Heart But double double Weight of Woe to mine For with him Garcia comes Garcia to whom I must be sacrific'd and all the Faith And Vows I gave my Dear Alphonso basely Violated No it shall never be for I will die first Die ten thousand Deaths Look down look down Kneels Alphonso hear the Sacred Vow I make Leave for a Moment to behold Eternal Bliss And bend thy Glorious Eyes to Earth and me And thou Anselmo if yet thou art arriv'd Thro' all Impediments of purging Fire To that bright Heav'n where my Alphonso reigns Behold thou also and attend my Vow If ever I do yield or give consent By any Action Word or Thought to wed Another Lord may then just Heav'n show'r down Unheard of Curses on me greater far If such there be in angry Heav'ns Vengeance Than any I have yet endur'd and now Rising Methinks my Heart has some Relief Having Discharg'd this Debt incumbent on my Love Yet one Thing more I would engage from thee Leo. My Heart my Life and Will are only yours Alm. I thank thee 'T is but this anon when all Are busied in the General Joy that thou Wilt privately with me Steal forth and visit good Anselmo's Tomb. Leon. Alas I fear some fatal Resolution Alm. No on my Life my Faith I mean no Violence I feell I 'm more at large Since I have made this Vow Perhaps I would repeat it there more solemnly 'T is that or some such Melancholy Thought Upon my Word no more Leon. I will attend you Enter Alonzo Alon. The Lord Gonsalez comes to tell your Highness Of the Kings approach Alm. Conduct him in Exit Alon. That 's his Pretence I know his Errand is To fill my Ears with Garcia's valiant Deeds And with his Artful Tongue to gild and magnifie His Sons Eâ—â—â—oits But I am arm'd with Ice around my Heart Not to be warm'd with Words nor idle Eloquence Enter Gonsalez Bowing very Humbly Gons Be every Day of your long Life like this The Sun bright Conquest and your brighter Eyes Have all conspir'd to blaze promiscuous Light And bless this Day with most unequal Lustre Your Royal Father my Victorious Lord Loaden with Spoils and ever-living Lawrel Is entring now in Martial Pomp the Pallace Five Hundred Mules precede his solemn March Which groan beneath the Weight of Moorish Wealth Chariots of War adorn'd with glittering Gems Succeed and next a Hundred neighing Steeds White as the fleecy Rain on Alpine Hills That bound and foam and champ the Golden Bit As they disdain'd the Victory they grace Prisoners of War in shining Fetters follow And Captains of the Noblest Blood of Affrick Sweat by his Chariot Wheel and lick and grind With gnashing Teeth the Dust his Tryumphs raise The swarming Populace spread every Wall And cling as if with Claws they did enforce Their Hold thro' clifted Stones stretching and stâ—ring As they were all of Eyes and every Limb Would feed his Faculty of Admiration While you alone retire and shun this Sight This Sight which is indeed not seen tho' twice The Multitude should gaze In Absence of your Eyes Alm. My Lord my Eyes ungratefully behold The gilded Trophies of exterior Honours Nor will my Ears be charm'd with sounding Words Or pompous Phrase the Pageantry of Souls But that my Father is return'd in Safety I bend to Heav'n with Thanks and Humble Praiâ—â—â— Gons Excellent Princess But 't is a Task unfit for my weak Age With dying Words to offer at your Praise Garcia my Son your Beauties lowest Slave Has better done In proving with his Sword upon your Foes The Force and Influence of your matchless Charms Alm. I doubt not of the Worth of Garcia's Deeds Which had been brave tho' I had ne'er been born Leon. Madam the King Florish. Alm. My Women I would meet him Attendants to Almeria enter in Mourning Symphony of Warlike Musick Enter the King attended by Garcia and several Officers Files of Prisoners in Chains and Guards who are ranged in Order round the Stage Almeria meets the King and kneels afterwards Gonsalez kneels and kisses the King's Hand while Garcia does the same to the Princess King Almeria rise My best Gonsalez rise What Tears my good old Friend Gons But Tears of Joy To see you thus has fill'd My Eyes with more Delight than they can hold King By Heav'n thou lov'st me and I 'm pleas'd thou do'st Take it for Thanks Old Man That I rejoice To see thee weep on this Occasion But some Here are who seem to mourn at our Success How is it Almeria that you meet our Eyes Upon this solemn Day in these sad Weeds You and yours are all in opposition To my Brightness like Daughters of Affliction Alm. Forgive me Sir if I offend The Year which I have vow'd to pay to Heav'n In Mourning and strict Life for my Deliverance From Death and Wreck of the tempestuous Sea Wants yet to be expired King Your Zeal to Heav'n is great so is your Debt Yet something too is due to me who gave That Life which Heav'n preserv'd A Day bestow'd In Filial Duty had aton'd and giv'n A Dispensation to your Vow No more 'T was weak and wilful and a Woman's Errour Yet upon thought it doubly wounds my sight To see that Sable worn upon the Day Succeeding that in which our deadliest Foe Hated Anselmo was interr'd By Heav'n It looks as thou didst mourn for him Just as Thy senseless Vow appear'd to bear its Date Not from that Hour wherein thou wert preserv'd But that wherein the curs'd Alphonso perish'd Ha! what thou dost not weep to think of that Gons Have patience Royal Sir the Princess weeps To have offended you If Fate decreed One 'pointed Hour should be Alphonso's Loss And her Deliverance Is she to blame King I tell thee she 's to blame not to have feasted When my first Foe was laid in Earth such Enmity Such Detestation bears my Blood to his My Daughter should have revell'd at his Death She should have made these Pallace Walls to shake And all this high and ample Roof to ring With her Rejoicings What to mourn and weep Then then to weep and pray and grieve By Heav'n There 's not a Slave a shackled Slave of mine But should have smil'd that Hour through all his Care And shook his Chains in Transport and rude Harmony Gons What she has done was in excess of Goodness Betray'd by too much Piety to seem As if she had offended King To seem is to commit at this Conjuncture I wonnot have the seeming of a Sorrow seen To day Retire divest your self with speed Of that offensive black on me be all The Violation of your Vow You stand excused that I command it Gar. kneeling Your Pardon Sir if I presume so far As to remind you of your gracious Ptomise King Rise Garcia I forgot Yet stay Almeria Alm. O my boding Heart What is your Pleasure Sir King Draw near and give your hand and Garcia yours
Flint O Force of constant Woe 'T is not in Harmony to calm my Griefs Anselmo sleeps and is at Peace last Night The silent Tomb receiv'd the good Old King He and his Sorrows now are safely lodg'd Within its cold but hospitable Bosom Why am not I at Peace Weeps Leon. For Heaven's sake dear Madam moderate Your Griefs there is no Cause Alm. Peace No Cause yes there is Eternal Cause And Misery Eternal will succeed Thou canst not tell thou hast indeed no Cause Leo. Believe me Madam I lament Anselmo And always did compassionate his Fortune Have often wept to see how cruelly Your Father kept in Chains his Fellow King And oft at Night when all have been retir'd Have stoll'n from Bed and to his Prison crept Where while his Gaoler slept I thro' the Grate Have softly whisper'd and enquir'd his Health Sent in my Sighs and Pray'r's for his Deliv'rance For Sighs and Pray'rs were all that I could offer Alm. Indeed thou hast a soft and gentle Nature That thus couldst melt to see a Stranger 's Wrongs O Leonora hadst thou known Anselmo How would thy Heart have bled to see his Suff'rings Thou hadst no Cause but general Compassion Leo. My Love of you my Royal Mistress gave me Cause My Love of you begot my Grief for him For I had heard that when the Chance of War Had bless'd Anselmo's Arms with Victory And the rich Spoil of all the Field and you The Glory of the whole were made the Prey Of his Success that then in spite of Hate Revenge and that Hereditary Feud Entail'd between Valentia's and Granada's Kings He did endear himself to your Affection By all the worthy and indulgent ways His most industrious Goodness could invent Proposing by a Match between Alphonso His Son the brave Valentia Prince and you To end the long Dissention and unite The Jarring Crowns Alm. O Alphonso Alphonso thou art too At Peace Father and Son are now no more Then why am I O when shall I have Rest Why do I live to say you are no more Why are all these things thus Is there necessity I must be miserable Is it of Moment to the Peace of Heav'n That I should be afflicted thus if not Why is it thus contriv'd Why are things laid By some unseen Hand so as of consequence They must to me bring Curses Grief of Heart The last Distress of Life and sure Despair Leo. Alas you search too far and think too deeply Alm. Why was I carried to Anselmo's Court Or when there why was I us'd so