This scatter'd corn into one mutual sheaf. Do shameful execution on herself. But if my frosty signs and chaps of age, Cannot induce you to attend my words, [To Lucius] Speak, Rome's dear friend: as erst our ancestor, When with his solemn tongue he did discourse The story of that baleful-burning night When subtle Greeks surpris'd King Priam's Troy,— Or who hath brought the fatal engine in That gives our Troy, our Rome, the civil wound.- But floods of tears will drown my oratory, And break my utterance, even in the time Here is our captain, let him tell the tale; Your hearts will throb and weep to hear him speak. Were they that murdered our emperor's brother; The gates shut on me, and turn'd weeping out, Alas, you know I am no vaunter, I; My scars can witness, dumb although they are, But, soft! methinks I do digress too much, Citing my worthless praise: O, pardon me; For when no friends are by, men praise themselves. Marc. Now is my turn to speak. Behold this child, [Pointing to the Child in the arms of an Attendant. Of this was Tamora deliverèd; The issue of an irreligious Moor, Chief architect and plotter of these woes: Damn'd as he is, to witness this is true. Now judge what cause had Titus to revenge Or more than any living man could bear. Now you have heard the truth, what say you, Romans? Will, hand in hand, all headlong cast us down, Speak, Romans, speak; and if you say we shall, Emil. Come, come, thou reverend man of Rome, Lucius our emperor; for well I know The common voice do cry it shall be so. Romans. Lucius, all hail, Rome's royal emperor! Marc. [to Attendants] Go, go into old Titus' sorrowful house, And hither hale that misbelieving Moor, To be adjudg'd some direful-slaughtering death, As punishment for his most wicked life. [Exeunt some Attendants. LUCIUS, MARCUS, &c., descend. Romans. Lucius, all hail, Rome's gracious governor! Luc. Thanks, gentle Romans: may I govern so, To heal Rome's harms, and wipe away her woe! But, gentle people, give me aim awhile, For nature puts me to a heavy_task:- [Kissing Titus, These sorrowful drops upon thy blood-stain'd face, The last true duties of thy noble son! Marc. Tear for tear, and loving kiss for kiss, Luc. Come hither, boy; come, come, and learn of us Meet and agreeing with thine infancy; In that respect, then, like a loving child, Shed yet some small drops from thy tender spring, Friends should associate friends in grief and woe: Do him that kindness, and take leave of him. Young Luc. O grandsire, grandsire! even with all my heart Would I were dead, so you did live again !- Re-enter Attendants with AARON. Emil. You sad Andronici, have done with woes: Give sentence on this execrable wretch, That hath been breeder of these dire events. Luc. Set him breast-deep in earth, and famish him; There let him stand, and rave, and cry for food: If any one relieves or pities him, For the offense he dies. This is our doom: Some stay to see him fasten'd in the earth. Aar. Ó, why should wrath be mute, and fury dumb? I am no baby, I, that with base prayers I should repent the evils I have done: Ten thousand worse than ever yet I did Would I perform, if I might have my will: If one good deed in all my life I did, I do repent it from my very soul. Luc. Some loving friends convey the emperor hence, Be closed in our household's monument. No funeral rite, nor man in mourning weeds, But throw her forth to beasts and birds of prey: [Exeunt OF KING HENRY THE SIXTH. DRAMATIS PERSONE. KING HENRY the Sixth. DUKE OF GLOSTER, uncle to the King, and protector. DUKE OF BEDFORD, uncle to the King, and regent of France. THOMAS BEAUFORT, duke of Exeter, great uncle to the King. HENRY BEAUFORT, great-uncle to the King, bishop of Winchester, and afterwards cardinal. JOHN BEAUFORT, earl of Som erset, afterwards duke. RICHARD PLANTAGENET, son of Richard late earl of Cam bridge, afterwards duke of York. EARL OF WARWICK. of Shrewsbury. SIR JOHN FASTOLFE. SIR WILLIAM GLANSDALE. Mayor of London. WOODVILLE, lieutenant of the Tower. VERNON, of the White Rose or York faction. BASSET, of the Red-Rose or Lancaster faction. A Lawyer.-Mortimer's Keep ers. CHARLES, Dauphin, and after wards king, of France. REIGNIER, duke of Anjou, and titular king of Naples. DUKE OF BURGUNDY. DUKE OF ALENCON. BASTARD OF ORI EANS. Governor of Paris. Master-Gunner of Orleans, and his Son. General of the French forces in Bourdeaux. A French Sergeant. A Porter. An old Shepherd, father to Joan la Pucelle. MARGARET, daughter to Reignier, afterwards married to King Henry. COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE. JOAN LA PUCELLE, commonly called Joan of Arc. Lords, Warders of the Tower, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and several Attendants both on the English and French. Fiends appearing to La Pucelle. SCENE - Partly in England and partly in Franc |