Aile, CAIVS SILIVS.

TITIVS SA-

BINVS, Haile.

Yo'are rarely met in court!

There-

fore, well met.

'Tis true: Indeed, this place is not our sphære.

No, SILIVS, wee are no good in-

giners;

We want the fine arts, & their thriuing vse,

Should make vs grac'd, or fauour'd of the times:

We haue no shift of faces, no cleft tongues,

No soft, and glutinous bodies, that can sticke,

Like snailes, on painted walls; or, on our brests,

Creepe vp, to fall, from that proud height, to which

We did by slauerie, not by seruice, clime.

We are no guilty men, and then no great;

We haue nor place in court, office in state,

That we can say, we owe vnto our crimes:

We burne with no black secrets, which can make

Vs deare to the pale authors; or liue fear'd

Of their still waking iealosies, to raise

Our selues a fortune, by subuerting theirs.

We stand not in the lines, that doe aduance

To that so courted point.

But yonder leane

A paire that doe.

(Good cousin LATIARIS.)

SATRIVS SECVNDVS, and PINNARIVS NATTA,

The great SEIANVS clients: There be two,

Know more, then honest councells: whose close brests

Were they rip'd vp to light, it would be found

A poore, and idle sinne, to which their trunkes

Had not beene made fit organs. These can lye,

Flatter, and sweare, forsweare, depraue, informe,

Smile, and betray; make guilty men; then beg

The forfeit liues, to get the liuings; cut

Mens throates with whisprings; sell to gaping sutors

The emptie smoake, that flyes about the Palace;

Laugh, when their patron laughes; sweat, when he sweates;

Be hot, and cold with him; change euery moode,

Habit, and garbe, as often as he varies;

Obserue him, as his watch obserues his clocke;

And true, as turkise in the deare lords ring,

Looke well, or ill with him: ready to praise

His lordship, if he spit, or but pisse faire,

Haue an indifferent stoole, or breake winde well,

Nothing can scape their catch.

Alas! these things

Deserue no note, confer'd with other vile,

And filthier flatteries, that corrupt the times:

When, not alone our gentries chiefe are faine

To make their safety from such sordide acts,

But all our Consuls, and no little part

Of such as haue beene Prætors, yea, the most

Of Senators (that else not vse their voyces)

Start vp in publique Senate, and there striue

Who shall propound most abiect things, and base,

So much, as oft TIBERIVS hath beene heard,

Leauing the court, to crie, Ô race of men,

Prepar'd for seruitude! which shew'd, that, he

Who least the publique liberty could like,

As loathly brook'd their flat seruilitie.

Well, all is worthy of vs, were it more,

Who with our ryots, pride, and ciuill hate,

Haue so prouok'd the iustice of the gods.

We, that (within these fourescore yeeres) were borne

Free, equall lords of the triumphed world,

And knew no masters, but affections,

To which betraying first our liberties,

We since became the slaues to one mans lusts;

And now to many: euery ministring spie

That will accuse, and sweare, is lord of you,

Of me, of all, our fortunes, and our liues.

Our lookes are call'd to question and our wordes,

How innocent soeuer, are made crimes;

We shall not shortly dare to tell our dreames,

Or thinke, but 'twill be treason.

“Tyrannes artes

“Are to giue flatterers, grace; accusers, power;

“That those may seeme to kill whom they deuoure.

Now good CREMVTIVS CORDVS.

Haile to your lordship.

Who's that salutes your cousin?

'Tis one CORDVS,

A gentleman of Rome: one, that has writ

Annal's of late, they say, and very well.

Annal's? of what times?

I thinke of POMPEI's,

And CAIVS CAESARS; and so downe to these.

How stands h'affected to the present state?

Is he or Drusian? or Germanican?

Or ours or neutrall?

I know him not so far.

Those times are somewhat queasie to be toucht.

Haue you or seene or heard part of his worke?

Not I, he meanes they shall be publike shortly.

O. CORDVS do you cal him?

But these our times

Are not the same, ARRVNTIVS.

Times? the men,

The men are not the same: 'tis we are base,

Poore, and degenerate from th'exalted streine

Of our great fathers. Where is now the soule

Of god-like CATO? he, that durst be good,

When CAESAR durst be euill; and had power,

As not to liue his slaue, to dye his master.

Or where the constant BRVTVS, that (being proofe

Against all charme of benefits) did strike

So braue a blow into the monsters heart

That sought vnkindly to captiue his countrie?

O, they are fled the light. Those mightie spirits

Lye rak'd vp, with their ashes in their vrnes,

And not a sparke of their eternall fire

Glowes in a present bosome. All's but blaze,

Flashes, and smoke, wherewith we labour so,

There's nothing Romane in vs; nothing good,

Gallant, or great: 'Tis true, that CORDVS say's,

Braue CASSIVS was the last of all that race.

Stand by, lord DRVSVS.

Th'Emp'rours son, giue place.

I like the prince well.

A riotous youth,

There's little hope of him.

That fault his age

Will, as it growes, correct. Me thinkes, he beares

Himselfe, each day, more nobly then other:

And wins no lesse on mens affections,

Then doth his father lose. Beleeue me, I loue him;

And chiefly for opposing to SEIANVS.

And I, for gracing his yong kinsmen so,

The sonnes of Prince GERMANICVS: It shewes

A gallant cleerenesse in him, a streight minde,

That enuies not, in them, their fathers name.

His name was, while he liu'd, aboue all enuie;

And being dead, without it. O, that man!

If there were seedes of the old vertue left,

They liu'd in him.

He had the fruits, ARRVNTIVS,

More then the seedes: SABINVS, and my selfe

Had meanes to know him, within; and can report him.

We were his followers, (he would call vs friends.)

He was a man most like to vertue'; In all,

And euery action, neerer to the gods,

Then men, in nature; of a body' as faire

As was his mind; and no lesse reuerend

In face, then fame: He could so vse his state,

Temp'ring his greatnesse, with his grauitie,

As it auoyded all selfe-loue in him,

And spight in others. What his funeralls lack'd

In images, and pompe, they had supply'd

With honourable sorrow, souldiers sadnesse,

A kind of silent mourning, such, as men

(Who know no teares, but from their captiues) vse

To shew in so great losses.

I thought once,

Considering their formes, age, manner of deaths,

The neerenesse of the places, where they fell,

T'haue paralell'd him with great ALEXANDER:

For both were of best feature, of high race,

Yeer'd but to thirtie, and, in forraine lands,

By their owne people, alike made away.

I know not, for his death, how you might wrest it:

But, for his life, it did as much disdaine

Comparison, with that voluptuous, rash,

Giddy, and drunken Macedon's, as mine

Doth with my bond-mans. All the good, in him,

(His valour, and his fortune) he made his;

But he had other touches of late Romanes,

That more did speake him: POMPEI's dignitie,

The innocence of CATO, CAESAR's spirit,

Wise BRVTVS temp'rance, and euery vertue,

Which, parted vnto others, gaue them name,

Flow'd mixt in him. He was the soule of goodnesse:

And all our praises of him are like streames

Drawne from a spring, that still rise full, and leaue

The part remayning greatest.

I am sure

He was too great for vs, and that they knew

Who did remoue him hence.

When men grow fast

Honor'd, and lou'd, there is a tricke in state

(Which iealous princes neuer faile to vse)

How to decline that growth, with faire pretext,

And honourable colours of employment,

Either by embassie, the war, or such,

To shift them forth into another aire,

Where they may purge, and lessen; so was he:

And had his secon'ds there, sent by TIBERIVS,

And his more subtile damme, to discontent him;

To breede, and cherish mutinies; detract

His greatest actions; giue audacious check

To his commands; and worke to put him out

In open act of treason. All which snares

When his wise cares preuented, a fine poyson

Was thought on, to mature their practices.

Here comes SEIANVS.

Now obserue the stoupes,

The bendings, and the falls.

Most creeping base!

I Note'hem well: No more. Say you.

My lord,

There is a gentleman of Rome would buy——

How cal you him you talk'd with?

'Please your lordship,

It is EVDEMVS, the physitian

To LIVIA, DRVSV'S wife.

On with your sute.

Would buy, you said——

A Tribunes place, my lord.

What will he giue?

Fiftie sestertia.

LIVIA'S physitian, say you, is that fellow?

It is, my lord; your lordships answere?

To what?

The place, my lord. 'Tis for a gentleman,

Your lordship will well like off, when you see him;

And one, you may make yours, by the grant.

Well, let him bring his money, and his name.

Thanke your lordship. He shall, my lord.

Come hither.

Know you this same EVDEMVS? Is he learn'd?

Reputed so, my lord: and of deepe practice.

Bring him in, to me, in the gallerie;

And take you cause, to leaue vs there, togither:

I would confer with him, about a griefe.—On.

So, yet! another? yet? Ô desperate state

Of grou'ling honour! Seest thou this, Ô sunne,

And doe wee see thee after? Me thinkes, day

Should lose his light, when men doe lose their shames,

And, for the emptie circumstance of life,

Betray their cause of liuing.

Nothing so.

SEIANVS can repaire, if IOVE should ruine.

He is the now court-god; And well applyed

With sacrifice of knees, of crookes, and cringe,

He will doe more then all the house of heau'n

Can, for a thousand hecatombes. 'Tis he

Makes vs our day, or night; Hell, and Elysium

Arein his looke: We talke of RHADAMANTH,

Furies, and fire-brands; But 'tis his frowne

That is all these, where, on the aduerse part,

His smile is more, then ere (yet) Poets fain'd

Of blisse, and shades, nectar——

A seruing boy?

I knew him, at CAIVS trencher, when for hyre,

He prostituted his abused body

To that great gourmond, fat APICIVS;

And was the noted pathick of the time.

And, now, the second face of the whole world.

The partner of the empire, hath his image

Rear'd equall with TIBERIVS, borne in ensignes,

Command's, disposes euery dignitie,

Centurions, Tribunes, Heads of prouinces,

Prætors, and Consuls, all that heretofore

Romes generall suffrage gaue, is now his sale.

The gaine, or rather spoile, of all the earth,

One, and his house, receiues.

He hath of late

Made him a strength too, strangely, by reducing

All the Prætorian bands into one campe,

Which he command's: pretending, that the souldier

By liuing loose, and scattered, fell to ryot;

And that if any sodaine enterprise

Should be attempted, their vnited strength

Would be far more, then seuer'd; and their life

More strict, if from the citie more remou'd.

Where, now, he builds, what kind of fort's he please,

Is hard to court the souldier, by his name,

Wooes, feasts the chiefest men of action,

Whose wants, not loues, compell them to be his.

And, though he ne're were liberall by kind,

Yet, to his owne darke ends, hee's most profuse,

Lauish, and letting flye, he cares not what

To his ambition.

Yet, hath he ambition?

Is there that step in state can make him higher?

Or more? or any thing he is, but lesse?

Nothing, but Emp'rour.

The name TIBERIVS

I hope, will keepe; how ere he hath fore-gone

The dignitie, and power.

Sure, while he liues.

And dead, it comes to DRVSVS. Should he fayle,

To the braue issue of GERMANICVS;

And they are three: Too many (ha?) for him

To haue a plot vpon?

I doe not know

The heart of his designes; but, sure, their face

Lookes farther then the present.

By the gods,

If I could gesse he had but such a thought,

My sword should cleaue him downe from head to heart,

But I would finde it out: and with my hand

I'ld hurle his panting braine about the ayre,

In mites, as small as atomi, to'vndoe

The knotted bed ——

You are obseru'd, ARRVNTIVS.

Death! I dare tell him so; and all his spies:

You, sir, I would, doe you looke? and you.

Forbeare.

HEere, he will instant be; Let's walke a turne.

Yo'are in a muse, EVDEMVS?

Not I, sir.

I wonder he should marke me out so! well,

IOVE, and APOLLO forme it for the best.

Your fortune's made vnto you now, EVDEMVS,

If you can but lay hold vpon the meanes;

Doe but obserue his humour, and —— beleeue it ——

He's the noblest Romane, where he takes ——

Here comes his lordship.

Now, good SATRIVS.

This is the gentleman, my lord.

Is this?

Giue me your hand, we must be more acquainted.

Report, sir, hath spoke out your art, and learning:

And I am glad I haue so needfull cause,

(How euer in it selfe painefull, and hard)

To make me knowne to so great vertue. Looke,

Who's that? SATRIVS — I haue a griefe, sir,

That will desire your helpe. Your name's EVDEMVS?

Yes.

Sir?

It is, my lord.

I heare, you are

Physitian to LIVIA, the princesse?

I minister vnto her, my good lord.

You minister to a royall lady, then.

She is, my lord, and fayre.

That's vnderstood

Of all their sexe, who are, or would be so;

And those, that would be, physicke soone can make 'hem:

For those that are, their beauties feare no collours.

Your lordship is conceited.

Sir, you know it.

And can (if need be) read a learned lecture,

On this, and other secrets. Pray you tell me,

What more of ladies, besides LIVIA,

Haue you your patients?

Many, my good lord.

The great AVGVSTA, VRGVLANIA.

