University of Virginia Library

ACT. I.

SCENE I.

Enter the Grand Vizier, and Alhador a Dervis.
Viz.
Oh Alhador! Oh Brother! holy Priest,
Such Cruelties no longer can be born.
Permit me to resign the Vizier's Seat,
And let me tell our Caliph great Almanzor
(That Garctions Soveraign, in all things else;
In whom fair Mercy, and strickt Justice, flourish.)
I was not form'd to murder helpless Women,
Under the sacred Name and veil of Marriage.
What is it else but Murther? horrid Murther!
The Shrieks, and Dying Groans, of the poor Queen!
(Who now just now expired) sounds in my Ears,
And trembles at my heart, nor can Custom
'Ere reconcile my Soul, to sighs like these.

Alth.
Large is his Sway, Despotick is his Pow'r,
And holds the place of our great Prophet here:
Commander of the faithful Musselmen,
Caliph and Emperor; the Right is his,
To explain what in our holy Alcoran,
Or dark, or deep, or difficult appears,
Hence be expounds, that frailer Womankind,
Have mortal Souls, in common with the Brutes:
So are they born to Dye, to perish ever.
Not to Immortal Life, ordain'd as we,
No Blissful Paradice, nor cursed Tree of Zacon:
No fears of Punishments, nor hopes of Blessings:
But of a piece they dye, and perish ever.

Viz.
The Sight has quite unman'd me, Alhador,
And I forget the Bus'ness of this Morn,
Where to the States, our Emperor Declares;
(Unpresidented kindness in a Brother)
The youthful Prince Abdalla, Successor
And Heir, to all his vast Dominions.

Alh.
I wish the Prince have Vertues, to deserve it;
Youthful and Rash, the Passions in full speed,
And Reason not in view, to catch the Reins.
But I forget, he is your Son design'd,
And Weds Almyna, late my beauteous Charge.
At Memphis bred with me, in all Egyptian Learning,
The wonder of our Sex, and pride of hers.

Viz.
Her Sister poor Zoradia hourly wastes,
Unknowing her Disease, I fear her loss,
Some secret Grief, some eating Sorrow, preys
Upon the roses of her lovely Cheeks,
And withers all her Bloom. But see the Prince.

Enter Abdalla.
Abd.
Oh, my father! Uncle! blest Parents of my Love,
Breaths out this Morn, with a new fragrancy?
Sure our Arabian Gums, sweat double sweetness,
And the gay Sun, which rises on my hopes,
Darts with propitious, and unclouded Glory.
Blest Omens all, and by our Prophet sent,
To chear the drooping heart of thy Abdalla.
Who but by Empire aims, to reach at Love,
No longer will we then defer our Sute,
But here (amidst of all those Royal Honours
With which our Brother now invests our Hopes)
I'le kneel, and speak it to his softer Soul;
That there's a Bliss still wanting to my Joys;
A Bliss which Crowns themselves cannot present
And to be found, but in the fair Almyna.

Viz.
I Beg you stay, till first those Rites be past,
Which makes you Heir, immediate to his Pow'r,
For much I fear my Lord, and much I doubt,
You'l find his Stubborn heart, averse to softness,
And all the milder Passions, bury'd in
Strong Prejudice, and stern Aversion.
You know at what a rate he holds the Sex,
Since his lov'd Empress, gave up her high Honour,
To the foul Arms of a base moorish Slave.
Well she, indeed, deserv'd the Fate she met;
But, oh, Almanzor, it is sure too much,
To punish on the whole, the faults of One;
Rash was thy Cruel, most prodigious Vow!
Too nice thy Jealousy, and sense of Glory;
Which, least another shou'd again betray,
Has doom'd the fated Wretch, not to survive
The Nuptials, that Night that gives her to his arms
A glorious Bride, is but the Ev'ning of
The Mornings fate: and I as Vizier Azem
Am condemn'd, to see with Mutes, the horrid
Deed perform'd!

Alh.
Yet soon my Brother, I foretel,
(If there be truth in Dreams, or rather Visions)
This Cruelty, of our great Sultan's, shall have end.
The means not yet reveal'd, wait we till time
Calls forth the great Occasion to us.

Abd.
Were but this heart with Love, like mine inflam'd?
He'd find no room for any other sway.
Revenge and Hate, does fare less fiercely glow;
Nay, every other Passion dyes before it.
Cou'd he but see, Almyna's gracious Form;
Cou'd he but hear, the moving Fair once speak;
She soon wou'd Melt his stubborn rash Resolves;
(In admiration of such Excellence)
Soon reconcile him to the injur'd Sex,
Reduce him to his knees, her lowest slave,
There to repeal his Vow, and sue to be forgiven.

