Men. Why, Masters, my good Friends, mine honest Neighbours, Will you undo yourselves?

2 Cit. We cannot, Sir, we are undone already. Men. I tell you, Friends, most charitable care Have the Patricians of you: For your wants, Your fufferings in this Dearth, you may as well Strike at the Heaven with your staves, as lift them Against the Roman State; whose Course will on The way it takes, cracking ten thousand Curbs Of more strong Links asunder, than can ever Appear in your Impediment. For the Dearth, The Gods, not the Patricians, make it; and Your Knees to them (not Arms) must help. Alack, You are transported by Calamity

Thither where more attends you; and you slander. The Helms o'th' State, who care for you like Fathers, When you curse them as Enemies.

- they

2 Cit. Care for us! true, indeed! ne'er car'd for us yet. Suffer us to famish, and their Store-houses cramm'd with grain : make Edicts for Ufury, to support Usurers; repeal daily any wholefome Act established against the Rich, and provide more piercing Statutes daily to chain up and restrain the Poor. If the Wars eat us not up, they will; and there's all the love they bear us. Men. Either you must

Confess yourselves wond'rous malicious,
Or be accus'd of folly. I shall tell you
A pretty Tale, (it may be, you have heard it ;)
But, since it ferves my purpose I will venture
*To scale't a little more.

* To scale't a little more] Thus all the Editions as Mr. Theobald confeffes, who alters it to ftate't. And for a good Reason, because he can find no Sense (he says) in the common Reading. For as good a Reason, I who can, have reftor'd the old one to its Place. To Scale't fignifying to weigh, examine and apply it.

A 4

Warb.

I'll

I'll hear it, Sir-yet you must not think

To fob off our disgraces with a Tale:

But, an't please you, deliver.

Men. There was a time, when all the body's mem

bers

Rebell'd against the belly; thus accus'd it;
That only, like a Gulf, it did remain
I' th' midst o'th' body, idle and unactive,
Still cupboarding the Viand, never bearing

Like labour with the rest; where th 'other inftru

ments

Did fee, and hear, devise, instruct, walk, feel,
And mutually participate, did minifter
Unto the appetite, and affection common
Of the whole body. The belly anfwer'd

2 Cit. Well, Sir, what anfwer made the belly? Men. Sir, I shall tell you. - With a kind of smile, Which ne'er came from the lungs, but even thus(For look you, I may make the belly smile, As well as speak) it tauntingly reply'd

To th' difcontented Members, th' mutinous Parts,
That envied his receit; even so most fitly,
As you malign our Senators, for that

They are not fuch as you

what!

2 Cit. Your belly's answer
The kingly-crowned head, the vigilant eye,
The counsellor heart, the arm our foldier,
Or steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter ;
With other muniments and petty helps
In this our fabric, if that they-

Men. What then?-'Fore me, this fellow speaks. What then? what then?

2 Cit. Should by the cormorant belly be restrain'd,

Who is the fink o' th' body,

Men. Well, what then?

2 Cit. The former Agents, if they did complain,

What could the belly answer?

Men. I will tell you,

L

If you'll bestow a small (of what you have little)
Patience, a while; you'll hear the belly's answer.

2 Cit. Y'are long about it.

Men. Note me this, good Friend;

Your most grave belly was deliberate,
Not rash, like his accusers; and thus answer'd;
True is it, my incorporate Friends, quoth he,
That I receive the general food at first,
Which you do live upon; and fit it is,
Because I am the store-house, and the shop
Of the whole body. But, if you do remember,
I fend it through the rivers of your blood,
Even to the Court, the Heart; to th' feat o'th' brain;
And, through the cranks and offices of man,
The ftrongest nerves, and small inferior veins,
From me receive that natural competency
Whereby they live. And tho' that all at once,
You, my good Friends, (this says the belly) mark

me

2 Cit. Ay, Sir, well, well.

Men. Though all at once cannot
See what I do deliver out to each,
Yet can make my audit up, that all
From me do back receive the flow'r of all,
And leave me but the bran. What say you to't?
2 Cit. It was an answer; how apply you this?
Men. The Senators of Rome are this good belly,

And you the mutinous Members; for examine
Their Counsels, and their Cares; digeft thingsrightly,
Touching the weal o'th' Common; you shall find,
No public benefit, which you receive,
But it proceeds, or comes, from them to you,
And no way from yourselves. What do you think?
You, the great toe of this Affembly!-

2 Cit. I the great toe! why, the great toe?
Men. For that, being one o' th' lowest, basest,

pooreft,

Of this most wife Rebellion, thou goeft foremost:

A 5

Thou

Thou rafcal, that art worst in blood to run,
Lead'st first, to win some 'vantage.-
But make you ready your stiff bats and clubs,
Rome and her rats are at the point of battle :
The one fide must have bale.

SCENE III.

Enter Caius Marcius.

Hail, noble Marcius!

Mar. Thanks. What's the matter, you dissentious

rogues,

That, rubbing the poor itch of your opinion,
Make yourfelves fcabs ?

2 Cit. We have ever your good word.

Mar. He that will give good words to thee, will

flatter

Beneath abhorring. What would you have, ye Curs,
That likes not peace, nor war? The one affrights you,
The other makes you proud. He that trusts to you,
Where he should find you lions, finds you hares:
Where foxes, geese: You are no furer, no,
Than is the coal of fire upon the ice,
Or hailstone in the Sun. Your virtue is,
To make him worthy, whose offence subdues him,
And curse that justice, did it. Who deserves Great-

nefs,

Deserves your Hate; and your affections are
A fick man's appetite, who defires most That
Which would encrease his evil. He, that depends
Upon your favours, swims with fins of lead,
And hews down oaks with rushes. Hang ye-

trust ye!

With every minute you do change a mind,

And call him noble, that was now your hate;

Him vile, that was your garland. What's the matter,

That in the several places of the City

You cry against the noble Senate, who

(Under the Gods) keep you in awe, which else

B6

Would

Would feed on one another? what's their seeking? Men. For corn at their own rates, whereof they fay, The city is well stor'd.

Mar. Hang 'em: they say! They'll fit by th' fire, and perfume to know What's done i'th' Capitol; who's like to rife; Who thrives, and who declines: side factions, and

give out

Conjectural marriages; making parties strong,
And feeble such, as stand not in their Liking,

Below their cobled shoes. They say, there's Grain

enough!

Would the nobility lay aside their ruth,
And let me use my sword, I'd make a quarry
With thousands of these quarter'd Slaves, as high
As I could pitch my lance.

Men. Nay, these are almost thoroughly perfuaded:

For though abundantly they lack difcretion,

Yet are they paffing cowardly.
What says the other troop?

But, I beseech you,

Mar. They are diffolv'd; hang 'em, They faid they were an hungry, figh'd forth Proverbs; That hunger broke tone walls-that dogs must eat,That meat was made for mouths-that the Gods fent not Corn for the rich men only-With these shreds

They vented their complainings: which being an

fwer'd,

And a Petition granted them, a strange one,
To break the heart of Generosity,

And make bold Power look pale; they threw their

caps

As they would hang them on the horns o'th' Moon, Shouting their emulation.

Men. What is granted them?

Mar. Five Tribunes to defend their vulgar wisdoms,

Of their own choice. One's Junius Brutus,

Sicinius Velutus, and I know not - s' death,

The rabble should have first unroof'd the City,

A 6

Ere