MVTILIA PRISCA, and PLANCINA, diuers ——

And, all these tell you the particulars

Of euery seuerall griefe? how first it grew,

And then encreas'd, what action caused that;

What passion that: and answere to each point

That you will put'hem.

Else, my lord, we know not

How to prescribe theremedies.

Goe to,

Yo'are a subtill nation, you Physitians!

And growne the onely cabinets, in court,

To ladies priuacies. Faith which of these

Is the most pleasant lady, in her phy sicke?

Come, you are modest now.

'Tis fit, my lord.

Why, sir, I doe not aske you of their vrines,

Whose smel's most violet? or whose seige is best?

Or who makes hardest faces on her stoole?

Which lady sleepes with her owne face, a nights?

Which puts her teeth off, with her clothes, in court?

Or, which her hayre? which her complexion?

And, in which boxe she puts it? These were questions

That might, perhaps, haue put your grauity

To some defence of blush. But, I enquir'd,

Which was the wittiest? meriest? wantonnest?

Harmelesse intergatories, but conceipts.

Me thinks, AVGVSTA should be most peruerse,

And froward in her sit?

She's so, my lord.

I knew it. And MVTILIA the most iocund?

'Tis very true, my lord.

And why would you

Conceale this from me, now? Come, what's LIVIA?

I know, she's quick, and quaintly spirited,

And will haue strange thoughts, when she's at leasure;

She tells 'hem all to you?

My noblest lord,

He breaths not in the empire, or on earth,

Whom I would be ambitious to serue

(In any act, that may preserue mine honour)

Before your lordship.

Sir, you can loose no honor,

By trusting ought to me. The coursest act

Done to my seruice, I can so requite,

As all the world shall stile it honorable:

“Your idle, vertuous definitions

“Keepe honor poore, and are as scorn'd, as vaine:

“Those deeds breathe honor, that do sucke in gaine.

But, good my lord, if I should thus betray

The counsels of my patient, and a ladies

Of her high place, and worth; what might your lordship,

(Who presently are to trust me with your owne)

Iudge of my faith?

Only the best, I sweare.

Say now, that I should vtter you my griefe;

And with it, the true cause; that it were loue;

And loue to LIVIA: you should tell her this?

Should she suspect your faith? I would you could

Tell me as much, from her; see, if my braine

Could be turn'd iealous.

Happily, my lord,

I could, in time, tell you as much, and more;

So I might safely promise but the first,

To her, from you.

As safely, my EVDEMVS,

(I now dare call thee so) as I haue put

The secret into thee.

My lord —

Protest not.

Thy lookes are vowes to me, vse onely speed,

And but affect her with SEIANVS loue,

Thou art a man, made, to make Consuls. Goe.

My lord, Ile promise you a priuate meeting

This day, together.

Canst thou?

Yes.

The place?

My gardens, whither I shall fetch your lordship.

Let me adore my ÆSCVLAPIVS.

Why, this indeed is physick! and out-speakes

The knowledge of cheape drugs, or any vse

Can be made out of it! more comforting

Then all your opiates, iulebes, apozemes,

Magistrall syrrupes, or—Be gone, my friend,

Not barely stiled, but created so;

Expect things, greater then thy largest hopes,

To ouertake thee: Fortune, shall be taught

To know how ill she hath deseru'd thus long,

To come behinde thy wishes. Goe, and speed.

“Ambition makes more trusty slaues, then need,

These fellowes, by the fauour of their arte,

Haue, still, the meanes to tempt, oft-times, the power.

If LIVIA will be now corrupted, then

Thou hast the way, SEIANVS, to worke out

His secrets, who (thou knowest) endures thee not,

Her husband DRVSVS: and to worke against them.

Prosper it, PALLAS, thou, that betterst wit;

For VENVS hath the smallest share in it.

WEe not endure these flatteries, let him stand;

Our empire, ensignes, axes, roddes, and state

Take not away our humane nature from vs:

Looke vp, on vs, and fall before the gods.

How like a god, speakes CAESAR!

There, obserue!

He can indure that second, that's no flattery.

O, what is it, proud slime will not beleeue

Of his owne worth, to heare it equall prais'd

Thus with the gods?

He did not heare it, sir.

He did not? Tut, he must not, we thinke meanely.

'Tis your most courtly, knowne confederacy,

To haue your priuate parasite redeeme

What he, in publique subtilty, will lose

To making him a name.

Right mighty lord ——

We must make vp our eares, 'gainst these assaults

Of charming tongues; we pray you vse, no more

These contumelies to vs: stile not vs

Or lord, or mighty, who professe our selfe

The seruant of the Senate, and are proud

T'enioy them our good, iust, and fauouring lords.

Rarely dissembled.

Prince-like, to the life.

When power, that may command, so much descends,

“Their bondage, whom it stoupes to, it intends.

Whence are these letters?

From the Senate.

So.

Whence these?

From thence too.

Are they sitting, now?

They stay thy answere, CAESAR.

If this man

Had but a minde allied vnto his words,

How blest a fate were it to vs, and Rome?

We could not thinke that state, for which to change,

Although the ayme were our old liberty:

The ghosts of those that fell for that, would grieue

Their bodies liu'd not, now, againe to serue.

“Men are deceiu'd, who thinke there can be thrall

“Beneath a vertuous prince. Wish'd liberty

“Ne're louelier lookes, then vnder such a crowne.

But, when his grace is meerely but lip-good,

And, that no longer, then he aires himselfe

Abroad in publique, there, to seeme to shun

The strokes, and stripes of flatterers, which within

Are lechery vnto him, and so feed

His brutish sense with their afflicting sound,

As (dead to vertue) he permits himselfe

Be carried like a pitcher, by the eares,

To euery act of vice: this is a case

Deserues our feare, and doth presage the nigh,

And close approach of bloud and tyranny.

“Flattery is midwife vnto princes rage:

“And nothing sooner, doth helpe foorth a tyranne,

“Then that, and whisperers grace, who haue the time,

“The place, the power, to make all men offenders.

He should be told this; and be bid dissemble

With fooles, and blinde men: We that know the euill,

Should hunt the Palace-rattes, or giue them bane;

Fright hence these worse then rauens, that deuoure

The quicke, where they but prey vpon the dead:

He shall be told it.

Stay, ARRVNTIVS,

We must abide our oportunity:

And practise what is fit, as what is needfull.

“It is not safe t'enforce a soueraigne's eare:

“Princes heare well, if they at all will heare.

Ha? Say you so? well. In the meane time, IOVE,

(Say not, but I doe call vpon thee now.)

Of all wilde beasts, preserue me from a tyranne;

And of all tame, a flatterer.

'Tis well pray'd.

Returne the lords this voyce, we are their creature:

And it is fit, a good, and honest prince,

Whom they, out of their bounty, haue instructed

With so dilate, and absolute a power,

Should owe the office of it, to their seruice;

And good of all, and euery citizen.

Nor shall it e're repent vs, to haue wish'd

The Senate iust, and fau'ring lords vnto vs,

“Since their free loues doe yeeld no lesse defence

“T'a princes state, then his owne innocence.

Say then, there can be nothing in their thought

Shall want to please vs, that hath pleased them;

Our suffrage rather shall preuent, then stay

Behind their wills: 'tis empire, to obey

Where such, so great, so graue, so good determine.

Yet, for the sute of Spaine, t'erect a temple

In honour of our mother, and our selfe,

We must (with pardon of the Senate) not

Assent thereto. Their lordships may obiect

Our not denying the same late request

Vnto the Asian cities: We desire

That our defence, for suffering that, be knowne

In these briefe reasons, with our after purpose.

Since deified AVGVSTVS hindred not

A temple to be built, at Pergamum,

In honour of himselfe, and sacred Rome,

We, that haue all his deedes, and wordes obseru'd

Euer, in place of lawes, the rather follow'd

That pleasing precedent, because, with ours,

The Senates reuerence also, there, was ioyn'd.

But, as, t'haue once receiu'd it, may deserue

The gaine of pardon, so, to be ador'd

With the continew'd stile, and note of gods,

Through all the prouinces, were wild ambition,

And no lesse pride: Yea, eu'n AVGVSTVS name

Would early vanish, should it be prophan'd

With such promiscuous flatteries. For our part,

We here protest it, and are couetous

Posteritie should know it, we are mortall;

And can but deedes of men: 'twere glory' inough,

Could we be truely a prince. And, they shall adde

Abounding grace, vnto our memorie,

That shall report vs worthy our fore-fathers,

Carefull of your affaires, constant in dangers,

And not afraid of any priuate frowne

For publike good. These things shall be to vs

Temples, and statues, reared in your mindes,

The fairest, and most during imag'rie:

For those of stone, or brasse, if they become

Odious in iudgement of posteritie,

Are more contemn'd as dying sepulchres,

Then tane for liuing monuments. We then

Make here our suite, alike to gods, and men,

The one, vntill the period of our race,

T'inspire vs with a free, and quiet mind,

Discerning both diuine, and humane lawes;

The other, to vouchsafe vs after death,

An honourable mention, and faire praise,

T'accompanie our actions, and our name:

The rest of greatnesse princes may command,

And (therefore) may neglect, only, a long,

A lasting, high, and happy memorie

They should, without being satisfied, pursue.

Contempt of fame begets contempt of vertue.

Rare!

Most diuine!

The Oracles are ceas'd,

That only CAESAR, with their tongue, might speake.

Let me be gone, most felt, and open this!

Stay.

What? to heare more cunning, and fine wordes,

With their sound flatter'd, ere their sense be meant?

Their choise of Antium, there to place the guift

Vow'd to the goddesse, for our mothers health,

We will the Senate know, we fairely like;

As also, of their grant to LEPIDVS,

For his repayring the Æmilian place,

And restauration of those monuments:

Their grace too in confining of SILANVS,

To th'other Is'le Cithera, at the sute

Of his religious sister, much commends

Their policie, so temp'red with their mercy.

But, for the honours, which they haue decreed

To our SEIANVS, to aduance his statue

In POMPEI'S theatre (whose ruining fire

His vigilance, and labour kept restrain'd

In that one losse) they haue, the rein, out-gone

Their owne great wisedomes, by their skilfull choise,

And placing of their bounties, on a man,

Whose merit more adornes the dignitie,

Then that can him: and giues a benefit,

In taking, greater, then it can receiue.

Blush not, SEIANVS, thou great aide of Rome,

Associate of our labours, our chiefe helper,

Let vs not force thy simple modestie

With offring at thy praise, for more we cannot,

Since there's no voice can take it. No man, here,

Receiue our speeches, as hyperbole's;

For we are far from flatt'ring our friend,

(Let enuy know) as from the need to flatter.

Nor let them aske the causes of our praise;

Princes haue still their grounds rear'd with themselues,

Aboue the poore low flats of common men,

And, who will search the reasons of their acts,

Must stand on equall bases. Lead, away.

Our loues vnto the Senate.

Cæsar.

Peace.

Great POMPEI'S theatre was neuer ruin'd

Till now, that proud SEIANVS hath a statue

Rear'd on his ashes.

Place the shame of souldiers,

Aboue the best of generalls? cracke the world!

And bruise the name of Romanes into dust,

Ere we behold it!

Checke your passion;

Lord DRVSVS tarries.

Is my father mad?

Wearie of life, and rule, lords? thus to heaue

An idoll vp with praise! make him his mate!

His riuall in the empire!

O, good prince!

Allow him statues? titles? honours? such,

As he himselfe refuseth?

Braue, braue DRVSVS!

The first ascents to soueraigntie are hard

But, entred once, there neuer wants or meanes,

Or ministers, to helpe th'aspirer on.

True, gallant DRVSVS.

We must shortly pray

To Modestie, that he will rest contented——

I, where he is, and not write emp'rour.

THere is your bill, and yours; Bring you your man:

I haue mou'd for you, too, LATIARIS.

What?

Is your vast greatnesse growne so blindly bold,

That you will ouer vs?

Why, then giue way.

Giue way, Colossus? Doe you lift? Aduance you?

Take that.

Good! braue! excellent braue prince!

Nay, come, approch. What? stand you off? at gaze?

It lookes too full of death, for thy cold spirits.

Auoid mine eye, dull camell, or my sword

Shall make thy brau'rie fitter for a graue,

Then for a triumph. I'le aduance a statue,

O'your owne bulke; but't shall be on the crosse:

Where I will naile your pride, at breadth, and length,

And cracke those sinnewes, which are yet but stretch'd

With your swolne fortunes rage.

A noble prince!

A CASTOR, a CASTOR, a CASTOR, a CASTOR!

HE that, with such wrong mou'd, can beare it through

With patience, and an euen mind, knowes how

To turne it backe. Wrath, couer'd, carryes fate:

Reuenge is lost, if I professe my hate,

What was my practice late, I'le now pursue

As my fell iustice. This hath stil'd it new.

PHysitian, thou art worthy of a prouince,

For the great fauours done vnto our loues;

And, but that greatest LIVIA beares a part

In the requitall of thy seruices,

I should alone, despaire of ought, like meanes,

To giue them worthy satisfaction.

EVDEMVS, (I will see it) shall receiue

A fit, and full reward, for his large merit.

But for this potion, we intend to DRVSVS,

(No more our husband, now) whom shall we choose

As the most apt, and abled instrument,

To minister it to him?

