Thus , in the triumphs of soft peace , I reign ; And , from my walls , defy the powers of Spain ; With pomp and sports my love I celebrate , While they keep distance , and attend my state .— Parent to her , whose eyes my soul enthral , You praise him like a friend ; and I confess , His brave deportment merited no less . I marked him , when alone He entered first , and with a graceful pride His fiery Arab dextrously did guide , Who , while his rider every stand surveyed , Sprung loose , and flew into an escapade ; Not moving forward , yet , with every bound , Pressing , and seeming still to quit his ground . What after passed Was far from the Ventanna where I sate , But you were near , and can the truth relate . The alarm-bell rings from our Alhambra walls , And from the streets sound drums and ataballes . Enter a Messenger . How now ? from whence proceed these new alarms ? Draw up behind the Vivarambla place ; Double my guards ,— these factions I will face ; And try if all the fury they can bring , Be proof against the presence of their king . The Factions appear : At the head of the Abencerrages , OZMYN ; at the head of the Zegrys , ZULEMA , HAMET , GOMEL , and SELIN : ABENAMAR and ABDELMELECH , joined with the Abencerrages . On your allegiance , I command you stay ; Who passes here , through me must make his way ; My life 's the Isthmus ; through this narrow line You first must cut , before those seas can join . What fury , Zegrys , has possessed your minds ? What rage the brave Abencerrages blinds ? If of your courage you new proofs would show , Without much travel you may find a foe . Those foes are neither so remote nor few , That you should need each other to pursue . Lean times and foreign wars should minds unite ; When poor , men mutter , but they seldom fight . O holy Alha ! that I live to see Thy Granadines assist their enemy ! You fight the christians ’ battles ; every life You lavish thus , in this intestine strife , Does from our weak foundations take one prop , Which helped to hold our sinking country up . From equal stems their blood both houses draw , They from Morocco , you from Cordova . Disarm them both ; if they resist you , kill . Kill him ! this insolent unknown shall fall , And be the victim to atone you all . It was a traitor 's voice that spoke those words ; So are you all , who do not sheath your swords . The word which I have given , I 'll not revoke ; If he be brave , he 's ready for the stroke . Since , then , no power above your own you know , Mankind should use you like a common foe ; You should be hunted like a beast of prey : By your own law I take your life away . I do not want your counsel to direct Or aid to help me punish or protect . Away , and execute him instantly ! Brother , you know not yet his insolence . Is this the Almanzor whom at Fez you knew , When first their swords the Xeriff brothers drew ? Impute your danger to our ignorance ; The bravest men are subject most to chance : Granada much does to your kindness owe ; But towns , expecting sieges , cannot show More honour , than to invite you to a foe . Lay down your arms , and let me beg you cease Your enmities . A king entreats you . Attend him ; he shall have his audience here . Tell Ferdinand , my right to it appears By long possession of eight hundred years : When first my ancestors from Afric sailed , In Rodrique 's death your Gothic title failed . ‘ Tis true from force the noblest title springs ; I therefore hold from that , which first made kings . I 'll hear no more ; defer what you would say ; In private we 'll discourse some other day . The force used on me made that contract void . Take this for answer , then ,— Whate'er your arms have conquered of my land , I will , for peace , resign to Ferdinand .— To harder terms my mind I cannot bring ; But , as I still have lived , will die a king . My mistress gently chides the fault I made : But tedious business has my love delayed ,— Business which dares the joys of kings invade . Approach , my Almahide , my charming fair , Blessing of peace , and recompence of war . This night is yours ; and may your life still be The same in joy , though not solemnity . THE ZAMBRA DANCE . SONG . I . Beneath a myrtle shade , Which love for none , but happy lovers made , I slept ; and straight my love before me brought Phyllis , the object of my waking thought . Undressed she came my flames to meet , While love strewed flowers beneath her feet ; Flowers which , so pressed by her , became more sweet . II . From the bright vision 's head A careless veil of lawn was loosely spread : From her white temples fell her shaded hair Like cloudy sunshine , not too brown nor fair ; Her hands , her lips , did love inspire ; Her every grace my heart did fire : But most her eyes , which languished with desire . III . Ah , charming fair , said I , How long can you my bliss and yours deny ? By nature and by love , this lonely shade Was for revenge of suffering lovers made . Silence and shades with love agree ; Both shelter you and favour me : You cannot blush , because I cannot see . IV . No , let me die , she said , Rather than lose the spotless name of maid !