1

Swearing by all those powers which thou haft violated,
Never from this curs'd hour to hold communion,
Friendship, or intereft with thee, tho' our years
Were to exceed thofe limited the world.
Take it-Farewel, for now I owe thee nothing.
JAFF. Say thou wilt live then.

PIER. For my life, difpofe of it

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

PIER. No more.

JAFF. My eyes won't loose the fight of thee, But languish after thine, and ache with gazing.

PIER. Leave me-Nay, then thus, thus I throw thee

from me;

And curfes, great as is thy falfehood, catch thee.
VENICE PRESERVED.

WAR. Behold him here;

No welcome gueft, it feems, unless I ask

My lord of Suffolk's leave-there was a time

When Warwick wanted not his aid to gain
Admiffion here.

EDW. There was a time, perhaps,

When Warwick more defir'd, and more- -deferv'd it.
WAR. Never; I've been a foolish faithful flave;
All my beft years, the morning of my life,

Hath

Hath been devoted to your service: what
Are now the fruits? Difgrace and infamy;
My fpotlefs name, which never yet the breath
Of calumny had tainted, made the mock

For foreign fools to carp at: but 'tis fit
Who truft in princes, fhould be thus rewarded.

EDW. I thought, my lord, I had full well repay'd
Your fervices with honours, wealth, and pow'r
Unlimited thy all-directing hand

Guided in fecret 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 feated the
On England's throne? Thy undiftinguish'd name
Had rotted in the duft from whence it sprang,
And moulder'd in oblivion, had not Warwick,
Dug from its fordid mine the useless ore,
And ftamp'd it with a diadem. Thou know't
This wretched country, doom'd, perhaps, like Rome,
To fall by its own felf-deftroying hand,

Toft for fo many years in the rough fea

Of civil difcord, but for me had perifh'd.
In that diftrefsful hour I feiz'd the helm,

Bade the rough waves fubfide in peace, and steer'd
Your fhatter'd veffel fafe into the harbour.

You may defpife, perhaps, that useless aid
Which you no longer want; but know, proud youth,
He who forgets a friend, deferves a foe.

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

WAR. Why, that indeed is frugal honesty,

A thrifty

A thrifty faving knowledge: when the debt
Grows burdenfome, and cannot be discharg'd,
A fpunge will wipe out all, and coft you nothing.

EDW. When you have counted o'er the numerous train

Of mighty gifts your bounty lavish'd on me,

You may remember next the injuries

Which I have done you; let me know them all,

And I will make you ample fatisfaction.

WAR. Thou canst not; thou haft robb'd me of a jewel

It is not in thy power to restore:

1 was the first, shall future annals say,

That broke the facred bond of public truft
And mutual confidence; ambassadors,
In after times, mere inftruments, perhaps,
Of venal statesmen, fhall recal my name
To witness, that they want not an example,
And plead my guilt, to fanctify their own.

Amidst the herd of mercenary flaves

That haunt your court, cou'd none be found but Warwick, To be the fhamelefs herald of a lie?

Eow. And wouldst thou turn the vile reproach on me?
If I have broke my faith, and ftain'd the name
Of England, thank thy own pernicious counfels
That urg'd me to it, and extorted from me
A cold confent to what my heart abhorr'd.

WAR. I have been abus'd, infulted, and betray'd';
My injur'd honour cries aloud for vengeance,
Her wounds will never clofe!

Enw. Thefe gufts of paffion,

Will but inflame them; if I have been right
Inform'd, my lord, befides thefe dang❜rous fcars
Of bleeding honour, you have other wounds

As

As deep, tho' not fo fatal: fuch perhaps
As none but fair Elizabeth can cure.
WAR. Elizabeth!

EDW. Nay, ftart not, I have cause

To wonder moft: I little thought indeed
When Warwick told me I might learn to love,

He was himself so able to inftruct me:

WAR. And fo have I ;

Too well I know thy breach of friendship there,
Thy fruitless base endeavours to supplant me.

EDW. I fcorn it, Sir,-Elizabeth hath charms,
And I have equal right with you to admire them:
Nor fee I ought fo god-like in the form,

So all-commanding in the name of Warwick,
That he alone fhould revel in the charms
Of beauty, and monopolize perfection.
I knew not of your love.

WAR. By Heav'n 'tis falfe!

You knew it all, and meanly took occafion,
Whilft I was busy'd in the noble office,
Your grace thought fit to honour me withal,
To tamper with a weak unguarded woman,
To bribe her paffions high, and bafely fteal
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 boaft of tyrants;

A borrow'd jewel, glitt'ring in the crown

With fpecious luftre, lent but to betray.
You had it, fir, and hold it-from the people.
Epw. And therefore do I prize it; I wou'd guard
Their liberties, and they fhall ftrengthen mine:
But when proud faction, and her rebel crew,
Infult their fov'reign, trample on his laws,
And bid defiance to his pow'r, the people
In juftice to themfelves, will then defend.
His caufe, and vindicate the rights they gave.

WAR. Go to your darling people, then; for foon,

If I mistake not, 'twill be needful; try

Their boafted zeal, and fee if one of them
Will dare to lift his arm up in your cause,
If I forbid them.

EDW. Is it fo, my lord,

Then mark my words: I've been your flave too long,
And you have rul'd me with a rod of iron;
But henceforth know, proud peer, I am thy maker,
And will be fo: the king, who delegates

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

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

EDW. Nor he who threaten'd Edward

You may repent it, Sir,my guards there-feize
This traitor, and convey him to the Tow'r,
There let him learn obedience.

EARL OF WARWICK.

CHAP.