In short, Almanzor, it shall be my care
To show you love; for you but saw despair.
Almanz. I, in the shape of love, despair did see;
You, in his shape, would show inconstancy.
Lyndar. There's no such thing as constancy you
call;

Faith ties not hearts; 'tis inclination all.
Some wit deformed, or beauty much decayed,
First constancy in love a virtue made.

From friendship they that land-mark did remove,
And falsely placed it on the bounds of love.
Let the effects of change be only tried;
Court me, in jest, and call me Almahide :
But this is only counsel I impart,

For I, perhaps, should not receive your heart.
Almanz. Fair though you are

As summer mornings, and your eyes more bright
Than stars that twinkle in a winter's night;
Though you have eloquence to warm and move
Cold age, and praying hermits, into love;
Though Almahide with scorn rewards my care,-
Yet, than to change, 'tis nobler to despair.
My love's my soul; and that from fate is free;
"Tis that unchanged and deathless part of me.
Lyndar. The fate of constancy your love pursue!
Still to be faithful to what's false to you.

[Turns from him, and goes off angrily. Almanz. Ye gods, why are not hearts first paired above,

But some still interfere in others' love!

Ere each for each by certain marks are known,
You mould them up in haste, and drop them down;
And, while we seek what carelessly you sort,

You sit in state, and make our pains your sport.
[Exeunt on both sides.

ACT IV. SCENE I.

Enter ABENAMAR, and Soldier.

Aben. Haste and conduct the prisoner to my -sight.

[Exit Soldier, and immediately enters with SELIN bound.

Aben. Did you, according to my orders, write? ]To SELIN. And have you summoned Ozmyn to appear? Selin. I am not yet so much a slave to fear, Nor has your son deserved so ill of me, That by his death or bonds I would be free.

Aben. Against thy life thou dost the sentence give;

Behold how short a time thou hast to live.

Selin. Make haste, and draw the curtain while you may;

You but shut out the twilight of my day.
Beneath the burden of my age I bend:
You kindly ease me ere my journey's end.

[To them a Soldier with OzMYN; OZMYN
kneels.

Aben. to Selin. It is enough, my promise makes you free;

Resign your bonds, and take your liberty.

Ozm. Sir, you are just, and welcome are these bands;

'Tis all the inheritance a son demands.

Selin. Your goodness, O my Ozmyn, is too great; I am not weary of my fetters yet:

Already, when you move me to resign,

I feel them heavier on your feet than mine.

Enter another Soldier.

Sold. A youth attends you in the outer room, Who seems in haste, and does from Ozmyn come. Aben. Conduct him in.

Ozm. Sent from Benzayda, I fear, to me.

To them BENZAYDA, in the habit of a man: Benz. My Ozmyn here!

Ozm. Benzayda! 'tis she!

Go, youth, I have no business for thee here;
Go to the Albayzyn, and attend me there.
I'll not be long away; I pray thee go,
By all our love and friendship-

Benz. Ozmyn, no:

I did not take on me this bold disguise,
For ends so low, to cheat your watchmen's eyes.
When I attempted this, it was to do
An action, to be envied even by you;
But you, alas, have been too diligent,
And what I purposed fatally prevent!
Those chains, which for my father I would bear,
I take with less content to find you here;
Except your father will that mercy show,
That I may wear them both for him and you.
Aben. I thank thee, fortune! thou hast, in one
hour,

Put all I could have asked thee in my power.
My own lost wealth thou giv'st not only back,
But driv'st upon my coast my pirate's wreck.

Selin. With Ozmyn's kindness I was grieved be-
fore,

But yours, Benzayda, has undone me more.

Aben. to a Soldier. Go fetch new fetters, and the daughter bind.

Ozm. Be just at least, sir, though you are not kind:

Benzayda is not as a prisoner brought,

But comes to suffer for another's fault.

Aben. Then, Ozmyn, mark, that justice which I do,

I, as severely, will exact from you:
The father is not wholly dead in me;
Or you may yet revive it, if it be.

Like tapers new blown out, the fumes remain,
To catch the light, and bring it back again.
Benzayda gave you life, and set you free;
For that, I will restore her liberty.
Ozm. Sir, on my knees I thank you.
Aben. Ozmyn, hold;

One part of what I purpose is untold:
Consider, then, it on your part remains,
When I have broke, not to resume your chains.
Like an indulgent father, I have paid

All debts, which you, my prodigal, have made.
Now you are clear, break off your fond design,
Renounce Benzayda, and be wholly mine.
Ozm. Are these the terms? Is this the liberty?
Ah, sir, how can you so inhuman be?
My duty to my life I will prefer;

But life and duty must give place to her.

Aben. Consider what you say, for, with one breath, You disobey my will, and give her death. Ozm. Ah, cruel father, what do you propose Must I then kill Benzayda, or must lose? I can do neither; in this wretched state, The least that I can suffer is your hate; And yet that's worse than death: Even while I sue, And choose your hatred, I could die for you. Break quickly, heart, or let my blood be spilt By my own hand, to save a father's guilt.

Benz. Hear me, my lord, and take this wretched life,

To free you from the fear of Ozmyn's wife.

I beg but what with ease may granted be,
To spare your son, and kill your enemy;
Or, if my death's a grace too great to give,
Let me, my lord, without my Ozmyn live.
Far from your sight and Ozmyn's let me go,
And take from him a care, from you a foe.

Ozm. How, my Benzayda! can you thus resign That love, which you have vowed so firmly mine? Can you leave me for life and liberty?

Benz. What I have done will show that I dare die;

But I'll twice suffer death, and go away,
Rather than make you wretched by my stay:
By this
my father's freedom will be won;

And to your father I restore a son.

Selin. Cease, cease, my children, your unhappy strife,

Selin will not be ransomed by your life.

Barbarian, thy old foe defies thy rage; [To ABEN,
Turn, from their youth, thy malice to my age.
Benz. Forbear, dear father! for your Ozmyn's
sake,

Do not such words to Ozmyn's father speak.
Ozm. Alas, 'tis counterfeited rage; he strives
But to divert the danger from our lives:
For I can witness, sir, and you might see,
How in your person he considered me.

He still declined the combat where you were;
And you well know it was not out of fear.

Benz. Alas, my lord, where can your vengeance fall?

Your justice will not let it reach us all.
Selin and Ozmyn both would sufferers be;
And punishment's a favour done to me.
If we are foes, since you have power to kill,
'Tis generous in you not to have the will