Ozmyn the first squadrons led Which ten by ten like Parthyans charg'd and fled The Ground was strow'd with Canes where we did meet Which crackled underneath our Coursers feet When Tarifa I saw him ride apart Chang'd his blunt Cane for a steel pointed Dart And meeting Ozmyn next Who wanted time for Treason to provide He basely threw it at him undefy'd Ozmyn showing his arm Witness this blood which when by Treason sought That follow'd Sir which to my self I ought Zulema His hate to thee was grounded on a grudge Which all our generous Zegrys just did judge Thy villain blood thou openly didst place Above the purple of our Kingly race Boabd From equal Stems their blood both houses draw They from Marocco you from Cordova Hamet Their mungril race is mixt with Christian breed Hence 't is that they those Dogs in prisons feed Abdel. Our holy Prophet wills that Charity Shoud ev'n to birds and beasts extended be None knows what fate is for himself design'd The thought of humane Chance should make us kind Gomel We waste that time we to revenge shou'd give Fall on let no Aboncerrago live Advancing before the rest of his Party Almanzor advancing on the other side and describing a line with his sword Upon thy life pass-not this middle space Sure Death stands guarding the forbidden place Gomel To dare that death I will approach yet nigher Thus wer 't thou compass'd in with circling fire They fight Boab. Disarm 'em both if they resist you kill Almanzor in the midst of the Guards kills Gomel and then is disarmed Almanz. Now you have but the Leavings of my will Boab. Kill him this insolent Unknown shall fall And be the Victime to attone you all Ozmyn If he must die not one of us will live That life he gave for us for him we give Boab. It was a Traytors voice that spoke those words So are you all who do not sheath your swords Zulema Outrage unpunish'd when a Prince is by Forfeits to scorn the rights of Majesty No Subject his Protection can expect Who what he ows himself does first neglect Abenamar This stranger Sir is he Who lately in the Vivarambla place Did with so loud applause your Triumphs grace Boab. The word which I have giv'n I le not revoke If he be brave he 's ready for the stroke Almanz. No man has more contempt than I of breath But whence hast thou the right to give me death Obey'd as Soveraign by thy Subjects be But know that I alone am King of me I am as free as Nature first made man ' Ere the base Laws of Servitude began When wild in woods the noble Savage ran Boab. Since then no pow'r above your own you know Mankind shou'd use you like a common foe You shou'd be hunted like a Beast of Prey By your own law I take your life away Almanz. My laws are made but only for my sake No King against himself a Law can make If thou pretendst to be a Prince like me Blame not an Act which should thy Pattern be I saw th' opprest and thought it did belong To a King's office to redress the wrong I brought that Succour which thou oughtst to bring And so in Nature am thy Subjects King Boab. I do not want your Councel to direct Or aid to help me punish or protect Almanz. Thou wantst 'em both or better thou wouldst know Then to let Factions in thy Kingdom grow Divided int'rests while thou thinkst to sway Draw like two brooks thy middle stream away For though they band and jar yet both combine To make their greatness by the fall of thine Thus like a buckler thou art held in sight While they behind thee with each other fight Boab. Away and execute him instantly To his Guards Almanz. Stand off I have not leisure yet to dye To them Abdalla hastily Abdella Hold Sir for Heav'n sake hold Defer this noble Strangers punishment Or your rash orders you will soon repent Boab. Brother you know not yet his insolence Abdal Upon yourself you punish his offence If we treat gallant Strangers in this sort Mankind will shun th' inhospitable Court. And who henceforth to our defence will come If death must be the brave Almanzors doom From Africa I drew him to your ayd And for his succour have his life betray'd Boab. Is this th' Almanzor whom at Fez you knew When first their swords the Xeriff Brothers drew Abdalla This Sir is he who for the Elder fought And to the juster cause the Conquest brought Till the proud Santo seated in the Throne Disdain'd the service he had done to own Then to the vanquish'd part his fate he led The vanquish'd triumph'd and the Victor fled Vast is his Courage boundless is his mind Rough as a storm and humorous as wind Honour 's the onely Idol of his Eyes The charms of Beauty like a pest he flies And rais'd by Valour from a birth unknwn Acknowledges no pow'r above his own Boabdelin coming to Almanzor Impute your danger to our ignorance The bravest men are subject most to chance Granada much does to your kindness owe But Towns expecting Sieges cannot show More honour then t' invite you to a foe Almanzor I do not doubt but I have been too blame But to pursue the end for which I came Unite your Subjects first then let us goe And poure their common rage upon the foe Boab. to the Factions Lay down your Arms and let me beg you cease Your Enmities Zulema We will not hear of peace Till we by force have first reveng'd our slain