— Faintly , methought , she spoke ; for all the while She bid me not believe her , with a smile . Then die , said I : She still denied ; And is it thus , thus , thus , she cried , You use a harmless maid ?— and so she died ! V .I waked , and straight I knew , I loved so well , it made my dream prove true : Fancy , the kinder mistress of the two , Fancy had done what Phyllis would not do ! Ah , cruel nymph , cease your disdain , While , I can dream you scorn in vain ,— Asleep or waking you must ease my pain . To them OZMYN ; his sword drawn . The Christians are dislodged ; what foe is near ? I cannot meanly for my life provide ; I 'll either perish i n't , or stem this tide . To guard the palace , Ozmyn , be your care : If they o'ercome , no sword will hurt the fair . Advise , or aid , but do not pity me : No monarch born can fall to that degree . Pity descends from kings to all below ; But can , no more than fountains , upward flow . Witness , just heaven , my greatest grief has been , I could not make your Almahide a queen . In walls we meanly must our hopes inclose , To wait our friends , and weary out our foes : While Almahide To lawless rebels is exposed a prey , And forced the lustful victor to obey . We are betrayed , the enemy is here ; We have no farther room to hope or fear . That I so long delayed what you desire , Then , Zulema and Hamet , live ; but know , Your lives to Abdelmelech 's suit you owe . You , Abdelmelech , haste before ‘ tis night , And close pursue my brother in his flight . Enter ALMANZOR , ALMAHIDE , and ESPERANZA . But see , with Almahide The brave Almanzor comes , whose conquering sword The crown , it once took from me , has restored . How can I recompence so great desert ! You can perform , brave warrior , what you please ; Fate listens to your voice , and then decrees . Now I no longer fear the Spanish powers ; Already we are free , and conquerors . It is for you , brave man , and only you , Greatly to speak , and yet more greatly do . But , if your benefits too far extend , I must be left ungrateful in the end : Yet somewhat I would pay , Before my debts above all reckoning grow , To keep me from the shame of what I owe . But you Are conscious to yourself of such desert , That of your gift I fear to offer part . Give wing to your desires , and let ‘ em fly , Secure they cannot mount a pitch too high . So bless me , Alha , both in peace and war , As I accord , whate'er your wishes are . You ask the only thing I cannot grant . The blood , which you have shed in her defence , Shall have in time a fitting recompence : Or , if you think your services delayed , Name but your price , and you shall soon be paid . Then sure you are some godhead ; and our care Must be to come with incense and with prayer . You with contempt on meaner gifts look down ; And , aiming at my queen , disdain my crown . That crown , restored , deserves no recompence . Since you would rob the fairest jewel thence . Dare not henceforth ungrateful me to call ; Whate'er I owed you , this has cancelled all . My patience more than pays thy service past ; But now this insolence shall be thy last . Hence from my sight ! and take it as a grace , Thou liv'st , and art but banished from the place . Fall on ; take ; kill the traitor . I will at leisure now revenge my wrong ; And , traitor , thou shalt feel my vengeance long : Thou shalt not die just at thy own desire , But see my nuptials , and with rage expire . As some fair tulip , by a storm oppressed , What mystery in this strange behaviour lies ? Heaven lent their lustre for a nobler end ; A thousand torches must their light attend , To lead you to a temple and a crown . Why does my fairest Almahide frown ? Am I less pleasing then I was before , Or , is the insolent Almanzor more ? I find I must revoke what I decreed : Almanzor 's death my nuptials must precede . Love is a magic which the lover ties ; But charms still end when the magician dies . Go ; let me hear my hated rival 's dead ; What should I do ! when equally I dread Almanzor living and Almanzor dead !