 | The Noble Ingratitude |  |
81
ACT V.
SCENE I.
Gomella, Lindarache, Almansor.GOMELLA.
You see the cote where I made my abode.
Lindarache.
Sir, if you please, I shall desire to be
Private a while here with my son, and presently
I'm yours.
ALMANSOR.
Oh Madam, oh dear Mother,
In this blest time shall I obtain the honour
Of your embracements?
Linderache.
Stay, Abencerage,
Know our dishonour first, and shew thy self
My son before I embrace thee, I was mother
Of two fair children, when a Ravisher
Stole away both my Daughter, and thy Sister.
ALMANSOR.
Good God! what do you tell me?
Lindarache.
That thy Sister
Is ravished.
ALMANSOR.
Name but the Ravisher,
And he is dead.
Linderache.
Come, now embrace me, Son, this saying makes me
Believe that Heaven hath given thee me for to
Revenge me.
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Let me know his name, I swear
By th'holy Prophet, that his blood shal wash
The injury, and that this arm of mine
Shall sacrifice him instautly unto you.
Lindarache.
Thou shall know all, hearken, and let me speak:
Thou art not ignorant of the enmity
Which raign'd for many ages twixt the houses
O'th' Zegries, and of the Abencerages:
Now thou must know that on th'opinion
Conceived that a mariage would put end
To this contention, my daughter was
Design'd for wife to Zegry; every thing
Was ready, and the day appointed, when
Through an aversion, or rather through
Contempt, the trecherous Zegry flying our
Alliance, hastily embark'ed himself
For Argser; and to add unto our griefs,
Assoon as this report was spread, my daughter
Was seen no more.
Almansor.
O Heaven! who should be cause
Of this misfortune?
Linderache.
Read this letter heer,
It will inform thee fully
Almansor reads the Letter.
It will inform thee fully
LETTER.
You
, from whom, I receiv'd my breath,
Know that a sad fate worse then death
Is hapened to me; all our name
In my losse bear an equall shame:
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The Author of my miseries;
For he it it that by his charms
Hath taken me out of your arms,
Zelinda.
Almansor.
What have I heard!
Linderache.
Abominable truths.
Almanlor.
Zegry her ravisher! oh fatall news!
Linderache.
In this misfortune I had so much judgment
To hide this our dishonour, and her rape:
By the advice of the illustrious,
And wise Gomella, I spread every where
The rumour of her death, and sent thee order
At the same time to depart from Tremissa
And to come heer: lastly in Tunis staying
Thy comming, I passed an unknown life
In tears and lamentation: and seeing
The time of thy return to be at hand,
I came heer to this fatall residence:
I find thee, and my grief is charm'd already,
To see my just rage in thy soule imprinted,
And thy brave arm dispos'd to take revenge,
And to deprive that wretch of life, who hath
Deprived us of honour.
Almaosor.
Oh how many
Afflictions seise! my heart!
Lindarache.
Tis time to punish,
Not to deplore, in such a fatall fortune
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Of rage and courage, vain regrets, and sighs
Suit with my sex, revenge belongs to thee.
Thou knowest the offender, go repair
Th'offence: I would not have reserv'd for thee
Th'Imployment, if I could revenge my self
Without thee; and I had already seen
The punishment of Zegry, If I would
Have us d Gomellas service; thy arm only
Must wash the stam of from thy brow; take all
The reuenge to thee, as th'affront's all thine:
Seeme no more until thou hast reveng'd
Thy Sister, Goe, seek, find and punish fully
Her barbarous ravisher; adiew, perform
Thy duty, and make thy self to appear
A worthy branch of that illustrions stock
Of Heros, from whose loines thou art descēded;
To end our common miseries and fears,
Go thou to shed blood, I goe to shed tears.—
Exit Lindarache.
SCENE II.
ALMANSOR alone.Almansor.
Oh heard extremitics! oh cruel violence!
Alas! the friend that doth oblige me, is
The enemy that wrongs me; I owe then
My safety unto him that robs me of
My honour, ād the man that sav'd the brother
Hath ruined the Sister! in this case
What counsell should I take? shall I become
Ingratefull, or be infamous, shal I
Break the bond of a holy amity?
