University of Virginia Library

Scena. III.

To them enter Eleazar, Zarack, Baltazar, Roderigo, Christofero, and others, they fight, Moors are all beat in, Exeunt omnes, manet Eleazar weary; staies, a Moor lies slain.
Eleaz.
Oh for more work, more souls to post to hell;
That I might pile up Charons boat so full,
Untill it topple o're, Oh 'twould be sport
To see them sprawl through the black slimy lake.
Ha, ha; there's one going thither, sirrah, you,
You slave, who kill'd thee? how he grins! this breast,
Had it been tempered, and made proof like mine,
It never would have been a mark for fools
To hit afar off with their dastard bullets.
But thou didst well, thou knew'st I was thy Lord;
And out of love and duty to me here,
Where I fell weary, thou laidst down thy self
To bear me up, thus: God a-mercy slave.
A King for this shall give thee a rich grave.

As he sits down, enter Philip with a broken sword.
Phil.
I'le wear thee to the pommel, but I'le finde
The subject of mine honour and revenge.
Moor 'tis for thee I seek; Come now, now take me
At good advantage: speak, where art thou?

Eleaz.
Here.

Phil.
Fate and revenge I thank you rise.

Elea.
Leave and live.

Phil.
Villain, it is Philippo that bids rise.

Eleaz.
It had been good for thee to have hid thy name.
For the discovery, like to a dangerous charm,
Hurts him that finds it, wherefore do's those blood hounds
Thy rage and valour chase me?

Phil.
Why to kill thee.

Eleaz.
With that! what a blunt axe? think'st thou I'le let
Thy fury take a full blow at this head,
Having these arms, be wise; go change thy weapon.

Phil.
Oh, Sir!

Eleaz.
I'le stay thy coming.

Phil.
Thou't be damn'd first.

Eleaz.
By all our Indian gods.

Phil.
Puh, never swear;
Thou know'st 'tis for a kingdome which we fight;
And for that who'l not venture to hell-gates.
Come Moor, I am arm'd with more then compleat steel,
The justice of my quarrel: when I look
Upon my Fathers wrongs, my brothers wounds,
My mothers infamie, Spains miserie,
And lay my finger her, Oh! 'tis too dull,
To let out blood enough to quench them all.
But when I see your face, and know what fears
Hang on thy troubled soul, like leaden weights,
To make it sink; I know this fingers touch
Has strength to throw thee down, I know this iron
Is sharp and long enough to reach that head:
Fly not dive, if thou do?

Eleaz.
How, fly; Oh bast!

Phil.
Come then

Eleaz.
Stay Philip, whosoe're begat thee.

Phil.
Why slave, a King begat me.

Eleaz.
May be so.
But I'le be sworn thy mother was a Queen;
For her sake will I kill thee nobly:
Fling me thy sword, there's mine, I scorn to strike
A man disarm'd.

Phil.
For this dishonoring me
I'le give thee one stab more.

Eleaz.
I'le run away,
Unlesse thou change that weapon, or take mine.

Phil.
Neither.

Eleaz.
Farewel.

Phil.
S'heart, stay, and if you dare,
Do as I do, oppose thy naked breast
Against this poniard; see, here's this for thine.

Eleaz.
I am for thee Philip.

Phil.
Come, nay take more ground,
That with a full career thou maist strike home.

Eleaz.
Thou't run away then.

Phil.
Hah!

Eleaz.
Thou't run away then.

Phil.
Faith, I will, but first on this I'le bear
Thy panting heart, thy head upon thy spear.

Eleaz.
Come.

Enter on both sides, Cardinall, and King of Portugal, on the one side, and Moors on the other side.
Card.
Side upon the Moors.

Moor.
Side upon the Cardinall.

Phil.
Hold Cardinall, strike not any of our side,

Eleaz.
Hold Moors, strike not any of our side,

Phil.
wee two will close this battail.

Eleaz.
Come, agreed.
Stand armies and give aim, whil'st wee two bleed.

Card.
With poniards; 'tis too desperate, dear Philip.

Phil.
Away, have at the Moor, s'heart let me come?

K. Port.
Be arm'd with manly weapons, 'tis for slaves,
To dig their own and such unworthy graves.

Eleaz.
I am for thee any way, thus, or see thus,
Here try the vigour of thy sinewy arm,
The day is ours already, brainless heads
And bleeding bodyes like a crown do stand,
About the temples of our victory.
Yet Spaniards if you dare we'l fight it out,
Thus man to man alone, I'le first begin,
And conquer, or in blood wade up to th'chin.

Phil.
Let not a weapon stir, but his and mine.

Eleaz.
Nor on this side, conquest in blood shall shine.

Alarum. They fight a Combate, The Moor is struck down, which his side seeing, step all in and rescue him; The rest joine and drive in the Moors. Alarum continuing, Spaniards and Moors with drums and colours flye over the stage, persued by Philip, Cardinall, King Port. And others. Enter Zarack Christofero, and Eleazar at severall doors.
Christo.
Where is my Lord?

Zarack.
Where is our Soveraign?

Eleaz.
What news brings Zarack and Christofero?

Zarack.
Oh flye my Lord! flye; for the day is lost.

Eleaz.
There are three hundred and odd days in a year,
And cannot we lose one of them, com fight.

Christo.
The Lords have left us, and the souldiers faint,
You are round beset with proud fierce enemies;
Death cannot be prevented but by flight?

Eleaz.
He shall Christofero I have yet left,
One stratagem that in despite of fate,
Shal turn the wheel of war about once more,
The Mother Queen hath all this while fate sadly,
Within our tent, expecting to whose bosom,
White winged peace and victory will flie,
Her have I us'd as a fit property,
To stop this dangerous current; her have I sent,
Arm'd with loves magick to inchant the Cardinall;
And bind revenge down with resistlesse charms.
By this time does she hang about his neck,
And by the witchcraft of a cunning kiss;
Has she disarm'd him, hark, they sound
Retreat.
She has prevail'd, a womans tongue and eye;
Are weapons stronger then Artillery.

Exeunt.