 | The Faithful Bride of Granada |  |
46
ACT V.
Enter Oliman and Zelinda.Zelin.
How shall I pay my Thanks to Heaven and you?
To Heaven alone I wou'd have ow'd all;
My honest Nature never us'd disguise,
Nor never will; now I blush with Horror,
And curse my Fate, to be preserv'd by thee,
Foe to my Lord, and always my Aversion.
Oli.
Cruel sound! my ill Fate from thence took Birth;
From your Disdain my dire misfortunes rise;
Unconquer'd is your scorn; so is my Love;
Whose warm Pursuit shall give thee endless Chace;
Strike its Fires against thy flinty Bosom,
Till kindling Sparks return—
Zelin.
Poor Zelinda! Ah! whither art thou fall'n?
When your great Master liv'd, ye durst not then,
No not in Whispers Breath your sawcy Flame;
I'm grown the common Object of Mankind;
And every idle Tongue Prophanes me now
With their unlicens'd Love—
Why do I stay, or trifle Time with thee?
Time, whose dread Moments bring my danger on;
Danger, that threatens Life and dearer Peace,
Oh, my Abinomin!—
Oli.
Still dost thou weep for the Abencerrago?
These Tears for ever sully thy fair Fame!
Obedient Daughters will curse thy Memory;
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Least after all his Care it proves like thee.
Think, Madam, 'tis your Father's Murderer.
Zelin.
Falser than Hell your Accusation is:
Away, and let me pass; Nor Heaven nor Men
Shall bar my Purpose; I'll suffer with him:
My Lifes Reward, Joy of my Eyes and Heart!
Help! Alla! Let me or dye, or save him.
(Exit.
Oli.
Alas! weak Raver! thy Noise avails not;
My sure Design shall sweep this Darling off;
And Invention still labouring on,
Crown at last, even with thee, my Wishes.
Enter Abenede.
Aben.
Speak, Oliman, that my sunk Heart may rise,
And at the dismal Sound taste cruel Joy;
Shall the accurst Abencerrago die?
Hast thou prepar'd the Judges of our Law?
Oli.
I have chose out Men, whose Aim's Preferment;
VVhose VVills are subject to the Prince's Power;
VVho make the stubborn Laws take bent that way;
Condemn or save, as his Nod guides their Votes.
But here, alas, there is no need to stretch
And screw, wiredraw each wanting Circumstance;
His Guilt, the horrid Murder, is too plain.
Aben.
He is Guilty! And my Revenge is just;
I'm convinc'd, I'll therefore to the last pursue,
And rejoyce in all his torturing VVoes.
To loose our Daughter, when his Hopes are Young;
To fall and be in thoughtless Dust forgot,
In part attones, my dear, my murder'd Lord:
But never shall my wrathful Vengeance cease,
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Till with Disdain I spurn my hated Prey;
Then to the World proclaim, with a Triumphant Voice,
'Twas for my Love: Thus is Cruelty repaid.
Oli.
Wou'd that bright Fair resent her Fathers fall,
Thus wou'd the soft Zelinda learn to Rage,
We indeed might hope to Triumph o're our Foes;
Her Tears are only shed for the base Villain;
All her Prayers put up to Heaven to save Abinomin.
Aben.
Most severe's the Punishment that Fault requires,
Therein our Great Prophet shows his Justice:
But my noble Kinsman still I perceive,
Midst our Wrongs, still is Zelinda nam'd;
Revenge my Ozmin's Death, there's thy Reward;
If thou canst blot the Crime of heedless Love,
The guilty Bride is streight transferr'd to thee
Oli.
Alas! no more. Joy suits not misfortunes:
In calmer Times my Service pleads for me.
(Trumpets here.
Aben.
Heark, the Prince is passing to the Castle;
Move on to joyn the solemn State of Woe,
Fill the sad Place, and raise Revenge and Pity.
(Exeunt.
(Flourish Trumpets.
Enter Abdolin, Selim and Guards.
Abd.
Selim, Surround this Place with our Guards;
Abinomin dispatch'd, we'll seize Zelinda;
She has wrought my Passion to the highest Pitch,
And she shall find the Fury of my Love.
My Soul is stript of all that's soft and kind,
My extended Veins are workt by subtle Fires,
That carry to my Heart new boiling Rage.
