Though not thy fort thy person shall be mine He goes to take her she runs and cries help Enter Abdalla Arcos Spaniards Abdelmelech retreats fighting and is pursued by the adverse party off the Stage An Alarm within Enter again Abdalla and the Duke of Arcos with Lyndaraxa Arcos Bold Abdelmelech twice our Spaniards fac'd Though much outnumbred and retreated last Abdalla to Lyndar Your Beauty as it moves no common fire So it no common courage can inspire As he fought well so had he prosper'd too If Madam he like me had fought for you Lind. Fortune at last has chosen with my eies And where I would have giv'n it plac'd the prize You see Sir with what hardship I have kept This precious gage which in my hands you left But I was the love of you which made me fight And gave me Courage to maintain your right Now by Experience you my faith may find And are to thank me that I seem'd unkind When your malicious fortune doom'd your fall My care restrain'd you then from loosing all Against your destiny I shut the Gate And Gather'd up the Shipwracks of your fate I like a friend did ev'n your self withstand From throwing all upon a loosing hand Abdal My love makes all your Acts unquestion'd go And sets a Soveraign stamp on all you doe Your Love I will believe with hoodwink'd eyes In faith much merit in much blindness lies But now to make you great as you are fair The Spaniards an Imperial Crown prepare Lin. That gift's more welcome which with you I share Let us no time in fruitless courtship loose But sally out upon our frighted Foes No Ornaments of pow'r so please my eies As purple which the blood of Princes dies Exeunt He leading her SCENE The Alhambra Boabdelin Abenamar Almahide Guards c. The Queen wearing a Scarfe Abenamar My little journey has successfull been The fierce Almanzor will obey the Queen I found him like Achilles on the shore Pensive complaining much but threatning more And like that injur'd Greek he heard our woes Which while I told a gloomy smile arose From his bent brows and still the more he heard A more severe and sullen joy appear'd But when he knew we to despair were driv'n Betwixt his teeth he mutter'd thanks to Heav'n Boab. How I disdain this aid which I must take No for my own but Almahida's sake Aben. But when he heard it was the Queen who sent That her command repeal'd his banishment He took the summons with a greedy joy And ask'd me how she would his sword employ Then bid me say her humblest slave would come From her fair mouth with joy to take his doom Boab. Oh that I had not sent you though it cost My Crown though I and it and all were lost Aben. While I to bring this news came on before I met with Selin Boab. I can hear no more Enter Hamet Hamet Almanzor is already at the gate And throngs of people on his entrance wait Boab. Thy news does all my faculties surprize He bears two Basilisks in those fierce eyes And that tame Demon which should guard my throne Shrinks at a Genius greater than his own Exit Boabdelin with Aben. and Guards Enter Almanzor seing Almahide approach him he speaks Alman So Venus moves when to the thunderer In smiles or tears she would some sute prefer When with her Cestos girt And drawn by Doves she cuts the liquid skies And kindles gentle fires where ' ere she flies To every eye a Goddess is confest By all the Heav'nly Nation she is blest And each with secret joy admits her to his brest To her bowing Madam your new Commands I come to know If yet you can have any where I goe If to the Regions of the dead they be You take the speediest course to send by me Almah Heav'n has not destin'd you so soon to rest Heroes must live to succour the distrest Almanz. To serve such beauty all mankind should live And in our service our reward you give But stay me not in torture to behold And ne're enjoy as from anothers gold The Miser hastens in his own defence And shuns the sight of tempting excellence So having seen you once so killing fair A second sight were but to move despair I take my eies from what too much would please As men in feavors famish their disease Almah No you may find your Cure an easier way If you are pleas'd to seek it in your stay All objects loose by too familiar view When that great charm is gone of being new By often seeing me you soon will find Defects so many in my face and mind That to be free'd from Love you need not doubt And as you look'd it in you 'll look it out Almanz. I rather like weak armies should retreat And so prevent my more entire defeat For your own sake in quiet let me goe Press not too far on a despairing foe I may turn back and arm'd against you move With all the furious trayn of hopeless love Almah Your honour cannot to ill thoughts give way And mine can run no hazard by your stay Almanz. Do you then think I can with patience see That sov'raign good possest and not by me No I all day shall languish at the sight And rave on what I do not see all night My quick imagination will present The Scenes and Images of your Content When to my envy'd Rival you dispence Joyes too unruly and too fierce for sence Almahide These are the day-dreams which wild fancy yields Empty as shaddows are that fly o're fields O whether would this boundless fancy move 'T is but the raging Calenture of Love Like the distracted Passenger you stand And see in Seas imaginary Land Cool Groves and Flow'rs Meads and while you think To walk plunge in and wonder that you sink Alman Love's Calenture too well I understand But sure your Beauty is no Fairy Land Of your own Form a Judge you cannot be For Glow-worm-like you shine and do not see Almah Can you think this and would you go away Alman What recompence attends me if I stay Almah You know I am from recompence debarr'd But I will grant you merit a reward Your Flame 's too noble to deserve a Cheat And I too plain to practice a Deceit I no return of Love can ever make But what I ask is for my Husband's sake He I confess has been ungrateful too But he and I are ruin'd if you goe Your Vertue to the hardest proof I bring Unbrib'd preserve a Mistress and a King Alman I 'le stop at nothing that appears so brave I 'le do 't and now I no Reward will have You 've given my Honour such an ample Field That I may dye but that shall never yield Spight of my self I 'le Stay Fight Love Despair And I can do all this because I dare Yet I may own one suit That Scarfe which since by you it has been born Is Blest
like Relicks which by Saints were worn Almah Presents like this my Vertue durst not make But that 't is giv'n you for my Husbands sake Gives the Scarfe Alman This Scarfe to Honourable Raggs I 'le wear As conqu'ring Soldiers tatter'd Ensigns bear But oh how much my Fortune I despise Which gives me Conquest while she Love denies Exeunt ACT. III. SCENE The Alhambra Almahide Esperanza Espe AFFected Modesty has much of Pride That scarfe he begg'd you could not have deny'd Nor does it shock the Vertue of a Wife When giv'n that man to whom you owe your life Almah Heav'n knows from all intent of ill 't was free Yet it may feed my Husbands jealousie And for that cause I wish it were not done To them Boabdelin and walks apart See where he comes all pensive and alone A gloomy Fury has o're-spread his Face 'T is so and all my Fears are come to pass Boabdelin aside Marriage thou curse of Love and snare of Life That first debas'd a Mistress to a Wife Love like a Scene at distance should appear But Marriage views the gross-daub'd Landschape neer Loves nauseous cure thou cloyst whom thou shoudst pleas And when thou cur'st then thou art the disease When Hearts are loose thy Chain our bodies tyes Love couples Friends but Marriage Enemies If Love like mine continues after thee 'T is soon made sowr and turn'd by Jealousie No sign of Love in jealous Men remains But that which sick men have of life their pains Almahide walking to him Has my dear Lord some new affliction had Have I done any thing that makes him sad Boab. You nothing You but let me walk alone Almah I will not leave you till the cause be known My knowledge of the ill may bring relief Boab. Thank ye You never faile to cure my grief Trouble me not my grief concerns not you Almah While I have life I will your steps pursue Boab. I 'me out of humour now you must not stay Almah I fear it is that Scarfe I gave away Boab. No 't is not that but speak of it no more Go hence I am not what I was before Almah Then I will make you so give me your hand Can you this pressing and these Tears withstand Boab sighing and going off from her O Heav'n were she but mine or mine alone Ah why are not the Hearts of Women known False Women to new joys unseen can move There are no prints left in the paths of Love All Goods besides by publick marks are known But what we most desire to keep has none Almah approaching him Why will you in your Brest your passion croud Like unborn Thunder rowling in a Cloud Torment not your poor Heart but set it free And rather let its fury break on me I am not married to a God I know Men must have Passions and can bear from you I fear th' unlucky Present I have made Boab. O pow'r of Guilt how Conscience can upbraid It forces her not onely to reveal But to repeat what she would most conceal Almah Can such a toy and giv'n in publick too Boab. False Woman you contriv'd it should be so That publick Gift in private was design'd The Embleme of the Love you meant to bind Hence from my sight ungrateful as thou art And when I can I 'le banish thee my heart she weeps To them Almanzor wearing the scarfe he sees her weep Almanz. What precious drops are those Which silently each others track pursue Bright as young Diamonds in their infant dew Your lustre you should free from tears maintain Like Egypt rich without the help of rain Now curst be he who gave this cause of grief And double curst who does not give relief Almah Our common fears and publick miseries Have drawn these tears from my afflicted eies Alman Madam I cannot easily believe It is for any publick cause you grieve On your fair face the marks of sorrow lie But I read fury in your Husbands eye And in that passion I too plainly find That you 'r unhappy and that he 's unkind Almah Not new-made Mothers greater love express Than he when with first looks their babes they bless Not Heav'n is more to dying Martyrs Kind Nor guardian Angels to their charge asign'd Boab. O goodness counterfeited to the life O the well acted vertue of a wife Would you with this my just suspitions blind You 've given me great occasion to be kind The marks too of your spotless love appear Witness the badge of my dishonor there Pointing to Almonzor's scarfe Almanz. Unworthy owner of a gemme so rare Heav'ns why must he possess and I despair Why is this Miser doom'd to all this store He who has all and yet believes he 's poor Almah to Almanz. You 'r much too bold to blame a jealousy So kind in him and so desir'd by me The faith of wives would unrewarded prove Without those just observers of our love The greater care the higher passion shows We hold that dearest we most fear to loose Distrust in Lovers is too warm a Sun But yet 't is Night in Love when that is gone And in those Clymes which most his scorching know He makes the noblest fruits and Metals grow Alman Yes there are mines of Treasure in your brest Seen by that jealous Sun but not possest He like a dev'l among the blest above Can take no pleasure in your Heaven of love Go take her and thy causless fears remove To the K. Love her so well that I with rage may dy Dull husbands have no right to jealousie If that 's allow'd it must in Lovers be Boab. The succor which thou bring'st me makes thee bold But know without thy ayd my Crown I 'le hold Or if I cannot I will fire the place Of a full City make a naked space Hence then and from a Rival set me free I 'le do I 'le suffer any thing but thee Almanz. I wonnot goe I 'le not be forc'd away I came not for thy sake nor do I stay It was the Queen who for my ayd did send And 't is I only can the Queen defend I for her sake thy Scepter will maintain And thou by me in spight of thee shalt raign Boab. Had I but hope I could defend this place Three daies thou shoud'st not live to my disgrace So small a time Might I possess my Almahide alone I would live ages out'ere they were gone I should not be of love or life bereft All should be spent before and nothing left Almahide to Boabdelin As for your sake for Almanzor sent So when you please he goes to banishment You shall at last my Loyalty approve I will refuse no tryal of my love Boab. How can I think you love me while I see That trophee of a Rivals Victory I 'le tear it from his side Almanz. I 'le hold it fast As life and when life 's gone I 'le hold this last And if thou tak'st it after I am slain I 'le send my
