—A Street.

  Enter Belvidera and Jaffier, L.

  Jaf. (L. C.) Where dost thou lead me? Ev'ry step I move,
  Methinks I tread upon some mangled limb
  Of a racked friend. Oh, my dear, charming ruin!
  Whare are we wandering?

  Bel. (R. C.) To eternal honour!
  To do a deed, shall chronicle thy name
  Among the glorious legends of those few
  That have saved sinking nations. Every street
  Shall be adorned with statues to thy honour:
  And, at thy feet, this great inscription written—
  "Remember him, thai propped 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 relieved 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 will
  Of that infernal devil!
  Last night, my love—

  Jaf. Name, name it not again:
  Destruction, swift destruction,
  Fall on my coward head, if
  I forgive him!

  Bel. Delay no longer, then, but to the senate,
  And tell the dismal'st story ever uttered;
  Tell them what bloodshed, rapines, desolations,
  Have been prepared;—how near's the fatal hour.
[38] Save thy poor country, save the rev'rend blood
  Of all its nobles, which to-morrow's dawn
  Must else see shed!

  Jaf. Oh!

  Bel. Think what then may prove
  My lot: the ravisher may then come safe,
  And, 'midst the terror of the public ruin,
  Do a damned deed.

  Jaf. By all Heav'n's powers, prophetic truth dwells in thee!
  For every word thou speak'st, strikes through my heart,
  Like a new light, and shows it how't has wandered—
  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 friends? Ah! take me quickly,
  Secure me well before that thought's renewed;
  If I relapse once more, all's lost forever.

  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 summed in thee. [Going, R.

  Enter Captain and Guards, R. S. E.

  Capt. Stand! who goes there?

  Bel. Friends.

  Capt. But what friends are you?

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

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

  Jaf. Sir, you shall be obeyed.
  Now the lot's cast, and, fate, do what thou wilt.

  [Exeunt Jaffier and Belvidera, guarded.

  —The Senate House.

  The Duke of Venice, Priuli, and other Senators
  discovered, sitting.

  Duke. Antony, Priuli, senators of Venice,
[39] Speak—Why are we assembled here this night?
  What have you to inform us of, concerns
  The state of Venice' honour, or its safety?

  Priuli. (R.) 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:
  Heav'n knows, if yet there be an hour to come,
  Ere Venice be no more.

  Duke. How!

  Priuli. Nay, we stand
  Upon the very brink of gaping ruin.
  Within this city's formed 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, fixed;
  The swords, for aught I know, drawn ev'n this moment,
  And the wild waste begun. From unknown hands
  I had this warning: but, if we are men,
  Let's not be tamely butchered, but do something
  That may inform the world in after ages,
  Our virtue was not ruined, though we were.

  [A noise within, L.

  Capt. [Within] Room, room, make room there for some
  prisoners!

  Enter Officer, L.

  Duke. Speak, speak, there! What disturbance?
  Officer. A prisoner have the guards seized in the street,
  Who says, he comes to inform this reverend council
  About the present danger.

  Enter Officer, Jaffier Captain, and Guards, L.

  All. Give him entrance.—[Exit Officer.] Well, who ate
  you?

  Jaf. (L.) A villain!
  Would, every man that hears me,
  Would deal so honestly, and own his title!

  Duke. 'Tis rumored, that a plot has been contrived
[40] Against the state, and you've a share in't, too.
  If you're a villain, to redeem your honour,
  Unfold the truth, and be restored 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 fixed and sealed. 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 fears won't let you, nor 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 scared with threat'nings; boys are whipped
  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 heav'n, I'll shut these lips forever!
  Nor all your racks, your engines, or your wheels,
  Shall force a groan away, that you may guess at!

  [Crosses, M.

  Duke. Name your conditions.

  Jaf. (R.) For myself, full pardon,
  Besides, the lives of two-and-twenty friends,
  Whose names I have enrolled—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 ratified. Swear this,
  And I'll unfold the secrets of your danger.

