This knows my punisher: therefore as far MILTON. Ir must be so CHAP. VI. CATO'S SOLILOQUY. -Plato, thou reason'st well Else whence this pleasing hope, this fond desire, Or whence this secret dread, and inward horrour Eternity! thou pleasing, dreadful thought! Through what new scenes and changes must we pass ! But when, or where?—This world was made for Cæsar. Thus am I doubly arm'd-My death and life, My bane and antidote are both before me, But this informs me I shall never die. The wreck of matter, and the crush of worlds. Сато. CHAP. VII. SOUTHAMPTON AND ESSEX. Officer. My Lord, We bring an order for your execution, And hope you are prepar'd; for you must die This very hour. South. Indeed! the time is sudden! Essex. Is death th' event of all my flatter'd hope? My soul shall vanish silent as the dew And leaves of weeping flow'rs.-Come, my dear friend, These faithful arms, and O now let me tell thee, But that I've lost my dearest friend his life. South. And I protest, by the same powers divine, The greatest bliss of mind yet e'er enjoyed, Officer. The Queen, my lord Southampton, has been pleas'd, To grant particular mercy to your person; You to depart immediately from hence. South. O my unguarded soul! Sure never was A man with mercy wounded so before. Essex. Then I am loose to steer my wand'ring voyage; Like a bad vessel, that has long been cross'd, And bound by adverse winds, at last gets liberty, To reach her wish'd-for port-Angels protect South. O be less kind, my friend, or move less pity, I weep that I am doom'd to live without you, And should have smil'd to share the death of Essex. I claim of my Southampton.-0 my wife! Lest it should cost a tear, nor e'er offend her. South. O stay, my Lord; let me have one word more; One last farewell, before the greedy axe Shall part my friend, my only friend, from me, And Essex from himself-I know not what Are call'd the pangs of death, but sure I am, Essex. Why that's well said-Farewell to thee South. And I, while I have life, will hoard thy mem❜ry: When I am dead, we then shall meet again. Essex. Till then, Farewell. South. Till then, Farewell. EARL OF ESSEX. CHAP. VIII. JAFFIER AND PIERRE. Jaff. By Heav'n, you stir not! I must be heard, I must have leave to speak! Pier. What whining monk art thou? what holy cheat That wouldst encroach upon my cred❜lous ears, And cant'st thus vilely? hence! I know thee not. Pier. No, know thee not; what art thou? Jaff. Jaffier, thy friend, thy once lov'd, valu'd friend! Dear to my eyes, and tender to my heart: 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. Look back and see my sad, sincere submission! 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 beloved, 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? Jaff. All's true; yet grant one thing, and I've done · asking. Pier. What's that! Juff. To take thy life on such conditions 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, To lose it, may be, at last, in a lewd quarrel For some new friend, treach'rous and false as thou art! No, this vile world and I have long been jangling, And cannot part on better terms than now, When only men like three are fit to live in't. Jaff. By all that's just― Pier. Swear by some other pow'rs, For thou hast broke 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, However thy resentment deal with me. Pier. Not leave me! Jaff. No; thou shalt not force me from thee; Tread on nie, buffet me, heap wrongs on wrongs |