Shal I let forth the blood which preserv'd mine,
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And to say all, the blood of my fair Mistresse?
She comes forth, and without doubt aymeth here
Honour will that I fly, but Love restrains me:
SCENE III.
Almansor, Zaida, Medina.ZAIDA.
He dares not to advance, his crime intimidates him.
We will passe by the traitor, without speaking
A word.
ALMANSOR.
Deare object of all my affections,
Charme of my Spirits!
ZAIDA.
Surely, you are mistaken.
You would speak to some other.
ALMANSOR.
Suffer me
T'expresse my passion unto your faire eyes,
Love,—
ZAIDA.
You take me without doubt for Fatima.
ALMANSOR.
How for Fatima; this word doth acquaint me
Confusedly with the unjust suspition
From whence this chang springs: possibly you have
Believed that I seck to please her, seeing
The league that it between me, and her Father;
But Heaven, and Love my conquerour, be witnes,
That your fair Image wholy doth possesse
My heart, that to remove you thence, Fatima
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Al that is lovely in her without love
And that as sensible only of the darts
Of your rare beauties, I confine my thoughts
And actions to civilities for her.
ZAIDA.
How do you look upon Fatima then
With an indifference?—Let me see how far
His impudence will go.—
aside.
ALMANSOR.
Can you doubt of it? you that have tied all
My senses with such sweet and pressing bonds?
Can you suspect with any justice, Madam
My heart of treachery, my oaths of falshood,
And believe that my soul hath so much blacknes,
As to betray my Mistresse, my friend,
And my Deliverer? could you imagine,
Without being deceiv'd, that having once
Beheld you, one could love elsewhere? oh no:
For me to be inflam'd with a new fire
You are too charming, and I'm too much charm'd.
ZAIDA,
Too much charm'd, monster of perfidiousnes?
Wilt thou abuse me then after thou hast
Betray'd me, and with an unworthy love
Carried away, wilt thou join impudence
To infidelity?
ALMANSOR.
To infidelity,
What say you, Zaida? this discourse confounds me.
ZAIDA.
I see it plainly, wretch; wer't thou lesse wicked,
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Still blusheth at reproaches.
ALMANSOR.
An ingratefull?
ZAIDA.
Doth that word trouble thee? and fearest thou
The name of an ingratefull person more
Then foul ingratitude it self?
ALMANSOR.
I know not
The eause of this your anger, should I never
So much examine me, I still should find
My conscience innocent.
ZAIDA.
In thy accompt then
Tis nothing to deceive a maid, to wrong
Thy friend, to fail thy faith, to love Fatima,
Lastly
Almansor,
I, say you?
ZAIDA,
Yes, thee.
ALMANSOR.
Oh! believe me,
I love her not.
ZAIDA.
Dar'st thou to say it yet?
Dost thou not love her when thou dost adore her?
Thy false equivocations cannot heer
Abuse me, I know that thou art to morrow
To marry her.
AlmansoR.
To matry her! o Heaven, believe it not,
I swear.
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No, no, forbeare, I believe not
The oaths of one that's perjur'd, every one,
Knows of this mariage,
ALMANSOR.
Who told it you?
ZAIDA.
A certaine person.
ALMANSOR.
Whosoe'r it be,
That certain person ly'd. Tell me his name,
And my just anger presently shall carry him
The reward of his false intelligence.
ZAIDA.
Goe punish then Fatima, it was she
Her self that told it me.
ALMANSOR.
Oh give lesse credit,
Adorable Wonder, to such false discourses.
ZAIDA.
Good God! who ever saw such impudence?
ALMANSOR.
The mariage which she hath forged, is
A falsity; bear witnesse thou dread Master
Of Heaven that this I speak is truth; but if
I lie, let thy hand with a thunderbolt
Strike me unto the center of the earth:
Let my name be foreuer odious,
If the fire which I feel proceedeth not
Wholy from your fair eyes, and if my heart
Ever conceived for Fatima any thing
Beyond a weak esteem.