  Duke. Propose the oath.

  Jaf. (C.) By all the hopes
  You have of peace and happiness hereafter,
  Swear!

  Duke. We swear.

  Jaf. And, as ye keep the oath,
  May you and your posterity be blessed,
  Or cursed, forever!

  Duke. Else be cursed forever

[41] Jaf. Then here's the list, and with't, the full disclosure

  [Delivers two papers to the Officer, who delivers them to
  the Duke.

  Of all that threaten you.
  Now, Fate, thou hast caught me!

  Duke. Give order, that all diligent search be made
  To seize these men—their characters are public.
  The paper intimates their rendezvous
  To be at the house of the famed Grecian courtesan,
  Called Aquilina; see that place secured.
  You, Jaffier, must with patience bear till morning
  To be our prisoner.

  Jaf. Would the chains of death
  Had bound me fast, ere I had known this minute!

  Duke. Captain, withdraw your prisoner.

  Jaf. Sir, [To Officer,] if possible,
  Lead me where my own thoughts themselves may lose me;
  Where I may doze out, what I've left of life;—
  Forget myself, and this day's guilt and falsehood.
  Cruel remembrance! how shall I appease thee?

  [Exit, guarded, R

  Officer. [Without.] More traitors! room, room, room,
  make room there!

  Duke. How's this?
  The treason's
  Already at the doors!

  Enter Officer and Captain, L.

  Officer. My lords, more traitors!
  Seized in the very act of consultation:
  Furnished with arms and instruments of mischief.—
  Bring in the prisoners!

  Enter Spinosa, Elliot, Theodore, Durand, Mezzana,
  Renault, and Pierre, in Chains, L.

  Pierre. (L.) You, my lords and fathers,
  (As you are pleased to call yourselves,) of Venice;
  If you set here to guide the course of justice,
  Why these disgraceful chains upon the limbs
  That have so often laboured in your service?
[42] Are these the wreaths of triumph you bestow
  On those that bring you conquest home, and honours?

  Duke. Go on! you shall be heard, sir.

  Pierre. (L. C.) Are these the trophies I've deserved for
  fighting
  Your battles with confederated powers?
  When winds and seas conspired to overthrow you,
  And brought the fleets of Spain to your own harbours,
  When you, great duke, shrunk trembling in your palace:
  Stepped not I forth, and taught your loose Venetians
  The task of honour, and the way to greatness?
  Raised you from your capitulating fears
  To stipulate the terms of sued-for peace?
  And this my recompence! 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!

  [Goes to the table.

  Duke. Know you one Jaffier?

  Pierre. Yes, and know his virtue.
  His justice, truth, his general worth, and sufferings
  From a hard father, taught me first to love him.

  Duke. See him brought forth.

  Enter Captain, with Jaffier in Chains, R.

  Pierre. My friend, too, bound! nay, then,
  Our fate has conquered us, and we must fall.
  Why droops the man, whose welfare's so much mine,
  They're but one thing? These reverend tyrants, Jaffier
  Do call us traitors. Art thou one, my brother?

  Jaf. (R. C.) To thee I am the falsest, veriest slave.
  That e'er betrayed a generous, trusting friend,
  And gave up honour to be sure of ruin.
  All our fair hopes, which morning was to've crowned,
  Has this cursed tongue o'erthrown.

  Pierre. (C.) So, then, all's over:
  Venice has lost her freedom, I my life.
  No more! [Crosses, L.

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

  Pierre. [Returns to C.] Cursed be your senate, cursed
  your constitution!
  The curse of growing factions, and divisions,
[43] Still vex your councils, shake your public safety,
  And make the robes of government you wear
  Hateful to you, as these base chains to me!

  Duke. Pardon, or death?

  Pierre. Death! honourable death!

  Ren. (L.) Death's the best thing we ask, or you can
  give.

  Duke. Break up the council. Captain, guard your prisoners.
  Jaffier, you're free; but these must wait for judgment.

