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
Benz. I fear to ask yet would from doubt be freed Is Selin Captive Sir or is he dead Zul I grieve to tell you what you needs must know He is a Pris'ner to his greatest Foe Kept with strong guards in the Almambra Tour Without the reach ev'n of Almanzor's pow'r Ozmyn With grief and shame I am at once opprest Zul You vvill be more vvhen I relate the rest To you I from Abenamar am sent To Ozmyn And you alone can Selin's death prevent Give up your self a Pris'ner in his stead Or e're to morrow's dawn believe him dead Benz. E're that appear I shall expire with grief Zul Your action swift your Council must be brief Lynd. While for Abdalla's freedom we prepare You in each others Brest unload your care Exeunt all but Ozmyn and Benzayda Benz. My wishes contradictions must imply You must not goe and yet he must not dye Your Reason may perhaps th' extremes unite But there 's a mist of Fate before my sight Ozm. The two Extremes too distant are to close And Human Wit can no mid-way propose My duty therefore shows the neerest way To free your Father and my own obey Benz. Your Father whom since yours I grieve to blame Has lost or quite forgot a Parents name And when at once possest of him and you Instead of freeing one will murder two Ozm. Fear not my Life but suffer me to goe What cannot onely Sons with Parents do 'T is not my death my Father does pursue He onely would withdraw my Love from you Benz. Now Ozmyn now your want of Love I see For would you goe and hazard loosing me Ozm. I rather would ten thousand Lives forsake Nor can you e're believe the doubt you make This night I with a chosen Band will goe And by surprize will free him from the Foe Benz. What Foe ah whether would your Vertue fall It is your Father whom the Foe you call Darkness and Rage will no distinction make And yours may perish for my Fathers sake Ozm. Thus when my weaker Vertue goes astray Yours pulls it back and guides me in the way I 'le send him word my being shall depend On Selin's Life and with his Death shall end Benz. 'T is that indeed would glut your Fathers rage Revenge on Ozmyn's Youth and Selin's age Ozm. What e're I plot like Sisyphus in vain I heave a stone that tumbles down again Benz. This Glorious work is then reserv'd for me He is my Father and I le set him free These Chains my Father for my sake does wear I made the fault and I the pains will bear Ozm. Yes you no doubt have merited those pains Those hands those tender Limbs were made for chains Did I not love you yet it were too base To let a Lady suffer in my place Those proofs of Vertue you before did show I did admire but I must envy now Your vast ambition leaves no Fame for me But grasps at universal Monarchy Benz. Yes Ozmyn I shall still this Palm pursue I will not yield my Glory ev'n to you I 'le break those bonds in which my Father 's ty'd Or if I cannot break 'em I 'le divide What though my Limbs a Womans weakness show I have a Soul as Masculine as you And when these Limbs want strength my Chains to wear My Mind shall teach my body how to bear Exit Benzayda Ozm. What I resolve I must not let her know But Honour has decreed she must not goe What she resolves I must prevent with care She shall not in my Fame or Danger share I 'le give strict Order to the Guards which wait That when she comes she shall not pass the Gate Fortune at last has run me out of breath I have no refuge but the arms of death To that dark Sanctuary I will goe She cannot reach me when I lie so low SCENE The Albayzin Enter on the one side Almanzor Abdalla Abdelmelech Zulema Hamet On the other side the Duke of Arcos Boabdelin Lyndaraxa and their party After which the Barrs are opened and at the same time Boabdelin and Abdalla pass by each other each to his party when Abdalla is past on the other side the Duke of Arcos approaches the Barrs and calls to Almanzor Arc. The hatred of the brave with battails ends And Foes who fought for Honour then are Friends I love thee brave Almanzor and am proud To have one hour when Love may be allowd This hand in sign of that esteem I plight We shall have angry hours enough to fight Giving his hand Almanz. The Man who dares like you in fields appear And meet my Sword shall be my Mistriss here If I am proud 't is onely to my Foes Rough but to such who Vertue would oppose If I some fierceness from a Father drew A Mothers Milk gives me some softness too Arcos Since first you took and after set me free Whether a sence of Gratitude it be Or some more secret motion of my mind For which I want a name that 's more then kind I shall be glad by what e're means I can To get the friendship of so brave a man And would your unavailing valour call From aiding those whom Heav'n has doom'd to