I say, LYGDVS.

LYGDVS? what's he?

An Eunuch DRVSVS loues.

I, and his cup-bearer.

Name not a second.

If DRVSVS loue him, and he haue that place,

We cannot thinke a fitter.

True, my lord,

For free accesse, and trust, are two maine aides.

Skilfull physitian!

But he must be wrought

To th'vndertaking, with some labour'd arte.

Is he ambitious?

No.

Or couetous?

Neither.

Yet, gold is a good generall charme.

What is he then?

Faith, only wanton, light.

How! Is he young? and faire?

A delicate youth.

Send him to me, I'le worke him. Royall ladie,

Though I haue lou'd you long, and with that height

Of zeale, and dutie, (like the fire, which more

It mounts, it trembles) thinking nought could adde

Vnto the feruour, which your eye had kindled;

Yet, now I see your wisedome, iudgement, strength,

Quicknesse, and will, to apprehend the meanes

To your owne good, and greatnesse, I protest

My selfe through rarefied, and turn'd all flame

In your affection: Such a spirit as yours,

Was not created for the idle second

To a poore flash, as DRVSVS; but to shine

Bright, as the Moone, among the lesser lights,

And share the sou'raigntie of all the world.

Then LIVIA triumphs in her proper spheare,

When shee, and her SEIANVS shall diuide

The name of CAESAR; and AVGVSTA'S starre

Be dimm'd with glorie of a brighter beame:

When AGRIPPINA'S fires are quite extinct,

And the scarce-seene TIBERIVS borrowes all

His little light from vs, whose folded armes

Shall make one perfect orbe. Who's that? EVDEMVS,

Looke, 'tis not DRVSVS? Ladie, doe not feare.

Not I, my lord. My feare, and loue of him

Left me at once.

Illustrous ladie! stay——

I'le tell his lordship.

Who is't, EVDEMVS?

One of your lordships seruants, brings you word

The Emp'rour hath sent for you.

O! where is he?

With your faire leaue, deare Princesse. I'le but aske

A question, and returne.

Fortunate Princesse!

How are you blest in the fruition

Of this vnequald man, this soule of Rome,

The empires life, and voice of CAESARS world!

So blessed, my EVDEMVS, as to know

The blisse I haue, with what I ought to owe

The meanes that wrought it. How do'I looke to day?

Excellent cleere, beleeue it. This same fucus

Was well laid on.

Me thinkes, 'tis here not white.

Lend me your scarlet, lady. 'Tis the sunne

Hath giu'n some little taint vnto the ceruse,

You should haue vs'd of the white oyle I gaue you.

SEIANVS, for your loue! his very name

Commandeth aboue CVPID, or his shafts——

(Nay, now yo'haue made it worse.

I'le helpe it straight.)

And, but pronounc'd, is a sufficient charme

Against all rumour; and of absolute power

To satisfie for any ladies honour.

(What doe you now, EVDEMVS?

Make a light fucus,

To touch you ore withall.) Honor'd SEIANVS!

What act (though ne're so strange, and insolent)

But that addition will at least beare out,

If't doe not expiate?

Here, good physitian.

I like this studie to preserue the loue

Of such a man, that comes not euery houre

To greet the world. ('Tis now well, ladie, you should

Vse of the dentifrice, I prescrib'd you, too,

To cleere your teeth, and the prepar'd pomatum,

To smoothe the skin:) A lady cannot be

Too curious of her forme, that still would hold

The heart of such a person, made her captiue,

As you haue his: who, to endeare him more

In your cleere eye, hath put away his wife,

The trouble of his bed, and your delights,

Faire Apicata, and made spacious roome

To your new pleasures.

Haue not we return'd

That, with our hate of DRVSVS, and discouerie

Of all his councels?

Yes, and wisely, lady,

The ages that succeed, and stand far off

To gaze at your high prudence, shall admire

And reckon it an act, without your sexe:

It hath that rare apparance. Some will thinke

Your fortune could not yeeld a deeper sound,

Then mixt with DRVSVS; But, when they shall heare

That, and the thunder of SEIANVS meet,

SEIANVS, whose high name doth strike the starres,

And rings about the concaue, great SEIANVS,

Whose glories, stile, and titles are himselfe,

The often iterating of SEIANVS:

They then will lose their thoughts, and be asham'd

To take acquaintance of them.

I must make

A rude departure, lady. CAESAR sends

With all his haste both of command, and prayer.

Be resolute in our plot; you haue my soule,

As certayne yours, as it is my bodies.

And, wise physitian, so prepare the poyson

As you may lay the subtile operation

Vpon some naturall disease of his.

Your eunuch send to me. I kisse your hands,

Glorie of ladies, and commend my loue

To your best faith, and memorie.

My lord,

I shall but change your wordes. Farewell. Yet, this

Remember for your heed, he loues you not;

You know, what I haue told you: His designes

Are full of grudge, and danger: we must vse

More then a common speed.

Excellent lady,

How you doe fire my bloud!

Well, you must goe?

The thoughts be best, are least set forth to shew.

When will you take some physick, lady?

When

I shall, EVDEMVS: But let DRVSVS drug

Be first prepar'd.

Were LYGDVS made, that's done;

I haue it readie. And to morrow-morning,

I'le send you a perfume, first to resolue,

And procure sweat, and then prepare a bath

To clense, and cleere the cutis; against when,

I'le haue an excellent new fucus made,

Resistiue 'gainst the sunne, the raine, or wind,

Which you shall lay on with a breath, or oyle,

As you best like, and last some fourteene houres.

This change came timely, lady, for your health:

And the restoring your complexion,

Which DRVSVS choller had almost burnt vp:

Wherein your fortune hath prescrib'd you better

Then arte could doe.

Thankes, good physitian,

I'le vse my fortune (you shall see) with reuerence.

Is my coach ready?

It attends your highnesse.

IF this be not reuenge, when I haue done

And made it perfect, let Ægyptian slaues,

Parthians, and bare-foot Hebrewes brand my face,

And print my body full of iniuries.

Thou lost thy selfe, childe DRVSVS, when thou thought'st

Thou could'st out-skip my vengeance: or out-stand

The power I had to crush thee into ayre.

Thy follyes now shall taste what kinde of man

They haue prouok'd, and this thy fathers house

Cracke in the flame of my incensed rage,

Whose fury shall admit no shame, or meane.

Adultery? it is the lightest ill,

I will commit. A race of wicked acts

Shall flow out of my anger, and o're-spread

The worlds wide face, which no posterity

Shall e're approoue, nor yet keepe silent: Things,

That for their cunning, close, and cruell marke,

Thy father would wish his; and shall (perhaps)

Carry the empty name, but we the prize.

On then, my soule, and start not in thy course;

Though heau'n drop sulphure, and hell belch out fire,

Laugh at the idle terrors: Tell proud IOVE,

Betweene his power, and thine, there is no oddes.

'Twas onely feare, first, in the world made gods.

IS yet SEIANVS come?

He's here, dread CAESAR.

Let all depart that chamber, and the next:

Sit downe, my comfort. When the master-prince

Of all the world, SEIANVS, saith, he feares;

Is it not fatall?

Yes, to those are fear'd.

And not to him?

Not, if he wisely turne

That part of fate he holdeth, first on them.

That nature, bloud, and lawes of kinde forbid.

Doe policie, and state forbid it?

No.

The rest of poore respects, then, let goe by:

State is inough to make th'act iust, them guilty.

Long hate pursues such acts.

Whom hatred frights,

Let him not dreame on sou'raignty.

Are rites

Of faith, loue, piety, to be trod downe?

Forgotten? and made vaine?

All for a crowne.

The prince, who shames a tyrannes name to beare,

Shall neuer dare doe any thing, but feare;

All the command of scepters quite doth perish

If it beginne religious thoughts to cherish:

Whole Empires fall, swaid by those nice respects.

It is the licence of darke deeds protects

Eu'n states most hated: when no lawes resist

The sword, but that it acteth what it list.

Yet so, we may doe all things cruelly,

Not safely:

Yes, and doe them thoroughly.

Knowes yet, SEIANVS, whom we point at?

I,

Or else my thought, my sense, or both doe erre:

'Tis AGRIPPINA?

She; and her proud race.

Proud? dangerous, CAESAR. For in them apace

The fathers spirit shoots vp. GERMANICVS

Liues in their lookes, their gate, their forme, t'vpbraidevs

With his close death, if not reuenge the same.

The act's not knowne.

Not prou'd. But whispring fame

Knowledge, and proofe doth to the iealous giue,

Who, then to faile, would their owne thought beleeue.

It is not safe, the children draw long breath,

That are prouoked by a parents death.

It is as dangerous, to make them hence,

If nothing but their birth be their offence.

Stay, till they strike at CAESAR: then their crime

Will be enough, but late, and out of time

For him to punish.

Doe they purpose it?

You know, sir, thunder speakes not till it hit.

Be not secure: none swiftlier are opprest,

Then they, whom confidence betrayes to rest.

Let not your daring make your danger such:

All power's to be fear'd, where 'tis too much.

The youth's are (of themselues) hote, violent,

Full of great thought; and that male-spirited dame,

Their mother, slackes no meanes to put them on,

By large allowance, popular presentings,

Increase of traine, and state, suing for titles,

Hath them commended with like praiers, like vowes,

To the same Gods, with CAESAR: daies and nights

Shee spends in banquets, and ambitious feasts

For the Nobilitie; where CAIVS SILIVS,

TITIVS SABINVS, olde ARRVNTIVS,

ASINIVS GALLVS, FVRNIVS, REGVLVS,

And others, of that discontented list,

Are the prime guests. There, and to these, she tels

Whose niece she was, whose daughter, and whose wife,

And then must they compare her with AVGVSTA,

I, and preferre her too, commend her forme,

Extoll her fruitfulnesse; at which a showre

Fals for the memorie of GERMANICVS,

Which they blow ouer straight, with windie praise,

And puffing hopes of her aspiring sonnes:

Who, with these hourely ticklings, grow so pleas'd,

And wantonly conceited of themselues,

As now, they sticke not to beleeue they're such,

As these doe giue 'hem out: and would be thought

(More then competitors) immediate heires.

Whilest to their thirst of rule they winne the rout

(That's still the friend of noueltie) with hope.

Of future freedome, which on euerie change,

That greedily, though emptily, expects.

CAESAR, 'tis age in all things breeds neglects,

And princes that will keepe olde dignitie,

Must not admit too youthfull heires stand by;

Not their owne issue: but so darkely set

As shadowes are in picture, to giue height,

And lustre to themselues.

We will command

Their ranke thoughts downe, and with a stricter hand

Then we haue yet put forth, their traines must bate,

Their titles, feasts and factions.

Or your state.

But how sir, will you worke?

Confine'hem, SEI. No.

They are too great, and that too faint a blow,

To giue them now: it would haue seru'd at first,

When, with the weakest touch, their knot had burst.

But, now, your care must be, not to detect

The smallest cord, or line of your suspect,

For such, who know the weight of princes feare,

Will, when they find themselues discouer'd, reare

Their forces, like seene snakes, that else would lye

Rould in their circles, close: Nought is more high,

Daring, or desperate, then offenders found;

Where guilt is, rage, and courage doth abound.

The course must be, to let 'hem still swell vp,

Riot, and surfet on blind fortunes cup;

Giue 'hem more place, more dignities, more stile,

Call 'hem to court, to senate: in the while,

Take from their strength some one or twaine, or more

Of the maine Fautors; (It will fright the store)

And, by some by-occasion. Thus, with slight

You shall disarme first, and they (in night

Of their ambition) not perceiue the traine,

Till, in the ingine, they are caught, and slaine.

We would not kill, if we knew how to saue;

Yet, then a throne, 'tis cheaper giue a graue.

Is there no way to bind them by deserts?

Sir, wolues do change their haire, but not their harts.

While thus your thought vnto a meane is tied,

You neither dare inough, nor doe prouide.

All modestie is fond; and chiefly where

The subiect is no lesse compeld to beare,

Then praise his sou'raignes acts.

We can no longer

Keepe on our masque to thee, our deare SEIANVS;

Thy thoughts are ours, in all, and we but proou'd

Their voice, in our designes, which by assenting

Hath more confirm'd vs, then if heartning IOVE

Had, from his hundred statues, bid vs strike,

And at the stroke clickt all his marble thumb's.

But, who shall first be strooke?

First, CAIVS SILIVS;

He is the most of marke, and most of danger:

In power, and reputation equall strong,

Hauing commanded an imperiall armie

Seuen yeeres together, vanquish'd Sacrouir

In Germanie, and thence obtain'd to weare

The ornaments triumphall. His steep fall,

By how much it doth giue the weightier crack,

Will send more wounding terrour to the rest,

Command them stand aloofe, and giue more way

To our surprising of the principall.

But what, SABINVS?

Let him grow awhile,

His fate is not yet ripe: we must not plucke

At all together, lest wee catch our selues.

And ther's ARRVNTIVS too, he only talkes.

