University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

The Alhambra.
[Zulema solus.
True; they have pardon'd me; but do they know
What folly 'tis to trust a pardon'd Foe!
A Blush remains in a forgiven Face;
It wears the silent Tokens of Disgrace:
Forgiveness to the Injur'd does belong;
But they ne'r pardon who have done the wrong.
My hopeful Fortune's lost! and what's above
All I can name or think, my ruin'd Love!
Feign'd Honesty shall work me into Trust;
And seeming Penitence conceal my Lust.
Let Heav'ns great Eye of Providence now take
One day of rest, and ever after wake.

Enter King Boabdelin, Abenamar and Guards.
Boab.
Losses on Losses! as if Heav'n decreed
Almanzors valour should alone succeed.

Aben.
Each Sally we have made since he is gone,
Serves but to pull our speedy ruine on.

Boab.
Of all Mankind, the heaviest Fate he bears
Who the last Crown of sinking Empire wears.
No kindly Planet of his Birth took care:
Heav'ns Out-cast; and the Dross of every Starr!
[A tumultuous noise within
Enter Abdelmelech.
What new misfortune do these Cries presage?

Abdel.
They are th'effects of the mad Peoples rage.
All in despair tumultuously they swarm;
The farthest Streets already take th'Alarm;
The needy creep from Cellars, under-ground,
To them new Cries from tops of Garrets sound.
The aged from the Chimneys seek the cold;
And Wives from Windows helpless Infants hold.

Boab.
See what the many-headed Beast demands.
[Exit Abdelmelech.
Curst is that King whose Honour's in their hands.
In Senates, either they too slowly grant,
Or saucily refuse to aid my want:
And when their Thrift has ruin'd me in Warr,
They call their Insolence my want of Care.

Aben.
Curst be their Leaders who that Rage foment;
And vail with publick good their discontent:
They keep the Peoples Purses in their hands,
And Hector Kings to grant their wild demands.
But to each Lure a Court throws out, descend;
And prey on those, they promis'd to defend.

Zul.
Those Kings who to their wild demands consent,
Teach others the same way to discontent.
Freedom in Subjects is not; nor can be,
But still to please 'em we must call 'em free.
Propriety which they their Idoll make,
Or Law, or Law's Interpreters can shake.

Aben.
The name of Common-wealth is popular;
But there the People their own Tyrants are:

Boab.
But Kings who rule with limited Command
Have Players Scepters put into their Hand.
Pow'r has no ballance, one side still weighs down;
And either hoysts the Common-wealth or Crown.
And those who think to set the Skale more right,
By various turnings but disturb the weight.

Aben.
While People tugg for Freedom, Kings for Pow'r,
Both sink beneath some foreign Conquerour:
Then Subjects find too late they were unjust
And want that pow'r of Kings they durst not trust.

[To them Abdelmelech.
Abdel.
The Tumult now is high and dangerous grown:
The People talk of rendring up the Town;
And swear that they will force the Kings consent.

K. Boab.
What Councel can this rising storm prevent?

Abdel.
Their fright to no Perswasions will give ear:
There's a deaf madness in a Peoples fear.

Enter a Messenger.
Mess.
Their fury now a middle course does take:
To yield the Town, or call Almanzor back.

Boab.
Ile rather call my death.—
Go, and bring up my Guards to my defence:
Ile punish this outragious Insolence.

Aben.
Since blind opinion does, their reason sway,
You must submit to cure 'em their own way.
You to their Fancies Physick must apply:
Give them that Chief on whom they most relye;
Under Almanzor prosperously they fought:
Almanzor therefore must with Pray'rs be brought.

Enter a Second Messenger.
Sec. Mess.
Haste all you can their fury to asswage:
You are not safe from their rebellious rage:

Enter a Third Messenger.
Third Mes.
This Minute if you grant not their desire
They'll seize your Person and your Palace Fire.

Abdel.
Your danger, Sir, admits of no delay.

Boab.
In tumults, People Reign, and Kings obey.
Go, and appease 'em with the vow I make
That they shall have their lov'd Almanzor back.
Exit Abdelmelech,
Almanzor has th'Ascendant o're my Fate:
I'me forc'd to stoop to one I fear and hate.
Disgrac'd, distrest, in exile, and alone,
He's greater then a Monarch on his Throne.
Without a Realm a Royalty he gains;
Kings are the Subjects over whom he Raigns.

[A shout of Acclamation's within.
Aben.
These shouts proclaim the people satisfy'd.

Boab.
We for another Tempest must provide.
To promise his return as I was loath,
So I want pow'r now to perform my oath.
E're this, for Affricque he is sail'd from Spain.

Aben.
The adverse winds his passage yet detain;
I heard, last night his equipage did stay,
At a small Village short of Malaga.

K. Boab.
Abenamar, this ev'ning thither, haste;
Desire him to forget his usage past:
Use all your Rhet'rique; Promise; Flatter; Pray:

To them Qu. Almahide attended.
Aben.
Good Fortune shows you yet a surer way:
Nor Pray'rs nor Promises his mind will move;
'Tis inaccessible to all, but Love.

