Bass. Lauinia, how say you? Laui. I say no: I haue bene awake two houres and more
Satur. Come on then, horse and Chariots let vs haue, And to our sport: Madam, now shall ye see, Our Romaine hunting
Mar. I haue dogges my Lord, Will rouze the proudest Panther in the Chase, And clime the highest Promontary top
Tit. And I haue horse will follow where the game Makes way, and runnes likes Swallowes ore the plaine Deme. Chiron we hunt not we, with Horse nor Hound But hope to plucke a dainty Doe to ground.
Exeunt.
Enter Aaron alone.
Aron. He that had wit, would thinke that I had none, To bury so much Gold vnder a Tree, And neuer after to inherit it. Let him that thinks of me so abiectly, Know that this Gold must coine a Stratageme, Which cunningly effected, will beget A very excellent peece of villany; And so repose sweet Gold for their vnrest, That haue their Almes out of the Empresse Chest. Enter Tamora to the Moore.
Tamo. My louely Aaron, Wherefore look'st thou sad, When euery thing doth make a Gleefull boast? The Birds chaunt melody on euery bush, The Snake lies rolled in the chearefull Sunne, The greene leaues quiuer, with the cooling winde, And make a cheker'd shadow on the ground: Vnder their sweete shade, Aaron let vs sit, And whil'st the babling Eccho mock's the Hounds, Replying shrilly to the well tun'd-Hornes, As if a double hunt were heard at once, Let vs sit downe, and marke their yelping noyse: And after conflict, such as was suppos'd. The wandring Prince and Dido once enioy'd, When with a happy storme they were surpris'd, And Curtain'd with a Counsaile-keeping Caue, We may each wreathed in the others armes, (Our pastimes done) possesse a Golden slumber, Whiles Hounds and Hornes, and sweet Melodious Birds Be vnto vs, as is a Nurses Song Of Lullabie, to bring her Babe asleepe
Aron. Madame, Though Venus gouerne your desires, Saturne is Dominator ouer mine: What signifies my deadly standing eye, My silence, and my Cloudy Melancholie, My fleece of Woolly haire, that now vncurles, Euen as an Adder when she doth vnrowle To do some fatall execution? No Madam, these are no Veneriall signes, Vengeance is in my heart, death in my hand, Blood, and reuenge, are Hammering in my head. Harke Tamora, the Empresse of my Soule, Which neuer hopes more heauen, then rests in thee, This is the day of Doome for Bassianus; His Philomel must loose her tongue to day, Thy Sonnes make Pillage of her Chastity, And wash their hands in Bassianus blood. Seest thou this Letter, take it vp I pray thee, And giue the King this fatall plotted Scrowle, Now question me no more, we are espied, Heere comes a parcell of our hopefull Booty, Which dreads not yet their liues destruction. Enter Bassianus and Lauinia.
Tamo. Ah my sweet Moore: Sweeter to me then life
Aron. No more great Empresse, Bassianus comes, Be crosse with him, and Ile goe fetch thy Sonnes To backe thy quarrell what so ere they be
Bassi. Whom haue we heere? Romes Royall Empresse, Vnfurnisht of our well beseeming troope? Or is it Dian habited like her, Who hath abandoned her holy Groues, To see the generall Hunting in this Forrest? Tamo. Sawcie controuler of our priuate steps: Had I the power, that some say Dian had, Thy Temples should be planted presently. With Hornes, as was Acteons, and the Hounds Should driue vpon his new transformed limbes, Vnmannerly Intruder as thou art
Laui. Vnder your patience gentle Empresse, 'Tis thought you haue a goodly gift in Horning, And to be doubted, that your Moore and you Are singled forth to try experiments: Ioue sheild your husband from his Hounds to day, 'Tis pitty they should take him for a Stag