Railed on our base condition, hooted at us, Made marks as far as the earth was ours, to shew us Nothing but sea could stop our flights, despised us, And held it equal, whether banquetting Bond. Let me think we conquered. Car. Do; but so think, as we may be conquered; And, where we have found virtue, though in those, That came to make us slaves, let's cherish it. Bond. No more; I see myself. Thou hast More than my fortunes durst; for they abused me, And wound me up so high, I swelled with glory: mans. Car. Thy love and hate are both unwise ones, lady. Bond. Your reason ? Nen. Is not peace the end of arms? Car. Not where the cause implies a general conquest: Had we a difference with some petty isle, The gods we worship, and next those, our ho nours, And with those swords, that know no end of battle: Those men, beside themselves, allow no neighbour; Those minds, that where the day is, claim inherit ance, And where the sun makes ripe the fruits, their harvest, And where they march, but measure out more ground To add to Rome, and here i'th' bowels on us; Bond. Caratach, As thou hast nobly spoken, shall be done ; drink: Never tell me, thou shalt have drink. I see, Jun. Why do you do this to me? Although your modesty would fain conceal it, Jun. What do you see? Pet. I see as fair as day, that thou want'st drink. Did I not find thee gaping, like an oyster For all thy body's chapped and cracked like timber, Jun. You have too much on't. Pet. It may be a whore too. Say it be, come meecher, Thou shalt have both; a pretty valiant fellow, Die for a little lap and lechery? Pet. No, it shall ne'er be said in our country, Thou diedst of the chin-cough. Hear, thou noble Roman, The son of her that loves a soldier, For officers, and men of action!), And those so clipt by master mouse, and rotten-(For understand them French beans, where the fruits The war loves danger, danger drink, drink dis- Are ripened like the people, in old tubs) cipline, Which is society and lechery; These two beget commanders: Fear not, lady; Thy son shall lead. Jun. 'Tis a strange thing, Petillius, That so ridiculous and loose a mirth Pet. Any mirth, And any way, of any subject, Junius, What harm is in drink? in a good wholesome Jun. Petillius, As thou art honest, leave me ! Pet. None, I thank you?" A modest and a decent resolution, And well put on. Yes; I will leave you, Junius, Hang, drown, despair, deserve the forks, lie open I have viewed you, and I have found you, by my skill, To be a fool of the first head, Junius, Enter JUDAS and four Soldiers. 1 Sold. Fight like hogs for acorns? 3 Sold. If this hold, we are starved. Which is but twenty beans a day (a hard world For mine own part, I say, I am starved already, Why, there's the point. 4 Sold. I'll fight no more. Pet. You'll hang then; A sovereign help for hunger. Ye eating rascals, Whose gods are beef and brewis! whose brave angers Do execution upon these, and chibbals! Does Rome depend upon your resolution 3 Sold. Would we had it! Judas. I may do service, captain. You, corporal Curry-comb, what will your fighting Profit the commonwealth? do you hope to triumph? Or dare your vamping valour, goodman Cobler, Clap a new sole to th' kingdom? 'Sdeath, ye dog-whelps, You fight, or not fight? Pet. Out, ye flesh-flies! Whereby we may do. Pet. Whereby hangs your valour. How long is't since thou eatest last? Wipe thy mouth, And then tell truth. Judas. I have not eat to th' purpose- Ye rogues, my company cat turf, and talk not; Dare ye cry out for hunger, and those extant? A grievous penance! Dost thou see that gentle man, That melancholy monsieur? Jun. Pray you, Petillius! Pet. He has not eat these three weeks. 2 Sold. He has drunk the more then. 3 Sold. And that is all one. Pet. Nor drunk nor slept these two months. Judas. Captain, we do beseech you, as poor soldiers, SCENE III. Enter SUETONIUS, DEMETRIUS, Decius, drum and colours. Suet. Demetrius, is the messenger dispatched To Penius, to command him to bring up The Volans regiment? Dem. He is there by this time. Suet. And are the horse well viewed, we brought from Mona? Dec. The troops are full and lusty. Look to those eating rogues, that bawl for victuals, Pet. Sir, already I have been tampering with their stomachs, which I find As deaf as adders to delays: Your clemency Hath made their murmurs, mutinies; nay rebellions; Now, an they