The charms of beauty like a pest he flies; [BOABDELIN coming to ALMANzor. Boab. 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. Almanz. I do not doubt but I have been to blame: But, to pursue the end for which I came, Unite your subjects first; then let us go, And pour their common rage upon the foe. Boab. [to the Factions.] Lay down your arms, and let me beg you cease Your enmities. Zul. We will not hear of peace, Till we by force have first revenged our slain. Abdelm. The action we have done we will main tain. Selin. Then let the king depart, and we will try Our cause by arms. Zul. For us and victory. Boab. A king entreats you. Almanz. What subjects will precarious kings regard? A beggar speaks too softly to be heard: Lay down your arms! 'tis I command you now. My hands shall right your king on him I seize. All. Long live king Mahomet Boabdelin! Almanz. No more; but hushed as midnight silence go: He will not have your acclamations now. [The Common People go off on both parties. Empire, thon poor and despicable thing, When such as these make or unmake a king! Abdal. How much of virtue lies in one great soul, [Embracing him. Whose single force can multitudes controul! [A trumpet within. Enter a Messenger. Messen. The Duke of Arcos, sir, Does with a trumpet from the foe appear. Boab. Attend him; he shall have his audience here. Enter the Duke of ARCOS. D. Arcos. The monarchs of Castile and Arragon Have sent me to you, to demand this town, To which their just and rightful claim is known. Boab. 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. D. Arcos. The successors of Rodrique still remain, And ever since have held some part of Spain: Even in the midst of your victorious powers, The Asturias, and all Portugal, were ours. You have no right, except you force allow; And if yours then was just, so ours is now. Boab. "Tis true from force the noblest title springs; I therefore hold from that, which first made kings. D. Arcos. Since then by force you prove your title true, Ours must be just, because we claim from you. Boab. I'll hear no more; defer what you would say: In private we'll discourse some other day. D. Arcos. Sir, you shall hear, however you are loth That, like a perjured prince, you broke your oath: To gain your freedom you a contract signed, By which your crown you to my king resigned, From thenceforth as his vassal holding it, And paying tribute such as he thought fit; Contracting, when your father came to die, To lay aside all marks of royalty, And at Purchena privately to live, Which, in exchange, king Ferdinand did give. Boab. The force used on me made that contract void. D. Arcos. Why have you then its benefits enjoyed? By it you had not only freedom then, But, since, had aid of money and of men; Almanz. Yes, yes, you did, with wonderous care, Against his rebels prosecute the war, While he secure in your protection slept; With present sums, the unwary spendthrift's need, Till now at last you come to swoop it all. D. Arcos. The wrong you do my king, I cannot bear; Whose kindness you would odiously compare. The estate was his; which yet, since you deny, Almanz. And he shall buy it dear! What his he calls, We will not give one stone from out these walls. Whate'er your arms have conquered of my land, D. Arcos. Since thus you have resolved, henceforth prepare For all the last extremities of war: My king his hope from heaven's assistance draws. Almanz. The Moors have heaven, and me, to assist their cause. [Exit ARCOS. (Who did with weeping eyes these discords see, cease; The night be sacred to our love and peace: Tis just some joys on weary kings should wait; "Tis all we gain by being slaves to state. [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE Į. Enter ABDALLA, ABDELMELECH, OZMYN, ZULEMA, and HAMET, as returning from the sally. Abdal. This happy day does to Granada bring A lasting peace, and triumphs to the king!The two fierce factions will no longer jar, Since they have now been brothers in the war. Those who, apart, in emulation fought, The common danger to one body brought; And, to his cost, the proud Castilian finds Our Moorish courage in united minds. Abdelm. Since to each others aid our lives we owe, Zul. I am obliged to Lyndaraxa's charms, Of whose possession I should else despair. Ozm. While we indulge our common happiness, He is forgot, by whom we all possess; The brave Almanzor, to whose arms we owe Abdelm. His victories we scarce could keep in view, Or polish them so fast as he rough-drew. Abdal. Fate, after him, below with pain did move, And victory could scarce keep pace above: |