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O mournful fight!

I CITIZEN.

2 CITIZEN.

O cruel traytors, villains!

3 CITIZEN.

O noble CAESAR! but we'll be reveng❜d.
Set fire, kill, flay, let not a traytor live.

ANTONY.

Stay, countrymen.

4 CITIZEN.

Peace there; he speaks again.

ALL.

We'll hear him, follow him, and die with him.
ANTONY.

Good friends, dear friends, let me not ftir you up
To fuch a fudden flame of mutiny.

They who have done this deed, are men of note:
What private griefs they had, alas! I know not,
Which made them do it; they are wond'rous wife,
And will, no doubt, give you some shew of reafon.
I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts:
I am no orator, as CASSIUS is;

But as you know me all, a plain, blunt man,
Who love my friend; and that they know full well,
Who gave me leave to speak in publick of him:
For I have neither art, nor words, nor worth,
Action, nor utt'rance, nor the pow'r of speech,
To ftir mens blood; I only speak plain truth,
And tell you that which you already know: [mouths,
Shew you dear CAESAR's wounds, poor, poor, dumb
And bid them speak for me: But, were I BRUTUS,

And BRUTUS here; fo great an orator
Would rouze up ev'ry foul, and put a tongue
In ev'ry wound of CAESAR, which should move
The very stones to rife and mutiny.

ALL.

We'll mutiny; we'll burn the house of BRUTUS. 4 CITIZEN.

Away then, come, seek the Conspirators.

ANTONY.

Yet hear me, countrymen, yet hear me speak.

ALL.

Peace, ho! hear ANTONY, most noble ANTONY.
ANTONY.

Why, friends, you go to do you know not what.
Wherein has CAESAR thus deferv'd your love?
Alas! you know not; I must tell you then.
You have forgot the will I told you of.

ALL.

'Tis true, the will; let's ftay and hear the will.
ANTONY.

Here is the will, and under CAESAR's feal;
To ev'ry Roman citizen he gives,

To ev'ry fev'ral man, fev'nty-five drachma's.
3 CITIZEN.

Well faid; thofe drachma's will cost some men dear.

ALL.

Moft gen'rous CAESAR! we'll revenge his death.

ANTONY.

Hear me with patience.

ALL.

Peace, ho! noble CAESAR!

ANTONY.

Moreover, he has left you all his walks,
His private gardens, and new-planted orchards
On this fide Tiber, here he gives to you,
And to your heirs for ever; publick pleasures,
To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.

Here was a CAESAR! when comes fuch another?
ALL.

O never, never; come, Sirs, come away.

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ANTONY.

Hold, hold, my masters, stay one moment longer;
Now keep your hearts from breaking if you can:
Prepare ye now to burst with grief and anger.
Behold this fcroll, the very hand of CAESAR!
In it he notes this firm and fettled purpose;
First to subdue the Parthians, our worst foes,
And then restore Rome to her ancient freedom.
"I'll keep the pow'r, faith he, of Rome's dictator,
"Till I have vanquish'd all her enemies:

Then, oh ye Gods! may fhe be free for ever,
"Tho' at the expence of all our dearest blood!"
That precious blood is here indeed let out,
But where's the liberty we purchase by it?
Slaves as we are to murderers and villains.
I CITIZEN.

We'll burn his body in the holy place,
And with the brands fire all the villains houses.

Take up the body.

2 CITIZEN.

3 CITIZEN.

Go, fet fire; pull down

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The very fenate-house where CAESAR dy'd.

ANTONY.

So, let it work: mifchief, thou art afoot,

Take now what course thou wilt! destruction, ruin, The baneful iffue of fo black a deed!

Ambition, when unbounded, brings a curfe;
But an affaffinate deferves à worse.

THE END.

THE

TRAGEDY

O F

MARCUS BRUTUS.

WITH THE

PROLOGUE,

AND THE

TWO LAST CHORUS'S.

WRITTEN BY HIS GRACE

JOHN DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

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