Abdel. The Action we have done we will maintain Selin Then let the King depart and we will try Our cause by armes Zul For us and Victory Boab. A King intreats you Almanz. What Subjects will precarious Kings regard A Begger speaks too softly to be heard Lay down your Armes 't is I command you now Do it or by our Prophets soul I vow My hands shall right your King on him I seize Now let me see whose look but disobeys Omnes Long live King Mahomet Boabdelin Alman No more bu husht'd as midnight silence go He will not have your Acclamations now Hence you unthinking Crowd The common people go off on both parties Empire thou poor and despicable thing When such as these unmake or make a King Abdalla How much of vertue lies in one great Soul embracing him Whose single force can multitudes controll A trumpet within Enter a Messenger Messen. The Duke of Arcos Sir Does with a trumpet from the Foe appear Boab. Attend him he shall have his Audience here Enter the Duke of Arcos Arcos The Monarchs of Castile and Arragon Have sent me to you to demand this Town To which their just and rightful claim is known Boab. Tell Ferdinand my right to it appears By long possession of eight hundred years When first my Ancestors from Affrique sail'd In Rodrigues death your Gothique title fail'd Arcos The Successours of Rodrique still
last request Since pity dwells in every Royal Brest Safe in your care her Life and Honour be It is a dying Lovers Legacy Benz. Cease Ozmyn cease so vain a sute to move I did not give you on those terms my Love Leave Me the care of Me for when you go My Love will soon instruct me what to do Qu. Isa Permit me Sir these Lovers doom to give My Sentence is they shall together live The Courts of Kings To all Distress'd shou'd Sanctuaries be But most to Lovers in Adversity Castille and Arragon Which long against each other War did move My plighted Lord and I have joyn'd by love And if to add this Conquest Heav'n thinks good I would not have it stain'd with Lovers blood Ferd. Whatever Isabella shall Command Shall always be a Law to Ferdinand Benz. The frowns of Fate we will no longer fear Ill Fate Great Queen can never find us here Isab. Your thanks some other time I will receive Henceforward safe in my Protection live Granada is for Noble Loves renown'd Her best defence is in her Lovers found Love's a Heroique Passion which can find No room in any base degenerate mind It kindles all the Soul with Honours Fire To make the Lover worthy his desire Against such Heroes I success should fear Had we not too an Hoast of Lovers here An Army of bright Beauties come with me Each Lady shall her Servants actions see The Fair and Brave on each side shall contest And they shall overcome who love the best Exeunt omnes SCENE II. The Alhambra Zulema solus True they have pardon'd me but do they know What folly 't is to trust a pardon'd Foe A Blush remains in a forgiven Face It wears the silent Tokens of Disgrace Forgiveness to the Injur'd does belong But they ne'r pardon who have done the wrong My hopeful Fortune 's lost and what 's above All I can name or think my ruin'd Love Feign'd Honesty shall work me into Trust And seeming Penitence conceal my Lust. Let Heav'ns great Eye of Providence now take One day of rest and ever after wake Enter King Boabdelin Abenamar and Guards Boab. Losses on Losses as if Heav'n decreed Almanzors valour should alone succeed Aben. Each Sally we have made since he is gone Serves but to pull our speedy ruine on Boab. Of all Mankind the heaviest Fate he bears Who the last Crown of sinking Empire wears No kindly Planet of his Birth took care Heav'ns Out-cast and the Dross of every Starr A tumultuous noise within Enter Abdelmelech What new misfortune do these Cries presage Abdel. They are th' effects of the mad Peoples rage All in despair tumultuously thy swarm The farthest Streets already take th' Alarm The needy creep from Cellars under-ground To them new Cries from tops of Garrets sound The aged from the Chimneys seek the cold And Wives from Windows helpless Infants hold Boab. See what the many-headed Beast demands Exit Abdelmelech Curst is that King whose Honour 's in their hands In Senates either they too slowly grant Or saucily refuse to aid my want And when their Thrift has ruin'd me in Warr They call their Insolence my want of Care Aben. Curst be their Leaders who that Rage foment And vail with publick good their discontent They keep the Peoples Purses in their hands And Hector Kings to grant their wild demands But to each Lure a Court throws out descend And prey on those they promis'd to defend Zul Those Kings who to their wild demands consent Teach others the same way to discontent Freedom in Subjects is not nor can be But still to please 'em we must call 'em free Propriety which they their Idoll make Or Law or Law 's Interpreters can shake Aben. The name of Common-wealth is popular But there the People their own Tyrants are Boab. But Kings who rule with limited Command Have Players Scepters put into their Hand Pow'r has no ballance one side still weighs down And either hoysts the Common-wealth or Crown And those who think to set the Skale more right By various turnings but disturb the