Your pardon, Sir-Mistake me not; you think | And order given for public execution.
I'm angry; you're deceiv'd. I came to set
You free; but shall return much better pleas'd,
To find you have an interest superior.
Zar. Ha! haste thee! fly, prevent his fate and
mine,
Osm. You do not come to mock my miseries?
Zar. I do.
Osm. I could at this time spare your mirth.
Zar. I know thou couldst; but I'm not often
pleas'd,
And will indulge it now. What miseries?
Who would not be thus happily confin'd,
To be the care of weeping majesty;
To have contending queens, at dead of night,
Forsake their down, to wake with watery eyes,
And watch like tapers o'er your hours of rest?
Oh, curse! I cannot hold-
Osm. Come, 'tis too much.
Zar. Villain!
Osm. How, Madam!
Zar. Thou shalt die.
Osm. I thank you.
Zar. Thou liest, for now I know for whom
thou'dst live.
Osm. Then you may know for whom I'd die.
Zar. Hell! Hell!
Yet I'll be calm-Dark and unknown betrayer!
But now the dawn begins, and the slow hand
Of fate is stretch'd to draw the veil, and leave
Thee bare, the naked mark of public view.
Osm. You may be still deceiv'd, 'tis in my
Chain'd as I am, to fly from all my wrongs,
And free myself, at once, from misery,
And you of me.
Zar. Ha! say'st thou-but I'll prevent it-
Who waits there? As you will answer it, look
this slave
[To the guard.
Attempt no means to make himself away.
I've been deceiv'd. The public safety now
Requires he should be more confin'd, and none,
No, not the princess, suffer'd or to see
Or speak with him. I'll quit you to the king.
Vile and ingrate! too late thou shalt repent
The base injustice thou hast done my love:
Yes, thou shalt know, spite of thy past distress,
And all those ills which thou so long hast
mourn'd;
Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turn'd,
Nor hell a fury like a woman scorn'd. [Exeunt.
SCENE 1.—A Room of State.
Zar. Thou hast already rack'd me with thy
Therefore require me not to ask thee twice:
Reply at once to all. What is concluded?
Sel. Your accusation highly has incens'd
The king, and were alone enough to urge
The fate of Osmyn; but to that, fresh news
Is since arriv'd, of more revolted troops.
Tis certain Heli, too, is fled, and with him
(Which breeds amazement and distraction) some
Who bore high offices of weight and trust,
Both in the state and army. This confirms
The king in full belief of all you told him
Concerning Osmyn, and his correspondence
With them who first began the mutiny.
Wherefore a warrant for his death is sign'd;
VOL. I.... 4 Y 61
Find out the king, tell him I have of weight
More than his crown t' impart ere Osmyn die.
Sel. It needs not, for the king will straight be
And, as to your revenge, not his own interest,
Pretend to sacrifice the life of Osmyn.
Zar. What shall I say, invent, contrive, advise?
Somewhat to blind the king, and save his life,
In whom I live. Spite of my rage and pride,
I am a woman, and a lover still.
Oh! 'tis more grief but to suppose his death,
Than still to meet the rigour of his scorn.
From my despair my anger had its source;
When he is dead I must despair for ever.
For ever! That's despair-It was distrust
Before; distrust will ever be in love,
And anger in distrust; both short-lived pains.
But in despair, and ever-during death,
No term, no bound, but infinite of wo.
Oh, torment, but to think! what then to bear?
Not to be borne-Devise the means to shun it,
Quick or by Heaven this dagger drinks thy blood.
Sel. My life is yours, nor wish I to preserve it,
But to serve you. I have already thought.
Zar. Forgive my rage; I know thy love and
truth.
But say what's to be done, or when, or how
Shall I prevent or stop th' approaching danger?
Sel. You must still seem more resolute and
On Osmyn's death: too quick a change of mercy
Might breed suspicion of the cause. Advise
That execution may be done in private.
Zar. On what pretence?
Sel. Your own request 's enough.
