(SCENE 3.)

Enter Piso, Scevinus, Lucan, Flavius.

Piso. Noble Gentlemen, what thankes, what recompence Shall hee give you that give to him the world? One life to them that must so many venture, And that the worst of all, is too meane paye; Yet can give no more. Take that, bestow it Upon your service.

Lucan. O Piso, that vouchsafest To grace our headlesse partie with thy name, Whom having our conductor[28] we need not Have fear'd to goe against[29] the well try'd vallor Of Julius or stayednesse of Augustus, Much lesse the shame and Womanhood of Nero; When we had once given out that our pretences Were all for thee, our end to make thee Prince, They thronging came to give their names, Men, Women, Gentlemen, People, Soldiers, Senators,[30] The Campe and Cittie grew asham'd that Nero And Piso should be offered them together.

Scevin. We seeke not now (as in the happy dayes Oth' common wealth they did) for libertie; O you deere ashes, Cassius and Brutus, That was with you entomb'd, their let it rest. We are contented with the galling yoke If they will only leave us necks to beare it: We seeke no longer freedome, we seeke life; At least, not to be murdred, let us die On Enemies swords. Shall we, whom neither The Median Bow nor Macedonian Speare Nor the fierce Gaul nor painted Briton could Subdue, lay down our neckes to tyrants axe? Why doe we talke of Vertue that obay Weaknesse and Vice?

Piso. Have patience, good Scevinus.

Lucan. Weaknesse and servile Government we hitherto Obeyed have, which, that we may no longer, We have our lives and fortunes now set up, And have our cause with Pisoes credit strengthned.

Flav. Which makes it doubtfull whether love to him Or Neroes hatred hath drawne more unto us.

Piso. I see the good thoughts you have of me, Lords. Lets now proceede to th'purpose of our meeting: I pray you take your places. Lets have some paper brought.

Scevin. Whose within?

Enter Milichus to them.

Mill. My Lord.

Scevin. Some Inke and Paper.

[Exit Mili.

Enter againe with Incke and Paper.

Flav. Whose that, Scevinus?

Scevin. It is my freed man, Milichus.

Lucan. Is he trustie?

Scevin. I, for as great matters as we are about.

Piso. And those are great ones.

Lucan. I aske not that we meane to need his trust; Gaine hath great soveraigntie ore servile mindes.

Scevin. O but my benefits have bound him to me. I from a bondman have his state not onely Advanct to freedome but to wealth and credit.

Piso. Mili. waite ith' next chamber till we call. [abscondit se. The thing determinde on, our meeting now Is of the meanes and place, due circumstance As to the doing of things: 'tis required So done it names the action.[31]

Mili. I wonder (aside) What makes this new resort to haunt our house. When wonted Lucius Piso to come hither, Or Lucan when so oft as now of late?

Piso. And since the field and open shew of armes Disliked you, and that for the generall good You meane to end all styrres in end of him; That, as the ground, must first be thought upon.

Mill. Besides, this comming cannot be for forme, (aside) Our (Mere?) visitation; they goe aside And have long conferences by themselves.

Lucan. Piso, his coming to your house at Baiae[32] To bathe and banquet will fit meanes afford, Amidst his cups, to end his hated life: Let him die drunke that nere liv'd soberly.

Piso. O be it farre that I should staine my Table And Gods of Hospitalitie with blood. Let not our cause (now Innocent) be soyld With such a plot, nor Pisoes name made hatefull. What place can better fit our action Then his owne house, that boundlesse envied heape Built with the spoyles and blood of Cittizens, That hath taken up the Citie, left no roome For Rome to stand on? Romanes get you gone And dwell at Veiae, if that Veiae too This (His?) house ore runne not.[33]

Lucan. But twill be hard to doe it in his house And harder to escape, being done.

Piso. Not so: Rufus, the Captaine of the Guard, 's with us, And divers other oth' Praetorian band Already made (named?); many, though unacquainted With our intents, have had disgrace and wrongs Which grieve them still; most will be glad of change, And even they that lov'd him best, when once They see him gone, will smile oth' comming times, Let goe things past and looke to their owne safetie: Besides, th'astonishment and feare will be So great, so sodaine that 'twill hinder them From doing anything.

Mili. No private businesse can concerne them all: (aside) Their countenances are troubled and looke sad; Doubt and importance in their face is read.

Lucan. Yet still, I think it were Safer t'attempt him private and alone.

Flav. But 'twill not carry that opinion with it; 'Twill seeme more foule and come from private malice. Brutus and they, to right the common cause, Did chuse a publike place.

Scevin.[34] Our deed is honest, why should it seeke corners? Tis for the people done, let them behold it; Let me have them a witnesse of my truth And love to th'Common-wealth. The danger's greater, So is the glory. Why should our pale counsels Tend whether feare rather then vertue calls them? I doe not like these cold considerings. First let our thoughts looke up to what is honest, Next to what's safe. If danger may deterre us Nothing that's great or good shall ere be done: And, when we first gave hands upon this deed, To th'common safetie we our owne gave up. Let no man venture on a princes death, How bad soever, with beliefe to escape; Dispaire must be our hope, fame o[u]r reward. To make the generall liking to concurre With others (ours?) were even to strike him in his shame Or (as he thinks) his glory, on the stage, And so too truly make't a Tragedy; When all the people cannot chuse but clap So sweet a close, and 'twill not Caesar be That shall be slaine, a Roman Prince; Twill be Alcmaeon or blind Oedipus.