weight Aben. While People tugg for Freedom Kings for Pow'r Both sink beneath some foreign Conquerour Then Subjects find too late they were unjust And want that pow'r of Kings they durst not trust To them Abdelmelech Abdel. The Tumult now is high and dangerous grown The People talk of rendring up the Town And swear that they will force the Kings consent K. Boab. What Councel can this rising storm prevent Abdel. Their fright to no Perswasions will give ear There 's a deaf madness in a Peoples fear Enter a Messenger Mess. Their fury now a middle course does take To yield the Town or call Almanzor back Boab. I le rather call my death Go and bring up my Guards to my defence I le punish this outragious Insolence Aben. Since blind opinion does their reason sway You must submit to cure 'em their own way You to their Fancies Physick must apply Give them that Chief on whom they most relye Under Almanzor prosperously they fought Almanzor therefore must with Pray'rs be brought Enter a Second Messenger Sec. Mess. Haste all you can their fury to asswage You are not safe from their rebellious rage Enter a Third Messenger Third Mes. This Minute if you grant not their desire They 'll seize your Person and your Palace Fire Abdel. Your danger Sir admits of no delay Boab. In tumults People Reign and Kings obey Go and appease 'em with the vow I make That they shall have their lov'd Almanzor back Exit Abdelmelech Almanzor has th' Ascendant o're my Fate I 'me forc'd to stoop to one I fear and hate Disgrac'd distrest in exile and alone He 's greater then a Monarch on his Throne Without a Realm a Royalty he gains Kings are the Subjects over whom he Raigns A shout of Acclamation's within Aben. These shouts proclaim the people satisfy'd Boab. We for another Tempest must provide To promise his return as I was loath So I want pow'r now to perform my oath E're this for Affricque he is sail'd from Spain Aben. The adverse winds his passage yet detain I heard last night his equipage did stay At a small Village short of Malaga K. Boab. Abenamar this ev'ning thither haste Desire him to forget his usage past Use all your Rhet'rique Promise Flatter Pray To them Qu. Almahide attended Aben. Good Fortune shows you yet a surer way Nor Pray'rs nor Promises his mind will move 'T is inaccessible to all but Love K. Boab. Oh thou hast rows'd a thought within my brest That will for ever rob me of my rest Ah Jealousie how cruel is thy sting I in Almanzor a lov'd Rival bring And now I think it is an equal strife If I my Crown should hazard or my Wife Where Marriage is thy cure which Husbands boast That in possession their desire is lost Or why have I alone that wretched taste Which gorg'd and glutted does with hunger last Custome
come after him we are bound with all veneration to his memory to acknowledge what advantage we receiv'd from that excellent ground-work which he laid and since it is an easy thing to add to what already is invented we ought all of us without envy to him or partiality to our selves to yield him the precedence in it Having done him this justice as my guide I may do my self so much as to give an account of what I have perform'd after him I observ'd then as I said what was wanting to the perfection of his Siege of Rhodes which was design and variety of Characters And in the midst of this consideration by meer accident I open'd the next Book that lay by me which was an Ariosto in Italian and the very first two lines of that Poem gave me light to all I could desire Le Donne I Cavalier L' arme gli amori Le Cortesie l' audace imprese jo canto c. for the very next reflection which I made was this That an Heroick Play ought to be an imitation in little of an Heroick Poem and consequently that Love and Valour ought to be the Subject of it Both these Sir William D' Avenant had begun to shadow but it was so as first Discoverers draw their Maps with headlands and Promontories and some few out-lines of somewhat taken at a distance and which the designer saw not clearly The common Drama oblig'd him to a Plot well-form'd and pleasant or as the Antients call'd it one entire and great Action but this he afforded not himself in a story which he neither fill'd with Persons nor beautified with Characters nor varied with Accidents The Laws of an Heroick Poem did not dispence with those of the other but rais'd them to a greater height and indulg'd him a farther liberty of Fancy and of drawing all things as far above the ordinary proportion of the Stage as that is beyond the common words and actions of humane life and therefore in the scanting of his Images and design he comply'd not enough with the greatness and Majesty of an Heroick Poem I am sorry I cannot discover my opinion of this kind of writing without dissenting much from his whose memory I love and honour But I will do it with the same respect to him as if he were now alive and overlooking my Paper while I write his judgment of an Heroick Poem was this That it ought to be dress'd in a more familiar and easy shape more fitted to the common actions and passions of humane life and in short more like a glass of Nature showing us our selves in our ordinary habits and figuring a more