Viz.
Too like a partial Lover, now you speak,
For cou'd Youth, Innocence, or Beauty, plead
Against Revenge, and rigid sense of Honour,
The Sultaness, who but this Morning dy'd,
Might well have hop'd, to shine her length of Years.
By no rough storm, her head of Blossoms bow'd,
By no rude hand, pluck't from her native stalk,
But left to flourish long, and of her self to wither.
But see the Court, and Emperor appears.

Enter Almanzor, attended with a full Court.
Alh.
Health, and unnumber'd Years, to great Almanzor.

Abd.
Unfading Joys, to my Dear Lord, and Brother.

Viz.
Commander of the faithful, mighty Caliph,
Your valiant Gen'ral Tariff sends you this,
King Rodrigro's Dead, the Conquest now intire,
All Spain submits, to great Almanzor's Arms!
Our warlike Prince, of Mahomet's blest Lineage!
Vicar of the most High! Supream, and Eminent!
I yield you Lord, of the Terristrial Globe,
Larger than Alexander's is your Empire.
What can withstand such Force, or godlike Arms?
Affrick, Egypt, Bagdat, call you Lord.
The three Arabia's, Sicily is yours.
Damascus, India, Persia, by your self subdued;
Naples and Spain, by your great Gen'ral
Reduced: gives footing to your Arms in Europe.

Sult.
For this our praise is due to the most High,
May we so govern, so Deserve the Blessing,
For Justice, Temp'rance, Fortitude, renown'd,
That's the true Fame, to noble Souls like mine
From thence Abdalla shou'd we aim at Glory;
Conquests, and Pow'r to those not truly good,
Gives only means, of doing larger Ills.
This day to Empire, we adopt thy Youth,
(Let that be Witness how we love our Brother)
Our Successor, and Heir to vast Dominions,
Beware, thou doest not disappoint our Hopes;
How will my Soul, in bliss, hereafter Mourn:
Ev'n in the blissful Walks of Eden Mourn;
If thou in ought degen'rate from Vertue,
To have our People curse our fatal Choice,
And say we left an Heir unworthy of 'em;
Therefore, young Man, Improve thy self in Good,
Walk worthy thy high Station, and our Favour.

Abd.
Long may our Prophet spare your Noble Life;
Long may you Govern 'ore this happy People,
The distance of our Years, are but so few,
Your Thred may carry longer Line than mine:
But shou'd those Vertues, (which can here my Lord,
Meet no Reward proportion'd to their greatness)
Be call'd before me to the Land unknown,
Your bright Examples leaves such tracts of Glory:
As I wish Emulation, and Ease shall follow.

After a flourish of Trumpets and Musick, Almanzor seats himself on a magnificent Throne, Abdalla standing on the righthand, the Vizier on the left; Alhador brings the Alcoran wrapt in a piece of very rich Stuff, and lay it upon a small Indian

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6

Table before the Throne; the Grandees rang'd on each side the Throne, Alhador speaks.
Alh.
Great Lords, and Governors, of this high Empire,
Grandees, and Councellors, and all here present.
Caliph Almanzor, wills you, and requires,
Hence forwards; for to own, know, and obey
Abdalla Abenacer, his dear Brother,
As Lawful Heir, and Master Absolute:
After his Death, of all these Royal Realms.
Do you Consent, to take an Oath according?

Omnes
Bowing
We do Consent.

Alh.
Then as in token of your high Allegiance,
And the possession, he in present, for
The future takes, of all these Crowns, Kingdoms,
Dominions, Islands, Powers and People,
Do after, what you see, the King, and me.

The King rising takes Abdella by the Hand, and Seats him in the Throne; Abdella Kisses the King's Hand in token of Obedience. Almanzor, in sign of Blessing lays his Hand on Abdalla's Head, and also kissing his Hand, sits down on the Throne by Him, on his right Hand: The Dervis Kisses Abdella's Hand, afterward the Vizier, and then all the Grandees; the Musick sounds.
Alh.
Great Lord and Governors, of this high Empire,
Grandees and Councellors, and all here present,
Do not you swear, and promise by your Prophet?
By all contain'd, within this holy Alcoran,
To acknowledge, and to hold for all your Lives,
Abdella Abenacer, King, and Lord,
Of all these Realms, as Lawful Successor,
To his great Brother, Caliph Almanzor.
Emperor of the East, the Lord of true Believers.

Omnes,
Bowing
Yes, we promise it.

Alh.
Let him, or them, who fail in the performance,
Of ought they promise here, be counted vile,
Most perjur'd! Infamous! Rebellious!
A Traytor to the King, the State, and Throne!
And may our Prophet's Curse! and that of the most High,
Fall on him, and all his Race for ever.

Omnes.
May they fall on us, and our Race for ever.

