2520Hath ordained to an Honourable end,

2521For Peace, for Loue, for League, and good to Rome:

2522Please you therfore draw nie and take your places.

2523Satur. Marcus we will. Hoboyes.

2527Titus. Welcome my gracious Lord,

2528Welcome Dread Queene,

2529Welcome ye Warlike Gothes, welcome Lucius,

2530And welcome all: although the cheere be poore,

2531'Twill fill your stomacks, please you eat of it.

2532Sat. Why art thou thus attir'd Andronicus?

2533Tit. Because I would be sure to haue all well,

2534To entertaine your Highnesse, and your Empresse.

2535Tam. We are beholding to you good Andronicus?

2536Tit. And if your Highnesse knew my heart, you were:

2537My Lord the Emperour resolue me this,

2538Was it well done of rash Virginius,

2539To slay his daughter with his owne right hand,

2540Because she was enfor'st, stain'd, and deflowr'd?

2541Satur. It was Andronicus.

2542Tit. Your reason, Mighty Lord?

2543Sat. Because the Girle, should not suruine her shame,

2544And by her presence still renew his sorrowes.

2545Tit. A reason mighty, strong, and effectuall,

2546A patterne, president, and liuely warrant,

2547For me (most wretched) to performe the like:

2548Die, die, Lauinia, and thy shame with thee,

2549And with thy shame, thy Fathers sorrow die.

2551Sat. What hast done, vnnaturall and vnkinde?

2552Tit. Kil'd her for whom my teares haue made me blind.

2553I am as wofull as Virginius was,

2554And haue a thousand times more cause then he.

2555Sat. What was she rauisht? tell who did the deed,

2556Tit. Wilt please you eat,

2557Wilt please your Hignesse feed?

2558Tam. Why hast thou slaine thine onely Daughter?

2559Titus. Not I, 'twas Chiron and Demetrius,

2560They rauisht her, and cut away her tongue,

2561And they, 'twas they, that did her all this wrong.

2562Satu. Go fetch them hither to vs presently.

2563Tit. Why there they are both, baked in that Pie,

2564Whereof their Mother dantily hath fed,

2565Eating the flesh that she herselfe hath bred.

2566'Tis true, 'tis true, witnesse my kniues sharpe point.

2568Satu. Die franticke wretch, for this accursed deed.

2569Luc. Can the Sonnes eye, behold his Father bleed?

2570There's meede for meede, death for a deadly deed.

2571Mar. You sad fac'd men, people and Sonnes of Rome,

2572By vprores seuer'd like a flight of Fowle,

2573Scattred by windes and high tempestuous gusts:

2574Oh let me teach you how, to knit againe

2575This scattred Corne, into one mutuall sheafe,

2576These broken limbs againe into one body.

2577Goth. Let Rome herselfe be bane vnto herselfe,

2578And shee whom mightie kingdomes cursie too,

2579Like a forlorne and desperate castaway,

2580Doe shamefull execution on herselfe.

2581But if my frostie signes and chaps of age,

2582Graue witnesses of true experience,

2583Cannot induce you to attend my words,

2584Speake Romes deere friend, as 'erst our Auncestor,

2585When with his solemne tongue he did discourse

2586To loue-sicke Didoes sad attending eare,

2587The story of that balefull burning night,

2588When subtil Greekes surpriz'd King Priams Troy:

2589Tell vs what Sinon hath bewicht our eares,

2590Or who hath brought the fatall engine in,

2591That giues our Troy, our Rome the ciuill wound.

2592My heart is not compact of flint nor steele,

2593Nor can I vtter all our bitter griefe,

2594But floods of teares will drowne my Oratorie,

2595And breake my very vttrance, euen in the time

2596When it should moue you to attend me most,

2597Lending your kind hand Commiseration.

2598Heere is a Captaine, let him tell the tale,

2599Your hearts will throb and weepe to heare him speake.

2600Luc. This Noble Auditory, be it knowne to you,

2601That cursed Chiron and Demetrius

2602Were they that murdred our Emperours Brother,

2603And they it were that rauished our Sister,

2604For their fell faults our Brothers were beheaded,

2605Our Fathers teares despis'd, and basely cousen'd,

2606Of that true hand that fought Romes quarrell out,

2607And sent her enemies vnto the graue.

2608Lastly, myselfe vnkindly banished,

2609The gates shut on me, and turn'd weeping out,

2610To beg reliefe among Romes Enemies,

2611Who drown'd their enmity in my true teares,

2612And op'd their armes to imbrace me as a Friend:

2613And I am turned forth, be it knowne to you,

2614That haue preseru'd her welfare in my blood,

2615And from her bosome tooke the Enemies point,

2616Sheathing the steele in my aduentrous body.

2617Alas you know, I am no Vaunter I,

2618My scars can witnesse, dumbe although they are,

2619That my report is iust and full of truth:

2620But soft, me thinkes I do digresse too much,

2621Cyting my worthlesse praise: Oh pardon me,

2622For when no Friends are by, men praise themselues,

2623Marc. Now is my turne to speake: Behold this Child,

2624Of this was Tamora deliuered,

2625The issue of an Irreligious Moore,

2626Chiefe Architect and plotter of these woes,

2627The Villaine is aliue in Titus house,

2628And as he is, to witnesse this is true.

2629Now iudge what course had Titus to reuenge

2630These wrongs, vnspeakeable past patience,

2631Or more then any liuing man could beare.

2632Now you haue heard the truth, what say you Romaines?

2633Haue we done ought amisse? shew vs wherein,

2634And from the place where you behold vs now,

2635The poore remainder of Andronici,

2636Will hand in hand all headlong cast vs downe,

2637And on the ragged stones beat forth our braines,

2638And make a mutuall closure of our house:

2639Speake Romaines speake, and if you say we shall,

2640Loe hand in hand, Lucius and I will fall.

2641Emilli. Come come, thou reuerent man of Rome,

2642And bring our Emperour gently in thy hand,

2643Lucius our Emperour: for well I know,

2644The common voyce do cry it shall be so.

2645Mar. Lucius, all haile Romes Royall Emperour,

2646Goe, goe into old Titus sorrowfull house,

2647And hither hale that misbelieuing Moore,

2648To be adiudg'd some direfull slaughtering death,

2649As punishment for his most wicked life.

2650Lucius all haile to Romes gracious Gouernour.

ee2 Lucius