731Deme. Chiron we hunt not we, with Horse nor Hound

732But hope to plucke a dainty Doe to ground. Exeunt

734Aron. He that had wit, would thinke that I had none,

735To bury so much Gold vnder a Tree,

736And neuer after to inherit it.

737Let him that thinks of me so abiectly,

738Know that this Gold must coine a stratageme,

739Which cunningly effected, will beget

740A very excellent peece of villany:

741And so repose sweet Gold for their vnrest,

742That haue their Almes out of the Empresse Chest.

744Tamo. My louely Aaron,

745Wherefore look'st thou sad,

746When euerything doth make a Gleefull boast?

747The Birds chaunt melody on euery bush,

748The Snake lies rolled in the chearefull Sunne,

749The greene leaues quiuer.with the cooling winde,

750And make a cheker'd shadow on the ground:

751Vnder their sweete shade, Aaron let vs sit,

752And whil'st the babling Eccho mock's the Hounds,

753Replying shrilly to the well tun'd-Hornes,

754Asif a double hunt were heard at once,

755Let vs sit downe, and marke their yelping noyse:

756And after conflict, such as was suppos'd.

757The wandring Prince and Dido once enioy'd,

758When with a happy storme they were surpris'd,

759And Curtain'd with a Counsaile-keeping Caue,

760We may each wreathed in the others armes,

761(Our pastimes done) possesse a Golden slumber,

762Whiles Hounds and Hornes, and sweet Melodious Birds

763Be vnto vs, as is a Nurses Song

764Of Lullabie, to bring her Babe asleepe.

765Aron. Madame,

766Though Venus gouerne your desires,

767Saturne is Dominator ouer mine:

768What signifies my deadly standing eye,

769My silence, and my Cloudy Melancholie,

770My fleece of Woolly haire, that now vncurles,

771Euen as an Adder when she doth vnrowle

772To do some fatall execution?

773No Madam, these are no Veneriall signes,

774Vengeance is in my heart, death in my hand,

775Blood, and reuenge, are Hammering in my head.

776Harke Tamora, the Empresse of my Soule,

777Which neuer hopes more heauen, then rests in thee,

778This is the day of Doome for Bassianus;

779His Philomel must loose her tongue today,

780Thy Sonnes make Pillage of her Chastity,

781And wash their hands in Bassianus blood.

782Seest thou this Letter, take it vp I pray thee,

783And giue the King this fatall plotted Scrowle,

784Now question me no more, we are espied,

785Heere comes a parcell of our hopefull Booty,

786Which dreads not yet their liues destruction.

788Tamo. Ah my sweet Moore:

789Sweeter to me then life.

790Aron. No more great Empresse, Bassianus comes,

791Be crosse with him, and Ile goe fetch thy Sonnes

792To backe thy quarrell what so ere they be.

793Bassi. Whom haue we heere?

794Romes Royall Empresse,

795Vnfurnisht of our well beseeming troope?

796Or is it Dian habited like her,

797Who hath abandoned her holy Groues,

798To see the generall Hunting in this Forrest?

799Tamo. Sawcie controuler of our priuate steps:

800Had I the power, that some say Dian had,

801Thy Temples should be planted presently.

802With Hornes, as was Acteons, and the Hounds

803Should driue vpon his new transformed limbes,

804Vnmannerly Intruder as thou art.

805Laui. Vnder your patience gentle Empresse,

806'Tis thought you haue a goodly gift in Horning,

807And to be doubted, that your Moore and you

808Are singled forth to try experiments:

809Ioue sheild your husband from his Hounds to day,

810'Tis pitty they should take him for a Stag.

811Bassi. Beleeue me Queene, your swarth Cymerion,

812Doth make your Honour of his bodies Hue,

813Spotted, detested, and abhominable.

814Why are you sequestred from all your traine?

815Dismounted from your Snow-white goodly Steed,

816And wandred hither to an obscure plot,

817Accompanied with a barbarous Moore,

818If foule desire had not conducted you?

819Laui. And being intercepted in your sport,

820Great reason that my Noble Lord, be rated

821For Saucinesse, I pray you let vs hence,

822And let her ioy her Rauen coloured loue,

823This valley fits the purpose passing well.

824Bassi. The King my Brother shall haue notice of this.

825Laui. I, for these slips haue made him noted long,

826Good King, to be so mightily abused.

827Tamora. Why I haue patience to endure all this?

829Dem. How now deere Soueraigne

830And our gracious Mother,

831Why doth your Highnes looke so pale and wan?

832Tamo. Haue I not reason thinke you to looke pale.

833These two haue tic'd me hither to this place,

834A barren, detested vale you see it is.

835The Trees though Sommer, yet forlorne and leane,

836Ore-come with Mosse, and balefull Misselto.

837Heere neuer shines the Sunne, heere nothing breeds,

838Vnlesse the nightly Owle, or fatall Rauen:

839And when they shew'd me this abhorred pit,

840They told me heere at dead time of the night,

841A thousand Fiends, a thousand hissing Snakes,

842Ten thousand swelling Toades, as many Vrchins,

843Would make such fearefull and confused cries,

844As any mortall body hearing it,

845Should straite fall mad, or else die suddenly.

846No sooner had they told this hellish tale,

847But strait they told me they would binde me heere,

848Vnto the body of a dismall yew,

849And leaue me to this miserable death.

850And then they call'd me foule Adulteresse,

851Lasciuious Goth, and all the bitterest tearmes

852That euer eare did heare to such effect.

853And had you not by wondrous fortune come,

854This vengeance on me had they executed:

855Reuenge it, as you loue your Mothers life,

856Or be ye not henceforth cal'd my Children.

857Dem. This is a witnesse that I am thy Sonne. stab him.

858Chi. And this for me,

859Strook home to shew my strength.

860Laui. I come Semeramis, nay Barbarous Tamora.

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