If it were fo, it was a grievous fault;
And grievously hath Cæfar answer'd it.
Here, under leave of Brutus, and the rest,
́ ́(For Brutus is an honourable man,

So are they all, all honourable men),
Come I to fpeak in Cæfar's funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me;
But Brutus fays, he was ambitious;
..And Brutus is an honourable man.

He hath brought many captives home to Rome,. • Whose ranfoms did the general coffers fill;

• Did this in Cæfar feem ambitious?

• When that the poor have cry'd, Cæfar hath wept; • Ambition fhould be made of ferner buff

Yet Brutus fays, he was ambitious;

• And Brutus is an honourable man,
• You all did fee, that, on the Lupercal,
• I thrice presented him a kingly crown;

Which he did thrice refufe. Was this ambition!
Yet Brutus fays he was ambitious;

And, fure, he is an honourable man.

I speak not to difprove what Brutus spoke,

• But here I am to speak what I do know..

You all did love him once, not without caufet:

What cause with-holds you then to mourn for him?? O judgment! thou art fled to bratish beasts,

• And men have doft their reafon-Bear with me.. My heart is in the coffin there with Cæfar, And I must paufe till-it come back to me.

1 Pleb. Methinks there is much reafon in his sayings.. If thou confider rightly of the matter,

Cefar has had great wrong.

3 Pleb. Has he, mafters? I fear there, will a worfe come in his place

4 Pleb. Mark'd ye his words? he would not take the Therefore 'tis certain he was not ambitious. [crown; 1 Pleb. If it be found fo, fome will dear abide it,

2 Pleb. Poor foul! this eyes are red as fire with weeping.

3

4

Pleb. There's not a nobler man in Rome than An-

tony.

Pleb. Now, mark him, he begins to speak..

Ant. But yesterday the word of Cæfar might • Have stood against the world; now lies he there, • And none fo poor to do him reverence,

• O masters! if I were difpos'd to ftir

• Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
• I should do Brutus wrong, and Caffius wrongs
Who, you all know, are honourable men.
• I will not do them wrong: I rather chufe
To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you,
⚫ Than I will wrong fuch honourable men.
• But here's a parchment, with the feal of Cæfar,
I found it in his clofet, 'tis his will;

Let but the commons hear this teflament,
(Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read),
• And they would go and kifs dead Cæfar's wounds,
And dip their napkins in his facred blood;

Yea, beg a hair of him for memory.

And dying, mention it within their wills,
Bequeathing it as a rich legacy

• Unto their iffue.

4 Pleb. We'll hear the will, read it, Mark Antony.. All. The will, the will; we will hear Cæfar's will. Ant. Have patience, gentle friends, I must not readi • It is not meet you know how Gæfar lov'd you, [it ; • You are not wood, you are not ftones, but men: • And, being men, hearing the will of Cæfar,

It will it flame you, it will make you mad. 'Tis good you know not, that you are his heirs ; For if you fhould-O what would come of it? Pleb. Read the will, we will hear it, Antony; 4 You fhall read us the will, Cæfar's will.

Ant. Will you be patient? will you ftay a while? . (I have overthot myself, to tell you of it).

I fear I wrong the honourable men,

Whofe daggers have stabb'd Cæfar—I do fear it, 4 Pleb. They were traitors honourable men !

All. The will! the teltament!

2 Pleb. They were villains, murtherers; the will !! read the will.

Ant. You will compel me then to read the will ? • Then make a ring about the corpfe of Catar, And let me fhew you him that, made the will,.

Shall I defcend? and will you give me leave?

All. Come down.

2. Pleb. Defcend.

[He comes down from the pulpitz.

3.Pleb. You fhall have leave.`

4 Pleb. A ring; ftand round.

1 Pleb. Stand from the hearfe, ftand from the body. . 2. Pleb. Room for Antony- Moft Noble Antony.. Ant. Nay, prefs not so upon me, stand far off. All. Stand back- -room- -bear back

Ant. If you have tears, prepare to fhed them now.. You all do know this mantle; I remember,

The first time ever Cæfar put it on,

''Twas on a summer's evening in his tent,

That day he overcame the Nervii

Look in this place ran Caffius' dagger through;.
See what a rent the envious Casca made-
Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabb'd;
And as he pluck'd his cursed steel away,

Mark how the blood of Cæfar follow'd it!'
As rushing out of doors, to be refolv'd,

If Brutus fo unkindly knock'd or no :

• For Brutus, as you know, was Cæfar's angel.

