Driven by the tide upon my country's coast,
Pale and expiring, drench'd in briny waves,
Thou and thy friend, till my compassion found
thee:
Compassion! scarce will own that name, so soon,
So quickly was it love, for thou wert godlike
Ev'n then. Kneeling on earth, I loos'd my hair,
And with it dried those wat'ry cheeks, then chaf'd
Thy temples, till reviving blood arose,
And like the morn vermilion'd o'er thy face.
O heav'n! how did my heart rejoice and ache,
When I beheld the day-break of thy eyes,
And felt the balm of thy respiring lips!
O, why do I relate what I have done?
What did I not? was't not for you this war
Commenc'd? Not knowing who you were, nor
why
Enter the KING, PEREZ, and Attendants.
King. Why does the fairest of her kind
withdraw
Her shining from the day, to gild this scene
Of death and night? Ha! what disorder's this?
Somewhat I heard of king and rival mention'd.
What's he that dares be rival to the king,
Or lift his eyes to like where I adore?
Zara. There, he, your pris'ner, and that was
my slave.
King. How! better than my hopes! does
she accuse him? [Aside.
Zara. Am I become so low by my captivity,
And do your arms so lessen what they conquer,
That Zara must be made the sport of slaves?
And shall the wretch, whom yester sun beheld
Waiting my nod, the creature of my pow'r,
Presume to-day to plead audacious love,
And build bold hopes on my dejected fate?
King. Better for him to tempt the rage of
heav'n,
You hated Manuel, Í urg'd my husband
To this invasion, where he late was lost,
Where all is lost, and I am made a slave.
Look on me now, from empire fall'n to slavery;
Think on my suff'rings first, then look on me; And wrench the bolt, red-hissing from the hand
Think on the cause of all, then view thyself: Of him that thunders, than but think that in-
Reflect on Osmyn, and then look on Zara,
The fall'n, the lost, and now the captive Zara; Tis daring for a god. Hence to the wheel
And now abandon'd say, what then is Osmyn! With that Ixion, who aspires to hold
Osm. A fatal wretch-a huge stupendous Divinity embrac'd; to whips and prisons
ruin,
Drag him with speed, and rid me of his face.
That, tumbling on its prop, crush'd all beneath,
[Guards seize Osmyn.
And bore contiguous palaces to earth.
Zara. Compassion led me to bemoan his
Zara. Yet thus, thus fall'n, thus levell'd with
the vilest,
If I have gain'd thy love, 'tis glorious ruin;
Ruin! 'tis still to reign, and to be more
A queen; for what are riches, empire, pow'r,
But larger means to gratify the will?
The steps on which we tread, to rise and reach
Our wish; and that obtain'd, down with the
scaffolding
Of sceptres, crowns, and thrones; they have
serv'd their end,
And are, like lumber, to be left and scorn'd. Osm. Why was I made the instrument, to throw
In bonds the frame of this exalted mind?
Zara. We may be free, the conqueror is
mine!
In chains, unseen, I hold him by the heart,
And can unwind and strain him as I please.
Give me thy love, I'll give thee liberty.
Osm. In vain you offer, and in vain require
What neither can bestow. Set free yourself,
And leave a slave the wretch that would be so.
Zara, Thou canst not mean so poorly as
thou talk'st.
Osm. Alas you know me not..
Zara. Not who thou art:
But what this last ingratitude declares,
This grovling baseness-Thou say'st true,
Thee not, for what thou art yet wants a name:
But something so unworthy and so vile,
That to have lov'd thee makes me yet more lost,
Than all the malice of my other fate.
Traitor, monster, cold and perfidious slave!
A slave, not daring to be free! nor dares
To love above him, for 'tis dangerous:
There, there's the dreadful sound, the king's
thy rival!
Sel. Madam, the king is here, and ent'ring now.
Zara. As I could wish; by heav'n I'll be
reveng'd.
Whose former faith had merited much more:
And through my hopes in you, I undertook
He should be set at large: thence sprung his
insolence;
And what was charity he constru'd love.
King. Enough; his punishment be what you
please.
But let me lead you from this place of sorrow,
To one where young delights attend;
Where ev'ry hour shall roll in circling joys,
And love shall wing the tedious-wasting day.
Life without love is load, and time stands still:
What we refuse to him, to death we give,
And then, then only, when we love, we live.
[Exeunt.
That holds my father's ashes; and but now,
Where he was pris'ner, I am too imprison'd.
Sure 'tis the hand of heav'n that leads me thus,
And for some purpose points out these re-
membrances.