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That Traytor, who with seeming Holyness,
Forc'd, with his canting Tribe, my Apartments;
Making his impious Way, where Princes Reign
In sacred Secresy; acting without Controul;
From thence he, and a sawcy Dervise, bore Zelinda,
For which, the Tryal over,
Print with a Thousand Wounds, the darling Slave;
I shall rejoyce to see the Purple Flood—
Selim, take care of this—
Selim.
Our lost Estate, who must take care of that?
From Albovade this Castle's now besieg'd;
His Heralds hourly pressing to be heard;
The Spaniards at our intestine Broils prepare,
And march apace, secure of Victory.
Abd.
Let 'em come on; Come Albovade; Come all:
I'll in the general Ruine perish—
Give me Zelinda: Grasping that rich Prize,
With Beauty blest, I'd lose another Troy!
Away, lead to the mourning Abenede;
Then to the place where our Revenge begins.
(Exeunt
Court of Justice, Judges sitting Discover'd.
Enter Abdolin leading Abenede, Oliman, Zelinda, Zaida, Guards, &c.
Guar.
Make way there: Room for the Prince.
Jud.
Bring forth the Prisoner and his Accusers—
In this Seat of Justice, grac'd by our Prince,
Let awful Universal Silence Reign,
That where the precious Jem, Life's at Stake,
The World may judge and take the Righteous side.
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Zelin.
My dearest Lord!
(Runs to Abinomin.
Abin.
Do I behold thy Face? then thou art safe,
I know from Violation thou art safe;
Else those dear Eyes had look'd no more abroad;
Their modest Beams had blest my Soul no more.
Abd.
Most Reverend Fathers, is this allowed?
Your sacred Courts the Place for amorous Conference:
The Inquisition made for Blood, a Jest
For Murder; the Murder of our Nobles!
Judg.
Ha! for shame! Can that be Ozmin's Daughter?
Zelin.
Sirs, I am his Daughter, by him belov'd:
Nor will I blush to add, the Wife of this—
Of this brave Man, whom Malice wou'd destroy.
Aben.
Whom Mercy cannot save: My Lords, Proceed,
And here the Guilty Scene—
Abd.
First, Abenede, something shou'd be said of you,
Thou best of Wives, of Women most deserving:
Henceforth when Ozmin's Noble Deeds are sung,
In the Annual Round to Heroes sacred,
Still they shall sing, and still remember thee;
Even latest Times shall bless thy spotless Name,
And thou shalt stand recorded for a Pattern.
Aben.
Undeserv'd's my Praise, nor can I perform
The half my Wrongs from Justice felf requires—
You, my Lords, and you, Great Prince, hear my Cause:
You hold the equal Balance, you decide,
Ozmin was a Patritian, a Father:
You, Fathers, then Revenge, Revenge his Death;
This is the Slave that Wretch led on, hiring
Him, and his black Associates, with Hells Wages,
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Judg.
Stand forward, Slave, give him the Alcoran;
And on that let him swear to speak the Truth.
Abass.
So help me Alla, as I do—
Judg.
Look on the Prisoner and speak.
Abass.
The Prisoner, Lord Abinomin, having
Retain'd me, and other Slaves of Africk,
After great Rewards, for small Service,
With solemn sure Promise of our Freedoms,
And Wealth above the Wishes of a Slave,
Led us on, all disguis'd in horrid Forms,
Arming each with a keen Poyson'd Dagger;
The first sad stroke was given by his own Hand;
We join'd the black Deed: thus great Ozmin fell.
Judg.
What follow'd then?
Abass.
Oliman came with a Party of Horse;
We fled; Abinomin back to the Palace,
VVe to the Quarter, where we lay conceal'd;
At Night my Fellow Slaves, those that were left
(For two fell by Valiant Ozmin's Sword)
The rest the Prisoner summon'd to meet him:
Their Death, I guess, ended the dark Cabal;
For I have never since beheld the Wretches.
Judg.
Horrid Fact, Bloody and Unnatural!—
Now, Oliman, stand you forth and declare
How you found your noble Kinsman—
Oli.
