Mr. Theobald fays, This is one of those plays which he always thought, with the better judges, ought not to be acknowledged in the lift of Shakspear's genuine pieces. Dr. Johnfon obferves, That all the editors and critics agree with Mr. Theobald in fuppofing this play fpurious, and that he fecs "no reason for differing from them; for the colour of the ftile is wholly different from that of the other plays, and there is an attempt at regular verfification, and artificial clofes, not always inelegant, yet feldom pleasing. The barbarity of the fpectacles, and the general maffacre, which are here exhibited, can scarcely be conceived tolerable to any audience; yet we are told by Jonfon, that they were not only borne, but praised," Mr. Farmer and Mr, Steevens are alfo of the fame opinion with Dr, Johnson.

A nobler

A nobler man, a braver warrior,

Liyes not this day within the city walls:
He by the fenate is accited home,
From weary wars against the barbarous Goths;
That, with his fons, a terror to our foes,
Hath yok'd a nation strong, train'd up in arms.
Ten years are spent, fince first he undertook
This caufe of Rome, and chaftifed with arms
Our enemies' pride: Five times he hath return'd
Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant fons
In coffins from the field;-

And now at last, laden with honour's spoils,
Returns the good Andronicus to Rome,
Renowned Titus, flourishing in arms.
Let us intreat,-By honour of his name,
Whom, worthily, you would have now fucceed,
And in the Capitol and fenate's right,
Whom you pretend to honour and adore,—
That you withdraw you, and abate your strength;
Difmifs your followers, and, as fuitors fhould,
Plead your deferts in peace and humbleness.
Sat. How fair the tribune fpeaks to calm my
thoughts!

Baf. Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy
In thy uprightness and integrity,

--

[nicus,

|Lo, as the bark, that hath discharg'd her fraught,
Returns with precious lading to the bay,

From whence at firft the weigh'd her anchorage,
Cometh Andronicus, bound with laurel boughs,
5 To re-falute his country with his tears;
Tears of true joy for his return to Rome.
Thou great defender of this Capitol ',
Stand gracious to the rites that we intend !-
Romans, of five and twenty valiant fons,
10 Half of the number that king Priam had,
Behold the poor remains, alive, and dead!
Thefe, that furvive, let Rome reward with love;
Thefe, that I bring unto their latest home,
With burial among their ancestors:

[sword.

15 Here Goths have given me leave to fheath my
Titus, unkind, and careless of thine own,
Why fuffer'ft thou thy fons, unbury'd yet,
To hover on the dreadful fhore of Styx ?-
Make way to lay them by their brethren.

20

25

30

35

40

[They open the tomb,
There greet in filence, as the dead were wont,
And sleep in peace, flain in your country's wars!
O facred receptacle of my joys,
Sweet cell of virtue and nobility,
How
many fons of mine haft thou in store,
That thou wilt never render to me more?

Luc. Give us the proudeft prifoner of the Goths,
That we may hew his limbs, and, on a pile,
Ad manes fratrum facrifice his flesh,
Before this earthly prifon of their bones;
That fo the fhadows be not unappeas'd,
Nor we difturb'd with prodigies on earth 2.

Tit. I give him you; the nobleft that survives,
The eldest fon of this diftreffed queen. [queror,
Tam. Stay, Roman brethren,-Gracious con-
Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed,

A mother's tears in paffion for her fon :
And, if thy fons were ever dear to thee,
O, think my fon to be as dear to me.
Sufficeth not, that we are brought to Rome,
To beautify thy triumphs, and return,
Captive to thee, and to thy Roman yoke?
But muft my fons be slaughter'd in the streets,
For valiant doings in their country's caufe!
O! if to fight for king and common weal
Were piety in thine, it is in thefe;
Andronicus, ftain not thy tomb with blood;
Wilt thou draw near the nature of the gods?
Draw near them then in being merciful:
50 Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge;
Thrice-noble Titus, fpare my first-born son.

45

Capt. Romans, make way; The good AndroPatron of virtue, Rome's best champion, Successful in the battles that he fights, With honour and with fortune is return'd, From where he circumfcribed with his fword, And brought to yoke, the enemies of Rome. Sound drums and trumpets, and then enter Mutius and Marcus; after them, two men bearing a 55 coffin covered with black; then Quintus and Lucius. After them, Titus Andronicus; and then Tamera, the queen of the Goths, Alarbus, Chiron, and Demetrius, with Aaron the Moor, prisoners; Soldiers, and other attendants. They fet down the coffin, 60 and Titus fi caks.

Tit.Hail! Rome,victorious in thy mourning weeds. |

1 Jupiter, to whom the Capitol was facred.

Tit. Patient yourself, madam, and pardon me.
Thefe are their brethren, whom you Goths behold
Alive, and dead; and for their brethren flain,
Religiously they afk a facrifice:

To this your fon is mark'd: and die he must,
To appeafe their groaning fhadows that are gone.
Luc. Away with him! and make a fire straight;
And with our fwords, upon a pile of wood,
Let's hew his limbs, 'till they be clean confum'd.
[Exeunt Mutius, Marcus, Quintus, and
Lucius, with Alarbus.