But SOSIA, SILIVS wife, would be wound in

Now, for she hath a furie in her brest

More, then hell euer knew; and would be sent

Thither in time. Then, is there one CREMVTIVS

CORDVS, a writing fellow, they haue got

To gather notes of the precedent times,

And make them into Annal's; a most tart

And bitter spirit (I heare) who, vnder colour

Of praysing those, doth taxe the present state,

Censures the men, the actions, leaues no tricke,

No practice vn-examin'd, paralels

The times, the gouernments, a profest champion,

For the old libertie——

A perishing wretch.

As if there were that chaos bred in things,

That lawes, and libertie would not rather choose

To be quite broken, and tane hence by vs,

Then haue the staine to be preseru'd by such.

Haue we the meanes, to make these guiltie, first?

Trust that to me: let CAESAR, by his power,

But cause a formall meeting of the Senate,

I will haue matter, and accusers readie.

But how? let vs consult.

Wee shall mispend

The time of action. Counsels are vnfit

In businesse, where all rest is more pernicious

Then rashnesse can be. Acts of this close kind

Thriue more by execution, then aduice.

There is no lingring in that worke begun,

Which cannot praised be, vntill through done.

Our edict shall, forthwith, command a court.

While I can liue, I will preuent earths furie:

MY Lord SEIANVS——

IVLIVS POSTHVMVS,

Come with my wish! what newes from AGRIPPINA'S?

Faith none. They all locke vp themselues a'late;

Or talke in character: I haue not seene

A companie so chang'd. Except they had

Intelligence by augurie' of our practice.

When were you there?

Last night.

And what ghests found you?

SABINVS, SILIVS, (the olde list,) ARRVNTIVS,

FVRNIVS, and GALLVS.

Would not these talke?

Little.

And yet we offered choice of argument.

SATRIVS was with me.

Well: 'tis guilt inough

Their often meeting. You forgot t'extoll

The hospitable ladie?

No, that tricke

Was well put home, and had succeded too,

But that SABINVS cought a caution out;

For she began to swell:

And may she burst.

IVLIVS, I would haue you goe instantly,

Vnto the palace of the great AVGVSTA,

And, (by your kindest friend,) get swift accesse;

Acquaint her, with these meetings: Tell the words

You brought me, (th'other day) of SILIVS,

Adde somewhat to'hem. Make her vnderstand

The danger of SABINVS, and the times,

Out of his closenesse. Giue ARRVNTIVS words

Of malice against CAESAR; so, to GALLVS:

But (aboue all) to AGRIPPINA. Say,

(As you may truely) that her infinite pride,

Propt with the hopes of her too fruitfull wombe,

With popular studies gapes for soueraigntie;

And threatens CAESAR. Pray AVGVSTA then,

That for her owne, great CAESARS, and the publique

safetie, she be pleas'd to vrge these dangers.

CAESAR is too secure (he must be told,

And best hee'll take it from a mothers tongue.)

Alas! what is't for vs to sound, t'explore,

To watch, oppose, plot, practise, or preuent,

If he, for whom it is so strongly labour'd,

Shall, out of greatnesse, and free spirit, be

Supinely negligent? Our citi's now

Deuided as in time o'th'ciuilwar,

And men forbeare not to declare themselues

Of AGRIPPINA'S partie. Euery day,

The faction multiplies; and will doe more

If not resisted: you can best inlarge it

As you find audience. Noble POSTHVMVS,

Commend me to your PRISCA: and pray her,

Shee will solicite this great businesse

To earnest, and most present execution,

With all her vtmost credit with AVGVSTA.

I shall not faile in my instructions.

This second (from his mother) will well vrge

Our late designe, and spur on CAESARS rage:

Which else might grow remisse. The way, to put

A prince in bloud, is to present the shapes

Of dangers, greater then they are (like late,

Or early shadowes) and, sometimes, to faine

Where there are none, onely, to make him feare;

His feare will make him cruell: And once entred,

He doth not easily learne to stop, or spare

Where he may doubt. This haue I made my rule,

To thrust TIBERIVS into tyrannie,

And make him toile, to turne aside those blockes,

Which I alone, could not remooue with safetie.

DRVSVS once gone, GERMANICVS three sonnes

Would clog my way; whose guardes haue too much faith

To be corrupted: and their mother knowne

Of too-too vnreproou'd a chastitie,

To be attempted, as light LIVIA was.

Worke then, my art, on CAESAR'S feares, as they

On those they feare, till all my betts be clear'd:

And he in ruines of his house, and hate

Of all his subiects, bury his owne state:

When, with my peace, and safty, I will rise,

By making him the publike sacrifice.

THey'are growne exceeding circumspect, and wary.

They haue vs in the wind: And yet, ARRVNTIVS

Cannot contayne himselfe.

Tut, hee's not yet

Look'd after, there are others more desir'd,

That are more silent.

Here he comes. Away.

HOw is it, that these beagles haunt the house

Of AGRIPPINA?

O, they hunt, they hunt.

There is some game here lodg'd, which they must rouse,

To make the great-ones sport.

Did you obserue

How they inueigh'd 'gainst CAESAR?

I, baytes, baytes,

For vs to bite at: would I haue my flesh

Torne by the publique hooke, these qualified hang-men

Should be my company.

Here comes another.

I, there's a man, AFER the oratour!

One, that hath phrases, figures, and fine flowres,

To strew his rethorique with, and doth make haste

To get him note, or name, by any offer

Where bloud, or gaine be obiects; steepes his wordes,

When he would kill, in artificiall teares:

The Crocodile of Tyber! him I loue,

That man is mine. He hath my heart, and voice,

When I would curse, he, he.

Contemne the slaues,

Their present liues will be their future graues.

MAy't please your highnesse not forget yourselfe,

I dare not, with my manners, to attempt

Your trouble farder.

Farewell, noble SILIVS.

Most royall princesse.

SOSIA stayes with vs?

Shee is your seruant, and doth owe your grace

An honest, but vnprofitable loue.

How can that be, when there's no gaine, but vertuous?

You take the morall, not the politique sense.

I meant, as shee is bold, and free of speech,

Earnest to vtter what her zealous thought

Trauailes withall, in honour of your house;

Which act, as it is simply borne in her,

Pertakes of loue, and honesty, but may,

By th'ouer-often, and vnseason'd vse,

Turne to your losse, and danger: For your state

Is wayted on by enuies, as by eyes;

And euery second ghest your tables take,

Is a fee'd spie, t'obserue who goes, who comes,

What conference you haue, with whom, where, when,

What the discourse is, what the lookes, the thoughts

Of eu'ry person there, they doe extract,

And make into a substance.

Heare me, SILIVS,

Were all TIBERIVS body stuck with eyes,

And eu'ry wall, and hanging in my house

Transparent, as this lawne I weare, or ayre;

Yea, had SEIANVS both his eares as long

As to my in-most closet: I would hate

To whisper any thought, or change an act,

To be made IVNO'S riuall. Vertues forces

Shew euer noblest in conspicuous courses.

'Tis great, and brauely spoken, like the spirit

Of AGRIPPINA: yet, your highnesse knowes,

There is nor losse, nor shame in prouidence:

Few can, what all should doe, beware inough.

You may perceiue with what officious face,

SATRIVS, and NATTA, AFER, and the rest

Visite your house, of late, t'enquire the secrets;

And with what bold, and priuiledg'd arte, they raile

Tell tricks of LIVIA, and SEIANVS, all

T'excite, and call your indignation on,

That they might heare it at more libertie.

Yo'are too suspitious, SILIVS.

Pray the gods,

I be so AGRIPPINA: But I feare

Some subtill practice. They, that durst to strike

At so examp-lesse, and vn-blam'd a life,

As, that of the renown'd GERMANICVS,

Will not sit downe, with that exploit alone:

“He threatens many, that hath iniur'd one.

'Twere best rip forth their tongues, seare out their eies,

When next they come.

A fit reward for spies.

HEare you the rumour?

What?

DRVSVS is dying.

Dying?

That's strange!

Yo'were with him, yesternight.

One met EVDEMVS, the Physician,

Sent for, but now: who thinkes he cannot liue.

Thinkes? if't be arriu'd at that, he knowes,

Or none.

This's quicke! what should bee his disease?

Poyson. Poyson—

How, SILIVS!

What's that?

Nay, nothing. There was (late) a certaine blow

Giu'n o'the face.

I, to SEIANVS?

True.

And, what of that?

I'am glad I gaue it not.

But, there is somewhat else?

Yes, priuate meetings,

With a great ladie, at a physicians,

And, a wife turn'd away——

Ha!

Toyes, meere toyes:

What wisdom's now i'th'streets? i'th' common mouth?

Feares, whisp'rings, tumults, noyse, I know not what:

They say, the Senate sit.

I'le thither, straight;

And see what's in the forge.

Good SILIVS doe.

SOSIA, and I will in.

Haste you, my lords,

To visit the sicke prince: tender your loues,

And sorrowes to the people. This SEIANVS

(Trust my diuining soule) hath plots on all:

No tree, that stops his prospect, but must fall.

TIs only you must vrge against him, VARRO,

Nor I, nor CAESAR may appeare therein,

Except in your defence, who are the Consul:

And, vnder colour of late en'mitie

Betweene your father, and his, may better doe it,

As free from all suspition of a practice.

Here be your notes, what points to touch at; read:

Bee cunning in them. AFER ha's them too.

But is he summon'd?

No. It was debated

By CAESAR, and concluded as most fit

To him take vnprepar'd.

And prosecute

All vnder name of treason.

I conceiue.

DRVSVS being dead, CAESAR will not be here.

What should the businesse of this Senate bee?

That can my subtile whisperers tell you: We,

That are the good-dull-noble lookers on,

Are only call'd to keepe the marble warme.

What should we doe with those deepe mysteries,

Proper to these fine heads? let them alone.

Our ignorance may, perchance, helpe vs be sau'd

From whips, and furies.

See, see, see, their action!

I, now their heads doe trauaile, now they worke;

Their faces runne like shittles, they are weauing

Some curious cobweb to catch flyes.

Obserue,

They take their places.

What so low?

O yes,

They must be seene to flatter CAESARS griefe

Though but in sitting.

Bid vs silence.

Silence.

Fathers Conscript, may this our present meeting

Turne faire, and fortunate to the Common-wealth.

SEe, SILIVS enters.

Haile graue Fathers.

Stand.

SILIVS, forbeare thy place.

How!

SILIVS stand forth,

The Consul hath to charge thee.

Roome for CAESAR.

Is he come too? nay then expect a tricke.

SILIVS accus'd? sure he will answere nobly.

WE stand amazed, Fathers, to behold

This generall deiection. Wherefore sit

Romes Consul thus dissolu'd, as they had lost

All the remembrance both of stile, and place?

It not becomes. No woes are of fit waight,

To make the honour of the empire stoope:

Though I, in my peculiar selfe, may meete

Iust reprehension, that so suddenly,

And, in so fresh a griefe, would greet the Senate,

When priuate tongues, of kinsmen, and allies,

(Inspir'd with comforts) lothly are indur'd,

The face of men not seene, and scarce the day,

To thousands, that communicate our losse.

Nor can I argue these of weaknesse; since

They take but naturall wayes: yet I must seeke

For stronger aides, and those faire helpes draw out

From warme imbraces of the common-wealth.

Our mother, great AVGVSTA, 'is strooke with time,

Our selfe imprest with aged characters,

DRVSVS is gone, his children young, and babes,

Our aimes must now reflect on those, that may

Giue timely succour to these present ills,

And are our only glad-suruiuing hopes,

The noble issue of GERMANICVS,

NERO, and DRVSVS: might it please the Consul

Honour them in, (they both attend without.)

I would present them to the Senates care,

And raise those sunnes of ioy, that should drinke vp

These flouds of sorrow, in your drowned eyes.

By IOVE, I am not OEDIPVS inough,

To vnderstand this SPHYNX.

The princes come.

APproch you noble NERO, noble DRVSVS,

These princes, Fathers, when their parent dyed,

I gaue vnto their vncle, with this prayer,

That, though h'had proper issue of his owne,

He would no lesse bring vp, and foster these,

Then that selfe-bloud; and by that act confirme

Their worths to him, and to posteritie:

DRVSVS tane hence, I turne my prayers to you,

And, 'fore our countrie, and our gods, beseech

You take, and rule AVGVSTVS nephewes sonnes,

Sprung of the noblest ancestors; and so

Accomplish both my dutie, and your owne.

NERO, and DRVSVS, (these shall be to you

In place of parents, these your fathers, these,

And not vnfitly: For you are so borne,

As all your good, or ill's the common-wealths.

Receyue them, you strong guardians; and blest go[inverted commas]s,

Make all their actions answere to their blouds:

Let their great titles find increase by them,

Not they by titles. Set them, as in place,

So in example, aboue all the Romanes:

And may they know no riuals, but themselues.

Let fortune giue them nothing; but attend

Vpon their vertue: and that still come forth

Greater then hope, and better then their fame.

Relieue me, Fathers, with your generall voyce.

May all the gods consent to CAESAR'S wish,

And adde to any honours, that may crowne

The hopefull issue of GERMANICVS.

We thanke you, reuerend Fathers, in their right.

If this were true now! but the space, the space

Betweene the brest, and lips—TIBERIVS heart

Lyes a thought farder, then another mans.