mind And pardon her who does assurance want So much she blushes when she cannot grant Abdal Yes you may blush and you have cause to weep Is this the faith you promis'd me to keep Ah yet if to a Lover you will bring No succour give your succour to a King Lynd. A King is he whom nothing can withstand Who men and money can with ease command A King is he whom fortune still does bless He is a King who does a Crown possess If you would have me think that you are he Produce to view your marks of Soveraignty But if your self alone for proof you bring You 're but a single person not a King Abdal Ingrateful Maid did I for this rebel I say no more but I have lov'd too well Lynd. Who but your self did that Rebellion move Did I ' ere promise to receive your Love Is it my fault you are not fortunate I love a King but a poor Rebel hate Abdal VVho follow Fortune still are in the right But let me be protected here this night Lynd. The place to morrow will be circled round And then no way will for your flight be found Abdalla I hear my Enemies just coming on trampling within Protect me but one hour till they are gone Lind. They 'l know you have been here it cannot be That very hour you stay will ruine me For if the foe behold our Enterview I shall be thought a Rebel too like you Haste hence and that your flight may prosperous prove I 'le recommend you to the pow'rs above Exit Lyndaraxa from above Abdal She 's gone ah faithless and ingrateful maid I fear some tread and fear I am betrai'd I 'll to the Spanish King and try if he To count'nance his own right will succour me There is more faith in Christian Dogs than thee Exit Ozmyn Benzayds Abenamar Benz. I wish To merit all these thanks I could have said My pity onely did his vertue aid 'T was pity but 't was of a Lovesick Maid His manly suffering my esteem did move That bred Compassion and Compassion Love Ozmin O blessing sold me at too cheap a rate My danger was the benefit of fate To his father But that you may my fair deliverer know She was not only born our house's foe But to my death by pow'rful reasons led At least in justice she might wish me dead Aben. But why thus long do you her name conceale Ozmyn To gain belief for what I now reveal E'ven thus prepar'd you scarce can think it true The Saver of my life from Selin drew Her birth and was his Sister whom I slew Aben. No more it cannot was not must not be Upon my blessing say not it was she The daughter of the onely man I hate Two Contradictions twisted in a fate Ozmyn The mutual hate which you and Selin bore Does but exalt her generous pity more Could she a brothers death forgive to me And cannot you forget her family Can you so ill requite the life I owe To reckon her who gave it still your foe It lends too great a luster to her line To let her vertue ours so much out-shine Aben. Thou giv'st her line th' advantage which they have By meanly taking of the life they gave Grant that it did in her a pity show But would my Son be pity'd by a foe She has the glory of thy act defac'd Thou kild'st her brother but she triumphs last Poorly for us our Enmity would cease When we are beaten we receive a peace Benz. If that be all in which you disagree I must confess 't was Ozmyn conquer'd me Had I beheld him basely beg his life I should not now submit to be his wife But when I saw his courage death control I paid a secret homage to his Soul And thought my cruel father much too blame Since Ozmyn's vertue his revenge did shame Aben. What constancy canst thou ' ere hope to finde In that unstable and soon conquer'd mind What piety canst thou expect from her Who could forgive a Brothers Murderer Or what obedience hop'st thou to be pay'd From one who first her father disobey'd Ozmyn Nature that bids us Parents to obey Bids parents their commands by Reason weigh And you her vertue by your praise did own Before you knew by whom the act was done Aben. Your reasons speak too much of insolence Her birth 's a crime past pardon or defence Know that as Selin was not won by thee Neither will I by Selins daughter be Leave her or cease henceforth to be my Son This is my will and this I will have done Exit Abenamar Ozmyn It is a murdring will That whirls along with an impetuous sway And like chain-shot sweeps all things in its way He does my honour want of duty call To that and love he has no right at all Benz. No Ozmyn no it is much less ill To leave me than dispute a Fathers will If I had any title to your love Your fathers greater right does mine remove Your vows and faith I give you back agen Since neither can be kept without a sin Ozmyn Nothing but death my vows can give me back They are not yours to give nor mine to take Benz. Nay think not though I could your vows resign My love or vertue could dispence with mine I would extinguish your unlucky fire To make you happy in some new desire I can preserve enough for me and you And love and be unfortunate for two Ozmyn In all that 's good and great You vanquish me so fast that in the end I shall have nothing left me to defend From every Post you force me to remove But let me keep my last retrenchment Love Benz. Love then my Ozmyn I will be content giving her hand To make you wretched by your own consent Live poor despis'd and banish'd for my sake And all the burden of my sorrows take For as for me in what soe're estate While I have you I must be fortunate Ozmyn Thus then secur'd of what we hold most dear Each others love we 'll go I know not where For where alas should we our flight begin The foes without our parents are within Benz. I 'le fly to you and you shall fly to me Our flight but to each others armes shall be To providence and chance permit the rest Let us but love enough and we are blest Exeunt Enter Boabdelin Abenamar Abdelmelech Guard Zulema and Hamet prisoners Abdel. They 're Lindraxa's brothers for her sake Their lives and pardon my request I make Boab. Then Zulema and Hamet live but know Your lives to Abdelmelechs sute you owe. Zul The grace receiv'd so much my hope exceeds That words come weak and short to answer deeds You 've made a venture Sir and time must show If this great mercy you did well bestow Boabd You Abdelmelech haste before 't is night And close pursue my Brother in his flight Exeunt Abdelmelech Zulema Hamet Enter Almanzor Almahide and Esperanza But
a design Where so much Love and so much vertue joyn Ozmyn to her Then Conquer and your Conquest happy be Both to your self your Father and to me With bended knees our freedom we 'll demand Of Isabel and mighty Ferdinand Then while the paths of Honour we pursue We 'll int'rest Heav'n for us in right of you Exeunt SCENE The Albayzin An Alarm within then Soldiers running over the Stage Enter Abdelmelech victorious with Soldiers Abdel. 'T is won 't is won and Lyndaraxa now Who scorn'd to Treat shall to a Conquest bow To every sword I free Commission give Fall on my Friends and let no Rebel live Spare onely Lyndaraxa let her be In Triumph led to grace my Victory Since by her falshood she betray'd my Love Great as that falshood my Revenge shall prove Enter Lyndaraxa as affrighted attended by women Go take th' Enchantress bring her to me bound Lynd. Force needs not where resistance is not found I come my self to offer you my hands And of my own accord invite your bands I wish'd to be my Abdelmelechs Slave I did but wish and easie Fortune gave Abdel. O more then Woman false but 't is in vain Can you e're hope to be believ'd again I 'le sooner trust th' Hyaena than your smile Or than your Tears the weeping Crocodile In War and Love none should be twice deceivd The fault is mine if you are now believ'd Lynd. Be overwise thou and too late repent Your Crime will carry its own punishment I am well pleas'd not to be justify'd I owe no satisfaction to your pride It will be more advantage to my Fame To have it said I never own'd a Flame Abdel. 'T is true my pride has satisfy'd it self I have at length escap'd the deadly shelf Th' excuses you prepare will be in vain Till I am fool enough to love again Lynd. Am I not lov'd Abdel. I must with shame avow I lov'd you once but do not love you now Lynd. Have I for this betray'd Abdalla's Trust You are to me as I to him unjust Angrily Abdel. 'T is like you have done much for love of me Who kept the Fortress for my Enemy Lynd. 'T is true I took the Fottress from his hand But since have kept it in my own Command Abdel. That act your foul Ingratitude did show Lynd. You are th' ungrateful since 't was kept for you Abdel. 'T was kept indeed but not by your intent For all your kindness I may thank th' event Blush Lindaraxa for so grosse a cheat 'T was kept for me when you refus'd to Treat Ironically Lynd. Blind Man I knew the weakness of the place It was my plot to do your Arms this Grace Had not my care of your renown been great I lov'd enough to offer you to Treat She who is lov'd must little Let ts create But you bold Lovers are to force your Fate This force you us'd my Maiden blush will save You seem'd to take what secretly I gave I knew we must be Conquer'd but I knew What Confidence I might repose in you I knew you were too grateful to expose My Friends and Soldiers to be us'd like Foes Abdel. Well though I love you not their lives shall be Spar'd out of Pity and Humanity To a Soldier Alferez Goe and let the slaughter cease Lynd. Then must I to your pity owe my peace Exit the Alferez Is that the tender'st term you can afford Time was you wou'd have us'd another word Abdel. Then for your Beauty I your Soldiers spare For though I do not love you your are fair Lynd. That little Beauty why did Heav'n impart To please your Eyes but not to move your Heart I 'le shrowd this Gorgon from all humane view And own no Beauty since it charms not you Reverse your Orders and our Sentence give My Soldiers shall not from my Beauty live Abdel. Then from our Friendship they their lives shall gain Though love be dead yet friendship does remain Lynd. That friendship which from wither'd Love does shoot Like the faint Herbage of a Rock wants root Love is a tender Amity refin'd Grafted on friendship it exalts the kind But when the Graff no longer does remain The dull Stock lives but never bears again Abdel. Then that my Friendship may not doubtful prove Fool that I am to tell you so I love You would extort this knowledge from my Brest And tortur'd me so long that I confest Now I expect to suffer for my Sin My Monarchy must end and yours begin Lynd. Confess not Love but spare your self that shame And call your Passion by some other name Call this assault your Malice or your Hate Love owns no acts so disproportionate Love never taught this insolence you show Alferez To Treat your Mistriss like a conquer'd Foe Is this th' obedience which my Heart should move This usage looks more like a Rape than Love Abdel. What proof of Duty would you I should give Lynd. 'T is Grace enough to let my Subjects live Let your rude Souldiers keep possession still Spoil riflle pillage any thing but kill In short Sir use your fortune as you please Secure my Castle and my person seize Let your true men my Rebels hence remove I shall dream on and think 't is all your love Abdel. You know too well my weakness and your pow'r Why did Heav'n make a fool a Conquerour She was my slave till she by me was shown How weak my force was and how strong her own Now she has beat my pow'r from every part Made her way open to my naked heart To a Sold. Go strictly charge my Souldiers to retreat Those countermand who are not enter'd yet On peril of your lives leave all things free Exit Souldier Now Madam love Abdalla more than me I only ask in duty you would bring The keys of our Albazin to the King I 'le make your terms as gentle as you please Trumpets sound a charge within and Souldiers shout What shouts and what new sounds of war are these Lind. Fortune I hope has favour'd my intent aside Of gaining time and welcome succours sent Enter Alferez Alf. All 's lost and you are fatally deceiv'd The foe is enter'd and the place reliev'd Scarce from the walls had I drawn off my men When from their Camp the Enemy rush'd in And Prince Abdalla enter'd first the gate Abdel. I am betray'd and find it now too late to her When your proud Soul to flatt'ries did descend I might have known it did some ill portend The wary Seaman stormy weather fears When winds shift often and no cause appears You by my bounty live Your Brothers too were pardon'd for my sake And this return your gratitude does make Lind. My Brothers best their own obligements know Without your charging me with what they owe. But since you think th' obligement is so great I l'e bring a friend to satisfie my debt looking behind Abdel. Thou shalt not triumph in thy base design
