'Twere a perpetual spoil; and 'till we call'd Both Field and City ours, he never stood To ease his breast with panting.

Men. Worthy Man!

1 Sen. He cannot but with measure fit the Honours, Which we devise him.

Com. Our fpoils he kick'd at,

And look'd upon things precious, as they were
The common muck o'th' world: he covets lefs
Than Mifery itself would give, rewards
His deeds with doing them, and is content
To spend his time to end it.

Men. He's right noble,

Let him be called for.

Sen. Call Coriolanus.

Of. He doth appear.

Enter Coriolanus.

Men. The Senate, Coriolanus, are well pleas'd

To make thee Conful.

Cor. I do owe them still

My life, and services.

Men. It then remains

That you do fpeak to th' People.

Cor. I befeech you,

Let me o'er-leap that Cuftom; for I cannot
Put on the Gown, ftand naked, and entreat them,
For my wounds' fake, to give their fuffrages:
Please you, that I may pass this doing.

Sic. Sir, the People must have their voices,
Nor will they bate one jot of

ceremony.

Men. Put them not to't: pray, fit you to the Custom,

And take t'ye, as your Predeceffors have,

Your Honour with your form.

Cor. It is a Part

That I fhall blush in acting, and might well

Be taken from the People.

Bru. Mark you That?

Cor. To brag unto them, thus I did,—and thus,

R 3

Shew

Shew them th' unaking fcars, which I would hide,
As if I had receiv'd them for the hire

Of their breath only

Men. Do not ftand upon't:

We recommend t'ye, Tribunes of the People,
Our purpose to them, and to our noble Conful
Wifh we all joy and honour.

Sen. To Coriolanus come all joy and honour !

[Flourish Cornets. Then Exeunt.

Manent Sicinius and Brutus.

Bru. You fee, how he intends to use the People. Sic. May they perceive's intent! he will require them,

As if he did contemn what he requested

Should be in them to give.

Bru. (13) Come, we'll inform them

Of our proceedings here: on th' market place,
I know, they do attend us.

Cit.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to the Forum.

O

Enter feven or eight Citizens,

NCE, if he do require our voices, we ought not to deny him.

2 Cit. We may, Sir, if we will.

3 Cit. We have Power in our felves to do it, but it is a Power that we have no Power to do; for if he fhew us his wounds, and tell us his deeds, we are to put our tongues into those wounds, and fpeak for them:

(13) Come, we'll inform them

Of our Proceedings here on th' Market place,

I know they do attend us.] But the Tribunes were not now on the Market-place, but in the Capitol. The Pointing only wants to be rectified, and we shall know what this Magiftrate would fay, viz. Come, I know, the People attend us in the Forum; we'll go and inform them what Proceedings have been here in the Senate..

fo,

so, if he tells us his noble deeds, we must also tell him our noble acceptance of them. Ingratitude is monftrous; and for the multitude to be ingrateful, were to make a moniter of the multitude; of the which, we being Members, fhould bring our felves to be monstrous Members.

1 Cit. And to make us no better thought of, a little help will ferve: for once, when We stood up about the Corn, he himself stuck not to call us the many-headed multitude.

3 Cit. We have been call'd fo of many; not that our heads are fome brown, fome black, fome auburn, fome bald; but that our wits are fo diversly colour'd; and truly, I think, if all our wits were to iffue out of one fcull, they would fly Eaft, Weft, North, South; and their confent of one direct way would be at once to all Points o'th' Compafs.

2 Cit. Think you fo? which way, do you judge, my wit would fly?

3 Cit. Nay, your wit will not fo foon out as another man's will, 'tis ftrongly wedg'd up in a blockhead; but if it were at liberty, 'twould, fure, fouthward.

2 Cit. Why that way ?

3 Cit. To lose it felf in a fog; where being three parts melted away with rotten dews, the fourth would return for confcience fake, to help to get thee a Wife.

z Cit. You are never without your tricks you may, you may

3 Cit. Are you all resolved to give your voices? but that's no matter, the greater part carries it. I fay, if he would incline to the People, there was never a worthier Man.

Enter Coriolanus in a Gown, with Menenius.

Here he comes, and in the Gown of Humility; mark his behaviour: we are not to stay all together, but to come by him where he stands, by one's, by two's, and by three's. He's to make his requests by particulars, wherein every one of us has a fingle honour, in giving

R. 4

him

him our own voices with our own tongues: there

fore follow me, and I'll direct you how you fhall go by

him.

All. Content, content.

Men. Oh, Sir, you are not right; have you not

known,

The worthiest Men have done't?

Cor. What must I fay?

I pray, Sir,

plague upon't, I cannot bring
My tongue to fuch a pace! Look, Sir, -my wounds
I got them in my Country's fervice, when

Some certain of your Brethren roar'd, and ran
From noife of our own drums.

Men. Oh me, the Gods!

You must not speak of that; you must defire them
To think upon you.

Cor. Think upon me? hang 'em.

I would, they would forget me, like the Virtues
Which our Divines lofe by 'em.

Men. You'll mar all.

I'll leave you pray you, fpeak to 'em, I pray you,
In wholfome manner.

Citizens approach.

Cor. Bid them wash their faces,

And keep their teeth clean.

[Exit.

So, here comes a brace;

You know the caufe, Sirs, of my standing here.

1 Cit. We do, Sir; tell us what hath brought you

to't.

Cor. Mine own defert.

2 Cit. Your own defert ?

Cor. Ay, not mine own defire.

1 Cit. How! not your own defire ?

Cor. No, Sir, 'twas never my defire yet to trouble the Poor with begging.

1 Cit. You must think, if we give you any thing, we hope to gain by you.

Cor. Well then, I pray, your price o'th' Confulship?

1 Cit. The price is, to ask it kindly.

Cer.

Cor. Kindly, Sir, I pray, let me ha't: I have wounds to fhew you, which fhall be yours in private: your good voice, Sir; what fay you?

2 Cit. You shall ha't, worthy Sir.

Cor. A match, Sir; there's in all two worthy voices begg'd: I have your alms, adieu.

1 Cit. But this is fomething odd.

2 Cit. An 'twere to give again :—but 'tis no matter.

Two other Citizens.

[Exeunt.

Cor. Pray you now, if it may ftand with the tune of your voices, that I may be Conful, I have here the cuftomary Gown.

1 Cit. You have deserved nobly of your Country, and you have not deferved nobly.

Cor. Your ænigma.

1 Cit. You have been a fcourge to her enemies; you have been a rod to her friends; you have not, indeed, loved the common People.

Cor. You should account me the more virtuous, that I have not been common in my love; I will, Sir, flatter my fworn Brother, the People, to earn a dearer eftimation of them; 'tis a condition they account gentle and fince the wisdom of their choice is rather to have my cap than my heart, I will practise the infinuating nod, and be off to them moft counterfeitly: that is, Sir, I will counterfeit the bewitchment of fome popular Man, and give it bountifully to the Defirers: therefore, befeech you, I may be Conful.

2 Cit. We hope to find you our Friend; and therefore give you our voices heartily.

1 Cit. You have received many wounds for your Country.

Cor. I will not feal your knowledge with fhewing them. I will make much of your voices, and fo trouble you no further.

Both. The Gods give you joy, Sir, heartily!

[Exeunt.