practicable vertue to us then was done by the Antients or Moderns thus he takes the Image of an Heroick Poem from the Drama or stage Poetry and accordingly intended to divide it into five Books representing the same number of Acts and every Book into several Canto's imitating the Scenes which compose our Acts. But this I think is rather Play in Narration as I may call it than an Heroick Poem If at least you will not prefer the opinion of a single man to the practice of the most excellent Authors both of Antient and latter ages I am no admirer of Quotations but you shall hear if you please one of the Ancients delivering his judgment on this question 't is Petronius Arbiter the most elegant and one of the most judicious Authors of the Latine tongue who after he had given many admirable rules for the structure and beauties of an Epick Poem concludes all in these following words Non enim res gestae versibus comprehendae sunt quod longè melius Historici faciunt sed perambages Deorumque ministeria praecipitandus est liber Spiritus ut potius furentis animi vaticinatio appareat quam religiosae orationis sub testibus fides In which sentence and in his own Essay of a Poem which immediately he gives you it is thought he taxes Lucan who follow'd too much the truth of history crowded Sentences together was too full of points and too often offer'd at somewhat which had more of the sting of an Epigram than of the dignity and state of an Heroick Poem Lucan us'd not much the help of his heathen Deities there was neither the ministry of the Gods nor the precipitation of the Soul nor the fury of a Prophet of which my Author speaks in his Pharsalia he treats you more like a Philosopher than a Poet and instructs you in verse with what he had been taught by his Vncle Seneca in Prose In one word he walks soberly a foot when he might fly Yet Lucan is not alwayes this Religious historian the Oracle of Appius and the witchcraft of Erictho will somewhat attone for him who was indeed bound up by an ill-chosen and known argument to follow truth with great exactness For my part I am of opinion that neither Homer Virgil Statius Ariosto Tasso nor our English Spencer could have form'd their Poems half so beautiful without those Gods and Spirits and those Enthusiastick parts of Poetry which compose the most noble parts of all their writings and I will ask any man who loves Heroick Poetry for I will not dispute their tastes who do not if the Ghost of Polydorus in Virgil the Enchanted wood in Tasso and the Bower of bliss in Spencer which he borrows from that admirable Italian could have been omitted without taking from their works some of the greatest beauties in them and if any man object the improbabilities of a spirit appearing or of a Palace rais'd by Magick I boldly answer him that an Heroick Poet is not ty'd to a bare representation of what is true or exceeding probable but that he may let himself loose to visionary objects and to the representation of such things as depending not on sence and therefore not to be comprehended by knowledge may give him a freer scope for imagination 'T is enough that in all ages and Religions the greatest part of mankind have believ'd the power of Magick and that there are Spirits or Spectres which have appear'd This I say is foundation enough for Poetry and I dare farther affirm that the whole Doctrine of separated beings whether those Spirits are incorporeal substances which Mr. Hobbs with some reason thinks to imply a contradiction or that they are a thinner and more Aerial sort of bodies as some of the Fathers have conjectur'd may better be explicated by Poets than by Philosophers or Divines For their speculations on this subject are wholy Poetical they have onely their fancy for their guide and that being sharper in an excellent Poet than it is likely it should in a phlegmatick heavy gown-man will see farther in its own Empire and produce more satisfactory notions on those dark and doubtful Problems Some men think they have rais'd a great argument against the use of Spectres and Magique in Heroique Poetry by saying They are unnatural but whether they or I believe
Lind. I fear your feign'd Repentance comes too late I dye to see you still thus obstinate But yet in Death my truth of Love to show Lead me if I have strength enough I 'le goe Abdel. By Heav'n you shall not goe I will not be O'recome in Love or Generosity All I desire to end th' unlucky strife Is but a Vow that you will be my Wife Lind. To tie me to you by a Vow is hard It show's my Love you as no Tie regard Name any thing but that and I 'le agree Abdel. Swear then you never will my Rival's be Lind. Nay prithee this is harder then before Name any thing good Dear but that thing more Abdel. Now I too late perceive I am undone Living and seeing to my Death I run I know you false yet in your Snares I fall You grant me nothing and I grant you all Lind. I would grant all but I must curb my will Because I love to keep you jealous still In your Suspicion I your Passion find But I will take a time to cure your mind Halyma Oh Madam the new King is drawing neer Lind. Hast quickly hence least he should find you here Abdel. How much more