JAFF Granted.

PIER A coward, a most scandalous coward, Spiritless, void of honour, one who has sold Thy everlasting fame for shameless life?

JAFF. All, all, and more, much more; my faults are numberless

PIER. And would'st thou have me live on terms like thine?ated

Base as thou'rt false

JAFF. No; 'tis to me that's granted; The safety of thy life was all l'aim'd at, In recompense for faith and trust so broken. PIER. I scorn it more because préserv❜d by thee; And as when first my foolish heart took pity On thy misfortunes, sought thee in thy miseries, Reliev'd thy wants, and rais'd thee from the state, Cf wretchedness, in which thy fate had plung'd thee, To rank thee in my list of noble friends ;

All I receiv'd in surety for thy truth,

Were unregarded oaths, and this, this dagger,
Given with a worthless pledge thou since hast stolen:
So I restore it back to thee again;

Swearing by all those powers which thou hast violated
Never from this curs'd hour to hold communion,
Friendship or interest with thee, though our years
Were to exceed those limited the world. T
Take it Farewell, for now I owe thee nothing.
JAFF. Say thou wilt live then.'

PIER. For my life, dispose of 't

Just as thou wilt, because 'tis what I'm tir'd with. JATF Oh Pierre !

PIER: No more.

JAFF. My eyes won't lose the sight of thee, But languish after thine, and ache with gazing. PIER. Leave me-Nay, then thus, thus I throw

thee from me :

And curses great as thy falsehood catch thee.

VENICE PRESERVED,

CHAP,

EDW., LET me have no intruders; above all
Keep Warwick from my sight-
Enter WARWICK

WAR. Behold him here;

No welcome guest, it seems, unless I ask
My lord of Suffolk's leave-there was a time
When Warwick wanted not his aid to gain
Admission here.

EDw. There was a time perhaps,

the

When Warwick more desir'd, and more deserv'd it.
WAR. Never; I've been a foolish faithful sh
slave;
All my best years, morning of my life,
Have been devoted to your service: what
Are now the fruits? Disgrace and infamy;
My spotless name,
never yet the breath
Of calumny had tainted, made the mock
For foreign fools to carp at: but 'tis fit
Who trust in princes, should be thus rewarded.

EDw. I thought, my Lord, I had full well repay' Your services withi honours, wealth, and pow's Unlimited thy all-directing hand

Gaided in secret ev'ry latent wheel

Of government, and mov'd the whole machine
Warwick was all in all, and pow'rless Edward
Stood like a cypher in the great account.

WAR. Who gave that cypher worth, and seated thee

On England's throne? Thy undistinguished, name Had rotted in the dust from whence it sprang, And mouldei'd in ob

Dug

in oblivion, had not Warwick

from its sordid mine the useless ore.

And stamp'd it with a diadem. Thou know'st,

This wretched country, doom'd, perhaps, like Rome,

To fall by its own self-destroying hand,

Tost

Tost for many years in the rough sea

Of civil discord, but for me had perished.
In that distressful hour I seized the helm,

Bade the rough waves subside in peace, and steer'd
Your shatter'd vessel safe into the harbour.
You may despise perhaps that useless aid
Which you no longer want; but know, proud youth,
He who forgets a friend deserves a foe.

Edw. Know too, reproach for benefits receiv'd
Pays ev'ry debt, and cancels obligation.

WAR. Why, that indeed is fiugal honesty,

A thrifty saving knowledge, when the debt

Grows burthensome, and cannot be discharg'd,
A spunge will wipe out all, and cost you nothing.
EDW. When you have counted o'er the num'rons
train

Of mighty gifts your bounty lavished on me,
You may remember next the injuries

Which I have done you: let me know them all,
And I will make you ample satisfaction.

WAR. Thou canʼst not: thou hast robb'd me of
a jewel

It is not in thy power to restore:

.I

was the first, shall future annals say,
That broke the sacred bond of public trust
And mutual confidence; ambassadors,
In after times, mere instruments perhaps,
Or venial statesmen, shall recal
amy name
To witness, that they want not an example,
And plead my guilt to sanctify their own.
Amidst the herd of mercenary slaves.

That haunt your court, cou'd none be found but
Warwick,

To be the shameless herald of a lie!

Epw. And would'st thou turn the vile reproach
on me?

If I have broke my faith, and stain'd the name
Of England, thank thy own pernicious counsels,
That urg'd me to it, and extorted from me
A cold consent to what my heart abhorr'd.

WAR

WAR I've been abus'd, insulted and betray'd r My injur'd honour cries aloud for vengeance. Her wounds will never close!

Eow. These gusts of passion

Will but enflame them if I have been right-
Inform'd, my lord, besides these dang'rous scars
Of bleeding honour, you have other wounds
As deep, tho' not so fatal: such perhaps
As none but fair Elizabeth can cure.
WAR. Elizabeth!

Eow. Nay start not, I have cause

'To wonder most: I little thought indeed
When Warwick told me I might learn to love,
He was himself so able to instruct:
But I've discover'd all..

WAR. And so have I !

Too well I know thy breach of friendship there,
Thy fruitless base endeavours to supplant me.
Eow. I scorn it, sir,--Elizabeth hath charms,
And I have equal right with you to admire them;
Nor see I aught so godlike in the form,
So all-commanding in the name of Warwick,
That he alone should revel in the charms
Of beauty, and monopolize perfection.
I knew not of your love.

WAR. By Heav'n 'tis false?

You knew it well, and meanly took occasion,
Whilst I was busy in the noble office,
Your grace thought fit to honour me withal,
To tamper with a weak ungarded woman,
To bribe her passions high, and basely steal
A treasure which your kingdom could not purchase.
EDW. How know you that? but be it as it may,
I had a right, nor will I tamely yield

My claim to happiness; the privilege,

To choose the partner of my throne and bed:
It is a branch of my prerogative.

WAR. Prerogative?-what's that? the boast of

tyrants:

A borrow'd jewel glitt'ring in the crown

With specious lustre, lent but to betray;
You had it, sir, and hold it-from the people.
Epw. And therefore do I prize it! I would guard.
Their liberties, and they shall strengthen mine a
But when proud faction and her rebel erew
Insult their sovereign, trample on his laws,
And bid defiance to his pow'r, the people,
In justice to themselves, will then defend
His cause, and vindicate the rights they gave.
WAR Go to your darling people then; for soon,
If I mistake not, 'twill be needful; try
Their boasted zeal, and see it one of them
Will dare to lift his arm up in

If I forbid them.

Erw. Is it so, my lord?

your cause,

'

Then mark my words; I've been your slave too long And you have rul'd me with a rod of iron,

But henceforth know, prond peer, I am thy master, And will be so the king, who delegates.

:

His pow'r to other's hands, but ill deserves
The crown he wears.

WAR. Look well then to your own mula su
It sits but loosely on your head, for know,
The man who injur'd Warwick never pass'd
Unpunish'd yet.

W

Epw. Nor he who threaten'd'Edward
You may repent it, Sir,my guards there-seize
This traitor, and convey him to the tow'r
There let him learn obedience.

n

EARL OF WARWICK

2