However, for a colour, tell him, you
Have cause to fear his guards may be corrupted,
And some of them bought off to Osmyn's in-
terest,
Who at the place of execution will
Attempt to force his way for an escape;
The state of things will countenance all sus-
picions.
Then offer to the king to have him strangled
In secret by your mutes; and get an order,
That none but mutes may have admittance to
Which seem'd to intimate, as if Alphonso
Were still alive, and arming in Valentia,
Which wears indeed the colour of a truth:
They who are fled have that way bent their course.
Of the same nature divers notes have been
Dispers'd t' amuse the people; whereupon
Some, ready of belief, have rais'd this rumour:
That, being sav'd upon the coast of Afric,
He there disclos'd himself to Albucacim,
And, by a secret compact made with him.
Open'd and urg'd the way to this invasion;
While he himself, returning to Valentia
In private, undertook to raise this tumult.
Zar. Ha! hear'st thou that? Is Osmyn then
Alphonso?
Oh, Heaven! a thousand things occur at once
To my remembrance now, that make it plain.
Oh, certain death for him as sure despair
For me, if it be known-If not, what hope
Have I? Yet 'twere the lowest baseness now,
To yield him up-No, I will conceal him,
And try the force of yet more obligations.
Gon. 'Tis not impossible. Yet it may be,
That some impostor has usurp'd his name.
Your beauteous captive, Zara, can inform,
If such a one, so 'scaping, was receiv'd
At any time in Albucacim's court.
King. Pardon, fair excellence, this long neglect:
An unforeseen, unwelcome hour of business,
Has thrust between us and our while of love;
But wearing now apace with ebbing sand,
Will quickly waste and give again the day.
Zar. You're too secure; the danger is more imminent
Than your high courage suffers you to see;
While Osmyn lives you are not safe.
King. His doom
Is pass'd; if you revoke it not, he dies.
Zar. 'Tis well. By what I heard upon your
I find I can unfold what yet concerns
You more. One, who did call himself Alphonso,
Was cast upon my coast, as 'tis reported,
And oft had private conference with the king;
To what effect I knew not then: but he,
Alphonso, secretly departed, just
About the time our arms embark'd for Spain.
What I know more is, that a triple league
Of strictest friendship was profess'd between
Alphonso, Heli, and the traitor Osmyn.
King. Public report is ratified in this.
Zar. And Osmyn's death requir'd of strong
King. Give orders straight, that all the prisoners die.
Zar. Forbear a moment, somewhat more I have Worthy your private ear, and this your minister. King. Let all, except Gonsalez, leave the room. [Exit PEREZ, &c. Zar. I am your captive, and you've used me nobly;
And in return of that, though otherwise
our enemy, I have discover'd Osmyn, His private practice and conspiracy Against your state; and fully to discharge Vself of what I've undertaken, now i think it fit to tell you, that your guards Are tainted some among 'em have resolv'd To rescue Osmyn at the place of death. King. Is treason then so near us as our guards? Zar. Most certain; though my knowledge is
Who wish'd it so; a common art in courts.
I will retire, and instantly prepare
Instruction for my ministers of death.
[Exit ZARA and SELIM.
Gon. There's somewhat yet of mystery in this;
Her words and actions are obscure and double,
Sometimes concur, and sometimes disagree:
I like it not.
[Aside.
King. What dost thou think, Gonsalez?
Are we not much indebted to this fair one?
Gon. I am a little slow of credit, Sir,
In the sincerity of women's actions.
Methinks this lady's hatred to the Moor
Disquiets her too much; which makes it seem
As if she'd rather that she did not hate him.
I wish her mutes are meant to be employ'd
As she pretends-I doubt it now-Your guards
Corrupted! How? By whom? Who told her so
I' th' evening Osmyn was to die; at midnight
She begg'd the royal signet to release him;
I' th' morning he must die again; ere noon
Her mutes alone must strangle him, or he'll
Escape. This, put together, suits not well.
King. Yet that there's truth in what she has
discover'd
Is manifest from every circumstance.
This tumult, and the lords who fled with Heli,
Are confirmation;--that Alphonso lives,
Agrees expressly too, with her report.