fall We owe you that respect Which to the Gods of Foes besieg'd was shown To call you out before we take your Town Almanz. Those whom we love we should esteem 'em too And not debauch that Vertue which we wooe Yet though you give my Honour just offence I 'le take your kindness in the better sence And since you for my safety seem to fear I to return your Bribe should wish you here But since I love you more then you do me In all events preserve your Honour free For that 's your own though not your destiny Arcos Were you oblig'd in Honour by a Trust I should not think my own proposals just But since you fight for an unthankful King What loss of Fame can change of parties bring Almanz. It will and may with justice too be thought That some advantage in that change I sought And though I twice have chang'd for wrongs receiv'd That it was done for profit none believ'd The Kings Ingratitude I knew before So that can be no cause of changing more If now I stand when no reward can be 'T will show the fault before was not in me Arcos Yet there is one reward to valour due And such it is as may be sought by you That beaut'ous Qneen whom you can never gain While you secure her Husbands Life and Raign Almanz. Then be it so let me have no return Here Lyndaraxa comes neer and hears them From him but Hatred and from her but Scorn There is this comfort in a noble Fate That I deserve to be more fortunate You have my last resolve and now farewell My boding Heart some Mischief does foretell But what it is Heav'n will not let me know I 'me sad to death that I must be your Foe Arcos
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
course Boab. In walls we meanly must our hopes inclose To wait our friends and weary out our foes While Almahide To lawless Rebels is expos'd a prey And forc'd the lustful Victor to obey Aben. One of my blood in rules of Vertue bred Think better of her and I believe she 's dead To them Almanzor Boab. We are betray'd the Enemy is here We have no farther room to hope or fear Almanz. It is indeed Almanzor whom you see But he no longer is your Enemy You were ungrateful but your foes were more What your injustice lost you theirs restore Make profit of my vengeance while you may My two-edg'd sword can cut the other way I am your fortune but am swift like her And turn my hairy front if you defer That hour when you delib'rate is too late I point you the white moment of your fate Aben. Believe him sent as Prince Abdalla's spy He would betray us to the Enemy Alman Were I like thee in cheats of State grown old Those publick Markets were for foreign gold The poorer Prince is to the Richer sold Then `thou might'st think me fit for that low part But I am yet to learn the Statesman's art My kindness and my hate unmask'd I wear For friends to trust and Enemies to fear My hearts so plain That men on every passing thought may look Like fishes gliding in a Chrystal brook When troubled most it does the bottom show 'T is weedless all above and rockless all below Aben. ' Ere he be trusted let him first be try'd He may be false who once has chang'd his side Almanz. In that you more accuse your selves than me None who are injur'd can unconstant be You were unconstant you who did the wrong To do me justice does to me belong Great Souls by kindness onely can be ti'd Injur'd again again I 'le leave your side Honour is what my self and friends I owe And none can loose it who forsake a foe Since then your Foes now happen to be mine Though not in friendship we 'll in int'rest join So while my lov'd revenge is full and high I l'e give you back your Kingdom by the by Boabdelin embracing him That I so long delai'd what you desire Was not to doubt your worth but to admire Alman This Councellor an old mans caution shows Who fears that little he has left to loose Age sets to fortune while youth boldly throw's But let us first your drooping Souldiers cheere Then seek out danger ' ere it dare appear This hour I fix your Crown upon your brow Next hour fate gives it but I give it now Exeunt SCENE II. Lindaraxa alone O could I read the dark decrees of fate That I might once know whom to love or hate For I my self scarce my own thoughts can ghess So much I find 'em varied by success As in some wether-glass my Love I hold Which falls or rises with the heat or cold I will be constant yet if fortune can I love the King let her but name the Man To her Halyma Hal. Madam a Gentleman to me unknown Desires that he may speak with you alone Lind. Some Message from the King let him appear To her Abdelmelech who Entring throws off his Disguise She starts Abdelm. I see you are amaz'd that I am here But let at once your Fear and Wonder end In the Usurpers Guard I found a Friend Who led me to you safe in this Disguise