You know the rest-Then strike it to her heart;[Thou gav'st last night in parting with me; strike it
And tell her, he who three whole happy years Here to my heart; and as the blood flows from it,
Lay in her arms, and each kind night repeated Judge if it run not pure, as Cato's daughter's.
The passionate vows of still increasing love,
Sent that reward for all her truth and sufferings.
Bel. Nay, take my life, since he has sold it
cheaply.

O! thou unkind one;
Never meet more! have I deserv'd this from you;
Look on me, tell me, speak, thou fair deceiver.
Why am I separated from thy love?
If I am false, accuse me; but if true,
Don't, pr'ythee don't, in poverty forsake me,
But pity the sad heart that's torn with parting.
Yet hear me, yet recall me-

.

[Exeunt Renault, Bedamar, and Belvidera.
Jaf. Oh! my eyes,

Look not that way, but turn yourselves awhile
Into my heart, and be wean'd altogether.
My friend where art thou?

Pier. Here, my honour's brother.
Jaf. Is Belvidera gone?

Pier. Renault has led her

Back to her own apartment; but, by heav'n,
Thou must not see her more, till our work's over.
Jaf. No!

Pier. Not for your life.

Jaf. Oh, Pierre, wert thou but she,
How I would pull thee down into my heart,
Gaze on thee, till my eye-strings crack'd with
love;

Then, swelling, sighing, raging to be blest,
Come like a panting turtle to thy breast;
On thy soft bosom hovering, bill and play,
Confess the cause why last I fled away;
Own 'twas a fault, but swear to give it o'er,
And never follow false ambition more.

ACT III.

SCENE I.-A Chamber.

Enter BELVIDERA.

[Exeunt.

Bel. I'm sacrific'd! I'm sold! betray'd to
shame!

Inevitable ruin has enclos'd me!
He that should guard my virtue has betray'd it;
Left me! undone me! Oh, that I could hate him!
Where shall I go? Oh, whither, whither,
wander?

Enter JAFFIER.

Jaf. Can Belvidera want a resting-place,
When these poor arms are ready to receive her?
There was a time-

Bel. Yes, yes, there was a time,
When Belvidera's tears, her cries, and sorrows,
Were not despis'd; when, if she chanc'd to sigh,
Or look'd but sad—there was indeed a time,
When Jaffier would have ta'en her in his arms,
Eas'd her declining head upon his breast,
And never left her till he found the cause.
Jaf. Oh, Portia, Portia! What a soul was

thine!

Bel. That Portia was a woman; and when
Brutus,

Big with the fate of Rome, (heav'n guard thy
safety!)

Conceal'd, from her the labours of his mind;
She let him see her blood was great as his,
Flow'd from a spring as noble, and a heart
Fit to partake his troubles as his love.
Fetch, fetch that dagger back, the dreadful dower,

Jaf. Oh! Belvidera!

Bel. Why was I last night deliver'd to a villain?

Jaf. Ha! a villain?

Bel. Yes, to a villain! Why at such an hour
Meets that assembly, all made up of wretches?
Why, I in this hand, and in that a dagger,
Was I deliver'd with such dreadful ceremonies?
To you, sirs, and to your honours, I bequeath her,
And with her this: Whene'er I prove unworthy--
You know the rest- then strike it to her heart.
Oh! why's that rest conceal'd from me? Mustl
Be made the hostage of a hellish trust?
For such I know I am; that's all my value.
But, by the love and loyalty I owe thee,
I'll free thee from the bondage of the slaves;
Straight to the senate, tell 'em all I know,
All that I think, all that my fears inform me.

Jaf. Is this the Roman virtue; this the blood
That boasts its purity with Cato's daughter?
Would she have e'er betray'd her Brutus?
Bel. No:

For Brutus trusted her. Wert thou so kind,
What would not Belvidera suffer for thee?

