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,

Thou gav'st last night in parting with me;

strike it

Here to my heart; and, as the blood flows from it,

Judge if it run not pure, as Cato's daughter's. 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? must
Be made the hostage of a hellish trust?
For such I know I am; that's all my value."
[I
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?

Jaf. 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 sacra[ments, 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!

Jaf. Have a care, and shrink not even in For if thou dost[thought.

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 safe. Murder my father! though his cruel nature Has persecuted me to my undoing; Driven me to basest wants; can I behold him, With smiles of vengeance, butcher'd in his age?

The sacred fountain of my life destroy'd? And canst thou shed the blood that gave me being?

Nay, be a traitor too, and sell thy country? Can thy great heart descend so vilely low, Mix with hir'd slaves, bravoes, and common

stabbers,

Nose-slitters, alley-lurking villains! join

Of all mankind: there's not a heart among With men of souls; fit to reform the ills

them

But's stout as death, yet honest as the nature Of man first made, ere fraud and vice were fashion.

Bel. What's he, to whose curs'd hands last night thou gav'st me? Was that well done? Oh! I could tell a story, And make it rage with terrifying fury. Would rouse thy lion heart out of its den, Jaf. Speak on, I charge thee. Thy Belvidera's peace deserv'd thy care, Bel. O my love! If e'er Remove me from this place. Last night, last night! Jaf. Distract me not, but give me all the

truth.

vengeance sure!

cret close.

tire,

thou wilt

[Exit.

Enter PIERRE.

Of senator, and bury it in blood. Jaf. Merciless, horrid slave! Ay, blood enough!

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

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

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

Wing ye together; but let's 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 [rants, With fire and sword t'exterminate these tyUnder whose weight this wretched country labours; [them.

The means are only in our hands to crown Pier. And may those powers above that are propitious

[it. To gallant minds, record this cause and bless Ren. Thus happy, thus secure of all we wish. [one Should there, my friends, be found among us False to this glorious enterprise, what fate, What vengeance, were enough for such a villain?

Elli. 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,

If I'd not hazard all my future peace,
And stab him to the heart before you: who,
Who would do less? Wouldst thou not,
Pierre, the same?

Pier. You've singled me, Sir, out for this hard question,

As if it were started only for my sake!
Am I the thing you fear? Here, here's my bo-
som,
[tor?
Search it with all your swords. Am I a trai-
Ren. No: but I fear your late commended
friend

Is little less. Come, Sirs, 'tis now no time
To trifle with our safety. Where's this Jaffier?
Spin. He left the room just now, in strange
disorder.

Ren. Nay, there is danger in him. I ob

serv'd him;

During the time I took for explanation,
He was transported from most deep attention
To a confusion which he could not smother;
His looks grew full of sadness and surprise,
All which betray'd a wavering spirit in him,
That labour'd with reluctancy and sorrow.
What's requisite for safety, must be done
With speedy execution; he remains

Yet in our power: I, for my own part, wear
A dagger-

Pier. Well.

Ren. And I could wish it

Pier. Where ?

Ren. Buried in his heart. Pier. Away; we're yet all friends, No more of this, 'twill breed ill blood among us. Spin. Let us all draw our swords, and search the house, [brooding Pull him from the dark hole where he sits 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

[Sir? That's dear to me? is't you, or you, or you, What, not one speak! how you stand gaping all On your grave oracle, your wooden god there! Yet not a word! Then, Sir, I'll tell you a secret;

Suspicion's but at best a coward's virtue.

Ren. And I.

Omnes. And all.

Ren. Who are on my side?
Spin. Every honest sword.

Let's die like men, and not be sold like slaves. Pier. One such word more, by heaven I'll to the senate,

And hang ye all, like dogs, in clusters. Why weep your coward swords half out their shells?

Why do you not all brandish them like mine? You fear to die, and yet dare talk of killing.

Ren. Go to the senate, and betray us! haste! Secure thy wretched life; we fear to die Less than thou dar'st be honest.

Pier. That's rank falsehood.

Fear'st not thou death! Fie, there's a knavish itch

In that salt blood, an utter foe to smarting. Had Jaffier's wife prov'd kind, he'd still been

true.

Faugh, how that stinks! thou die, thou kill my friend!

Or thou! or thou! with that lean wither'd face. Away, disperse all to your several charges, And meet to-morrow where your honour calls you.

I'll 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.

Rev. 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.
Whence rose all this discord?

Oh, what a dangerous precipice have we

'scap'd!

[ing!

