University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

Almansor Zaida.
ALMANSOR.
Gomella is expecting his return
In visit, heer I may conveniently
Dream of my new love: Heaven! do I not see
Vnder that flourishing shade the beautious subject
Of my sad sufferings? Love in this encounter
Seemeth to flatter me sufficiently;
It is the lovely Zaida without doubt:
How sweetly, and with what tranquility
Doth that fair one repose, whil'st wretched I
Languish with the disease which she procures me?
Surely she cannot hear me now, I may
Speak at this present unto her of love,
And not offend her; but alas! the rigour
Of my sad destiny is great, when I
Presume to speak, I fear that she may hear me.
You that have taught me the true use of sighs,
Dear object of my joy and of my griefs;
Suffer my amorous and silent soul
T'expresse its secret passion before you,
And to complain heer of a thousand evills
Which you have made me suffer, yet unkrown
Vnto your self: and you resplendent sources
Of all my fires, from whence I have deriv'd
Such violent heats, fair charming eyes, the authors
Of my captivity, enjoy the rest,
Which your have taken from me: If I see
The poppies which shut up your lids, be not
Offended that you lose your lights, the Sun
Is subject to the same eclipse, and can
No more then you, dispense himself thereof.

Zaida feigning her self in a dream
ZAID.
Almansor.

Alm.
Sure, she dreams.

ZAIDA.
Oh! rigourous torment!
To burn, to languish, and not dare to speak it,
Alas!

ALMANSOR.
O Heaven! what heare I?

ZAIDA.
We resent
One and the same heat.

ALMANSOR.
Oh! that it were true!

ZAIDA.
My modesty, excuse me.

ALMANSOR.
O favourable sleep!

ZAIDA.
Cruel constraints!
When shal we be content, when shal our plaints
Have end?

ALMANSOR.
In this great extasie of joy,
All my respects are vain; to give her thanks
I'l kisse her fair hands.—

He kisseth her hands.
ZAIDA.
Hold, insolent; whence doth proceed this boldnes?—

feigning to awake,
ALMANSOR.
What have I done?—
aside.
I came to give you thanks.

ZAIDA.
For what?

Almansor.
Tis for your goodnes.

ZAIDA.
How, I know not:
I'm sure I never gave you any matter
For this acknowledgment, who ever will
Consult th'apparence of the thing, shal find
That I have much indifference for you;
But though I had lesse, was it fit to trouble
My rest, in making your acknowledgement?

Almanzor.
Excuse my transport, beautious Shepheardesse,
If I had lesse lov'd, I had been lesse guilty;
In this occasion a Wary Lover
Would have expressed little love in shewing
Too much respect; and whatsoer my crime be,
It would be pardoned, if you slept stil;
But, alas! my good fortune is soon chang'd,
I find that you awake but to afflict me,
Your eyes in taking unto them again
Their grace and lustre, take unto them also
At the same time their usual cruelty.
And that most charming hope which I so little
Enjoyed, vanish'd with your sleep.

Zaida.
This is
An ill expression of your self, that word
Of hope gives me astonishment, I never
Gave it, nor took it yet from any person.

Almanzor.
If I might dare to credit your discourse,
At least you had not an aversion for me,
Nothing would be equall to my good fortune,
You would not find my presence trouble some,
I should be used better, I should be
Esteem'd and possibly—

ZAIDA.
Proceed.

ALMANZOR.
I might be
Belov'd.

ZAIDA.
Belov'd! of whom; if you magine
Of me, you are mistaken.

ALMAZOR.
Notwithstanding
You honored me so much to tell me so:
If I may but believe your voice, I have
Place in your heart, you are my wltnesse and
My judge both at one time; oh disavow not
That favorable sentence, that fair Oracle
Proceding from an adorable mouth,
Those words so full of charms pronounc'd in sleep,
Which promised me blessings so soon vanish'd

ZAIDA.
I dreamt, Almansor, and you are not ignorant
That a dream oftentimes is a deceiver,
And stil a lie.

ALMANSOR.
True, a dream is my glory;
But I have passions which are real truths,
The flame with in mine eyes hath appear'd to you
Too cleer, to be concealed, and the coldnes
Which you expresse unto me, quencheth not
My love, although it ruineth my hope.

ZAIDA.
This love comes very late, and really
I'm troubled at it, you know wel that I
Am otherwise engag'd.

ALMANSOR.
Alas! I cannot
Deny but I have heard say that a Lover
Favoured of Heaven is to come shortly heer
To take you from mine eyes, I know you love him
Before you see him, therefore I'le not trouble
Your pleasures, nor his joy: how great soever
His happines be, I do intend to suffer it
VVithout complaining of you, but withall
I doe intend to die. As soon as you
Shall depart hence upon the fatal voyage
Ordained, where your happy mariage
Must be accomplish'd, Know, at the same time,
That you shall see me in my griefs excesse
Depart to go unto the grave, where those
Remains of fire which sparkle in my bosom,
After my death shall still yet warm my ashes.

Zaid:
Fortune doth ow you, Sir, a happier lot

Alm:
My good or evill lot depends on you.
All other favours would be troublesome:
Lastly I do adore you, and not fortune.

Zaida.
What expect you from me in the condition
Wherein I am?

ALMANSOR.
Immortall heats and torments;
I still must love without hope to be loved.

ZAIDA.
Who loves much, may hope to be loved likewise

ALMANSOR.
What may I hope one day for better usage?

ZAIDA.
Consult with your fidelity upon it.

Alm:
Your soul appeareth too insensible
To love.

Zaid:
A constant Lover may do much;
The first refusal ought not to astonish
Any one that hath love enough to give it.

ALMANSOR.
Oh this is plain enough to my glad sense!

ZAIDA.
The blood strikes up unto my brow; alas!
I've said too much, and now I blush for shame on't.

Alm:
This glorious confession rendereth me
Too happy and content.

Zaid:
Dreams sometimes are not
VVithout effect; but the Sun hath already
Finished his career, let us go in
Yet further to discourse upon this matter
I fear that troublesome.