who lov'd you Ant. It makes me mad to think how many a good night will be lost betwixt us take back thy Jewels 't is an empty Casket without thee besides I shou'd never leap well with the weight of all thy Fathers sins about me thou and they had been a bargain Mor. Prithee take 'em 't will help me to be reveng'd on him Ant. No they 'll serve to make thy peace with him Mor. I hear 'em coming shift for your self at least remember I am yours for ever Servants crying this way this way behind the Scenes Ant. And I but the empty shadow of my self without thee farewel Father-in-Law that shou'd have been if I had not been curst in my Mothers belly Now which way fortune Runs amazedly backwards and forwards Servants within Follow follow yonder are the Villains Ant. O here 's a gate open but it leads into the Castle yet I must venture it Going out A shout behind the Scenes where Antonio is going out Ant. There 's the Rabble in a Mutiny what is the Devil up at Midnight however 't is good herding in a Crowd Runs out Mufti runs to Morayma and lays hold on her then snatches away the Casket Muf. Now to do things in order first I seize upon the Bag and then upon the Baggage for thou art but my flesh and blood but these are my Life and Soul Mor. Then let me follow my flesh and blood and keep to your self your Life and Soul Muf. Both or none come away to durance Mor. Well if it must be so agreed for I have another trick to play you and thank your self for what shall follow Enter Servants Joh. From above One of them took through the private way into the Castle follow him be sure for these are yours already Mor. Help here quickly Omar Abedin I have hold on the Villain that stole my jewels but 't is a lusty Rogue and he will prove too strong for me what help I say do you not know your Masters Daughter Muf. Now if I cry out they will know my voice and then I am disgrac'd for ever O thou art a venomous Cockatrice Mor. Of your own begetting The Servants seize him First Servant What a glorious deliverance have you had Madam from this bloody-minded Christian Mor. Give me back my Jewels and carry this notorious Malefactor to be punish'd by my Father I 'll hunt the other dry-foot Takes the Jewels and runs out after Antonio at the same Passage First Servant I long to be handselling his hide before we bring him to my Master Second Servant Hang him for an old Covetous Hypocrite he deserves a worse punishment himself for keeping us so hardly First Servant Ay wou'd he were in this Villains place thus I wou'd lay him on and thus Beats him Second Servant And thus wou'd I revenge my self of my last beating He beats him too and then the rest Muf. Oh oh oh First Servant Now supposing you were the Mufti Sir Beats him again Muf. The Devil 's in that supposing Rascal I can bear no more and I am the Mufti Now suppose your selves my Servants and hold your hands an anointed halter take you all First Servant My Master you will pardon the excess of our zeal for you Sir indeed we all took you for a Villain and so we us'd you Mufti Ay so I feel you did my back and sides are abundant testimonies of your zeal Run Rogues and bring me back my Jewels and my Fugitive Daughter run I say They run to the Gate and the first Servant runs back again First Servant Sir the Castle is in a most terrible combustion you may hear 'em hither Muf. 'T is a laudable commotion The voice of the Mobile is the voice of Heaven I must retire a little to strip me of the Slave and to assume the Mufti and then I will return for the piety of the People must be encouraged that they may help me to recover my Jewels and my Daughter Exit Mufti and Servants Scene changes to the Castle-yard and discovers Antonio Mustafa and the Rabble shouting they come forward Ant. And so at length as I inform'd you I escap'd out of his covetous clutches and now fly to your illustrious feet for my protection Must Thou shalt have it and now defie the Mufti 'T is the first Petition that has been made to me since my exaltation to Tumult in this second Night of the Month Abib and in the year of the Hegyra the Lord knows what year but 't is no matter for when I am settled the Learned are bound to find it out for me for I am resolv'd to date my Authority over the Rabble like other Monarchs Ant. I