tenderly Why did he not use me like an Enemy For so my Father would have us'd his Child O Alphonso Alphonso Devouring Seas have wash'd thee from my sight But there 's no time shall rase thee from my Memory No I will live to be thy Monument The cruel Ocean would deprive thee of a Tomb But in my Heart thou art interr'd there there Thy dear Resemblance is for ever fixt My Love my Lord my Husband still though lost Leo. Husband O Heav'ns Alm. What have I said My Grief has hurry'd me beyond all Thought I would have kept that Secret though I know Thy Love and Faith to me deserve all Confidence But 't is the Wretches Comfort still to have Some small reserve of near and inward Woe Some unsuspected hoard of darling Grief Which they unseen may wail and weep and mourn And Glutton-like alone devour Leo. Indeed I knew not this Alm. O no thou know'st not half thou know'st nothing If thou didst If I should tell thee wouldst thou pity me Tell me I know thou wouldst thou art compassionate Leo. Witness these Tears Alm. I thank thee indeed I do I thank thee that thou 'lt pity thy sad Mistress For 't is the poor Prerogative of Greatness To be wretched and unpitied But I did promise I would tell thee What My Griefs Thou dost already know 'em And when I said thou didst know nothing It was because thou didst not know Alphonso For to have known my Loss thou must have known His Worth his Truth and Tenderness of Love Leo. The Memory of that brave Prince stands fair In all Report And I have heard imperfectly his Loss But fearful to renew your Troubles past I never did presume to ask the Story Alm. If for my â—welling Heart I can I 'll tell thee I was a welcome Captive in Valentia Ev'n on the Day when Manuel my Father Led on his conqu'ring Troops high as the Gates Of King Anselmo's Pallace which in Rage And Heat of War and dire Revenge he fir'd Whilst the good King to shun approaching Flames Started amidst his Foes and made Captivity his Refuge Would I had perish'd in those Flames But 't was not so decreed Alphonso who foresaw my Father's Cruelty Had born the Queen and me on board a Ship Ready to fail and when this News was brought We put to Sea but being betray'd by some Who knew our Flight we closely were pursu'd And almost taken when a sudden Storm Drove us and those that follow'd on the Coast Of Africk There our Vessel struck the Shore And bulging 'gainst a Rock was dash'd in pieces But Heav'n spared me for yet more Affliction Conducting them who follow'd us to shun The Shoal and save me floating on the Waves While the good Queen and my Alphonso perish'd Leo. Alas were you then wedded to Alphonso Alm. That Day that fatal Day our Hands were joyn'd For when my Lord beheld the Ship pursuing And saw her Rate so far exceeding ours He came to me and beg'd me by my Love I would consent the Priest might make us one That whether Death or Victory ensu'd I might be his beyond the Power of future Fate The Queen too did assist his Suit I granted And in one Day was wedded and a Widow Leo. Indeed 't was mournful Alm. 'T was that For which I mourn and will for ever mourn Nor will I change these black and dismal Robes Or ever dry these swoll'n and watry Eyes Or ever taste content or peace of Heart While I have Life or Memory of my Alphonso Leo. Look down good Heav'n with Pity on her Sorrows And grant that Time may bring her some Relief Alm. O no! Time gives Encrease to my Afflictions The circling Hours that gather all the Woes Which are diffus'd thro' the revolving Year Come heavy-laden with the oppressing Weight To me with me successively they leave The Sighs the Tears the Groans the restless Cares And all the Damps of Grief that did retard their Flight They shake their downy Wings and scatter all The dire collected Dews on my poor Head Then fly with Joy and Swiftness from me Leo. Heark The distant Shouts proclaim your Fathers Triumph Shouts at a Distance O cease for Heaven's Sake asswage a little This Torrent of your Grief for much I fear It will incense him thus to see you drown'd In Tears when Joy appears in every other Face Alm. And Joy he brings to every other