K. Boab.
Oh, thou hast rows'd a thought within my brest,
That will for ever rob me of my rest.
Ah, Jealousie, how cruel is thy sting!
I, in Almanzor, a lov'd Rival bring!
And now, I think it is an equal strife
If I my Crown should hazard, or my Wife.
Where, Marriage is thy cure, which Husbands boast,
That, in possession, their desire is lost!
Or why, have I alone that wretched taste
Which, gorg'd and glutted, does with hunger last!
Custome and Duty, cannot set me free,
Ev'n Sin it self has not a Charm for me.
Of marry'd Lovers I am sure the first.
And nothing but a King could so be curst.

Q. Almah.
What sadness sits upon your Royal Heart?
Have you a Grief, and must not I have part?
All Creatures else a time of Love possess:
Man onely clogs with cares his happiness:
And, while he shou'd enjoy his part of Bliss,
With thoughts of what may be, destroys what is.

K. Boab.
You guess'd aright; I am opprest with grief:
And 'tis from you that I must seek relief.
[To the Company.
Leave us, to sorrow there's a rev'rence due:
Sad Kings, like Suns Ecclips'd, withdraw from view.

The Attendants goe off: and Chairs are set for the King and Queen.
Almah.
So, two kind Turtles, when a storm is nigh,
Look up; and see it gath'ring in the Skie:
Each calls his Mate to shelter in the Groves,
Leaving, in murmures, their unfinish'd Loves.
Perch'd on some dropping Branch they sit alone,
And Cooe, and hearken to each others moan.

[Boab. taking her by the hand.
Since, Almahide, you seem so kind a Wife,
What would you do to save a Husbands life?

Almah.
When Fate calls on that hard Necessity,
I'll suffer death rather than you shall dye.

Boab.
Suppose your Countrey should in danger be;
What would you undertake to set it free?

Almah.
It were too little to resign my Breath:
My own free Hand should give me nobler Death.

Boab.
That Hand, which would so much for Glory do,
Must yet do more; for it must kill me too.
You must kill Me, for that dear Countreys sake:
Or what's all one, must call Almanzor back.

Almah.
I see to what your Speech you now direct;
Either my Love or Vertue you suspect.
But know, that when my person I resign'd,
I was too noble not to give my mind:
No more the shadow of Almanzor fear;
I have no room but for your Image, here.

Boab.
This, Almahide would make me cease to mourn,
Were that Almanzor never to return:
But now my fearful People mutiny;
Their clamours call Almanzor back, not I.
Their safety, through my ruine, I pursue;
He must return; and must be brought by you.

Almah.
That hour when I my Faith to you did plight,
I banish'd him for ever from my sight.
His banishment was to my Vertue due;
Not that I fear'd him for my self, but you.
My Honour had preserv'd me innocent:
But I would your suspicion too prevent.
Which, since I see augmented in your mind,
I, yet more reason for his Exile find.

K. Boab.
To your intreaties he will yield alone:
And, on your doom, depend my Life and Throne.
No longer therefore my desires withstand;
Or, if desires prevail not, my Command.

Q. Almah.
In his return too sadly I foresee
Th'effects of your returning jealousie;
But, your Command I prize above my life:
'Tis sacred to a Subject and a Wife:
If I have pow'r Almanzor shall return.

[Boab. letting go her hand and starting up.
Curst be that fatal hour when I was born!
You love; you love him; and that love reveal
By your too quick consent to his repeal.
My jealousie had but too just a ground;
And now you stab into my former wound.

Q. Almah.
This suddain change I do not understand;
Have you so soon forgot your own Command?

Boab.
Grant that I did th'unjust injunction lay,
You should have lov'd me more then to obey.
I know you did this mutiny design;
But your Love-plot I'le quickly countermine.
Let my Crown go; he never shall return;
I, like a Phœnix in my Nest will burn.

Almah.
You please me well that in one common Fate
You wrap your Self and Me, and all your State:
Let us no more of proud Almanzor hear:
'Tis better once to die, than still to fear.
And better many times to dye, than be
Oblig'd past payment to an Enemy.

Boab.
'Tis better; but you wives still have one way:
When e're your Husbands are oblig'd, you pay.

Almah.
Thou, Heav'n, who know'st it, judge my innocence.
You, Sir, deserve not I should make defence.
Yet, judge my Vertue by that proof I gave,
When I submitted to be made your Slave.

Boab.
If I have been suspicious or unkind,
Forgive me; many cares distract my mind.
Love, and a Crown!
Two such excuses no one Man e're had;
And each of'em enough to make me mad:
But now, my Reason re-assumes its Throne:
And finds no safety when Almanzor's gone.
Send for him, then; I'le be oblig'd; and sue;
'Tis a less evil than to part with you.
I leave you to your thoughts; but love me still!
Forgive my Passion, and obey my Will.
Exit Boabdelin.

Almahide
Sola.
My jealous Lord will soon to Rage return;
That Fire his Fear rakes up, does inward burn.
But Heav'n which made me great, has chose for me:
I must th'oblation for my People be.
I'le cherish Honour, then, and Life despise;
What is not Pure, is not for Sacrifice.
Yet, for Almanzor I in secret mourn!
Can Vertue, then, admit of his return?
Yes; for my Love I will, by Vertue, square;
My Heart's not mine; but all my Actions are.
I'le, like Almanzor, act; and dare to be
As haughty, and as wretched too as he.
What will he think is in my Message meant!
I scarcely understand my own intent:
But Silk-worm-like, so long within have wrought,
That I am lost in my own Webb of thought.
Exit Almahide.