have always had a longing to be yours again though I cou'd not compass it before and had design'd you a Casket of my Masters jewels too for I knew the Custom and wou'd not have appear'd before a Great Person as you are without a present But he has defrauded my good intentions and basely robb'd you of 'em 't is a prize worth a Million of Crowns and you carry your Letters of mark about you Must I shall make bold with his Treasure for the support of my New Government The People gather about him What do these vile Ragga-muffins so near our Person your savour is offensive to us bear back there and make room for honest Men to approach us these fools and knaves are always impudently crowding next to Princes and keeping off the more deserving bear back I say They make a wider Circle That 's dutifully done now shout to show your Loyalty A great shout Hear'st thou that Slave Antonio these obstreperous Villains shout and know not for what they make a noise You shall see me manage 'em that you may judge what ignorant Beasts they are For whom do you shout now who 's to Live and Reign tell me that the wisest of you First Rabble Even who you please Captain Must La you there I told you so Second Rabble We are not bound to know who is to Live and Reign our business is only to rise upon command and plunder Third Rabble Ay the Richest of both Parties for they are our Enemies Must This last Fellow is a little more sensible than the rest he has enter'd somewhat into the merits of the Cause First Rabble If a poor Man may speak his mind I think Captain that your self are the fittest to Live and Reign I mean not over but next and immediatly under the People and thereupon I say A Mustafa A Mustafa All Cry A Mustafa A Mustafa Must I must confess the sound is pleasing and tickles the ears of my Ambition but alas good People it must not be I am contented to be a poor simple Vice-Roy but Prince Muley-Zeydan is to be the Man I shall take care to instruct him in the arts of Government and in his duty to us all and therefore mark my Cry A Muley-Zeydan A Muley-Zeydan All Cry A Muley-Zeydan A
than that of Antonio and Morayma But I dare appeal even to my Enemies if I or any man cou'd have invented one which had been more of a piece and more depending on the serious part of the design For what cou'd be more uniform than to draw from out of the members of a Captive Court the Subject of a Comical entertainment To prepare this Episode you see Dorax giving the Character of Antonio in the beginning of the Play upon his first sight of him at the Lottery and to make the dependence Antonio is ingag'd in the Fourth Act for the deliverance of Almeyda which is also prepar'd by his being first made a Slave to the Captain of the Rabble I shou'd beg pardon for these instances but perhaps they may be of use to future Poets in the conduct of their Plays At least if I appear too positive I am growing old and thereby in possession of some experience which men in years will always assume for a right of talking Certainly if a Man can ever have reason to set a value on himself 't is when his ungenerous Enemies are taking the advantage of the Times upon him to ruin him in his reputation And therefore for once I will make bold to take the Counsel of my Old Master Virgil. Tu ne cede malis sed contrà audentior ito PROLOGUE TO DON SEBASTIAN King of Portugal Spoken by a Woman THE Judge remov'd tho he 's no more My Lord May plead at Bar or at the Council-Board So may cast Poets write there 's no Pretension To argue loss of Wit from loss of Pension Your looks are cheerful and in all this place I see not one that wears a damning face The British Nation is too brave to show Ignoble vengeance on a vanquish'd foe At least be civil to the Wretch imploring And lay your Paws upon him without roaring Suppose our Poet was your foe before Yet now the bus'ness of the Field is o'er 'T is time to let your Civil Wars alone When Troops are into Winter-quarters gone Jove was alike to Latian and to Phrygian And you well know a Play 's of no Religion Take good advice and please your selves this day No matter from what hands you have the Play Among good Fellows ev'ry health will pass That serves to carry round another glass When with full bowls of Burgundy you dine Tho