see with Almahide The brave Almanzor comes whose conquering sword That Crown it once took from me has restor'd How can I recompence so great desert Almanz. I bring you Sir perform'd in every part My Promise made Your foes are fled or slain Without a Rival absolute you reign Yet though in justice this enough may be It is too little to be done by me I beg to goe Where my own Courage and your fortune calls To chase these Misbelievers from our Walls I cannot breath within this narrow space My heart 's too big and swells beyond the place Boab. You can perform brave warrior what you please Fate listens to your voice and then decrees Now I no longer fear the Spanish pow'rs Already we are free and Conquerours Almanz. Accept great King tomorrow from my hand The captive head of conquer'd Ferdinand You shall not only what you lost regain But 'ore the Byscayn Mountains to the Mayn Extend your sway where never Moor did reign Aben. What in another Vanity would seem Appears but noble Confidence in him No haughty boasting but a manly pride A Soul too fiery and too great to guide He moves excentrique like a wandring star Whose Motion 's just though 't is not regular Boab. It is for you brave Man and only you Greatly to speake and yet more greatly do But if your Benefits too far extend I must be left ungrateful in the end Yet somewhat I would pay Before my debts above all reck'ning grow To keep me from the shame of what I owe. But you Are conscious to your self of such desert That of your gift I fear to offer part Almanz. When I shall have declar'd my high request So much presumption there will be confest That you will find your gifts I do not shun But rather much o're-rate the service done Boab. Give wing to your desires and let 'em fly Secure they cannot mount a pitch too high So bless me Alha both in peace and war As I accord what ' ere your wishes are Almanz. putting one knee on the ground Emboldn'd by the promise of a Prince I ask this Lady now with Confidence Boab. You ask the onely thing I cannot grant The King and Aben. look amazedly on each other But as a stranger you are ignorant Of what by publick fame my Subjects know She is my Mistress Aben. And my daughter too Almanz. Believe old Man that I her father knew What else should make Almanzor kneel to you Nor doubt Sir but your right to her was known For had you had no claim but love alone I could produce a better of my own Almahide softly to him Almanzor you forget my last request Your words have too much haughtiness exprest Is this the humble way you were to move Almanzor to her I was too far transported by my love Forgive me for I had not learn'd to sue To any thing before but Heav'n and you Sir at your feet I make it my request To the King first line kneeling second rising and boldly Though without boasting I deserve her best For you her love with gaudy titles sought But I her heart with blood and dangers bought Boab. The blood which you have shed in her defence Shall have in time a fitting recompence Or if you think your services delai'd Name but your price and you shall soon be pai'd Alman My price why King you do not think you deal With one who sets his services to sale Reserve your gifts for those who gifts regard And know I think my self above reward Boab. Then sure you are some Godhead and our care Must be to come with Incence and with Pray'r Almanz. As little as you think your self oblig'd You would be glad to do 't when next besieg'd But I am pleas'd there should be nothing due For what I did was for my self not you Boab. You with contempt on meaner gifts look down And aiming at my Queen disdain my Crown That Crown restor'd deserves no recompence Since you would rob the fairest Jewel thence Dare not henceforth ungrateful me to call What ' ere Iow'd you this has cancell'd all Alman I 'll call thee thankless King and perjur'd both Thou swor'st by Alha and hast broke thy oath But thou dost well thou tak'st the cheapest way Not to own services thou canst not pay Boab. My patience more then payes thy service past But know this insolence shall be thy last Hence from my sight and take it as a grace Thou liv'st and art but banish'd from the place Almanz. Where ' ere I goe there can no exile be But from Almanzor's sight I banish thee I will not now if thou wouldst beg me stay But I will take my Almahide away Stay thou with all thy Subjects here but know We leave thy City empty when we go Takes Almahide's hand Boabdelin Fall on take kill the Traytour The Guards fall on him he makes at the King through the midst of them and falls upon him they disarm him and rescue the King Almanz. Base and poor Blush that thou art Almanzor's Conquerour Almahide wrings her hands then turns and veyles her face Farewell my Almahide Life of it self will goe now thou art gone Like flies in Winter when they loose the Sun Abenamar whispers the King a little then speaks alowd Aben. Revenge and taken so secure a way Are blessings which Heav'n sends not every day Boab. I will at leisure now revenge my wrong And Traytour thou shalt feel my vengeance long Thou shalt not dye just at thy own desire But see my Nuptials and with rage expire Alman Thou darst not marry her while I 'm in sight With a bent brow thy Priest and thee I 'le fright And in that Scene VVhich all thy hopes and wishes should content The thought of me shall make thee impotent He is led off by Guards Boabdel to Almahide As some fair tulip by a storm oppresr Shrinks up and folds its silken arms to rest And bending to the blast all pale and dead Hears from within the wind sing round its head So shrowded up your beauty disappears Unvail my Love and lay aside your fears The storm that caus'd your fright is past and done Almahide unveyling and looking round for Almanzor So flowr's peep out too soon and miss the Sun turning from him Boab. What myst'ry in this strange behaviour lies Almah Let me for ever hide these guilty eyes Which lighted my Almanzor to his tomb Or let 'em blaze to shew me there a room Boab. Heav'n lent their lustre for a Nobler end A thousaud torches must their light attend To lead you to a Temple and a Crown Why does my fairest Almahida frown Am I less pleasing then I was before Or is the insolent Almanzor more Almah I justly own that I some pity have Not for the Insolent but for the Brave Aben. Though to your King your duty you neglect Know Almahide I look for more respect And if a Parents charge your mind can move Receive the
blessing of a Monarch's love Almah Did he my freedome to his life prefer And shall I wed Almanzor's Murderer No Sir I cannot to your will submit Your way 's too rugged for my tender feet Aben. You must be driv'n where you refuse to go And taught by force your happiness to know Almahide smiling scornfully To force me Sir is much unworthy you And when you would impossible to do If force could bend me you might think with shame That I debas'd the blood from whence I came My soul is soft which you may gently lay In your loose palm but when t is prest to stay Like water it deludes your grasp and slips away Boab. I finde I must revoke what I decreed Almanzors death my Nuptials must precede Love is a Magick which the Lover tyes But charms still end when the Magician dyes Go let me hear my hated Rival's dead To his guards And to convince my eyes bring back his head Almah Go on I wish no other way to prove That I am worthy of Almanzor's love We will in death at least united be I 'le shew you I can dye as well as he Boab. What should I do when equally I dread Almanzor living and Almanzor dead Yet by your promise you are mine alone Almah How dare you claim my faith and break your own Aben. This for your vertue is a weak defence No second vows can with your first dispence Yet since the King did to Almanzor swear And in his death ingrateful may appear He ought in justice first to spare his life And then to claim your promise as his wife Almah What ' ere my secret inclinations be To this since honor ties me I agree Yet I declare and to the world will own That far from seeking I would shun the Throne And with Almanzor lead an humble life There is a private greatness in his wife Boab. That little love I have I hardly buy You give my Rival all while you deny Yet Almahide to let you see your pow'r Your lov'd Almanzor shall be free this hour You are obey'd but t is so great a grace That I could wish me in my Rivals place Exeunt King Abenamarâ— Almah How blest was I before this fatal day When all I knew of love was to obey 'T was life becalm'd without a gentle breath Though not so cold yet motionless as death A heavy quiet state but love all strife All rapid is the Hurrican of life Had love not shown me I had never seen An Excellence beyond Boabdelin I had not ayming higher lost my rest But with a vulgar good been dully blest But in Almanzor having seen what 's rare Now I have learnt too sharply to compare And like a Fav'rite quickly in disgrace Just know the value ' ere I loose the place To her Almanzor bound and guarded Almanz. I see the end for which I 'me hither sent looking down To double by your sight my punishment There is a shame in bonds I cannot bear Far more than death to meet your eyes I fear Almahide unbinding him That shame of long continuance shall not be The King at my intreaty sets you free Alman The King my wonder 's greater than before How did he dare my freedom to restore He like some Captive Lyon uses me He runs away before he sets me free And takes a sanctuary in his Court I 'll rather loose my life than thank him for 't Alm. If any subject for your thanks there be The King expects 'em not you ow 'em me Our freedoms through each others hands have past You give me my revenge in winning last Almanz. Then fate commodiously for me has done To loose mine there where I would have it won Almah Almanzor you too soon will understand That what I win is on anothers hand The King who doom'd you to a cruel fate Gave to my pray'rs both his revenge and hate But at no other price would rate your life Then my consent and oath to be his wife Almanz. Would you to save my life my love betray Here take me bind me carry me away to the Guards Kill me I 'll kill you if you disobey Almah That absolute command your love does give I take and charge you by that pow'r to live Alman When death the last of comforts you refuse Your pow'r like Heav'n upon the damn'd you use You force me in my being to remain To make me last and keep me fresh for pain When all my joys are gone What cause can I for living longer give But a dull lazy habitude to live Almah Rash men like you and impotent of will Give chance no time to turn but urge her still She wou'd repent you push the quarrel on And once because she went she must be gone Alman She shall not turn what is it she can do To recompence me for the loss of you Almah Heav'n will reward your worth some better way At least for me you have but lost one day Nor is 't a real loss which you deplore You sought a heart that was ingag'd before 'T was a swift love which took you in his way Flew only through your heart but made no stay 'T was but a dream where truth had not a place A scene of fancy mov'd so swift a pace And shifted that you can but think it was Let then the short vexatious Vision pass Alman My joyes indeed are dreams but not my pain 'T was a swift ruin but the marks remain When some fierce fire lays goodly buildings wast Would you conclude There had been none because the burning's past Almah It was your fault that fire seiz'd all your brest You should have blown up some to save the rest But t is at worst but so consum'd by fire As Cities are that by their falls rise high'r Build Love a Nobler Temple in my place You 'l find the fire has but inlarg'd your space Alman Love has undone me I am grown so poor I sadly view the ground I had before But want a stock and ne'r can build it more Almah Then say what Charity I can allow I would Contribute if I knew but how Take friendship or if that too small appear Take love which Sisters may to Brothers bear Alman A Sisters love that is so pall'd a thing What pleasure can it to a Lover bring 'T is like thin food to men in feavours spent Just keeps alive but gives no nourishment What hopes what fears what transports can it move 'T is but the Ghost of a departed Love Almah You like some greedy Cormorant devour All my whole life can give you in an hour What more I can do for you is to dy And that must follow if you this deny Since I gave up my love that you might live You in refusing life my sentence give Alman Far from my brest be such an impious thought Your death would loose the quiet mine had sought I 'll live for you in spight of misery But you shall grant that
