1747What hath he sent her?

1748Nurse. A deuill.

1749Aron. Why then she is the Deuils Dam: a ioyfull issue.

1750Nurse. A ioylesse, dismall, blacke &, sorrowfull issue,

1751Heere is the babe as loathsome as a toad,

1752Among'st the fairest breeders of our clime,

1753The Empresse sends it thee, thy stampe, thyseale,

1754And bids thee christen it with thy daggers point.

1755Aron. Out you whore, is black so base a hue?

1756Sweet blowse, you are a beautious blossome sure.

1757Deme. Villaine what hast thou done?

1758Aron. That which thou canst not vndoe.

1759Chi. Thou hast vndone our mother.

1760Deme. And therein hellish dog, thou hast vndone,

1761Woe to her chance, and damn'd her loathed choyce,

1762Accur'st the off-spring of so foule a fiend.

1763Chi. It shall not liue.

1764Aron. It shall not die.

1765Nurse. Aaron it must, the mother wils it so.

1766Aron. What, must it Nurse? Then let no man but I

1767Doe execution on my flesh and blood.

1768Deme. Ile broach the Tadpole on my Rapiers point:

1769Nurse giue it me, my sword shall soone dispatch it.

1770Aron. Sooner this sword shall plough thy bowels vp.

1771Stay murtherous villaines, will you kill your brother?

1772Now by the burning Tapers of the skie,

1773That sh'one so brightly when this Boy was got,

1774He dies vpon my Semitars sharpe point,

1775That touches this my first borne sonne and heire.

1776I tell you young-lings, not Enceladus

1777With all his threatning band of Typhons broode,

1778Nor great Alcides, nor the God of warre,

1779Shall ceaze this prey out of his fathers hands:

1780What, what, ye sanguine shallow harted Boyes,

1781Ye white-limb'd walls, ye Ale-house painted signes,

1782Cole-blacke is better then another hue,

1783In that it scornes to beare another hue:

1784For all the water in the Ocean,

1785Can neuer turne the Swans blacke legs to white,

1786Although she laue them hourely in the flood:

1787Tell the Empresse from me, I am of age

1788To keepe mine owne, excuse it how she can.

1789Deme. Wilt thou betray thy noble mistris thus?

1790Aron. My mistris is my mistris: this my selfe,

1791The vigour, and the picture of my youth:

1792This, before all the world do I preferre,

1793This mauger all the world will I keepe safe,

1794Or some of you shall smoake for it in Rome.

1795Deme. By this our mother is foreuer sham'd.

1796Chi. Rome will despise her for this foule escape.

1797Nur. The Emperour in his rage will doome her death.

1798Chi. I blush to thinke vpon this ignominie.

1799Aron. Why ther's the priuiledge your beauty beares:

1800Fie trecherous hue, that will betray with blushing

1801The close enacts and counsels of the hart:

1802Heer's a young Lad fram'd of another leere,

1803Looke how the blacke slaue smiles vpon the father;

1804As who should say, old Lad I am thine owne.

1805He is your brother Lords, sensibly fed

1806Of that selfe blood that first gaue life to you,

1807And from that wombe where you imprisoned were

1808He is infranchised and come to light:

1809Nay he is your brother by the surer side,

1810Although my seale be stamped in his face.

1811Nurse. Aaron what shall I say vnto the Empresse?

1812Dem. Aduise thee Aaron, what is to be done,

1813And we will all subscribe to thy aduise:

1814Saue thou the child, so we may all be safe.

1815Aron. Then sit we downe and let vs all consult.

1816My sonne and I will haue the winde of you:

1817Keepe there, now talke at pleasure of your safety.

1818Deme. How many women saw this childe of his?

1819Aron. Why so braue Lords, when we ioyne in league

1820I am a Lambe: but if you braue the Moore,

1821The chafed Bore, the mountaine Lyonesse,

1822The Ocean swells not so at Aaron stormes:

1823But say againe, how many saw the childe?

1824Nurse. Cornelia, the midwife, and myselfe,

1825And none else but the deliuered Empresse.

1826Aron. The Empresse, the Midwife, and yourselfe,

1827Two may keepe counsell, when the third's away:

1828Goe to the Empresse, tell her this I said, He kils her

1829Weeke, weeke, so cries a Pigge prepared to th'spit.

1830Deme. What mean'st thou Aaron?

1831Wherefore did'st thou this?

1832Aron. O Lord sir, 'tis a deed of pollicie?

1833Shall she liue to betray this guilt of our's:

1834A long tongu'd babling Gossip? No Lords no:

1835And now be it knowne to you my full intent.

1836Not farre, one Muliteus my Country-man

1837His wife but yesternight was brought to bed,

1838His childe is like to her, faire as you are:

1839Goe packe with him, and giue the mother gold,

1840And tell them both the circumstance of all,

1841And how by this their Childe shall be aduaunc'd,

1842And be receiued for the Emperours heyre,

1843And substituted in the place of mine,

1844To calme this tempest whirling in the Court,

1845And let the Emperour dandle him for his owne.

1846Harke ye Lords, ye see I haue giuen her physicke,

1847And you must needs bestow her funerall,

1848The fields are neere, and you are gallant Groomes:

1849This done, see that you take no longer daies

1850But send the Midwife presently to me.

1851The Midwife and the Nurse well made away,

1852Then let the Ladies tattle what they please.

1853Chi. Aaron I see thou wilt not ttust the ayre with se(crets.

1854Deme. For this care of Tamora,

1855Herselfe, and hers are highly bound to thee. Exeunt.

1856Aron. Now to the Gothes, as swift as Swallow flies,

1857There to dispose this treasure in mine armes,

1858And secretly to greete the Empresse friends:

1859Come on you thick-lipt-slaue, Ile beare you hence,

1860For it is you that puts vs to our shifts:

1861Ile make you feed on berries, and on rootes,

1862And feed on curds and whay, and sucke the Goate,

1863And cabbin in a Caue, and bring you vp

1864To be a warriour, and command a Campe. Exit

1868Tit. Come Marcus, come, kinsmen this is the way.

1869Sir Boy let me see your Archerie,

1870Looke yee draw home enough, and 'tis there straight:

1871Terras Astrea reliquit, be you remembred Marcus.

1872She's gone, she's fled, sirs take you to your tooles,

1873You Cosens shall goe sound the Ocean:

1874And cast your nets, haply you may find her in the Sea,

1875Yet ther's as little iustice as at Land:

1876No Publius and Sempronius, you must doe it,