But all my poor, betrayed, unhappy friends, Have summons to prepare for Fate's black hour; And yet I live. Bel. Then be the next my doom: I see, thou hast passed my sentence in thy heart, Indeed I am willing, but I beg thee do it Since the first pair met, as I have been. I came on purpose, Belvidera, to bless thee! Bel. And may no fatal minute ever part is, Till, reverend grown for age and love, we go Down to one grave, as our last bed, together; There sleep in peace, till an eternal morning. Jaf. When will that be? Bel. I hope long ages hence. [Sighing Jaf. Have I not hitherto, (I beg thee tell me Thy very fears) used thee with tenderest love? Did e'er my soul rise up in wrath against thee? Did I e'er frown, when Belvidera smiled? With some remorse; and when thou giv'st the Or, by the least unfriendly word, betray blow, View me with eyes of a relenting love, And shew me pity, for 'twill sweeten justice. Juf. Shew pity to thee! Bel. Yes; and when thy hands, Charged with my fate, come trembling to the deed, As thou hast done a thousand thousand times To this poor breast, when kinder rage hath brought thee, When our stung hearts have leap'd to meet each other, And melting kisses sealed our lips together; When joys have left me gasping in thy armsSo let my death come now, and I'll not shrink from it. Jaf. Nay, Belvidera, do not fear my cruelty, Bel. I will, when I have done weeping- How long is it, since that miserable day Bel. Oh! Oh! Jaf. Nay, keep in thy tears, Lest they unman me too. Bel. Heaven knows I cannot; The words you utter sound so very sadly, The streams will follow Jaf. Come, I'll kiss them dry then. Bel. But was't a miserable day? Jaf. A cursed one. Abating passion? have I ever wronged thee? Bel. No. Jaf. Has my heart, or have my eyes, e'er wandered To any other woman? Bel. Never, never-I were the worst of false ones, should I accuse thee. I own I have been too happy, blessed above Jaf. Did I not say, I came to bless thee? Jaf. Then hear me, bounteous Heaven! Bel. I thought it otherwise; and you've of Pour down your curses on this wretched head, ten sworn, With never-ceasing vengeance; let despair, Danger, and infamy, nay all, surround me; Starve me with wantings; let my eyes ne'er see A sight of comfort, nor my heart know peace: But dash my days with sorrow, nights with hor rors, Wild as my own thoughts now, and let loose fury, Jaf. Now, hold heart, or never. Bel. By all the tender days we have lived together, By all our charming nights, and joys that crown'd 'em, Pity my sad condition! speak, but speak! Bel. By these arms, that now cling round thy neck, By this dear kiss, and by ten thousand more, Jaf. Murder! unhold me: Bel. Hold, sir, be patient! Jaf. Hark, the dismal bell [Passing bell tolls. Tolls out for death! I must attend its call too; For my poor friend, my dying Pierre, expects me; He sent a message to require I would see him Before he died, and take his last forgiveness. Farewell, for ever! Bel. Leave thy dagger with me, Bequeath me something-Not one kiss at parting? Oh! my poor heart, when wilt thou break! Jaf. Yet stay: I charge thee, guard him from the wrongs my fate May do his future fortune, or his name. Thus round thee ever! But my friend! my oath! Bel. Another, sure another, For that poor little one you have ta'en such care of! I will give it him truly. Jaf. So now, farewell! Jaf. Heaven knows for ever; all good angels guard thee! [Exit. Bel. All ill ones sure had charge of me this moment. Cursed be my days, and doubly cursed my nights, Which I must now mourn out with widowed tears; Blasted be every herb, and fruit, and tree; And may the general curse reach man and beast! waves Huzzing and booming round my sinking head, Who's there? ture! Bel. What, to my husband! then conduct me quickly; Are all things ready? Shall we die most gloriously? Say not a word of this to my old father: Murmuring streams, soft shades, and springing flowers! Lutes, laurels, seas of milk, and ships of amber! [Exeunt. SCENE III. Opening, discovers a scaffold, and a wheel prepared for the execution of PIERRE; then enter Officer, PIERRE, and Guards, a Friar, Execu tioner, and a great rabble. Offi. Room, room there-stand all by, mak❤ room for the prisoner. Pier. My friend not come yet? Pier. Why you so troublesome, that a poor wretch can't die in peace, But you, like ravens, will be croaking round him? Fri. Yet Heaven Pier. I tell thee, Heaven and I are friends: But lived in moral justice towards all men; Must be my accuser; I have searched that conscience, And find no records there of crimes, that scare me. Fri. 'Tis strange, you should want faith. My reason blindfold, like a hampered lion, So silly souls are gulled, and you get money. Enter JAFFIER. Jaf. Hold: eyes, be dry; Heart, strengthen me to bear This hideous sight, and humble me, to take The last forgiveness of a dying friend, Betrayed by my vile falsehood, to his ruin. Oh, Pierre! Pier. Yet nearer. Jaf. Crawling on my knees, And prostrate on the earth, let me approach thee: I can't forget to love thee. Prithee, Jaffier, Suffer'd the shameful fate, thou'rt going to taste of. stead! Fought nations' quarrels, and been crowned with conquest, Be exposed a common carcase on a wheel? Pier. Speak! is it fitting? Pier. Yes; is it fitting? Pier. I'd have thee undertake Pier. I'll make haste. Oh, Jaffier! Though thou'st betrayed me, do me some way justice. Jaf. No more of that: thy wishes shall be satisfied; I have a wife, and she shall bleed: my child, Within your walls; let plagues and famine waste A token, that with my dying breath I blessed her, And the dear little infant left behind me. [Dies. Offi. Bear this news to the senate, And guard their bodies, till there's further orders. Heaven grant I die so well! [Scene shuts upon them. SCENE IV. Soft Music-Enter BELVIDERA distracted, led by two of her women, PRIULI and Servants. Pri. Strengthen her heart with patience, pitying Heaven! Bel. Come, come,.come, come, come, nay, come to bed, Prithee, my love! The winds; hark how they whistle; And the rain beats: Oh! how the weather shrinks me! You are angry now, who cares? Pish, no indeed, Chuse then; I say you shall not go, you shall not; Whip your ill-nature; get you gone then. Oh! Are you returned? See, father, here he's come again: Am I to blame to love him? O, thou dear one, Why do you fly me? Are you angry still then? Jaffier, where art thou? father, why do you do thus? Stand off, don't hide him from me. He's here somewhere. Stand off, I say: What, gone? Remember it, ty rant: EPILOGUE. THE text is done, and now for application; And though against him causeless hatreds rise, And serves a cause too good to let him fear: Or general pique all blockheads have to brains: Nothing shall daunt his pen when truth does call; No, not the picture-mangler at Guildhall. The rebel tribe, of which that vermin's one, Have now set forward, and their course begun; And while that prince's figure they deface, As they before had massacred his name, Durst their base fears but look him in the face, They'd use his person as they've us'd his fame: A face in which such lineaments they read Of that great martyr's, whose rich blood the shed, That their rebellious hate they still retain, And villains never wrong his virtue more. The rascal that cut the Duke of York's picture. |