Gon. I grant it, Sir; and doubt not, but in rage
Of jealousy, she has discover'd what
She now repents. It may be I'm deceiv'd.
But why that needless caution of the princess?
What if she had seen Osmyn? Though 'twere
strange;
But if she had, what was't to her? Unless
She fear'd her stronger charms might cause the
Moor's
Affection to revolt.
King. I thank thee, friend.
There's reason in thy doubt, and I am warn'dBut think'st thou that my daughter saw this Moor?
Gon. If Osmyn be, as Zara has related, Alphonso's friend, 'tis not impossible But she might wish, on his account, to see him. King. Say'st thou? By Heaven, thou hast rous'd a thought,
That like a sudden earthquake shakes my frame. Confusion! then my daughter's an accomplice, And plots in private with this hellish Moor.
Gon. That were too hard a thought-but see, she comes-
'Twere not amiss to question her a little,
And try howe'er, if I've divin'd aright.
If what I fear be true, she'll be concern'd
For Osmyn's death, as he's Alphonso's friend:
Urge that, to try if she'll solicit for him.
Enter ALMERIA and LEONORA.
King. Your coming has prevented me, Almeria; I had determin'd to have sent for you. Let your attendant be dismiss'd; I have
[LEON. retires. To talk with you. Come near; why dost thou shake?
What mean those swoln and red-fleck'd eyes, that look
As they had wept in blood, and worn the night
In waking anguish? Why this on the day
Which was design'd to celebrate thy nuptials;
But that the beams of light are to be stain'd
With reeking gore, from traitors on the rack?
Wherefore I have deferr'd the marriage-rites;
Nor shall the guilty horrors of this day
Profane that jubilee.
Alm. All days to me
Henceforth are equal: this, the day of death,
To-morrow, and the next, and each that follows,
Will undistinguish'd roll, and but prolong
One hated line of more extended wo.
King. Whence is thy grief? Give me to know
the cause; And look thou answer me with truth; for know, I am not unacquainted with thy falsehood. Why art thou mute? Base and degenerate maid! Gon. Dear Madam, speak, or you'll incense the king.
Alm. What is't to speak? Or wherefore should I speak ?
What means these tears but grief unutterable? King. They are the dumb confessions of thy mind;
They mean thy guilt, and say thou wert confederate
With damn'd conspirators to take my life.
Oh, impious parricide! Now canst thou speak!
Alm. O earth, behold, I kneel upon thy bosom,
And bend my flowing eyes to stream upon
Thy face, imploring thee that thou wilt yield;
Open thy bowels of compassion, take
Into thy womb the last and most forlorn
Of all thy race. Hear me, thou common parent
-I have no parent else-be thou a mother,
And step between me and the curse of him
Who was who was, but is no more a father
But brands my innocence with horrid crimes;
And, for the tender names of child and daughter,
Now calls me murderer and parricide.
King. Rise, I command thee, rise,—and if thou wouldst
Acquit thyself of these detested names,
Swear thou hast never seen that foreign dog,
Now doom'd to die, that most accursed Osmyn.
Alm. Never, but as with innocence I might,
And free of all bad purposes. So Heaven's
My witness.
King. Vile, equivocating wretch ! With innocence! Oh, patience! hear-she owns Confesses it! By Heaven, I'll have him rack'd, Torn, mangled, flay'd, impal'd-all pains and
That wit of man, or dire revenge can think,
Shall he, accumulated, underbear.
Aim. Oh, I am lost.-There fate begins to wound.
King. Hear me, then: if thou canst reply; know, traitress,
I'm not to learn that curs'd Alphonso lives;
Nor am I ignorant what Osmyn is-
Alm. Then all is ended, and we both must die.
Since thou'rt reveal'd, alone thou shalt not die.
And yet alone would I have died, Heaven knows,
Repeated deaths, rather than have reveal'd thee.
Yes, all my father's wounding wrath, though each
Reproach cuts deeper than the keenest sword,
And cleaves my heart, I would have borne it all,
Nay all the pains that are prepar'd for thee;
To the remorseless rack I would have given
This weak and tender flesh, to have been bruis'd
And torn, rather than have reveal'd thy being.