I had rather dye I 'll be so wretched fild with such despair That you shall see to live was more to dare Almah Adieu then O my Souls far better part Your Image sticks so close That the blood follows from my rending heart A last farewel For since a last must come the rest are vain Like gasps in death which but prolong our pain But since the King is now a part of me Cease from henceforth to be his Enemy Go now for pity go for if you stay I fear I shall have something still to say Thus I for ever shut you from my sight veyles Alman Like one thrust out in a cold Winters night Yet shivering underneath your gate I stay One look I cannot go before 't is day she beckens him to be gone Not one Farwell what ' ere my sufferings be Within I 'le speak Farewell as loud as she I will not be out-done in Constancy she turns her back Then like a dying Conquerour I goe At least I have look't last upon my foe I go but if too heavily I move I walk encumbred with a weight of Love Fain I would leave the thought of you behind But still the more I cast you from my mind You dash like water back when thrown against the wind Exit As he goes off the King meets him with Abenamar they stare at each other without saluting Boabd With him go all my fears a guard there wait And see him safe without the City gate To them Abdemelech Now Abdemelech is my brother dead Abdel. Th' Usurper to the Christian Camp is fled Whom as Granada's lawful King they own And vow by force to seat him in the throne Mean time the Rebels in th' Albayzin rest Which is in Lindaraxa's name possest Boab. Hast and reduce it instantly by force Abdel. First give me leave to prove a milder course She will perhaps on summons yield the place Boab. We cannot to your sute refuse her grace One enters hastily and whispers Abenamar Aben. How fortune persecutes this hoary head My Ozmin is with Selin's daughter fled But he 's no more my Son My hate shall like a Zegry him pursue Till I take back what blood from me he drew Boab. Let war and vengeance be to morrow's care But let us to the Temple now repair A thousand torches make the Mosque more bright This must be mine 〈…〉 ahida's night Hence ye importunate affairs of State You should not Tyrannize on Love but waite Had life no love none would for business live Yet still from love the largest part we give And must be forc'd in Empires weary toile To live long wretched to be pleas'd a while Exeunt Epilogue SVccess which can no more than beauty last Makes our sad Poet mourn your favours past For since without desert he got a name He fears to loose it now with greater shame Fame like a little Mistriss of the town Is gainâ—d with ease but then she 's lost as soon For as those 〈◊〉 Misses soon or late Iilt such 〈…〉 at the highest rate And oft the 〈◊〉 or the Brawny Clown Gets what is hid in the loose body'd gown So Fame is false to all that keep her long And turns up to the Fop that 's brisk and young Some wiser Poet now would leave Fame first But elder wits are like old Lovers curst Who when the vigor of their youth is spent Still grow more fond as they grow impotent This some years hence our Poets case may prove But yet he hopes he 's young enough to love When forty comes if ' ere he live to see That wretched fumbling age of poetry T' will be high time to bid his Muse adieu Well he may please him self but never you Till then he 'l do as well as he began And hopes you will not finde him less a man Think him not duller for this years delay He was prepar'd the women were away And men without their parts can hardly play If they through sickness seldome did appear Pity the virgins of each Theatre Foâ— at both houses 't was a sickly year And pity us your servants to whose cost In one such sickness nine whole Mon'ths are lost Their stay he fears has ruin'd what he writ Long waiting both disables love and wit They thought they gave him leisure to do well But when they forc'd him to attend he fell Yet though he much has faild he 〈…〉 You will excuse his unperforming 〈…〉 Weakness sometimes great passion does express He had pleas'd better had he lov'd you less Epilogue A Pretty task and so I told the Fool Who needs would undertake to please by Rule He thought that if his Characters were good The Scenes entire and freed from noise and bloud The Action great yet circumscrib'd by Time The Words not forc'd but sliding into Rhime The Passions rais'd and calm'd by just Degrees As Tides are swell'd and then retire to Seas He thought in hitting these his bus'ness done Though he perhaps has fail'd in ev'ry one But after all a Poet must confess His Art 's like Physick but a happy ghess Your Pleasure on your Fancy must depend The Lady 's pleas'd just as she likes her Friend No Song no Dance no Show he fears you 'l say You love all naked Beauties but a Play He much mistakes your methods to delight And like the French abhors our Target-sight But those damn'd Dogs can never be i' th' right True English hate your Monsieur 's paltry Arts For you are all Silk-weavers in your hearts Bold Brittons at a brave Bear-garden Fray Are rouz'd and clatt'ring Sticks cry Play play play Mean time your filthy Forreigner will stare And mutter to himself Ha gens Barbare And Gad 't is well he mutters well for him Our Butchers else would tear him limb from limb 'T is true the time may come your Sons may be Infected with this French civility 〈…〉 when few can make a Tost 〈…〉 Writing and the best 〈…〉 cheap and common who wou'd strive Which like abandon'd Prostitutes you give Yet scatter'd here and there I some behold Who can discern the Tinsel from the Gold To these he writes and if by them allow'd 'T is their Prerogative to rule the Crowd For he more fears like a presuming Man Their Votes who cannot Judge than theirs who can FINIS Almanzor and Almahide Or The CONQUEST OF Granada The Second Part. As it is Acted at the THEATER-ROYAL Written by IOHN DRYDEN Servant to His Majesty Stimulos dedit aemula virtus Lucan In the SAVOY Printed by T. N. for Henry Herringman and are to be sold at the Anchor in the Lower Walk of the New Exchange 1672. PROLOGUE To the Second Part OF THE CONQUEST OF Granada THey who write Ill and they who ne'r durst write Turn Critiques out of meer Revenge and Spight A Play-house gives 'em Fame and up there starts From a mean Fifth-rate Wit a Man of Parts So Common Faces on the Stage appear We take 'em in and
they turn Beauties here Our Authour fears those Critiques as his Fate And those he Fears by consequence must Hate For they the Trafficque of all Wit invade As Scriv'ners draw away the Bankers Trade Howe're the Poet 's safe enough to day They cannot censure an unfinish'd Play But as when Vizard Masque appears in Pit Straight every man who thinks himself a Wit Perks up and managing his Comb with grace With his white Wigg sets off his Nut-brown Face That done bears up to th'prize and views each Limb To know her by her Rigging and her Trimm Thou the whole noise of Fopps to wagers go Pox on her 't must be she and Damm'ee no Iust so I Prophecy these Wits to day Will blindly guess at our imperfect Play With what new Plots our Second Part is fill'd Who must be kept alive and who be kill'd And as those Vizard Masques maintain that Fashion To sooth and tickle sweet Imagination So our dull Poet keeps you on with Masquing To make you think there 's something worth your asking But when 't is shown that which does now delight you Will prove a Dowdy with a Face to fright you Almanzor and Almahide Or The CONQUEST OF Granada By the SPANIARDS The Second Part. ACT. I. SCENE A Camp King Ferdinand Queen Ysabel Alonzo d'Aguilar Attendants men and women K. Ferd. AT length the time is come when Spain shall be From the long Yoke of Moorish Tyrants free All causes seem to second our design And Heav'n and Earth in their destruction join When Empire in its Childhood first appears A watchful Fate ' oresees its tender years Till grown more strong it thrusts and stretches out And Elbows all the Kingdoms round about The place thus made for its first breathing free It moves again for ease and Luxury Till swelling by degrees it has possest The greater space and now crowds up the rest VVhen from behind there starts some petty State And pushes on its now unwieldy fate Then down the precipice of time it goes And sinks in Minutes which in Ages rose Qu. Ysabel Should bold Columbus in his search succeed And find those Beds in which bright Metals breed Tracing the Sun who seems to steal away That Miser-like he might alone survey The wealth which he in Western Mines did lay Not all that shining Ore could give my heart The joy this Conquer'd Kingdom will impart Which rescu'd from these Misbelievers hands Shall now at once shake off its double bands At once to freedom and true faith restor'd It s old Religion and its antient Lord. K. Ferd. By that assault which last we made I find Their Courage is with their Success declin'd Almanzor's absence now they dearly buy VVhose Conduct crown'd their Armes with Victory Alonzo Their King himself did their last Sally guide I saw him glist'ring in bright armour ride To break a Lance in honour of his Bride But other thoughts now fill his anxious brest Care of his Crown his Love has dispossest To them Abdalla Qu. Ysabel But see the brother of the Moorish King He seems some news of great import to bring Ferd. He brings a specious title to our side Those who would conquer must their Foes divide Abdal Since to my Exile you have pity shown And giv'n me Courage yet to hope a throne VVhile you without our Common Foes subdue I am not wanting to my self or you But have within a faction still alive Strong to assist and secret to contrive And watching each occasion to foment The peoples fears into a discontent VVhich from Almanzor's loss before were great And now are doubled by their late defeat These Letters from their Chiefs the news assures gives Letters to the King K. Ferd. Be mine the honour but the profit yours To them the Duke of Arcos with Ozmyn and Benzayda prisoners K. Ferd. That tertia of Italians did you guide To take their post upon the River side Arcos All are according to your Orders plac'd My chearful Soldiers their intrenchments hast The Murcian foot have ta'ne the upper ground And now the City is beleaguer'd round Ferd. VVhy is not then their Leader here again Arcos The Master of Alcantara is slain But he who slew him here before you stands It is that Moor whom you behold in bands K. Ferd. A braver man I had not in my host His Murd'rer shall not long his Conquest boast But Duke of Arcos say how was he slain Arcos Our Souldiers march'd together on the Plain VVe two rode on and left them far behind Till coming where we found the valley winde VVee saw these Moors who swiftly as they cou'd Ran on to gain the Covert of the wood This vve observ'd and having cross'd their vvay The Lady out of breath vvas forc'd to stay The Man then stood and straight his fauchion drevv Then told us vve in vain did those pursue VVhom their ill fortune to despair did drive And yet vvhom vve shou'd never take alive Neglecting this the Master straight spurr'd on But th' active Moor his horses shock did shun And ' ere his Rider from his reach could goe Finish'd the Combat with one deadly blow I to revenge my Friend prepar'd to fight But now our foremost Men were come in sight Who soon would have dispatch'd him on the Place Had I not sav'd him from a death so base And brought him to attend your Royal doom K. Ferd. A Manly face and in his ages bloom But to content the Souldiers he must dye Go see him executed instantly Q. Ysabel Stay I would learn his name before he goe You Prince Abdalla may the Pris'ner know Abdalla Ozmyn's his name and he deserves his fate His father heads that faction which I hate But much I wonder that I with him see The daughter of his Mortal Enemy Benz. 'T is true by Ozmyns sword my Brother fell But 't was a death he merited too well I know a sister should excuse his fault But you know too that Ozmyn's death he sought Abdall Our Prophet has declar'd by the Event That Ozmyn is reserv'd for punishment For when he thought his guilt from danger clear He by new Crimes is brought to suffer here Benz. In Love or Pity if a Crime you find We two have sin'd above all humane kind Ozm. Heav'n in my punishment has done a grace I could not suffer in a betters place That I should dye by Christians it thought good To save your fathers guilt who sought my blood to her Benz. Fate aims so many blows to make us fall That 't is in vain to think to ward 'em all And where misfortunes great and many are Life grows a burden and not worth our care Ozm. I cast it from me like a Garment torn Ragged and too undecent to be worn Besides there is Contagion in my Fate to Benz. It makes your Life too much unfortunate But since her faults are not ally'd to mine In her protection let your favour shine To you Great Queen I make this
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
