That neither fear or shame e'er found, the devil Has ranked amongst them multitudes; say the men fail,

They'll poison us with their petticoats; say they fail, They have priests enough to pray us into nothing. Suet. These are imaginations, dreams of nothing; The man, that doubts or fears

Dec. I am free of both.
Dem. The self-same I.

Pet. And I as free as any;

As careless of my flesh, of that we call life,
So I may lose it nobly, as indifferent
As if it were my diet. Yet, noble general,
It was a wisdom learned from you, I learned it,
And worthy of a soldier's care, most worthy,
To weigh with most deliberate circumstance
The ends of accidents, above their offers;
How to go on and get; to save a Roman,
Whose one life is more worth in way of doing,
Than millions of these painted wasps; how, view-

ing,

To find advantage out; how, found, to follow it With counsel and discretion, lest mere fortune Should claim the victory.

Suet. 'Tis true, Petillius,

And worthily remembered: The rule is certain,
Their uses no less excellent; but where time
Cuts off occasions, danger, time and all
Tend to a present peril, 'tis required

Our swords and manhoods be best counsellors,
Our expeditions, precedents. To win is nothing,
Where Reason, Time, and Counsel are our
camp-masters;

But there to bear the field, then to be conquerors,
Where pale destruction takes us, takes us beaten,
In wants and mutinies, ourselves but handfulls,
And to ourselves our own fears, needs a new way,
A sudden and a desperate execution:
Here, how to save, is loss; to be wise, dangerous;
Only a present well-united strength,
And minds made up for all attempts, dispatch it:
Disputing and delay here cool the courage;
Necessity gives time for doubts; (things infinite,
According to the spirit they are preached to :)
Rewards like them, and names for after-ages.
Must steel the soldier, his own shame help to
arm him:

And having forced his spirit, ere he cools,
Fling him upon his enemies; sudden and swift,
Like tigers amongst foxes, we must fight for it:
Fury must be our fortune; shame, we have lost,
Spurs ever in our sides to prick us forward:
Thre is no other wisdom nor discretion

Due to this day of ruin, but destruction ; The soldier's order first, and then his anger. Dem. No doubt they dare redeem all. Suet. Then no doubt

The day must needs be ours. That the proud

woman

Is infinite in number better likes me,
Than if we dealt with squadrons; half her army
Shall choke themselves, their own swords dig their

graves.

I'll tell ye all my fears; one single valour,
The virtues of the valiant Caratach,

More doubts me than all Britain: He's a soldier
So forged out, and so tempered for great fortunes,
So much man thrust into him, so old in dangers,
So fortunate in all attempts, that his mere name
Fights in a thousand men, himself in millions,
To make him Roman: But no more. Petillius,
How stands your charge?

Pet. Ready for all employments,
To be commanded too, sir.

Suet. 'Tis well governed;

To-morrow we'll draw out, and view the cohorts:
In the mean time, all apply their offices.
Where's Junius?

Pet. In his cabin, sick of the mumps, sir.
Suet. How?

Pet. In love, indeed in love, most lamentably loving,

To the tune of Queen Dido.

Dec. Alas, poor gentleman!

Suet. 'Twill make him fight the nobler. . With what lady?

I'll be a spokesman for him.

Pet. You'll scant speed, sir.

Suet. Who is it?

Pet. The devil's dam, Bonduca's daughter, Her youngest, cracked in the ring.

Suet. I'm sorry for him:

But sure his own discretion will reclaim him;
He must deserve our anger else. Good captains,
Apply yourselves in all the pleasing forms
Ye can, unto the soldiers; fire their spirits,
And set them fit to run this action;
Mine own provisions shall be shared amongst
them,

'Till more come in; tell them, if now they conquer,

The fat of all the kingdom lies before them.
Their shames forgot, their honours infinite,
And want for ever banished. Two days hence,
Our fortunes, and our swords, and gods be for us!
[Exeunt.

Pen. How long is it, Regulus, since I com

manded

In Britain here?

