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Show - ' • • • * " 130 The Mian Emperour: Or, Aim. Betray'd! no, 'twas thy Cowardice and Fear, H e had not feap'd with Life had I been there ; But fince fo ill you aft a brave Defign, Keep clofe vour Shame, Fate makes the next turn mine. Enter Alibech, Cydaria. Alib. O Sir! if ever pity touch'd your Breaft, Let it be now to your o w n Blood exprcft : In Tears your beauteous Daughter drowns her Sight, Silent as Dews that fell in dead of Night. 1. T o your Commands I ftrict Obedience owe, And m v laft Act of it I come to fhow ; I want the Heart to die before your Eyes. But Grief will finifh that which Fear denies. Aim. Your Will fhould by your Father's Precept move. Cyd. W h e n he was young he taught m e truth in Love. Aim. H e found more love than he deferv'd, 'tis true, And that it feems is lucky too to you. Your Father's Folly took a Head-ftrong courfe, But I'll rule yours, and teach you Love by force. Enter Meffenger. Arm, Arm, O King ! the Enemy comes on, A fharp Affault already is begun : The murdering Guns play fiercely on the Walls. Odm. N o w Rival let us run where Honour calls. Guy. I have difcharg'd what Gratitude did owe, And the brave Spaniard is again m y Foe. [Ex. O d m . and Guy. ' nt. Our Walls are high, and Multitudes defend: Their vain Attempt muft in their Ruine end. The Nuptials with m y pretence fhall be grac'd. Alib. At leaft but ftay till the Affault be paft. Aim. Sifter, in vain you urge him to delay, The King has promis'd,' ana be fhall obey. Enter Second Meffenger. From feveral parts the Enemy's repell'd, One only quarter to th' Affault does yield. Enter Third Meffenger. Some Foes are enter'd, but they are fo few, They only Death, iipt Victory'purfue. Orb. Hark, harkjthey fhout! From Virtue's Rules I do too meanly fwerve, I by m y Courage will your Love deferve. MOM. Here in the Heart of all the T o w n I'll ftay, And timely fuccour Where it wants convey. A Noife within. Enter Orbellan, Indians driven in, Cortez after them, and one or two Spaniards. Cort. He's found, he's found; degenerate Coward, ftay : Night fav'd thee once, thou (halt not feape by day. f Kills Orb Orb. O I a m k i l l ' d - - D w . V \' X lA,*uro. Enter Guyomar and Odmar. w i J"i r ' G3nercills Stinger, and, prcferve your Life, [He is befet. W h y chufe you Death in this unequal ft rife ? ' C~* \m + LI T, ,, [Almeria and Alibech fall on OrbeMm's Body. Lort. What nobler Fate could any Lover meet, I tall reveng'd, and at m y Miftrefs feet ? .,./ „ , n LTh fall on him and bear him down, Guyomar takes his Sword. Alib He s paft recovery; m y dear Brother's flain ; rate s hand was in it, and m y care was vain. Th™', I n w%k ^mplaints you vainly wafte your Breath: Aifn7,u f'Jna r s that can r e v c n § e his Deatl, Difpatch the Villain ftreight. CJT' 7- The Vilkin's dead- YetAATii^mmm e. G bievge8 mH'ie s a *M S*uwr*od*red*r,*e ra* n mdfa °lyert ly °imUvre eB ? rt 0atkhee rh'iss Hleoafsd .l &&*> c d • The Conqueft of M e x ico. * \*x Cyd. 'Twas his Misfortune, and the Chance of W a r Cort. It was m y purpofe, and I kill'd him fair ; H o w could you fo unjuft and cruel prove, T o call that Chance which was the Act of Love? Cyd. I call'd it any thing to fave your Life : Would he were living ftill and I his Wife; That wifh was once m y greateft mifery : But 'tis a greater to behold you dye. Aim. Either command his Death upon the place Or never more behold Almeria's Face. Guy. You by his Valour once from Death was freed : Can you forget fo Generous a Deed ? rTn M n n ^ , - Mont. H o w Gratitude and Love divide m y Breaft ; Mont.zurha. Both ways alike m y Soul is robb'd of reft. But let him die can I his Sentence give ? Ungrateful, muft he Die by w h o m I Live"? But can I then Almeria's Tears deny ? Should any Live, w h o m fhe commands to Die ? Guy. Approacli w h o dares : H e yielded on m y word 3 And as m y Pris'ner, I reftore his Sword ; [G/w, hu W > His Lite concerns the fafety ofthe State, And I'll preferve it for a calm Debate. Mont. Dar'ft thou rebel, falfe and degenerate Boy ? That Being which I gave, I thus deftroy. [Offers to kill him, Odmarfteps between* Odm. M y Brother's Blood I cannot fee you fpill, Since he prevents you but from doing ill : H e is m y Rival, but his Death would be For him too glorious, and too bafe for me. Guy. Thou fhalt not conquer in this noble ftrife : Alas, I meant not to defend m y Life: Strike, Sir, you never piere'd a Breaft more true; 'Tis the laft W o u n d I e'er can take for you. You fee I live but to difpute your Will; Kill me, and then you may m y Pris'ner kill. Cort. You fhall not, Generous Youths, contend for mc, It is enough that I your Honour fee ; But that your Duty may no blemifh take, I will m y felf your Father's Captive make; W h e n he dares ftrike, I am prepared to fall: [Gives his Sword to Montez. The Spaniards will revenge their General. Cyd. A h you too haftily your Life refign. You more would love it if you valu'd mine ! Cort. Difpatch m e quickly, I m y Death forgive, I fhall grow tender elfe, and wifh to live; Such an infectious Face her forrow wears, I can bear Death but not Cydaria's Tears. Aim. Make hafte, make hafte, they merit Death all three: They for Rebellion, and for Murder he. See, fee, m y Brother's Ghoft hangs hovering there, O'r his warm Blood that fteems into the Air, Revenge, revenge, it cries. Mont. . And it fhall have ; But two days refpit for his Life I crave : If in that fpace you not more gentle prove, I'll give a fatal proof h o w well I love. Till when you Guyomar, your Pris'ner take; Bellow him in the Cattle on the Lake : In that fmall time I fhall the Conqueft gain Of thefe few Sparks of Vertue which remain; Then all w h o fhall m y headlong Paffion fee, Shall Curfe m y Crimes, and yet fhall pity m e xeunt Omn ACT |