In the last Pangs of Life, he only cryed,
Revenge me Friend; Revenge me on those Fiends
My Daughter the Prize of the Discovery—
This said, his Agonies came faster on,
And Death at last subdu'd the God-like Man—
Then when we sent up our fruitless Prayers,
Whilst we offer'd fruitless Aid around him,
Albovade, with thrice our Strength from his Fort,
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Forc'd the Body from us; and with vile Language,
Most Inhumane Taunts, turn'd our Woes to Scorn—
The curst Remembrance stops my future Speech
With rising Rage and eager Warmth for our Revenge.
Abin.
May I speak yet—
Judg.
No; and Guilt shou'd for ever stop thy Mouth.
My Lord, you knew not any as they fled?
Oli.
I did not, my good Father, yet I thought
I heard a Voice, which I had known before,
I cannot swear it was Abinomin's—
Tho' on my Conscience, which our Prophet knows,
I wou'd not wrong, I think I might—
Abd.
Fathers and Judges, sure, nothing, no Crime,
Since Murder first stain'd our polluted Earth,
And drew dire Vengeance down, had plainer Proof:
Our self must be Advocate against him—
His Clandestine Marriage with that weeping Fair
Made his Condition desperate to Ozmin;
The Noble Zegree cou'd not break such Union;
So to secure the inimitable Maid.
'Tis evident he has dispatcht her Father.
Aben.
In this sad Case (too much alas! my own)
Permit me, Reverend Sirs, to appeal—
For mine's the Woe, and mine's the Punishment—
That Traytor knew her Father wou'd to Death,
Pursue his Theft, his unwarrantable Love:
Our Laws require, that before a Cady
The Nuptials of our Nobles are approv'd—
This Guilty Pair, without that sacred Licence,
Like pale Adulterers, stole to their unblest Joys;
Nay, and with a Parents Murder seal'd them.
Judg.
These are convincing Arguments of Guilt;
What can'st thou say, abandon'd to thy Shame?
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The black Angel which of thy Life had care,
Can teach thee alone to excuse such Crimes—
Now thou hast Licence, speak—
Abin.
No, I disdain to Plead; that trifle Life
Shall not urge an Answer in such a Court:
A Court byass'd by that Princes Presence;
Abdolin hates me on a double score;
First for my Family; more for my Love.
Thy Deeds, Oh! Prince, and mine, were they expos'd,
As in the eternal Book they stand recorded,
Who then shou'd blush?—
Abd.
Ha! The Reviling Dog, the Murderer!
Let him not speak! I charge ye hear no more!
Zelin.
Was ever Criminal deny'd to Plead?
Much less the Innocent, Oh hear him, hear him!
Abin.
I have not much to say; be not alarm'd;
The Law, our Guide, directly has pronounc'd
The Accuser in Combat the Accused meet,
Relying on the Great Righteous Alla,
To clear with Victory, the juster side;
This is the All I ask; and this I think,
Since first our Prophet rose, has been allow'd.
Judg.
To doubtful Causes it is often granted:
But thy Guilt appears manifest and plain;
Calls aloud for sharp returning Vengeance;
For Laws severer, which asks Man for Man,
Torment for Torment, even all that Ozmin felt
Shall be thy certain Doom.
Zelin.
Stay, Father; as e're ye aim at Mercy
In your last approaching Fears, your latest Hour,
Listen to these my Women, who will prove
The Moment, Ozmin fell he was far off
From Power or thought of Mischief.
Zaida speak.
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My Lords—
Abd.
Silence, ye Slaves; Will sacred Judges of our Law
Consent to hear their idle Foolery?
The Things that watch her Looks, and speak from them,
Proceed to Judgment; the whole Court assents.
Aben.
Oh, Daughter oppose no more such Justice.
Zelin.
Ye conscious Heaven! Thou Guilty Earth!
That brought forth these Destroyers! Is there no help?
Judg.
Madam, be silent, or remove.
Zelin.
I'll not remove; fix upon that Form;
Then grow Dumb, and petrified with sorrow!
Look, my Lords, with my Eyes, is Murder there?
Judg.
Silence.
Abin.
Be calm, my dearest Love, all will be well.
Judg.
Lord Abinomin, Son to Albovade;
The greatest of the Abencerrago Race,
By the Alcorans just Laws thou dyest!
Zelin.
Oh hold—
Judg.
