Let me kiss yours, when you my wound begin,
Then easy death will slide with pleasure in.

Benz. Ah, gentle soldiers, some short time allow! [To GAZ. and RED. My father has repented him ere now;

Or will repent him, when he finds me dead.
My clue of life is twined with Ozmyn's thread.
Red. 'Tis fatal to refuse her, or obey.-
But where is our excuse? what can we say?
Benz. Say any thing.

Say, that to kill the guiltless you were loth;
Or if you did, say, I would kill you both.
Gaz. To disobey our orders is to die.—
I'll do't,--who dare oppose it?

Red. That dare I.

[REDUAN stands before OzMYN, and fights with GAZUL. BENZAYDA unbinds OzмYN, and gives him her sword.

Benz. Stay not to see the issue of the fight;

[RED. kills GAZ.

But haste to save yourself by speedy flight.

[OZMYN kneels to kiss her hand.

Ozm. Did all mankind against my life conspire, Without this blessing I would not retire.— But, madam, can I go and leave you here? Your father's anger now for you I fear: Consider you have done too much to stay. Benz. Think not of me, but fly yourself away. Red. Haste quickly hence; the enemies are nigh! From every part I see the soldiers fly. The foes not only our assailants beat, But fiercely sally out on their retreat,

And, like a sea broke loose, come on amain.

Enter ABENAMAR, and a party with their swords drawn, driving in some of the enemies.

Aben. Traitors, you hope to save yourselves in vain!

Your forfeit lives shall for your treason pay;
And Ozmyn's blood shall be revenged this day.
Ozm. No, sir, your Ozmyn lives; and lives to
[Kneeling to his father.

own

A father's piety to free his son.

Aben. My Ozmyn!-O, thou blessing of my age!

[Embracing him.
And art thou safe from their deluded rage!
Whom must I praise for thy deliverance?
Was it thy valour, or the work of chance?
Ozm. Nor chance, nor valour, could deliver me;
But 'twas a noble pity set me free.—
My liberty, and life,

And what your happiness you're pleased to call,
We to this charming beauty owe it all.

Aben. Instruct me, visible divinity!

Instruct me by what name to worship thee!
For to thy virtue I would altars raise,
Since thou art much above all human praise.
But see,

[To her.

Enter ALMANZOR, his sword bloody, leading in AL-
MAHIDE, attended by ESPERANZA.

My other blessing, Almahide, is here!—
I'll to the king, and tell him she is near:
You, Ozmyn, on your fair deliverer wait,
And with your private joys the public celebrate.

[Exeunt ABEN. Ozм. and BENZ. Almanz. The work is done; now, madam, you are free;

At least, if I can give you liberty:

But you have chains which you yourself have chose;
And, O, that I could free you too from those!
But you are free from force, and have full power
Το go, and kill my hopes and me, this hour.-
I see, then, you will go; but yet my toil
May be rewarded with a looking while.

Almah. Almanzor can from every subject raise
New matter for our wonder and his
praise.
You bound and freed me; but the difference is,
That showed your valour; but your virtue this.

Almanz. Madam, you praise a funeral victory, At whose sad pomp the conqueror must die.

Almah. Conquest attends Almanzor every where; I am too small a foe for him to fear:

But heroes still must be opposed by some,
Or they would want occasion to o'ercome.
Almanz. Madam, I cannot on bare praises live:
Those, who abound in praises, seldom give.

Almah. While I to all the world your worth make
known,

May heaven reward the pity you have shown! Almanz. My love is languishing, and starved to death;

poor:

And would you give me charity-in breath?
Prayers are the alms of churchmen to the
They send's to heaven, but drive us from their door.
Almah. Cease, cease a suit

So vain to you, and troublesome to me,
If
you will have me think that I am free.
If I am yet a slave, my bonds I'll bear;
But what I cannot grant, I will not hear.
Almanz. You will not hear!--You must both hear
and grant;

For, madam, there's an impudence in want.

Almah. Your way is somewhat strange to ask relief;

You ask with threatening, like a begging thief.—

Once more, Almanzor, tell me, am I free? Almanz. Madam, you are, from all the world,but me!

But as a pirate, when he frees the prize

He took from friends, sees the rich merchandize,
And, after he has freed it, justly buys;
So, when I have restored your liberty-
But then, alas, I am too poor to buy!

Almah. Nay, now you use me just as pirates do: You free me; but expect a ransom too.

Almanz. You've all the freedom that a prince can have;

But greatness cannot be without a slave.
A monarch never can in private move,
But still is haunted with officious love.
So small an inconvenience you may bear;
"Tis all the fine fate sets upon the fair.

Almah. Yet princes may retire, whene'er they please,

And breathe free air from out their palaces:
They go sometimes unknown, to shun their state;
And then, 'tis manners not to know or wait.

Almanz. If not a subject then, a ghost I'll be;
And from a ghost, you know, no place is free.
Asleep, awake, I'll haunt you every where;
From my white shroud groan love into your ear:
When in your lover's arms you sleep at night,
I'll glide in cold betwixt, and seize my right:
And is't not better, in your nuptial bed,
To have a living lover than a dead?

Almah. I can no longer bear to be accused,
As if what I could grant you, I refused.
My father's choice I never will dispute;
And he has chosen ere you moved your suit.
You know my case; if equal you can be,
Plead for yourself, and answer it for me.

Almanz. Then, madam, in that hope you bid me

live;

I ask no more than you may justly give:
But in strict justice there may favour be,
And may I hope that you have that for me?
Almah. Why do you thus my secret thoughts

pursue,

Which, known, hurt me, and cannot profit you?
Your knowledge but new troubles does prepare,
Like theirs who curious in their fortunes are.
To say, I could with more content be yours,
Tempts you to hope; but not that hope assures.
For since the king has right,

And favoured by my father in his suit,
It is a blossom which can bear no fruit.
Yet, if you dare attempt so hard a task,
May you succeed; you have my leave to ask.
Almanz. I can with courage now my hopes pursue,
Since I no longer have to combat you.
That did the greatest difficulty bring;
The rest are small, a father and a king!

Almah. Great souls discern not when the leap's
too wide,

Because they only view the farther side.
Whatever you desire, you think is near;
But, with more reason, the event I fear.

Almanz. No; there is a necessity in fate,
Why still the brave bold man is fortunate:
He keeps his object ever full in sight,
And that assurance holds him firm and right.
True, 'tis a narrow path that leads to bliss,
But right before there is no precipice:

Fear makes men look aside, and then their footing

miss.

Almah. I do your merit all the right I can; Admiring virtue in a private man: