The Battell of Alcazar Fovght in Barbarie, betweene Sebastian king of Portugall, and Abdelmelec king of Morocco. With the death of Captaine Stukeley |
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 | The Battell of Alcazar |  |
Honor the spurre that pricks the princely minde,
To followe rule and climbe the stately chaire,
With great desire inflames the Portingall,
An honorable and couragious king,
To vndertake a dangerous dreadfull warre,
And aide with christian armes the barbarous Moore,
The Negro Muly Hamet that with-holds
The kingdome from his vnkle Abdilmelec,
Whom proud Abdallas wrongd,
And in his throne instals his cruell sonne,
That now vsurps vpon this prince,
This braue Barbarian Lord Muly Molocco.
The passage to the crowne by murder made,
Abdallas dies, and deisnes this tyrant king,
Of whome we treate sprong from the Arabian moore
Blacke in his looke, and bloudie in his deeds,
And in his shirt staind with a cloud of gore,
Presents himselfe with naked sword in hand,
Accompanied as now you may behold,
With deuils coted in the shapes of men.
To followe rule and climbe the stately chaire,
With great desire inflames the Portingall,
An honorable and couragious king,
To vndertake a dangerous dreadfull warre,
And aide with christian armes the barbarous Moore,
The Negro Muly Hamet that with-holds
The kingdome from his vnkle Abdilmelec,
Whom proud Abdallas wrongd,
And in his throne instals his cruell sonne,
That now vsurps vpon this prince,
This braue Barbarian Lord Muly Molocco.
The passage to the crowne by murder made,
Abdallas dies, and deisnes this tyrant king,
Of whome we treate sprong from the Arabian moore
Blacke in his looke, and bloudie in his deeds,
And in his shirt staind with a cloud of gore,
Presents himselfe with naked sword in hand,
Accompanied as now you may behold,
With deuils coted in the shapes of men.
Enter Muly Mahamet and his sonne, and his two young brethren, the Moore sheweth them the bed, and then takes his leaue of them, and they betake them to their rest. And then the presenter speaketh.
Like those that were by kind of murther mumd,
Sit downe and see what hainous stratagems
These damned wits contriue. And lo alas
How lyke poore lambes prepard for sacrifice,
This traitor king hales to their longest home,
These tender Lords his yonger brethren both.
The second dumbe shew.Sit downe and see what hainous stratagems
These damned wits contriue. And lo alas
How lyke poore lambes prepard for sacrifice,
This traitor king hales to their longest home,
These tender Lords his yonger brethren both.
Enter the Moore and two murdrers bringing in his vnkle Abdelmunen, then they draw the curtains and smoother the yong princes in the bed. Which done, in sight of the vnkle they strangle him in his chaire, and then goe forth. And then the Presenter saith.
His brethren thus in fatall bed be hearst,
His fathers brother of too light beleefe.
This Negro puts to death by proud command.
Saie not these things are faind, for true they are,
And vnderstand how eager to inioy
His fathers crowne this vnbeleeuing Moore
Murthering his vnkle and his brethren,
Triumphs in his ambitious tyrannie,
Till Nemisis high mistres of reuenge,
That with her scourge keepes all the world in awe,
With thundering drums awakes the God of warre,
And cals the furies from Auernus crags,
To range and rage and vengeance to inflict
Vengeance on this accursed Moore for sinne,
And now behold how Abdelmelec comes,
Vnkle to this vnhappie traitor king,
Armd with great aide that Amurath had sent,
Great Amurath Emperor of the East,
For seruice done to Sultan Solimon,
Vnder whose colours he had serud in field,
Flying the furie of this Negroes father,
That wrongd his brethren to install his sonne.
Sit you and see this true and tragicke warre,
A modern matter full of bloud and ruth,
Where three bolde kings confounded in their height,
Fell to the earth contending for a crowne,
And call this warre The battell of Alcazar.
Exit.
His fathers brother of too light beleefe.
This Negro puts to death by proud command.
Saie not these things are faind, for true they are,
And vnderstand how eager to inioy
His fathers crowne this vnbeleeuing Moore
Murthering his vnkle and his brethren,
Triumphs in his ambitious tyrannie,
Till Nemisis high mistres of reuenge,
That with her scourge keepes all the world in awe,
With thundering drums awakes the God of warre,
And cals the furies from Auernus crags,
To range and rage and vengeance to inflict
Vengeance on this accursed Moore for sinne,
And now behold how Abdelmelec comes,
Vnkle to this vnhappie traitor king,
Great Amurath Emperor of the East,
For seruice done to Sultan Solimon,
Vnder whose colours he had serud in field,
Flying the furie of this Negroes father,
That wrongd his brethren to install his sonne.
Sit you and see this true and tragicke warre,
A modern matter full of bloud and ruth,
Where three bolde kings confounded in their height,
Fell to the earth contending for a crowne,
And call this warre The battell of Alcazar.
Sound Drummes and trumpets, and enter Abdilmelec with Calsepius Bassa and his gard, and Zareo a Moore with souldiers.
Abdel.
Alhaile Argerd Zareo and yee Moores,
Salute the frontires of your natiue home,
Cease ratling drums, and Abdilmelec here
Throw vp thy trembling hands to heauens throne
Pay to thy God due thankes and thankes to him
That strengthens thee with mightie gracious armes,
Against the proud vsurper of thy right,
The roiall seate and crowne of Barbarie,
Great Amurath great Emperour of the world,
The world beare witnesse how I do adore
The sacred name of Amurath the great.
Calcepius Bassa, Bassa Calcepius
To thee and to thy trustie band of men
That carefully attend vs in our camp,
Pickt souldiers comparable to the guard
Of Mermidons, that kept Achilles tent
Such thankes we giue to thee and to them all,
As may conserne a poore distressed king
In honour and in princely curtesie.
Curteous and honourable Abdilmelec,
VVe are not come at Amuraths command,
As mersenarie men to serue for pay,
But as sure friends by our great master sent
To gratifie and to remunerate,
Thy loue, thy loialtie, and forwardnes,
Thy seruice in his fathers dangerous warre,
And to performe in view of all the world,
The true office of right and roialtie,
To see thee in thy kingly chaire inthronde,
To settle and to seate thee in the same,
To make thee Emperor of this Barbarie,
Are come the viseroies and sturdie Ianisaries
Of Amurath, sonne to Sultan Solimon.
Enter Muly Mahamet Xeque, Rubin Arches, Abdil Rayes, with others.
Abdil Rayes
Long liue my Lord the soueraigne of my heart,
Lord Abdilmelecke whom the God of kings,
The mightie Amurath hath happie made,
And long liue Amurath for this good deed.
Muly Mah.
Our Moores haue seen the siluer moons to wane,
In banners brauely spreading ouer the plaine,
And in this semicircles haue descride
All in a golden field a starre to rise,
A glorious comet that begins to blase,
Promising happie sorting to vs all.
Rubyn.
Braue man at armes whom Amurath hath sent
To sow the lawfull true succeeding seed
In Barbarie, that bowes and grones withall
Vnder a proud vsurping tyrants mase,
Right thou the wrongs this rightfull king hath borne.
Distressed ladies and yee dames of Fesse,
Sprong from the true Arabian Muly Xarif
The load starre and the honor of our line,
Now cleere your watrie eies, wipe teares away,
And cheerfully giue welcome to these armes,
Amurath hath sent scourges by his men,
To whip that tyrant traitor king from hence,
That hath vsurpt from vs, and maimd you all.
Souldiers sith rightfull quarrels ayde
Succesfull are, and men that manage them
Fight not in feare as traitors and their pheres
That you may vnderstand what armes we beare,
What lawfull armes against our brothers sonne,
In sight of heauen, euen of mine honors worth,
Truly I will deliuer and discourse
The summe of all. Descended from the line
Of Mahomet, our grandsire Mulizaref
With store of golde and treasure leaues Arabia,
And strongly plants himselfe in Barbary,
And of the Moores that now with vs do wend,
Our grandsire Mulizaref was the first,
From him well woe ye Muly Mahamet Xeque,
Who in his life time made a perfect lawe,
Confirmd with generall voice of all his peeres
That in his kingdome should successiuely
His sonnes succeede. Abdullas was the first
Eldest of faire Abdelmenen the second,
And we the rest my brother and my selfe,
Abdullas raignd his time. But see the change,
He labours to inuest his sonne in all,
To disanull the lawe our father made,
And dis-inherite vs his brethren,
And in his life time wrongfully proclaimes,
His sonne for king that now contends with vs,
Therefore I craue to reobtaine my right
Traitor and bloudie tyrant both at once,
That murthered his yonger brethren both,
But on this damned wretch, this traitor king,
The Gods shal poure down showers of sharp reuenge.
And thus a matter not to you vnknowen
I haue deliuered. Yet for no distrust
Of loyaltie my welbeloued friend,
But that the occasions fresh in memorie
Of these incumbers, so may moue your mindes,
As for the lawfull true succeeding prince,
Ye neither thinke your liues nor honors deare
Spent in a quarrell iust and honorable.
Bassa.
Such and no other we repute the cause,
That forwardly for thee we vndertake,
Thrice puisant and renowmed Abdilmelec,
And for thine honor, safetie and crowne,
Our liues and honours frankly to expose,
To all the dangers that our warre attends,
As freely and as resolutely all,
As anie Moore whom thou commandest most.
Muly Xe.
And why is Abdilmelec then so slow
To chastise him with furie of the sword,
Whose pride doth swell to sway beyond his reach,
Follow this pride then with furie of reuenge.
Rub. Ar.
Of death, of bloud, of wreake, and deepe reuenge,
Shall Rubin Archis frame her tragicke songs,
In bloud, in death, in murther and misdeede,
This heauens mallice did begin and end.
Abdilm.