Jaf. I shall undo myself, and tell thee all.
Yet think a little, ere thou tempt me further;
Think I've a tale to tell will shake thy nature,
Melt all this boasted constancy thou talk'st of
Into vile tears and despicable sorrows:
Then if thou shouldst betray me!-

Bel. Shall I swear!

Juf. No, do not swear: I would not violate Thy tender nature, with so rude a bond: But as thou hop'st to see me live my days, And love thee long, lock this within thy breast I've bound myself, by all the strictest sacraments, Divine and human

Bel. Speak!

Jaf. To kill thy father-
Bel. My father!

Jaf. Nay, the throats of the whole senate
Shall bleed, my Belvidera. He, amongst us,
That spares his father, brother, or his friend
Is damn'd.

Bel. Oh!

Bel. I know it; thou wilt kill me.
Do, strike thy sword into this bosom: lay me
Dead on the earth, and then thou wilt be saf
Murder my father! though his cruel nature
Has persecuted me to my undoing;
Driven me to basest wants; can I behold hi
With smiles of vengeance, butcher'd in his ag
The sacred fountain of my life destroy'd?
And canst thou shed the blood that gave me bein
Nay, be a traitor too, and sell thy country
Can thy great heart descend so vilely low,
Mix with hir'd slaves, bravoes, and commi
stabbers,

Nose-slitters, alley-lurking villains! join
With such a crew, and take a ruffian's wa
To cut the throats of wretches as they sle
Jaf. Thou wrong'st me, Belvidera! I've

gaged

With men of souls; fit to reform the ills
Of all mankind : there's not a heart amongst!
But's stout as death, yet honest as the na

Of man first made,ere fraud and vice were fashion.
Bel What's he, to whose curst hands last
night thou gav'st me?

Was that well done? Oh! I could tell a story,
Would rouse thy lion heart out of its den,
And make it rage with terrifying fury.
Jaf. Speak on, I charge thee.

Bel O my love! If e'er

Of a whole people, should sneak thus into corners
To ease his fulsome lusts, and fool his mind.
Jaf. May not a man then trifle out an hour
With a kind woman, and not wrong his calling?
Pier. Not in a cause like ours.

Jaf. Then, friend, our cause

Is in a damn'd condition: for I'll tell thee, That cankerworm, call'd lechery, has touch'd it; Thy Belvidera's peace deserv'd thy care, 'Tis tainted vilely. Wouldst thou think it? Renault Remove me from this place. Last night, last night! (That mortify'd, old, wither'd, winter rogue) Jaf. Distract me not, but give me all the truth. He visited her last night, like a kind guardian: Bel. No sooner wert thou gone, and I alone, Faith! she has some temptation, that's the Left in the pow'r of that old son of mischief; truth on't. No sooner was I lain on my sad bed, But that vile wretch approach'd me, loose, unbutton'd,

Ready for violation: Then my heart
Throbb'd with its fears: Oh, how I wept and
- sigh'd,

And shrunk and trembled! wish'd in vain for him
That should protect me! Thou, alas! wert gone.
Jaf. Patience, sweet heav'n, till I make ven-
geance sure.

Bel. He drew the hideous dagger forth, thou
gav'st him,

And with upbraiding smiles, he said, Behold it:
This is the pledge of a false husband's love:
And in my arms then press'd, and would have
clasp'd me;

But with my cries, I scar'd his coward heart,
Till be withdrew, and mutter'd vows to hell.
These are thy friends! with these thy life, thy
honour,

Thy love, all stak'd, and all will go to ruin.
Jaf. No more: I charge thee keep this secret

close.

Pier. He durst not wrong his trust.
Jaf. 'Twas something late, though,
To take the freedom of a lady's chamber.
Pier. Was she in bed?

Jaf. Yes, faith, in virgin sheets,
White as her bosom, Pierre, dish'd neatly up,
Might tempt a weaker appetite to taste.
Oh! how the old fox stunk, I warrant thee,
When the rank fit was on him!
Pier. Patience guide me!
He's us'd no violence?