want but mustard, they are in uproars! No oil but Candy, Lusitanian figs, And wine from Lesbos, now can satisfy them; The British waters are grown dull and muddy, The fruit disgustful; Orontes must be sought for, And apples from the happy isles; the truth is, They are more curious now, in having nothing, Than if the sea and land turned up their trea sures. This lost the colonies, and gave Bonduca Suet. Nay, chide not, good Petillius! I confess And bear like thunder through their loudest tempests. They keep the field still? Dem. Confident and full. Pet. In such a number, one would swear they The hills are wooded with their partizans, men, That neither fear or shame e'er found, the devil Has ranked amongst them multitudes; say the men fail, They'll poison us with their petticoats; say they fail, They've priests enough to pray us into nothing. Suet. These are imaginations, dreams of nothing; The man, that doubts or fears Dec. I am free of both. Pet. And I as free as any; As careless of my flesh, of that we call life, To find advantage out; how, found, to follow it Suet. 'Tis true, Petillius, And worthily remembered: The rule is certain, masters; But there to bear the field, then to be conquerors, him; And having forced his spirit, ere he cools, SCENE I. Is infinite in number better likes me, I'll tell you all my fears ; one single valour, More doubts me than all Britain: He's a soldier Pet. Ready for all employments, To be commanded too, sir. Suet. 'Tis well governed; To-morrow we'll draw out and view the cohorts: Pet. In's cabin, sick o' th' mumps, sir. Pet. In love, indeed in love, most lamentably loving, To the tune of Queen Dido. Dec. Alas, poor gentleman! Suet. 'Twill make him fight the nobler. With what lady? I'll be a spokesman for him. Suet. Who is it? Pet. The devil's dam, Bonduca's daughter, Her youngest cracked i'th' ring. Suet. I'm sorry for him: But sure his own discretion will reclaim him; 'Till more come in; tell them, if now they conquer, The fat of all the kingdom lies before them. ACT II. Enter PENIUS, REGULUS, MACER, and DRUSIUS. Pen. I must come? Macer. So the general commands, sir. Pen. I must bring up my regiment? Macer. Believe, sir, Pen. No; but 'tis lost, because it must be won; Girded with millions of fierce Britain's swains, Cur. Do not you hold it a most famous end, When both our names and lives are sacrificed For Rome's encrease? Pen. Yes, Curius; but mark this too: What glory is there, or what lasting fame Can be to Rome or us, what full example, When one is smothered with a multitude, And crowded in amongst a nameless press? Honour got out of flint, and on their heads Whose virtues, like the sun, exhaled all valours Must not be lost in mists and fogs of people, Noteless, and out of name, both rude and naked: Nor can Rome task us with impossibilities, Or bid us fight against a flood; we serve her, That she may proudly say she has good soldiers, Not slaves to choke all hazards. Who but fools, That make no difference betwixt certain dying, And dying well, would fling their fames and for tunes Pen. Drusius, mark antient wisdom, and you'll find then, He gave the overthrow that saved his men. Reg. The soldiers are desirous, Ha? speak! did you? whose bold will durst attempt this! Drawn out? why, who commands, sir? on whose warrant Durst they advance? Reg. I keep mine own obedience. Drus. 'Tis like the general cause, their love of honour, Relieving of their wants Pen. Without my knowledge! Am I no more? my place but at their pleasures? Come, who did this? Drus. By heaven, sir, I am ignorant. [Drum softly within, then enter Soldiers, with drum and colours. Pen. What! am I grown a shadow ?—Hark! they march. I'll know, and will be myself.-Stand! Disobe dience? He, that advances one foot higher, dies for it. Run through the regiment, upon your duties, And charge them, on command, beat back again; By heaven I'll tithe them all else! Reg. We'll do our best. [Ere. DRUS, and REG. Pen. Back! cease your bawling drums there! I'll beat the tubs about your brains else. Back! Do I speak with less fear than thunder to ye? Must I stand to beseech ye? Home, home!-Ha! D'ye stare upon me? Are those minds I moulded, Those honest valiant tempers I was proud To be a fellow to, those great discretions Made your names feared and honoured, turned And say ye come to glut their sacrifices; |