it first to me Fate cannot separate our destiny knows his father My father here then Heav'n it self has laid The snare in which my vertue is betray'd Aben. Fortune I thank thee thou hast kindly done To bring me back that fugitive my Son In armes too fighting for my Enemy I 'le do a Roman justice thou shalt dy Ozm. I beg not you my forfeit life would save Yet add one Minute to that breath you gave I disobey'd you and deserve my fate But bury in my grave two houses hate Let Selin live and see your Justice done On me while you revenge him for his Son Your mutual malice in my death may cease And equal loss perswade you both to peace Aben. to a Sold. Yes justice shall be done on him and thee Haste and dispatch 'em both immediately Ozmyn If you have honour since you Nature want For your own sake my last Petition grant And kill not a disarm'd defenceless foe Whose death your cruelty or fear will show My Father cannot do an Act so base My Father I mistake I meant who was Aben. Go then dispatch him first who was my Son Ozmyn Swear but to save his life I 'le yield my own Aben. Nor tears nor pray'rs thy life or his shall buy Ozmyn putting himself before Selin Then Sir Benzaida's father shall not dye And since he 'le want defence when I am gone I will to save his life defend my own Aben. This justice Parricides like thee should have Aben. and his party attacque them both Ozmyn parryes his fathers thrusts and thrusts at the others Enter Benzayda with Abdalla the Duke of Arcos and Spaniards Benz. O help my father and my Ozmyn save Abdal Villains that death you have deserv'd is near Ozmyn stops his hand Stay Prince and know I have a father here I were that Parricide of whom he spoke Did not my piety prevent your stroke Arcos to Aben. Depart then and thank Heav'n you had a Son Aben. I am not with these shows of duty won Ozm. to his father Heav'n know's I would that life you seek resign But while Benzayda lives it is not mine Will you yet pardon my unwilling crime Aben. By no intreaties by no length of time Will I be won but with my latest breath I 'le curse thee here and haunt thee after death Exit Abenamar with his party Ozmyn kneeling to Selin Can you be merciful to that degree As to forgive my Fathers faults in me Can you forgive The death of him I slew in my defence And from the malice separate th' offence I can no longer be your Enemy In short now kill me Sir or pardon me Offers him his sword In this your silence my hard fate appears Selin I 'le answer you when I can speak for tears But till I can Imagine what must needs be brought to pass Embraces him My heart 's not made of Marble nor of Brass Did I for you a cruel death prepare And have you have you made my life your care There is a shame contracted by my faults Which hinders me to speak my secret thoughts And I will tell you when that shame 's remov'd You are not better by my Daugher lov'd Benzaida be your's I can no more Ozmyn embracing his knees Blest be that breath which does my life restore Benz. I hear my father now these words confess That name and that indulgent tenderness Selin Benzaida I have been too much to blame But let your goodness expiate for my shame You Ozmyn's vertue did in chains adore And part of me was just to him before My Son to him Ozmyn My father Selin Since by you I live I for your sake your family forgive Let your hard father still my life pursue I hate not him but for his hate to you Ev'n that hard father yet may one day be By kindness vanquish'd as you vanquish'd me Or if my death can quench to you his rage Heav'n makes good use of my remaining age Abdal I grieve your joyes are mingled with my cares But all take interest in their own affairs And therefore I must ask how mine proceed Selin They now are ripe and but your presence need For Lyndaraxa faithless as the wind Yet to your better Fortunes will be kind For hearing that the Christians own your cause From thence th' assurance of a Throne she draws And since Almanzor whom she most did fear Is gone she to no Treaty will give ear But sent me her unkindness to excuse Abdal You much surprize me with your pleasing news Selin But Sir she hourly does th' assault expect And must be lost if you her Aid neglect For Abdelmelech loudly does declare He 'll use the last extremities of War Since she refus'd the Fortress to resigne Abdal The charge of hast'ning this Relief be mine Selin This while I undertook whether beset Or else by chance Abenamar I met Who seem'd in haste returning to the Town Abdal My Love must in my diligence be shown And as my pledge of Faith to Spain this hour I 'le put the Fortress in your Masters pow'r To Arcos Selin An open way from hence to it there lies And we with ease may send in large supplies Free from the shot and Sallies of the Town Arcos Permit me Sir to share in your renown First to my King I will impart the news And then draw out what Succors we shall use Exit Duke of Arcos Abdal Grant that she loves me not at least I see aside She loves not others if she loves not me 'T is Pleasure when we reap the fruit of Pain 'T is onely Pride to be belov'd again How many are not lov'd who think they are Yet all are willing to believe the Fair And though 't is Beauties known and obvious Cheat Yet Man's self-self-love still favours the deceit Exit Abdalla Selin Farewell my Children equally so dear That I my self am to my self less neer While I repeat the dangers of the War Your mutual safety be each others care Your Father Ozmyn till the War be done As much as Honour will permit I 'le shun If by his sword I perish let him know It was because I would not be his Foe Ozmyn Goodness and Vertue all your Actions guide You onely erre in choosing of your side That party I with Honour cannot take But can much less the care of you forsake I must not draw my sword against my Prince But yet may hold a Shield in your defence Benzayda free from danger here shall stay And for a Father and a Lover pray Benz. No no I gave not on those terms my Heart That from my Ozmyn I should ever part That Love I vow'd when you did death attend 'T is just that nothing but my death should end What Merchant is it who would stay behind His whole stock ventur'd to the Waves and Wind. I 'le pray for both but both shall be in sight And Heav'n shall hear me pray and see you fight Selin No longer Ozmyn combat
Heav'n when we meet if fatal it must be To one spare him and cast the Lot on me They retiree Lynd. Ah what a noble Conquest were this Heart I am resolv'd I 'le try my utmost Art In gaining him I gain that Fortune too Which he has Wedded and which I but Wooe I 'le try each secret passage to his mind And Loves soft Bands about his Heart-strings wind Not his vow'd Constancy shall scape my snare While he without resistance does prepare I 'le melt into him e're his Love 's aware She makes a gesture of invitation to Almanzor who returns again Lynd. You see Sir to how strange a remedy A persecuted Maid is forc'd to fly Who much distrest yet scarce has confidence To make your noble pity her defence Almanz. Beauty like yours can no protection need Or if it sues is certain to succeed To whate're Service you ordain my hand Name your Request and call it your Command Lynd. You cannot Sir but know that my ill Fate Has made me lov'd with all th' effects of Hate One Lover would by force my person gain Which one as guilty would by force detain Rash Abdelmelechs Love I cannot prize And fond Abdalla's passion I despise As you are brave so you are prudent too Advise a wretched Woman what to do Almanz. Have courage Fair one put your trust in me You shall at least from those you hate be free Resign your Castle to the King's Command And leave your Love-concernments in my hand Lynd. The King like them is fierce and faithless too How can I trust him who has injur'd you Keep for your self and you can grant no less What you alone are worthy to possess Enter brave Sir for when you speak the word These Gates will open of their own accord The Genius of the place its Lord will meet And bend its tow'ry forehead to your feet That little Cittadel which now you see Shall then the head of Conquer'd Nations be And every Turret from your coming rise The Mother of some great Metropolis Almanz. 'T is pity words which none but Gods should hear Should loose their sweetness in a Soldiers Ear I am not that Almanzor whom you praise But your fair Mouth can fair Idea's raise I am a wretch to whom it is deny'd T' accept with Honour what I wish with Pride And since I fight not for my self must bring The fruits of all my Conquests to the King Lynd. Say rather to the Queen to whose fair Name I know you vow the Trophies of your Fame I hope she is as kind as she is fair Kinder then unexperienc'd Virgins are To their first Loves though she has lov'd before And that first innocence is now no more But in revenge she gives you all her Heart For you are much too brave to take a part Though blinded by a Crown she did not see Almanzor greater than a King could be I hope her Love repairs her ill made choice Almanzor cannot be deluded twice Almanz. No not deluded for none count their gains Who like Almanzor franckly give their pains Lynd. Almanzor do not cheat your self nor me Your Love is not refin'd to that degree For since you have desires and those not blest Your Loveâ—s uneasie and at little rest Almanz. 'T is true my own unhappiness I see But who alas can my Physician be Love like a lazy Ague I endure Which fears the Water and abhors the Cure Lynd. 'T is a Consumption which your life does waste Still flatt'ring you with hope till help be past But since of cure from her you now despair You like consumptive Men should change your Air. Love some-where else 't is a hard remedy But yet you owe your self so much to try Almanz. My Love 's now grown so much a part of me That Life would in the Cure endanger'd be At least it like a Limb cut off would show And better dye than like a Cripple goe Lynd. You must be brought like mad Men to their cure And darkness first and next new Bonds endure Do you dark absence to your self ordain And I in Charity will find the Chain Almanz. Love is that madness which all Lovers have But yet 't is sweet and pleasing so to Rave 'T is an Enchantment where the reason 's bound But Paradice is in th' enchanted ground A Palace void of Envy Cares and Strife Where gentle hours delude so much of Life To take those Charms away and set me free Is but to send me into misery And Prudence of whose Cure so much you boast Restores those Pains which that sweet Folly lost Lynd. I would not like Philosophers remove But show you a more pleasing shape of Love You a sad sullen froward Love did see I 'le show him kind and full of gayety In short Almanzor it shall be my care To show you Love for you but saw Despair Almanz. I in the shape of Love Despair did see You in his shape would show Inconstancy Lynd. There 's no such thing as Constancy you call Faith ties not Hearts 't is Inclination all Some Wit deform'd or Beauty much decay'd First constancy in Love a Vertue made From Friendship they that Landmark did remove And falsly plac'd it on the bounds of Love Let th' effects of change be onely try'd Court me in jest and call me Almahide But this is onely Council I impart For I perhaps should not receive your heart Almanz Fair though you are As Summer mornings and your Eyes more bright Than Starrs that twinckle in a winters night Though you have Eloquence to warm and move Cold age and praying Hermites into Love Though Almahide with scorn rewards my care Yet than to change 't is nobler to despair My Love 's my Soul and that from Fate is free 'T is that unchang'd and deathless part of me Lynd. The Fate of Constancy your Love pursue Still to be faithful to what 's false to you Turns from him and goes off angrily Almanz. Ye Gods why are not Hearts first pair'd above But some still interfere in others Love E're each for each by certain marks are known You mould 'em off in haste and drop 'em down And while we seek what carelesly you sort You sit in State and make our pains your sport Exeunt on both sides ACT. IV. SCENE Abenamar and servants Aben. HAst and conduct the Pris'ner to my sight Exit servant and immediately enters with Selin bound Aben. Did you according to my orders write to Selin And have you summon'd Ozmyn to appear Selin I am not yet so much a slave to fear Nor has your Son deserv'd so ill of me That by his death or bonds I would be free Aben. Against thy life thou dost the sentence give Behold how short a time thou hast to live Selin Make haste and draw the Curtain while you may You but shut out the twilight of my day Beneath the burden of my age I bend You kindly ease me ' ere my Journey 's end To them