THE Mourning Bride A TRAGEDY THE Mourning Bride A TRAGEDY As it is ACTED AT THE Theatre in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields BY His Majesty's Servants Written by Mr. CONGREVE Neque enim lex aequior ulla Quà m necis artifices arte perire sua Ovid. de Arte Am. LONDON Printed for Iacob Tonson at the Iudge's-Head near the Inner-Temple-Gate in Fleet-street 1697. TO Her Royal Highness THE PRINCESS MADAM THAT high Station which by Your Birth You hold above the People exacts from every one as a Duty whatever Honours they are capable of paying to Your Royal Highness But that more exalted Place to which Your Vertues have rais'd You above the rest of Princes makes the Tribute of our Admiration and Praise rather a choice more immediately preventing that Duty The Publick Gratitude is ever founded on a Publick Benefit and what is universally bless'd is always an universal Blessing Thus from Your self we derive the Offerings which we bring and that Incense which arises to Your Name only returns to its Original and but naturally requires the Parent of its Being From hence it is that this Poem constituted on a Moral whose End is to recommend and to encourage Vertue of consequence has recourse to Your Royal Highness's Patronage aspiring to cast it self beneath Your Feet and declining Approbation till You shall condescend to own it and vouchsafe to shine upon it as on a Creature of Your Influence 'T is from the Example of Princes that Vertue becomes a Fashion in the People For even they who are averse to Instruction will yet be fond of Imitation But there are Multitudes who never can have Means nor Opportunities of so near an Access as to partake of the Benefit of such Examples And to these Tragedy which distinguishes it self from the Vulgar Poetry by the Dignity of its Characters may be of Use and Information For they who are at that distance from Original Greatness as to be depriv'd of the Happiness of Contemplating the Perfections and real Excellencies of Your Royal Highness's Person in Your Court may yet behold some small Sketches and Imagings of the Vertues of Your Mind abstracted and represented in the Theatre Thus Poets are instructed and instruct not alone by Precepts which persuade but also by Examples which illustrate Thus is Delight interwoven with Instruction when not only Vertue is prescrib'd but also represented But if we are delighted with the Livelyness of a feign'd Representation of Great and Good Persons and their Actions how must we be charm'd with beholding the Persons themselves If one or two excelling Qualities barely touch'd in the single Action and small Compass of a Play can warm an Audience with a Concern and Regard even for the seeming Success and Prosperity of the Actor With what Zeal must the Hearts of all be fill'd for the continued and encreasing Happiness of those who are the true and living Instances of Elevated and Persisting Vertue Even the Vicious themselves must have a secret Veneration for those peculiar Graces and Endowments which are daily so eminently conspicuous in Your Royal Highness and though repining feel a Pleasure which in spite of Envy they per-force approve If in this Piece humbly offer'd to Your Royal Highness there shall appear the Resemblance of any one of those many Excellencies which You so promiscuously possess to be drawn so as to merit Your least Approbation it has the End and Accomplishment of its Design And however imperfect it may be in the Whole through the Inexperience or Incapacity of the Author yet if there is so much as to convince Your Royal Highness that a Play may be with Industry so dispos'd in spight of the licentious Practice of the Modern Theatre as to become sometimes an innocent and not unprofitable Entertainment it will abundantly gratifie the Ambition and Recompence the Endeavours of Your Royal Highness's Most Obedient and most humbly Devoted Servant William Congreve PROLOGUE Spoken by Mr. Betterton THE Time has been when Plays were not so plenty And a less Number New would well content ye New Plays did then like Almanacks appear And One was thought sufficient for a Year Tho' they are more like Almanacks of late For in One Year I think they 're out of Date Nor were they without Reason join'd together For just as One prognosticates the Weather How plentiful the Crop or scarce the Grain What Peals of Thunder and what Show'rs of Rain So t'other can foretel by certain Rules What Crops of Coxcombs or what Flouds of Fools In such like Prophecies were Poets skill'd Which now they find in their own Tribe fulfill'd The Dearth of Wit they did so long presage Is fall'n on us and almost starves the Stage Were you not griev'd as often as you saw Poor Actors thresh such empty Sheafs of Straw Toiling and lab'ring at their Lungs Expence To start a Iest