My comforts are so flowing in my ioyes,

As, in them, all my streames of griefe are lost,

No lesse then are land-waters in the sea,

Or showres in riuers; though their cause was such,

As might haue sprinkled eu'n the gods with teares:

Yet since the greater doth embrace the lesse,

We couetously obey.

Well acted, CAESAR.)

And, now I am the happy witnesse made

Of your so much desir'd affections,

To this great issue, I could wish, the fates

Would here set peacefull period to my dayes;

How euer, to my labours, I intreat

(And beg it of this Senate) some fit ease.

(Laugh, Fathers, laugh: Ha' you no spleenes about you?)

The burden is too heauy, I sustayne

On my vnwilling shoulders; and I pray

It may be taken off, and re-confer'd

Vpon the Consuls, or some other Romane,

More able, and more worthy.

(Laugh on, still.)

Why, this doth render all the rest suspected!

It poysons all.

O, do' you taste it then?

It takes away my faith to any thing

He shall hereafter speake.

I, to pray that,

Which would be to his head as hot as thunder,

(Gain'st which he weares that charme) should but the court

Receiue him at his word

Heare.

For my selfe,

I know my weakenesse, and so little couet

(Like some gone past) the waight that will oppresse me,

As my ambition is the counter-point.

Finely maintain'd; good still.)

But Rome, whose bloud,

Whose nerues, whose life, whose very frame relyes

On CAESAR'S strength, no lesse then heau'n on ATLAS,

Cannot admit it but with generall ruine.

Ah! are you there, to bring him of?)

Let CAESAR

No more then vrge a point so contrary

To CAESARS greatnesse, the grieu'd Senates vowes,

Or Romes necessitie.

He comes about.

More nimbly then VERTVMNVS.)

For the publique,

I may be drawne, to shew, I can neglect

All priuate aymes; though I affect my rest:

But, if the Senate still command me serue,

I must be glad to practise my obedience.

You must, and will, sir. We doe know it.)

CAESAR,

Liue long, and happy, great, and royall CAESAR,

The gods preserue thee, and thy modestie,

Thy wisedome, and thy innocence.

Where is't?

The prayer's made before the subiect.)

Guard

His meekenesse, IOVE, his pietie, his care,

His bountie——

And his subtlety, I'le put in:

Yet hee'll keepe that himselfe, without the gods.

All prayer's are vaine for him.

We will not hold

Your patience, Fathers, with long answere; but

Shall still contend to be, what you desire,

And worke to satisfie so great a hope:

Proceed to your affaires.

Now, SILIVS, guard thee;

The curtin's drawing. AFER aduanceth.

Silence.

Cite CAIVS SILIVS.

CAIVS SILIVS.

Here.

The triumph that thou hadst in Germanie

For thy late victorie on SACROVIR,

Thou hast enioy'd so freely, CAIVS SILIVS,

As no man it enuy'd thee; nor would CAESAR,

Or Rome admit, that thou wert then defrauded

Of any honours, thy deserts could clayme,

In the faire seruice of the common-wealth:

But now, if, after all their loues, and graces,

(Thy actions, and their courses being discouer'd)

It shall appeare to CAESAR, and this Senate,

Thou hast defil'd those glories, with thy crimes—

Crimes?

Patience, SILIVS.

Tell thy moile of patience,

I' am a Romane. What are my crimes? Proclaime them.

Am I too rich? too honest for the times?

Haue I or treasure, iewels, land, or houses

That some informer gapes for? Is my strength

Too much to be admitted? Or my knowledge?

These now are crimes.

Nay, SILIVS, if the na[frisket bite]

Of crime so touch thee, with what impotence

Wilt thou endure the matter to be search'd?

I tell thee, AFER, with more scorne, then fear[frisket bite]

Employ your mercenarie tongue, and arte.

Where's my accuser?

Here.

VARRO? The Consul?

Is he thrust in?

'Tis I accuse thee, SILIVS.

Against the maiestie of Rome, and CAESAR,

I doe pronounce thee here a guiltie cause,

First, of beginning, and occasioning,

Next, drawing out the warre in Gallia,

For which thou late triumph'st; dissembling long

That SACROVIR to be an enemie,

Only to make thy entertainement more,

Whil'st thou, and thy wife SOSIA poll'd the prouince;

Wherein, with sordide-base desire of gaine,

Thou hast discredited thy actions worth

And beene a traytor to the state.

Thou lyest.

I thanke thee, SILIVS, speake so still, and often.

If I not proue it, CAESAR, but iniustly

Haue call'd him into tryall, here I bind

My selfe to suffer, what I claime 'gainst him;

And yeeld, to haue what I haue spoke, confirm'd

By iudgement of the court, and all good men.

CAESAR, I craue to haue my cause defer'd,

Till this mans Consulship be out.

We cannot,

Nor may we graunt it.

Why? shall he designe

My day of tryall? is he my accuser?

And must he be my iudge?

It hath beene vsuall.

And is a right, that custome hath allow'd

The magistrate, to call forth priuate men;

And to appoint their day: Which priuiledge

We may not in the Consul see infring'd,

By whose deepe watches, and industrious care

It is so labour'd, as the common-wealth

Receiue no losse, by any oblique course.

CAESAR, thy fraud is worse then violence.

SILIVS, mistake vs not, we dare not vse

The credit of the Consul, to thy wrong,

But only doe preserue his place, and power,

So farre as it concernes the dignitie,

And honor of the state.

Beleeue him, SILIVS.

Why, so he may, ARRVNTIVS.

I say so.

And he may choose too.

By the capitoll,

And all our gods, but that the deare republick,

Our sacred lawes, and iust authoritie

Are interess'd therein, I should be silent.

Please' CAESAR to giue way vnto his tryall.

He shall haue iustice.

Nay, I shall haue law;

Shall I not AFER? speake.

Would you haue more.

No, my well-spoken man, I would no more;

Nor lesse: might I inioy it naturall,

Not taught to speake vnto your present ends,

Free from thine, his, and all your vnkind handling,

Furious enforcing, most vniust presuming,

Malicious, and manifold applying,

Foule wresting, and impossible construction.

He raues, he raues.

Thou durst not tell me so,

Had'st thou not CAESARS warrant. I can see

Whose power condemnes me.

This betrayes his spirit.

This doth inough declare him what he is.

What am I? speake.

An enemie to the state.

Because I am an enemie to thee,

And such corrupted ministers o' the state,

That here art made a present instrument

To gratifie it with thine owne disgrace.

This, to the Consul, is most insolent!

And impious!

I, take part. Reueale your selues.

Alas, I sent not your confed'racies?

Your plots, and combinations? I not know

Minion SEIANVS hates me; and that all

This boast of law, and law, is but a forme,

A net of VULCANES filing, a meer eingine,

To take that life by a pretext of iustice,

Which you pursue in malice? I want braine,

Or nostrill to perswade me, that your ends,

And purposes are made to what they are,

Before my answere? O, you equall gods,

Whose iustice not a world of wolfe-turn'd men

Shall make me to accuse (how ere prouoke)

Haue I for this so oft engag'd my selfe?

Stood in the heate, and feruor of a fight,

When PHŒBVS sooner hath forsooke the day

Then I the field? Against the blue-ey'd Gaules?

And crisped Germanes? when our Romane Eagles

Haue fann'd the fire, with their labouring wings,

And no blow dealt, that left not death behind it?

When I haue charg'd, alone, into the troopes

Of curl'd Sicambrians, routed them, and came

Not off, with backward ensignes of a slaue,

But forward markes, wounds on my brest, and face,

Were meant to thee, Ô CAESAR, and thy Rome?

And haue I this returne? did I, for this,

Performe so noble, and so braue defeate,

On SACROVIR? (Ô IOVE, let it become me

To boast my deedes, when he, whom they concerne,

Shall thus forget them.)

SILIVS, SILIVS,

These are the common customes of thy bloud,

When it is high with wine, as now with rage:

This well agrees, with that intemperate vaunt,

Thou lately mad'st at AGRIPPINA'S table,

That when all other of the troopes were prone

To fall into rebellion, only yours

Remain'd in their obedience. You were he,

That sau'd the empire; which had then beene lost,

Had but your legions, there, rebell'd, or mutin'd.

Your vertue met, and fronted euery perill.

You gaue to CAESAR, and to Rome their surety.

Their name, their strength, their spirit, and their state,

Their being was a donatiue from you.

Well worded, and most like an Orator.

Is this true, SILIVS?

Saue thy question, CAESAR.

Thy spie, of famous credit, hath affirm'd it.

Excellent Romane!

He doth answere stoutly.

If this be so, there needes no farder cause

Of crime against him.

What can more impeach

The royall dignitie, and state of CAESAR,

Then to be vrged with a benefit

He cannot pay?

In this, all CAESARS fortune

Is made vnequall to the courtesie.

His meanes are cleane destroy'd, that should requite.

Nothing is great inough for SILIVS merit.

GALLVS on that side to?

Come, doe not hunt,

And labour so about for circumstance,

To make him guiltie, whom you haue fore-doom'd:

Take shorter wayes, I'le meet your purposes.

The wordes were mine, and more I now will say:

Since I haue done thee that great seruice, CAESAR,

Thou still hast fear'd me; and, in place of grace,

Return'd me hatred: so soone, all best turnes,

With doubtfull Princes, turne deepe iniuries

In estimation, when they greater rise,

Then can be answer'd. Benefits, with you,

Are of no longer pleasure, then you can

With ease restore them; that transcended once,

Your studies are not how to thanke, but kill.

It is your nature, to haue all men slaues

To you, but you acknowledging to none.

The meanes that makes your greatnesse, must not come

In mention of it; if it doe, it takes

So much away, you thinke: and that, which help'd,

Shall soonest perish, if it stand in eye,

Where it may front, or but vpbraid the high.

Suffer him speake no more.

Note but his spirit.

This shewes him in the rest.

Let him be censur'd.

He'hath spoke inough to proue him CAESARS foe.

His thoughts looke through his words.

A censure.

Stay, most officious Senate, I shall straight

Delude thy furie. SILIVS hath not plac'd

His guards within him, against fortunes spight,

So weakely, but he can escape your gripe

That are but hands of fortune: Shee her selfe

When vertue doth oppose, must lose her threats.

All that can happen in humanitie,

The frowne of CAESAR, proud SEIANVS hatred,

Base VARRO'S spleene, and AFERS bloudying tongue,

The Senates seruile flatterie, and these

Mustred to kill, I'am fortified against;

And can looke downe vpon: they are beneath me.

It is not life where of I stand enamour'd:

Nor shall my end make me accuse my fate.

The coward, and the valiant man must fall,

Only the cause, and manner how, discernes them:

Which then are glad dest, when they cost vs dearest.

Romanes, if any here be in this Senate,

Would know to mock TIBERIVS tyrannie,

Looke vpon SILIVS, and so learne to die.

O, desperate act!

An honorable hand!

Looke, is he dead?

'T was nobly strooke, and home.

My thought did prompt him to it. Farewell, SILIVS.

Be famous euer for thy great example.

We are not pleas'd, in this sad accident,

That thus hath stalled, and abus'd our mercy,

Intended to preserue thee, noble Romane:

And to preuent thy hopes.

Excellent wolfe!

Now he is full, he howles.

CAESAR doth wrong

His dignitie, and safetie, thus to mourne

The deseru'd end of so profest a traytor,

And doth, by this his lenitie, instruct

Others as factious, to the like offence.

The confiscation meerely of his state

Had beene inough.

O, that was gap'd for then?

Remoue the body.

Let citation

Goe out for SOSIA.

Let her be proscrib'd.

And for the goods, I thinke it fit that halfe

Goe to the treasure, halfe vnto the children.

With leaue of CAESAR, I would thinke, that fourth

Part, which the law doth cast on the informers,

Should be inough; the rest goe to the children:

Wherein the Prince shall shew humanitie,

And bountie, not to force them by their want

(Which in their parents trespasse they deseru'd)

To take ill courses.

It shall please vs.

I,

Out of necessitie This LEPIDVS

Is graue and honest, and I haue obseru'd

A moderation still in all his censures.

And bending to the better—Stay, who's this?

CREMVTIVS CORDVS? what? is he brought in?

More bloud vnto the banquet? Noble CORDVS,

I wish thee good: Be as thy writings, free,

And honest.

What is he?

For th'Annal's, CAESAR.

CREMVTIVS CORD⁹.

Here.

SATRIVS SECVND⁹,

PINNARIVS NATTA, you are his accusers.

Two of SEIANVS bloud-hounds, whom he breeds

With humane flesh, to bay at citizens.

Stand forth before the Senate, and confront him.

I doe accuse thee here, CREMVTIVS CORDVS,

To be a man factious, and dangerous,

A sower of sedition in the state,

A turbulent, and discontented spirit,

Which I will proue from thine owne writings, here,

The Annal's thou hast publish'd; where thou bit'st

The present age, and with a vipers tooth,

Being a member of it, dar'st that ill

Which neuer yet degenerous bastard did

Vpon his parent.

To this, I subscribe;

And, forth a world of more particulars,

Instance in only one: Comparing men,

And times, thou praysest BRVTVS, and affirm'st

That CASSIVS was the last of all the Romanes.

