Enter SUETONIUS, DRUSIUS, REGULUS, and PE

TILLIUS.

Suet. If thou be'st guilty,

Some sullen plague, thou hat'st most, light upon

thee!

The regiment return on Junius;
He well deserves it.

Pet. So!

Suet. Draw out three companies,

(Yours, Decius, Junius, and thou, Petillius,)
And make up instantly to Caratach;
He's in the wood before ye: We shall follow,
After due ceremony done to th' dead,

The noble dead. Come, let's
Come, let's go burn the body.
[Exeunt all but PETILLIUS.
Pet. The regiment given from me? disgraced

openly?

In love too with a trifle to abuse me?

A merry world, a fine world! served seven years
To be an ass o' both sides sweet Petillius,
You have brought your hogs to a fine market! You
are wise, sir,

Your honourable brain-pan full of crotchets,
An understanding gentleman; your projects
Cast with assurance ever! Wouldst not thou now
Be bang'd about the pate, Petillius?

Answer to that, sweet soldier! surely, surely,
I think you would; pull'd by the nose, kick'd?
Hang thee,

Thou art the arrant'st rascal! Trust thy wisdom
With any thing of weight? the wind with feathers!
Out, you blind puppy! you command? you go-

vern?

Dig for a groat a-day, or serve a swine herd,
Too noble for thy nature too!-I must up;
But what I shall do there, let time discover.

[Exit.

SCENE III.

The mountainous Country, with the Rock in the Back-ground.

Enter MACER and JUDAS, with meat and a bottle.

Macer. Hang it o' th' side o' th' rock, as though the Britons

Stole hither to relieve him: Who first ventures To fetch it off is ours. I cannot see him.

Judas. He lies close in a hole above, I know it,
Gnawing upon
his anger.-Ha! no; 'tis not he.
Macer. Tis but the shaking of the boughs.
Judas. Pox shake 'em! -

I am sure they shake me soundly.-There!
Macer. 'Tis nothing.

Judas. Make no noise; if he stir, a deadly tempest

Of huge stones falls upon us. "Tis done! away,

close!

CARATACH appears on the Rock.

[Exeunt.

Car. Sleep still, sleep sweetly, child; 'tis all thou feed'st on!

No gentle Briton near, no valiant charity, To bring thee food? Poor knave, thou art sick, extreme sick,

Almost grown wild for meat; and yet thy good

ness

Will not confess, nor shew it. All the woods

Are double lined with soldiers; no way left us

To make a noble 'scape. I'll sit down by thee, And, when thou wak'st, either get meat to save thee,

Or lose my life i' th' purchase; good Gods comfort

thee!

[Exit.

Enter below JUNIUS, DECIUS, PETILLIUS, and

Guide.

Guide. You are not far off now, sir.
Jun. Draw the companies

The closest way through the woods; we'll keep on this way.

Guide. I will, sir: Half a furlong more you'll

come

Within the sight o' th' rock. Keep on the left

Dec. I will.

Jun. Now, captain?

[Exit.

Pet. You have oft told me, you have loved me,

Junius.

Jun. Most sure I told you truth then.

Pet. And that love

Should not deny me any honest thing..

Or lose my life i'th purchase.] That is, in the act of endeavouring to get food for thee. Purchase was used in the sense of acquired goods and property of any kind. See vol. VII. p. 21.

Jun. It shall not.

Pet, Dare you swear it?

I have forgot all passages between us
That have been ill, forgiven too, forgot.

Jun. What would this man have?-By the gods, I do, sir,

So it be fit to grant you.

Pet. 'Tis most honest.

Jun. Why, then I'll do it.
Pet. Kill me.

Jun. How!

Pet. Pray kill me.

Jun. Kill you?

Pet. Ay, kill me quickly, suddenly;

Now kill me.

-Jun. On what reason? You amaze me!

Pet. If you do love me, kill me; ask me not why:

I would be kill'd, and by you.

Jun. Mercy on me!

What ails this man? Petillius !

Pet. Pray you dispatch me;

You are not safe whilst I live: I am dangerous, Troubled extremely, even to mischief, Junius, An enemy to all good men. Fear not; 'tis justice; I shall kill you else..

Jun. Tell me but the cause,

And I will do it.

Pet. I am disgraced, my service

Slighted and unrewarded by the general,
My hopes left wild and naked; besides these,
I am grown ridiculous, an ass, a folly,

Forgot you.] Sympson and the last editors read-forget you, which is a very awkward expression. A more simple amendment seems to be the omission of the pronoun at the end of the

I dare not trust myself with: Pr'ythee, kill me!
Jun. All these may be redeem'd as easily
As you would heal your finger.

Pet. Nay.

Jun. Stay, I'll do it ;

You shall not need your anger. But first, Petillius,

You shall unarm yourself; I dare not trust

A man so bent to mischief.

Pet. There's my sword,

And do it handsomely.

Jun. Yes, I will kill you,

[Gives up his sword.

Believe that certain; but first I'll lay before you The most extreme fool you have play'd-in this, The honour purposed for you, the great honour The general intended you.

Pet. How?

Jun. And then I'll kill you,

Because you shall die miserable. Know, sir,
The regiment was given me, but till time
Call'd you to do some worthy deed, might stop
The people's ill thoughts of you for lord Penius,
I mean his death. How soon this time's come to
you,

And hasted by Suetonius! "Go, says he,
Junius and Decius, and go thou, Petillius,"
(Distinctly, thou, Petillius,)" and draw up,
To take stout Caratach :" There's the deed pur-
posed,

A deed to take off all faults, of all natures:

"And thou, Petillius," mark it! there's the honour; And that done, all made even.

Pet. Stay!

Jun. No, I'll kill you.

He knew thee absolute, and full in soldier,
Daring beyond all dangers, found thee out,
According to the boldness of thy spirit,
A subject, such a subject-