or force a little Sence Hard Fate for us still harder in th' Event Our Authors Sin but we alone repent Still they proceed and at our Charge write worse 'T were some Amends if they could reimburse But there 's the Devil tho' their Cause is lost There 's no recov'ring Damages or Cost Good Wits forgive this Liberty we take Since Custome gives the Losers leave to speak But if provok'd your dreadful Wrath remains Take your Revenge upon the coming Scenes For that damn'd Poet 's spar'd who dams a Brother As one Thief scapes that executes another Thus far alone does to the Wits relate But from the rest we hope a better Fate To please and move has been our Poets Theme Art may direct but Nature is his aim And Nature miss'd in vain he boasts his Art For only Nature can affect the Heart Then freely judge the Scenes that shall ensue But as with Freedom judge with Candour too He wou'd not loose thro' Prejudice his Cause Nor wou'd obtain percariously Applause Impartial Censure he requests from all Prepar'd by just Decrees to stand or fall Personae Dramatis MAnuel the King of Granada Mr. Verbruggen Gonsalez his Favourite Mr. Sanford Garcia Son to Gonsalez Mr. Scudamour Perez Captain of the Guards Mr. Freeman Alonzo an Officer Creature to Gonsalez Mr. Arnold Osmyn a Noble Prisoner Mr. Betterton Heli a Prisoner his Friend Mr. Boman Selim an Eunuch Mr. Baily WOMEN Almeria the Princess of Granada Mrs. Bracegirdle Zara a Captive Queen Mrs. Barry Leonora chief Attendant on the Princess Mrs. Boman Women Eunuchs and Mutes attending Zara. Guards c. The Scene GRANADA THE Mourning Bride ACT I. SCENE I. A Room of State The Curtain rising slowly to soft Musick discovers Almeria in Mourning Leonora waiting in Mourning After the Musick Almeria rises from her Chair and comes forward Alm. MUsick has Charms to sooth a savage Breast To soften Rocks or bend a knotted Oak I 've read that things inanimate have mov'd And as with living Souls have been inform'd By Magick Numbers and persuasive Sound What then am I Am I more senseless grown Than Trees or
been this Thing Zar. What Thing Osm. This Slave Zar. O Heav'n my Fears interpret This thy Silence somewhat of high Concern Long fashioning within thy labouring Mind And now just ripe for Birth my Rage has ruin'd Have I done this tell me am I so curs'd Osm. Time may have still one fated Hour to come Which wing'd with Liberty might overtake Occasion past Zar. Swift as Occasion I My self will fly and earlier than the Morn Wake thee to Freedom Now 't is late and yet Some News few Minutes past arriv'd which seem'd To shake the Temper of the King who knows What racking Cares disease a Monarch's Bed Or Love that late at Night still lights his Camp And strikes his Rays thro' dusk and folded Lids Forbidding rest may stretch his Eyes awake And force their Balls abroad at this dead Hour I 'll try Osm. I have not merited this Grace Nor should my secret Purpose take Effect Can I repay as you require such Benefits Zar. Thou canst not owe me more nor have I more To give than I 've already lost But as The present Form of our Engagements rests Thou hast the Wrong 'till I redeem thee hence That done I leave thy Justice to return My Love Adieu Exit Zara. Osm. This Woman has a Soul Of God-like Mould intrepid and commanding And challenges in spight of me my best Esteem to this she 's fair few more can boast Of Personal Charms or with less Vanity Might hope to captivate the Hearts of Kings But she has Passions which out-strip the Wind And tear her Virtues up as Tempest's root The Sea I fear when she shall know the truth Some swift and dire event of her blind Rage Will make all fatal But behold she comes For whom I fear to shield me from my Fears Enter Almeria The Cause and Comfort of my boding Heart My Life my Health my Liberty my All. How shall I welcome thee to this sad Place How speak to thee the Words of Joy and Transport How run into thy Arms with-held by Fetters Or take thee into mine thus manacled And pinion'd like a Thief or Murderer Shall I not hurt and bruise thy tender Body And stain thy Bosom with the Rust of these Rude Irons Must I meet thee thus Almeria Alm. Thus thus we parted thus to meet again Thou told'st me thou would'st think how we might meet To part no more Now we will part no more For these thy Chains or Death shall join us ever Osm. Hard Means to ratifie that Word O Cruelty That ever I should think beholding thee A Torture yet such is the bleeding Anguish Of my