at the Mighty Monarch you repine You grant him still most Christian in his Wine Thus far the Poet but his brains grow Addle And all the rest is purely from this Noddle You 've seen young Ladies at the Senate door Prefer Petitions and your grace implore How ever grave the Legislators were Their Cause went ne'er the worse for being fair Reasons as weak as theirs perhaps I bring But I cou'd bribe you with as good a thing I heard him make advances of good Nature That he for once wou'd sheath his cutting Satyr Sign but his Peace he vows he 'll ne'er again The sacred Names of Fops and Beaús profane Strike up the Bargain quickly for I swear As Times go now he offers very fair Be not too hard on him with Statutes neither Be kind and do not set your Teeth together To stretch the Laws as Coblers do their Leather Horses by Papists are not to be ridden But sure the Muses Horse was ne'er forbidden For in no Rate-Book it was ever found That Pegasus was valued at Five-pound Fine him to daily Drudging and Inditing And let him pay his Taxes out in Writing Don Sebastian King of Portugal ACT I. SCENE I. The Scene at Alcazar representing a Market-Place under the Castle Muley-Zeydan Benducar Muly-Zeyd NOW Affrica's long Wars are at an end And our parch'd earth is drench'd in Christian Blood My conquering Brother will have Slaves enow To pay his cruel Vows for Victory What hear you of Sebastian King of Portugal Benducar He fell among a heap of slaughter'd Moors Though yet his mangled Carcase is not found The Rival of our threatned Empire Mahumet Was hot pursued and in the general rout Mistook a swelling Current for a Foord And in Mucazer's Flood was seen to rise Thrice was he seen at length his Courser plung'd And threw him off the Waves whelm'd over him And helpless in his heavy arms he drownd Mul. Zeyd Thus then a doubtful Title is extinguish'd Thus Moluch still the Favorite of Fate Swims in a sanguine torrent to the Throne As if our Prophet only work'd for him The Heavens and all the Stars are his hir'd Servants As Muley-Zeydan were not worth their care And younger Brothers but the draft of Nature Bend. Be still and learn the soothing Arts of Court Adore his fortune mix with flattering Crowds And when they praise him most be you the loudest Your Brother is luxurious close and cruel Generous by fits but permanent in mischief The shadow of a discontent wou'd ruin us We must be safe before we can be great These things observ'd leave me to shape the rest Mul. Zeyd You have the Key he opens inward to you Bend. So often try'd and ever found so true Has given me trust and trust has given me means Once to be false for all I trust not him For now his ends are serv'd and he grown absolute How am I sure to stand who serv'd those ends I know your nature open mild and grateful In such a Prince the People may be blest And I be safe Mul. Zeyd My Father Embracing him Bend. My future King auspicious Maley-Zeydan Shall I adore you No the place is publick I worship you within the outward act Shall be reserv'd till Nations follow me And Heaven shall envy you the kneeling World You know th' Alcald of Alcazar Dorax Mul. Zeyd The gallant Renegade you mean Bend. The same That gloomy outside like a rusty Chest Contains the shining Treasure of a Soul Resolv'd and brave he has the Souldiers hearts And time shall make him ours Mul. He 's just upon us Bend. I know him from a far By the long stride and by the sullen port Retire my Lord. Wait on your Brothers Triumph yours is next His growth is but a wild and fruitless Plant I 'll cut his barren branches to the stock And graft you on to bear Mul. Zeyd My Oracle Exit Muley-Zeyd Bend. Yes to delude your hopes poor credulous Fool To think that I wou'd give away the Fruit Of so much toil such guilt and such damnation If I am damn'd it shall be for my self This easie Fool must be my Stale set up To catch the Peoples eyes he 's tame and merciful Him I can manage till I make him odious By some unpopular act and then dethrone him Enter Dorax Now Dorax Dorax Well Bemboucar Bend. Bare Bemboucar Dor. Thou wouldst have Titles take 'em then Chief Minister First Hangman of the State Bend. Some call me Favourite Dorax What 's that his Minion Thou art too old to be a Catamite Now prithee tell me and abate thy pride Is
