For what before it was

Bru. We'll hear no more.

Purfue him to his houfe, and pluck him thence,
Left his infection, being of catching nature,
Spread further.

Men. One word more, 9 'hear me one word:
This tiger-footed rage, when it fhall find

The harm of unfcann'd fwiftnefs, will (too late)
Tye leaden pounds to's heels. Proceed by procefs,
Left parties (as he is belov'd) break out,
And fack great Rome with Romans.

Bru. If 'twere fo

Sic. What do ye talk?

Have we not had a tafte of his obedience?
Our Ediles fmote, our felves refifted? come

Men. Confider this; he hath been bred i' th' wars
Since he could draw a fword, and is ill-fchool'd
In boulted language, meal and bran together
He throws without diftinction. Give me leave,
I'll go to him, and undertake to bring him
Where he fhall anfwer by a lawful form,
In peace, to his utmost peril.

i Sen. Noble Tribunes,

It is the humane way: the other courfe
Will prove too bloody, and the end of it
Unknown to the beginning.

Sic. Noble Menenius,

Be you then as the people's officer.

Mafters, lay down your weapons.

Bru. Go not home.

Sic. Meet on the Forum; we'll attend you there,
Where if you bring not Martius, we'll proceed
In our first way.

Men. 'I'll go and bring him to you.

Let me defire your company; he muft come,

[To the Senators.

[Exeunt. SCENE

Cor. LET them pull all about mine ears, prefent me

Death on the wheel, or at wild horfes heels,

Or pile ten hills on the Tarpeian rock,

That the precipitation might down stretch
Below the beam of fight, yet will I ftill

Be thus to them.

Enter Volumnia.

Noble. You do the nobler.

Cor. I mufe, my mother

Does not approve me further, who was wont
To call them woollen vaffals, things created
To buy and fell with groats, to fhew bare heads
In congregations, yawn, be ftill, and wonder,

When one but of my ordinance stood up

To fpeak of peace, or war; (I talk of you) [To his Mother.
Why did you wish me milder? wou'd you have me
Falfe to my nature? rather fay, I play

Truly the man`I am.

Vol. Oh, Sir, Sir, Sir,

I would have had you put your power well on,

Before you had worn it out.

Cor. 3 Why, let it go

Vol. You might have been enough the man you are,

With ftriving lefs to be fo. Leffer had been

The 4thwartings of your 5 'difpofition,`if

You had not fhew'd them how you were difpos'd

Ere they lack'd power to cross you.

Cor. Let them hang.

Vol. Ay, and burn too.

2 play the man

3 Let it go.

Enter

4 things that thwart ... old edit. Theob. emend. 5 difpofitions,

Enter Menenius with the Senators.

Men. Come, come, you've been too rough, fomething

You must return, and mend it.

Sen. There's no remedy,

Unlefs, by not fo doing, our good city

Cleave in the midst, and perish.

Vol. Pray be counfell'd;

I have a heart as little apt as yours,

But yet a brain that leads my ufe of anger

To better vantage.

Men. Well faid, noble woman :

[too rough:

Before he fhould thus ftoop 'to th' herd, but that
The violent fit o' th' times craves it as phyfick
For the whole ftate, I'd put mine armour on,
Which I can scarcely bear.

Cor. What must I do?

Men. Return to th' Tribunes.

Cor. Well, what then? what then?

Men. Repent what you have fpoke.

Cor. For them? I cannot do it for the Gods, Muft I then do't to them?

Vol. You are too abfolute,

Tho' therein you can never be too noble,
But when extremities fpeak. I've heard you fay,
Honour and policy, like unfever'd friends,

I' th' war do grow together: grant that, and tell me,
what each of them by th' other lofes,

In

peace

That they combine not there?

Cor Tufh, tuh

Men. A good demand.

Vol. If it be honour in your wars, to feem
The fame you are not, which for your best ends
You call your policy: how is't lefs or worse
That it hall hold companionfhip in peace
With honour, as in war, fince that to both
It ftands in like request?

VOL. V.

K

6 to th' heart, ... old edit. Theob. emend.

Cor

Cor. Why force you this?

Vol. Becaufe it lies on you to fpeak to th' people:
Not by your own inftruction, nor by th' matter
Which your heart prompts you to, but with fuch words
But roated 7 on your tongue; baftards, and fyllables
Of no allowance to your bofom's truth.

Now, this no more difhonours you at all,
Than to take in a town with gentle words,
Which elfe would put you to your fortune, and
The hazard of much blood.

I would diffemble with my nature, where
My fortunes and my friends at ftake requir'd
I fhould do fo in honour. I'm in this

Your Wife, your Son, these Senators, the Nobles;
And you will rather fhew our general lowts,
How you can frown, than fpend a fawn upon 'em,
For the inheritance of their loves, and fafeguard
Of what that want might ruin.

Men. Noble Lady!

Come go with us, fpeak fair: you may falve fo
Not what is dangerous prefent, but the lofs
Of what is past.

Vol. I pr'ythee now, my fon,

Go to them, with this bonnet in thy hand,

And thus far having ftretch'd it (here be with them)
Thy knee buffing the ftones; (for in fuch bufinefs
Action is eloquence, and the eyes of th' ignorant
More learned than the ears) waving thy hand,
Which foften, thus, correcting thy ftout heart
Now humble as the ripeft mulberry,

That will not hold the handling; 'fay to them,
Thou art their foldier, and being bred in broils
Haft not the foft way, which thou doft confefs
Were fit for thee to ufe, as 'them to claim,
In asking their good loves, but thou wilt frame
Thy felf (forfooth) hereafter theirs fo far,

7 in

9 or fay

8 head, which often... old edit. Warb, emend.

1 they

As

As thou haft power and perfon.

Men. This but done,

Ev'n as the speaks, why, all their hearts were yours:
For they have pardons, being ask'd, as free,
As words to little purpose.

Vol. Pr'ythee now,

Go and be rul'd: altho' I know thou'dft rather
Follow thine enemy in a fiery gulf

Than flatter him in a bower.

Here is Cominius.

Enter Cominius.

Com. I have been i' th' market-place, and, Sir, 'tis fit You have ftrong party, or defend your

felf

By calmness, or by abfence: all's in anger.

Men. Only fair speech.

Com. I think 'twill ferve, if he

Can thereto frame his spirit.

Vol. He muft and will:

Pr'ythee now, fay you will, and go about it.

Cor. Muft I go fhew them my unbarbed sconce?
Muft my base tongue give to my noble heart
A lie, that it must bear? well, I will do't:
Yet were there but this fingle 'pelt` to lose,

2

This mould of Martius; they to duft fhould grind it,
And throw't against the wind. To th' market-place!
You've put me now to fuch a part, which never

I fhall discharge to th' life.

Com. Come, come, we'll prompt you.

Vol. Ay, pr'ythee now, fweet fon; as thou haft faid My praises made thee first a soldier; fo

To have my praife for this, perform a part

Thou haft not done before.

Cor. Well, I must do't:

Away, my difpofition, and poffefs me

Some harlor's fpirit! my throat of war be turn'd,
Which quired with my drum, into a pipe

Small as an eunuch's, or the virgin voice
K 2

That

2 plot