Guard well the Pa.s.sages.--
_Qu_. Thou art that sacrilegious--brutal thing!-- And false as are the Deities thou worship"st.
_Abd_. G.o.ds! let me not understand that killing Language?
--Inform me quickly, how you came thus wounded, Lest looking on that sacred Stream of Blood, I die e"er I"ve reveng"d you on your Murderer.
_Qu_. Haste then, and kill thy self; thou art my Murderer.
Nor had his Hand, if not by thee instructed, Aim"d at a Sin so dangerous--
_Abd_. Surely she"ll live--[_Aside_.]--This!-- Can Mischief dwell beneath this reverend Shape?
Confess who taught thee so much Cruelty.
Confess, or I will kill thee.
_Rod_. The Cardinal.
_Qu_. The Cardinal!
_Abd_. Oh impious Traitor!
How came I mention"d then?
_Rod_. To get Admittance.
_Abd_. But why do I delay thy Punishment?
Die,--and be d.a.m.n"d together. [_Aside.]
[Stabs him_.
But oh, my Queen!--_Elvira_, call for help.
Have I remov"d all that oppos"d our Flame, [_Kneels_.
To have it thus blown out, thus in a Minute?
When I, all full of youthful Fire, all Love, Had rais"d my Soul with Hopes of near Delights, To meet thee cold, and pale; to find those Eyes, Those charming Eyes thus dying--Oh ye Powers!
Take all the Prospect of my future Joys, And turn it to Despair, since thou art gone.
_Qu_. Cease,--cease--your kind Complaints--my struggling Soul, "Twixt Death--and Love--holds an uneasy Contest; This will not let it stay--nor that depart;-- And whilst I hear thy Voice--thus breathing Love, It hovers still--about--the grateful--Sound.
My Eyes--have took--an everlasting Leave-- Of all that blest their Sight; and now a gloomy Darkness Benights the wishing Sense,--that vainly strives-- To take another View;--but "tis too late,-- And Life--and Love--must yield--to Death--and-- Fate.
[_Dies_.
_Abd_. Farewell, my greatest Plague, [_He rises with Joy_.
Thou wert a most impolitick loving thing; And having done my Bus"ness which thou wert born for, "Twas time thou shouldst retire, And leave me free to love, and reign alone.
_Enter_ Leonora, Alonzo, Ordonio, _and other Men and Women_.
Come all the World, and pay your Sorrows here, Since all the World has Interest in this Loss.
_Alon_. The Moor in Tears! nay, then the Sin was his.
_Leon_. The Queen my Mother dead!
How many Sorrows will my Heart let in, E"er it will break in pieces.
[_Weeps over her_.
_Alon_. I know the Source of all this Villany, And need not ask you how the Queen came murder"d.
_Elv_. My Lord, that Fryer, from the Cardinal, did it.
_Alon_. The Cardinal!
"Tis possible,--for the Injuries she did him Cou"d be repaid with nothing less than Death. [Aside.
My Fair, your Griefs have been so just of late, I dare not beg that you would weep no more; Though every Tear those lovely Eyes let fall, Give me a killing Wound--Remove the Body.
[_Guards remove the Body. Ex. all but_ Alon. _and_ Leon.
Such Objects suit not Souls so soft as thine.
_Leon_. With Horrors I am grown of late familiar; I saw my Father die, and liv"d the while; I saw my beauteous Friend, and thy lov"d Sister, _Florella_, whilst her Breast was bleeding fresh; Nay, and my Brother"s too, all full of Wounds, The best and kindest Brother that ever Maid was blest with; Poor _Philip_ bound, and led like Victims for a Sacrifice; All this I saw and liv"d-- And canst thou hope for Pity from that Heart, Whose harden"d Sense is Proof "gainst all these Miseries?
This Moor, _Alonzo_, is a subtle Villain, Yet of such Power we scarce dare think him such.
_Alon_. "Tis true, my charming Fair, he is that Villain, As ill and powerful too; yet he has a Heart That may be reach"d with this--but "tis not time, [_Points to his Sword_.
We must dissemble yet, which is an Art Too foul for Souls so innocent as thine.
_Enter_ Abdelazer.
The Moor!
h.e.l.l! will he not allow us sorrowing time?
_Abd_. Madam, I come to pay my humblest Duty, And know what Service you command your Slave.
_Leon_. Alas, I"ve no Commands; or if I had, I am too wretched now to be obey"d.
_Abd_. Can one so fair, and great, ask any thing Of Men, or Heaven, they wou"d not grant with Joy?
_Leon_. Hea"vns Will I"m not permitted to dispute, And may implore in vain; but "tis in you To grant me what may yet preserve my Life.
_Abd_. In me! in me! the humblest of your Creatures!
By yon bright Sun, or your more splendid Eyes, I wou"d divest my self of every Hope, To gratify one single Wish of yours.
--Name but the way.
_Leon_. I am so unhappy, that the only thing I have to ask, is what you must deny; --The Liberty of _Philip_--
_Abd_. How! _Philip"s_ Liberty--and must I grant it?
I (in whose Hands Fortune had put the Crown) Had I not lov"d the Good and Peace of _Spain_, Might have dispos"d it to my own Advantage; And shall that Peace, Which I"ve preferr"d above my proper Glories, Be lost again in him, in him a b.a.s.t.a.r.d?
_Alon_. That he"s a b.a.s.t.a.r.d, is not, Sir, believ"d; And she that cou"d love you, might after that Do any other Sin, and "twas the least Of all the Number to declare him b.a.s.t.a.r.d.
_Abd_. How, Sir! that you"d love me! what is there here, Or in my Soul, or Person, may not be belov"d?
_Alon_. I spoke without Reflection on your Person, But of dishonest Love, which was too plain, From whence came all the Ills we have endur"d; And now being warm in Mischiefs, Thou dost pursue the Game, till all be thine.
_Abd_. Mine!
_Alon_. Yes, thine-- The little humble Mask which you put on Upon the Face of Falshood, and Ambition, Is easily seen thro; you gave a Crown, But you"ll command the Kingly Power still, Arm and disband, destroy or save at Pleasure.
_Abd_. Vain Boy, (whose highest Fame, Is that thou art the great _Alvaro"s_ Son) Where learnt you so much daring, to upbraid My generous Power thus falsly--do you know me?
_Alon_. Yes, Prince, and "tis that Knowledge makes me dare; I know thy Fame in Arms; I know in Battels Thou hast perform"d Deeds much above thy Years: My Infant Courage too (By the same Master taught) grew up to thine, When thou in Rage out-didst me, not in Bravery.