University of Virginia Library

ACT. I.

SCENE I.

Ormin.
alone.
Charming aboad, delightfull solitude,
Fair places where I first receiv'd my life
And love, old trees, cleer brooks, whose shade and murmur
Speak pity for my sorrowfull adventure,
Sweet Zephirs, Eccho, rocks, and silent forrests,
Be witnesses all of my secret griefs:
I am no more now that Zelinda sometime
Adored by the worthiest Lovers of
The country round about; alas! I serve
Vnder the habit of a Slave, a traitor
With an unparraleld'd fidelity,
Traitor in Love, I meane, not otherwise,
A Hero, but ingratefull, one who slatters me
In my extream misfortune, yet would hate me,
If he knew that I Love him. Gentle trees,
Happy are you, although the rigourous winter
Vseth you hardly, for when the fair Spring
Maketh the cold to cease, you suddenly
Resume your anciēt verdure, and at harvest,
Vpon your branches wee see fruits, where formerly
Hung Isicles: my fortune's not so good;
Each of the seasons have twice chaung'd, since Love
Resolved to afflict me, all which time
I've languished continually, and could not
Pretend to the repose my heart hath lost:
He whom I love with so much constancy
Is false and fleeting; o Gods! here he comes.

SCENE. II.

ZEGRY, ORMIN.
Zegry.
Ormin, I sought thee.

Ormin.
Sir, I sought you also.

Zegry.
Know that to morrow we will depart hence.

Ormin.
What! will you leave so soon your native country,
These cottages, these woods and these fair meadows?

Zegry.
I have not hid from thee that in those places
I love the sweet Fatima, a rich Master-piece
Of Heaven, and hop'd to see that Beauty here
So cherish'd and ador'd; but I have learn'd
That she is now at Tunis with her Father;
And though this happy residence may be said
To be a second Paradise, I cannot
See any fair thing here, since she is absent.

Ormin.
How happy is Fatima, and how miserable
Am I!—

aside.
Zegry.
How grievous is her absence to
My amourous soul! to render me by her,
To morrow by the break of day we'll take
Our way for Tunis, I shall be too happy:
If I may see her, and I do believe
That she will bear some part too in my joy;
She had no little trouble, I perceiv'd,
For my departure last, and without doubt
I'm not indifferent to her.

Ormin.
Certainly
Her flame will not be quench'd.

Zegry.
That's all my hope.

Ormin.
And that is all my feare—

aside.

SCENE III.

ALABEZ, ZEGRY, ORMIN.
Alabez.
Cheer up, cheer up,
Smother your sighs, I have a counter poison
For all your sorrows.

Zegry.
Speak it then without
Holding us long in trouble.

Alabez.
Give me leave.
First, if you please, to take a little breath.

Zegry.
Speak then?

Alabez.
I'm not dispos'd yet.

Zegry.
Oh thou mak'st me.
Suffer too much? tell it unto us quickly.

Alabez.
You might die with it.

Zegry.
Is't then some misfortune
Sent me by destiny?

Alabez.
I say agiane.
You might die with it, but t'would be with joy;
Fatima yesterday late in the evening
Arrived in these quarters.

Zegry.
Is it possible,
Fatima?

Alabez.
Yes, assure you, I have seen her.

Zegry.
Perhaps thou art deceiv'd.

Alabez.
I am no asse.
I did observe her well, and knew her perfectly.
Her Slave, who was my Mistresse formerly,
Entered just now with her into that wood.

Zegry.
Good Gods? do I not see her?

Alabez.
Yes, that's she
Which passeth by.

Zegry.
What lustre hath her eye;
What grace her gate?

Ormin.
Alas?

Zegry.
I see a thousand new charms there.

Alabez.
Are you besotted? wil you not salute her?

Zegry.
No, to perform that complement, I'le give her
A visit, when I shall have without doubt
My soul lesse in disorder.

Alabez.
For my part,
Who do not love so daintily, I will,
Without deferring it, make my addresse.

Zegry.
Without discovering our selves, we may
From hence know by the usage of the servant,
In what esteem the Master is at present.

SCENE IV.

ALABEZ, CHARIFA, FATIMA, Zegry, Ormin.
Alabez.
Sweet Beauties welcome, from what quarters come you?

CHARIFA.
What means this insolent? Go on your way

Alabez.
How's this? instead of kisses and embraces,
As I expected, I am quarrel d with:
Charifa, whence this change?