Alh.
To bind this Oath of your Allegiance fast,
And with the more solemnity, to publish it.
Let all here present imitate the King, and me,

The King descends the Throne, and having Kiss'd the Alcoran, touches his Forehead with it; then Alhador, and after him, all the Grandees; the Musick sounding.
Alh.
Do you, young Prince, Abdalla Abanacer?
Do not you Swear, and promise by your Prophet?
By the most High, most Great, the unseen Pow'r?
By all contain'd within this holy Alcoran!
In Quality of King, and Lord of Realms;
T'administer to all your People Justice,
Maintain, and keep 'em in those Privileges:
Your Predecessor Kings, in General,
Or in particular, have granted 'em,
That they may flourish long, and live in Peace,
Nor suffer Wrong, or Injury be done 'em?

Abd.
Yes, I do Swear, and promise it.

Alh.
Then mind it well, Abdalla Abanacer;
And mind it so to keep it, else may the
Curse of Mahomet, and the most High!
Fall sure on your devouted Head, as on
The perjur'd ones!

Abd.
As on the perjur'd ones;

Alh.
To shew the solemness of this your Oath,
Your Highness is requir'd to do as I do.

Kisses the Book, touches his Forehead with it; presents it to the Prince, who does the same; loud Musick plays; They descend the Throne.
Sul.
Our Thanks to all; meet us at the Banquet;
Till then, the Assembly be dissolv'd; rich Robes,
And other Gifts, proportion'd to our Love,
Waits you within, so may the true believers flourish.

Omnes
Bowing
Long Life to Great Almanzor, and the Prince;

[Exit.
Abdalla, and the Vizier kneel on each side the Sultan.
[Sleeps.
Sult.
What wou'd our dear Abdalla, and our Vizier?

Abd.
Tho' rais'd to Empire; I am still a Beggar,
Falling, my Lord, thus prostrate before you,
With Love and Awe I view your Royal Form,
Snatching the Omens of your Eyes as fate,
Their pointed Glories, dart like Sun-beams round
Propitious Influence, and I will speak.
But, oh, with care I ought to weigh the sound:
For on the nice Request, that I shall make,
A Brother's happiness, nay, Life depends.

Sult.
Can any thing, in all our large Extent
Of Pow'r, or Empire; be deny'd thy hopes?
Art thou not now, receiv'd our Successor?
Next to my Throne, and Dearest to my Heart?
Does not our Oath, excluded all other Heirs?
I cannot, must not, will not, have an other.
Speak then, in Confidence of my Assent,
Not thy own youthful Heart, can more Desire,
Than I with Lavish love, and Lavish Joy can grant.

Abd.
Tho' reinforc'd, by all this wondrous goodness,
I know not how, to give my Thoughts a Voice,
My throbing Heart, and working Pulse beats high,
The vital springs of Life, with doubt attend
Th'important Charge, Wound to the utmost height.
By eager Hopes, by Fears, and Expectation,
One Frown of yours destroys the whole Machine,
Arrests the Wheels of Life, and bids the Motion Cease.

Viz.
Let not thy Mightiness be lost in Wonder.
Wonder, at what the youthful Prince has said.
Survey his Bloom, read but his sparkling Eyes;
Consult the Flushings of his glowing Cheeks,
The alternate Cold, successive to the Burning;
His beating Heart, pale Lips, and falt'ring Tongue!
Then soon resolve your self, he is a Lover,
But with that Duty, to his Royal Brother,
As without his permission, not to hope:
Therefore as low as Dust, we jointly Bow.
He for his Love, I for my Daughter's honour;
Almyna is his Choice; by her he lives,
And begs your Leave, to court, and win the Maid.

Sult.
Up to our Arms, our Vizier and Abdalla,
I must Confess, with strong surprize I hear,
That after all the Warnings of my fate,
Thou can'st Attempt, to fix thy Joys in Air:
In less, in nothing; for no more are Women:
Form'd as our Prophet says, without a Soul,
By Nature bad, by Chance, if ever Good?
Their Shining out-side but a gawdy bait,
To make us take the toyl from Nature to our selves,
And do her drudgery, of propagation,
Had she not produced those glittering Ills,
We had like Trees and Plants, from Sun, and Earth:
Our Common Parents rose; masculine, and wise,
Free from the Mother-vices, folly, doatage,
Enervate softness, and destroying Passions,
Fraud, Jealousy, Revenge, or Treachery!
And all the Cruel Train, of female Falsehood.

Abd.
'Tis much too hard, for one to Doom 'em all.
Cou'd you but read Almyna's noble Soul.
Th'etherial fire, that sparkles from her breast!
Soon wou'd our Prophet's notion, come in doubt.
She is not only Fair, but Wise and Good:
Her Vertue fixt, upon a sure Foundation;
Well has she too, Employ'd her early Years,
Join'd Art to Nature, and improv'd the Whole.
What ever Greek or Roman Eloquence,
Egyptian Learning, and Philosophy can teach;
She has, by Application, made her own.