Judge, oh you gods! how dearly Cæfar lov'd him ; ;

This, this, was the unkindest cut of all;

• For when the Noble Cæfar faw him ftab,

Ingratitude more ftrong than traitors' arms,
Quite vanquifh'd him; then burft his mighty heart: :
• And, in his mantle-muffling up his face,
..Which all the while ran blood, great Cæfar fell,,
Even at the base of Pompey's ftatue.
•O what a fall was there, my countrymen!
Then I and you, and all of us fell down,
Whilft bloody treason flourish'd over us,
O, now you weep; and I perceive you feel
The dint of pity; these are gracious drops.

Kind fouls! what, weep you when you but behold !
Our Cæfar's velture wounded? look you here !
Here is himself, marr'd, as you fee, by traitors.»-
1 Pleb. O piteous spectacle!

2 Pleb. O Noble æfar!

3 Pleb. O woful day!

4 Pleb. O traitors, villains!!

1 Pleb. O moft bloody fight!

2 Pleb. We will be reveng'd: revenge: about feek-burn-fire-kill-day! let not a traitor live. Ant. Stay, countrymen.-.

1 Pleb. Peace there, hear the Noble Antony.

2 Pleb. We'll hear him, we'll follow him, we'll die with him.

Ant. Good friends, fweet friends, let me not fir • To such a sudden flood of mutiny. [you up

They that have done this deed are honourable.

What private griefs they have, alas, I know not, • That made them do it: they are wife and honourable, And will, no doubt, with reafon answer you.

• I come-not, friends, to steal away your hearts; 'I am no orator, as Brutus is:

• But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man,
That love my friend; and that they know full well
That give me public leave to fpeak of him :
For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,
• Action nor utt'rance, nor the power of speech,
To ftir mens' blood; I only fpeak right on.

I tell you that which you yourselves do know;
Shew you fweet Cæfar's wounds, poor, poor, dumb

mouths!

• And bid them' speak for me. -But were I Brutus,
⚫ And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
Would ruffle up your fpirits, and put a tongue
In every wound of Cefar, that thould move
• The ftones of Rome to rise and mutiny.
All. We'll mutiny

1 Pleb. We'll burn the houfe of Brutus.

Pleb. Away then; come, feck the confpirators. Ant. Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me fpeak, All. Peace, ho, hear Antony, Molt Noble Antony. Ant. Why, friends, you go to do you know not what, Wherein hath Calar thus deferv'd your loves? Alas, you know not; I muft tell you then :

You have torgot the will I told

you of

All. Moft true-the will-let's ftay, and hear the Ant. Here is the will, and under Cæfar's feal. [will To ev'ry Roman citizen he gives,

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

2 Pleb. Moft noble Cæfar! we'll revenge his death. 3 Pleb. O Royal Cæfar!

Ant. Hear me with patience.

All. Peace, ho!

Ant. Moreover, he hath left you all his walks,
His private arbours, and new planted orchards,
On that fide Tyber; he hath left them you,
And to your heirs for ever; common pleasures,
To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.
Here was a Cæfar, when comes fuch another?

I Pleb. Never, never; come, away, away;
We'll burn his body in the holy place,

And with the brands fire all the traitors' houfes..
Take up the body.

2 Pleb. Go, fetch fire.

3 Pleb. Pluck down benches.

4

Pleb. Pluck down forms, windows, any thing. [Exeunt Plebeians with the body. Ant. Now let it work; Mischief, thou art afoot, 'Take thou what courfe thou wilt !-How now, fellow

Enter a Servant.

Ser. Octavius is already come to Rome.
Ant. Where is he?

Ser. He and Lepidus are at Cæfar's house.
Ant. And thither will I straight to visit him;
He comes upon a wifh. Fortune is merry,
And in this mood will give us any thing.

Ser. I heard him fay, Brutus and Caffius

Are rid, like madmen, through the gates of Rome.
Ant. Belike they had fome notice of the people,
How I had mov'd them. Bring me to Octavius.

[Exeunt.

Enter Cinna the poet, and after him the Plebeians.

Çin. I dream'd to-night, that I did feaft with Cæfar,,

And things unlucky charge my fantasy :

I have no will to wander forth of doors;

Yet fomething leads me forth.

1 Pleb. What is your name?