2 It was fuppofed by the ancients, that the ghofts
3 This verb

of unburied people appeared to their friends and relations, to folicit the rites of funeral. is ufed by other dramatic writers.

Tam.

125

i, e. do on this robe, put it on. 3 H

And here, in fight of Rome, to Saturnine,-
King and commander of common-weal,
The wide world's emperor,-do I confecrate
My fword, my chariot and my prifoners;
Prefents well worthy Rome's imperial lord:
Receive them then, the tribute that I owe,
Mine honour's enfigns humbled at thy feet.

Sat. Thanks, noble Titus, father of my life!
How proud I am of thee, and of thy gifts,
Rome fhall record; and when I do forget
The leaft of these unspeakable deferts,
Romans, forget your fealty to me.

Tit. Now, madam, are you prisoner to an em-
peror;
[To Tamora

To him, that for your honour and your state,
Will ufe you nobly, and your followers.

Sat. A goodly lady, truft me; of the hue
That I would choose, were I to choose anew.-
Clear up, fair queen, that cloudy countenance:

Though chance of war hath wrought this change 20 A valiant fon-in-law thou fhalt enjoy;

of cheer,

Thou com'ft not to be made a fcorn in Rome:
Princely fhall be thy ufage every way.
Reft on my word, and let not difcontent
Daunt all your hopes: Madam, he comforts you,
Can make you greater than the queen of Goths.-
Lavinia, you are not difpleas'd with this?

Lav. Not I, my lord; fith true nobility
Warrants these words in princely courtesy.

25

One fit to bandy with thy lawless fons,
To ruffle in the commonwealth of Rome.
Tit. There words are razors to my wounded
heart.
[Goths,-
Sat. And therefore, lovely Tamora, queen of
That like the ftately Phoebe 'mong her nymphs,
Doft over-fhine the gallant'ft dames of Rome,-
If thou be pleas'd with this my fudden choice,
Behold, I choose thee, Tamora, for my bride,

Sat. Thanks, fweet Lavinia.-Romans, let 30 And will create thee emprefs of Rome.

us go:

Ranfomlefs here we fet our prifoners free:

Proclaim our honours, lords, with trump and drum. Baf. Lord Titus, by your leave, this maid is mine.

[Seizing Lavinia. 35 Tit. How, fir? Are you in earneft then, my lord?

Baf. Ay, noble Titus ; and refolv'd withal, To do myself this reafon and this right.

[The Emperor courts Tamora in dumb fhew.40 Mar. Suum cuique is our Roman justice: This prince in justice seizeth but his own. Luc. And that he will, and fhall, if Lucius live. Tit. Traitors, avaunt! Where is the emperor's guard!

Treafon, my lord; Lavinia is furpriz'd.

Sat. Surpriz'd! By whom?

Baf. By him that juftly may

Bear his betroth'd from all the world away.

45

Speak, queen of Goths, doft thou applaud my

choice?

And here I fwear by all the Roman Gods,-
Sith prieft and holy water are fo near,
And tapers burn fo bright, and every thing
In readiness for Hymeneus ftands,—

I will not re-falute the streets of Rome,
Or climb my palace, 'till from forth this place
I lead efpous'd my bride along with me.
Tam. And here, in fight of heaven to Rome
I swear,

If Saturnine advance the queen of Goths,
She will a handmaid be to his defires,
A loving nurfe, a mother to his youth.

Sat. Afcend, fair queen, Pantheon: Lord,
accompany

Your noble emperor, and his lovely bride,
Sent by the heavens for prince Saturnine,
Whofe wifdom hath her fortune conquered:

[Exit Baffianus with Lavinia. 50 There fhall we confummate our fpoufal rites.

Mut. Brothers, help to convey her hence away,
And with my fword I'll keep this door fafe.
Tit. Follow, my lord, and I'll foon bring her
back.

Mut. My lord you pafs not here.
Tit. What! villain boy,

Barr'ft me my way in Rome?

Mut. Help, Lucius, help!

[Titus kills Mutius.

Luc. My lord, you are unjust, and more than fo;
In wrongful quarrel you have flain your fon.
Tit. Nor thou, nor he, are any fons of mine;

I Spoken of Lavinia.

Manet Titus Ardronicus.

[Exente

Tit. I am not bid to wait upon this bride;-
Titus, when wert thou wont to walk alone,
55 Dishonour'd thus, and challenged of wrongs?
Enter Marcus Andronicus, Lucius, Quintus, and
Marcus.

Mar. O, Titus, fee, O fee, what thou hast
done!

60 In a bad quarrel flain a virtuous fon.

Tit. No, foolish tribune, no; no son of mine,➡

Piece was then, as it is now, ufed perfonally as a word of contempt. 2A ruffer was a kind of cheating bully; and is fo called in a ftatute made for the punishment of vagabonds in the 27th year of K. Henry VIII. Hence, probably, this fenfe of the verb, to ruffle.

Nor