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Show H e thinks by Flight his Miftrefs muft be won, And claims the prize becaufe he belt djd run. J/,£. YourCbains were glorious, and yom W&* But neither have o'reome your Enemies: M y fecret wifhes would m y choice decide, But open Juftice bends to neither fide. Odm. lufticc already docs m y right approve, If him who loves you moft, you moft fhoind love. M y Brother poorly from your aid withdrew, But I m y Father left to fuccour you. Guy. Her Country fhe did to her felf prefer Him who fought beft, not w h o defended her; Since flic her intereft for the Nations way d. Then I w h o fav'd the King, the Nation lav d ; You aiding her, your Country did betray, I aiding him, did her Commands obey. Odm. Name it no more, in Love there is a time W h e n dull Obedience is the greateft Crime; She to her Countries ufe, refign'd your Sword, And you, kind Lover, took her at her word; You did your Duty to your Love prefer, Seek your Reward from Duty, not from her. Guy. In acting what m y Duty did require, 'Twas hard for m e to quit m y own defire, That fought for her which when I did fubduc, 'Twas much the eafier Task I left for you. Alib. Odmar a more than common Love has fhown, And Guyomar's was greater, or was none ; Which I fhould chute fome God direct m y Breaft. The certain Good, or the uncertain Beft : I cannot chufe, you both difpute in vain, Time and your future Acts muft make it plain ; Firft raife the Siege, and fet your Country free, I not the Judge, but the Reward will be. n To them, Enter Montezuma talking with Almeria and Orbellan. Mont. Madam, I think with reafon I extol The Vertue of the Spanifh General; When all the Gods our Ruine have foretold, Yet generoufly he does his Arms withhold, And offering Peace, the firft Conditions make. Aim. W h e n Peace, is offer'd, 'tis too late to take; For one poor lofs to ftoop to Terms like thofe, Were w e o'ercome what could they worfe impofe ? Go, go, with homage your proud Victors meet, Go lie like Dogs beneath your Matters Feet, Go and beget them Slaves to dig their Mines, And groan for Gold which now in Temples fhines ; Your" fhameful Story fhall record of me, The M e n all crouch'd, and left a W o m a n free. _ Guy. Had I not fought, or durft not fight again, I m y fufpeeted Counfel fhould refrain: For I wifh Peace, and any Terms prefer Before the laft Extremities of War. W e but exafp'rate thofe wre cannot harm, And Fighting gains us but to die more warm: If that be Cowardice, which dares not fee The infolent effects of Victory, The rape of Matrons, and their Childrens cries; Then I a m fearful, let the brave advife. Odm. Keen cutting Swords, and Engines killing far, Have profperoufly begun a doubtful W a r : But now our Foes with lefs advantage Fight, Their ftrength decreafes with our Indians Vrighx. The Conqueft of Mexico. 127 Mont. This Noble Vote does with m y wifh comnh\ I a m for War. Aim. - And fo a m I. Orb. And I. Mont. Then fend to break the Truce, and I'll take care T o chear the Souldiers, and for fight prepare. [Exeunt Montezuma, Odmar, Guyomar, Alibech. Aim. to Orb. Tis now the hour which all to reft allow. [Almeria/?^Orbellan. And fleep fits heavy upon every brow; [Guyomar returns and hears them. In this dark filence foftly leave the Town> And to the Generals Tent, 'tis quickly known, Direct your fteps: you may difpatch him ftrait, Drown'd in his fleep, and eafie for his fate: Befides, the Truce will make the Guards more flack. Orb. Courage which leads m e on will bring m e back: But I more fear the bafenefs of the thing : Remorfe, you know, bears a perpetual fting. Aim. For mean remorfe no room the valiant finds, Repentance is the Vertue of weak minds; For want of judgment, keeps them doubtful ftill, They may repent of good w h o can of ill; But daring Courage makes ill actions good, 'Tis foolifh pity fpares a Rivals blood; You fhall about it ftraight [Exeunt Almeria, Orbellan; Guy. Would they betray His fleeping Vertue, by fo mean a way ! And yet this Spaniard is our Nations Foe, I wifh him dead but cannot wifh it fo; Either m y Country never muft be freed, Or I contenting to fo black a deed. Would Chance had never led m y fteps this wray, N o w if he dies I murther him, not they; Something muft be refolv'd e'er 'tis too late ; H e gave m e freedom, I'll prevent his fate. [Exit Guyoman SCENE II. A Camp. Enter Cortez alone in a Night-Gown. Cort. All things are hufh'd, as Natures felf lay dead, The Mountains feem to nod their drowfy head ; The little Birds in dreams their Songs repeat, Ar ig Flowers, beneath the night-dew fweat; Ev'nLuft and Envy fleep, yet Love denies Reft to m y Soul, and flumber to m y Eyes. Three days I promis'd to attend m y Doom, And two long days and nights are yet to come : 'Tis fure the noife of fome Tumultuous Fight, iNoife within. They break the Truce, and tally out by night. Enter Orbellan/^/^ in the dark, his Sword drawn. Orb. Betray'd! Purfu'd ! Oh whither fhall I fly ? See, fee, the juft Reward of Treachery; I'm fure among the Tents, but know not where, Even night wants darknefs to fecure m y fear. Comes near CorteZ who hears him, Cort. Stand, w h o goes there? Orb. Alas, what fhall I fay ! I4ffr> A poor Taxation that miftook his way, L' o htm. And wanders in the terrors of the night. . Cort. Souldier thou feem'ft afraid, whence comes thy fright i Orb. Theinfolenceofty4»/Wjcaus'd m y fear, W h o in the dark purfu'd m e entring here. Cort. Their Crimes fhall meet immediate punuhmenr, ut ftay thou fafe within the General's Tent ^ |