'ferre to see the daye, either that my sonne be led prisoner in 'triumphe by his naturall country men, or that he him selfe 'doe triumphe of them, and of his naturall countrie. For if it ་ were so, that my request tended to save thy countrie, in de'stroying the Volsces: I must confesse, thou wouldest hardly ' and doubtfully resolve on that. For as to destroye thy 'naturall countrie, it is altogether unmete and unlawfull: so 'were it not just, and lesse honorable, to betraye those that put 'their trust in thee. But my only demaunde consisteth, to 'make a gayle deliverie of all evills, which delivereth equall 'benefit and safety, both to the one and the other, but most 'honorable for the Volsces. For it shall appeare, that having 'victorie in their handes, they have of speciall favour graunted 'us singular graces: peace, and amitie, albeit them selves have 'no lesse parte of both, then we; Of which good, if so it came 'to passe, thy selfe is thonly authour, and so hast thou thonly 'honour. But if it faile, and fall out contrarie: thy selfe alone 'deservedly shall carie the shamefull reproche and burden of ' either partie. So, though the ende of warre be uncertaine, 'yet this notwithstanding is most certaine : that if it be thy 'chaunce to conquer, this benefit shalt thou reape of thy goodly 'conquest, to be chronicled the plague and destroyer of thy 'countrie. And if fortune also overthrowe thee, then the world 'will saye, that through desire to revenge thy private injuries, 'thou hast for ever undone thy good friendes, who dyd most 'lovingly and curteously receyve thee.' Martius gave good eare unto his mothers wordes, without interrupting her speache at all and after she had sayed what she would, he held his peace a prety while, and aunswered not a worde. Hereupon she beganne againe to speake unto him, and sayed: 'My 'sonne, why doest thou not aunswer me? doest thou thinke it good altogether to geve place unto thy choller and desire of revenge, and thinkest thou it not honestie for thee to graunt 'thy mothers request, in so weighty a cause? doest thou take it honourable for a noble man, to remember the wronges and 'injuries done him: and doest not in like case thinke it an 'honest noble mans parte, to be thankefull for the goodnes that parents doe shewe to their children, acknowledging the duety 'and reverence they ought to beare unto them? No man 'living is more bounde to shewe him selfe thankefull in all 'partes and respects, then thy selfe: who so unnaturally 'sheweth all ingratitude. Moreover (my sonne) thou hast

'sorely taken of thy countrie, exacting grievous payments apon 'them, in revenge of the injuries offered thee: besides, thou 'has not hitherto shewed thy poore mother any curtesie. And 'therefore, it is not only honest, but due unto me, that without 'compulsion I should obtaine my so just and reasonable re'quest of thee. But since by reason I cannot persuade thee 'to it, to what purpose doe I deferre my last hope?' And with these wordes, her selfe, his wife and children, fell downe upon their knees before him. Martius seeing that, could reCoriolanus fraine no lenger, but went straight and lifte her up, crying compassion of out: Oh mother, what have you done to me? And holding his mother. her hard by the right hande, oh mother, sayed he, you have

wonne a happy victorie for your countrie, but mortall and unhappy for your sonne: for I see my self vanquished by you alone. These wordes being spoken openly, he spake a little a parte with his mother and wife, and then let them returne againe to Rome, for so they dyd request him: and so remaining in campe that night, the next morning he dislodged, and marched homewardes into the Volsces countrie againe, withdraweth who were not all of one minde, nor all alike contented.

Coriolanus

his armie

from Rome.

For

some misliked him, and that he had done. Other being well pleased that peace should be made, sayed: that neither the one, nor the other, deserved blame nor reproche. Other, though they misliked that was done, dyd not thincke him an ill man for that he dyd, but sayed: he was not to be blamed, though he yelded to suche a forcible extremitie. Howbeit no man contraried his departure, but all obeyed his commaundement, more for respect of his worthines and valiancie, then for feare of his authoritie. Now the cittizens of Rome plainely shewed, in what feare and daunger their cittie stoode of this warre, when they were delivered. For so sone as the watche upon the walles of the cittie perceyved the Volsces campe to remove, there was not a temple in the cittie but was presently set open, and full of men, wearing garlands of flowers upon their heads, sacrificing to the goddes, as they were wont to doe upon the newes of some great obteined victorie. And this common joye was yet more manifestly shewed, by the hónorable curtesies the whole Senate, and people dyd bestowe on their ladyes. For they were all thoroughly persuaded, and dyd certenly beleeve, that the ladyes only were cause of the saving of the cittie, and delivering them selves from the instant daunger of the warre.

for the

women.