Reg. About five years, great Penius.

Room for his execution? what air to cool us, But poisoned with their blasting breaths and

curses,

Where we lie buried quick above the ground,

So poor and lost, my services so barren, That I'm remembered in no nobler language But must come up?

Macer. I do beseech you, sir, Weigh but the time's estate,

Pen. Yes, good lieutenant,

I do, and his that sways it. Must come up? Am I turned bare centurion? Must, and shall, Fit embassies to court my honour?

Macer. Sir

Pen. Set me to lead a handful of my men Against an hundred thousand barbarous slaves, That have marched name by name with Rome's best doers?

Serve them up some other meat; I'll bring no food

To stop the jaws of all those hungry wolves;
My regiment's mine own. I must, iny language?
Enter CURIUS.

Cur. Penius, where lies the host?
Pen. Where fate may find thein,
Cur. Are they ingirt?

Pen. The battle's lost.

Cur. So soon?

Pen. No; but 'tis lost, because it must be won; The Britons must be victors. Whoever saw A troop of bloody vultures hovering About a few corrupted carcasses, Let him behold the silly Roman host, Girded with millions of fierce Britain's swains, With deaths as many as they have had hopes; And then go thither, he that loves his shame! I scorn my life, yet dare not lose my name.

Cur. Do not you hold it a most famous end, When both our names and lives are sacrificed For Rome's encrease?

Pen. Yes, Curius; but mark this too:
What glory is there, or what lasting fame
Can be to Rome or us, what full example,
When one is smothered with a multitude,
And crowded in amongst a nameless press?
Honour got out of flint, and on their heads
Whose virtues, like the sun, exhaled all vapours,
Must not be lost in mists and fogs of people,
Noteless, and out of name, both rude and naked:
Nor can Rome task us with impossibilities,
Or bid us fight against a flood; we serve her,
That she may proudly say she has good soldiers,
Not slaves to choke all hazards. Who but fools,
That make no difference betwixt certain dying,
And dying well, would fling their faines and for-
tudes

Into this Britain gulf, this quicksand ruin,
That, sinking, swallows us? what noble hand
Can find a subject fit for blood there? or what
sword

pain,

Killed like to slaves, and cannot kill again? Drus. Penius, mark antient wars, and know,

that then

A captain weighed an hundred thousand men, Pen. Drusius, mark antient wisdom, and you'll find then,

He gave the overthrow, that saved his men.
I must not go.

Reg. The soldiers are desirous,
Their eagles all drawn out, sir.

Pen. Who drew up? Regulus? Ha? speak! did you? whose bold will durst attempt this?

Drawn out? why, who commands, sir? on whose

warrant

Durst they advance?

Reg. I keep mine own obedience.

Drus, 'Tis like the general cause, their love of honour,

Relieving of their wants

Pen. Without my knowledge?

Am I no more? my place but at their pleasures? Come, who did this?

Drus. By heaven, sir, I am ignorant.

[Drum softly within, then enter Soldiers, with drum and colours.

Pen. What am I grown a shadow?-Hark! they march.

I'll know, and will be myself. Stand! Disobe

dience?

He, that advances one foot higher, dies for it. Run through the regiment, upon your duties, And charge them, on command, beat back again; By heaven, I'll tithe them all else!

Reg. We'll do our best. [Exe. Drus. and Reg.
Pen. Back! cease your bawling drums there!
I'll beat the tubs about your brains else. Back!
Do I speak with less fear than thunder to ye?
Must I stand to beseech ye? Home, home!-Ha!
D'ye stare upon me? Are those minds I moulded,
Those honest valiant tempers I was proud
To be a fellow to, those great discretions
Made your names feared and honoured, turned
to wildfires?

Oh, gods, to disobedience? Command, farewell!
And ye be witness with me, all things sacred,
I have no share in these mens' shames! March,
soldiers,

And seek your own sad ruins; your old Penius
Dares not behold your murders.