Jaf. No, no; out on't, violence!
Play'd with her neck; brush'd her with his
grey beard;
But not a jot of violence.

Pier. Damn him.

Jaf. Ay, so say I: but hush, no more on't.
All hitherto is well, and I believe
Myself no monster yet: Sure it is near the hour
We all should meet for our concluding orders:
Will the ambassador be here in person?
Pier. No, he has sent commission to that
villain, Renault,

Clear up thy sorrows; look as if thy wrongs, To give the executing charge:
Were all forgot, and treat him like a friend, I'd have thee be a man, if possible,
As no complaint were made. No more; retire,
Beure, my life, and doubt not of my honour;
F' heal its failings, and deserve thy love,
Bel Oh! should I part with thee, I fear
thou wilt

And keep thy temper; for a brave revenge
Ne'er comes too late.

In anger leave me, and return no more.
Jaj. Return no more! I would not live
without thee

Another night, to purchase the creation.
Bel. When shall we meet again?
Jaf Anon, at twelve

steal myself to thy expecting arms:

me like a travell'd dove, and bring thee peace.

Bel. Indeed!

Jaf. By all our loves.

Bel Tis hard to part:

Bat sure no falsehood ever look'd so fairly.
Farewell; remember twelve.

Jaf. Let heav'n forget me,

[Exit.

When I remember not thy truth, thy love.

Pier. Jaffier.

Enter PIERRE.

Jaf. Who calls?

Per. A friend, that could have wish'd Thave found thee otherwise employed. What, bunt

Jaf. Fear not, I am cool as patience.
Pier. He's yonder, coming this way through
the hall;
His thoughts seem full.

Jaf. Pr'ythee retire, and leave me
With him alone: I'll put him to some trial;
See how his rotten part will bear the touching.
Pier. Be careful, then.

[Exit.

Jaf. Nay, never doubt, but trust me.
What! be a devil, take a damning oath
For shedding native blood! Can there be a sin
In merciful repentance? Oh, this villain!

Enter RENAULT.

Ren. Perverse and peevish: What a slave is

man

To let his rebel passions master him!
Dispatch the tool her husband-that were well.
Who's there?

Jaf. A man.

Ren. My friend, my near ally,

The hostage of your faith, my beauteous charge,
is very well.

Jaf. Sir, are you sure of that?
Stands she in perfect health? Beats her pulse even;
Neither too hot nor cold?

wife, on the dull soil! Sure a staunch husband
Lounds is the dullest. Wilt thou never, Ren. What means that question?
be wean'd from caudles and confections? Jaf. Oh, women have fantastic constitutions,
at feminine tales hast thou been list'ning to, Inconstant in their wishes, always wavering,
unar'd shirts, catarrhs and tooth-ach, got And never fix'd. Was it not boldly done,
-sol'd shoes? Damnation! that a fellow, Even at first sight, to trust the thing I lov'd
en to be a sharer in the destruction (A tempting treasure too) with youth so fierce

And vigorous as thine? but thou art honest.
Ren. Who dares accuse me?
Jaf. Curs'd be he that doubts
Thy virtue! I have try'd it, and declare,
Were I to choose a guardian of my honour,
I'd put it in thy keeping: for I know thee.
Ren. Know me!

Jaf. Ay, know thee. There's no falsehood

in thee:

Thou look'st just as thou art. Let us embrace.
Now wouldst thou cut my throat, or I cut thine.
Ren. You dare not do't.
Jaf. You lie, sir.
Ren. How!

Jaf. No more,

'Tis a base world, and must reform, that's all.

Enter SPINOSA, THEODORE, ELLIOTT, REVILLI

Ren. But one thing more, and then farewell,
till fate

Join us again, or sep'rate us for ever.
First let's embrace. Heav'n knows who next
shall thus

Wing ye together; but lets all remember,
We wear no common cause upon our swords:
Let each man think that on his single virtue
Depends the good and fame of all the rest;
Eternal honour, or perpetual infamy.
You droop, sir.

