You whelp

coying it,

CAT. Are you

-BES. Nay, LVCIVS. CAT.

When I command you to be free, and generall

To all? BES. You'll be obseru'd. CAT. Arise, and 510

shew

But any least auersion i' your looke

To him that bourds you next, and your throat opens.

Noble confederates, thus farre is perfect.

Only your suffrages I will expect,

At the assembly for the choosing Consuls,

And all the voyces you can make by friends

To my election. Then, let me worke out

Your fortunes, and mine owne. Meane while, all rest Seal'd vp, and silent, as when rigid frosts

515

Haue bound vp brookes, and riuers, forc'd wild beasts 520
Vnto their caues, and birds into the woods,

Clownes to their houses, and the countrey sleeps:
That, when the sodaine thaw comes, we may breake
Vpon 'hem like a deluge, bearing downe

Halfe Rome before vs, and inuade the rest
With cryes, and noise able to wake the vrnes
Of those are dead, and make their ashes feare.
The horrors, that doe strike the world, should come
Loud, and vnlook'd for: till they strike, be dumbe.
CET. Oraculous SERGIVS!

LEN.

525

God-like CAT- 530

ILINE!

CHORVS.

CA

An nothing great, and at the height
Remaine so long? but it's owne weight

Will ruine it? Or, is't blinde chance,
That still desires new states t'aduance,
And quit the old? Else, why must Rome,
527 feare.] feare, F1, F2.

530 [Exeunt. S. N.-G.

535

Be by it selfe; now, ouer-come?

540

[696]

545

550

555

560

565

Hath shee not foes inow of those,

Whom shee hath made such, and enclose
Her round about? Or, are they none,
Except shee first become her owne?
O wretchednesse of greatest states,
To be obnoxious to these fates:

That cannot keepe, what they doe gaine;
And what they raise so ill sustaine !
Rome, now, is Mistris of the whole
World, sea, and land, to either pole;
And euen that fortune will destroy
The power that made it: shee doth ioy
So much in plentie, wealth, and ease,
As, now, th' excesse is her disease.

Shee builds in gold; and, to the starres;
As, if shee threatned heau'n with warres :
And seekes for hell, in quaries deepe,
Giuing the fiends, that there doe keepe,
A hope of day. Her women weare
The spoiles of nations, in an eare,
Chang'd for the treasure of a shell;
And, in their loose attires, doe swell

More light then sailes, when all windes play.
Yet, are the men more loose then they!

More kemb'd, and bath'd, and rub'd, and trim'd,

More sleek'd, more soft, and slacker limm'd;

As prostitute: so much, that kinde

May seeke it selfe there, and not finde.

They eate on beds of silke, and gold;
At yuorie tables; or, wood sold
Dearer then it: and, leauing plate,
Doe drinke in stone of higher rate.

They hunt all grounds; and draw all seas;
Foule euery brooke, and bush; to please
Their wanton tasts: and, in request
Haue new, and rare things; not the best!
Hence comes that wild, and vast expence,
That hath enforc'd Romes vertue, thence,
Which simple pouerty first made:
And, now, ambition doth inuade
Her state, with eating auarice,
Riot, and euery other vice.

Decrees are bought, and lawes are sold,
Honors, and offices for gold;
The peoples voyces: and the free
Tongues, in the Senate, bribed bee.
Such ruine of her manners Rome
Doth suffer now, as shee's become
(Without the gods it soone gaine-say)
Both her owne spoiler, and owne prey.

So, Asia, 'art thou cru'lly euen

With vs, for all the blowes thee giuen;
When we, whose vertue conquer'd thee,
Thus, by thy vices, ruin'd bee.

570

575

580

[697]

585

ΤΗ

ACT II.

FVLVIA, GALLA, SERVANT.

Hose roomes doe smell extremely. Bring my glasse,
And table hither, GALLA. GAL. Madame.

Looke

Within, 'i my blew cabinet, for the pearle

FVL.

I'had sent me last, and bring it. GAL. That from

CLODIVS?

5 FVL. From CAIVS CAESAR. You' are for CLO

DIVS, still.

Or CVRIVS. Sirrha, if QVINTVS CVRIVS come,
I am not in fit moode; I keepe my chamber :
Giue warning so, without. GAL. Is this it? madame.
FVL. Yes, helpe to hang it in mine eare.

Beleeue me,

GAL.

10 It is a rich one, madame. FVL. I hope so: It should not be worne there else. Make an end, And binde my haire vp. GAL. As 'twas yesterday?

FVL. No, nor the t'other day. When knew you me Appeare, two dayes together, in one dressing?

15 GAL. Will you ha't i' the globe, or spire? FVL. How thou wilt;

20

Any way, so thou wilt doe it, good impertinence.
Thy company, if I slept not very well

A nights, would make me, an errant foole, with questions.
CAL. Alas, madame--FVL. Nay, gentle halfe

o'the dialogue, cease.

GAL. I doe it, indeed, but for your exercise, As your physitian bids me. FVL. How! Do's he bid you

To anger me for exercise? GAL. Not to anger you, But stirre your bloud a little: There's difference

Between luke-warme, and boyling, madame. FVL.

IOVE!

25 Shee meanes to cooke me, I thinke? Pray you, ha' done. GAL. I meane to dresse you, madame. FVL. O, my IVNO,

6 [Exit Galla] S. N.-G. GALLA. S. D.-G.

arrant G.

8 [Exit Serv. S. N.-G. 13 the] om. 1716, W.

23 there's] there is G.

Re-enter 18 errant]

Be friend to me! Offring at wit, too? Why, GALLA!
Where hast thou been? GAL. Why? madam ! FVL.
What hast thou done

With thy poore innocent selfe? GAL. Wherefore ?
sweet madame!

FVL. Thus to come forth, so sodainely, a wit-worme ? 30
GAL. It pleases you to flout one. I did dreame

Of lady SEMPRONIA-FVL. O, the wonder is out.
That did infect thee? Well, and how? GAL. Me [698]

thought

She did discourse the best-FVL. That euer thou

heard'st?

GAL. Yes. FVL. I' thy sleepe? Of what was her 35 discourse?

GAL. O' the republike, madame, and the state,
And how shee was in debt, and where shee meant
To raise fresh summes: Shee's a great states-woman!
FVL. Thou dream'st all this? GAL. No, but you
know she is, madam,

And both a mistris of the latine tongue,

And of the greeke. FVL. I, but I neuer dreamt it,

GALLA,

As thou hast done, and therefore you must pardon me.
GAL. Indeed, you mock me, madame. FVL. In-

deed, no.

Forth, with your learned lady.

GAL. A very masculine one.

GALLA?

Shee has a wit, too?

40

FVL. A shee-Critick, 45

And can compose, in verse, and make quick iests,

32 wonder is] wonder's G. (To print a full list of G.'s changes in the meter of the text would be utterly useless, especially as G. is entirely inconsistent. The two examples just cited show his apparent stupidity; in the first he omits a necessary elision, in the second he inserts a needless one.)