Sult.
So much the worse, she's still the greater Ill,
A Contradiction, to her very Nature.
Born to obey, to know, they nothing know;
Wou'd they Usurp our just Prerogative,
Add to their native pride of Ignorance,
The double pride of seeming Knowledge,
Vain of their outward Forms, they well may be.
But when with Notions of Philosophy,
The Languages, and Eloquence they fight
Intrench'd; with false Quotations, History,
And the mistaken Learning of the Schools,
There's not another, such forbidding Wretch!
The very Error of Creation! The top
Of Vanity, and all Impertinence!
No Abdalla, keep Reason still in view.
Whose light, in what belongs to mortal Life,
Ought never, never, to be lost!
And but Eclips'd in what relates to Heav'n.

Abd.
Wou'd I with Reason live, I must with Reason love,
For that Distinguisher of Good and Evil;
That Guide of Life, that more than human Instinct,
Points me, to all Perfections in Almyna;
Almyna, or the Grave, must be my Lot,
The silent Grave, furnish'd with all things for
My turn, because found Empty of Desire.

Sult.
Fond doating Boy, thou hast not sure forgot,
The King of Tartary (our Brother's) Infamy, and mine,
Must we awake thy Memory, with the Grief
And Anguish of our own, like thee we lov'd,
Like thee to Honor's, did Advance our Loves.
Beauty (a Woman's Merit) shone in both Conspicuous,
But when at Samarcand he left his Bride,
(Unsated Love, still glowing in his Breast)
Returning unexpected back, in the dead
Silence of the Guilty Night, he found the false,
The curst Adultress in another's Arms!
Well did he execute, his instant Veng'ance on 'em,
And by his Scymiter unite their Fates.
That done, to our Arabian Court, he took his Way,
To seek his fury, by Travel, or Diversion.
But, oh, a fatal damp, like Death sat on him,
Benighting all his Joys, till on a day,
(For ever blotted be that guilty Moment,
Torn from th'Account of Time, and lost to Nature,)
For in the Gardens of the Queen's Seraglio,
(Which she thought inaccessible to all,
Not knowing we had privileg'd our Brother)
He found the Eastern Empress, all undrest,
Supinely laid, upon a Bed of Flowers,
Her flowing robes, no longer veild her Charms!
But all the bright Adultress, stood Confest!
Enjoying, and enjoy'd, by a vile moorish Slave.
Mayn't she be vile, and yet Almyna Chast?
Nay, thousands, thousands, more, oh, Emperor!
There is no Cure, for Love like mine, but Love.

Sult.
I was like you Incredulous, till these Eyes,
These very Eyes, were witness of my shame,
And then we swore, never to Love another.
Nor shall they have our Honour in their keeping;
No, not a day, left in that day they wrong it.
To exclude for ever, all our thoughts of Heirs,
Thou art received, and known our Successor;
For in conjunction with so weak a Sex,
Who can produce, or hope, a Noble Specie?
But since, as Man, our Appetities are keen,
And by our Wants, we feel that we are Mortal:
Like the other Souless part of the Creation,
They'r born, and must for our convenience dye,
As some for Food, these for a softer use.
Thus I assert our great Prerogative;
Which you, if you are wise will imitate.

Abd.
Oh, There's the Wound! the cold Almyna
Unkindling at my fires, repels the flame:
Deaf to her Father's most perswasive Voice,
Fixt in herself, Deigns not to hear my sute.
And as we guess, fears for her precious Life,
Shou'd she consent to be our Royal Bride.
Therefore, my Brother, thus I lowly beg,
You wou'd assure her, that the Cruelty
Practis'd upon your Wives, may not extend to mine.

Sult.
'Tis granted and you have our free Consent,
For vain 'tis found, to Combate youthful Passions,
Enjoy'd, like flowers, they in the gathering, fade;
Nay, scarce the Mem'ry remains, of any sweetness!
Time can alone restore you to your self,
(That Enemy, to Joys, and Young Desires,)
Till then, if Love can make you so, be blest.

Abd.
Words are too weak, my Lord, and thanks too poor,
To speak my Sense, of this exalted Blessing:
Let but Occasion call, tho' ne'reso great,
A danger eminent, as in your Goodness.
With highest gratitude, and Love to Friend,
Inflam'd as now, what Worlds cou'd I not conquer;
Nay, sure Almyna can no longer frown,
No longer, with her beautious show'ry Tears,
Seek to allay my gusts, of raging Passions.
O Vizier! oh, my Father! Dost thou think
By these Imperial Hopes, the cruel Maid,
May not be brought to change her Fears and Coldness?

Viz.
Most sure, my Lord, Ambition rules the Sex.
How far, indeed, she may degenerate
Experience must inform, all Aids that are
Within the bounds of such a Father's pow'r:
Who not pretends to force, but guide the Will,
Are yours.

Sult.

Exeunt Omnes.