In a dark corner of my cell I found
This paper; what it is this light will show.
[Reads] If my Alphonso-Ha!
If my Alphonso live, restore him, heav'n!
Give me more weight, crush my declining
years
With bolts, with chains, imprisonment, and
want;
But bless my son! visit not him for me!
(It is his hand! this was his pray'r;—yet more):
Let ev'ry hair, which sorrow by the roots
Tears from my hoary and devoted head,
Be doubled in thy mercies to my son!
Not for myself, but him, hear me, all-gra-
cious-
'Tis wanting what should follow! - Heav'n Off, slavery! O curse! that I alone
Can beat and flutter in my cage, when I
Would soar, and stoop at victory beneath!
Heli. Zara, the cause of your restraint, may
But 'tis torn off! Why should that word alone
Be torn from this petition? "Twas to heav'n,
But heav'n was deaf; heav'n heard him not:
but thus,
Thus as the name of heav'n from this is torn,
So did it tear the ears of mercy from
His voice, shutting the gates of pray'r against
bim!
If piety be thus debarr'd access
On high, and of good men the very best
Is singled out to bleed, and bear the scourge,
What is reward? or what is punishment?
But who shall dare to tax eternal Justice?
Yet I may think I may, I must; for thought
Precedes the will to think, and error lives
Ere reason can be born.
What noise! Who's there? My friend! how
cam'st thou hither?
Heli. The time's too precious to be spent in telling.
The means of liberty restor'd. That gain'd,
Occasion will not fail to point out ways
For your escape: mean time, I've thought already
With speed and safety to convey myself,
Where not far off some malcontents hold council
Nightly, who hate this tyrant; some, who love
Anselmo's memory, and will, for certain,
When they shall know you live, assist your
Osm. My friend and counsellor, as thou
think'st fit,
So do. I will with patience wait my fortune.
Heli. When Zara comes, abate of your
Osm. I hate her not, nor can dissemble love:
But as I may, I'll do. Farewell,
My friend, the good thou dost deserve attend
thee!
[Exit Heli.
I've been to blame, and question'd with impiety al
The care of heav'n. Not so my father bore
More anxious grief. This should have better
taught me;
The captain, influenc'd by Almeria's pow'r,
Gave order to the guards for my admittance.
Osm. How does Almeria? But I know she is
As I am.
Tell me, may I hope to see her? This his last legacy to me; which here
Heli. You may anon, at midnight, when I'll treasure as more worth than diademns,
Or all extended rule of regal pow'r.
Is gone to rest, and Garcia is retir'd
(Who takes the privilege to visit late,
Presuming on abridegroom's right), she'll come.
Osm. She'll come! 'tis what I wish, yet
what I fear.
She'll come: but whither, and to whom? O,
heav'n!
To a vile prison, and a captive wretch;
To one, whom had she never known, she had
Been happy. Why, why was that heav'nly
What brightness breaks upon me thus through
shades,
And promises a day to this dark dwelling?
Is it my love?—
Zara. O that thy heart had taught
[Lifting her Veil.
Thy tongue that saying!
Ósm. Zara! I am betray'd by my surprise!
[Aside.
Abandon'd o'er to love what heav'n forsakes? Zara. What, does my face displease thee?
Why does she follow, with unwearied steps. That having seen it thou dost turn thy eyes
One who has tir'd misfortune with pursuing? Away, as from deformity and horror!
Heli. Have hopes, and hear the voice of If so, this sable curtain shall again
Be drawn, and I will stand before thee, seeing I've learn'd there are disorders ripe for mutiny And unseen. Is it my love? Ask again Among the troops, who thought to share the That question; speak again in that soft voice; plunder, And look again with wishes in thy eyes. Which Manuel to his own use and avarice O, no, thou canst not; for thou seest me now Converts. The news has reach'd Valencia's As she whose savage breast hath been the cause frontiers; Of these thy wrongs; as she whose barb'rou: rage
Where many of your subjects, long oppress'd
With tyranny and grievous impositions,
Are ris'n in arms, and call for chiefs to head
And lead them to regain their rights and liberty.
Osm. By heav'n, thou'st rous'd me from
my
lethargy.
The spirit, which was deaf to my own wrongs,
And the loud cries of my dead father's blood;
O, my Antonio, I am all on fire;
My soul is up in arms, ready to charge
And bear amidst the foe with conqu'ring troops.
I hear 'em call to lead 'em on to liberty,
To victory; their shouts and clamours rend
My ears, and reach the heav'ns! Where is
the king?
Where is Alphonso? Ha! where, where in-
deed?