CHARIFA.
Begone, and leave us.

Alabez.
Thou actest well the scornfull.

FATIMA.
What's that fellow
Which followes us?

CHARIFA.
Tis an impertinent,
Whom I know not.

ALABEZ.
I am much changed then
Since this last voyage; but thy soul is chāg'd
And not my visage, without doubt thy Mistresse
Hath better eyes, and more wit; she will know
An old, and a familiar acquaintance.

FATIMA.
Who are you then?

ALABEZ.
My Masters Slave.

FATIMA.
What Master?

ALABEZ.
Should you not know him neither?
Is his name raz'd out of your memory?

Fatima.
Assuredly, Charifa, this man's mad.

Alabez.
How, Madam, is it possible you can
Forget the valiant Zegry?

Fatima.
Zegry?

Zegry.
Heaven?
What strange inconstancy is this? who ever
Could have imagin'd it?—

aside.
Alabez.
That noble and illustrious successour
Of those brave warriers who even in Spain
Have gathered Lawrells, and brought home faire spoils,
Madam, your faithfull Lover, Zaida's brother.

Fatima.
Oh! I remember him.

Zegry.
False, and Ingratefull!

Alabez.
You ask not how he doth.

Fatima.
What interest
Have I in his sweet person? happily
He's dead.

Alabez.
He is indeed.

Fatima.
We are all mortall;
The Prophet hath his soul.

Charifa.
A faithfull servant
Would have accompanied his Master; why
Art thou not dead too?

Alabez.
Only to enrage thee.
Zegry discovering himself.

Zegry.
The Prophet hath his soul, o false Fatima!
Is't thus you do expresse your goodness to me?
Deceitfull object, my return, I see,
Displeaseth you, who would despise me dead,
Must hate me living, I disturb with pleasure
That faithless joy which the delightfull news
Of my feign'd death procur'd you: I live still
Ingratefull, but I live no more for you:
My passion is transform d all into fury:
As much as I lov'd you, I now despise you:
My heart shakes of so rigourous a yoak:
Love raiseth no more sighs, nor fires within me,
Only I sigh that I us'd so much care
To please you, and if I burn yet, it is
With anger, not with love.

Ormin.
Oh this successe
Answereth my wishes fully?—

aside.
Fatima.
This confession
Surpriseth, but no way afflicteth me;
My first discourse should make you understand
That I'm not very tender hearted to you,
And, me thinks, after such a cleer contempt
As was expressed there you might believe
Nothing should trouble me that comes from you,
Vnless your amourous addresse: I have
A thousand other Lovers braver far
Then you, and therefore I daign not to put you
In the rank of my conquests.

ZEGRY.
Sure, your pride
Is greater then your beauty, the charm is
Dissolv'd wherein I formerly was held;
Tis true, I sometime thought you beautifull;
But I was amourous, and therefore not
To be believed, having now my spirit
No more disordered, you cease to be fair
And I to be abused, whereas you
Pleased me formerly, it was because
It is impossible for me, when I
Am lov'd, to be insensible.

FATIMA.
I love you?
Heaven! what a strange opinion is this?
I never had but strong aversion for you.
All your indeavours serv'd but to displease me;
But though I hated you, I lov'd your Sister,
And twas for her sake that I feign'd to have
Some pitty for your passions; her prayer
A hundred times restain d my hate, you sware
That your daies did depend upon my sight,
And yeelding unto her desites I did
Enforce mine eyes to smile, when my heart frown d,
To the end not to be cause of your death.

Zegry.
Your eyes have never made a mortall wound.

Fatima.
Take heed that your do not revive again,
One Only of my looks darted more gently,
Can change this violent anger into love;
But I am verie nice of such a look,
It is too rich a price, Sir, for your conquest
I limit my desires to see you never,
Adieu, become wise, and leave me in peace.
—Exit Fatima.

SCENE. V.

ZEGRY, ALABEZ, ORMIN.
ZEGRY.
Yes false Fatima, I will become wise,
Thy contempt is unjust, but mine is lawfull:
Since thou pretendest but to make thee hated,
I will obey thee, thy unworthy trophy,
My heart shal be no more, his charmes are broken,
His flames are quench'd; Alabez, follow her
Close at the heels, even unto her house;
But have a care not to discover thee.