  [Exeunt Duke, Senators, Conspirators, and Officer.

  Pierre. (C.) Come, where's my dungeon? Lead me to
  my straw:
  It will not be the first time I've lodged hard,
  To do your senate service.

  Jaf. (R. C.) Hold, one moment.

  Pierre. Who's he disputes the judgment of the senate?
  Presumptuous rebel!—on— [Strikes Jaffier

  Jaf. (C.) By Heaven, you stir not!

  [Exeunt Captain and Guards, R.

  I must be heard! I must have leave to speak.
  Thou hast disgraced me. Pierre, by a vile blow:
  Had not a dagger done thee nobler justice I
  But use me as thou wilt, thou can'st not wrong me,
  For I am fallen beneath the basest injuries;
  Yet look upon me with an eye of mercy,
  And, as there dwells a godlike nature in thee,
  Listen with mildness to my supplications.

  Pierre. (R. C.) What whining monk art thou? what
  holy cheat,
  That would'st encroach upon my credulous ears,
  And cant'st thus vilely! Hence! I know thee not!

  Jaf. Not know me, Pierre!

  Pierre. No, know thee not. What art thou?

  Jaf. Jaffier, thy friend, thy once loved, valued friend!
  Tho' now deservedly scorned, and used most hardly.

  Pierre. Thou, Jaffier! thou, my once-loved, valued
  friend!
  By heavens, thou ly'st; the man so called my friend,
  Was generous, honest, faithful, just, and valiant;
  Noble in mind, and in his person lovely;
  Dear to my eyes, and tender to my heart:
[44] But, thou, a wretched, base, false, worthless coward,
  Poor, even in soul, and loathsome in thy aspect:
  All eyes must shun thee, and all hearts detest thee.
  Pr'ythee, avoid, nor longer cling thus round me,
  Like something baneful, that my nature's chilled at.

  Jaf. I have not wronged thee; by these tears I have
  not!

  Pierre. Hast thou not wronged me I Dar'st thou call
  thyself
  That once-loved, honest, valued friend of mine,
  And swear thou hast not wronged me? Whence these
  chains?
  Whence the vile death which I may meet this moment?
  Whence this dishonour, but from thee, thou false one?

  Jaf. All's true; yet grant one thing, and I've done asking.

  Pierre. What's that?

  Jaf. To take thy life, on such conditions
  The council have proposed: thou, and thy friends,
  May yet live long, and to be better treated.

  Pierre. Life! ask my life! confess! record myself
  A villain, for the privilege to breathe,
  And carry up and down this cursed city,
  A discontented and repining spirit,
  Burdensome to itself, a few years longer!
  To lose it, may be, at last, in a lewd quarrel
  For some new friend, treacherous and false as thou Art?
  No, this vile world and I have long been jangling,
  And cannot part on better terms than now,
  When only men like thee art fit to live in't.

  Jaf. By all that's just—

  Pierre. Swear by some other power,
  For thou hast broke that sacred oath too lately.

  Jaf. Then by that hell I merit, I'll not leave thee
  Till, to thyself at least, thou'rt reconciled,
  However thy resentments deal with me.

  Pierre. Not leave me!

  Jaf. No; thou shalt not force me from thee;
  Use me reproachfully, and like a slave;
  Tread on me, buffet me, heap wrongs on wrongs
  On my poor head; I'll bear it all with patience.
  Shall weary out thy most unfriendly cruelty:
[45] Lie at thy feet, [Falls on his knees,] and kiss them tho
  they spurn me;
  Till, wounded by my sufferings, thou relent,
  And raise me to thy arms with dear forgiveness.

  Pierre. Art thou not—

  Jaf. What?

  Pierre. A traitor?

  Jaf. Yes.

  Pierre. A villain?

  Jaf. Granted.

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

  Jaf. [Rising and turning, R.] All, all, and more, much
  more; my faults are numberless.