to the ladyes,

Whereupon the Senate ordeined, that the magistrates to gratifie and honour these ladyes, should graunte them all that they would require. And they only requested that they would build a temple of Fortune of the women, for the The temple of building whereof they offered them selves to defraye the Fortune built whole charge of the sacrifices, and other ceremonies belonging to the service of the goddes. Nevertheles, the Senate commending their good will and forwardnes, ordeined, that the temple and image should be made at the common charge of the cittie. Notwithstanding that, the ladyes gathered money emong them, and made with the same a second image of The image of Fortune, which the Romaines saye dyd speake as they offred Fortune spake her up in the temple, and dyd set her in her place: and they at Rome. affirme, that she spake these wordes: Ladyes, ye have devoutely offered me up. Moreover, that she spake that twise together, making us to beleeve things that never were, and are not to be credited. . . . Now when Martius was returned againe into the cittie of Antium from his voyage, Tullus that hated and could no lenger abide him for the feare he had of his authoritie: sought divers meanes to make him out of the Tullus Aufiwaye, thinking that if he let slippe that present time, he dius seeketh should never recover the like and fit occasion againe. Where- Coriolanus. fore Tullus having procured many other of his confederacy, required Martius might be deposed from his estate, to render up accompt to the Volsces of his charge and government. Martius fearing to become a private man againe under Tullus being generall (whose authoritie was greater otherwise, then any other emong all the Volsces) aunswered: he was willing to geve up his charge, and would resigne it into the handes of the lordes of the Volsces, if they dyd all commaund him, as by all their commaundement he receyved it. And moreover, that he would not refuse even at that present to geve up an accompt unto the people, if they would tarie the hearing of it. The people hereupon called a common counsaill, in which assembly there were certen oratours appointed, that stirred up the common people against him: and when they had tolde their tales, Martius rose up to make them aunswer. Now, notwithstanding the mutinous people made a marvelous great noyse, yet when they sawe him, for the reverence they bare unto his valliantnes, they quieted them selves, and gave still audience to alledge with leysure what he could for his purgation. Moreover, the honestest men of the Antiates, and

to kill

Coriolanus

who most rejoyced in peace, shewed by their countenaunce that they would heare him willingly, and judge also according to their conscience. Whereupon Tullus fearing that if he dyd let him speake, he would prove his innocencie to the people, bicause emongest other things he had an eloquent tongue, besides that the first good service he had done to the people of the Volsces, dyd winne him more favour, then these last accusations could purchase him displeasure: and furthermore, the offence they layed to his charge, was a testimonie of the good will they ought him, for they would never have thought he had done them wrong for that they tooke not the cittie of Rome, if they had not bene very neere taking of it, by meanes of his approche and conduction. For these causes Tullus thought he might no lenger delaye his pretence and enterprise, neither to tarie for the mutining and rising of the common people against him: wherefore, those that were of the conspiracie, beganne to crie out that he was not to be heard, nor that they would not suffer a traytour to usurpe tyrannicall power over the tribe of the Volsces, who would not yeld up his estate and authoritie. And in saying these murdered in wordes, they all fell upon him, and killed him in the market Howplace, none of the people once offering to rescue him. beit it is a clere case, that this murder was not generally consented unto, of the most parte of the Volsces: for men came out of all partes to honour his bodie, and dyd honorably burie him, setting out his tombe with great store of armour and spoyles, as the tombe of a worthie persone and great captaine. The Romaines understanding of his death, shewed no other honour or malice, saving that they graunted the ladyes the request they made: that they might mourne tenne moneths for him, and that was the full time they used to weare blackes for the death of their fathers, brethern, or husbands, according to Numa Pompilius order, who stablished the same, as we have enlarged more amplie in the description of his life. Now Martius being dead, the whole state of the Volsces hartely wished him alive againe. For first of all they fell out with the Æques (who were their friendes and confederates) touching preheminence and place: and this quarrell grewe on so farre betwene them, and frayes and murders fell out apon it one with another. After that, the Romaines overcame them in Tullus Aufi- battell, in which Tullus was slaine in the field, and the flower dius slaine in of all their force was put to the sworde: so that they were

the cittie of Antium.

Coriolanus funeralles.

The time of

mourning appointed by Numa.

battell.

compelled to accept most shamefull conditions of peace, in yelding them selves subject unto the conquerers, and promising to be obedient at their commandement.

EXTRACT FROM CAMDEN'S REMAINES OF A GREATER WORKE, CONCERNING BRITAINE,' ETC., 1605. GRAVE SPEECHES, AND WITTIE APOTHEGMES OF WOORTHIE PERSONAGES OF THIS REALME IN FORMER TIMES, pp. 198,

199.

POPE Adrian the fourth an English man borne, of the familie of Breakespeare in Middlesex, a man commended for converting Norway to christianity, before his Papacie, but noted in his Papacie, for vsing the Emperour Fredericke the second as his Page, in holding his stirroppe, demaunded of John of Sarisbury his countryman what opinion the world had of the Church of Rome, and of him, who answered: The Church of Rome which should be a mother, is now a stepmother, wherein sit both Scribes and Pharises; and as for your selfe, whenas you are a father, why doe you expect pensions from your children? etc. Adrian smiled, and after some excuses tolde him this tale, which albeit it may seeme long, and is not vnlike that of Menenius Agrippa in Livie, yet give it the reading, and happly you may learne somwhat by it. All the members of the body conspired against the stomacke, as against the swallowing gulfe of all their labors; for whereas the eies beheld, the eares heard, the handes labored, the feete traveled, the tongue spake, and all partes performed their functions, onely the stomacke lay ydle and consumed all. Hereuppon they ioyntly agreed al to forbeare their labors, and to pine away their lasie and publike enemy. One day passed over, the second followed very tedious, but the third day was so grievous to them all, that they called a common Counsel; The eyes waxed dimme, the feete could not support the body, the armes waxed lasie, the tongue faltered, and could not lay open the matter; Therefore they all with one accord desired the advise of the Heart. There Reason layd open before them, that hee against whome they had proclaimed warres, was the cause of all this their misery: For he as their common steward, when his allowances were withdrawne, of necessitie withdrew theirs fro them, as not receiving that he might allow. Therefore