Rod. His Crime, my Lords, is Death, by all our Laws.
Card. Have you betray’d me by my too much Faith?
Oh shameless Creature, am I disarm’d for this?
Had I but so much Ease to be inrag’d,
Sure I shou’d kill thee for this Treachery:
But I’m all Shame, and Grief—By all that’s holy,
My Lords, I never did commit this Crime.
Abd. ‘Tis but in vain, Prince Cardinal, to deny it.
Qu. Do not believe him, Lords;— Revenge—let Sentence pass upon the Traitor.
Card. I own that Name with Horror, which you drew me to,
When I betray’d the best of Men, and Princes;
And ‘tis but just you fit me for Despairs,
That may instruct me how to follow him in Death:
Yet as I’m Prince o’th’ Blood, and Cardinal too,
You cannot be my Judges.
Abd. You shall be try’d, Sir, as becomes your Quality. Osmin, we commit the Cardinal to your Charge.
Card. Heaven! should I live to that! No, I have within me a private Shame, That shall secure me from the publick one.
Alon. A pretty turn of State!—we shall all follow, Sir.
Card. The Powers above are just: Thus I my Prince a Sacrifice first made, And now my self am on the Altar laid. [Ex. Card, guarded.
Abd. Madam, retire, you’ve acted so divinely,
You’ve fill’d my Soul with new admiring Passion:
I’ll wait on you in your Apartment instantly,
And at your Feet pay all my Thanks, and Love.