  Pierre. And would'st thou have me live on terms like
  thine?
  Base, as thou'rt false—

  Jaf. [Returning.] No; 'tis to me that's granted;
  The safety of thy life was all I aimed at,
  In recompence for faith and trust so broken.

  Pierre. I scorn it more, because preserved by thee;
  And, as when first my foolish heart took pity
  On thy misfortunes, sought thee in thy miseries,
  Relieved thy wants, and raised thee from the state
  Of wretchedness, in which thy fate had plunged thee,
  To rank thee in my list of noble friends;
  All I received in surety for thy truth,
  Were unregarded oaths, and this, this dagger,
  Given with a worthless pledge, thou since hast stol'n:
  So I restore it back to thee again;
  Swearing by all those powers which thou hast violated,
  Never from this cursed hour, to hold communion,
  Friendship, or interest, with thee, though our years
  Were to exceed those limited the world.
  Take it—farewell—for now I owe thee nothing.

  Jaf. Say thou wilt live, then.

  Pierre. For my life, dispose it
  Just as thou wilt, because 'tis what I'm tired with.

  Jaf. Oh, Pierre!

  Pierre. No more. [Going, R.

  Jaf. My eyes won't lose the sight of thee, [Following.
[46] But languish after thine, and ache with gazing.

  Pierre. Leave me—Nay, then, thus, thus I throw thee
  from me;
  And curses, great as is thy falsehood, catch thee!

  [Drives him to C.—Exit, R.

  Jaf. [Pausing.] He's gone, my father, friend, preserver
  And here's the portion he has left me:
  This dagger. Well remembered! with this dagger
  I gave a solemn vow of dire importance;
  Parted with this, and Belvidera together.
  Have a care, mem'ry, drive that thought no farther.
  No, I'll esteem it as a friend's last legacy;
  Treasure it up within this wretched bosom,
  Where it may grow acquainted with my heart,
  That, when they meet, they start not from each other.
  So, now for thinking—A blow—called traitor, villain,
  Coward, dishonourable coward; faugh!
  Oh, for a long, sound sleep, and so forget it!
  Down, busy devil!

  Enter Belvidera, L.

  Bel. (L.) Whither shall I fly?
  Where hide me and my miseries together?
  Where's now the Roman constancy I boasted?
  Sunk into trembling fears and desperation,
  Not daring to look up to that dear face,
  Which used to smile, even on my faults: but, down,
  Bending these miserable eyes to earth,
  Must move in penance, and implore much mercy.

  Jaf. (R. C.) Mercy! kind Heaven has surely endless stores
  Hoarded for thee, of blessings yet untasted:
  "Let wretches loaded hard with guilt as I am,
  "Bow with the weight, and groan beneath the burden,
  "Before the footstool of that Heav'n they've injured."
  Oh, Belvidera! I'm the wretched'st creature
  E'er crawled on earth.

  Bel. (L. C.) Alas! I know thy sorrows are most mighty
  Jaf. My friend, too, Belvidera, that dear friend,
  Who, next to thee, was all my heart rejoiced in,
  Has used me like a slave, shamefully used me:
  'Twould break thy pitying heart to hear the story.

[47] Bel. What has he done?

  Jaf. "Oh, my dear angel! in that friend, I've lost
  "All my soul's peace; for every thought of him
  "Strikes my sense hard, and deads it in my brain!
  "Would'st thou believe it?
  "Before we parted,"
  Ere yet his guards had led him to, his prison,
  Full of severest sorrows for his sufferings,
  As at his feet I kneeled, and sued for mercy,
  With a reproachful hand he dashed a blow:
  He struck me, Belvidera! by Heaven, he struck me
  Buffeted, called me traitor, villain, coward!
  Am I a coward? am I a villain? tell me:
  Thou'rt the best judge, and mad'st me, if I am so!
  Damnation! coward!

  Bel. Oh! forgive him, Jaffier!
  And, if his sufferings wound thy heart already,
  What will they do to-morrow?

  Jaf. Ah!