Heart to see thy Sufferings O Heav'n That I cou'd almost turn my Eyes away Or wish thee from my Sight Alm. O say not so Tho' 't is because thou lov'st me Do not say On any Terms that thou dost wish me from thee No no 't is better thus that we together Feed on each others Heart devour our Woes With mutual Appetite and mingling in One Cup the common Stream of both our Eyes Drink bitter Draughts with never-slacking Thirst. Thus better than for any Cause to part What dost thou think Look not so tenderly Upon me speak and take me in thy Arms Thou canst not thy poor Arms are bound and strive In vain with the remorseless Chains which gnaw And eat into thy Flesh festring thy Limbs With rancling Rust. Osm. Oh! O Alm. Give me that Sigh Why do'st thou heave and stifle in thy Griefs Thy Heart will burst thy Eyes look red and sâ—art Give thy Soul Way and tell me thy dark Thought Osm. For this World's Rule I wou'd not wound thy Breast With such a Dagger as then stuck my Heart Alm. Why why to know it cannot wound me more Then knowing thou hast felt it Tell it me Thou giv'st me Pam with too much Tenderness Osm. And thy excessive Love distracts my Sense O could'st thou be less killing soâ—t or kind Grief wou'd not double thus his Darts against me Alm. Thou dost me Wrong and Grief too robs my Heart If there he shoot not ev'ry other Shaft Thy second self should feel each other Wound And Woe shou'd be in equal Portions dealt I am thy Wife Osm. O thou hast search'd too deep There there I bleed there pull the cruel Cords That strain my cracking Nerves Engines and Wheels That Piece-meal grind are Beds of Down and Balm To that soul-racking Thought Alm. Then I am curs'd Indeed if that be so if I 'm thy Torment Kill me kill me then dash me with thy Chains Tread on me spurn me am I the bosom Snake That sucks thy warm Life-Blood and gnaws thy Heart O that thy Words had force to break those Bonds As they have Strength to tear this Heart in sunder So should'st thou be at large from all Oppression Am I am I of all thy Woes the worst Osm. My All of Bliss my everlasting Life Soul of my Soul and End of all my Wishes Why dost thou thus unman me with thy Words And melt me down to mingle with thy Weepings What dost thou ask why dost thou talk thus piercingly Thy Sorrows have disturb'd thy Peace of Mind And thou dost speak of Miseries impossible Alm. Did'st thou not say that Racks and Wheels were Balm And Beds of Ease to thinking me thy Wife Osm. No no nor should the subtlest Pains that Hell Or hell-born Malice can invent extort A wish or Thought from me to have thee other But thou wilt know what harrows up my Heart Thou art my Wife nay thou art yet my Bride The Sacred Union of Connubial Love Yet unnaccomplish'd his mysterious Rites Delay'd nor has our Hymenial Torch Yet lighted up his last most grateful Sacrifice But dash'd with Rain from Eyes and swail'd with Sighs Burns dim and glimmers with expiring Light Is this dark Cell a Temple for that God Or this vile Earth an Altar for such Off'rings This Den for Slaves this Dungeon damp'd with Woes Is this our Marriage Bed are these our Joys Is this to call thee mine O hold my Heart To call thee mine yes thus ev'n thus to call Thee mine were Comfort Joy extremest Exstacy But O thou art not mine not ev'n in misery And 't is deny'd to me to be so bless'd As to be wretched with thee Alm. No not that The extremest Malice of our Fate can hinder That still is left us and on that we 'll feed As on the Leavings of Calamity There we will feast and smile on past Distress And hug in scorn of it our mutual Ruine Osm. O thou dost talk my Love as one resolv'd Because not knowing Danger But look forward Think on to Morrow when thou shalt be torn From these weak strugling unextended Arms Think how my Heart will heave and Eyes will strain To grasp and reach what is deny'd my Hands Think how the Blood will start and Tears will gush To follow thee my separating Soul Think how I am when thou shalt wed with Garcia Then