Zaida.
I must sift yet
This brazen face more throughly.—
aside.
How wilt thou prove
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Almansor,
I can produce.
A hundred proofs to disabuse you presently.
ZAIDA.
I'l have but one, and that too very easie;
To put an end to the suspitions,
Which I've cōceiv'd of thee, give me forthwith
Both thy hand and thy faith.
ALMANSOR.
I give it you
With an excesse of yoy.—but what would I,
Give her a hand that must destroy her brother,
And plung it self in his most noble blood?—
aside
ZAIDA.
What dost thou answer me so ill for such
Rare bounties? dost thou murmur to thy selfe,
Grow pale and study, as if thou resent'st ill
What I propose.
ALMANSOR.
Madam, clean contrary
I was rap'd with th'unexpected honour,
And happines wherewith I saw me filled,
And th'excesse of my joy transported me:
I feare through my obedience to betray you,
To make detraction to speak against you,
And to treat Zegry too unciviliy
In giving without his consent my hand
And faith; but this weak fear yeilds to my flame
Duty prevails not now upon my soul,
And cannot take from me the glorious purpose
Of giving you my heart and hand together.
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Thou thinkest on't too late, my mind is chang'd,
And n'er shall chāge again, know that I feign'd,
Only to try thee, that excesse of goodnes,
And thy fires for Fatima presently
Burst forth.
ALMANSOR.
Oh! I had never any for her!
ZAIDA.
Thy deceit's plain enough, I'm very well
Assured of this fatall mariage:
When I press'd thee to passe thy faith unto me,
I faw that thy remorses for Fatima
Accused thee, and thy confusion
Confirmed me in my belieft that she
Receiv'd the faith which I demanded of thee.
ALMANSOR.
I offer it unto you.
ZAIDA.
No thou caust not
Dispose of it. Thou hast already given it,
And wilt abuse me.
ALMANSOR.
You abuse your self
Wiih too much warines.
ZAIDA.
Hast thou the boldnes
To reply yet? Go, go to thy Fatima,
To morrow is your mariage day, I know it.
She hath affections for thee, since thou hast
Refused me.
ALMANSOR.
Hear me, I do beseech you.
ZAIDA,
No, no? that were too great a weaknes in me:
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A secret poison's hid in the discourse
Of an Ingratefull person, and each word
A traitor speaks, destroys worse then the sword.
Exit Zaida.
SCENE IV.
Almansor, alone.ALMANSOR.
Strange successe, this! How is my soul possess'd
Still with new troubles? must I suffer then
The punishment of a fault which I have not
Committed? when revenge doth presse me to
Destroy a friend, must I at the same time
Destroy a Mistresse too? must I lose Zaida?
Yes my heart, I must loose her presently,
Since in depriving her of a dear brother,
My arm will draw her hate and anger on me:
I should hence forth no longer be so soft,
Tis time to think of Zegrys death, he must
Pay his blood to repair the honour which
He robs me of. This Enemy so dear
Must die, and I must sacrifice him to me;
He comes: at his approach some tēder motions
Oppose my just resentments, and indeed
Render them weak, my friendship combateth
The anger that possesseth me, my tendernes
Is lesse weak, and my fury is lesse strong.
He sav'd my life, he ravished my Sister;
Shall I go to embrace him, or to kill him?
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SCENE V.
ZEGRY, ORMIN, ALMANSOR.ZEGRY.
At last I've met with him that wrōgeth me.
Ormin leave us alone.
ORMIN.
I will retire me.
Into this thicket secretly to see
What passeth, I doubt there will be a quarrel:
—aside.
Almansor.
You appear troubled.
ZEGRY.
I've much cause to be so.
Almansor:
What troubles you so much?
ZEGRY.
A wretch, a Traytor,
Whose crime gives me an infinite regret,
And doth deserve more then a single death
To punish it.
Almansor.
May I serve you herem?
ZEGRY.
Yes, I can't finish my revenge without thee.
Almansor.
Zegry, you can dispose of all my blood.
ZEGRY.
It is an offer which I can't refuse.
ALMANSOR.