How! what are we then?

What is CAESAR? nothing?

My lords, this strikes at euery Romanes priuate,

In whom raignes gentrie, and estate of spirit,

To haue a BRVTVS brought in paralell,

A parricide, an enemie of his countrie,

Rank'd, and preferr'd to any reall worth

That Rome now holds. This is most strangely inuectiue.

Most full of spight, and insolent vpbraiding.

Nor is't the time alone is here dispris'd,

But the whole man of time, yea CAESAR'S selfe

Brought in disualew; and he aym'd at most

By oblique glance of his licentious pen.

CAESAR, if CASSIVS were the last of Romanes,

Thou hast no name.

Let's heare him answere. Silence.

So innocent I am of fact, my lords,

As but my words are argu'd; yet those words

Not reaching eyther prince, or princes parent:

The which your law of treason comprehends.

BRVTVS, and CASSIVS, I am charg'd, t'haue prays'd:

Whose deedes, when many more, besides my selfe,

Haue writ, not one hath mention'd without honour.

Great TITVS LIVIVS, great for eloquence,

And faith, amongst vs, in his historie,

With so great prayses POMPEY did extoll,

As oft AVGVSTVS call'd him a POMPEIAN:

Yet this not hurt their friendship. In his booke

He often names SCIPIO, AFRANIVS,

Yea, the same CASSIVS, and this BRVTVS too,

As worthi'st men; not theeues, and parricides,

Which notes, vpon their fames, are now impos'd.

ASINIVS POLLIO'S writings quite throughout

Giue them a noble memorie; So MESSALLA

Renown'd his generall CASSIVS: yet both these

Liu'd with AVGVSTVS, full of wealth, and honours.

To CICERO'S booke, where CATO was heau'd vp

Equall with heau'n, what else did CAESAR answere,

Being then Dictator, but with a penn'd oration,

As if before the iudges? Doe but see

ANTONIVS letters; read but BRVTVS pleadings:

What vile reproch they hold against AVGVSTVS,

False I confesse, but with much bitternesse.

The Epigram's of BIBACVLVS, and CATVLLVS,

Are read, full stuft with spight of both the CAESARS;

Yet deified IVLIVS, and no lesse AVGVSTVS!

Both bore them, and contemn'd them: (I not know

Promptly to speake it, whether done with more

Temper, or wisdome) for such obloquies

If they despised bee, they dye supprest,

But, if with rage acknowledg'd, they are confest.

The Greekes I slip, whose licence not alone,

But also lust did scape vnpunished:

Or where some one (by chance) exception tooke,

He words with words reueng'd. But, in my worke,

What could be aim'd more free, or farder of

From the times scandale, then to write of those,

Whom death from grace, or hatred had exempted?

Did I, with BRVTVS, and with CASSIVS,

Arm'd, and possess'd of the PHILIPPI fields,

Incense the people in the ciuill cause,

With dangerous speeches? or doe they, being slaine

Seuentie yeeres since, as by their images

(Which not the conquerour hath defac'd) appeares,

Retaine that guiltie memorie with writers?

Posteritie payes euerie man his honour.

Nor shall there want, though I condemned am,

That will not only CASSIVS well approue,

And of great BRVTVS honour mindfull be,

But that will, also, mention make of me.

Freely, and nobly spoken.

With good temper,

I like him, that he is not moou'd with passion.

He puts'hem to their whisper.

Take him hence,

We shall determine of him at next sitting.

Meane time, giue order, that his bookes be burn't,

To the' Ædiles.

You haue well aduis'd.

It fits not such licentious things should liue

T'vpbraid the age.

If th'age were good, they might.

Let'hem be burnt.

All sought, and burnt, to day.

The court is vp, Lictors, resume the fasces.

LEt'hem be burnt! Ô, how ridiculous

Appeares the Senate's brainlesse diligence,

Who thinke they can, with present power, extinguish

The memorie of all succeeding times!

'Tis true when (contrarie) the punishment

Of wit, doth make th' authoritie increase.

Nor doe they ought, that vse this crueltie

Of interdiction, and this rage of burning;

But purchase to themselues rebuke, and shame,

And to the writers an eternall name.

It is an argument the times are sore,

When vertue cannot safely be aduanc'd;

Nor vice reproou'd.

I, noble LEPIDVS,

AVGVSTVS well foresaw, what we should suffer,

Vnder TIBERIVS, when he did pronouuce

The Roman race most wretched, that should liue

Betweene so slow iawes, and so long a bruising.

THis businesse hath succeeded well, SEIANVS:

And quite remoou'd all iealousie of practice

'Gainst AGRIPPINA, and our nephewes. Now,

We must be thinke vs how to plant our ingines

For th' other paire, SABINVS, and ARRVNTIVS,

And GALLVS too (how ere he flatter vs,)

His heart we know.

Giue it some respite, CAESAR.

Time shall mature, and bring to perfect crowne,

What we, with so good vultures, haue begunne:

SABINVS shall be next.

Rather ARRVNTIVS.

By any meanes, preserue him. His franke tongue

Being lent the reines, will take away all thought

Of malice, in your course against the rest.

We must keep him to stalke with.

Dearest head,

To thy most forunate designe I yeeld it.

Sir— I' haue beene so long train'd vp in grace,

First, with your father, great AVGVSTVS, since,

With your most happie bounties so familiar,

As I not sooner would commit my hopes

Or wishes to the gods, then to your eares.

Nor haue I euer, yet, beene couetous

Of ouer-bright, and dazling honours: rather

To watch, and trauaile in great CAESAR'S safetie,

With the most common souldier.

'Tis confest.

The only gaine, and which I count most faire

Of all my fortunes, is that mightie CAESAR

Hath thought me worthie his alliance. Hence

Beginne my hopes.

H'mh?

I haue heard, AVGVSTVS

In the bestowing of his daughter, thought

But euen of gentlemen of Rome: If so,

(I know not how to hope so great a fauour)

But if a husband should be sought for LIVIA,

And I be had in minde, as CAESARS freind,

I would but vse the glorie of the kindred.

It should not make me slothfull, or lesse caring

For CAESARS state; it were inough to me

It did confirme, and strengthen my weake house,

Against the-now-vnequall opposition

Of AGRIPPINA; 'and for deare reguard

Vnto my children, this I wish: my selfe

Haue no ambition farder, then to end

My dayes in seruice of so deare a master.

We cannot but commend thy pietie

Most-lou'd SEIANVS, in acknowledging

Those bounties; which we faintly, such, remember.

But to thy suit. The rest of mortall men,

In all their drifts, and counsels, pursue profit:

Princes, alone, are of a different sort,

Directing their maine actions still to fame.

VVe therefore will take time to thinke, and answere.

For LIVIA, she can best, her selfe, resolue

If she will marrie after DRVSVS, or

Continue in the family; besides

She hath a mother, and a grandame yet,

VVhose neerer counsels she may guide her by:

But I will simply deale. That enmitie,

Thou fear'st in AGRIPPINA, would burne more,

If LIVIAS marriage should (as 'twere in parts)

Deuide th'imperiall house; an emulation

Betweene the women might breake forth; and discord

Ruine the sonnes, and nephues, on both hands.

VVhat if it cause some present difference?

Thou art not safe, SEIANVS, if thou prooue it.

Canst thou beleeue, that LIVIA who was wife

TO CAIVS CAESAR, then to DRVSVS, now

VVill be contented to grow old with thee,

Borne but a priuate gentleman of Rome?

And rayse thee with her losse, if not her shame?

Or say, that I should wish it, canst thou thinke

The Senate, or the people (who haue seene

Her brother, father, and our ancestors,

In highest place of empire) will indure it?

The state thou hold'st alreadie, is in talke;

Men murmure at thy greatnesse; and the nobles

Sticke not, in publike, to vpbraid thy climbing

Aboue our fathers fauours, or thy scale:

And dare accuse me, from their hate to thee.

Be wise, deare friend. VVe would not hide these things

For friendships deare respect. Nor will we stand

Aduerse to thine, or LIVIA's designements.

VVhat we had purpos'd to thee, in our thought,

And with what neere degrees of loue to bind thee,

And make thee equall to vs, for the present,

VVe will forbeare to speake. Only thus much

beleeue our lou'd SEIANVS, we not know

That height in bloud, or honour, which thy vertue,

And minde to vs, may not aspire with merit;

And this wee'll publish, on all watch'd occasion

The Senate, or the people shall present.

I am restor'd, and to my sense againe,

Which I had lost in this so blinding suit.

CAESAR hath taught me better to refuse,

Then I knew how to aske. How pleaseth CAESAR

T'imbrace my late aduice, for leauing Rome?

We are resolu'd.

Here are some motiues more

Which I haue thought on since, may more confirme.

Carefull SEIANVS! we will straight peruse them:

Goe forward in our maine designe, and prosper.

IF those but take, I shall. Dull, heauie CAESAR!

Would'st thou tell me, thy fauours were made crimes?

And that my fortunes were esteem'd thy faults?

That thou, for me, wert hated? and not thinke

I would with winged haste preuent that change,

When thou might'st winne all to thy selfe againe,

By forfeiture of me? Did those fond words

Fly swifter from thy lips, then this my braine,

This sparkling forge, created me an armor

T'encounter chance, and thee? Well, read my charmes,

And may they lay that hold vpon thy senses,

As thou had'st snuft vp hemlocke, or tane downe

The iuice of poppie, and of mandrakes. Sleepe,

Voluptuous CAESAR, and securitie

Seize on thy stupide powers, and leaue them dead

To publique cares, awake but to thy lusts.

The strength of which makes thy libidinous soule

Itch to leaue Rome; and I haue thrust it on:

With blaming of the citie businesse,

The multitude of suites, the confluence

Of suitors, then their importunacies,

The manifold distractions he must suffer,

Besides ill rumours, enuies, and reproches,

All which, a quiet and retired life,

(Larded with ease, and pleasure) did auoid;

And yet, for any weightie,'and great affaire,

The fittest place to giue the soundest counsels.

By this, shall I remooue him both from thought,

And knowledge of his owne most deare affaires;

Draw all dispatches through my priuate hands;

Know his designements, and pursue mine owne;

Make mine owne strengths, by giuing suites, and places;

Conferring dignities, and offices:

And these, that hate me now, wanting accesse

To him, will make their enuie none, or lesse.

For when they see me arbiter of all,

They must obserue: or else, with CAESAR fall.

TO marry LIVIA? will no lesse, SEIANVS,

Content thy aimes? no lower obiect? well!

Thou know'st how thou art wrought into our trust;

Wouen in our designe; and think'st, we must

Now vse thee, whatsoere thy proiects are:

'Tis true. But yet with caution, and sit care.

And, now we better thinke—who's there, within?

CAESAR?

To leaue our iourney off, were sin

'Gainst our decree'd delights; and would appeare

Doubt: or (what lesse becomes a prince) low feare.

Yet, doubt hath law, and feares haue their excuse,

Where princes states plead necessarie vse;

As ours doth now: more in SEIANVS pride,

Then all fell AGRIPPINA'S hates beside.

Those are the dreadfull enemies, we raise

VVith fauours, and make dangerous, with prayse;

The iniur'd by vs may haue will alike,

But 'tis the fauourite hath the power, to strike:

And furie euer boyles more high, and strong,

Heat'with ambition, then reuenge of wrong.

'Tis then a part of supreme skill, to grace

No man too much; but hold a certaine space

Betweene th'ascenders rise, and thine owne flat,

Lest, when all rounds be reach'd, his aime be that.

'Tis thought— Is MACRO in the palace? See:

If not, goe, seeke him, to come to vs—Hee

Must be the organ, we must worke by now;

Though none lesse apt for trust: Need doth allow

VVhat choise would not. I'haue heard, that aconite

Being timely taken, hath a healing might

Against the scorpions stroke; the proofe wee'll giue:

That, while two poysons wrastle, we may liue.

Hee hath a spirit too working, to be vs'd

But to th'encounter of his like; excus'd

Are wiser sou'raignes then, that raise one ill

Against another, and both safely kill:

The prince, that feeds great natures, they will sway him;

VVho nourisheth a lyon, must obey him.

MACRO, we sent for you.

I heard so, CAESAR.

(Leaue vs awhile!) when you shal know, good MACRO,

The causes of your sending, and the ends;

You then will harken neerer: and be pleas'd

You stand so high, both in our choise, and trust.

The humblest place in CAESARS choise or trust,

May make glad MACRO proud; without ambition,

Saue to doe CAESAR seruice.

Leaue our courtings.

We are in purpose, MACRO, to depart

The citie for a time, and see Campania;

Not for our pleasures, but to dedicate

A paire of temples, one, to IVPITER

At Capua; Th'other at Nola, to AVGVSTVS:

In which great worke, perhaps, our stay will be

Beyond our will produc't. Now, since we are

Not ignorant what danger may be borne

Out of our shortest absence, in a state

So subiect vnto enuie, and embroild

With hate, and faction; we haue thought on thee,

(Amongst a field of Romanes,) worthiest MACRO,

To be our eye, and eare; to keepe strict watch

On AGRIPPINA, NERO, DRVSVS; I,

And on SEIANVS: Not, that we distrust

His loyaltie, or doe repent one grace,

Of all that heape, we haue conferd on him:

(For that were to disparage our election,

And call that iudgement now in doubt, which then

Seem'd as vnquestion'd as an oracle,)

But, greatnesse hath his cankers. Wormes, and moaths

Breed out of too much humour, in the things

Which after they consume, transferring quite

The substance of their makers, int' themselues.