Jaf. No; with most profound attention
I've heard it all, and wonder at thy virtue.
Oh, Belvidera! take me to thy arms,
And show me where's my peace, for I have
lost it.
[Exit.
Ren. Without the least remorse then, let's
resolve

DO, DURAND, BROMVEIL, and the rest With fire and sword t'exterminate these tyrants; Under whose weight this wretched country la

of the Conspirators.

Ren. Spinosa! Theodore!

Spin. The same.

Ren. You are welcome.

Spin. You are trembling, sir.

bours,

The means are only in our hands to crown them.
Pier. And may those pow'rs above that are

propitious

Ren. 'Tis a cold night, indeed, and I am aged; To gallant minds, record this cause and bless it. Full of decay and natural infirmities:

Ren. Thus happy, thus secure of all we
wish for,

Should there, my friends, be found among us one
False to this glorious enterprise, what fate,
What
vengeance were enough for such a villain?
Ell. Death here without repentance, hell

hereafter.

Ren. Let that be my lot, if as here I stand, Listed by fate among her darling sons, Though I had one only brother, dear by all The strictest ties of nature; could I have such a friend

Join'd in this cause, and had but ground to fear He meant foul play; may this right hand drop from me,

To-morrow's rising sun must see you all
Deck'd in your honours. Are the soldiers ready? If I'd not hazard all my future peace,
Pier. Áll, all.
And stab him to the heart before you. Who
Ren. You, Durand, with your thousand Who would do less? Wouldst thou not

must possess

St. Mark's; you, captain, know your charge

already,

'Tis to secure the ducal palace: You,
Be all this done with the least tumult possible,
'Till in each place you post sufficient guards:
Then sheathe your swords i. every breast you

meet.

Jaf. Oh! reverend cruelty! damn'd bloody villain!

Ren. During this execution, Durand, you
Must in the midst keep your battalia fast;
And, Theodore, be sure to plant the cannon
That may command the streets;

This done, we'll give the general alarm,
Apply petards, and force the ars'nal gates;
Then fire the city round in several places,
Or with our cannon (if it dare resist)
Batter to ruin. But above all I charge you,
Shed blood enough; spare neither sex nor age,
Name nor condition; if there live a senator
After to-morrow, though the dullest rogue
That e'er said nothing, we have lost our ends.
If possible, let's kill the very name
Of senator, and bury it in blood.

Jaf. Merciless, horrid slave-Ay, blood
enough!

Shed blood enough, old Renault! how thou charm'st me!

No more of this, 'twill breed ill blood among us. Come but to-morrow, all your doubts shall end, Spin. Let us all draw our swords, and search And to your loves, me better recommend, the house, That I've preser'vd your fame, and sav'd my Pull him from the dark hole where he sits friend. brooding

ACT IV.

SCENE I.-The Rialto.

[Exeunt.

Enter JAFFIER and BELvidera.
Jaf. Where dost thou lead me? Every step
I move,

O'er his cold fears, and each man kill his share
of him.
Pier. Who talks of killing? Who's he'll
shed the blood
That's dear to me? is't you, or you, or you, sir?
What, not one speak! how you stand gaping all
On your grave oracle, your wooden god there! Methinks I tread upon some mangled limb
Yet not a word! Then, sir, I'll tell you a secret; Of a rack'd friend. Oh, my charming ruiņ!
Suspicion's but at best a coward's virtue. Where are we wandering?
[To Renault.
Ren. A coward! [Handles his Sword.
Pier. Put up thy sword, old man;
Thy hand shakes at it. Come, let's heal this breach;
I am too hot, we yet may all live friends.
Spin. Till we are safe, our friendship can-
not be so.

you.

