SCENE I.-A Room of State.

ZARA and SELIM.

Zara. THOU hast already racked me with thy stay;

Therefore require me not to ask thee twice:
Reply at once to all. What is concluded?

some

Sel. Your accusation highly has incensed
The king, and were alone enough to urge
The fate of Osmyn; but, to that, fresh news
Is since arrived, of more revolted troops.
'Tis certain Heli, too, is fled, and with him
(Which breeds amazement and distraction)
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 signed;
And order given for public execution.

Zara. Ha! haste thee! fly, prevent his fate
and mine;

Find out the king, tell him I have of weight,
More than his crown, to impart ere Osmyn die.
Sel. It needs not, for the king will straight be
here,

And, as to your revenge, not his own interest,
Pretend to sacrifice the life of Osmyn.

Zara. What shall I say, invent, contrive, ad-
vise?

Something to blind the king, and save his life,
In whom I live. Spite of my rage and pride,
I am a woman, and a lover still.

Oh! 'tis more grief but to suppose his death,
Than still to meet the rigour of his scorn.
From my despair my anger had its source;
When he is dead I must despair for ever.
For ever! that's despairit was distrust
Before; distrust will ever be in love,
And anger in distrust; both short-lived pains.
But in despair, and ever-during death,
No term, no bound, but infinite of woe.
Oh, torment, but to think! what then to bear?
Not to be borne-Devise the means to shun it,
Quick; or, by Heaven, 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 more resolute, and
fixed

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?

Sel. Your own request is 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 suspicions,
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 rest.
Enter KING, GONSALEZ, and Perez,
King. Bear to the dungeon those rebellious
slaves,

The ignoble curs that yelp to fill the cry,
And spend their mouths in barking tyranny.
But for their leaders, Sancho and Ramirez,
Let them be led away to present death.
Perez, see it performed.

Gons. Might I presume,

Their execution better were deferred,
Till Osmyn die. Mean time we may learn more
Of this conspiracy.

King. Then be it so.

Stay, soldier; they shall suffer with the Moor. Are none of those returned who followed Heli?

Gons. None, sir. Some papers have been since discovered

In Roderigo's house, who fled with him,
Which seemed to intimate, as if Alphonso
Were still alive, and arming in Valentia:
Which wears, indeed, this colour of a truth,
They who are fled have that way bent their

course.

Of the same nature divers notes have been
Dispersed, to amuse the people; whereupon
Some, ready of belief, have raised this rumour:
That, being saved upon the coast of Afric,
He there disclosed himself to Albuccacim,
And, by a secret compact made with him,
Opened and urged the way to this invasion;
While he himself, returning to Valentia,
In private, undertook to raise this tumult.

Zara. Ha! hearest thou that? Is Osmyn then
Alphonso?

Oh, Heaven! a thousand things occur at once
To my remembrance now, that make it plain.
Oh, certain death for him, as sure despair
For me, if it be known-If not, what hope
Have I? Yet 'twere the lowest baseness now,
To yield him up-No, I will conceal him,
And try the force of yet more obligations.

Gons. Tis not impossible. Yet it may be,
That some impostor has usurped his name.
Your beauteous captive Zara can inform,
If such a one, so escaping, was received,
At any time, in Albuccacim's court,

King. Pardon, fair excellence, this long neglect:

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 passed; if you revoke it not, he dies.

To cast beneath your feet the crown you have saved,

Though on the head that wears it, were too little.

Zara. Of that hereafter: but, mean time, tis fit You give strict charge that none may be admitted To see the prisoner, but such mutes as I Shall send.

King. Who waits there?

Enter PEREZ.

On your life, take heed

That only Zara's mutes, or such who bring

entrance,

I find I can unfold what yet concerns
You more. One, who did call himself Alphonso,
Was cast upon my coast, as 'tis 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 embarked for Spain.
What I know more is, that a triple league,
Of strictest friendship, was professed between
Alphonso, Heli, and the traitor Osmyn.

King. Public report is ratified in this.
Zara. And Osmyn's death required, of strong
necessity.

King. Give order strait, that all the prisoners die.

Zara. Forbear a moment, somewhat more I have,

Worthy your private ear, and this your mini

ster.

King. Let all, except Gonsalez, leave the room. [Exeunt Perez, &c. Zara. I am your captive, and you've used me nobly;

And, in return of that, though otherwise
Your enemy, I have discovered Osmyn,
His private practice, and conspiracy,
Against your state: and, fully to discharge
Myself of what I've undertaken, now
I think it fit to tell you, that your guards
Are tainted; some among them have resolved
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

Zara. They, and no other, not the princess' self.
Per. Your Majesty shall be obeyed.
King. Retire.

[Exit Perez. Gons. That interdiction, so particular, Pronounced with vehemence, against the princess, Should have more meaning than appears barefac

cd.

This king is blinded by his love, and heeds
It not. [Aside.]-Your majesty, sure, might have
spared

The last restraint: you hardly can suspect
The princess is confederate with the Moor.

Zara. I've heard her charity did once extend
So far, to visit him, at his request.
Gons. Ha!

King. How! She visit Osmyn! What, my daughter?

Sel. Madam, take heed; or you have ruined all. Zara. And after did solicit you, on his

[Aside.