— Yet , by your promise , you are mine alone . That little love I have , I hardly buy ; You give my rival all , while you deny : Yet , Almahide , to let you see your power , Your loved Almanzor shall be free this hour . You are obeyed ; but ‘ tis so great a grace , That I could wish me in my rival 's place . With him go all my fears : A guard there wait , And see him safe without the city gate . To them ABDELMELECH . Now , Abdelmelech , is my brother dead ? Haste and reduce it instantly by force . We cannot to your suit refuse her grace . Let war and vengeance be to-morrow 's care ; But let us to the temple now repair . A thousand torches make the mosque more bright : This must be mine and Almahide 's night . Hence , ye importunate affairs of state , You should not tyrannize on love , but wait . Had life no love , none would for business live ; Yet still from love the largest part we give ; And must be forced , in empire 's weary toil , To live long wretched , to be pleased a while . EPILOGUE . Success , which can no more than beauty last , Makes our sad poet mourn your favours past : For , since without desert he got a name , He fears to lose it now with greater shame . Fame , like a little mistress of the town , Is gained with ease , but then she 's lost as soon : For , as those tawdry misses , soon or late , Jilt such as keep them at the highest rate ; And oft the lacquey , or the brawny clown , Gets what is hid in the loose-bodied gown ,— So , fame is false to all that keep her long ; And turns up to the fop that 's brisk and young . Some wiser poet now would leave fame first ; But elder wits are , like old lovers , cursed : Who , when the vigour of their youth is spent , Still grow more fond , as they grow impotent . This , some years hence , our poet 's case may prove ; But yet , he hopes , he 's young enough to love . When forty comes , if e'er he live to see That wretched , fumbling age of poetry , ‘ Twill be high time to bid his muse adieu :— Well may he please himself , but never you . Till then , he 'll do as well as he began , And hopes you will not find him less a man . Think him not duller for this year 's delay ; He was prepared , the women were away ; And men , without their parts , can hardly play . If they , through sickness , seldom did appear , Pity the virgins of each theatre : For , at both houses , ‘ twas a sickly year ! And pity us , your servants , to whose cost , In one such sickness , nine whole months are lost . Their stay , he fears , has ruined what he writ : Long waiting both disables love and wit . They thought they gave him leisure to do well ; But , when they forced him to attend , he fell ! Yet , though he much has failed , he begs , to-day , You will excuse his unperforming play : Weakness sometimes great passion does express ; He had pleased better , had he loved you less . ALMANZOR AND ALMAHIDE : OR , THE CONQUEST OF GRANADA BY THE SPANIARDS . A TRAGEDY . THE SECOND PART . — Stimulos dedit æmula virtus . LUCAN . PROLOGUE TO THE SECOND PART . They , who write ill , and they , who ne'er durst write , Turn critics , out of mere revenge and spite : A playhouse gives them fame ; and up there starts , From a mean fifth-rate wit , a man of parts . Our author fears those critics as his fate ; And those he fears , by consequence must hate , For they the traffic of all wit invade , As scriveners draw away the bankers ’ trade . Howe'er , the poet 's safe enough to day , They cannot censure an unfinished play . But , as when vizard-mask appears in pit , Straight every man , who thinks himself a wit , Perks up , and , managing his comb with grace , With his white wig sets off his nut-brown face ; That done , bears up to th ’ prize , and views each limb , To know her by her rigging and her trim ; Then , the whole noise of fops to wagers go ,— “ Pox on her , ‘ tmust be she ; ” and — “ damme , no ! ” — Just , so , I prophesy , these wits to-day Will blindly guess at our imperfect play ; With what new plots our Second Part is filled , Who must be kept alive , and who be killed . And as those vizard-masks maintain that fashion , To soothe and tickle sweet imagination ; So our dull poet keeps you on with masking , To make you think there 's something worth your asking . But , when ‘ tis shown , that , which does now delight you , Will prove a dowdy , with a face to fright you . ALMANZOR AND ALMAHIDE , OR , THE CONQUEST OF GRANADA . THE SECOND PART . ACT I Losses on losses ! as if heaven decreed Almanzor 's valour should alone succeed . Of all mankind , the heaviest fate he bears , Who the last crown of sinking empire wears . No kindly planet of his birth took care : Heaven 's outcast , and the dross of every star ! Enter ABDELMELECH . What new misfortunes do these cries presage ? See what the many-headed beast demands .