♫ bring that man, whose blood you so much
thirst for,

And you shall see him venture for you fairly-
Hence! hence, I say. (Exit Renault, angrily.
Spin. I fear we've been to blame,
And done too much.

Theo. Twas too far urg'd against the man
you lov'd.

Ree. Here, take our swords, and crush them
with your feet.

Spin. Forgive us, gallant friend.
Pier. Nay, now you've found
The way to melt, and cast me as you will.
bence rose all this discord?

what a dangerous precipice have we
'scap'd!

mear a fall was all we'd long been building! What an eternal blot had stain'd our glories,

e. the bravest and the best of men, dfall'n a sacrifice to rash suspicion,

Bel. To eternal honour.

To do a deed shall chronicle thy name
Among the glorious legends of those few
That have sav'd sinking nations. Thy renown
Shall be the future song of all the virgins,
Who by thy piety have been preserv'd
From horrid violation. Every street
Shall be adorn'd with statues to thy honour;
And at thy feet this great inscription written,
Remember him that propp'd the fall of Venice.

Jaf. Rather, remember him, who, after all
The sacred bonds of oaths, and holier friendship,
In fond compassion to a woman's tears,
Forgot his manhood, virtue, truth, and honour,
To sacrifice the bosom that reliev'd him.
Why wilt thou damn me?

Bel. Oh, inconstant man!

How will you promise; how will you deceive!
Do, return back, replace me in my bondage,
Tell all thy friends how dangerously thou
lov'st me,

And let thy dagger do its bloody office.
Or if thou think'st it nobler, let me live,
Till I'm a victim to the hateful lust
Of that infernal devil.
Last night, my love!

Jaf. Name it not again:

It shows a beastly image to my fancy,
Will wake me into madness.
Destruction, swift destruction, fall on my coward
head.

Bel. Delay no longer then, but to the senate,
And tell the dismal'st story ever utter'd:
Tell 'em what bloodshed, rapines, desolations,
Have been prepar'd, how near's the fatal hour.
Save thy poor country, save the reverend blood
Of all its nobles, which to-morrow's dawn
Must else see shed.

Jaf. Oh! think what then may prove my lot: By all heav'ns powers, prophetic truth dwells in thee;

For every word thou speak'st, strikes through
my heart;

Just what thou'st made me, take me, Belvidera,
And lead me to the place where I'm to say
This bitter lesson; where I must betray
My truth, my virtue, constancy, and friends.
Must I betray my friend? Ah! take me quickly:
Secure me well before that thought's renew'd;
If I relapse once more, all's lost for ever.

Bel. Hast thou a friend more dear than Bel-
videra?

Jaf. No; thour't my soul itself; wealth,
friendship, honour,
All present joys, and earnest of all future,
Are summ'd in thee.

Bred by those, whose cause he came to Come, lead me forward, now, like a tame lamp

cherish!

To sacrifice. Thus, in his fatal garlands

Deck'd fine and pleas'd, the wanton skips and

plays,

Trots by th' enticing, flatt'ring priestess' side,
And much transported with its little pride,
Forgets his dear companions of the plain;
Till, by her bound, he's on the altar lain,
Yet then too hardly bleats, such pleasure's in
the pain.

Enter Officer and six Guards.
Offi. Stand! who goes there?
Bel. Friends.

Offi. But what friends are you?

Bel. Friends to the senate, and the state of
Venice.

Offi. My orders are to seize on, all I find
At this late hour, and bring 'em to the council,
Who are now sitting.

Unfold the truth, and be restor'd with mercy.
Jaf. Think not, that I to save my life came
hither;

I know its value better; but in pity
To all those wretches whose unhappy dooms
Are fix'd and seal'd. You see me here before you,
The sworn and covenanted foe of Venice:
But use me as my dealings may deserve,
And I may prove a friend.

Duke. The slave capitulates,
Give him the tortures.

