Abdal. Since to my exile you have pity shown, And given me courage yet to hope a throne; While you without our common foes subdue, I am not wanting to myself or you; But have, within, a faction still alive, Strong to assist, and secret to contrive, And watching each occasion to foment The people's fears into a discontent; Which, from Almanzor's loss, before were great, And now are doubled by their late defeat: These letters from their chiefs the news assures. [Gives letters to the KING. K. Ferd. Be mine the honour, but the profit

yours.

To them the DUKE OF ARCOS, with OzмYN and BENZAYDA, Prisoners.

K. Ferd. That tertia of Italians did you guide, To take their post upon the river side?

D. Arcos. All are according to your orders placed: My chearful soldiers their intrenchments haste; The Murcian foot hath ta'en the upper ground, And now the city is beleaguered round.

K. Ferd. Why is not then their leader here again? D. Arcos. The master of Alcantara is slain; But he, who slew him, here before you stands: It is that Moor whom you behold in bands.

K. Ferd. A braver man I had not in my host; His murderer shall not long his conquest boast: But, Duke of Arcos, say, how was he slain?

D. Arcos. Our soldiers marched together on the plain;

We two rode on, and left them far behind,
Till, coming where we found the valley wind,
We saw these Moors; who, swiftly as they could,
Ran on to gain the covert of a wood.

This we observed; and, having crossed their way,

The lady, out of breath, was forced to stay:
The man then stood, and straight his faulchion drew;
Then told us, we in vain did those pursue,
Whom their ill fortune to despair did drive,
And yet, whom we should never take alive.
Neglecting this, the master straight spurred on;
But the active Moor' his horse's shock did shun,
And, ere his rider from his reach could
go,
Finished the combat with one deadly blow.
I, to revenge my friend, prepared to fight;
But now our foremost men were come in sight,
Who soon would have dispatched him on the place,
Had I not saved him from a death so base,
And brought him to attend your royal doom.

K. Ferd. A manly face, and in his age's bloom;
But, to content the soldiers, he must die:
Go, see him executed instantly.

Q. Isabel. Stay; I would learn his name before he go:

You, Prince Abdalla, may the prisoner know.

Abdal. Ozmyn's his name, and he deserves his
fate;

His father heads the faction which I hate:
But much I wonder, that with him I see
The daughter of his mortal enemy.

Benz. Tis true, by Ozmyn's sword my brother
fell;

But 'twas a death he mèrited too well.

I know a sister should excuse his fault;
But you know too, that Ozmyn's death he sought.
Abdal. Our prophet has declared, by the event,
That Ozmyn is reserved for punishment;
For, when he thought his guilt from danger clear,
He, by new crimes, is brought to suffer here.

Benz. In love, or pity, if a crime you find,
We two have sinned above all human kind.

Ozm. Heaven in my punishment has done a

grace;

I could not suffer in a better place:

That I should die by Christians it thought good,
To save your father's guilt, who sought my blood.
[To her.
Benz. Fate aims so many blows to make us fall,
That 'tis in vain to think to ward them all:
And, where misfortunes great and many are,
Life grows a burden, and not worth our care.
Ozm. I cast it from me, like a garment torn,
Ragged, and too indecent to be worn:
Besides, there is contagion in my fate,
It makes your life too much unfortunate.—
But, since her faults are not allied to mine,
In her protection let your favour shine.
To you, great queen, I make this last request,
(Since pity dwells in every royal breast)
Safe, in your care, her life and honour be:
It is a dying lover's legacy.

[To BENZ

Benz. Cease, Ozmyn, cease so vain a suit to
move;

I did not give you on those terms my love.
Leave me the care of me; for, when you go,
My love will soon instruct me what to do.

Q. Isabel. Permit me, sir, these lovers' doom to give:

My sentence is, they shall together live.

The courts of kings

To all distressed should sanctuaries be,
But most to lovers in adversity.

Castile and Arragon,

Which long against each other war did move,
My plighted lord and I have joined by love;
And, if to add this conquest heaven thinks good,
I would not have it stained with lovers' blood.

K. Ferd. Whatever Isabella shall command Shall always be a law to Ferdinand.

Benz. The frowns of fate we will no longer fear. Ill fate, great queen, can never find us here.

Q. Isabel. Your thanks some other time I will receive:

Henceforward safe in my protection live.
Granada is for noble loves renowned:
Her best defence is in her lovers found.
Love's an heroic passion, which can find
No room in any base degenerate mind:
It kindles all the soul with honour's fire,
To make the lover worthy his desire.
Against such heroes I success should fear,
Had we not too an host of lovers here.
An army of bright beauties come with me;
Each lady shall her servant's actions see:
The fair and brave on each side shall contest;
And they shall overcome, who love the best.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-The Alhambra.

Enter ZULEMA.

Zul. True, they have pardoned me; but do they know

What folly 'tis to trust a pardoned foe?
A blush remains in a forgiven face:
It wears the silent tokens of disgrace.
Forgiveness to the injured does belong;

But they ne'er pardon, who have done the wrong.
My hopeful fortunes lost! and, what's above
All I can name or think, my ruined love!
Feigned honesty shall work me into trust,
And seeming penitence conceal my lust.

Let heaven's great eye of Providence now take
One day of rest, and ever after wake.

Enter BOABDELIN, ABENAMAR, and Guards.
Boab. Losses on losses! as if heaven decreed
Almanzor's valour should alone succeed.

Aben. Each sally we have made, since he is Serves but to pull our speedy ruin on.

gone, Boab. 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!

[A tumultuous noise within.

Enter ABDELMelech.

What new misfortunes do these cries presage? Abdelm. They are the effects of the mad people's rage.

All in despair tumultuously they swarm:
The fairest streets already take the alarm;
The needy creep from cellars under ground;
To them new cries from tops of garrets sound;
The aged from the chimneys seek the cold;
And wives from windows helpless infants hold.
Boab. See what the many-headed beast demands.—
[Exit ABDELM.
Cursed is that king, whose's honour's in their hands.
In senates, either they too slowly grant,

Or saucily refuse to aid my want;

And, when their thrift has ruined me in war,
They call their insolence my want of care.

Aben. Cursed be their leaders, who that rage fo-
ment,

And veil, with public good, their discontent:
They keep the people's purses in their hands,
And hector kings to grant their wild demands;