Mili. And if it be of publique matters 'tis not (aside) Like to be talke or idle fault finding, On which the coward onely spends his wisedome: These are all men of action and of spirit, And dare performe what they determine on.

Lucan. What thinke you of Poppaea, Tigellinus And th'other odious Instruments of Court? Were it not best at once to rid them all?

Scevin. In Caesars ruine Anthony was spared; Lets not our cause with needlesse blood distaine. One onely mov'd, the change will not appeare; When too much licence given to the sword, Though against ill, will make even good men feare. Besides, things setled, you at pleasure may By Law and publique Iudgement have them rid.

Mili. And if it be but talke oth' State 'tis Treason. (aside) Like it they cannot, that they cannot doe: If seeke to mend it, and remoove the Prince, That's highest Treason: change his Councellours, That's alteration of the Government, The common cloke that Treasons muffled in: If laying force aside, to seeke by suite And faire petition t'have the State reform'd, That's tutering of the Prince and takes away Th' one his person, this his Soveraigntie. Barely in private talke to shew dislike Of what is done is dangerous; therefore the action Mislike you cause the doer likes you not. Men are not fit to live ith' state they hate.

Piso. Though we would all have that imployment sought, Yet, since your worthy forwardnesse Scevinus[35] Prevents us and so Nobly beggs for danger, Be this (thine?) the chosen hand to doe the deed; The fortune of the Empire speed your sword.

Scevin. Vertue and Heaven speed it. You home-borne Gods of our countrey, Romulus and Vesta, That Thuscan Tiber and Romes towers defends, Forbid not yet at length a happie end To former evils; let this hand revenge The wronged world; enough we now have suffered.

[Exeunt.

Manet Milichus solus.

Mili. Tush, all this long Consulting's more then words, It ends not there; th'have some attempt, some plot Against the state: well, I'le observe it farther And, if I find it, make my profit of it. [Exit.

Finis Actus Secundus. [Sic.]

Actus Tertius.

Enter Poppea solus. [Sic.]

Poppea. I lookt Nimphidius would have come ere this. Makes he no greater hast to our embraces, Or doth the easiness abate his edge? Or seeme we not as faire still as we did? Or is he so with Neroes playing wonne That he before Poppea doth preferre it? Or doth he think to have occasion still, Still to have time to waite on our stolne meetings?

Enter Nimphidius to her.

But see, his presence now doth end those doubts. What is't, Nimphidius, hath so long detain'd you?

Nimphid. Faith, Lady, causes strong enough, High walls, bard dores, and guards of armed men.

Poppea. Were you Imprisoned, then, as you were going To the Theater?

Nimphid. Not in my going, Lady, But in the Theater I was imprisoned. For after he was once upon the Stage The Gates[36] were more severely lookt into Then at a town besieg'd: no man, no cause Was Currant, no, nor passant. At other sights The striefe is only to get in, but here The stirre was all in getting out againe. Had we not bin kept to it so I thinke 'Twould nere have been so tedious, though I know 'Twas hard to judge whether his doing of it Were more absurd then 'twas for him[37] to doe it. But when we once were forct to be spectators, Compel'd to that which should have bin a pleasure, We could no longer beare the wearisomnesse: No paine so irksome as a forct delight. Some fell down dead or seem'd at least to doe so, Under that colour to be carried forth. Then death first pleasur'd men, the shape all feare Was put on gladly; some clomb ore the walls And so, by falling, caught in earnest that Which th'other did dissemble. There were women[38] That (being not able to intreat the guard To let them passe the gates) were brought to bed Amidst the throngs of men, and made Lucina Blush to see that unwonted companie.

Poppea. If 'twere so straightly kept how got you forth?

Nimphid. Faith, Lady, I came pretending hast In Face and Countenance, told them I was sent For things bith' Prince forgot about the sceane, Which both my credit made them to beleeve And Nero newly whispered me before. Thus did I passe the gates; the danger, Ladie, I have not yet escapt.

Poppea. What danger meane you?

Nimphid. The danger of his anger when he knowes How I thus shranke away; for there stood knaves, That put downe in their Tables all that stir'd And markt in each there cheerefulnesse or sadnesse.

Poppea. I warrant He excuse you; but I pray Lett's be a little better for your sight. How did our Princely husband act Orestes? Did he not wish againe his mother living? Her death would adde great life unto his part. But come, I pray; the storie of your sight.

Nimph. O doe not drive me to those hatefull paines. Lady, I was too much in seeing vext; Let it not be redoubled with the telling. I now am well and heare, my eares set free; O be mercifull, doe not bring me backe Unto my prison, at least free your selfe. It will not passe away, but stay the time; Wracke out the houres in length. O give me leave: As one that wearied with the toyle at sea And now on wished shore hath firm'd his foote, He lookes about and glads his thoughts and eyes With sight oth' greene cloath'd ground and leavy trees, Of flowers that begge more then the looking on, And likes these other waters narrow shores; So let me lay my wearines in these armes, Nothing but kisses to this mouth discourse, My thoughts be compast in those circl'd Eyes, Eyes on no obiect looke but on these Cheekes; Be blest my hands with touch of those round brests Whiter and softer than the downe of Swans. Let me of thee and of thy beauties glory An[39] endless tell, but never wearying story.

[Exeunt.