Has loaded thee with chains and galling irons Osm. You wrong me, beauteous Zara, to believe
I bear my
fortunes with so low a mind.
But destiny and inauspicious stars
Have cast me down to this low being; or
Granting you had, from you I have deserv'd it
Zara. Canst thou forgive me then? wil
thou believe
So kindly of my fault, to call it madness?
O, give that madness yet a milder name,
And call it passion; then be still more kind,
And call that passion love!
Or being as you please, such I will think i
Zara. O, thou dost wound me more wit
this thy goodness,
O! I could tear and burst the strings of life,
To break these chains! Off! off! ye stains of Than e'er thou couldst with bitterest
Thy anger could not pierce thus to my heart.
Osm. Yet I could wish-
Zara. Haste me to know it: what?
Osin. And thy excessive love distracts my
O, wouldst thou be less killing, soft, or kind,
Osm. That at this time I had not been this Grief could not double thus his darts against me
Zara. What thing?
Usm. This slave.
Zara. O, heav'n; my fears interpret
This the silence; somewhat of high concern,
Long fashioning within thy lab'ring mind,
And now just ripe for birth, my rage has ruin'd.
Have I done this? Tell me, am I so curs'd?
Osm. Time may have still one fated hour
Which, wing'd with liberty, might overtake Occasion past.
Zora. Swift as occasion, I
Myself will fly and earlier than the morn
Wake thee to freedom.
Osm. I have not merited this grace;
Nor, should my secret purpose take effect,
Can I repay, as you require, such benefits.
Zara. Thou canst not owe me more, nor
have I more
To give than I've already lost. But now,
So does the form of our engagements rest,
Thou hast the wrong till I redeem thee hence;
That done, I leave thy justice to return
My love. Adieu!
Osm. This woman has a soul
Of godlike mould, intrepid and commanding, And challenges, in spite of me, my best
But she has passions which outstrip the wind,
And tear her virtues up, as tempests root
The sea. I fear, when she shall know the truth,
Some swift and dire event of her blind rage
Will make all fatal. But behold she comes,
Tor whom I fear, to shield me from my fears,
Tre cause and comfort of my boding heart.
Enter ALMERIA.
Iv life, my health, my liberty, my all!
law shail I welcome thee to this sad place?
low speak to thee the words of joy and
transport?
Alm. Thou dost me wrong, and grief too
robs my heart,
If there he shoot not ev'ry other shaft:
Thy second self should feel each other wound,
And woe should be in equal portions dealt.
I am thy wife-
Osm. O, thou hast search'd too deep! There, there I bleed! there pull the cruel cords, That strain my cracking nerves; engines and wheels,
That piecemeal grind, are beds of down and balm
To that soul-racking thought.
Alm. Then I am curs'd
Indeed, if that be so; if I'm thy torment,
Kill me, then kill me, dash me with thy chains,
Tread on me:
Am I, am I of all thy woes the worst?
Osm. My all of bliss, my everlasting life, Soul of my soul, and end of all my wishes, Why dost thou thus unman me with thy words, And melt me down to mingle with thy weepings?
Why dost thou ask? Why dost thou talk thus piercingly?
Thy sorrows have disturb'd thy peace of mind, And thou dost speak of miseries impossible. Alm. Didst not thou say that racks and wheels were balm
And beds of ease, to thinking me thy wife? Osm. No, no; nor should the subtlest pains that hell,
Or hell-born malice can invent, extort
A wish or thought from me to have thee other.
But wilt thou know what harrows up my heart?
Thou art my wife-nay, thou art yet my bride!
The sacred union of connubial love
Yet unaccomplish'd.
Is this dark cell a temple for that god?
Or this vile earth an altar for such off'rings?
This den for slaves, this dungeon damp'd with
How run into thy arms withheld by fetters? Is this to call thee mine? O hold, my heart! Or take thee into mine, while I'm thus man-To call thee mine! Yes; thus, e'en thus to call
ethy soul way, and tell me thy dark thought. Dam. For this world's rule, I would not wound thy breast
Thee mine, were comfort, joy, extremest ecstasy.
But, O, thou art not mine, not e'en in misery;
And 'tis deny'd to me to be so bless'd,
As to be wretched with thee.
Because not knowing danger. Butlook forward; Think of to-morrow, when thou shalt be torn From these weak, struggling, unextended arms: Think how my heart will heave, and eyes will strain,
To grasp and reach what is deny'd my hands: Think how I am, when thou shalt wed with Garcia!
With such a dagger as then struck my heart.