  Bel. To-morrow,
  When thou shalt see him stretched in all the agonies
  Of a tormenting and a shameful death;
  What will thy heart do then? Oh! sure 'twill stream,
  Like my eyes now.

  Jaf. What means thy dreadful story?
  Death, and to-morrow?

  Bel. (C.) The faithless senators, 'tis they've decreed it?
  They say, according to our friends' request,
  They shall have death, and not ignoble bondage;
  Declare their promised mercy all as forfeited:
  False to their oaths, and deaf to intercession,
  Warrants are passed for public death to-morrow.

  Jaf. Death! doomed to die! condemned unheard! unpleaded!

  Bel. Nay, cruel'st racks and torments are preparing
  To force confession from their dying pangs.
  Oh! do not look so terribly upon me!
  How your lips shake, and all your face disordered!
  What means my love?

  Jaf. Leave me, I charge thee, leave me! Strong temptations
  Wake in my heart.

[48] Bel. (L.) For what]

  Jaf. No more, but leave me.

  Bel. Why?

  Jaf. (L. C.) Oh! by Heav'n, I love thee with that fondness,
  I would not have thee stay a moment longer
  Near these cursed hands.

  [Pulls the Dagger half out of his bosom, and puts it
  back again.

  Art thou not terrified?

  Bel. No.

  Jaf. Call to mind
  What thou hast done, and whither thou hast brought me.

  Bel. Ha!

  Jaf. Where's my friend? my friend, thou smiling mischief!
  Nay, shrink not, now 'tis too late; for dire revenge
  Is up, and raging for my friend. He groans!
  Hark, how be groans! his screams are in my ears!
  Already, see, they've fixed him on the wheel,
  And now they tear him—Murder! perjured senate!
  Murder—Oh! Hark thee, traitress, thou hast done this!
  Thanks to thy tears, and false persuading love.
  How her eyes speak! oh, thou bewitching creature!
  Madness can't hurt thee. Come, thou little trembler,
  Creep even into my heart, and there lie safe;
  'Tis thy own citadel—Hah—yet stand off, [Going, R.
  Heav'n must have justice, and my broken vows
  Will sink me else beneath its reaching mercy.
  I'll wink, and then 'tis done—

  Bel. (C.) What means the lord
  Of me, my life, and love? What's in thy bosom
  Thou grasp'st at so?

  [Jaffier draws the Dagger, and offers to stab her.

  Ah! do not kill me, Jaffier.

  Jaf. (R. C.) Know, Belvidera, when we parted last,
  I gave this dagger with thee, as in trust,
  To be thy portion if I e'er proved false.
  On such condition was my truth believed:
  but now 'tis forfeited, and must be paid for.

  [Offers to stab her again.

  Bel. Oh! mercy!

[49] Jaf. Nay, no struggling.

  Bel. Now, then, kill me,

  [Falls on his neck, and kisses him.

  While thus I cling about thy cruel neck,
  Kiss thy revengeful lips, and die in joys
  Greater than any I can guess hereafter.

  Jaf. I am, I am a coward, witness, Heav'n,
  Witness it, earth, and ev'ry being witness:
  'Tis but one blow! yet, by immortal love,
  I cannot longer bear the thought to harm thee.

  [Throws away the dagger, and embraces her.

  The seal of Providence is sure upon thee;
  And thou wast born for yet unheard-of wonders.
  Oh! thou wert born either to save or damn me!
  By all the power that's given thee o'er my soul,
  By thy resistless tears and conquering smiles,
  "By the victorious love that still waits on thee,"
  Fly to thy cruel father, save my friend,
  Or all our future quiet's lost forever.
  Fall at his feet, cling round his rev'rend knees,
  Speak to him with thy eyes, and with thy tears,
  Melt his hard heart, and wake dead nature in him,
  Nor, till thy prayers are granted, set him free,
  But conquer him, as thou hast vanquished me.

  [Exeunt Jaffier, R., Belvidera, L.