That law, which dooms adultresses to die,
Gives champions, too, to slandered chastity.

Almanz. And how dare you, who from my bounty live,

Intrench upon my love's prerogative?

Your courage in your own concernments try;
Brothers are things remote, while I am by.

Ozm. I knew not you thus far her cause would

own,

And must not suffer you to fight alone:
Let two to two in equal combat join ;
You vindicate her person, I her line.

Lyndar. Of all mankind, Almanzor has least right In her defence, who wrong'd his love, to fight.

Almanz. Tis false: she is not ill, nor can she be; She must be chaste, because she's loved by me. Zul. Dare you, what sense and reason prove, deny? Almanz. When she's in question, sense and reason lie.

Zul. For truth, and for my injured sovereign,
What I have said, I will to death maintain.

Ozm. So foul a falsehood, whoe'er justifies,
Is basely born, and, like a villain, lies.
In witness of that truth, be this my gage.

[Takes a ring from his finger. Hamet. I take it; and despise a traitor's rage. Boab. 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.
Aben. We ask no favour, but what arms will yield.
Boab. Choose, then, two equal judges of the field:
Next morning shall decide the doubtful strife,
Condemn the unchaste, or quit the virtuous wife,
Almanz. But I am both ways cursed:

For Almahide must die, if I am slain; my rival I the conquest gain.

Or for

ACT V. SCENE I.

ALMANZOR Solus.

I have outfac'd myself; and justified, What I knew false, to all the world beside. She was as faithless as her sex could be; And, now I am alone, she's so to me.

[Exeunt.

She's fallen! and, now, where shall we virtue find? She was the last that stood of womankind.

Could she so holily my flames remove,

And fall that hour to Abdelmelech's love?
Yet her protection I must undertake;
Not now for love, but for my honour's sake,
That moved me first, and must oblige me still:
My cause is good, however her's be ill.
I'll leave her, when she's freed; and let it be
Her punishment, she could be false to me.

To him ABDELMELECH, guarded.

Abdelm. Heaven is not heaven, nor are there deities;

There is some new rebellion in the skies.

All that was good and holy is dethroned,
And lust and rapine are for justice owned.
Almanz. 'Tis true; what justice in that heaven
can be,

Which thus affronts me with the sight of thee?
Why must I be from just revenge debarred?
Chains are thy arms, and prisons are thy guard:
The death, thou diest, may to a husband be
A satisfaction; but 'tis none to me.

My love would justice to itself afford;

But now thou creep'st to death below my sword. Abdelm. This threatening would show better were I free.

Almanz. No; wert thou freed, I would not threaten thee;

This arm should then-but now it is too late!
I could redeem thee to a nobler fate.

As some huge rock,

Rent from its quarry, does the waves divide,
So I

Would souse upon thy guards, and dash them

wide:

Then, to my rage left naked and alone,

Thy too much freedom thou should'st soon be

moan:

Dared like a lark, that, on the open plain
Pursued and cuffed, seeks shelter now in vain;
So on the ground wouldst thou expecting lie,
Not daring to afford me victory.

But yet thy fate's not ripe; it is decreed,
Before thou diest, that Almahide be freed.
My honour first her danger must remove,
And then revenge on thee my injured love.

SCENE II.,

[Exeunt severally.

The SCENE changes to the Vivarambla, and appears filled with Spectators; a Scaffold hung with black. Enter the QUEEN guarded, with ESPERANZA. Almah. See how the gazing people crowd the place,

All gaping to be filled with my disgrace.

[A shout within.

That shout, like the hoarse peals of vultures, rings,
When over fighting fields they beat their wings.
Let never woman trust in innocence,

Or think her chastity its own defence.
Mine has betrayed me to this public shame,
And virtue, which I served, is but a name.

Esper. Leave then that shadow, and for succour
fly

To Him we serve, the Christian's Deity.
Virtue's no god, nor has she power divine:
But He protects it, who did first enjoin.
Trust then in Him; and from his grace implore
Faith to believe, what rightly we adore.

Almah. Thou Power unknown, if I have erred,
forgive!

My infancy was taught what I believe.
But if the Christians truly worship thee,
Let me thy Godhead in thy succour see:
So shall thy justice in my safety shine,

And all my days, which thou shalt add, be thine! Enter the KING, ABENAMAR, LYNDARAXA, BENZAYDA: then ABDELMELECH guarded; and after him SELIN and ALABEZ, as Judges of the Field. Boab. 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!

Almah. What! not one tender look, one passing
word?

Farewell, my much unkind, but still loved lord!
Your throne was for my humble fate too high,
And therefore heaven thinks fit that I should die.
My story be forgot, when I am dead,

Lest it should fright some other from your bed;
And, to forget me, may you soon adore

Some happier maid,—yet none could love you more.

But may you never think me innocent,

Lest it should cause you trouble to repent. Boab. 'Tis pity so much beauty should not live; [Aside.

Yet I too much am injured, to forgive.

[Goes to his seat.

Trumpets: Then enter two Moors, bearing two naked swords before the accusers ZULEMA and HAMET, who follow them. The Judges seat themselves; the QUEEN and ABDELMELECH are led to the Scaffold.

Alabez. Say for what end you thus in arms ap

pear;

What are your names, and what demand you here?
Zul. The Zegrys' ancient race our lineage claims;
And Zulema and Hamet are our names.

Like loyal subjects in these lists we stand,
And justice in our king's behalf demand.

Hamet. For whom, in witness of what both have
seen,

Bound by our duty, we appeach the queen
And Abdelmelech, of adultery.

Zul. Which, like true knights, we will maintain,
or die.

Alabez. Swear on the Alcoran your cause is right, And Mahomet so prosper you in fight.

[They touch their foreheads with the Alcoran,

and bow.

Trumpets on the other side of the Stage; two Moors, as before, with bare swords before ALMANZOR and OZMYN.

Selin. Say for what end you thus in arms appear; What are your names, and what demand you here? Almanz. Ozmyn is his, Almanzor is my name; We come as champions of the queen's fair fame.