Who is th'affronter?
ZEGRY.
Thou art extream bold:
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Almansor.
I?
ZEGRY,
Thou; n'er seem to wonder at the thing.
Only defend thy felf.
ALMANSOR embracing him.
Almansor.
How much am I.
Indebted to thee for this sudden passion,
Tis now the chief point of thy amity:
Thy anger doth oblige me, though it wrōgs me.
I had already in my heart resolu d
The design of thy death, and justly too:
My arm was ready for it, when inspight
Of all my fury, at thy first approach
My heart grew tender, and had been reduc'd
To balance the fierce darts which I had level'd
Against thee, if thy furious transport
Had not call'd home my choler unto me,
And banished my tendernes.
ZEGRY.
Il hear
No more discourse, once again guard thy self
AlmansoR.
So fierce a fight can't but be sweet unto me
Hononr solicits me more justly to it
Then thee, but let me know at least the cause
That doth provoke thee; I will make it plainly
appear that thou complainest wrongfully,
And justify my self in Killing thee.
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How! feignst thou to be ignorant, and instead
Of making a confession, dost thou threaten me?
Thy base crime groweth greater by thy boldnes.
ALMANSOR.
Let me at Iast know what that base crime is.
ZEGRY.
Consult thy conscience, and thou shalt know it,
It will instruct thee that wirh a false heart
In recompense of all my kindnes to thee
Thou rob'st me of my Mistresse, and that
Through treacheries which cannot be excus'd,
Thou art to marry her to morrow privately.
Almansor.
If I am criminall, assure thy self,
It is not in this point: I never did
Look on Fatima with desires of love;
Only thou mayst reproach my heart for having
Sight for thy Sister without thy consent.
ZEGRY.
How! dost thou love her?
Almansor.
No, no, it would be
An extream errour, I say, I adore her,
I dare not say I love her. That which I
Resent now for her beauties doth surpasse
The thing that's called Love.
ZEGRY.
By this confession,
Dear friend, thou hast restored life unto me.
My griefs and troubles now are waited on
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Too happy, and her thoughts could never hope
A more illustrious husband: she is free.
The Lover unto whom I gave my word,
Hath seen his destiny determined
By death, and my repose shall fully be
Setled to meet a brother in the person
Of my most deare friend.
Almansor.
What thou offerest me
Should be most dear unto me; but dost thou
Know him whom thou mak st choice of for thy brother?
ZEGRY.
I think, I doe; thy country is Tremissa,
Thy name, Almansor, and thy family
Is noble and illustrious; and if I
May believe thee, thy greatest glory is
To be my friend.
Almansor.
Thou know st me but by half yet;
I was born heer, and born thy enemy,
More then one just and honest motive doth
Engage me to thy ruine; not to hold thee
Long in suspence, I am Abencerage.
ZEGRY.
Abencerage.
Ormin.
O Heaven!—
aside.
Almansor.
That wotd doth tell thee.
Our difference, and my duty.
ZEGRY.
I aswell
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In our two houses seemes almost as twere
To be immortall; but thy blood which now
Thou owest to my succour, should for me
Stop the course of it in thy soul; and though
My friendship seems to stagger on this point,
I will content my self to hate thy name,
And love thy person. Yes, pursue thy love
Vnto my Sister; by a mariage
We may be tied with new knots, and by
That holy flame, the irreligious heat
Of that so old, and fatal enmity,
Will be extinct.
Almansor.
This mariage would be sweet,
But I can't think of it till by thy death
I have reveng'd my selfe upon thee.
ZEGRY.
How!
Almanlor.
It is not that which thou believ'st provokes me,
Thy name I hate not, but I hate thy person,
And I cannot but in thy blood repair
The wrong which thou hast done me.
ZEGRY.
I?
Almansor.
Yes, Thou.
How ill thou actest the astonished,
Thy base crime groweth greater by thy boldnes.
ZEGRY.
Let me at last know what that base crime is.
Almansor.
Consult this letter, read, and thou shalt know it.
97
reads.