King. Hell, hell! Do I hear this, and yet
Turn not your eyes away-look on me kneeling
Now curse me if you can, now spurn me off.
Did ever father curse his kneeling child?
Never for always blessings crown that posture,
Nature inclines, and half way meets that duty,
Stooping to raise from earth the filial reverence;
For bended knees returning folding arms,
With prayers and blessings, and paternal love.
Oh, hear me then, thus crawling on the earth-
King. Be thou advis'd, and let me go, while yet The light impression thou hast made remains. Alm. No, never will I rise, not lose this
"Till you are mov'd and grant that he may ive
King. Ha! who may live? Take heed!
more of that;
For on my soul he dies, though thou and I,
And all should follow to partake his doom.
Away, off, let me go-Call her attendants.
no | I'll catch it-Hark! a voice cries murder! ah,
My father's voice! hollow it sounds, and calls
Me from the tomb-I'll follow it; for there
I shall again behold my dear Alphonso.
[Exeunt ALMERIA and LEONORA.
Gon. She's greatly griev'd; nor am 1 less sur
pris'd.
[LEONORA and women return. Alm. Drag me; and harrow the earth with my bare bosom;
I will not go till you have spar'd my husband.
King. Ha! What say'st thou? Husband!
Husband! damnation!
What husband! Which? Who?
Alm. He, he is my husband.
King. Poison and daggers! Who?
Alm. Oh-
Gon. Help, support her.
Alm. Let me go, let me fall, sink deep-I'll
dig,
I'll dig a grave and tear up death; I will;
I'll scrape, till I collect his rotten bones,
And clothe their nakedness with my own flesh;
Yes, I will strip off life, and we will change:
I will be death! then, though you kill my hus-
band,
Osmyn, Alphonso! No; she over-rates
My policy; I ne'er suspected it;
Nor now had known it, but from her mistake.
Her husband too! Ha! where is Garcia then?
And where the crown that should descend on him,
To grace the line of my posterity?
Hold, let me think-If I should tell the king-
Things come to this extremity: his daughter
Wedded already-What if he should yield
Knowing no remedy for what is past,
And urg'd by nature pleading for his child,
With which he seems to be already shaken.
And though I know he hates beyond the grave
Anselmo's race; yet if-that if concludes me.
To doubt, when I may be assur'd, is folly.
But how prevent the captive queen, who means
To set him free? Ay, now 'tis plain. O well
Invented tale! He was Alphonso's friend.
He shall be mine still, and for ever mine.
King. What husband? Whom dost thou This subtle woman will amuse the king.
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If I delay 'twill door better so.
One to my wish. Alonzo, thou art welcome.
Enter ALONZO.
Alon. The king expects your lordship.
Gon. 'Tis no matter.
I'm not i'the way at present, good Alonzo.
Alon. Ift please your lordship, I'll return and
I have not seen you.
Gon. Do, my best Alonzo.
Yet stay, I would-but go; anon will serve-
Yet I have that requires thy speedy help.
I think thou wouldst not stop to do me service.
Alon. I am your creature.
Gon. Say, thou art my friend.
I've seen thy sword do noble execution.
Alon. All that it can your lordship shall com-
mand.
Gon. Thanks; and I take thee at thy word.
Thou'st seen,
Amongst the followers of the captive queen,
Dumb men, who make their meaning known by
signs.
Gon. Couldst thou procure, with speed
And privacy, the wearing garb of one
Of those, though purchas'd by his death, I'd give
Thee such reward, as should exceed thy wish.
Alon. Conclude it done. Where shall I wait
your lordship?
[gence;
Gon. At my apartment. Use thy utmost dili-
And say I've not been seen-Haste, good Alonza
[Exit ALONZO.
So, this can hardly fail. Alphonso slain,
The greatest obstacle is then remov'd.
Almeria widow'd, yet again may wed;
Alm. Why dost thou start? What dost thou And I yet fix the crown on Garcia's head. [Ert
Was it the doleful bell, tolling for death?