1 Sold. Captain!

2 Sold. Captain!

3 Sold. Dear, honoured captain! Pen. Too, too dear-loved soldiers, Which made ye weary of me, and heaven yet

knows,

Though in your mutinies, I dare not hate you;

wrong ye,

In wishing ye to save your lives and credits, To keep your necks whole from the axe hangs o'er ye:

Alas, I much dishonoured ye; go, seek the Britons,

And say ye come to glut their sacrifices;

But do not say I sent ye. What ye have been,
How excellent in all parts, good, and governed,
Is only left of my command, for story;
What now ye are, for pity. Fare ye well!

Enter DRUSTUS and REGULUS.

Drus. Oh, turn again, great Penius! see the soldier

In all points apt for duty.

Reg. See his sorrow

For his disobedience, which he says was haste, And haste, he thought, to please you with. See, captain,

The toughness of his courage turned to water; See how his manly heart melts.

Pen. Go; beat homeward;

There learn to eat your little with obedience;
And henceforth strive to do as I direct ye.
Macer. My answer, sir.
[Exeunt soldiers.

Pen. Tell the great general,
My companies are no faggots to fill breaches;
Myself no man that must, or shall, can carry :
Bid him be wise, and where he is, he's safe then;
And when he finds out possibilities,

He may command me. Commend me to the cap

tains.

It works upon our spirits? Blind they feign him;
I'm sure, I find it so-

Pet. A dog shall lead you.
Jun. His fond affections blinder
Pet. Hold you there still?
Jun. It takes away my sleep
Pet. Alas, poor
chicken!

Jun. My company, content, almost my fa shion

Pet. Yes, and your weight too, if you follow it. Jun. 'Tis sure the plague, for no man dare

come near me

That wanton fools call fashion, thus abuse me? Take me beyond my reason? Why should not I Doat on my horse well trapt, my sword well hatched?

They are as handsome things, to me more useful, And possible to rule too. Did I but love,

Yet 'twere excusable, my youth would bear it; But to love there, and that no time can give me, Mine honour dare not ask (she has been ravished), My nature must not know (she hates our nation), Thus to dispose my spirit!

Pet. Stay a little; he will declaim again. Jun. I will not love! I am a man, have reason, And I will use it; I'll no more tormenting, Nor whining for a wench; there are a thousand

Pet. Hold thee there, boy!

Jun. A thousand will entreat me.
Pet. Ten thousand, Junius.

Jun. I am young and lusty,

And to my fashion valiant. I will be man again.

Pet. Now mark the working!

Pet. There's their joyful supper.

Upon the devil's head!

Jun. I must be wretched!

Pet. I knew I'd won.

Jun. Nor have I so much power

To shun my fortune.

Pet. I will hunt thy fortune

With all the shapes imagination breeds, [Music.
But I will fright thy devil. Stay, he sings now.
[Song, by Junius, and Petillius after him, in
mockage.

Jun. Must I be thus abused?
Pet. Yes, marry must you.

Let's follow him close: Oh, there he is; now read it.

Herald [reading]. "It is the general's command, that all sick persons, old and unable, retire within the trenches; he, that fears, has liberty to leave the field: Fools, boys, and cowards must not come near the regiments, for fear of their infections; especially those cowards, they call lovers."

Jun. Ha?

Pet. Read on.

Dem. But, for heaven's sake, How does young Junius?

Pet. Drawing on, poor gentleman.

Dem. What, to his end?

Pet. To the end of all flesh, woman.

Dem. This love has made him a stout soldier. Pet. Oh, a great one,

Fit to command young goslings. But what news? Dem. I think the messenger's come back from Penius

By this time; let's go know.

Pet. What will you say now

If he deny to come, and take exceptions
At some half syllable, or sound delivered
With an ill accent, or some style left out?
Dem. I cannot think he dare.
Pet. He dare speak treason,

Dare say what no man dares believe, dares do

But that's all one: I'll lay you my black armour
To twenty crowns, he comes not.
Dem. Done.

Pet. You'll pay?

Dem. I will.