stood full of tears Yet through the mist I saw him stedfast gaze Then knock'd his Aged breast and inward groan'd Like some sad Prophet that foresaw the doom Of those whom best he lov'd and cou'd not save Seb. It startles me and brings to my remembrance That when the shock of Battel was begun He wou'd have much complain'd but had not time Of our hid passion then with lifted hands He beg'd me by my Fathers Sacred Soul Not to espouse you if he dy'd in fight For if he liv'd and we were Conquerors He had such things to urge against our Marriage As now declar'd wou'd blunt my sword in Battel And dastardize my Courage Alm. My blood cruddles And cakes about my heart Seb. I 'll breath a sigh so warm into thy bosom Shall make it flow again My Love he knows not Thou art a Christian that produc'd his fear Lest thou shoud'st sooth my Soul with charms so strong That Heav'n might prove too weak Alm. There must be more This cou'd not blunt your Sword Seb. Yes if I drew it with a curst intent To take a Misbeliever to my Bed It must be so Alm. Yet Seb. No thou shalt not plead With that fair mouth against the Cause of Love Within this Castle is a Captive Priest My Holy Confessor whose free access Not ev'n the barb'rous Victors have refus'd This happy hour his hands shall make us one Alm. I go with Love and Fortune two blind Guides To lead my way half loth and half consenting If as my Soul fore-bodes some dire event Pursue this Union or some Crime unknown Forgive me Heav'n and all ye Blest above Excuse the frailty of unbounded Love Exeunt Ambo Scene 2. Suppos'd a Garden with Lodging Rooms behind it or on the sides Enter Mufti Antonio as a Slave and Johayma the Mufti 's Wife Mufti ANd how do you like him look upon him well he 's a personable Fellow of a Christian Dog Now I think you are fitted for a Gardiner Ha what say'st thou Johayma Johayma He may make a shift to sow lettice raise Melons and water a Garden plat But otherwise a very filthy Fellow how odiously he smells of his Country garlike fugh how he stinks of Spain Mufti Why honey-bird I bought him a purpose for thee didst not thou say thou long'dst for a Christian Slave Joh. Ah but the sight of that loathsom creature has almost cur'd me And how can I tell that he 's a Christian and he were well search'd he may prove a Jew for ought I know And besides I have always long'd for an Eunuch for they say that 's a Civil Creature and almost as harmless as your self Husband speak fellow are not you such a kind of peaceable thing Ant. I was never taken for one in my own Country and not very peaceable neither when I am well provok'd Mufti To your Occupation Dog bind up the Jessamines in yond Arbor and handle your pruning knife with dexterity tightly I say go tightly to your business you have cost me much and must earn it in your work here 's plentiful provision for you rascal sallating in the Garden and water in the tanck and on Holydays the licking of a platter of Rice when you deserve it Joh. What have you been bred up to Sirrah and what can you perform to recommend you to my service Antonio making legs Why Madam I can perform as much as any Man in a fair Ladies Service I can play upon the Flute and Sing I can carry your Umbrella and fan your Ladyship and cool you when you are too hot in fine no Service either by day or by night shall come amiss to me and besides am of so quick an apprehension that you need but wink upon me at any time to make me understand my duty She winks at him Anton. Very fine she has tipt the wink already Aside Joh. The Whelp may come to something in time when I have enter'd him into his business Muf. A very malapert Cur I can tell him that I do not like his fawning you must be taught your distance Sirrah Strikes him Joh. Hold hold He ha's deserv'd it I confess but for once let his ignorance plead his pardon we must not discourage a beginner Your Reverence has taught us Charity ev'n to Birds and Beasts here you filthy brute you take this little Alms to buy you plaisters gives him a piece of money Ant. Money and a Love pinch in the inside of my palm into the bargain Aside Enter a Servant Sir my Lord Benducar is coming to wait on you and is already at the Palace Gate Muf. Come in Johayma regulate the rest of my Wives and