Executioners, Prepare the poyson'd Steel:
Seize him; bind back his Hands, his murdrous Hands—
(they seize him.
Zelin.
Ah!
(Shrieks.
Judg.
Then strike thro' and thro' his treacherous Heart:
This is the Courts irrecoverable Decree.
Abd.
My Lords, Let him receive his Doom without;
The sight's too cruel for that fair ones Eyes.
Zelin.
Away, away, I see it in my Mind;
And 'tis our Mind that gives us Hell's Terrors;
Such as I feel now.
Aben.
What means this rising Pity? Ozmin dead,
His Darling Daughter mourns the Murderer!
'Tis she is guilty, and not I—
Oli.
Most certain; why delay the Slaves? make haste.
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I am bound, and ready for the Slaughter!
May I not thus approach my faithful Wife?
These fond fetter'd Arms no more shall clasp her,
The Iron Hand of Death is like your Bonds,
Never to be broke—
Zelin.
Oh, my Abinomin! hapless Youth! Can I not save thee?
Abin.
Be still, my Love, and hear my dying Prayer:
If Innocence ascends yon brightest Thrones,
Then let the Powers have regard to me;
Me let their great All-seeing Justice clear:
Let me behold thy lovely Face again,
Freed from this horrid Accusation,
And I'll resign the soft Charmer, the Image
Of your Immortal selves, my dear Zelinda!
Zelin.
Be gone, ye Slaves, there is no end of this.
Abin.
My Fair, I go; go from thee for ever.
Do not clasp and gaze thus wildly on me:
Forbear thy sad Concern, lest it Unman
My Soul, and give the fierce Zegrees Triumph.
Zelin.
Will they not take me with thee then to Death?
Why, must not I dye for Ozmin's Murder?
A Fathers Murther, hear ye that, ye Slaves,
I do confess; where are these Javelins then,
Your Swords and Daggers? Give 'em all to me.
Judg.
Hence with the Criminal.
Zelin.
Ye shall not have him; I will hold him still.
Abin.
Thou dearer far than Life; strive no more in vain,
And if your Souls are Humane, comfort her;
Why d'ye use this force? See, I obey.
(Exit.
Zelin.
He's gone; where, where, tell me, ye Infernals?
Oh thou curst Globe, swell'd and gorg'd with Crimes,
Wilt thou bear all this weight of Wickedness,
And yet not burst? Then I will tear thee thus;
Dig up thy rotten Jaws and let Confusion in,
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Force thee see the Sulphurous Flames beneath.
Aben.
Convey the poor distracted Creature hence:
Oliman, strive to abate her sorrows.
Abd.
Presume not, Slave, to raise the drooping Fair,
Leave to me the care Zelinda merits.
Oli.
Ha! my Fortune sure begins to leave me.
(A Cry without)
'Tis Ozmin! 'tis Lord Ozmin!
Let him pass, Ozmin! Ozmin!
(All look amaz'd.
Enter Ozmin supported by Albovade.
Albo.
What close Contrivance are you hatching here,
That at first your Guards denyed our Passage.
Zelin.
My Fathers Ghost is come to save my Husband.
Aben.
My Lord, and are ye then preserv'd alive?
My Love, My Life, my Soul, art thou preserv'd!
Oh, where shall my transporting Joys begin!
Zelin.
Oh, ask no Questions, but fly and save him,
Will ye not, my Father, command they shall;
I have no Friend, and have been hardly us'd.
Ozm.
What woudst thou? this comes too fast upon me.
Aben.
Fly, Slaves, be quick; bring back Abinomin!
Alb.
Abinomin! What had ye to do with him?
Aben.
Our mistaken Rage I fear has gone too far—
Oh, my Lord, I ficken with Joy and Grief!
To think what I have done: seize that black Slave.
Oli.
Nay, then 'tis time for me to fly.
(Exit.
Zelin.
Oh, where's my Abinomin
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Safe! Unhurt! Oh, Prophet teach me to bear
The killing Extasie!
(Flies to Embrace him.
Abin.
What sudden Turn is this,
That feebler Nature even sinks beneath
The mighty Transports? Ha! Ozmin alive!
Oh, ye juster Powers that take Regard
Of Innocence! Speak, Father, did I set on thee.
Oz.
Young Man, thou art the last I shou'd suspect;
That Slave has the form of him that struck me.
