In a Free Government all fhould be Friends:
And he, who would have fav'd this CÆSAR'S Life,
Shall yet receive advantage by his Death,
Freedom of Vote in governing the World:
As which of you fhall want it? I conclude;
That, as I flew my Friend to fave my Country,
I here have the fame Dagger for my self,
Whenever Rome fhall wifh, or need my Death.
[Defcends.

FIRST CITIZEN.

Live, BRUTUS, live: bring him in Triumph home, SECOND CITIZEN.

Give him a Statue by his Ancestors.

THIRD CITIZEN.

Let him be CÆSAR.

FOURTH CITIZEN.

CESAR was nothing to him}

Let him be crown'd, I will have BRUTUS Crown'd.

BRUTUS.

Hold, worthy Countrymen.

FIRST CITIZEN.

Peace; Silence.

SECOND CITIZEN.

Peace; for BRUTUS speaks again.

BRUS

BRUTUS.

Lord.'

You'll make me draw this Dagger once again;
But 'tis against my felf; for I would die
Your Fellow-Friend, rather than live your
You almost make me wifh CESAR alive:
If one must rule, there's none could do it better.
Pray hear MARC ANTONY, for my fake hear him;
He speaks by our Permiffion, and is noble.
But, while he praises CÆSAR, then remember
I honour'd him as much, but lov'd you more.
Nay, ftay good Romans; not a Man go with me.'
[Exit.

FIRST CITIZEN.

This CESAR was a Tyrant; BRUTUS fays fo;
And no Man living knows a Tyrant better.

SECOND CITIZEN.

For, Neighbours, why fhould BRUTUS kill him elfe? He lov'd him. Therefore fure he was a Tyrant.

THIRD CITIZEN.

Notably faid! anfwer me that who can.
But come, let's hear MARC ANTONY a little.

ANTONY.

For BRUTUS' fake I am beholden to you."

FIRST CITIZEN.

What's that of BRUTUS? best speak well of BRUTUS.

SECOND CITIZEN.

How's this? What does he say, for BRUTUS' fake?

THIRD CITIZEN.

He fays, for BRUTUS' fake he is beholden to us.
SECOND CITIZEN.

Oh, very well; go up, MARC ANTONY.

ANTONY.

Shall I go up, and will you give me leave?

Ay, ay.

CITIZEN S.

[ANTONY afcends.

ANTONY.

Friends, Countrymen, and Romans, hear me gently;

I come to bury CÆSAR, not to praise him.
Lo here the fatal End of all his Glory :
The Evil that Men do, lives after them;
The Good is often bury'd in their Graves;
So let it be with CESAR. Noble BRUTUS
Has told you CÆSAR was ambitious:

If he was fo, then he was much to blame;
And he has dearly paid for his Offence.
Here, under leave of BRUTUS and the reft,
I come to do my duty to dead CÆSAR.
He was my Friend, faithful and just to me;
But yet it seems he was Ambitious.

BRUTUS has faid it, I muft fay it too;

For BRUTUS is a Man of ftricteft Honour.

Thousands of Captives CESAR brought to Rome,
Whofe Ranfom often fill'd the Publick Coffers.
Was this Ambition? BRUTUS fays it was:
And BRUTUS is an honourable Man.

When wretched Orphans cry'd, CESAR Would weep;
So weep for them, that they have wept no more:
Ambition feldom is fo tender-hearted.

You all have feen how at the Publick Sports,
Out of a foolish and too forward Love,"

He was prefented with a Kingly Crown,

Which he then thrice refus'd; was this Ambition?

Yet BRUTUS fays he was Ambitious,

And BRUTUS is a Man we all muft honour.
I speak not to disprove what BRUTUS spoke,
But muft as little wrong this dead, good Man.
You all did love him once not without cause :
And will you hate him dead whom you lov'd living?
O Juftice, Juftice! whither art thou fled?

For Men have loft their Reafon. Bear with me;
My Heart's beneath that Mantle there with CESAR ;
And I must pause a while till it comes back. [Weeps.

FIRST CITIZEN.

Methinks there's much of Reason in his Sayings,
If you confider rightly of the matter.

CÆSAR has had some wrong.

SECOND CITIZEN.

Has he, my Masters?

They will have much ado to make amends to him, I fear there will a worse come in his place.

THIRD CITIZEN.

Mark'd you his Words? he would not take the Crown, Therefore 'tis certain he was not Ambitious.

FIRST CITIZEN.

If it be found fo, fome fhall pay dear for it."

SECOND CITIZEN.

See, if good ANTONY can speak for weeping!
THIRD CITIZEN.

There's not a nobler Man in Rome than ANTONY.

SECOND CITIZEN,

But mark him, he begins again to speak.

ANTONY.

But yesterday the Word of CÆSAR might
Have pass'd through all the World: Now he lies there,
And none fo low to do him reverence.

Oh Romans, if I were difpos'd to move

Your Hearts and Minds to Mutiny and Rage,
I fhould do BRUTUS wrong, and CASSIUS wrong,
Who, you all know, are honourable Men.

Yet