The thing I ask be ratified. Swear this, Ye have of peace and happiness hereafter, All Sen. We swear. (All the Council bow.) May you and your posterity be bless'd Or curs'd for ever. All Sen. Else be curs'd for ever. (They bow again.) Jaf. Then here's the list, and with't the full disclose Of all that threatens you. (Delivers a paper to the Officer, who gives it to the DUKE.) Now, fate, thou hast caught me. Duke. Give order that all diligent search be made To seize these men; their characters are public. (The DUKE gives the first paper to the Officer.) The paper intimates their rendezvous To be at the house of a fam'd Grecian courtezan You, Jaffier, must with patience bear till morning Jaf. Would the chains of death Had bound me safe ere I had known this minute! Duke. Captain, withdraw your prisoner. Jaf. Sir, 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. Offi. (Without.) More traitors; room, room! make room there. Duke. How's this? guards! Where are your guards? Shut up the gates; the treason's Already at our doors. Enter Officer with PIERRE in fetters. Offi. My lords, more traitors, Seiz'd in the very act of consultation; Furnish'd with arms, and instruments of mischief. (As you are pleas'd to call yourselves) of Venice; Pier. Are these the trophies I've deserv'd for fighting Your battles with confederated powers? When winds and seas conspir'd to overthrow you; ? Like a lewd dame, by bolder prows than yours; Duke. Know you one Jaffier? Pier. Yes, and know his virtue. His justice, truth, his general worth, and sufferings Enter JAFFIER, guarded. Pier. My friend, too, bound! nay, then Our fate has conquer'd us, and we must fall. Why drops the man whose wellfare's so much mine, They're but one thing? These reverend tyrants, Jaffier, Jaf. 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 t' have crowned, Of your vile deeds, aud trust the senate's mercy ? Pier. Curs'd be your senate! curs'd your constitution: The curse of growing factions and divisions Still vex your counsels, 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? Pier. Death! honourable death! Duke. Break up the council. Captain, guard your prisoners. Jaffier, you're free, but these must wait for judgment. [The Captain takes off JAFFIER's chains. The DUKE and Council go away. The Conspirators, all but JAFFIER and PIERRE, go off, guarded. Pier. Come, where's my dungeon? Lead me to my straw: It will not be the first time I've lodg'd hard To do the senate service. Jaf. Hold, one moment. Pier. Who's he disputes the judgment of the senate? Presumptuous rebel! (Strikes JAFFIER.) On! (To Officer.) Jaf. By heav'n, you stir not! I must be heard; I must have leave to speak. But use me as thou wilt, thou canst not wrong me; Pier. What whining monk art thou? what holy cheat, What art thou? Jaf. Not know me, Pierre ? Dear to my eyes, and tender to my heart: But thou,-a wretched, base, false, worthless coward, Jaf. I have not wrong'd thee; by these tears I have not. Pier. Hast thou not wrong'd me? Dar'st thou call thyself That once-loved, valued friend of mine, And swear thou hast not wrong'd 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. Pier. What's that? Jaf. To take thy life, on such conditions The council have propos'd: thou and thy friends May yet live long, and to be better treated. Pier. Life! ask my life! confess! record myself A villain, for the privilege to breathe! And carry up and down this curs'd city, Burthensome 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! And cannot part on better terms than now, Pier. Swear by some other powers, For thou hast broke that sacred oath too lately. However thy resentment deal with me. Pier. Not leave me. Jaf. No, thou shalt not force me from thee. Jaf. What? Pier. A traitor ? Pier. A villain ? Jaf. Granted. Pier. A coward, a most scandalous coward; Spiritless, void of honour; one who has sold Thy everlasting fame for shameless life? Jaf. All, all and more, much more: my faults are numberless. Pier. And would'st thou have me live on terms like thine? Base as thou art false Jaf. No: 'tis to me that's granted: The safety of thy life was all I aim'd at, In recompense for faith and trust so broken. Pier. I scorn it more because preserv'd by thee; All I receiv'd, in surety for thy truth, Were unregarded oaths, and this, this dagger, Giv'n with a worthless pledge, thou since hast stol'n: Swearing by all those powers which thou hast violated, Take it; farewell-for now I owe thee nothing. Pier. For my life, dispose it Just as thou wilt, because 'tis what I'm tir'd with. Jaj. Oh, Pierre. Pier. No more. Jaf. My eyes wont lose sight of thee, But languish after thee, and ache with gazing. Pier. Leave me. Nay then, thus, thus I throw thee from me; And curses, great as is thy falsehood, catch thee. Jaf. Amen. He's gone, my father, friend, preserver! [Exit, guarded. This dagger. Well remember'd! with this dagger, Have a care, mem'ry, drive that thought no farther: So, now for thinking. A blow!-call'd a traitor, villain, Oh! for a long, sound sleep, and so forget it! SCENE FROM THE SCHOOL OF REFORM. THOMAS MORTON. [Thomas Morton, the prolific and successful dramatist, was born at Durham in 1764. He entered Lincoln's Inn with the intention of following the law as a profession; but his first piece proving successful, he continued to write for the stage. Among his pieces may be named "Speed the Plough," "The School of Reform," and "A Rowland for an Oliver." He died, 1838.] LORD AVONDALE, FERMENT, ROBERT TYKE, an OLD MAN. An Apartment in Avondale Castle; two chairs. Enter LORD AVONDALE, R.; he pauses, then proceeds to opposite door off stage, and opens it.-TYKE enters from it. Ld. A. (R.) Come hither-How is this, Robert? When I left England you were a youth, whose example was pointed out as an object of imitation-your morals were pure, your industry exemplary -how is it, then, that I now see you an abandoned outcast? Tyke. (L.) Ah, sur, it was all along wi' you. Ld. A. Me! was not my bounty ample? did not I give you independence ? Tyke. Ah, that was it-when you sent me that little child to take care on Ld. A. Hush! Tyke. Well, well;-and that big lump of money! you see, as I had not worked for it, it made me quite fidgety; I always had my |