the Heroes Soul Does all the Military Art controul While tim'rous Wit goes round or foords the shore He shoots the Gulph and is already o're And when th' Enthusiastique fit is spent Looks back amaz'd at what he underwent An Alarm within Exeunt Enter Almanzor and Abdelmelech with their Soldiers Abdelm. They fly they fly take breath and charge agen Almanz. Make good your entrance and bring up more men I fear'd brave Friend my Aid had been too late Abdelm. You drew us from the jaws of certain Fate At my approach The Gate was open and the Draw-bridge down But when they saw I stood and came not on They charg'd with fury on my little Band Who much o're-powr'd could scarce the shock withstand Almanz. E're night we shall the whole Albayzin gain But see the Spaniards march along the Plain To its relief you Abdelmelech goe And force the rest while I repulse the Foe Exit Almanzor Enter Abdalla and some few Soldiers who seem fearful Abdal Turn Cowards turn there is no hope in flight You yet may live if you but dare to fight Come you brave few who onely fear to fly We 're not enough to Conquer but to Dye Abdelm. No Prince that mean advantage I refuse 'T is in your pow'r a nobler Fate to choose Since we are Rivals Honour does command We should not dye but by each others hand To his men Retire and if it prove my destiny To fall I charge you let the Prince goe free The Soldiers depart on both sides Abdal O Abdelmelech that I knew some way This debt of Honour which I owe to pay But Fate has left this onely means for me To dye and leave you Lyndaraxa free Abdelm. He who is vanquish'd and is slain is blest The wretched Conquerour can ne're have rest But is reserv'd a harder fate to prove Bound in the Fetters of dissembled Love Abdal Now thou art base and I deserve her more Without complaint I will to death adore Dar'st thou see faults and yet dost Love pretend I will ev'n Lyndaraxa's Crimes defend Abdelm. Maintain her cause then better than thy own Than thy ill got and worse defended Throne They fight Abdalla falls Abdelm. Now ask your life Abdal 'T is gone that busy thing The Soul is packing up and just on wing Like parting Swallows when they seek the Spring Like them at its appointed time it goes And flies to Countreys more unknown than those Enter Lyndaraxa hastily sees them and is going out again Abdelmelech stopping her No you shall stay and see a Sacrifice Not offer'd by my Sword but by your Eyes From those he first Ambitions poyson drew And swell'd to Empire for the love of you Accursed fair Thy Comet-blaze portends a Princes fate And suff'ring Subjects groan beneath thy weight Abdal Cease Rival cease I would have forc'd you but it wonnot be I beg you now upbraid her not for me to Lynd. You fairest to my memory be kind Lovers like me your sex will seldom find When I usurp'd a Crown for love of you I then did more than dying now I do I 'me still the same as when my Love begun And could I now this fate foresee or shun dyes Would yet do all I have already done she puts her handkerchief to her eies Abdelm. Weep on weep on for it becomes you now These tears you to that love may well allow His unrepenting Soul if it could move Upward in Crimes flew spotted with your love And brought Contagion to the blest above Lind. He 's gone and peace go with a constant mind His love deserv'd I should have been more kind But then your love and greater worth I knew I was unjust to him but just to you Abdelm. I was his Enemy and Rival too Yet I some tears to his misfortunes owe You ow him more weep then and join with me So much is due ev'n to Humanity Lynd. Weep for this wretch whose memory I hate Whose folly made us both unfortunate Weep for this fool who did my laughter move This whining tedious heavy lump of Love Abdelm. Had Fortune favour'd him and frown'd on me I then had been that heavy fool not he Just this had been my fun'ral Elegy Thy arts and falshood I before did know But this last baseness was conceal'd till now And 't was no more than needful to be known I could be cur'd by such an act alone My love half blasted yet in time would shoot But this last tempest rends it to the root Lyn. These little picques which now your Anger move Will vanish and are onely signes of love You 've been too fierce and at some other time I should not with such ease forgive your Crime But in a day of publick joy like this I pardon and forget what ere 's amiss Abdelm. These Arts have oft prevail'd but must no more The spell is ended and th' Enchantment ' ore You have at last destroy'd with much adoe That love which none could have destroy'd but you My love was blind to your deluding Art But blind men feel when stabb'd so neer the heart Lynd. I must confess there was some pity due But I conceal'd it out of Love to you Abdelm. No Lyndaraxa 't is at last too late Our loves have mingled with too much of fate I would but cannot now my self deceive O that you still could cheat and I believe Lynd. Do not so light a quarrel long pursue You grieve your Rival was less lov'd than you 'T is hard when men of kindness must complain Abdelm. I 'm now awake and cannot dream again Lynd. Yet hear Abdelm. No more nothing my heart can bend That Queen you scorn'd you shall this night attend Your life the King has pardon'd for my sake But on your Pride I some revenge must take See now th' effects of what your Arts design'd Thank your inconstant and ambitious Mind 'T is just that she who to no Love is true Should be forsaken and contemn'd like you Lynd. All Arts of injur'd Women I will try First I will be reveng'd and then I 'le die But like some falling Tow'r Whose seeming firmness does the sight beguile So hold I up my nodding head awhile Till they come under and reserve my fall That with my ruines I may reach 'em all Abdelm. Conduct her hence Exit Lyndaraxa guarded Enter a Soldier Sold. Almanzor is victorious without fight The Foes retreated when he came in sight Under the Walls this night his men are drawn And mean to seek the Spaniard with the dawn Abdel. The Sun 's declin'd Command the Watch be set without delay And in the Fort let bold Benducar stay I 'le haste to Court where Solitude I 'le fly aside And heard like wounded Deer in company But oh how hard is passion to remove When I must shun my self to 'scape from Love Exit SCENE The Alhambra or a Gallery Zulema Hamet Hamet I thought your passion for the Queen was dead Or that your love had with
your hopes been fled Zulema 'T was like a fire within a furnace pent I smother'd it and kept it long from vent But fed with looks and blown with sighs so fast It broke a passage through my lips at last Ham. Where found you confidence your suit to move Our broken fortunes are not fit to love Well you declar'd your love what follow'd then Zulema She look'd as Judges do on guilty men When big with fate they triumph in their doomes And smile before the deadly sentence comes Silent I stood as I were thunder strooke Condemn'd and executed with a look Hamet You must with haste some remedy prepare Now you are in you must break through the snare Zulema She said she would my folly yet conceal But vow'd my next attempt she would reveal Hamet 'T is dark and in this lonely Gallery Remote from noyse and shunning every eye One hour each Evening she in private mourns And prayes and to the Cercle then returnes Now if you dare attempt her passing by Zulema These lighted tapers show the time is nigh Perhaps my Courtship will not be in vain At least few women will of force complain At the other end of the Gallery Enter Almanzor and Esperanza Hamet Almanzor and with him The favourite slave of the Sultana Queen Zul E're they approach let us retire unseen And watch our time when they return agen Then force shall give if favour does deny And that once done we 'll to the Spaniards fly Exeunt Almanz. Now stand th' Apartment of the Queen is neer And from this place your voice will reach her ear Esperanza goes out Song In two Parts He. HOw unhappy a Lover am I While I sigh for my Phillis in vain All my hopes of Delight Are another man's Right Who is happy while I am in pain 2. She. Since her Honour allows no Relief But to pity the pains which you bear 'T is the best of your Fate In a hopeless Estate To give o're and betimes to despair 3. He. I have try'd the false Med'cine in vain For I wish what I hope not to win From without my desire Has no Food to its Fire But it burns and consumes me within 4. She. Yet at least 't is a pleasure to know That you are not unhappy alone For the Nymph you adore Is as wretch'd and more And accounts all your suff'ring's her own 5. He. O ye Gods let me suffer for both At the feet of my Phillis I 'le lye I 'le resign up my Breath And take pleasure in Death To be pity'd by her when I dye 6. She. What her Honour deny'd you in Life In her Death she will give to your Love Such a Flame as is true After Fate will renew For the Souls to meet closer above Enter Esperanza again after the Song Almanz. Accept this Diamond till I can present Something more worthy my acknowledgement And now farewell I will attend alone Her coming forth and make my suff'rings known Exit Esperanza Solus A hollow wind comes whistling through that door And a cold shivering seizes me all o're My Teeth too chatter with a suddain fright These are the raptures of too fierce delight The combate of the Tyrants Hope and Fear Which Hearts for want of Field-room cannot bear I grow impatient this or that 's the room I 'le meet her now methinks I hear her come He goes to the door the Ghost of his Mother meets him he starts back the Ghost stands in the door Almanz. Well mayst thou make thy boast what e're thou art Thou art the first e're made Almanzor start My Legs Shall bear me to thee in their own despight I 'le rush into the Covert of thy Night And pull thee backward by thy shrowd to light Or else I 'le squeeze thee like a Bladder there And make thee groan thy self away to Air. The Ghost retires So art thou gone thou canst no Conquest boast I thought what was the courage of a Ghost The grudging of my Argue yet remains My blood like Ysicles hangs in my veins And does not drop be master of that door We two will not disturb each other more Ierr d a little but extremes may joyn That door was Hell's but this is Heav'ns and mine Goes to the other door and is met again by the Ghost Again by Heav'n I do conjure thee speak What art thou Spirit and what dost thou seek The Ghost comes on softly after the Conjuration and Almanzor retires to the middle of the Stage Ghost I am the Ghost of her who gave thee birth The Airy shadow of her mouldring Earth Love of thy Father me through Seas did guide On Sea 's I bore thee and on Sea's I dy'd I dy'd and for my Winding-sheet a Wave I had and all the Ocean for my Grave But when my soul to bliss did upward move I wander'd round the Chrystal walls above But found th' eternal fence so steepy high That when I mounted to the middle Sky I flagg'd and flutter'd down and could not fly Then from the Battlements of th' Heav'nly Tow'r A Watchman Angel bid me waite this hour And told me I had yet a task assign'd To warn that little pledge I left behind And to divert him e're it were too late From Crimes unknown and errors of his Fate Almanzor bowing Speak Holy Shade thou Parent form speak on Instruct thy mortal Elemented Son For here I wander to my self unknown But oh thou better part of Heav'nly Air Teach me kind spirit since I am still thy care My Parents names If I have yet a Father let me know To whose old age my humble youth must bow And pay its duty if he mortal be Or Adoration if a Mind like thee Ghost Then what I may I 'le tell From antient Blood thy Fathers Linage springs Thy Mothers thou deriv'st from stemms of Kings A Christian born and born again that day When sacred Water wash'd thy sins away Yet bred in errors thou dost mis-imploy That strength Heav'n gave thee and its flock destroy Almanz. By Reason Man a Godhead may discern But how he would be worshipt cannot learn Ghost Heav'n does not now thy Ignorance reprove But warns thee from known Crimes of lawless Love That Crime thou know'st and knowing dost not shun Shall an unknown and greater Crime pull on But if thus warn'd thou leav'st this cursed place Then shalt thou know the Author of thy Race Once more I 'le see thee when my charge is done Far hence upon the Mountains of the Moon Is my abode where Heav'n and Nature smile And strew with Flowers the secret bed of Nyle Blest Souls are there refin'd and made more bright And in the shades of Heav'n prepar'd for light Exit Ghost Almanz. Oh Heav'n how dark a Riddle 's thy Decree Which bounds our Wills yet seems to leave 'em free Since thy fore-knowledge cannot be in vain Our choice must be what thou didst first ordain Thus like a Captive in an Isle confin'd Man