Jaf. That you dare not do;
Your fear won't let you, not the longing itch
To hear a story which you dread the truth of:
Truth, which the fear of smart shall ne'er get
from me.

Cowards are scar'd with threat'nings; boys
are whipt

Jaf. Sir, you shall be obey'd. Into confessions: but a steady mind Now the lot's cast, and, fate, do what thou Acts of itself, ne'er asks the body counsel. wilt. [Exeunt guarded. Give him the tortures! Name but such a thing Again, by heav'n I'll shut these lips for ever. SCENE II.-The Senate-house, where appear Not all your racks, your engines, or your sitting the DUKE of VENICE, PRIULI, and other Senators.

Duke. Antony, Priuli, senators of Venice,
Speak, why are we assembled here this night?
What have you to inform us of, concerns
The state of Venice, honour, or its safety?
Pri. Could words express the story I've to
tell you,
Fathers, these tears were useless, these sad tears
That fall from my old eyes; but there is cause
We all should weep, tear off these purple robes,
And wrap ourselves in sackcloth, sitting down
On the sad earth, and cry aloud to heav'n:
Heav'n knows, if yet there be an hour to come
Ere Venice be no more.

All Sen. How!

Pri. Nay, we stand

Upon the very brink of gaping ruin.
Within this city's form'd a dark conspiracy,
To massacre us all, our wives and children,
Kindred and friends, our palaces and temples
To lay in ashes: nay, the hour too fix'd;
The swords, for aught I know, drawn e'en
this moment,

wheels,

Shall force a groan away, that you may guess at.
Duke. Name your conditions.

Jaf. For myself full pardon,
Besides the lives of two-and-twenty friends,
Whose names are here enroll'd-Nay, let their
crimes

Be ne'er so monstrous, I must have the oaths
And sacred promise of this reverend council,
That, in a full assembly of the senate
The thing I ask be ratify'd. Swear this,
And I'll unfold the secret of your danger.
Duke. Propose the oath.
Jaf. By all the hopes

Ye have of peace and happiness hereafter,
Swear.-Ye swear?

All Sen. We swear.

Jaf. And, as ye keep the oath,
May you, and your posterity be bless'd,
Or curs'd for ever.

All Sen. Else be curs'd for ever.
Jaf. Then here's the list, and with't the ful
disclose

Of all that threatens you. [Delivers a Paper
Now, fate, thou hast caught me.

Duke. Give order that all diligent searc
be made

And the wild waste begun. From unknown hands
I had this warning; but, if we are men,
Let's not be tamely butcher'd, but do something
That may inform the world, in after ages, To seize these men, their characters are publi
Our virtue was not ruin'd, though we were. The paper intimates their rendezvous
[4 Noise without. To be at the house of a fam'd Grecian courteza
Room, room, make room for some prisoners-Call'd Aquilina; see that place secur'd.

Enter Officer and Guards.

Duke. Speak, there. What disturbance?
Offi. Two prisoners have the guards seiz'd
in the street,

Who say, they come t'inform this reverend senate
About the present danger.

Enter JAFFIER and Officer.

You, Jaffier, must with patience bear till morni
To be our prisoner.

Jaf. Would the chains of death
Had bound me safe, ere I had known this minu
Duke. Captain, withdraw your prisoner.
Jaf. Sir, if possible,
Lead me where my own thoughts themsel
may lose me;

Where I may doze out what I've left of 1

All Sen. Give 'em entrance-Well, who are Forget myself, and this day's guilt and falseho

Jaf. A villain,

you?

Would every man, that hears me,
Would deal so honestly, and own his title.
Duke. 'Tis rumour'd, that a plot has been
contriv'd

Against this state; and you've a share in't too.
If you are a villain, to redeem your honour

Cruel remembrance, how shall I appease the
(Exit guara
Offi. [Without] More traitors; room, ro
room, make room, there.
Duke. How's this? guards!
Where are our guards? Shut up the

the treason's

Already at our doors.