Abass.
I have confess'd it, but have my Pardon.
Albo.
Who condemn'd my Son? Why stands the Zegree Prince
With sullen Pride, and a malignant Joy,
Urging Revenge, viewing with brutal Rage,
The only Comfort of my Life destroy'd?
Perfidious Zegree.
Abd.
Vain Railer!
Upon the Alcaron the Slave accused him.
Oz.
It cannot be.
Zelin.
No, it cannot be, believe your Daughter;
Who knows him well, and best can plead his Cause,
Her faithful Husband's Cause.
Albo.
Is he thy Husband then, thou Constant Fair?
So 'twas design'd to unite our bleeding Factions,
And settle lasting Peace.
Zelin.
Hear ye that, ye too long inveterate Stars
That rul'd Zelinda's Birth.
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Selim.
Behold, in Oliman the Murderer.
Oz.
How!
Selim.
Being by command to fall upon this Man,
We observ'd him stealing guilty away,
And streight obey'd our Orders; he cry'd out,
I do confess the Deed; 'twas I set Abass
To murther Ozmin, and grieve the Blow has mist.
Abass.
Oh, fearful Coward! whilst I continued faithful,
Still charging the Attempt on Lord Abinomin!
Oli.
Then Fate and Death have master'd my Designs.
Oz.
Ungrateful Villain! what cou'd provoke thee?
Oli.
That fairest Creature, which you deny'd
Your large Possessions which you with-held;
Bribes strong enough to tempt an Honesty,
Much more resolv'd than mine; fierce Abenede
Joyn'd, and brought Destruction fast as I cou'd wish.
Aben.
Think, Ozmin, 'twas Love urg'd this Cruelty.
Oz.
Oh, my fair Abenede! thou hast been too kind;
Be gone, and on the Wrack let both Expire:
Sure in this Castle yet I bear Command.
Oh, Albovade! my Friend, it is to thee I owe
My Life, by thy care alone retrieved:
Quickly hence, and destroy those cursed Vipers;
Let me hear their Fall.
Oli.
Yet I wou'd give a blow.
(Aims at Abinomin, is prevented by Zelinda.
Zelin.
Secure his barb'rous Hands.
Abin.
Still am I preserved by thee.
Disarm him.
Oli.
You are too late.
(Stabs himself.
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Gloom of Death: Abinomin, Zelinda, come,
Oh! never where I must go.
(Dyes.
Albo.
Prince, you see the end of lawless Wishes:
Consider well and clear that angry Brow;
Have pity on these too long injur'd Lovers.
Oz.
So will we join with firm Loyal Hearts,
To aid our Country against invading Foes.
Zelin.
Let me only speak to great Abdolin:
Oh, think, my most honour'd Master, how Poor
How Vain a thing frail Beauty is, constrain'd;
When we exert our Charms we scarce can please,
In force those Charms are lost: Oh, give me, Sir,
To my Abinomin, and I will court our Prophet,
Solicite Heaven for endless Blessings on you.
Abd.
What more than Magick Charms are in sweet VVords
Pronounc'd by those we love; take her, Youth,
But take her from my sight, far, far remov'd:
Away, and lead amidst the Spaniards Force;
I will grow warm in VVar, and lose the Thoughts of Love;
For Oh! no poyson'd Dart wounds half so sure,
As the killing Beauties of that faithful Bride.
(Exit and Guards.
Aben.
My dearest Lord, how was your Life preserv'd?
My Soul is eager, and thirsts to learn the Story.
Oz.
Next our Prophet, 'twas the care of this good Man:
Some leisure Hour shall give the Particulars,
VVhich weakness now forbids. Oh, my Brother!
Speak, are we not compleatly blest?
Albo.
Read it in those pleas'd Lovers Eyes.
Abin.
Remove that wretched Body, and secure
That swarthy Villain for his just Reward:
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If I have any Power here in Granada,
He shall on Racks expire.
And let presuming Man take timely care,
For Heaven offended will not always bear,
From his sad Fate such horrid Crimes to shun;
And time will be when Recompence must come.
Then knowing this, who wou'd from Virtue cease?
Since that alone crowns Life or Death with Peace.
(Exeunt
FINIS.
| The Faithful Bride of Granada | |