Or dying groans from my Alphonso's breast?
See, see, look yonder! where a grizzl'd, pale,
And ghastly head glares by, all smear'd with
Grasping as it would speak; and after, see,
Behold, a damp, dead hand has dropp'd a dagger:
SCENE I.—A Room of State.
Enter KING, PEREZ, and ALONZO.
King. Not to be found! In an ill hour beb
None, say you? none! What, not the favourite | All nature, softness, pity, and compassion.
Alon. A bloody proof of obstinate fidelity?
King. What dost thou mean?
Alon. Soon as I seiz'd the man,
He snatch'd from out his bosom this-and strove,
With rash and greedy haste, at once, to cram
The morsel down his throat. I caught his arm,
And hardly wrench'd his hand to wring it from
him:
Which done, he drew a poignard from his side,
And on the instant plung'd it in his breast.
King. Remove the body thence, ere Zara see it.
Alon. I'll be so bold to borrow his attire.
"Twill quit me of my promise to Gonsalez.
[Aside. Exit. Per. Whate'er it is, the king's complexion
King. How's this? My mortal foe beneath my roof! [Having read the letter.
Oh, give me patience, all ye powers! No, rather
Give me new rage, implacable revenge,
And trebled fury-Ha! who's there?"
This hour I throw ye off, and entertain
Fell hate within my breast, revenge, and gall.
By Heaven, I'll meet and counterwork this
treachery.
Hark thee, villain, traitor-answer me, slave.
Per. My service has not merited those titles.
King. Dar'st thou reply? Take that-thy
service! thine!
[Strikes him.
What's thy whole life, thy soul, thy all, to my
One moment's ease? Hear my command: and
look
That thou obey, or horror on thy head:
Drench me thy dagger in Alphonso's heart.
Why dost thou start? Resolve, or—
Per. Sir, I will.
King. 'Tis well-that when she comes to set him free,
His teeth may grin, and mock at her remorse.
[PER. going.
-Stay thee-I've farther thought-I'll add to
this,
And give her eyes yet greater disappointment:
When thou hast ended him, bring me his robe
And let the cell where she'll expect to see him
Be darken'd, so as to amuse the sight.
I'll be conducted thither-mark me well-
There with his turban, and his robe array'd,
And laid along, as he now lies, supine,
I shall convict her, to her face, of falsehood.
When for Alphonso's she shall take my hand,
And breathe her sighs upon my lips for his;
Sudden I'll start, and dash her with her guilt.
But see, she comes. I'll shun th' encounter;
Zar. The mute not yet return'd! ha! 'twas
the king,
The king that parted hence! frowning he went;
His eyes like meteors roll'd, then darting down
King. Hence, slave! how dar'st thou 'bide to Their red and angry beams; as if his sight
Into how poor a thing a king descends,
How like thyself, when passion treads him down?
Ha! stir not on thy life; for thou wert fix'd,
And planted here, to see me gorge this bait,
And lash against the hook-By Heaven, you're
Would, like the raging dog-star, scorch the earth,
And kindle ruin in its course. Dost think
He saw me?
Sel. Yes; but then, as if he thought
His eyes had err'd, he hastily recall'd
Th' imperfect look, and sternly turn'd away.
Zar. Shun me, when seen! I fear thou hast
undone me.
Thy shallow artifice begets suspicion,
And, like a cobweb veil, but thinly shades
The face of thy design; alone disguising
What should have ne'er been seen. Imperfect
Thou, like the adder, venomous and deaf,
Hast stung the traveller, and after hear'st
Not his pursuing voice; even when thou think'st
To hide, the rustling leaves and bended grass
Confess and point the path which thou hast crept.
Oh, fate of fools! officious in contriving;
In executing, puzzled, lame, and lost.
Sel. Avert it, Heaven, that you should eve suffer
For my defect; or that the means which 1 Devis'd to serve, should ruin your design. Prescience is Heaven's alone, not given to man, If I have fail'd, in what, as being man
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