MACRO is sharpe, and apprehends: Besides,

I know him subtle, close, wise, and wel-read

In man, and his large nature: He hath studied

Affections passions, knowes their springs, their ends,

Which way, and whether they will worke: 'tis proofe

Inough, of his great merit, that we trust him.

Then, to a point; (because our conference

Cannot be long without suspition)

Here, MACRO, we assigne thee, both to spie,

Informe, and chastise; Thinke, and vse thy meanes,

Thy ministers, what, where, on whom thou wilt;

Explore, plot, practise: All thou doost in this,

Shall be, as if the Senate, or the Lawes

Had giu'n it priuiledge, and thou thence stil'd

The sauier both of CAESAR, and of Rome.

We will not take thy answere, but in act:

Whereto, as thou proceed'st, we hope to heare

By trusted messengers. If't be enquir'd,

Wherefore we call'd you, say, you haue in charge

To see our chariots readie, and our horse:

Be still our lou'd, and (shortly) honor'd MACRO.

I Will not aske, why CAESAR bids doe this:

But ioy, that he bids me. It is the blisse

Of courts, to be imploy'd; no matter, how:

A princes power makes all his actions vertue.

We, whom he workes by, are dumbe instruments,

To doe, but not enquire: His great intents

Are to be seru'd, not search'd. Yet, as that bow

Is most in hand, whose owner best doth know

T'affect his aymes, so let that states-man hope

Most vse, most price, can hit his princes scope.

Nor must he looke at what, or whom to strike,

But lose at all; each marke must be alike.

Were it to plot against the fame, the life

Of one, with whom I twin'd; remoue a wife

From my warme side, as lou'd, as is the ayre;

Practise away each parent; draw mine heyre

In compasse, though but one; worke all my kin

To swift perdition; leaue no vntrain'd engin,

For friendship, or for innocence; nay, make

The gods all guiltie: I would vndertake

This, being impos'd me, both with gaine, and ease.

The way to rise, is to obey, and please.

He that will thriue in state, he must neglect

The trodden paths, that truth and right respect;

And proue new, wilder wayes: for vertue, there,

Is not that narrow thing, shee is else-where.

Mens fortune there is vertue; reason, their will:

Their licence, law; and their obseruance, skill.

Occasion, is their foile; conscience, their staine;

Profit, their lustre: and what else is, vaine.

If then it be the lust of CAESARS power,

T'haue rais'd SEIANVS vp, and in an hower

O're-turne him, tumbling, downe, from height of all;

We are his ready engine: and his fall

May be our rise. It is no vncouth thing

To see fresh buildings from old ruines spring.

YOu must haue patience, royall AGRIPPINA.

I must haue vengeance, first: and that were nectar

Vnto my famish'd spirits. O, my fortune,

Let it be sodaine thou prepar'st against me;

Strike all my powers of vnderstanding blind,

And ignorant of destinie to come:

Let me not feare, that cannot hope.

Deare Princesse,

These tyrannies, on your selfe, are worse then CAESAR's.

Is this the happinesse of being borne great?

Still to be aim'd at? still to be suspected?

To liue the subiect of all iealousies?

At least the colour made, if not the ground

To euery painted danger? who would not

Choose once to fall, then thus to hang for euer?

You might be safe, if you would—

What, my GALLVS?

Be lewd SEIANVS strumpet? Or the baud

To CAESARS lusts, he now is gone to practise?

Not these are safe, where nothing is. Your selfe,

While thus you stand but by me, are not safe.

Was SILIVS safe? or the good SOSIA safe?

Or was my niece, deare CLAVDIA PVLCHRA safe?

Or innocent FVRNIVS? They, that latest haue

(By being made guiltie) added reputation

To AFERS eloquence? O, foolish friends,

Could not so fresh example warne your loues,

But you must buy my fauours, with that losse

Vnto your selues: and, when you might perceiue

That CAESARS cause of raging must forsake him,

Before his will? Away, good GALLVS, leaue me.

Here to be seene, is danger; to speake, treason:

To doe me least obseruance, is call'd faction.

You are vnhappy in me, and I in all.

Where are my sonnes? NERO? and DRVSVS? We

Are they be shot at; Let vs fall apart:

Not, in our ruines, sepulchre our friends.

Or shall we doe some action, like offence,

To mocke their studies, that would make vs faultie?

And frustrate practice, by preuenting it?

The danger's like: For, what they can contriue,

They will make good. No innocence is safe,

When power contests. Nor can they trespasse more,

Whose only being was all crime, before.

You heare, SEIANVS is come backe from CAESAR?

No. How? Disgrac'd?

More graced now, then euer.

By what mischance?

A fortune, like inough

Once to be bad.

But turn'd too good, to both.

What was't?

TIBERIVS sitting at his meat,

In a farme house, they call Spelunca, sited

By the sea-side, among the Fundane hills,

Within a naturall caue, part of the grot

(About the entrie) fell, and ouer-whelm'd

Some of the wayters; Others ran away:

Only SEIANVS, with his knees, hands, face,

Ore-hanging CAESAR, did oppose himselfe

To the remayning ruines, and was found

In that so labouring posture, by the souldiers

That came to succour him. With which aduenture,

He hath so fixt himselfe in CAESAR'S trust,

As thunder cannot mooue him, and is come

With all the height of CAESARS praise, to Rome.

And power, to turne those ruines all on vs;

And bury whole posterities beneath them.

NERO, and DRVSVS, and CALIGVLA,

Your places are the next, and therefore most

In their offence. Thinke on your birth, and bloud,

Awake your spirits, meete their violence,

'Tis princely, when a tyran doth oppose;

And is a fortune sent to exercise

Your vertue, as the wind doth trie strong trees:

Who by vexation grow more sound, and firme.

After your fathers fall, and vncles fate,

What can you hope, but all the change of stroke

That force, or slight can giue? then stand vpright;

And though you doe not act, yet suffer nobly:

Be worthy of my wombe, and take strong cheare;

What we doe know will come, we should not feare.

REturn'd so soone? renew'd in trust, and grace?

Is CAESAR then so weake? or hath the place

But wrought this alteration, with the aire;

And he, on next remoue, will all repaire?

MACRO, thou art ingag'd: and what before

Was publique; now, must be thy priuate, more.

The weale of CAESAR, fitnesse did imply;

But thine owne fate confers necessity

On thy employment: and the thoughts borne nearest

Vnto our selues, moue swiftest still, and dearest.

If he recouer, thou art lost: yea, all

The weight of preparation to his fall

Will turne on thee, and crush thee. Therefore, strike

Before he settle, to preuent the like

Vpon thy selfe. He doth his vantage know,

That makes it home, and giues the foremost blow.

IT is a seruice, great SEIANVS will

See well requited, and accept of nobly.

Here place your selues, betweene the roofe, and seeling,

And when I bring him to his wordes of danger,

Reueale your selues, and take him.

Is he come?

I'le now goe fetch him.

With good speed. I long

To merit from the state, in such an action.

I hope, it will obtayne the Consul-ship

For one of vs.

We cannot thinke of lesse,

To bring in one, so dangerous as SABINVS.

He was a follower of GERMANICVS,

And still is an obseruer of his wife,

And children, though they be declin'd in grace;

A daily visitant, keepes them companie

In priuate, and in publique; and is noted

To be the only client, of the house:

Pray IOVE, he will be free to LATIARIS.

H'is alli'd to him, and doth trust him well.

And he'll requite his trust?

To doe an office

So gratefull to the state, I know no man

But would straine neerer bands, then kindred—

List,

I heare them come.

Shift to our holes, with silence.

IT is a noble constancie you shew

To this afflicted house: that not like others,

(The friends of season) you doe follow fortune,

And in the winter of their fate, forsake

The place, whose glories warm'd you. You are iust,

And worthy such a princely patrones loue,

As was the worlds-renown'd GERMANICVS:

Whose ample merit when I call to thought,

And see his wife and issue, obiects made

To so much enuie, iealousie, and hate,

It makes me ready to accuse the gods

Of negligence, as men of tyrannie.

They must be patient, so must we.

O IOVE.

What will become of vs, or of the times,

When, to be high, or noble, are made crimes?

When land, and treasure are most dangerous faults?

Nay, when our table, yea our bed assaults

Our peace, and safetie? when our writings are,

By any enuious instruments (that dare

Apply them to the guiltie) made to speake

What they will haue, to fit their tyrannous wreake?

When ignorance is scarcely innocence:

And knowledge made a capitall offence?

When not so much, but the bare emptie shade

Of libertie, is reft vs? and we made,

The prey to greedie Vultures, and vile spies,

That first transfixe vs with their murdering eyes?

Me thinkes, the Genius of the Romane race

Should not be so extinct, but that bright flame

Of libertie might be reuiu'd againe,

(Which no good man but with his life, should lose)

And we not sit like spent, and patient fooles

Still puffing in the darke, at one poore coale,

Held on by hope, till the last sparke is out.

The cause is publique, and the honour, name,

The immortalitie of euery soule

That is not bastard, or a slaue in Rome,

Therein concern'd: Whereto, if men would change

The weari'd arme, and for the waightie shield

So long sustain'd, employ the facile sword,

We might haue some assurance of our vowes.

This asses fortitude doth tyre vs all.

It must be actiue valour must redeeme

Our losse, or none. The rocke, and our hard steele

Should meete, t'enforce those glorious fires againe,

Whose splendor cheer'd the world, and heat gaue life

No lesse then doth the sunne's.

'Twere better stay,

In lasting darkenesse, and despaire of day.

No ill should force the subiect vndertake

Against the soueraigne; more then hell should make

The gods doe wrong. A good man should, and must

Sit rather downe with losse, then rise vniust.

Though, when the Romanes first did yeeld themselues

To one mans power, they did not meane their liues,

Their fortunes, and their liberties, should be

His absolute spoile, as purchas'd by the sword.

Why we are worse, if to be slaues, and bond

TO CAESARS slaue, be such. the proud SEIANVS?

He that is all, do's all, giues CAESAR leaue

To hide his vlcerous, and anointed face,

With his bald crowne at Rhodes, while he here stalkes

Vpon the heads of Romanes, and their Princes,

Familiarly to Empire.

Now you touch

A point indeed, wherein he shewes his arte,

As well as power.

And villany in both.

Doe you obserue where LIVIA lodges? How

DRVSVS came dead? What men haue beene cut off?

Yes, those are things remou'd: I neerer look't,

Into his later practice, where he stands

Declar'd a master in his mysterie.

First, ere TIBERIVS went, he wrought his feare,

To thinke that AGRIPPINA sought his death.

Then put those doubts in her; sent her oft word,

Vnder the show of friendship, to beware

Of CAESAR, for he laid to poyson her:

Draue them to frownes, to mutuall iealousies,

Which, now, in visible hatred are burst out.

Since, he hath had his hyred instruments

To worke on NERO, and to heaue him vp;

To tell him CAESAR'S old; That all the people,

Yea, all the armie haue their eyes on him;

That both doe long to haue him vndertake

Something of worth, to giue the world a hope;

Bids him to court their grace; the easie youth,

Perhaps, giues eare, which straight he writes to CAESAR;

And with this comment: See yon'd dangerous boy,

Note but the practice of the mother, there,

Shee's tying him, for purposes at hand,

With men of sword. Here's CAESAR put in fright

'Gainst sonne, and mother. Yet, he leaues not thus.

The second brother DRVSVS (a fierce nature,

And fitter for his snares, because ambitious,

And full of enuie) him he clasp's, and hugs,

Poysons with praise, tells him what hearts he weares,

How bright he stands in popular expectance;

That Rome doth suffer with him, in the wrong

His mother does him, by preferring NERO:

Thus sets he them asunder, each 'gainst other,

Proiects the course, that serues him to condemne,

Keepes in opinion of a friend to all,

And all driues on to ruine.

CAESAR sleepes,

And nods at this?

Would he might euer sleepe,

Bogg'd in his filthy lusts.

Treason to CAESAR.

Lay hands vpon the traytor, LATIARIS,

Or take the name thy selfe.

I am for CAESAR.

Am I then catch'd?

How thinke you, sir? you are.

Spies of this head! so white! so full of yeeres!

Well, my most reuerend monsters, you may liue

To see your selues thus snar'd.

Away with him.

Hale him away.

To be a spie for traytors,

Is honorable vigilance.

You doe well,

My most officious instruments of state;

Men of all vses: Drag me hence, away.

The yeere is well begun, and I fall fit,

To be an offring to SEIANVS. Goe.

Couer him with his garments, hide his face.

It shall not need. Forbeare your rude assault,

The fault's not shamefull villanie makes a fault.

SIr, but obserue how thicke your dangers meete

In his cleare drifts! Your mother, and your brothers,

Now cited to the Senate! Their friend, GALLVS,

Feasted to day by CAESAR, since committed!