A. Why? why? To know it, cannot Then will I smear these walls with blood,
wound me more, knowing thou hast felt it. Tell it me-And dash my face, and rive my clotted hair. giv'st me pain with too much tenderness. Break on this flinty floor my throbbing breast.
And grovel with gash'd hands to scratch a grave, | And will indulge it now. What miseries?
And bury me alive.
Who would not be thus happily confin'd
To be the care of weeping majesty
y?
Alm. Heart-breaking horror!
Osm. Then Garcia shall lie panting on thy To have contending queens, at dead of night,
Forsake their down, to wake with wat'ry eyes,
And watch like tapers o'er your hour of rest.
O curse! I cannot hold-
Luxurious, revelling amidst thy charms;
Hell! hell! have I not cause to rage and rave?
What are all racks, and wheels, and whips
to this?
O my Almeria !
What do the damn'd endure, but to despair,
But knowing heav'n, to know it lost for ever?
Alm. O I am struck, thy words are bolts
of ice,
Which shot into my breast now melt and
chill me.
Enter ZARA, PEREZ, and Selim.
Zara. Somewhat of weight to me requires
his freedom.
Dare you dispute the king's command? Behold
The royal signet.
[Aside to Perez.
Per. I obey; yet beg
Your majesty one moment to defer
Your ent'ring, till the princess is return'd
From visiting the noble prisoner.
Zara. Ha!
What say'st thou?
[Aside to Perez. Osm. We are lost! undone, discover'd! Speak of compassion, let her hear you speak Of interceding for me with the king; Say something quickly to conceal our loves, If possible[Aside to Almeria.
Osm. Let me
Conduct you forth, as not perceiving her,
But till she's gone; then bless me thus again.
Osm. Come, 'tis too much.
Zara. Villain!
Osm. How, madam?
Zara. Thou shalt die.
Osm. I thank you.
Zara. Thou liest, for now I know for whom
thou'dst live.
Osm. Then you may know for whom I'd die.
Zara. Hell! hell!
Yet I'll be calm-Dark and unknown betrayer!
But now the dawn begins, and the slow hand
Of fate is stretch'd to draw the veil, and leave
Thee bare, the naked mark of public view.
Osm. You may be still deceiv'd; 'tis in my
power,
Chain'd as I am, to fly from all my wrongs,
And free myself at once from misery,
And you of me.
Zara. Ha! say'st thou-But I'll prevent it. Who waits there? As you will answer it look this slave
[To the Guard.
Attempt no means to make himself away.
P've been deceiv'd. The public safety now
Requires he should be more confin'd, and none
No, not the princess, suffer'd or to see,
Or speak with him: I'll quit you to the king
Vile and ingrate! too late thou shalt repent
The base injustice thou hast done my love;
Yes, thou shalt know, spite of thy past distress
And all those ills which thou so long hast
mourn'd,
[Aside to Almeria. Heav'n has no rage like love to hatred turn'd, Zara. Trembling and weeping as he leads Nor hell a fury like a woman scorn'd.
Confusion in his face, and grief in hers!
'Tis plain I've been abus'd—
Perdition catch 'em both, and ruin part 'em.
[Aside. Osm. This charity to one unknown, and thus [Aloud to Almeria, as she is going. Distress'd, heav'n will repay: all thanks are poor. [Exit Almeria. Zara. Damn'd, damn'd dissembler! Yet I will be calm,
SCENE I-A Room of State.
Enter ZARA and SELIM. Zara. Thou hast already rack'd me with thy stay;
Therefore require me not to ask thee twice: Reply at once to all. What is concluded? Sel. Your accusation highly has incens'd The king, and were alone enough to urge Choke in my rage, and know the utmost depth The fate of Osmyn; but to that, fresh news Of this deceiver [Aside] - You seem much Has since arriv'd, of more revolted troops. surpris'd. 'Tis certain Heli too is fled, and with him (Which breeds amazement and distraction
Osm. At your return so soon and unexpected!
Zara. And so unwish'd, unwanted too it
Who bore high offices of weight and trust,
Both in the state and army. This confirms
The king in full belief of all you told him
Concerning Osmyn, and his correspondence
With them who first began the mutiny.
Wherefore a warrant for his death is sign'd
And order given for public execution.
Zara. Ha! haste thee! fly, prevent his fat
and mine;
Find out the king, tell him I have of weigh
More than his crown t' impart, ere Osmyn die
Sel. It needs not, for the king will straigh
be here,
And as to your revenge, not his own int'rest
Pretend to sacrifice the life of Osmyn.