— But kings , who rule with limited command , Have players ’ sceptres put into their hand . Power has no balance , one side still weighs down , And either hoists the commonwealth or crown ; And those , who think to set the scale more right , By various turnings but disturb the weight . What counsel can this rising storm prevent ? I 'll rather call my death .— Go and bring up my guards to my defence : I 'll punish this outrageous insolence . In tumults people reign , and kings obey .— Go and appease them with the vow I make , That they shall have their loved Almanzor back . We for another tempest must provide . To promise his return as I was loth , So I want power now to perform my oath . Ere this , for Afric he is sailed from Spain . Abenamar , this evening thither haste ; Desire him to forget his usage past : Use all your rhetoric , promise , flatter , pray . To them ALMAHIDE , attended . Oh , thou hast roused a thought within my breast , That will for ever rob me of my rest . Ah jealousy , how cruel is thy sting ! I , in Almanzor , a loved rival bring ! And now , I think , it is an equal strife , If I my crown should hazard , or my wife . Where , marriage , is thy cure , which husbands boast , That in possession their desire is lost ? Or why have I alone that wretched taste , Which , gorged and glutted , does with hunger last ? Custom and duty cannot set me free , Even sin itself has not a charm for me . Of married lovers I am sure the first , And nothing but a king could be so curst . You guess aright ; I am oppressed with grief , And ‘ tis from you that I must seek relief . Since , Almahide , you seem so kind a wife , Suppose your country should in danger be ; What would you undertake to set it free ? That hand , which would so much for glory do , Must yet do more ; for it must kill me too . You must kill me , for that dear country 's sake ; Or , what 's all one , must call Almanzor back . This , Almahide , would make me cease to mourn , Were that Almanzor never to return : But now my fearful people mutiny ; Their clamours call Almanzor back , not I . Their safety , through my ruin , I pursue ; He must return , and must be brought by you . To your entreaties he will yield alone . And on your doom depend my life and throne . No longer , therefore , my desires withstand ; Or , if desires prevail not , my command . Cursed be that fatal hour when I was born ! Grant that I did the unjust injunction lay , You should have loved me more than to obey . I know you did this mutiny design ; But I 'll your love-plot quickly countermine . Let my crown go ; he never shall return ; I , like a phoenix , in my nest will burn . ‘ Tis better ; but you wives have still one way : Whene'er your husbands are obliged , you pay . If I have been suspicious or unkind , Forgive me ; many cares distract my mind : Love , and a crown ! Two such excuses no one man e'er had ; And each of them enough to make me mad : But now my reason reassumes its throne , And finds no safety when Almanzor 's gone . Send for him then ; I 'll be obliged , and sue ; ‘ Tis a less evil than to part with you . I leave you to your thoughts ; but love me still ! Forgive my passion , and obey my will . ALMAHIDE solus . My jealous lord will soon to rage return ; That fire , his fear rakes up , does inward burn . But heaven , which made me great , has chose for me , I must the oblation for my people be . I 'll cherish honour , then , and life despise ; What is not pure , is not for sacrifice . Yet for Almanzor I in secret mourn ! Can virtue , then , admit of his return ? Yes ; for my love I will by virtue square ; My heart 's not mine , but all my actions are . I 'll like Almanzor act ; and dare to be As haughty , and as wretched too , as he . What will he think is in my message meant ? I scarcely understand my own intent : But , silk-worm like , so long within have wrought , That I am lost in my own web of thought . ACT II . How I disdain this aid ! which I must take , Not for my own , but Almahide 's sake . Oh that I had not sent you ! though it cost My crown ! though I , and it , and all were lost ! I can hear no more . Thy news does all my faculties surprise ; He bears two basilisks in those fierce eyes ; And that tame dæmon , which should guard my throne , Shrinks at a genius greater than his own . Marriage , thou curse of love , and snare of life , You ! nothing : You ! But let me walk alone . Thank ye ; you never fail to cure my grief ! Trouble me not , my grief concerns not you . I 'm out of humour now ; you must not stay . No , ‘ tis not that ; but speak of it no more : Go hence ! I am not what I was before . Oh heaven , were she but mine , or mine alone ! O power of guilt ! how conscience can upbraid ! It forces her not only to reveal , But to repeat what she would most conceal ! False woman , you contrived it should be so . That public gift in private was designed The emblem of the love you meant to bind . Hence from my sight , ungrateful as thou art ! And , when I can , I 'll banish thee my heart . To them ALMANZOR wearing the Scarf . He sees her weep . O goodness counterfeited to the life ! O the well-acted virtue of a wife ! Would you with this my just suspicions blind ? You 've given me great occasion to be kind ! The marks , too , of your spotless love appear ; Witness the badge of my dishonour there . The succour , which thou bring'st me , makes thee bold : But know , without thy aid , my crown I 'll hold ; Or , if I cannot , I will fire the place , Of a full city make a naked space . Hence , then , and from a rival set me free ! I 'll do , I 'll suffer any thing but thee . Had I but hope I could defend this place Three days , thou should'st not live to my disgrace So small a time ; Might I possess my Almahide alone , I would live ages out ere they were gone . I should not be of love or life bereft ; All should be spent before , and nothing left . How can I think you love me , while I see That trophy of a rival 's victory ? I 'll tear it from his side . Take breath ; my guards shall to the fight succeed . To our own valour our success we 'll owe . Haste , Hamet , with Abenamar to go ; You two draw up , with all the speed you may , Our last reserves , and yet redeem the day . What can the cause of all this tumult be ? And what the meaning of that naked sword ? O heaven , what do I hear ! Welcome , my only friends ;— behold in me , O kings , behold the effects of clemency ! See here the gratitude of pardoned foes ! That life , I gave them , they for me expose ! When you , within , the traitor 's voice did hear , What did you then ? Go on , go on , my friends , to clear my doubt ; I hope I shall have life to hear you out . Zul What had been , sir , you may suspect too well ; What followed , modesty forbids to tell : Seeing what we had thought beyond belief , Our hearts so swelled with anger and with grief , That , by plain force , we strove the door to break . He , fearful , and with guilt , or love , grown weak , Just as we entered , ‘ scaped the other way ; Nor did the amazed queen behind him stay . O proud , ungrateful , faithless womankind ! How changed , and what a monster am I made ! My love , my honour , ruined and betrayed ! Go ; when the authors of my shame are found , Let them be taken instantly and bound : They shall be punished as our laws require : ‘ Tis just , that flames should be condemned to fire . This , with the dawn of morning shall be done . A formal process tedious is , and long ; Besides , the evidence is full and strong . The combat 's yours .— A guard the lists surround ; Then raise a scaffold in the encompassed ground , And , by it , piles of wood ; in whose just fire , Her champions slain , the adultress shall expire . Choose , then , two equal judges of the field : Next morning shall decide the doubtful strife , Condemn the unchaste , or quit the virtuous wife . You , judges of the field , first take your place .— The accusers and accused bring face to face . Set guards , and let the lists be opened wide ; And may just heaven assist the juster side ! ‘ Tis pity so much beauty should not live ; Before we pay our thanks , or show our joy , Let us our needful charity employ . Some skilful surgeon speedily be found , To apply fit remedies to Ozmyn 's wound . Some from the place of combat bear the slain .— Next Lyndaraxa 's death I should ordain : But let her , who this mischief did contrive , For ever banished from Granada live . ‘ Tis true , Almanzor did her honour save , But yet what private business can they have ? Such freedom virtue will not sure allow ; I cannot clear my heart , but must my brow . I grant they are . Love filled my heart even to the brim before ; And then , with too much jealousy , boiled o'er . Yes ; you will spend your life in prayers for me , And yet this hour my hated rival see . She might a husband 's jealousy forgive ; But she will only for Almanzor live . It is resolved ; I will myself provide That vengeance , which my useless laws denied ; And , by Almanzor 's death , at once remove The rival of my empire , and my love . My just revenge no longer I 'll forbear : I 've seen too much ; I need not stay to hear . This , this , is he , for whom thou didst deny To share my bed :— Let them together die . Your flattering arts are vain : Make haste , and execute what I ordain . O mischief , not suspected nor foreseen ! How hard a fate is mine , still doomed to shame ! I make occasions for my rival 's fame !