Suet. Then haste, Petillius, haste to Penius: I fear the strong conceit of what disgrace He has pull'd upon himself, will be his ruin ; I fear his soldiers' fury too: Haste presently;

I would not lose him for all Britain. Give him,

Petillius

Pet. That that shall choke him.

Suet. All the noble counsel,

Pet. For me, I think, as handsome

[Aside.

[Aside.

His fault forgiven too, his place, his honour

Suet. All the comfort;

And tell the soldier, 'twas on our command

He drew not to the battle.

Pet. I conceive, sir,

And will do that shall cure all.

Suet. Bring him with you

Before the queen's fort, and his forces with him; There you shall find us following of our conquest. Make haste!

Pet. The best I may.

Suet. And, noble gentlemen,

Up to your companies! we'll presently

[Exit.

Upon the queen's pursuit. There's nothing done Till she be seiz'd; without her, nothing won.

[Exeunt. Short flourish.

SCENE II.

Open Country between the Camps.

Enter CARATACH and HENGO.

Car. How does my boy?

Hengo. I would do well; my heart's well;

I do not fear.

Car. My good boy!

Hengo. I know, uncle,

We must all die; my little brother died,
I saw him die, and he died smiling; sure
There's no great pain in't, uncle. But pray tell me,
Whither must we go when we are dead?
Car. Strange questions!-

Why, to the blessedest place, boy-Ever-sweetness
And happiness dwells there.

Hengo. Will you come to me?

Car. Yes, my sweet boy.

Hengo. Mine aunt too, and my cousins?

Car. All, my good child.

Hengo. No Romans, uncle?

Car. No, boy.

Hengo. I should be loth to meet them there. Car. No ill men,

That live by violence, and strong oppression, Come thither; 'tis for those the gods love, good

Hengo. Why, then, I care not when I go, for surely

I am persuaded they love me: I never Blasphemed 'em, uncle, nor transgressed my parents;8

I always said my prayers..
Car. Thou shalt go then,

Indeed thou shalt.

8 Transgress'd my parents.] The sense here is clear, though the phrase be unusual: However we find it occur again in Women Pleas'd, act iii. sc. i. Belvidere says to her mother the Duchess,

You are too royal to me,

To me that have so foolishly transgress'd you,Sympson.

Hengo. When they please. Car. That's my good boy! Art thou not weary, Hengo? Hengo. Weary, uncle?

I have heard you say you have march'd all day in

armour.

Car. I have, boy.

Hengo. Am not I
Car. Yes.

your kinsman ?

Hengo. And am not I as fully allied unto you In those brave things as blood?

Car. Thou art too tender.

Hengo. To go upon my legs? they were made to bear me.

I can play twenty mile a-day; I see no reason,
But to preserve my country and myself,
I should march forty.

Car. What wouldst thou be, living

To wear a man's strength!

Hengo. Why, a Caratach,

A Roman-hater, a scourge sent from Heaven

To whip these proud thieves from our kingdom.

Hark,

Hark, uncle, hark! I hear a drum.

[Drum.

Enter JUDAS and his Soldiers, and stand on one side of the Stage.

Judas. Beat softly,

Softly, I say; they are here. Who dare charge? 1 Sold. He

That dares be knock'd o' th' head: I'll not come

near him.

Judas. Retire again, and watch then. How he

stares!

He has eyes would kill a dragon. Mark the boy

well;

If we could take or kill him-A pox on ye,
How fierce ye look! See, how he broods the boy!"
The devil dwells in's scabbard. Back, I say!
Apace, apace! he has found us.
Car. Do ye hunt us?

[They retire.

Hengo. Uncle, good uncle, see! the thin starved

rascal,

The eating Roman, see where he thrids the thickets:
Kill him, dear uncle, kill him! one good blow
To knock his brains into his breech; strike's head
off,

That I may piss in's face.

Car. Do ye make us foxes?

Here, hold my charging-staff, and keep the place, boy!

I am at bay, and like a bull I'll bear me.-
Stand, stand, ye rogues, ye squirrels !
Hengo. Now he pays 'em;

Oh, that I had a man's strength !

Enter JUDAS.

Judas. Here's the boy;
Mine own, I thank my fortune.
Hengo. Uncle, uncle!

Famine' is fallen upon me, uncle.

[Exit.

9 See how he broods the boy !] That is, guards him with vigilance, as birds with a brood of unfledged young ones under their protection. (See vol. V. p. 264.) This confirms the old reading in the following lines of King John, where Pope reads broad-eyed:

In despite of brooded watchful day,

I would into thy bosom pour my thoughts.

Famine.] Meaning Judas, whom he before calls, the thin starved ascal, and afterwards, Hunger.-Ed. 1778.

Judas. Come, sir,

Yield willingly, (your uncle's out of hearing,)
I'll tickle your young tail else.
Hengo. I defy thee,

Thou mock-made man of mat! Charge home, sirrah! Hang thee, base slave, thou shakest.

Judas. Upon my conscience,

The boy will beat me! how it looks, how bravely,
How confident the worm is! a scabb'd boy
To handle me thus !-Yield, or I cut thy head off.
Hengo. Thou darest not cut my finger; here 'tis,

touch it.

Judas. The boy speaks sword and buckler! Pr'ythee yield, boy;

Come, here's an apple, yield.

Hengo. By Heaven, he fears me!

I'll give you sharper language :-When, ye coward, When come ye up?

Judas. If he should beat me

Hengo. When, sir?

I long to kill thee! Come, thou canst not 'scape me; I have twenty ways to charge thee, twenty deaths Attend my bloody staff.

Judas. Sure 'tis the devil,

A dwarf devil in a doublet!
Hengo. I have killed

A captain, sirrah, a brave captain, and when I have

done,

I have kicked him thus. Look here; see how I

charge

This staff! [Kicks and beats him with the truncheon of CARATACH.

Judas. Most certain this boy will cut my throat

yet.