rce
And vigorous as thine? but thou art honest.

_Ren._ Who dares accuse me?

_Jaf._ Curs'd be he that doubts
Thy virtue! I have try'd it, and declare,
Were I to choose a guardian of my honour,
I'd put it in thy keeping: for I know thee.

_Ren._ Know me!

_Jaf._ Ay, know thee. There's no falsehood in thee.
Thou look'st just as thou art. Let us embrace.
Now would'st thou cut my throat, or I cut thine.

_Ren._ You dare not do't.

_Jaf._ You lie, sir.

_Ren._ How!

_Jaf._ No more,
'Tis a base world, and must reform, that's all.

_Enter Spinosa, Theodore, Elliott, Revillido, Durand,
Bramveil, and the rest of the Conspirators._

_Ren._ Spinosa! Theodore!

_Spin._ The same.

_Ren._ You are welcome.

_Spin._ You are trembling, sir.

_Ren._ 'Tis a cold night, indeed, and I am aged;
Full of decay and natural infirmities:

_Re-enter Pierre._

We shall be warm, my friends, I hope, to-morrow.

_Pier._ 'Twas not well done; thou shouldst have strok'd him,
And not have gall'd him.

_Jaf._ Damn him, let him chew on't.
Heav'n! where am I? beset with cursed fiends,
That wait to damn me! What a devil's man,
When he forgets his nature----hush, my heart.

_Ren._ My friends, 'tis late; are we assembled all?
To-morrow's rising sun must see you all
Deck'd in your honours. Are the soldiers ready?

_Pier._ All, all.

_Ren._ You, Durand, with your thousand, must possess
St. Mark's; you, captain, know your charge already,
'Tis to secure the ducal palace.
Be all this done with the least tumult possible,
'Till in each place you post sufficient guards;
Then sheathe your swords in every breast you meet.

_Jaf._ Oh! reverend cruelty! damn'd bloody villain!

_Ren._ During this execution, Durand, you
Must in the midst keep your battalia fast;
And, Theodore, be sure to plant the cannon
That they may command the streets;
This done, we'll give the general alarm,
Apply petards, and force the ars'nal gates;
Then fire the city round in several places,
Or with our cannon (if it dare resist)
Batter to ruin. But above all I charge you,
Shed blood enough; spare neither sex nor age,
Name nor condition; if there live a senator
After to-morrow, though the dullest rogue
That e'er said nothing, we have lost our ends.
If possible, let's kill the very name
Of senator, and bury it in blood.

_Jaf._ Merciless, horrid slave! Ay, blood enough!
Shed blood enough, old Renault! how thou charm'st me!

_Ren._ But one thing more, and