wretched then I came I goe I more my Weakness and your Falshood know And now must leave you with my greatest Foe Exit Abdelmelech Lynd. Go how I love thee Heav'n can onely tell And yet I love thee for a Subject well Yet whatsoever Charms a Crown can bring A Subject's greater then a little King I will attend till Time this Throne secure And when I climb my footing shall be sure Musique without Musique and I believe addrest to me SONG 1. WHerever I am and whatever I doe My Phillis is still in my mind When angry I mean not to Phillis to goe My Feet of themselves the way find Vnknown to my self I am just at her door And when I would raile I can bring out no more Than Phillis too fair and unkind 2. VVhen Phillis I see my Heart bounds in my Breast And the Love I would stifle is shown But asleep or awake I am never at rest When from my Eyes Phillis is gone Sometimes a sad Dream does delude my sad mind But alas when I wake and no Phillis I find How I sigh to my self all alone 3. Should a King be my Rival in her I adore He should offer his Treasure in vain O let me alone to be happy and poor And give me my Phillis again Let Phillis be mine and but ever be kind I could to a Desart with her be confin'd And envy no Monarch his Raign 4. Alas I discover too much of my Love And she too well knows her own power She makes me each day a new Martyrdom prove And makes me grow jealous each hour But let her each minute torment my poor mind I had rather love Phillis both False and Vnkind Then ever be freed from her Pow'r Abdalla enters with Guards Abdal Now Madam at your Feet a King you see Or rather if you please a Scepter'd Slave 'T is just you should possess the pow'r you gave Had Love not made me yours I yet had bin But the first Subject to Boabdelin Thus Heav'n declares the Crown I bring your due And had forgot my Title but for you Lynd. Heav'n to your Merits will I hope be kind But Sir it has not yet declar'd its mind 'T is true it holds the Crown above your Head But does not fix it till your Brother's dead Abdal All but th' Alhambra is within my pow'r And that my forces goe to take this hour Lynd. When with its Keys your Brothers Head you bring I shall believe you are indeed a King Abdal But since th' events of all things doubtful are And of Events most doubtful those of Warre I beg to know before if Fortune frown Must I then loose your Favour with my Crown Lynd. You 'll soon return a Conquerour again And therefore Sir your question is in vain Abdall I think to certain Victory I move But you may more assure it by your Love That grant will make my arms invincible Lynd. My pray'rs and wishes your success foretell Go then and fight and think you fight for me I wait but to reward your Victory Abdal But if I loose it must I loose you too Lynd. You are too curious if you more would know I know not what my future thoughts will be Poor womens thoughts are all Extempore Wise men indeed Before hand a long chain of thoughts produce But ours are onely for our present use Abdal Those thoughts you will not know too well declare You mean to waite the final doom of Warr. Lynd. I finde you come to quarrel with me now Would you know more of me then I allow Whence are you grown that great Divinity That with such ease into my thoughts can pry Indulgence does not with some tempers sute I see I must become more absolute Abdalla I must submit On what hard terms so e're my peace be bought Lynd. Submit you speak as you were not in fault 'T is evident the injury is mine For why should you my secret thoughts divine Abdal Yet if we might be judg'd by Reasons Laws Lynd. Then you would have your reason judge my cause Either confess your fault or hold your tongue For I am sure I 'm never in the wrong Abdalla Then I acknowledge it Lynd. Then I forgive Abdall Under how hard a Law poor Lovers live Who like the vanquish'd must their right release And with the loss of reason buy their peace aside Madam to show that you my pow'r command I put my life and safety in your hand Dispose of the Albayzin as you please To your fair hands I here resign the keyes Lyn. I'take your gift because your love it shows And faithful Selin for Alcalde choose Abdall Selin from her alone your Orders take This one request yet Madam let me make That from those turrets you th' assault will see And Crown once more my arms with Victorie Leads her out Selin remaines with Gazul and Reduan his Servants Selin Gazul go tell my daughter that I waite You Reduan bring the Pris'ner to his fate Exeunt Gazul and Reduan ' Ere of my charge I will possession take A bloody sacrifice I mean to make The Manes of my son shall smile this day While I in blood my Vows of Vengeance pay Enter at one door Benzayda with Gazul at the other Ozmyn bound with Reduan Selyn I sent Benzaida to glad your eies These rites we owe your brothers Obsequies To Gazul and Reduan You two th' accurst Abencerrago bind You need no more t' instruct you in my mind They bind him to one corner of the Stage Benz. In what sad Object am I call'd to share Tell me what is it Sir you here prepare Selin 'T is what your dying brother did bequeath A Scene of Vengeance and a Pomp of death Benz. The horrid Spectacle my Soul does fright