OCR Text |
Show I 'l • • • • - *, M 1~ - -^^ConijujfofGt^^^ sS.7 5s^^.,. e fcffi V Heart ev'n to .l,?runef o re; And then, with too much Jealoufie, be.1 d oe Jl ie-t Love or Jealoufie, us Cuetfa Crime, rta« r arn'd to truft a f ^ J ™ ! ceafe v .1 •, • m™ Pnv'rs to Heav n fhall never ceaic, Knowtl.cn, m y H a y r s t o ^ arsw-,thPeace: To Crown your Arms in V\ ar your \ But, from this Day, I will not know your Bed Though Almahide ftill lives, your Wife isidea* And, with her, dies a Love fo pure and true, It could be kill'd by nothing but b> you. I Boab. Yes, you will fpend your Life in Pray rs tor me, And yet this Hour m y hated Rival fee. She might a Husband's Jealoufie forgive; But fhe will only for Almanzor live. It is refolv'd, I will, m y felf, provide That Vengeance, which m y ufelefsLaws denyd; And, by Almanzor s Death, at once remove Boabdelin The Rival of m y Empire, and m y Love If?' *««*'••"• Enter Almahide, fc/fc Almanzor, «»/ follow'dby Efperanza ; to jjufc ftrtrag, Almah. H o w much, Almanzor, to your Aid I owe, Unable to repay, I blufh to know. Yet, fore'd by Need, e'er 1 can clear that Score, I, like ill Debtors, come to borrow more. Almanz. Your new Commands Ion m y Knees attend: I was created for no other End. Born to be yours, I do by Nature ferve,. And, like the lab'ring Beaft, no Thanks deferve. Almah. Yet firft your Virtue to your Succour call, Tor, in this hard Command, you'll need it all. Almanz. I ftand prepar'd; and whatfoe'er it be, Nothing is hard to him who loves like me. Almah. Then know, I from your Love muft yet implore One Proof: • that you would never fee me more. Almanzor jlarting back; I muft confefs, For this laft Stroke I did no Guard provide; I could fufpect: no Foe was near that fide. From Winds and thickning Clouds we Thunder fear: None dread it from that Quarter which is clear. And I would fain believe, 'tis but your Art To fhew You knew where deepeft you could wound m y Heart. Almah. So much Refpeft is to your Paffion due, That fure I could not practife Arts on you. But, that you may not doubt what I have faid, This Hour I havcrenoune'd m y Husbands Bed: Judge then how much m y Fame would injur'd be, If, leaving him, 1 fhould a Lover feel Almanz. lf his Unkindnefs have deferv'd that Curfe, Muft I, for loving well, bepunilh'd worfe? Almah. Neither your Lore nor Merits I compare; But m y unfpotted Name muft be m y Care. Imanz. I have this Day cftabliuYd its Renown. Almah. Would youfo foon what you have rais'd throw down? Almanz. But, Madam, is not yours a greater Guilt, . mine him who has that Fabrickbuilt? '•fah. No Lover fhould his Miftrifs Pray'rs withftand: Yet you contemn m y abfolute Command. Almanz. Tis not Contempt, W h e n your Command is ifi'u'd out too late: Tis paft m y Pow'r ; and all beyond is Fate. 1 fcarce could leave you when to Exile fent, Much lefs when now recall'd from Banifhment : For if that Heat your Glances caft were ftrong Your Eyes, like Glafles, Fire, when held folonk Almah. Then, fince you needs will all m y Weaknefs know 1 love you; and fo Well, that you muft go : I a m ^o much oblig'd ; and have withal, A Heart fo bound lefs and fo prodigal, I dare not truft myfel£pryou, to ftay, But like frank Gamefters, muft forfwear the Play. Almanz. Fate, thou art kind to ftrike fo hard a Blow. I a m quite ftunnV.; and paft all Feeling now. Yet can you tell m e you have Pow'r and Will To fave m y Life, and, at that inftant, kill! Almah. This, had you ftay'd, you never muft have known : But now you go, I may with Honour own. Almanz. But, Madam, I am fore'd to difobey: In your Defence, m y Honour bids me ftay. I promis'd to fecure your Life and Throne » And, Heav'n be thank'd, that W o r k is yet undone. Almah. I here make void that Promife which you made; For now I have no farther Need of Aid. That Vow, which to m y plighted Lord was given, •I muft not break; but may transfer to Heav'n. I will with Vaffals live: There needs no Guard at a Religious Door; Few will difturb the Praying and the Poor. Almanz. Let me but near that happy Temple ftay, And, through the Grates, peep on you once a Day To famifh'd Hope I would no Banquet give : I cannot ftarve, and wifh but juft to live. Thus, as a drowning M a n Sinks often, and does ftill more faintly rife; With his laft Hold catching what e'er he fpies. So, fain from thofe proud Hopes I had before, Your Aid I for a dying-Wretch Implore. Almah. I cannot your hard Deftiny withftand; [Boabdelin and Guards above* But flip, like bending Rufhes, from y*our Hand. Sink all at once, fince you muft fink at laft. Almanz. Can you that laft Relief of Sight remove, And thruft m e out the utmoft Line of Love! Then, fince m y hopes of Happinefs are gone, Deny'd all Favours, I will fieze this one. [Catches her Hand and kjjfis it. Boab. M y juft Revenge no longer I'll forbear: I've feen too much; I need not ftay to hear. [Defends. Almanz. As a fmall Show'r To the parch'd Earth does fome Refrefhment give, So, in the Strength of this, one Day I'll live: A D a y - a Year - a n A g e - for Ever now ; J Betwixt each Word he kiffs ler I feel from every Touch a new Soul flow; \ Hand by Fore• jhe ftrugling. M y hop'd Eternity of Joy is paft! [ She fnatches her Hand away. 'Twas infupportable and could not laft. Were Heaven not made of lefs, or duller Joy i, Twould break each Minute, and it felf deftroy. ^ Evter King and Guards belcw. King Boab. This, this is he, for w h o m thou didft deny To fhare m y Bed: Let 'em together diet Almah. Hear mc, m y Lord. $oah. _ , Your flatt'ring Arts are vain : Make Hafte; and execute what I ordain, [ To Guards. Almanz. Cut piece-meal in this Caufe, From every W o u n d Ifhould new Vigour take And every Limb fhould new Almanzors make. [ He puts himfelf before the giteen', the Guards attachjAm, with the King. sinter |