Act of Horrour And of a-piece with this Day 's dire Misdeeds But 't is not yet the time to ponder or Repent Haste thee Alonzo hence with speed To aid my Son I 'll follow with the last Reserve to re-inforce his Arms at least I shall make good and shelter his Retreat Exeunt Enter Zara follow'd by Selim and Two Mutes bearing the Bowls Zara. Silence and Solitude are ev'ry where Thro' all the Gloomy Ways and Iron Doors That hither lead nor Humane Face nor Voice Is seen or heard A dreadful Din was wont To grate the Sense when entred here from Groans And Howls of Slaves condemn'd from Clink of Chains And Crash of rusty Bars and creeking Hinges And ever and anon the Sight was dash'd With frightful Faces and the meagre Looks Of grim and gashly Executioners Yet more this Stilness terrifies my Soul Than did that Scene of complicated Horrors It may be that the Cause and Purpose of My Errand being chang'd from Life to Death Has also wrought this chilling Change of Temper Or does my Heart bode more what can it more Than Death Let 'em set down the Bowls and warn Alphonso That I am here so You return and find Mutes go in The King tell him what he requir'd Iv'e done And wait his coming to approve the Deed. Exit Selim What have you seen Ha! wherefore stare you thus The Mutes return and look affrighted With haggar'd Eyes why are your Arms a-cross Your heavy and desponding Heads hung down Why is 't you more than speak in these sad Signs Give me more ample Knowledge of this Mourning They go to the Scene which opens and shews the Body Ha! prostrate bloody headless O start Eyes Split Heart burst ev'ry Vein at this dire Object At once dissolve and flow meet Blood with Blood Dash your encountering Streams with mutual Violence 'Till Surges roll and foaming Billows rise And curl their Crimson Heads to kiss the Clouds Rain rain ye Stars spout from your burning Orbs Precipitated Fires and pour in sheets The blazing Torrent on the Tyrant's Head Scorch and consume the curst perfidious King Enter Selim. Selim. I 've sought in vain the King is no where to Be found Zara. Get thee to Hell and seek him there Stabs him His hellish Rage had wanted Means to act But for thy fatal and pernicious Counsel Sel. You thought it better then but I 'm rewarded The Mute you sent by some Mischance was seen And forc'd to yield your Letter with his Life I found the dead and bloody Body strip'd My Tongue faulters and my Voice fails Drink not the Poyson for Alphonso is Dies Zara. As thou art now And I shall quickly be 'T is not that he is dead for 't was decreed We both should die Nor is 't that I survive I have a Remedy for that But Oh He dy'd unknowing in my Heart He knew I lov'd but knew not to what height Nor that I meant to fall before his Eyes A Martyr and a victim to my Vows Insensible of this last Proof he 's gone Yet Fate alone can rob his mortal Part Of Sense His Soul still sees and knows each Purpose And fix'd event of my persisting Faith Then wherefore do I pause give me the Bowl A Mute kneels and gives one of the Bowls Hover a Moment yet thou gentle Spirit Soul of my Love and I will wait thy flight This to our mutual Bliss when joyn'd above Drinks O friendly Draught already in my Heart Cold cold my Veins are Icicles and Frost I 'll creep into his Bosom lay me there Cover us close or I shall chill his Breast And fright him from my Arms See see he slides Still further from me look he hides his Face I cannot feel it quite beyond my teach O now he 's gone and all is dark Dies The Mutes kneel and mourn over her Enter Almeria and Leonora Alm. O let me seek him in this horrid Cell For in the Tomb or Prison I alone Must hope to find him Leon. Heav'ns what dismal Scene Of Death is this The Eunuch Selim slain Alm. Shew me for I am come in search of Death But want a Guide for Tears have dim'd my Sight Leon. Alas a little farther and behold Zara all pale and dead two frightful Men Who seem the Murderers kneel weeping by Feeling Remorse too late for what they 've done But O forbear lift up your Eyes no more But haste away fly from this Fatal Place Where Miseries are multipy'd return And look not on for there 's a Dagger that Will stab the Sight and make your Eyes rain Blood Alm. O I fore-see that Object in my Mind Is it at last then so is he then dead What dead at last quite quite for ever dead There there I see him there he lies the Blood Yet bubling from his Wounds O more than savage Had they or Hearts or Eyes that did this Deed Could Eyes endure to guide such cruel Hands Are not my Eyes guilty alike with theirs That thus can gaze and yet not turn to Stone I do not weep The Springs of Tears are dry'd And of a suddain I am calm as if All things were well and yet my Husband 's murder'd Yes yes I know to mourn I 'll sluce this Heart The Source of Woe and let the Torrent loose Those Men have lest to weep and look on me I hope they murder all on whom they look Behold me well your bloody Hands