Concubines and leave the Fellow to his work Joh. Look how stupidly he stares about him like a Calf new come into the World I shall teach you Sirrah to know your business a little better this way you awkard rascal here lyes the Arbour must I be showing you eternally turning him about Muf. Come away Minion you shall show him nothing Joh. I 'll but bring him into the Arbor where a Rose-tree and a Myrtle are just falling for want of a prop if they were bound together they wou'd help to keep up one another He 's a raw Gardiner and 't is but Charity to teach him Muf. No more deeds of Charity to day come in or I shall think you a little better dispos'd than I cou'd wish you Joh. Well go before I will follow my Pastor Muf. So you may cast a sheeps eye behind you In before me And you sawciness mind your pruning knife or I may chance to use it for you Exeunt Mufti and Johayma Ant. alone Thank you for that but I am in no such hast to be made a Musulman For his Wedlock with all her haughtiness I find her coming How far a Christian shou'd resist I partly know but how far a lewd young Christian can resist is another question She 's tolerable and I am a poor Stranger far from better Friends and in a bodily necessity Now have I a strange temptation to try what other Females are belonging to this Family I am not far from the Womens apartment I am sure and if these Birds are within distance here 's that will chuckle 'em together pulls out his Flute If there be variety of Moors flesh in this Holy Market 't were madness to lay out all my money upon the first bargain He plays A Grate opens and Morayma the Mufti 's Daughter appears at it Anton. Ay there 's an Apparition This is a Morsel worthy of a Mufti this is the relishing bit in secret this is the Mystery of his Alcoran that must be reserv'd from the knowledg of the profane Vulgar This is his Holyday Devotion see she beckons too She beckons to him Morayma Come a little nearer and speak softly Ant. I come I come I warrant thee the least twinckle had brought me to thee such another kind syllable or two wou'd turn me
not Nor minds th' impression of a God on Kings Because no stamp of Heav'n was on his Soul But the resisting Mass drove back the Seal Say though thy heart be rock of Adamant Yet Rocks are not impregnable to Bribes Instruct me how to bribe thee Name thy price Lo I resign my Title to the Crown Send me to exile with the Man I love And banishment is Empire Emp. Here 's my claim Clapping his hand to his Sword And this extinguish'd thine thou giv'st me nothing Alm. My Father's Mothers Brothers death I pardon That 's somewhat sure a mighty Sum of Murther Of innocent and kindred blood strook off My Prayers and Penance shall discount for these And beg of Heav'n to charge the Bill on me Behold what price I offer and how dear To buy Sebastian's life Emp. Let after reck'nings trouble fearful fools I 'll stand the tryal of those trivial Crimes But since thou beg'st me to prescribe my terms The only I can offer are thy love And this one day of respite to resolve Grant or deny for thy next word is Fate And Fate is deaf to Pray'r Alm. May Heav'n be so Rising up At thy last breath to thine I curse thee not For who can better curse the Plague or Devil Than to be what they are That Curse be thine Now do not speak Sebastian for you need not But dye for I resign your Life Look Heav'n Almeyda dooms her dear Sebastian's death But is there Heav'n for I begin to doubt The Skyes are hush'd no grumbling Thunders roul Now take your swing ye impious Sin unpunish'd Eternal providence seems overwatch'd And with a slumb'ring Nod assents to Murther Enter Dorax attended by three Soldiers Emp. Thou mov'st a Tortoise pace to my relief Take hence that once a King that sullen pride That swells to dumbness lay him in the Dungeon And sink him deep with Irons that when he wou'd He shall not groan to hearing when I send The next Commands are death Alm. Then Prayers are vain as Curses Emp. Much at one In a Slaves mouth against a Monarch's Pow'r This day thou hast to think At night if thou wilt curse thou shalt curse kindly Then I 'll provoke thy lips lay siege so close That all thy sallying breath shall turn to Blessings Make haste seize force her bear her hence Alm. Farewel my last Sebastian