How near a fall was all we'd long been build-
What an eternal blot had stain'd our glories,
If one, the bravest and the best of men,
Had fallen a sacrifice to rash suspicion,
Butcher'd by those whose cause he came to
cherish!

ACT IV.

SCENE 1.-The Rialto.

Enter JAFFIER and BELVIDERA.

Jaf. Where dost thou lead me? Every step
I move,

Methinks I tread upon some mangled limb
Of a rack'd friend. O, my charming ruin!
Where are we wandering?

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 Ve-
nice.

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 hon

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 heaven's 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
Belvidera?

Jaf. No; thou'rt my soul itself; wealth, friendship, honour,

All present joys, and earnest of all future,
Are summ'd in thee.

Come, lead me forward, now, like a tame lamb

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

Trots by thenticing, 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.

Jaf. Sir, you shall be obey'd. Now the lot's cast, and fate, do what thou wilt. [Exeunt, guarded.

SCENE II.-The Senate-House. DUKE OF VENICE, PRIULI, and other Senators.

Duke. Antony, Priuli, senators of Venice, Speak, why are we assembled here to 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 heaven. Heaven knows, if yet there be an hour to comé 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,
[hands
And the wild waste begun. From unknown
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,
Our virtue was not ruin'd, though we were.

[Noise.

Room, room, make room for some prisoners

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 seAbout the present danger. [nate.

Enter JAFFIER and OFFICER. All Sen. Give 'em entrance.-Well, who are you?

Jaf. A villain !

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, Unfold the truth, and be restor'd with mercy.

Jaf. Think not, that I to save my life came I know its value better; but in pity [hither;

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 the story which you dread the truth of:
Truth, which the fear of smart shall ne'er get
from me.
[whipp'd
Cowards are scar'd with threat'nings; boys are
Into confessions; but a steady mind
Acts of itself, ne'er asks the body counsel.
Give him the tortures! Name but such a thing
Again, by Heaven I'll shut these lips for ever.
Not all your racks, your engines, or your 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

Enter PIERRE, RENAULT, THEODORE, Elliott, REVILLIDO, and other Conspirators, in fetters.

Pier. You, my lords, and fathers [nice; (As you are pleas'd to call yourselves) of VeIf you sit here to guide the course of justice, Why these disgraceful chains upon the limbs That have so often labour'd in your service? Are these the wreaths of triumph ye bestow On those, that bring you conquest home, and honours?

Duke. Go on; you shall be heard, Sir.
Ant. And be hang'd too, I hope.

Pier. Are these the trophies I've deserv'd for fighting

Your battles with confederated powers? When winds and seas conspir'd to overthrow [harbours;

you,

And brought the fleets of Spain to your own When you, great duke, shrunk trembling in your palace,

And saw your wife, the Adriatic, plough'd, Like a lewd whore, by bolder prows than [netians.

yours,

Stepp'd not I forth, and taught your loose Ve-
The task of honour, and the way to greatness?
Rais'd you from your capitulating fears
To stipulate the terms of sued-for peace?
And this my recompense! if I'm a traitor,
Produce my charge; or show the wretch that's
base

And brave enough to tell me I'm a traitor.
Duke. Know you one Jaffier?

[Conspirators murmur. Pier. Yes, and know his virtue. [ferings His justice, truth, his general worth, and sufFrom a hard father, taught me first to love him.

Duke. See him brought forth.

Enter JAFFIER, guarded.

Pier. My friend too bound! nay then Our fate has conquer'd us, and we must fall. Why droops the man whose welfare's so much They're but one thing? These reverend tymine,

rants, Jaffier,

Call us traitors. Art thou one, my brother?
Jaf. To thee, I am the falsest, veriest slave,
That e'er betray'd a generous, trusting friend,
And gave up honour to be sure of ruin.
All our fair hopes, which morning was t' have
crown'd,

Has this curs'd tongue o'erthrown.
Pier. So, then all's over:
Venice has lost her freedom, I my life.
No more! Farewell!

Duke. Say, will you make confession
Of your vile deeds, and trust the senate's

mercy?

Pier. Curs'd be your senate: curs'd your constitution:

Still vex your councils, shake your public The curse of growing factions and divisions safety,

And make the robes of government you wear Hateful to you, as these base chains to me. Duke. Pardon, or death?

Pier. Death! honourable death!

Ren. Death's the best thing we ask, or you

can give ;

No shameful bonds, but honourable death. Duke. Break up the council.

guard your prisoners,

Captain,

Jaffier, you're free, but these must wait for

judgment. [Exeunt all the Senators.