You , from whom I derive my birth,
Know that a sad fate worse then death
Is hapned to me; all our name
In my losse bear an equall shame;
The false and cruel Zegry is
The Authour of my miseries,
For he it is that by his charms
Hath taken me out of your arms.
Zelinda.
ORMIN.
Without doubt they will both mistake themselves.
ZEGRY.
I cannot comprehend this dark Ænigma.
Almansor.
It is too plain to me here that my sister
Zelinda giveth us to understand
That thou art her base ravisher.
ZEGRY.
Canst thou
Suspect me of so foule an action?
ALMANSOR.
Canst thou deny it, traitor? and can I
Believe it?
ZEGRY.
Hear me but a word or two.
ALMANSOR.
It would be to no purpose, guard thy self,
I'l hear no more.
ZEGRY.
How! dares the man that ows me
His life, to assault mine?
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That obligation
Cannot divert me from my just reveng:
Thou wronght'st my safety, and my sisters rape,
And so much as life is lesse dear then honour,
So much an affront which reflects upon it,
Carries it in my soul upon a benefit,
And I am lesse afraid to be ingratefull,
Then to be infamous; but let us leave
Discourse, and come to action.
ZEGRY.
Stay, Ingratefull,
Stay yet a little.
ORMIN.
Help, oh help;
SCENE VI.
And the last,Adibar, Zaida, Medina, Alabez, Lindarache, Gomella, Fatima, Charifa, Almansor, Zegry, Ormin, GASUL.
Zaida.
What noise
Is this I heare?
Lindarache.
What rumour is rais'd up?
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Hold, hold!
Lindarache.
No, no, go on,
My son, finish thy work.
Gomella.
Their quarrel, Adibar,
Cannot be taken up, therefore let's leave it
To be decided.
Adiber.
No, such a third person
As I, shall never suffer them to fight,
And to look on.
Gomella.
Well then, defend your selfe.
We't fight all four.
Ormin to Almansor.
Ormin.
Oh! brother rather lift
Your arm up against me, I'in guilty only,
Zegry is innocent,
Lindarache.
Whom do I see?
Ormin.
you see Zelinda your unfortunate Daughter,
Who left your family to follow Zegry;
And who in changing fate and habit only,
Could not enforce her soul to the least change:
My heart which was pleased in slavery
By him, forgat it self in following.
Somwhat too constantly this fleeting Lover;
But having known him to be taken with
Another Object, I feard in discovering
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And would still suffer the same violence,
If his own interest brake not my silence.
Linderachi.
Oh, Daughter!
Almansor.
Oh! my Sister!
Zegry.
Fair Zelinda,
Revenge your self, I mourn you, I accuse
My self, and yeild my bosome to your stroak.
Ormin.
Zegry, You need not to fear any thing
From my resentments, if you pitty me,
I am not to be pittied.
ZEGRY.
I blush
That after so much goodness as you have
Expressed to me, I have but one soul
Too give you; and is the consent of your
Parents and friends will be propitious to us,
There's nothing can impede our mariage.
Lindarache.
This mariage is the chief of all my wishes.
ALMANSOR.
Friend, thou canst make me happy too, thy Sister
Dependeth on thee, thou know'st, I adore her.
ZEGRY.
I offered her uuro thee, a while since,
And now I do again with height of ioy.
ZAIDA.
All my suspitions are extinguished,
And you must know that following my duty.
I follow my desires; but Adibar
Will complain of it.
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Madam, y'are deceiv'd,
When I lose all hope, I lose all my flame:
And to expresse unto you that I do not
Resent it, I will sacrifice my heart
In flames of loue to that fair Saint, for whom
I burned formerly; Gomella. may I
Hope your incomparable Daughter?
Gomella.
Adibar,
My family is honoured by your choice.
Fatima, take your husband from my hand.
Fatima.
Such pleasing orders I shall willingly
Obey.
ZEGRY.
Come, let us go unto the Mosquè
Together, to give thanks unto the goodnes
Of Heaven that set an end to our misfortunes,
And made appear by this happy suecesse,
That one may be ingrate, yet generous.
FINIS.
| The Noble Ingratitude | |