Rubin these rights to Abdelmunens ghost,
Haue pearst by this to Plutos graue below,
The bels of Pluto ring reuenge amaine,
The furies and the fiends conspire with thee,
Warre bids me drawe my weapons for reuenge
Muly Xe.
Sheath not your swords you soulders of Amurath,
Sheath not your swords you Mores of Barbary
That fight in right of your annointed king,
But follow to the gates of death and hell,
Pale death and hell to entertaine his soule.
Follow I saie to burning Phlegiton,
This traitor tyrant and his companies.
Bas
Heaue vp your swords against these stony holds,
Wherein these barbarous rebels are inclosde,
Called for is Abdilmelec by the Gods,
To sit vpon the throne of Barbarie.
Abd. Ra.
Bassa great thankes the honor of the Turks.
Forward braue Lords vnto this rightfull warre,
How can this battell but succesfull be,
Where courage meeteth with a rightfull cause?
Rub.
Go in good time my best beloued Lord,
Succesfull in thy worke thou vndertakes.
Exit.
Enter the Moore in his Chariot, attended with his sonne. Pisano his captaine with his gard and treasure.
Moore.
Pisano, take a cornet of our horse,
As many argolets and armed pikes,
And with our carriage march awaie before
By Scyras, and those plots of ground
That to Moroccus leads the lower waie.
Our enemies keepe vpon the mountaine tops,
And haue incampt themselues not farre from Fesse,
Madame, gold is the glue, sinewes, and strength of war,
And we must see our treasure may go safe,
Away.
Now boy whats the newes?
Muly Mah.
The newes my Lord is warre, warre and reuenge.
Tis thus.
Rubyn our vnkles wife that wrings her hands
For Abdilmunens death, accompanied
With many dames of Fesse in mourning weeds,
Neere to Argier encountred Abdilmelec,
That bends his force puft vp with Amuraths aide,
Against your holds and castles of defence.
The yonger brother Muly Mahamet Seth,
Greets the great Bassa, that the king of Turkes
Sends to inuade your right and royall realme,
And basely beg reuenge, arch-rebels all,
To be inflict vpon our progenie.
Moore.
Why boy is Amuraths Bassa such a bug,
That he is markt to do this doubtie deed?
Then Bassa locke the winds in wards of brasse,
Thunder from heauen damne wretched men to death
Barre all the offices of Saturnes sonnes,
Be Pluto then in hell and barre the fiends,
Take Neptunes force to thee and calme the seas,
And execute Ioues iustice on the world,
Conuey Tamberlaine into our Affrike here,
To chastice and to menace lawfull kings,
Tamberlaine triumph not, for thou must die
As Philip did, Cæsar, and Cæsars peeres.
Muly Mah.
The Bassa grosly flattered to his face,
And Amuraths praise aduancde aboue the sound
Vpon the plaines, the souldiers being spread,
And that braue gard of sturdie Ianizaries,
That Amurath to Abdilmelec gaue,
And bad him boldly be to them as safe,
As if he slept within a walled towne,
Who take them to their weapons threatning reuenge.
Bloudie reuenge, bloudie reuengefull warre.
Awaie, and let me heare no more of this,
Why boy, are we successours to the great Abdilmelec,
Descended from the Arabian Muly Zarif,
And shall we be afraide of Bassas and of bugs,
Rawe head and bloudie bone?
Boy, seest here this semitarie by my side,
Sith they begin to bath in bloud,
Bloud be the theame whereon our time shall tread,
Such slaughter with my weapon shall I make,
As through the streame and bloudie chanels deepe,
Our Moores shall saile in ships and pinnaces,
From Tanger shore vnto the gates of Fesse.
Muly Mah.
And of those slaughtered bodies shall thy sonne,
A huge towre erect like Nemrods frame,
To threaten those vniust and parciall Gods,
That to Abdallas lawfull seed denie,
A long, a happie, and triumphant raigne.
Sound an alarum within, and enter a messenger.
Mes.
Flie king of Fesse, king of Moroccus flie,
Flie with thy friends Emperour of Barbary,
O flie the sword and furie of the foe,
That rageth as the ramping lyonesse,
In rescue of her yonglings from the beare,
Thy townes and holds by numbers basely yeeld,
Thy land to Abdilmelecs rule resignes,
Thy carriage and thy treasure taken is
By Amuraths souldiers, that haue sworne thy death,
Flie Amuraths power, and Abdilmelecs threats,
Or thou and thine looke heere to breath your last.
More.
Villain, what dreadfull sound of death & fight
Is this, wherewith thou doest afflict our eares?
But if there be no safetie to abide
Away in hast, roule on my chariot wheeles
Restlesse, till I be safely set in shade
Of some vnhanted place, some blasted groue
Of deadly hue, or dismall cypres tree,
Farre from the light or comfort of the Sunne,
There to curse heauen, and he that heaues me hence,
To seeke as Enuie at Cecropes gate,
And pine the thought and terrour of mishaps,
Awaie.
Exit.
| The Battell of Alcazar | |