a

Syph. By laying up his counsels in your heart.
Jub. His counsels bade me yield to thy directions :
Then, Syphax, chide me in severest terms,
Vent all thy passion, and I'll stand it's shock,
Calm and unruffled as a summer sea,
When not a breath of wind flies o'er it's surface.

Syph. Alas! my prince, I'd guide you to your safety!
Jub. I do believe thou wouldst; but tell me how.
Syph. Fly from the fate that follows Cæsar's foes.
Jub. My father scoru'd to do it.
Syph. And therefore died.

Jub. Better to die ten thousand thousand deaths,
Than wound

my honour.
Syph. Rather say your love.

Jub. Syphax, I've promis’d to preserve my temper :
Why wilt thou urge' me to confess a flame
I long have stifled, and would fain conceal ?

Syph. Believe me, prince, though hard to conquer love,
"Tis easy to divert and break it's force:
Absence might cure it, or a second mistress
Light up another flame, and put out this.
The glowing dames of Zama's royal court
Have faces flush'd with more exalted charms ;
The sun, that rolls his chariot o'er their heads,
Works up more fire and colour in their cheeks ;
Were you with these, my priuce, you'd soon forget
The pale, unripen'd beautics of the north.

Jub. 'Tis not a set of features, or complexion,
The tincture of a skin that I admire.
Beauty soon grows familiar to the lover,
Fades in his eye, and 'palls upon the sense.
The virtuous Marcia tow'rs above her sex :
True, she is, fair (0, how divinely fair!)
But still the lovely niaid improves her charms
With inward greatness, unaffected wisdom,
And sanctity of manners. Cato's soul
Shines out in ev'ry thing she acts or speaks,
While winning mildness and attractive smiles
Dwell in her looks, and with becoming grace
Soften the rigour of her father's virtues.

CATO.

a

CHAP. XVII.

EDWARD AND WARWICK.

Edw. Let 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
My lord of Suffolk's leave-there was a time,
When Warwick wanted not his aid to gain
Admission here.

Edw. There was a time, perhaps,
When Warwick more desir'd, and more-deserv'd it

War. Never; I've been a foolish, faithful slave,
All my best years, the morning of my life
Hath been devoted to your service: what
Are now the fruits? Disgrace and infaniy!
My spotless name, which never yet the breath
Of calumny bad tainted, made the mock
For foreign fools to carp at: but 'tis fit
Who trust in princes should be thus rewarded.

Edw. I thought, my lord, I had full well repaid
Your services with honours, wealth, and pow'r
Unlimited : thy all-directing hand
Guided in secret ev'ry latent wheel
Of government, and mov'd the whole machine:
Warwick was all in all, and pow’rless Edward
Stood like a cipher in the great account.

War. Who gave that cipher worth, and seated thee
On England's throne? Thy undistinguish'd name
Had rotted in the dust from whence it sprang,
And moulder'd in oblivion, had not Warwick
Dug from it's sordid mine the useless ore,
And stamp'd it with a diadem. Thou know'st,
This wretched country, doom'd perhaps like Rome,
To fall by it's own self-destroying hand,
Toss'd for so many years in the rough sea
Of civil discord, but for me had perish’d.
In that distressful hour I seiz'd the helm,

a

:

Bade the rough waves subside in peace, and steer'd
Your shatter'd vessel safe into the harbour.

You may despise, perhaps, that useless aid,
Which you no longer want; but know, proud youth,
He who forgets a friend deserves 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, saving knowledge : when the debt
Grows burdensome, and cannot be discharg'd,
A sponge will wipe out all, and cost you nothing.

Edw. When you have counted o'er the num'rous 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 satisfaction.

War. Thou canst not: 'thou hast robb’d ine of a jewel, It is not in thy power to restore ; I was the first, shall future annals say, That broke the sacred bond of public trust, And mutual confidence ; ambassadors In after times, mere instruments perhaps Of venal statesmen, shall recal my name, To witness that they want not an example, And plead my guilt, to sanctify their own. Amidst the herd of mercenary slaves, That haunt your court, could none be found but Warwick, To be the shameless herald of a lie?

Edw. And wouldst thou turn the vile reproach on ine?
If I have broke my faith, and stain'd the name
Of England, thank thy own pernicions counsels,
That urg'd me to it, and extorted from me
A cold consent to what my heart abhorr'd.

War. I've been abus'd, insulted, and betray'd;
My injur'd honour cries aloud for vengeance!
Her wounds will never close.

Edw. These gusts of passion
Will but inflame them. If I have been right
Inform’d, my lord, beside these dang’rous scars
Of bleeding honour, you have other wounds
As deep, though not so fatal; such, perhaps,
As none but fair Elizabeth can cure.

War. Elizabeth !

Edw. Nay, start not; I have cause
To wonder most: I little thought indeed,
When Warwick told me I miglit learn to love,
He was himself so able to instruct me:
But I've discover'd all.

War. And so have I ;
Too well I know thy breach of friendship there,
Thy fruitless base endeavours to supplant me.

Edw. I scorn it, Sir-Elizabeth hath charms,
And I have equal right with you t' admire them ;
Nor see I ought so godlike in the form,
So all-commanding in the name of Warwick,
That he alone should revel in the charms
Of beauty, and monopolize perfection,
I knew not of your love.

War. By Heav'n, 'tis false !
You knew it all, and meanly took occasion,
While I was busied in the noble office
Your grace thought fit to honour me withial,
To tamper with a weak unguarded woman,
To bribe her passions high, and basely steal
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 boast of tyrants
A borrow'd jewel, glitt'ring in the crown
With specious lustre, lent but to betray :
You had it, Sir, and hold it--from the people.

Edw. And therefore do I prize it: I would guard
Their liberties, and they shall strengthen mine;
But when proud faction, and her rebel crew,
Tusult their sov'reign, trample on his laws,
And bid defiance to his pow'r, the people,
In justice to themselves, will then defend
His cause, and vindicate the rights they gave.

War. Go to your darling people, then; for soon,
If I mistake not, 'twill be needful, try

1

a

i

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

Edw. Is it so, my lord ?
Then mark my words : I've been your slave too long,
And

you have ruld me with a rod of iron;
But henceforth kuow, proud peer, I am thy master,
And will be so: the king who delegates
His pow'r to others' hands but ill deserves
The crown he wears.

War. Look well then to your own;
It sits 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--seize
This traitor, and convey him to the Tow'r;
There let him learn obedience. EARL OF WARWICK

1

CHAP. XVIII.

HOTSPUR AND GLENDOWER.

Glen. Sit, cousin Percy; sit, good cousin Hotspur ;
For by that name as oft as Lancaster
Doth speak of you, his cheek looks pale! and with
A risen sigh, he wisheth you in Heav'n.

Hot. And you in Hell, as often as he hears
Owen Glendower spoke of.

Glen. I blame him not: at my nativity
The front of Heav'n was full of fiery shapes,
Of burning cressets ; know, that at my birth
The frame and the foundation of the earth
Shook like a coward.

Hot. So it would have done
At the same season,

if
your

mother's cat
Had kitten'd, though yourself had ne'er been born.
Glen. I

the earth did shake when I was borni.
Hot. I say, the earth then was not of my mind,
If you suppose, as fearing you it shook.