Ormin.
Her pride's unjust, and not to be endur'd;
Your change herein is but too equitable,
O how wel should you do to free your heart
From the imperious captivity
Of such a cruel conquerour, you are
Born with too many fair advantages,
To obtain nothing but eternall wrongs;
There are Sir, other beauties in the world
VVhich would be glad to share their flame with yours,
To imitate your sighs, and which would tell you
That the resplendent honour of a crown
Is beneath that to be beloved of
An object that one loves. Contempt in love
Deserves to be repayed with contempt,
And who refuseth, is not worthy of,
For the most part, the person that's refus'd.

Zegry.
How great my griefs are, and how grievous is
This proud contempt? o light, and wavering Sex!
O black ingratitude! since love began
To trouble Lovers, was there ever torment
Equall to mine? I fell my heart infected
VVith all imaginary griefs.

Ormin,
Oh? Sir,
Believe me, I know some that are much more
To be lamented, and if what I know
VVere reveald to you, you should have great cause
Of comfort by it.

ZEGRY.
Oh speak, and divert
The grief which doth oppresse me. oftentimes
A wretch is pleased in his misery
VVhen he sees that he suffers not alone.

Ormin.
O love, I pray thee make his heart grow tender
At the recitall of the evill which he
Hath caused me, oh make him Sensible
Of my sad sufferings?—
aside.
A young Beauty, Sir,
VVhose name and birth, if you please I'l conceal
Through decency, only thus much I'l tell you,
That she was neer to me and lov'd me deerly,
Scarce yet attained to the fifteenth yeer,
When love and marriage was proposed to her,
And she commanded to expect for husband
A man too lovely, and to much belov'd;
And who for his part was so farre from being
Warm'd with a mutuall flame, that he unlawfully
Took an affection for another object:
His faithfull Lover with grief understood it
But yet a worse misfortune afterward
Surprised her, th'ingratefull brak th'accord
Of the approaching marriage, and departed
For a long voyage without seeing her;
I can assure you that her grief was quick,
And anger ardent after this affront;
But yet her anger was lesse then her love:
Although, th'inconstant left her, she retain'd him
Still in her soul, and valuing not her sex,
Nor fearing death, ith' habit of a man
She followed his steps.

Zegry meditating
ZEGRY.
O barbarous rigour!
O lamentable passion!

Ormin.
You wil be
More touch'd when you shall know the rest: scarce was she
Embarked on the sea, when by a new,
And worse misfortune certain infamous rovers
Surpris'd her vessel, and not long time after
They sould her unto that ingratefull man,
Who falsly and unworthyly forsook her:
And so at last it hapened at that Fortune
Afwell as Love would put her into chains:
But she still without changing heart, or habit,
Found sweetnes in this double slavery;
Far from desiring to be free, she follow'd
Her faithles friend into his native country,
And fearing not to be discovered,
Serv'd this deceitfull Master without hope,
Indeavoured to please him, and therein
Prosper d so well, that he esteem'd her zeal,
And conceal'd nothing from her; but this kindnes
Was not a cure, but corsive to her grief,
Because it made her privy to the happines
Her Rivall did enjoy in the affection
Of him she lov'd, who every day protested
Vnto her, that rather then lose her love,
He'd lose his life.

Zegry still meditating.
Zegry.
Vnparalel'd punishment!
Cruell injustice!

Ormin.
Gods! he groweth tender,
Love be propitious to me,—
aside.
Sir, what say you,
Is not she more then you to be lamented?
Compared to her torments, your afflictions
Are sweet. You answer not.

Zegry.
Yes, yes, I grant it
I ought to hate her, but I've too much weaknes:
Oh fair Fatima!

Ormin.
Oh my hard misfortune!

Zegry.
Ormin, what charms she hath?

Ormin.
You answer nothing
To what I said.

Zegry.
What spak'st thou to me of?

Ormin.
Of a young maid
Oppress'd and injured in love.

Zegry.
My thoughts
Were otherwise imploy'd, and troubled,
I heard thee not, at least I have forgotten.

Ormin.
You seemed to compassionate her grief,
And her misfortune very much.

ZEGRY,
Alas!
I onely thought upon my proper grief.