Lind. Your Danger brings this Trouble in my Eyes But what affair this vent'rous visit drew Abdel. The greatest in the world the seeing you Lind. The Courage of your Love I so admire That to preserve you you shall straight retire She leads him to the door Go Dear each Minute does new dangers bring You will be taken I expect the King Abdal The King the poor Usurper of an Hour His Empire 's but a Dream of Kingly Pow'r I warn you as a Lover and a Friend To leave him e're his short Dominion end The Soldier I suborn'd will wait at night And shall alone be conscious of your flight Lind. I thank you that you so much care bestow But if his Reign be short I need not goe For why should I expose my life and yours For what you say a little time assures Abdel. My danger in th' attempt is very small And if he loves you yours is none at all But though his Ruine be as sure as Fate Your proof of Love to me would come too late This Tryal I in Kindness wou'd allow 'T is easie if you love me show it now Lind. It is because I love you I refuse For all the World my Conduct would accuse If I should go with him I love away And therefore in strict Vertue I will stay Abdel. You would in vain dissemble Love to me Through that thinn Veyle your Artifice I see You would expect th' event and then declare But do not do not drive me to despair For if you now refuse with me to fly Rather then love you after this I 'le die And therefore weigh it well before you speak My King is safe his force within not weak Lind. The Counsel you have giv'n me may be wise But since th' affair is great I will advise Abdel. Then that delay I for denial take is going Lynd. Stay you too swift an Exposition make If I should go since Zulema will stay I should my Brother to the King betray Abdel. There is no fear but if there were I see You value still your Brother more than me Farewel some ease I in your falshood find It lets a Beam in that will clear my mind My former weakness I with shame confess And when I see you next shall love you less Is going again Lynd. Your faithless dealing you may blush to tell Weeping This is a Maids Reward who loves too well He looks back Remember that I drew my latest breath In charging your unkindness with my death Abdel. coming back Have I not answered all you can invent Ev'n the least shadow of an Argument Lind. You want not cunning what you please to prove But my poor Heart knows onely how to Love And finding this you Tyrannize the more 'T is plain some other Mistriss you adore And now with studied tricks of subtilty You come prepar'd to lay the fault on me Wringing her hands But oh that I should love so false a man Abdel. Hear me and then disprove it if you can Lind. I 'le hear no more your breach of Faith is plain You would with Wit your want of Love maintain But by my own Experience I can tell They who love truly cannot argue well Go Faithless Man Leave me alone to mourn my Misery I cannot cease to love you but I 'le die Leans her Head on his Arm. Abdelmelech weeping Abdel. What Man but I so long unmov'd could hear Such tender passion and refuse a Tear But do not talk of dying any more Unless you mean that I should die before
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
and Duty cannot set me free Ev'n Sin it self has not a Charm for me Of marry'd Lovers I am sure the first And nothing but a King could so be curst Q. Almah What sadness sits upon your Royal Heart Have you a Grief and must not I have part All Creatures else a time of Love possess Man onely clogs with cares his happiness And while he shou'd enjoy his part of Bliss With thoughts of what may be destroys what is K. Boab. You guess'd aright I am opprest with grief And 't is from you that I must seek relief To the Company Leave us to sorrow there 's a rev'rence due Sad Kings like Suns Ecclips'd withdraw from view The Attendants goe off and Chairs are set for the King and Queen Almah So two kind Turtles when a storm is nigh Look up and see it gath'ring in the Skie Each calls his Mate to shelter in the Groves Leaving in murmures their unfinish'd Loves Perch'd on some dropping Branch they sit alone And Cooe and hearken to each others moan Boab. taking her by the hand Since Almahide you seem so kind a Wife What would you do to save a Husbands life Almah When Fate calls on that hard Necessity I 'll suffer death rather than you shall dye Boab. Suppose your Countrey should in danger be What would you undertake to set it free Almah It were too little to resign my Breath My own free Hand should give me nobler Death Boab. That Hand which would so much for Glory do Must yet do more for it must kill me too You must kill Me for that dear Countreys sake Or what 's all one must call Almanzor back Almah I see to what your Speech