SABINVS, here we met, hurryed to fetters!

The Senators all strooke with feare, and silence,

Saue those, whose hopes depend not on good meanes,

But force their priuate prey, from publique spoile!

And you must know, if here you stay, your state

Is sure to be the subiect of his hate,

As now the obiect.

What would you aduise me?

To goe for Capreæ presently: and there

Giue vp your selfe, entirely, to your vncle.

Tell CAESAR (since your mother is accus'd

To flie for succours to AVGSTVS statue,

And to the armie, with your brethren) you

Haue rather chose, to place your aides in him,

Then liue suspected; or in hourely feare

To be thrust out, by bold SEIANV'S plots:

Which, you shall considently vrge, to be

Most full of perill to the state, and CAESAR,

As being laid to his peculiar ends,

And not to be let run, with common safetie.

All which (vpon the second) I'le make plaine,

So both shall loue, and trust with CAESAR gaine.

Away then, let's prepare vs for our iourney.

STill, do'st thou suffer heau'n? will no flame,

No heate of sinne make thy iust wrath to boile

In thy distemp'red bosome, and ore-flow

The pitchy blazes of impietie,

Kindled beneath thy throne? Still canst thou sleepe,

Patient, while vice doth make an antique face

At thy drad power, and blow dust, and smoke

Into thy nostrils? IOVE, will nothing wake thee?

Must vile SEIANVS pull thee by the beard,

Ere thou wilt open thy black-lidded eye,

And looke him dead? Well! Snore on, dreaming gods:

And let this last of that proud Giant-race,

Heaue mountaine vpon mountaine, 'gainst your state—

Be good vnto me, fortune, and you powers,

Whom I, expostulating, haue profan'd;

I see (what's equall with a prodigie)

A great, a noble Romane, and an honest,

Liue an old man! O, MARCVS LEPIDVS,

When is our turne to bleed? Thy selfe, and I

(Without our boast) are a'most all the few

Left, to be honest, in these impious times.

WHat we are left to be, we will be, LVCIVS,

Though tyrannie did stare, as wide as death,

To fright vs from it.

'T hath so, on SABINVS.

I saw him now drawne from the Gemonies,

And (what increas'd the direnesse of the fact)

His faithfull dogge (vpbraiding all vs Romanes)

Neuer forsooke the corp's, but, seeing it throwne

Into the streame, leap'd in, and drown'd with it.

O act! to be enui'd him, of vs men!

We are the next, the hooke layes hold on, MARCVS:

What are thy artes (good patriot, teach them me)

That haue preseru'd thy haires, to this white die,

And kept so reuerend, and so deare a head,

Safe, on his comely shoulders?

Arts, ARRVNTIVS?

None, but the plaine, and passiue fortitude,

To suffer, and be silent; neuer stretch

These armes, against the torrent; liue at home,

With my owne thoughts, and innocence about me,

Not tempting the wolues iawes: these are my artes.

I would beginne to studie 'hem, if I thought

They would secure me. May I pray to IOVE,

In secret, and be safe? I, or aloud?

With open wishes? so I doe not mention

TIBERIVS, or SEIANVS? yes, I must,

If I speake out. 'Tis hard, that. May I thinke,

And not be rackt? What danger is't to dreame?

Talke in ones sleepe? or cough? who knowes the law?

May I shake my head, without a comment? say

It raines, or it holds vp, and not be throwne

Vpon the Gemonies? These now are things,

Whereon mens fortune, yea their fate depends.

Nothing hath priuiledge gainst the violent eare.

No place, no day, no houre (we see) is free

(Not our religious, and most sacred times)

From some one kind of crueltie: all matter,

Nay all occasion pleaseth. Mad-mens rage,

The idlenesse of drunkards, womens nothing,

Iesters simplicitie, all, all is good

That can be catch't at. Nor is now th'euent

Of any person, or for any crime,

To be expected; for, tis alwayes one:

Death, with some little difference of place,

Or time– what's this? Prince NERO? guarded?

ON, Lictors, keepe your way: My lords, forbeare.

On paine of CAESARS wrath, no man attempt

Speech with the prisoner.

Noble friends, be safe:

To loose your selues for wordes, were as vaine hazard,

As vnto me small comfort: Fare you well.

Would all Rome's suffrings in my fate did dwell.

Lictors, away.

Where goes he, LACO?

Sir,

H'is banish'd into Pontia, by the Senate.

Do' I see? and heare? and feele? May I trust sense?

Or doth my phant'sie forme it?

DRVSVS is prisoner in the palace.

Ha?

I smell it now: 'tis ranke. Where's AGRIPPINA?

The princesse is confin'd, to Pandataria.

Bolts, VULCAN; bolts, for IOVE! PHŒBVS, thy bow;

Sterne MARS, thy sword; and blue-ey'd Maid, thy speare;

Thy club, ALCIDES: all the armorie

Of heauen is too little!—Ha? to guard

The gods, I meant. Fine, rare dispatch! This same

Was swiftly borne! confin'd? imprison'd? banish'd?

Most tripartite! The cause, sir?

Treason.

O?

The complement of all accusings? that

Will hit when all else failes.

This turne is strange!

But yesterday, the people would not heare

Farre lesse obiected, but cry'd, CAESARS letters

Were false, and forg'd; that all these plots were malice:

And that the ruine of the Princes house

Was practis'd 'gainst his knowledge. Where are now

Their voyces? now, that they behold his heires

Lock'd vp, disgrac'd, led into exile?

Hush'd.

Drown'd in their bellies. Wild SEIANVS breath

Hath, like a whirle-wind, scatter'd that poore dust,

With this rude blast. Wee'll talke no treason, sir,

If that be it you stand for? Fare you well.

We haue no need of horse-leeches. Good spie,

Now you are spi'd, be gone.

I feare, you wrong him.

He has the voyce to be an honest Romane.

And trusted to this office? LEPIDVS,

I'ld sooner trust Greeke-SINON, then a man

Our state employes. Hee's gone: and being gone,

I dare tell you (whom I dare better trust)

That our night-ey'd TIBERIVS doth not see

His minions drifts; or, if he doe, h'is not

So errant subtill, as we fooles doe take him:

To breed a mungrell vp, in his owne house,

With his owne bloud, and (if the good gods please)

At his owne throte, flesh him, to take a leape.

I doe not beg it, heau'n: but, if the fates

Grant it these eyes, they must not winke.

They must

Not see it, LVCIVS.

Who should let 'hem?

Zeale,

And dutie; with the thought, he is our Prince.

He is our monster: forfeited to vice

So far, as no rack'd vertue can redeeme him.

His lothed person fouler then all crimes:

An Emp'rour, only in his lusts. Retir'd

(From all regard of his owne fame, or Rome's)

Into an obscure Iland; where he liues

(Acting his tragedies with a comick face)

Amid'st his rout of Chaldee's: spending houres,

Dayes, weekes, and months, in the vnkind abuse

Of graue astrologie, to the bane of men,

Casting the scope of mens natiuities,

And hauing found ought worthy in their fortune,

Kill, or precipitate them in the sea,

And boast, he can mocke fate. Nay, muse not: these

Are farre from ends of euill, scarse degrees.

He hath his slaughter-house, at Capreæ;

Where he doth studie murder, as an arte:

And they are dearest in his grace, that can

Deuise the deepest tortures. Thither, too,

He hath his boyes, and beauteous girles tane vp,

Out of our noblest houses, the best form'd,

Best nurtur'd, and most modest: what's their good

Serues to prouoke his bad. Some are allur'd,

Some threatned; others (by their friends detain'd)

Are rauish'd hence, like captiues, and, in sight

Of their most grieued parents, dealt away

Vnto his spintries, sellaries, and slaues,

Masters of strange, and new-commented lusts,

For which wise nature hath not left a name.

To this (what most strikes vs, and bleeding Rome,)

He is, with all his craft, become the ward

To his owne vassall, a stale catamite:

Whom he (vpon our low, and suffering necks)

Hath rais'd, from excrement, to side the gods,

And haue his proper sacrisice in Rome:

Which IOVE beholds, and yet will sooner riue

A senslesse oke with thunder, then his trunck.

THese letters make men doubtfull what t'expect,

Whether his comming, or his death.

Troth, both:

And which comes soonest, thanke the gods for.

(List,

Their talke is CAESAR, I would heare all voyces.)

One day, hee's well; and will returne to Rome:

The next day, sicke; and knowes not when to hope it.

True, and to day, one of SEIANVS friends

Honour'd by speciall writ; and on the morrow

Another punish'd——

By more speciall writ.

This man receiues his praises of SEIANVS,

A second, but slight mention: a third, none:

A fourth, rebukes. And thus he leaues the Senate

Diuided, and suspended, all vncertayne.

These forked tricks, I vnderstand 'hem not,

Would he would tell vs whom he loues, or hates,

That we might follow, without feare, or doubt.

Good HELIOTROPE! Is this your honest man?

Let him be yours so still. He is my knaue.)

I cannot tell, SEIANVS still goes on,

And mounts, we see: New statues are aduanc'd,

Fresh leaues of titles, large inscriptions read,

His fortune sworne by, himselfe new gone out

CAESARS colleague, in the fifth Consulship,

More altars smoke to him, then all the gods:

What would wee more?

(That the deare smoke would choke (him.)

But there are letters come (they say) eu'n now,

Which doe forbid that last.

Doe you heare so?

Yes.

By CASTOR, that's the worst.

(By POLLVX, best.)

I did not like the signe, when REGVLVS,

(Whom all we know no friend vnto SEIANVS)

Did, by TIBERIVS so precise command,

Succeed a fellow in the Consulship:

It boded somewhat.

Not a mote. His partner,

FVLCINIVS TRIO, is his owne; and sure.

Here comes TERENTIVS. He can giue vs more.

I'le ne're beleeue, but CAESAR hath some sent

Of bold SEIANVS footing. These crosse points

Of varying letters, and opposing Consuls,

Mixing his honours, and his punishments,

Fayning now ill, now well, raysing SEIANVS,

And then depressing him, (as now of late

In all reports we haue it) cannot be

Emptie of practice: 'Tis TIBERIVS arte.

For (hauing found his fauorite growne too great,

And, with his greatnesse, strong, that all the souldiers

Are, with their leaders, made at his deuotion,

That almost all the Senate are his creatures,

Or hold on him their maine dependances,

Either for benefit, or hope, or feare;

And that himselfe hath lost much of his owne,

By parting vnto him; and by th'increase

Of his ranke lusts, and rages, quite disarm'd

Himselfe of loue, or other publique meanes,

To dare an open contestation)

His subtilty hath chose this doubling line,

To hold him euen in: not so to feare him,

As wholly put him out, and yet giue checke

Vnto his farder boldnesse. In meane time,

By his employments, makes him odious

Vnto the staggering rout, whose aide (in fine)

He hopes to vse, as sure, who (when they sway)

Beare downe, ore-turne all obiects in their way.

You may be a LINCEVS, LEPIDVS: yet, I

See no such cause, but that a politique tyranne

(Who can so well disguise it) should haue tane

A neerer way: fain'd honest, and come home

To cut his throte, by law.

I, but his feare

Would ne're be masqu'd, all-be his vices were.

His lordship then is still in grace?

Assure you,

Neuer in more, either of grace, or power.

The gods are wise, and iust.

The fiends they are.

To suffer thee belie 'hem?)

I haue here

His last, and present letters, where he writes him

The Partner of his cares, and his SEIANVS——

But is that true, it 'tis prohibited,

To sacrifice vnto him?

Some such thing

CAESAR makes scruple of, but forbids it not;

No more then to himselfe: sayes, he could wish

It were forborne to all.

Is it no other?

No other, on my trust. For your more surety,

Here is that letter too.

How easily,

Doe wretched men beleeue, what they would haue!

Lookes this like plot?

Noble ARRVNTIVS, stay.)

He names him here without his titles.

Note.

Yes, and come of your notable foole. I will.)

No other, then SEIANVS.

That's but haste

In him that writes. Here he giues large amends.

And with his owne hand written?

Yes.

Indeed?

Beleeue it, gentlemen, SEIANVS brest

Neuer receiu'd more full contentments in,

Then at this present.

Takes he well th'escape

Of young CALIGVLA, with MACRO?

Faith,

At the first aire, it somewhat troubled him.

Obserue you?

Nothing. Riddles. Till I see

SEIANVS strooke, no sound thereof strikes me.)

I like it not. I muse h' would not attempt

Somewhat against him in the Consul-ship,

Seeing the people 'ginne to fauour him.

He doth repent it, now; but h'has employ'd

PAGONIANVS after him: and he holds

That correspondence, there, with all that are

Neere about CAESAR, as no thought can passe

Without his knowledge, thence, in act to front him.

I gratulate the newes.

But, how comes MACRO

So in trust, and fauour, with CALIGVLA?

O sir, he ha's a wife; and the young Prince

An appetite: he can looke vp, and spie

Flies in the roofe, when there are fleas i'bed;

And hath a learned nose to'assure his sleepes.

Who, to be fauour'd of the rising sunne,

Would not lend little of his waning moone?

'Tis the saf'st ambition. Noble TERENTIVS.

The night growes fast vpon vs. At your seruice.