have err'd And wrongfully have put to Death those Innocents I am the Sacrifice design'd to bleed And come prepar'd to yield my Throat they shake Their Heads in Sign of Grief and Innocence They point at the Bowl on the Ground And point what mean they Ha! a Cup. O well I understand what Medicine has been here O noble Thirst and yet too greedy to Drink all O for another Draught of Death They point at the other Cup. Ha! point again 't is there and full I hope O thanks the liberal Hand that fill'd thee thus I 'll drink my glad Acknowledgment Leon. O hold For Mercy 's sake upon my Knees forbear Alm. With Thee the kneeling World should beg in vain Seest thou not there who prostrate lies And pleads against thee who shall then prevail Yet I will take a cold and parting Leave From his pale Lips I 'll kiss him e'er I drink Lest the rank Juice should blister on my Mouth And stain the Colour of my last Adieu Horrour a headless Trunk nor Lips nor Face Coming nearer the Body starts and lets fall the Cup. But spouting Veins and mangled Flesh O O. Enter Alphonso Heli Perez with Garcia Prisoner Guards and Attendants Alph. Away stand off where is she let me fly Save her from Death and snatch her to my Heart Alm. Oh Alph. Forbear my Arms alone shall hold her up Warm her to Life and wake her into Gladness O let me talk to thy reviving Sense The Words of Joy and Peace warm thy cold Beauties With the new-flushing Ardour of my Cheek Into thy Lips pour the soft trickling Balm Of cordial Sighs and re-inspire thy Bosom With the Breath of Love Shine awake Almeria Give a new Birth to thy long-shaded Eyes Then double on the Day reflected Light Alm. Where am I Heav'n what does this Dream intend Alph. O may'st thou never dream of less Delight Nor ever wake to less substantial Joys Alm. Giv'n me again from Death O all ye Powers Confirm this Miracle can I believe My Sight against my Sight and shall I trust That Sense which in one Instant shews him dead And living yes I will I 've been abus'd With Apparitions and affrighting Fantoms This is my Lord mâ— Life my only Husband I have him now anâ— we no more will part My Father too shall â—ave Compassion Alph. O my Heart's Comfort 't is not given to this Frail Life to be entirely bless'd Even now In this extreamest Joy my Soul can taste Yet am I dash'd to think that thou must weep Thy Father fell where he design'd my Death Gonsalez and Alonzo both of Wounds Expiring have with their last Breath confess'd The just Decrees of Heav'n in turning on Themselves their own most bloody Purposes Nay I must grant 't is fit you shou'd be thus She weeps Let 'em remove the Body from her Sight Ill-fated Zara Ha! a Cup alas Thy Errour then is plain but I were Flint Not to o'er-flow in Tribute to thy Memory She shall be Royally interr'd O Garcia Whose Virtue has renounc'd thy Father's Crimes Seest thou how just the Hand of Heav'n has been Let us that thro' our Innocence survive Still in the Paths of Honour persevere And not from past or present Ills Despair For Blessings ever wait on vertuous Deeds And tho' a late a sure Reward succeeds Exeunt Omnes EPILOGUE Spoken by M rs Bracegirdle THE Tragedy thus done I am you know No more a Princess but in statu quo And now as unconcern'd this Mourning wear As if indeed a Widow or an Heir I 've leisure now to mark your sev'ral Faces And know each Critick by his sowre Grimaces To poison Plays I see some where they sit Scatter'd like Rats-bane up an down the Pit While others watch like Parish-Searchers hir'd To tell of what Disease the Play expir'd O with what Ioy they run to spread the News Of a damn'd Poet and departed Muse But if he 'scape with what Regret they 're seiz'd And how they 're disappointed if they 're pleas'd Criticks to Plays for the same end resort That Surgeons wait on Tryals in a Court For Innocence condemn'd they 've no Respect Provided they 've a Body to dissect As Sussex Men that dwell upon the Shoar Look out when Storms arise and Billows roar Devoutly praying with up-lifted Hands That some well-laden Ship may strike the Sands To wâ—ose Rich Cargo they may make Pretence And â—â—tten on the Spoils of Providence So Criticks throng to see a New Play split And thrive and prosper on the Wrecks of Wit Small Hope our Poet from these Prospects draws And therefore to the Fair commends his Cause Your tender Hearts to Mercy are inclin'd With whom he hopes this Play will Favour find Which was an Off'ring to the Sex design'd FINIS