunius Brutus sweare for Lucrece rape,

1640That we will prosecute (by good aduise)

1641Mortall reuenge vpon these traytorous Gothes,

1642And see their blood, or die with this reproach.

1643Ti. Tis sure enough, and you knew how.

1644But if you hunt these Beare-whelpes, then beware

1645The Dam will wake, and if she winde you once,

1646Shee's with the Lyon deepely still in league.

1647And lulls him whilst she palyeth on her backe,

1648And when he sleepes will she do what she list.

1649You are a young huntsman Marcus, let it alone:

1650And come, I will goe get a leafe of brasse,

1651And with a Gad of steele will write these words,

1652And lay it by: the angry Northerne winde

1653Will blow these sands like Sibels leaues abroad,

1654And wheres your lesson then. Boy what say you?

1655Boy. I say my Lord, that if I were a man,

1656Their mothers bed-chamber should not be safe,

1657For these bad bond-men to the yoake of Rome.

1658Mar. I that's my boy, thy father hath full oft,

1659For his vngratefull country done the like.

1660Boy. And Vncle so will I, and if I liue.

1661Ti. Come goe with me into mine Armorie,

1662Lucius Ile fit thee, and withall, my boy

1663Shall carry from me to the Empresse sonnes,

1664Presents that I intend to send them both,

1665Come, come, thou'lt do thy message, wilt thou not?

1666Boy. I with my dagger in their bosomes Grandsire:

1667Ti. No boy not so, Ile teach thee another course,

1668Lauinia come, Marcus looke to my house,

1669Lucius and Ile goe braue it at the Court,

1670I marry will we sir, and weele be waited on. Exeunt.

1671Mar. O heauens! Can you heare a good man grone

1672And not relent, or not compassion him?

1673Marcus attend him in his extasie,

1674That hath more scars of sorrow in his heart,

1675Then foe-mens markes vpon his batter'd shield,

1676But yet so iust, that he will not reuenge,

1677Reuenge the heauens for old Andronicus. Exit

1681Chi. Demetrius heeres the sonne of Lucius,

1682He hath some message to deliuer vs.

1683Aron. I some mad message from his mad Grandfather.

1684Boy. My Lords, with all the humblenesse I may,

1685I greete your honours from Andronicus,

1686And pray the Romane Gods confound you both.

1687Deme. Gramercie louely Lucius, what's the newes?

1688For villanie's markt with rape. May it please you,

1689My Grandsire well aduis'd hath sent by me,

1690The goodliest weapons of his Armorie,

1691To gratifie your honourable youth,

1692The hope of Rome, for so he bad me say:

1693And so I do and with his gifts present

1694Your Lordships, wheneuer you haue need,

1695You may be armed and appointed well,

1696And so I leaue you both: like bloody villaines. Exit

1697Deme. What's heere? a scrole, & written round about?

1698Let's see.

1701Chi. O 'tis a verse in Horace, I know it well.

1702I read it in the Grammer long agoe.

1703Moore. I iust, a verse in Horace: right, you haue it,

1704Now what a thing it is to be an Asse?

1705Heer's no sound iest, the old man hath found their guilt,

1706And sends the weapons wrapt about with lines,

1707That wound (beyond their feeling) to the quick:

1708But were our witty Empresse well afoot,

1709She would applaud Andronicus conceit:

1710But let her rest, in her vnrest awhile.

1711And now young Lords, wa'st not a happy starre

1712Led vs to Rome strangers, and more then so;

1713Captiues, to be aduanced to this height?

1714It did me good before the Pallace gate,

1715To braue the Tribune in his brothers hearing.

1716Deme. But me more good, to see so great a Lord

1717Basely insinuate, and send vs gifts.

1718Moore. Had he not reason Lord Demetrius?

1719Did you not vse his daughter very friendly?

1720Deme. I would we had a thousand Romane Dames

1721At such a bay, by turne to serue our lust.

1722Chi. A charitable wish, and full of loue.

1723Moore. Heere lack's but you mother for to say, Amen.

1724Chi. And that would she for twenty thousand more.

1725Deme. Come, let vs go, and pray to all the Gods

1726For our beloued mother in her paines.

1727Moore. Pray to the deuils, the gods haue giuen vs ouer.

1729Dem. Why do the Emperors trumpets flourish thus?

1730Chi. Belike for ioy the Emperour hath a sonne.

1731Deme. Soft, who comes heere?

1733Nur. Good morrow Lords:

1734O tell me, did you see Aaron the Moore?

1735Aron. Well, more or lesse, or nere a whit at all,

1736Heere Aaron is, and what with Aaron now?

1737Nurse. Oh gentle Aaron, we are all vndone,

1738Now helpe, or woe betide thee euermore.

1739Aron. Why, what a catterwalling dost thou keepe?

1740What dost thou wrap and fumble in thine armes?

1741Nurse. O that which I would hide from heauens eye,

1742Our Empresse shame, and stately Romes disgrace,

1743She is deliuered Lords, she is deliuered.

1744Aron To whom?

1745Nurse. I meane she is brought abed?

1746Aron. Wel God giue her good rest,