ORMIN,
What! shall th'ingratefull and cruel Fatima
Although she quits your heart thus, have the glory
To live still in your memory? oh no,
Banish her thence; but if you'l think of her,
To ease your evills a little, imploy your thought
Onely to think of her defects; remember
That she's too proud, and fancy to your self
That she's not fair enough, to hould so noble
And such a faithfull Lover as you are,
That there is nothing charming in her eyes,
Nor in her cheeks, that her proportion,
Her posture, stature, gate, and carriage
Have nothing commendable, that her witt—

ZEGRY.
Ormin, no more, I cannot suffer yet
She should be injur'd; that ingrateful Beauty,
Who laughs with scorn at my sad languishment,
Hath no defect at all but her fierce rigour;
And I fear that in spight of this defect,
My violent love will triumph o'r mine anger.

ORMIN.
What, shall Fatima be so proud, and you
So humble? shall she be compos'd of Ice,
And you of fire? must you persist to love her,
When she despiseth you? oh fall no more
Into that fatall errour. It belongs, Sir
But to low spirits to suffer without hate,
Such a contempt; to leave what flyeth us,
Is little trouble, and when hope is quench'd,
Love should be quenched also.

ZEGRI.
What thou sayst,
Ormin, is verie true, I should indeed
Follow Fatima in her lightnes to me,
I should in her unkindnes trace her steps,
I should be as insensible as she's
Severe and rigourous, my flam'es an errour,
I doe confesse it, but I love this errour,
Thy faithfull counsels are not seasonable,
Love hath not yet given place unto my reason,
I'm born to languish, and to die for her;
Although she be ingratefull she is not
The lesse faire for it.

ORMIN.
The false hope that flatter'd me
Fled in a moment; miserable Lover,
And too unjust!—

aside

SCENE VI.

ALMANSOR, ZEGRY, ORMIN.
Almansor.
Friend, I am very joyfull
To meet thee.

ZEGRY.
My content is still compleat,
When I behold thy face, as in thy absence,
Nothing seems sweet unto me: Now I see
Th'art habited like us, this garment is
Well made.

Almansor.
I took it just now in th'apartment
I have in thy abode.

Zegry.
This Shepheards habit
Becomes thee rarely; but for an Almansor,
It is too much abasement.

Almansor.
Sure the habit
Takes nothing from the lustre of the merit,
In imitating thee, I cannot erre;
Thee, whose heart is as noble as thy race,
And unto whose aid in an eminent danger
I owe my life.

Zegry.
The Shepheards of this wood
And fair Campania, are descended from
Those Heros, who in time pass'd conquer'd Spain
From those renowned Moors, whose great exploits
Made the Kings of a hundred Christian people
Tremble for fear, and who seeing Tunis conquer'd
By Charls the fifth, conserve here in these places
Their glory and their freedom, secretly
Dispose the hearts of the most Zealous Kings
To drive the Christiās frō this desolate coūtry,
And are in readines to joyn themselves,
And to encrease the first fair levies which
Shall be imploy'd on such an expedition.

Almansor.
I know that this fair desert's like a Court:
But hast thou heard yet that Gomella is
Return'd heer? suffer me at present, Zegry,
To leave thee, he is my familiar friend,
And I owe him a visit.

Zegry.
Then thou know'st
Fatima.

Almansor.
Yes, that Beauty hath receiv'd
The light from brave Gomella; friend adiew,
I will return to thee with speed, excuse me
At present, I must speak with him upon
A busines of importance.—
Exit Almansor.

SCENE VII.

Zegry Ormin.
Zegry.
A busines of importance? oh that word
Redoubleth my affliction; to marry
Fatima, without doubt, is his design:
Oh Heavē? hast thou ordain'd that, to make up
The full proportion of my misery,
My dearest friēd should rob me of my Mistresse?
Alas! if this be true, grief, sure will kill me;
Dear Ormin, let us use our best indeavour
To hinder this misfortune; I expect
My only remedy from thy advise.
The most resplendent wit yeildeth to thine
In point of knowledge, I have observ'd in thee
Something thats great, and extraordinary;
Thy judgment charms me, and thy care surpriseth me.

ORmin.
Sir, I'm your Slave, and glory to be so.

Zegry.
No, no, I make thee free, henceforth be thou
Thy Masters friend.

ORMIN,
The sweetest liberty
Pleaseth my fancy lesse then the chains which
I bear for you.

ZEGRY.
This zeal so little common,
Makes me grow tender, and amazeth me.
Quit, quit thy fetters, Ormin, I commmand it,
Be free.

Ormin.
Since tis your pleasure, I obey;
Alas! what have I said, Love, can I be
At liberty, when my heart is not free?