To grant particular mercy to your person; South. O my unguarded soul! Sure never was A man with mercy wounded so before. Ess. Then I am loose to steer my wand'ring voyage Like a bad vessel that has long been crost, To reach its wish'd-for port-Angels protect South. O be less kind, my friend, or move less pity, Or I shall sink beneath the weight of sadness! it For her that I commit to thee-'tis all that I more: One last farewel, before the greedy axe I Shall part my friend, my only friend from me, am Book vilj. Ess. Why, that's well said-Farewel to theeThen let us part, just like two travellers Take distant paths, only this difference is, Thine is the longest, mine the shortest way Now let me go-if there's a throne in heav'n For the most brave of men and best of friends I will bespeak it for Southampton. South. And I, while I have life, will hoard thy memory: When I am dead, we then shall meet again. Jaff. Br CHA P. X. EARL OF ESSEX. Jaffier and Pierre. y Heaven you stir not, I must be heard, I must have leave to speak: Pier. What whining monk art thou? what holy That would'st incroach upon my credulous ears, And cant'st thus vilely? hence! I know thee not. Jaff. Not know me Pierre! Pier. No, know thee not: What art thou? Jaff. Jaffier, thy friend, thy once lov'd valu'd friend! Tho' now deservedly scorn'd, and us'd most hardly, Pier. Thou Jaffier! thou my once lov'd valu'd friend! By heav'n's thou ly'st; the man so call'd my friend, Was generous, honest, faithful, just, and valliant, Noble in mind, and in his person lovely, Dear to my eyes, and tender to my heart: 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, no longer cling thus round me, Like something baneful, that my nature's chill'd at. Jaff. I have not wrong'd thee; by these tears I have not But still am honest, true, and hope too, valiant: My mind still full of thee, therefore still noble. Let not thy eyes then shun me, nor thy heart Detest me utterly: Oh! look upon me, Look back and see my sad, sincere submission! How my heart swells, as e'en 'twould burst my bosom: Fond of its goal, and labouring to be at thee; What shall I do! what say to make thee hear me? Pier. Hast thou not wrong'd me? dar'st thou call thyself That once lov'd valu'd 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? Jaff. All's true; yet grant one thing, And I've done asking. Pier. What's that? Jaff. To take thy life on such condition's The council have propos'd: thou and thy friend 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 cursed city A discontented and repining spirit, Burdensome to itself, a few years longer Book viij. 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, Pier. Swear by some other powers, For thou hast broken that sacred oath too lately. Jaff. Then by that hell I merit, I'll not leave thee, Till to thyself at least thou'rt reconcil'd, Jaff. No: thou shalt not force me from thee; me, Till wounded by my sufferings thou relent, And raise me to thy arms with dear forgiveness. Pier. Art thou not Jaff. What? Pier. A traitor? Jaff. Yes. Pier. A villain? 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 are numberless. faults Pier. And would'st thou have me live on terms like thine: Base as thou'rt false Jaff. No; 'tis to me that's granted: The safety of thy life was all I aim'd at, And as when first my foolish heart took pity To rank thee in my list of noble friends: 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, Pier. For my life dispose of it Just as thou wilt, because 'tis what I'm tir'd with. Jaff. 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 is thy falsehood, catch thee. VENICE PRESERV❜D. CHA P. X I. Edward and Warwick. Edw. Ler 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 |