"The following is given from a copy in _The Golden Garland_, entitled as above; compared with three others, two of them in black letter in the Pepys collection, entitled _The Lamentable and Tragical History of Titus Andronicus_, &c. To the Tune of _Fortune_. Printed for E. Wright.--Unluckily, none of these have any dates." Percy's _Reliques_, i. 238.
You noble minds, and famous martiall wights, That in defence of native country fights, Give eare to me, that ten yeeres fought for Rome, Yet reapt disgrace at my returning home.
In Rome I lived in fame fulle threescore yeeres, 5 My name beloved was of all my peeres; Fulle five-and-twenty valiant sonnes I had, Whose forwarde vertues made their father glad.
For when Romes foes their warlike forces bent, Against them stille my sonnes and I were sent; 10 Against the Goths full ten yeeres weary warre We spent, receiving many a bloudy scarre.
Just two-and-twenty of my sonnes were slaine Before we did returne to Rome againe: Of five-and-twenty sonnes, I brought but three 15 Alive, the stately towers of Rome to see.
When wars were done, I conquest home did bring, And did present my prisoners to the king, The queene of Goths, her sons, and eke a Moore, Which did such murders, like was nere before. 20
The emperour did make this queene his wife, Which bred in Rome debate and deadly strife; The Moore, with her two sonnes, did growe soe proud, That none like them in Rome might bee allowd.
The Moore soe pleas'd this new-made empress' eie, 25 That she consented to him secretlye For to abuse her husbands marriage bed, And soe in time a blackamore she bred.
Then she, whose thoughts to murder were inclinde, Consented with the Moore of bloody minde, 30 Against myselfe, my kin, and all my friendes, In cruell sort to bring them to their endes.
Soe when in age I thought to live in peace, Both care and griefe began then to increase: Amongst my sonnes I had one daughter bright, 35 Which joy'd and pleased best my aged sight.
My deare Lavinia was betrothed than To Cesars sonne, a young and noble man: Who, in a hunting, by the emperours wife, And her two sonnes, bereaved was of life. 40
He, being slaine, was cast in cruel wise Into a darksome den from light of skies: The cruell Moore did come that way as then With my three sonnes, who fell into the den.