University of Virginia Library

Scæna Secunda.

Enter Junius, Curius, Decius.
Dec.
We dare not hazzard it: beside our lives,
it forfeits all our understandings.

Jun.
Gentlemen,
Can ye forsake me in so just a service,
a service for the Common-wealth, for honour?
Read but the Letter; you may love too.

Dec.
Read it:
if there be any safety in the circumstance,
or likelihood 'tis love, we will not faile ye.
Read it good Curius.

Cur.
Willingly.

Jun.
Now mark it.

Cur.
reads.
Health to thy heart, my honourd Junius,
and all thy love requited: I am thine,
thine everlastingly, thy love has won me,
and let it breed no doubt; our new acquaintance
compels this, 'tis the gods decree to blesse us.
The times are dangerous to meet; yet fail not,
by all the love thou bear'st me I conjure thee,
without distrust of danger, to come to me,
for I have purpos'd a delivery
both of my self and fortune this blest day
into thy hands, if thou thinkst good: to shew thee
how infinite my love is, even my Mother
shall be thy prisoner, the day yours without hazzard;
for I beheld your danger like a Lover,
a just affecter of thy faith: Thy goodnesse,
I know, will use us nobly, and our marriage,
if not redeem, yet lessen Romes Ambition.
I am weary of these miseries: Use my Mother.
(if you intend to take her) with all honour,
and let this disobedience to my parents
be laid on love, not me. Bring with thee, Junius,
spirits resolv'd to fetch me off, the noblest,
forty will serve the turn; just at the joyning
of both the Battels, we will be weakly guarded;
and for a guide, within this hour shall reach thee
a faithfull friend of mine: the gods, my Junius,
keep thee, and me to serve thee: Young Bonvica.

Cur.
This letter carries much belief, and most objections
answer'd, we must have doubted.

Dec.
Is that fellow
come to ye for a guide yet?

Jun.
Yes.

Dec.
And examin'd?

Jun.
Far more then that; he has felt tortures, yet
he vows he knows no more then this truth.

Dec.
Strange.

Cur.
If she mean what she writes, as 't may be probable,
'twill be the happiest vantage we can lean to.

Jun.
I'll pawn my soul she means truth.

Dec.
Think an hour more,
then if your confidence grow stronger on ye,
we'll set in with ye.

Jun.
Nobly done; I thank ye;
ye know the time.

Cur.
We will be either ready
to give ye present counsell, or joyne with ye.

Enter Swetonius, Petillius, and Demetrius, Macer.
Jun.
No more as ye are Gentlemen. The Generall.

Swet.
Draw out a pace, the enemy waits for us;
Are ye all ready?

Jun.
All our Troops attend, Sir.

Swet.
I am glad to hear you say so, Junius.
I hope ye are dispossest.

Jun.
I hope so too, Sir.

Swet.
Continue so. And Gentlemen, to you now;
To bid you fight is needlesse, ye are Romans,
the name will fight it self; To tell ye who
you go to fight against, his power, and nature,
but losse of time: ye know it, know it poor,
and oft have made it so. To tell ye further,
his Bodie showes more dreadfull then it has done,
to him that fears, lesse possible to deal with,
is but to stick more honour on your Actions,
load ye with vertuous names, and to your memories
tie never dying time, and fortune constant.
Go on in full assurance, draw your swords
as daring and as confident as Justice;
the gods of Rome sight for ye; loud Fame calls ye,
pitch'd on the toplesse Perinine, and blows
to all the under world: all Nations,
the seas, and unfrequented deserts, where the snow dwels,
wakens the ruin'd monuments, and there
where nothing but eternall death and sleep is,
informs again the dead bones. With your vertues,
go on, I say, valiant and wife, rule heaven,
and all the great aspects attend 'em. Do but blow
upon this Enemy, who, but that we want foes,
cannot deserve that name; and like a myst,
a lazie fog, before your burning valours
you'll finde him flie to nothing. This is all,
We have swords, and are the sons of ancient Romans,
heirs to their endlesse valours, fight and conquer.

De., Dem.
'Tis done.

Petill.
That man that loves not this day,
and hugs not in his arms the noble danger,
may he die famelesse and forgot.

Swet.
Sufficient,
up to your Troops, and let your drums beat thunder,
march close, and sudden like a tempest: all executions
March.
done without sparkling of the Body: keep your phalanx
sure lin'd, and piec'd together; your pikes forward,
and so march like a moving Fort: ere this day run,
we shal have ground to add to Rome, wel won.

Exeunt.