Now will I hence to seek my lovely Moor,
And let my spleenful sons this trull deflour. [Exit.

SCENE IV.

The same.

Enter AARON, with QUINTUS and MARTIUS.

AAR. Come on, my lords; the better foot be

fore: Straight will I bring you to the loathsome pit, Where I espy'd the panther fast asleep.

QUIN. My sight is very dull, whate'er it bodes. MART. And mine, I promise you; wer't not for

shame, Well could I leave our sport to sleep awhile. [MARTIUS falls into the Pit.

QUIN. What, art thou fallen? What subtle hole is this,

Whose mouth is cover'd with rude-growing briars;
Upon whose leaves are drops of new-shed blood,
As fresh as morning's dew distill'd on flowers ?
A very fatal place it seems to me :-
Speak, brother, hast thou hurt thee with the fall?
MART. O, brother, with the dismallest objéct
That ever eye, with sight, made heart lament.

AAR. [Aside.] Now will I fetch the king to find them here;

That he thereby may give a likely guess, How these were they that made away his brother. [Exit AARON.

MART. Why dost not comfort me, and help me

out

From this unhallow'd3 and blood-stained hole? QUIN. I am surprized with an uncouth fear: A chilling sweat o'er-runs my trembling joints; My heart suspects more than mine eye can see.

MART. To prove thou hast a true-divining heart, Aaron and thou look down into this den, And see a fearful sight of blood and death.

QUIN. Aaron is gone; and my compassionate

heart

Will not permit mine eyes once to behold
The thing, whereat it trembles by surmise:
O, tell me how it is; for ne'er till now
Was I a child, to fear I know not what.

MART. Lord Bassianus lies embrewed here,
All on a heap, like to a slaughter'd lamb,
In this detested, dark, blood-drinking pit.

QUIN. If it be dark, how dost thou know 'tis he?
MART. Upon his bloody finger he doth wear
A precious ring, that lightens all the hole,

5

• From this unhallow'd &c.] Edition 1600:-From this vnhallow &c. TODD.

* A precious ring,] There is supposed to be a gem called a carbuncle, which emits not reflected but native light. Mr. Boyle believes the reality of its existence. JOHNSON.

So, in The Gesta Romanorum, history the sixth: "He farther beheld and saw a carbuncle in the hall that lighted all the house." Again, in Lydgate's Description of King Priam's Palace, L. II: " And for most chefe all dirkeness to confound, "A carbuncle was set as kyng of stones all, "To recomforte and gladden all the hall. "And it to enlumine in the black night "With the freshnes of his ruddy light."