walks at large a Pris'ner of the Mind Wills all his Crimes while Heav'n th' Indictment draws And pleading guilty justifies the Laws Let Fate be Fate the Lover and the Brave Are rank'd at least above the vulgar Slave Love makes me willing to my death to run And courage scorns the death it cannot shun Enter Almahide with a Taper Almah My Light will sure discover those who talk Who dares to interrupt my private Walk Almanz. He who dares love and for that love must dy And knowing this dares yet love on am I. Almah That love which you can hope and I can pay May be reciev'd and giv'n in open day My praise and my esteem you had before And you have bound you self to ask no more Almanz. Yes I have bound my self but will you take The forfeit of that bond which force did make Almah You know you are from recompence debarr'd But purest love can live without reward Almanz. Pure love had need be to it self a feast For like pure Elements 't will nourish least Almah It therefore yields the only pure content For it like Angels needs no Nourishment To eat and drink can no perfection be All Appetite implies Necessity Almanz. 'T were well if I could like a spirit live But do not Angels food to Mortals give What if some Daemon should my death foreshow Or bid me change and to the Christians goe Will you not think I merit some reward When I my love above my life regard Almah In such a case your change must be allow'd I would my self dispence with what you vow'd Almanz. Were I to dye that hour when I possess This minute should begin my happiness Almah The thoughts of death your passion would remove Death is a cold encouragement to love Alman No from my joyes I to my death would run And think the business of my life â—ell done But I should walk a discontented Ghost If flesh and blood were to no purpose lost Almah You love me not Almanzor if you did You would not ask what honour must forbid Alman And what is Honour but a Love well hid Almah Yes 't is the Conscience of an Act well done Which gives us pow'r our own desires to shun The strong and secret curb of headlong Will The self reward of good and shame of ill Almanz. These Madam are the Maximes of the Day When Honour 's present and when Lov 's away The duty of poor Honour were too hard In Arms all day at night to mount the Guard Let him in pity now to rest retire Let these soft hours be watch'd by warm desire Almah Guards who all day on painful duty keep In dangers are not priviledg'd to sleep Alman And with what dangers are you threaten'd here Am I alas a foe for you to fear See Madam at your feet this Enemy kneels Without your pity and your Love I die Almah Rise rise and do not empty hopes pursue Yet think that I deny my self not you Alman A happiness so nigh I cannot bear My loves too fierce and you too killing fair I grow enrag'd to see such Excellence If words so much disorder'd give offence My love 's too full of zeal to think of sence Be you like me dull Reason hence remove And tedious formes and give a loose to love Love eagerly let us be gods to night And do not with half yielding dash delight Almah Thou strong Seducer Opportunity Of womankind half are undone by thee Though I resolve I will not be misled I wish I had not heard what you had sed I cannot be so wicked to comply And yet am most unhappy to deny Away Alman I will not move me from this place I can take no denial from that face Almah If I could yield but think not that I will You and my self I in revenge should kill For I should hate us both when it were done And would not to the shame of life be wonn Alman Live but to night and trust to morrows mind ' Ere that can come there 's a whole life behind Methinks already crown'd with joyes I lie Speechless and breathless in an Extasie Not absent in one thought I am all there Still closs yet wishing still to be more near Almah Deny your own desires for it will be Too little now to be deni'd by me Will he who does all great all noble seem Be lost and forfeit to his own Esteem Will he who may with Heroes claim a place Belie that fame and to himself be base Think how August and god-like you did look When my defence unbrib'd you undertook But when an Act so brave you disavow How little and how mercenary now Almanz. Are then my Services no higher priz'd And can I fall so low to be despis'd Almah Yes for whatever may be bought is low And you your self who sell your self are so Remember the great Act you did this day How did your Love to Vertue then give way When you gave freedom to my Captive Lord That Rival vvho possest vvhat you ador'd Of such a deed vvhat price can there be made Think vvell is that an Action to be paid It vvas a Myracle of Vertue shovvn And vvonders are vvith vvonder paid alone And would you all that secret joy of mind Which great Souls onely in great actions find All that for one tumultuous Minute loose Alman I wou'd that minute before ages choose Praise is the pay of Heav'n for doing good But Loves the best return for flesh and blood Almah You 've mov'd my heart so much I can deny No more but know Almanzor I can dye Thus far my vertue yields if I have shown More Love than what I ought let this attone Going to stab herself Almanz. Hold hold Such fatal proofs of love you shall not give Deny me hate me both are just but live Your Vertue I will ne'r disturb again Nor dare to ask for fear I should obtain Almah 'T is gen'rous to have conquer'd your desire You mount above your wish and loose it higher There 's pride in vertue and a kindly heat Not feverish like your love but full as great Farewell and may our loves hereafter be But Image-like to heighten piety Almanz. 'T is time I should be gone Alas I am but half converted yet All I resolve I with one look forget And like a Lyon whom no Arts can tame Shall tear ev'n those who would my rage reclaime Exeunt severally Zulema and Hamet watch Almanzor and when he is gone go in after the Queen Enter Abdelmelech and Lyndaraxa Lynd. It is enough you 've brought me to this place Here stop and urge no further my disgrace Kill me in death your mercy will be seen But make me not a Captive to the Queen Abdelm. 'T is therefore I this punishment provide This only can revenge me on your pride Prepare to suffer what you shun in vain And know you now are to obey not raign Enter Almahide schrieking her hair loose she runs over the
remains in the Sultana's cause I here am ready to fulfil the Laws Selin The Law is fully satisfy'd and we Pronounce the Queen and Abdelmelech free Abdelm. Heav'n thou art just The Iudges rise from their seats and goe before Almanzor to the Queens Scaffold he unbinds the Queen and Abdelmelech they all goe off the people showting and the Trumpets sounding the while Boab. Before we pay our thanks or show our joy Let us our needful Charity employ Some skilful Surgeon speedily be found T' apply fit Remedies to Ozmyn's wound Benzayda running to Ozmyn That be my charge my Linnen I will tear Wash it with Tears and bind it with my Hair Ozm. With how much pleasure I my pains endure And bless the wound which causes such a cure Exit Ozmyn led by Benzayda and Abenamar Boab. Some from the place of Combat bear the slain Next Lyndaraxa's death I should ordain But let her who this mischief did contrive For ever banish'd from Granada live Lynd. Thou shou'dst have punish'd more or not at all By her thou hast not ruin'd thou shalt fall aside The Zegry's shall revenge their branded Line Betray their Gate and with the Christians joyn Exit Lynd. with Alabez the Bodies of her Brothers are born after her Almanzor Almahide Esperanza re-enter to the King Almah The thanks thus paid which first to Heav'n were due My next Almanzor let me pay to you Somewhat there is of more concernment too Which 't is not fit you should in publick know First let your wounds be dress'd with speedy care And then you shall th' important Secret share Almanz. When e're you speak Were my wounds mortal they should still bleed on And I would listen till my life were gone My Soul should ev'n for your last accent stay And then shoot out and with such speed obey It shou'd not bait at Heav'n to stop its way Exit Almanzor Boab. 'T is true Almanzor did her Honour save aside But yet what private business can they have Such freedom vertue will not sure allow I cannot clear my heart but must my brow He approaches Almahide Welcome again my Vertuous Loyal Wife Welcome to Love to Honour and to Life Goes to salute her she starts back You seem As if you from a loath'd embrace did goe Almah Then briefly I will speak since you must know What to the World my future Acts will show But hear me first and then my reasons weigh 'T is known how Duty led me to obey My Fathers choice and how I since did live You Sir can best your testimony give How to your aid I have Almanzor brought When by rebellious Crowds your life was sought Then how I bore your causeless Jealousie For I must speak and after set you free When you were Pris'ner by the chance of war These sure are proofs of Love Boab I grant they are Almah And cou d you then O cruelly unkind So ill reward such tenderness of mind Could you denying what our Laws afford The meanest subject on a Traytors word Unheard condemn and suffer me to goe To death and yet no common pity show Boab. Love fill'd my heart ev'n to the brim before And then with too much jealousie boil'd o're Almah Be 't Love or Jealousie t is such a Crime That I 'm forewarn'd to trust a second time Know then my Pray'rs to Heav'n shall never cease To crown your Arms in War your Wars with Peace But from this day I will not know your Bed Though Almahide still lives your wife is dead And with her dies a Love so pure and true It could be kill'd by nothing but by you Exit Almahide Boab. Yes you will spend your life in Pray'rs for me And yet this hour my hated Rival see She might a Husbands Jealousie forgive But she will onely for Almanzor live It is resolv'd I will my self provide That vengeance which my useless Laws deny'd And by Almanzor's death at once remove The Rival of my Empire and my Love Exit Boabdelin Enter Almahide led by Almanzor and follow'd by Esperanza she speaks entring Almah How much Almanzor to your aid I owe Unable to repay I blush to know Yet forc'd by need e're I can clear that score I like ill debtors come to borrow more Almanz. Your new Commands I on my knees attend I was created for no other end Born to be yours I do by Nature serve And like the lab'ring Beast no thanks deserve Almah Yet first your Vertue to your succor call For in this hard Command you 'll need it all Almanz. I stand prepar'd and whatsoe're it be Nothing is hard to him who loves like me Almah Then know I from your Love must yet implore One proof that you would never see me more Almanzor starting back I must confess For this last stroke I did no Guard provide I could suspect no Foe was neer that side From Winds and thickning Clouds we Thunder fear None dread it from that quarter which is cleer And I would fain believe 't is but your Art To shew You knew where deepest you could wound my Heart Almah So much respect is to your passion due That sure I could not practise Arts on you But that you may not doubt what I have sed This hour I have renounc'd my Husbands Bed Judge then how much my Fame would injur'd be If leaving him I should a Lover see Almanz. If his unkindness have deserv'd that Curse Must I for loving well be punish'd worse Almah Neither your Love nor Merits I compare But my unspotted Name must be my care Almanz. I have this day establish'd its renown Almah Would you so soon what you have rais'd throw down Almanz. But Madam Is not yours a greater Guilt To ruine him who has that Fabrique built Almah No Lover should his Mistriss Pray'rs withstand Yet you contemn my absolute Command Almanz. 'T is not contempt When your Command is issu'd out too late 'T is past my pow'r and all beyond is fate I scarce could leave you when to Exile sent Much less when now recall'd from banishment For if that heat your glances cast were strong Your Eyes like Glasses Fire when held so long Almah Then since you needs will all my weakness know I love you and so well that you must goe I am so much oblig'd and have withal A Heart so boundless and so prodigal I dare not trust my self or you to stay But like frank gamesters must forswear the play Almanz. Fate thou art kind to strike so hard a blow I am quite stun'd and past all feeling now Yet can you tell me you have pow'r and will To save my life and at that instant kill Alm. This had you stay'd you never must have known But now you goe I may with honour own Almanz. But Madam I am forc'd to disobey In your defence my honour bids me stay I promis'd to secure your life and throne And heav'n be thank'd that work is yet undone Alma I here make
thinking that his fears were vain He lifted up his thundring arm again Again the voice withheld him from my death Spare spare his life it cry'd who gave thee breath Once more he stop'd then threw his sword away Blest shade he said I hear thee I obey Thy sacred voice then in the sight of all He at my feet I on his neck did fall Ferd. O blest Event Arcos The Moors no longer fought But all their safety by submission sought Mean time my Son grew faint with loss of blood And on his bending sword supported stood Yet with a voice beyond his strength he cry'd Lead me to live or dye by Almahide K. Ferd. I am not for his wounds less griev'd than you For if what now my Soul divines prove true This is that son whom in his Infancy You lost when by my father forc'd to fly D. Arcos His Sisters beauty did my passion move The crime for which I suffer'd was my love Our marriage known to Sea we took our flight There in a storm Almanzor first saw light On his right Arm a bloody heart was grav'd The mark by which this day my life was sav'd The Bracelets and the Cross his mother ty'd About his wrist ' ere she in childbed dy'd How we were Captives made when she was dead And how Almanzor was in Africque bred Some other hour you may at leisure hear For see the Queen in triumph does appear Enter Qu. Isabel Lyndaraxa Ladies Moors and Spaniards mix'd as Guards Abdelmelech Abenamar Selin Pris'ners K. Ferdinand embracing Qu Isabel. All stories which Granada's Conquest tell Shall celebrate the name of Isabel. Your Ladies too who in their Countries cause Led on the men shall share in your applause And for your sakes henceforward I ordain No Ladies dow'r shall question'd be in Spain Fair Lyndaraxa for the help she lent Shall under Tribute have this Government Abdelm. O Heav'n that I should live to see this day Lynd. You murmur now but you shall soon obey I knew this Empyre to my fate was ow'd Heav'n held it back as long as ' ere it cou'd For thee base wretch I want a torture yet to Abdelm. I 'le cage thee thou shalt be my Bajazet I on no pavement but on thee will tread And when I mount my foot shall know thy head Abdelm. stabbing her with a Ponyard This first shall know thy heart Lind. Oh! I am slain Abdelm. Now boast thy Country is betray'd to Spain K. Ferd. Look to the Lady Seize the Murdere Abdelmelech stabbing himself I 'le do my self that Justice I did her Thy blood I to thy ruin'd Country give To Lynd. But love too well thy murther to out live Forgive a love excus'd by its excess Which had it not been cruel had been less Condemn my passion then but pardon me And think I murder'd him who murder'd thee dyes Lynd. Dye for us both I have not leysure now A Crown is come and will not fate allow And yet I fell something like death is near My guards my guards Let not that ugly skeleton appear Sure destiny mistakes this death 's not mine She dotes and meant to cut another line Tell her I am a Queen but 't is too late Dying I charge Rebellion on my fate Bow down ye slaves To the Moors Bow quickly down and your Submission show they bow I 'me pleas'd to taste an Empyre ' ere I goe dyes Selin She 's dead and here her proud ambition ends Aben. Such fortune still such black designs attends Ferd. Remove those mournful Objects from our eyes And see perform'd their funeral Obsequies The Bodies carried off Enter Almanzor and Almahide Ozmyn and Benzayda Almahide brought in a chair Almanzor led betwixt Souldiers Isabel salutes Almahide in dumb show Duke of Arcos presenting Almanzor to the King See here that Son whom I with pride call mine And who dishonours not your royal line K. Ferd. I 'me now secure this Scepter which I gain Shall be continu'd in the pow'r of Spain Since he who could alone my foes defend By birth and honour is become my friend Yet I can own no joy nor Conquest boast to Almanz. While in this blood I see how dear it cost Almanz. This honor to my veins new blood will bring Sreams cannot fail fed by so high a Spring But all Court-Customs I so little know That I may fail in those respects I owe. I bring a heart which homage never knew Yet it finds something of it self in you Something so kingly that my haughty mind Is drawn to yours because 't is of a kind Qu. Isabel. And yet that Soul which bears it self so high If fame be true admits a Soveraignty This Queen in her fair eyes such fetters brings As chain that heart which scorns the pow'r of Kings Almah Little of charm in these sad eyes appears If they had any now 't is lost in tears A Crown and Husband ravish'd in one day Excuse a grief I cannot choose but pay Q. Isab. Have Courage Madam heav'n has joyes in store To recompence those losses you deplore Qu. Almah I know your God can all my woes redress To him I made my vows in my distress And what a Misbeliever vow'd this day Though not a Queen a Christian yet shall pay Qu. Isabel embracing her That Christian name you shall receive from me And Isabella of Granada be Benz. This blessed change we all with joy receive And beg to learn that faith which you believe Qu. Isabel. With reverence for those holy rites prepare And all commit your fortunes to my care K. Ferd. to Almahide You Madam by that Crown you loose may gain If you accept a Coronet of Spain Of which Almanzor's father stands possest Qu. Isabel to Almahide May you in him and he in you be blest Qu. Almahide I owe my life and honour to his sword But owe my love to my departed Lord. Almanzor Thus when I have no living force to dread Fate find's me Enemies amongst the dead ' Ime now to conquer Ghosts and to destroy The strong impressions of a Bridale joy Almah You 've yet a greater Foe than these can be Vertue opposes you and Modesty Almanz. From a false fear that Modesty does grow And thinks true love because 't is fierce its foe 'T is but the wax whose seals on Virgins stay Let it approach Loves fire 't will melt away But I have liv'd too long I never knew When fate was conquer'd I must combate you I thought to climb the steep ascent of Love But did not think to find a foe above 'T is time to dye when you my bar must be Whose aid alone could give me Victory Without I 'le pull up all the sluces of the flood And Love within shall boyl out all my blood Q. Isab. Fear not your Love should find so sad success While I have pow'r to be your Patroness I am her Parent now and may command So much of duty as to give her hand gives him
Almahides hand Almah Madam I never can dispute your pow'r Or as a Parent or a Conquerour But when my year of Widowhood expires Shall yield to your Commands and his desires Almanz. Move swiftly Sun and fly a lovers pace Leave weeks and moneths behind thee in thy race K. Ferd. Mean time you shall my Victories pursue The Moors in woods and mountains to subdue Almanz. The toyles of war shall help to wear each day And dreams of love shall drive my nights away Our Banners to th' Alhambra's turrets bear Then wave our Conqu'ring Crosses in the Aire And Cry with showts of Triumph live and raign Great Ferdinand and Isabel of Spain EPILOGUE to the Second Part of GRANADA THey who have best succeeded on the Stage Have still conform'd their Genius to their Age. Thus Jonson did Mechanique humour show When men were dull and conversation low Then Comedy was faultless but 't was course Cobbs Tankard was a jest and Otter's horse And as their Comedy their love was mean Except by chance in some one labour'd Scene Which must attone for an ill-written Play They rose but at their height could seldome stay Fame then was cheap and the first commer sped And they have kept it since by being dead But were they now to write when Critiques weigh Each Line and ev'ry word throughout a Play None of 'em no not Jonson in his height Could pass without allowing grains for weight Think it not envy that these truths are told Our Poet 's not malicious though he 's bold 'T is not to brand 'em that their faults are shown But by their errours to excuse his own If Love and Honour now are higher rais'd 'T is not the Poet but the Age is prais'd Wit 's now ariv'd to a more high degree Our native Language more refin'd and free Our Ladies and our men now speak more wit In conversation than those Poets writ Then one of these is consequently true That what this Poet writes comes short of you And imitates you ill which most he fears Or else his writing is not worse than theirs Yet though you judge as sure the Critiques will That some before him writ with greater skill In this one praise he has their fame surpast To please an Age more Gallant than the last Defence of the EPILOGUE Or An Essay on the Dramatique Poetry of the last Age. THe promises of Authors that they will write again are in effect a threatning of their Readers with some new impertinence and they who perform not what they promise will have their pardon on easy terms 'T is from this consideration that I could be glad to spare you the trouble which I am now giving you of a Preface if I were not oblig'd by many reasons to write somewhat concerning our present Playes and those of our predecessors on the English stage The truth is I have so farr ingag'd my self in a bold Epilogue to this Play wherein I have somewhat tax'd the former writing that it was necessary for me either not to print it or to show that I could defend it Yet I would so maintain my opinion of the present Age as not to be wanting in my veneration for the past I would ascribe to dead Authors their just praises in those things wherein they have excell'd us and in those wherein we contend with them for the preheminence I would acknowledge our advantages to the Age and claim no victory from our wit This being what I have propos'd to my self I hope I shall not be thought arrogant when I inquire into their Errors For we live in an Age so Sceptical that as it determines little so it takes nothing from Antiquity on trust and I profess to have no other ambition in this Essay than that Poetry may not go backward when all other Arts and Sciences are advancing Whoever censures me for this inquiry let him hear his Character from Horace Ingeniis non ille favet plauditque sepultis Nostra sed impugnat nos nostraque Lividus odit He favours not dead wits but hates the living It was upbraided to that excellent Poet that he was an enemy to the writings of his Predecessor Lucilius because he had said Lucilium luculentum fluere that he ran muddy and that he ought to have retrench'd from his Satyrs many unnecessary verses But Horace makes Lucilius himself to justifie him from the imputation of Envy by telling you that he would have done the same had he liv'd in an age which was more refin'd Si foret hoc nostrum fato delapsus in aevum Detraheret sibi multa recideret omne quod ultra Perfectum traheretur c. And both in the whole course of that Satyr and in his most admirable Epistle to Augustus he makes it his business to prove that Antiquity alone is no plea for the excellency of a Poem but that one Age learning from another the last if we can suppose an equallity of wit in the writers has the advantage of knowing more and better than the former and this I think is the state of the question in dispute It is therefore my part to make it clear that the Language Wit and Conversation of our Age are improv'd and refin'd above the last and then it will not be difficult to inferr that our Playes have receiv'd some part of those advantages In the first place therefore it will be necessary to state in general what this refinement is of which we treat and that I think will not be defin'd amiss An improvement of our Wit Language and Conversation or an alteration in them for the better To begin with Language That an Alteration is lately made in ours or since the Writers of the last Age in which I comprehend Shakespear Fletcher and Ionson is manifest Any man who reads those excellent Poets and compares their language with what is now written will see it almost in every line But that this is an Improvement of the Language or an alteration for the better will not so easily be granted For many are of a contrary opinion that the English tongue was then in the height of its perfection that from Ionsons time to ours it has been in a continual declination like that of the Romans from the Age of Virgil to Statius and so downward to Claudian of which not onely Petronius but Quintilian himself so much complains under the person of Secundus in his famous Dialogue de causis corruptae cloquentiae But to shew that our Language is improv'd and that those people have not a just value for the Age in which they live let us consider in what the refinement of a language principally consists that is either in rejecting such old words or phrases which are ill sounding or improper or in admitting new which are more proper more sounding and more significant The Reader will easily take notice that when I speak of rejecting improper words and phrases I mention not such as are Antiquated by custome