I do not beg I challenge Justice now O Pow'rs if Kings be your peculiar care Why plays this Wretch with your Prerogative Now flash him dead now crumble him to ashes Or henceforth live confin'd in your own Palace And look not idely out upon a World That is no longer yours She is carried off strugling Emperour and Benducar follow Sebastian struggles in his Guards Arms and shakes off one of them but two others come in and hold him he speaks not all the while Dor. I find I 'm but a half-strain'd Villain yet Aside But mungril-mischievous for my Blood boyl'd To view this brutal act and my stern Soul Tug'd at my arm to draw in her defence Down thou rebelling Christian in my heart Redeem thy fame on this Sebastian first Then think on others wrongs when thine are righted Walks a turn But how to right ' em on a Slave disarm'd Defenceless and submitted to my rage A base revenge is vengeance on my self walks again I have it and I thank thee honest head Thus present to me at my great necessity Comes up to Sebastian You know me not Sebast I hear Men call thee Dorax Dor. 'T is well you know enough for once you speak too You were struck mute before Sebast Silence became me then Dor. Yet we may talk hereafter Seb. Hereafter is not mine Dispatch thy work good Executioner Dor. None of my blood were hangmen add that falshood To a long Bill that yet remains unreckon'd Seb. A King and thou can never have a reck'ning Dor. A greater summ perhaps than you can pay Mean time I shall make bold t' increase your debt gives him his Sword Take this and use it at your greatest need Seb. This hand and this have been acquainted well Looks on it It shou'd have come before into my grasp To kill the Ravisher Dor. Thou heardst the Tyrants orders Guard thy life When 't is attack'd and guard it like a Man Seb. I 'm still without thy meaning but I thank thee Dor. Thank me when I ask thanks thank me with that Seb. Such surly kindness did I never see Dorax to the Captain of his Guards Muza draw out a file pick man by man Such who dare dye and dear will sell their death Guard him to th' utmost now conduct him hence And treat him as my Person Seb. Something like That voice methinks I shou'd have somewhere heard But floods of woes have hurry'd it far off Beyond my kenn of Soul Exit Sebastian with the Soldiers Dor. But I shall bring him back ungrateful Man Solus I shall and set him full before thy sight When I shall front thee like some staring Ghost With all my wrongs about me What so soon Return'd This hast is boding Enter to him Emperor Benducar Mufti Emp. She 's still inexorable still Imperious And loud as if like Bacchus born in thunder Be quick ye false Physicians of my mind Bring speedy Death or Cure Bend. What can be counsell'd while Sebastian lives The Vine will cling while the tall poplar stands But that cut down creeps to the next support And twines as closely there Emp. That 's done with ease I speak him dead proceed Muf. Proclaim your Marriage with Almeyda next That Civil Wars may cease this gains the Crowd Then you may safely force her to your will For People side with violence and injustice When done for publick good Emp. Preach thou that doctrine Bend. Th' unreasonable fool has broach'd a truth Aside That blasts my hopes but since 't is gone so far He shall divulge Almeyda is a Christian If that produce no tumult I despair Emp. Why speaks not Dorax Dor. Because my Soul abhors to mix with him Sir let me bluntly say you went too far To trust the Preaching pow'r on State Affairs To him or any Heavenly Demagogue 'T is a limb lopt from your Prerogative And so much of Heav'ns Image blotted from you Muf. Sure thou hast never heard of Holy Men So Christians call 'em fam'd in State Affairs Such as in Spain Ximenes Albornoz In England Woolsey match me these with Laymen Dorax How you triumph in one or two of these Born to be Statesmen hap'ning to be Church-men Thou callst 'em holy so their function was But tell me Mufti which of 'em were Saints Next Sir to you the summ of all is this Since he claims pow'r from Heav'n and not from Kings When 't is his int'rest he can int'rest Heav'n To preach you down and Ages oft depend On hours uninterrupted in the Chair Emp. I 'll trust his Preaching while I rule his pay And I dare trust my