you now direct Either my Love or Vertue you suspect But know that when my person I resign'd I was too noble not to give my mind No more the shadow of Almanzor fear I have no room but for your Image here Boab. This Almahide would make me cease to mourn Were that Almanzor never to return But now my fearful People mutiny Their clamours call Almanzor back not I. Their safety through my ruine I pursue He must return and must be brought by you Almah That hour when I my Faith to you did plight I banish'd him for ever from my sight His banishment was to my Vertue due Not that I fear'd him for my self but you My Honour had preserv'd me innocent But I would your suspicion too prevent Which since I see augmented in your mind I yet more reason for his Exile find K. Boab. To your intreaties he will yield alone And on your doom depend my Life and Throne No longer therefore my desires withstand Or if desires prevail not my Command Q. Almah In his return too sadly I foresee Th' effects of your returning jealousie But your Command I prize above my life 'T is sacred to a Subject and a Wife If I have pow'r Almanzor shall return Boab. letting go her hand and starting up Curst be that fatal hour when I was born You love you love him and that love reveal By your too quick consent to his repeal My jealousie had but too just a ground And now you stab into my former wound Q. Almah This suddain change I do not understand Have you so soon forgot your own Command Boab. Grant that I did th' unjust injunction lay You should have lov'd me more then to obey I know you did this mutiny design But your Love-plot I 'le quickly countermine Let my Crown go he never shall return I like a Phoenix in my Nest will burn Almah You please me well that in one common Fate You wrap your Self and Me and all your State Let us no more of proud Almanzor hear 'T is better once to die than still to fear And better many times to dye than be Oblig'd past payment to an Enemy Boab. 'T is better but you wives still have one way When e're your Husbands are oblig'd you pay Almah Thou Heav'n who know'st it judge my innocence You Sir deserve not I should make defence Yet judge my Vertue by that proof I gave When I submitted to be made your Slave Boab. If I have been suspicious or unkind Forgive me many cares distract my mind Love and a Crown Two such excuses no one Man e're had And each of 'em enough to make me mad But now my Reason re-assumes its Throne And finds no safety when Almanzor's gone Send for him then I 'le be oblig'd and sue 'T is a less evil than to part with you I leave you to your thoughts but love me still Forgive my Passion and obey my Will Exit Boabdelin Almahide Sola My jealous Lord will soon to Rage return That Fire his Fear rakes up does inward burn But Heav'n which made me great has chose for me I must th' oblation for my People be I 'le cherish Honour then and Life despise What is not Pure is not for Sacrifice Yet for Almanzor I in secret mourn Can Vertue then admit of his return Yes for my Love I will by Vertue square My Heart 's not mine but all my Actions are I 'le like Almanzor act and dare to be As haughty and as wretched too as he What will he think is in my Message meant I scarcely understand my own intent But Silk-worm-like so long within have wrought That I am lost in my own Webb of thought Exit Almahide ACT. II. SCENE A Wood. Ozmyn and Benzayda Ozm. 'T Is true that our protection here has been Th' effect of Honour in the Spanish Queen But while I as a friend continue here I to my Country must a Foe appear Benz. Think not my Ozmyn that we here remain As friends but Pris'ners to the Pow'r of Spain Fortune dispences with your Countryes right But you desert your honour in your flight Ozm. I cannot leave you here and go away My Honour 's glad of a pretence to stay A noise within follow follow follow Enter Selin his sword drawn as pursued Selin I am pursu'd and now am spent and done My limbs suffice me not with strength to run And if I could alas what can I save A year the dregs of life too from the grave sits down on the ground Here will I sit and here attend my fate With the same hoary Majesty and State As Rome's old Senate for the Galls did wait Ben. It is my father and he seems distrest Ozmyn My honour bids me succour the opprest That life he sought for his I 'le freely give We 'll dye together or together live Benz. I 'le call more succour since the Camp is near And fly on all the wings of Love and fear Exit Benz. Enter Abenamar and four or five Moors He looks and finds Selin Aben. Ye've liv'd and now behold your latest hour Selin I scorn your malice and defy your pow'r A speedy death is all I ask you now And that 's a favour you may well allow Ozmyn shewing himself Who gives you death shall give