Zara. What shall I say? Invent, contrive, Have I? Yet 'twere the lowest baseness, now To yield him up-No, I will still conceal him, And try the force of yet more obligations.
advise Somewhat to blind the king, and save his life In whom I live. Devise the means to shun it, Quick; or, by heav'n, this dagger drinks thy blood.
Sel. My life is yours, nor wish I to preserve it,
But to serve you. I have already thought.
Zara. Forgive my rage; I know thy love
and truth.
But say, what's to be done? or when, or how,
Shall I prevent or stop the approaching danger?
Sel. You must still seem most resolute and
fix'd
On Osmyn's death; too quick a change of
mercy
Might breed suspicion of the cause. Advise
That execution may be done in private.
Zara. On what pretence?
Set. Your own request's enough.
However, for a colour, tell him you
Have cause to fear his guards may be corrupted,
And some of them bought off to Osmyn's
interest,
Who, at the place of execution, will
Attempt to force his way for an escape;
The state of things will countenance all sus-
picions.
Then offer to the king to have him strangled
In secret by your mutes: and get an order,
That none but mutes may have admittance
to him.
I can no more, the king is here. Obtain
This grant-and I'll acquaint you with the
[Exit.
Enter KING, GONSALEZ, and PEREZ. King. Bear to the dungeon those rebellious slaves:
But for their leaders, Sancho and Ramirez,
Let 'em be led away to present death.
Perez, see it perform'd.
Gon. Might I presume,
Their execution better were deferr'd,
Gon. 'Tis not impossible. Yet it may be
That some impostor has usurp'd his name.
Your beauteous captive, Zara, can inform
If such a one, so 'scaping, was receiv'd
At any time in Albucacim's court.
King. Pardon, fair excellence, this long neg-
lect;
An unforeseen, unwelcome hour of business,
Has thrust between us and our while of love;
But wearing now apace with ebbing sand,
Will quickly waste and give again the day.
Zara. You're too secure: the danger is more
imminent
Than your high courage suffers you to see:
While Osmyn lives, you are not safe.
King. His doom
Is pass'd: if you revoke it not, he dies.
Zara. 'Tis well. By what I heard upon
your entrance,
I find I can unfold what yet concerns
You more. One who did call himself Alphonso
Was cast upon my coast, as is reported,
And oft had private conference with the king;
To what effect I knew not then: but he,
Alphonso, secretly departed, just
About the time our arms embark'd for Spain.
What I know more is, that a triple league
Of strictest friendship was profest between
Alphonso, Heli, and the traitor Osmyn.
King. Public report is ratified in this.
Zara, And Osmyn's death requir'd of strong
necessity.
King. Give order straight that all the pris'-
ners die,
Zara. Forbear a moment, somewhat more
I have
Worthy your private ear, and this your mi
King. Let all, except Gonsalez, leave the room. [Exeunt Perez, etc. Zara. I am your captive, and you've us'd me nobly;
Till Osmyn die. Mean time we may learn more And in return of that, though otherwise
Of this conspiracy.
King. Then be it so.
Stay, soldier; they shall suffer with the Moor.
Are none return'd of those that follow'd Heli?
Gon. None, sir. Some papers have been
since discover'd
In Roderigo's house, who fled with him,
Which seem to intimate, as if Alphonso
Were still alive, and arming in Valencia:
Which wears indeed this colour of a truth,
They who have fled have that way bent their
Of the same nature divers notes have been
Dispers'd t'amuse the people; whereupon
Some ready of belief, have rais'd this rumour:
That being sav'd upon the coast of Afric,
He there disclos'd himself to Albucacim,
And by a secret compact made with him,
Open'd and urg'd the way to this invasion;
While he himself, returning to Valencia
In private, undertook to raise this tumult.
Żara. Ha! hear'st thou that? Is Osmyn then
Alphonso?
O certain death for him, as sure despair
For me, if it be known-If not, what hope
I think it fit to tell you, that your guards
Are tainted: some among 'em have resolv'd
To rescue Osmyn at the place of death.
King. Is treason then so near us as our
guards?
Zara. Most certain; though my knowledge
is not yet
So ripe, to point at the particular men.
King. What's to be done?
Zara. That too I will advise.
I have remaining in my train some mutes,
A present once from the sultana queen,
In the grand signior's court. These from their
Are practis'd in the trade of death; and shall
(As there the custom is) in private strangle
Osmyn.
Gon. My lord, the queen advises well.
King. What off'ring, or what recompense
In me, that can be worthy so great services?
To cast beneath your feet the crown you've
sav'd,
Though on the head that wears it, were too little.
|
