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K. of PORT. Be arm'd with manly weapons! 'tis for slaves

To dig their own and such unworthy graves.

ELEAZ. I am for thee any way: thus; or, see! thus;
Here, try the vigour of thy sinewy arm!
The day is ours already; brainless heads,
And bleeding bodies, like a crown, do stand
About the temples of our victory.

Yet, Spaniards, if you dare, we'll fight it out,
Thus, man to man alone. I'll first begin,
And conquer, or in blood wade up to th' chin.

PHIL. Let not a weapon stir but his and mine! ELEAZ. Nor on this side; conquest in blood shall shine.

[Alarum: they fight, the Moor is struck down;

which his soldiers seeing, rush in and rescue him; the soldiers on the other side come forward, and drive in the Moors. Alarum continuing, Spaniards and Moors, with drums and colours, fly over the stage, pursued by Philip, Cardinal, the King of Portugal, and others.

Enter ZARACK, CHRISTOFERO, and ELEAZAR, at several doors.

CHRISTO. Where is my lord?

ZAR. Where is my sovereign?

ELEAZ. What news bring Zarack and Christofero?
ZAR. Oh, fly, my lord! fly, for the day is lost!
ELEAZ. There are three hundred and odd days in

a year,

And cannot we lose one of them? come, fight! CHRISTO. The lords have left us, and the soldiers

faint;

You are round beset with proud fierce enemies;
Death cannot be prevented but by flight.

ELEAZ. He shall, Christofero. I have yet left
One stratagem, that in despite of fate

Shall turn the wheel of war about once more.
The Mother Queen hath all this while sat sadly
Within our tent, expecting to whose bosom
White-winged peace and victory will fly:
Her have I us'd as a fit property

To stop this dangerous current; her have I sent
Arm'd with love's magic, to enchant the cardinal,
And bind revenge down with resistless charms;
By this time does she hang about his neck,
And by the witchcraft of a cunning kiss

Has she disarm'd him. Hark! they sound retreat;
She has prevail'd; a woman's tongue and eye,
Are weapons stronger than artillery.

SCENE IV.

[Exeunt.

Enter CARDINAL, QUEEN MOTHER, SOLDIERS, drums and colours.

Q. Mo. By all those sighs which thou, like pas

sionate tunes,

Hast often to my dull ears offered,

By all thy hopes to enjoy my royal bed,

By all those mourning lines which thou hast sent, Weeping in black, to tell thy languishment;

By love's best, richest treasure, which I swear

I will bestow, and which none else shall wear,
As the most prized jewel, but thyself;

By that bright fire, which, flaming through thine

eyes,

From thy love-scorched bosom does arise,
I do conjure thee let no churlish sound,
With war's lewd horror my desires confound!
Dear, dear Mendoza! thus I do entreat,
That still thou would'st continue this retreat;
I'll hang upon thee, till I hear thee say,
Woman prevail; or chiding, cry'st away.

CARD. Is there no trick in this, forg'd by the
Moor?

Q. Mo. I would the Moor's damnation were the

ransom

Of all the innocent blood that has been shed,
In this black day: I care not for the Moor;
Love to my kingdom's peace makes me put on
This habit of a suppliant; shall I speed?

CARD. You shall, were it to have my bosom

bleed;

I have no power to spare the negro's head,
When I behold the wounds which his black hand
Has given mine honour: but, when I look on you
I have no power to hate him: since your breath
Dissolves my frozen heart, being spent for him;
In you my life must drown itself or swim:
You have prevail'd: drum, swiftly hence! call back
Our fierce pursuing troops, that run to catch

The laurel wreath of conquest! let it stand
Awhile untouch'd by any soldier's hand!

Away! [Exit drum.] stay you and guard us. Where's the Moor?

I'll lose what I have got, a victor's prize,

Yielding myself a prisoner to your eyes.

Q. Mo. Mine eyes shall quickly grant you liberty. The Moor stays my return; I'll put on wings And fetch him; to make peace belongs to kings.

As she goes out, enter ELEAZAR, ZARACK, BALTAZAR, and SOLDIERS well armed; at sight of each other all draw.

CARD. Soldiers! call back the drum, we are betray'd!

ELEAZ. Moors! stand upon your guard! avoid! look back!

Q. Mo. What means this jealousy? Mendoza! Moor!
Lay by your weapons and embrace; the sight
Of this, and this, begets suspicion.

Eleazar, by my birth, he comes in peace!
Mendoza, by mine honour, so comes he!

CARD. Discharge these soldiers then.
ELEAZ. And these.

CARD. Away!

ELEAZ. GO!

[Soldiers stand aloof.

Q. Mo. Soul, rejoice, to see this glorious day!

[She joins them together, they embrace.

CARD. Your virtues work this wonder. I have

met

At her most dear command: what's

your desires?

ELEAZ. Peace, and your honour'd arms: how

loathingly

I sounded the alarums, witness heaven!

'Twas not to strike your breast, but to let out
The rank blood of ambition. That Philip
Makes you his ladder, and being climb'd so high
As he may reach a diadem, there you lie.
He's base begotten, that's his mother's sin.
Q. Mo. God pardon it!

ELEAZ. Aye, amen.

But he's a bastard,

And rather than I'll kneel to him, I'll saw
My legs off by the thighs, because I'll stand
In spite of reverence: he's a bastard, he's!
And to beat down his usurpation

I have thrown about this thunder: but, Mendoza,

The people hate him for his birth;

He only leans on you, you are his pillar,

You gone, he walks on crutches or else falls:

Then shrink from under him; are not they

Fools, that bearing others up, themselves seem low, 'Cause they above sit high; why you do so.

CARD. 'Tis true.

Q. Mo. Behold this error with fix'd eyes!
CARD. 'Tis true; well.—

ELEAZ. Oh! have you found it? Have you smelt The train of powder that must blow you up,

Up into air? What air? Why this, a breath;
Look you; in this time may a king meet death.
An eye to't! check it, check it!

CARD. HOW?

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