King. What dost thou think, Gonsalez? Are we not much indebted to this fair one? Gons. I am a little slow of credit, sir, In the sincerity of women's actions. Methinks this lady's hatred to the Moor Disquiets her too much; which makes it seem As if she'd rather that she did not hate him. I wish her mutes are meant to be employed As she pretends-I doubt it now-Your guards Corrupted! How? By whom? Who told her so? In the evening Osmyn was to die; at midnight She begged the royal signet, to release him; In the morning he must die again; ere noon Her mutes alone must strangle him, or he'll Escape. This, put together, suits not well,

King. Yet that there's truth in what she has discovered

Affection to revolt?

King. I thank thee, friend.

There's reason in thy doubt, and I am warned. But think'st thou that my daughter saw this Moor?

Gons. If Osmyn be, as Zara has related, Alphonso's friend, 'tis not impossible But she might wish, on his account, to see him. King. Say'st thou? By Heaven, thou hast roused a thought,

That, like a sudden earthquake, shakes my frame. Confusion! then my daughter's an accomplice, And plots in private with this hellish Moor. Gons. That were too hard a thought

see, she comes—

-but

Twere not amiss to question her a little,
And try, howe'er, if I've divined aright.
If what I fear be true, she'll be concerned
For Osmyn's deash, as he's Alphonso's friend:
Urge that, to try if she'll solicit for him.

Enter ALMERIA and LEONORA.

With damned conspirators, to take my life.
Oh, impious parricide! Now canst thou speak?
Alm. O earth, behold, I kneel upon thy bosom,
And bend my flowing eyes to stream upon
Thy face, imploring thee that thou wilt yield;
Open thy bowels of compassion, take
Into the womb the last and most forlorn
Of all thy race. Hear me, thou common parent,
-I have no parent else—be thou a mother,
And step between me and the curse of him,
Who was who was, but is no more, a father;
But brands my innocence with horrid crimes;
And, for the tender names of child and daughter,
Now calls me murderer and parricide.

King. Rise, I command thee, rise—and if thou wouldst

Acquit thyself of these detested names,
Swear thou hast never seen that foreign dog,
Now doomed to die, that most accursed Osmyn.
Alm. Never, but as with innocence I might,
And free of all bad purposes. So Heaven's
My witness.

King. Vile equivocating wretch!

With innocence! Oh, patience! hear-she owns

it!

Confesses it! By heaven, I'll have him racked,

meria;

I had determined to have sent for you.
Let your attendant be dismissed; I have

[Leonora retires. To talk with you. Come near; why dost thou shake?

What mean those swollen and red-flecked eyes, that look

As they had wept in blood, and worn the night In waking anguish? Why this on the day Which was designed to celebrate thy nuptials; But that the beams of light are to be stained With reeking gore, from traitors on the rack? Wherefore I have deferred the marriage-rites; Nor shall the guilty horrors of the day Prophane that jubilee.

Alm. All days to me Henceforth are equal: this, the day of death, To-morrow, and the next, and each that follows, Will undistinguished roll, and but prolong One hated line of more extended woe.

King, whence is thy grief? Give me to know

the cause;

And look thou answer me with truth; for know I am not unacquainted with thy falshood.

tortures

That wit of inan, or dire revenge, can think,
Shall he, accumulated, underbear.

Alm. Oh, I am lost.There fate begins to wound.

King. Hear me, then; if thou canst reply; know, traitress,

I'm not to learn that cursed Alphonso lives;
Nor am I ignorant what Osmyn is-

Alm. Then all is ended, and we both must dic.
Since thou'rt revealed, alone thou shalt not die;
And yet alone would I have died, Heaven knows,
Repeated deaths, rather than have revealed thee.
Yes, all my father's wounding wrath, though each
Reproach cuts deeper than the keenest sword,
And cleaves my heart, I would have borne it all,
Nay all the pains that are prepared for thee;
To the remorseless rack I would have given
This weak and tender flesh, to have been bruised
And torn, rather than have revealed thy being.

King. Hell, hell! Do I hear this, and yet en

dure!

What! darest thou to my face avow thy guilt?
Hence, ere I curse-1
-fly my just rage with speed;
Lest I forget us both, and spurn thee from me.

King. Is Osmyn so disposed, as I commanded? Per. Fast bound in double chains, and at full length,

He lies supine on earth; with as much ease
She might remove the centre of this earth,
As loose the rivets of his bonds.

King. It is well.

[A mute appears, and, seeing the king, retires. Ha! stop and seize that mute; Alonzo, follow him.

Entering, he met my eyes, and, starting back,
Frighted, and fumbling one hand in his bosom,
As to conceal the importance of his errand.
[Alonzo follows him, and returns with a paper.
Alon. A bloody proof of obstinate fidelity!
King. What dost thou mean?

Alon. Soon as I seized the man,

He snatched from out his bosom this-and strove, With rash and greedy haste, at once, to cram The morsel down his throat. I caught his arm, And hardly wrenched his hand to bring it from

him;

Which done, he drew a poinard from his side, And, on the instant, plunged it in his breast. King. Remove the body thence, ere Zara see it. Alon. I will be so bold to borrow his attire; 'Twill quit me of my promise to Gonsalez. [Aside. Exit. Per. Whate'er it is, the king's complexion

turns.

King. How is this? My mortal foe beneath my roof! [Having read the letter. VOL. I.

[Exit.

Oh, give me patience, all ye powers! No, rather
Give me new rage, implacable revenge,
And trebled fury-Ha! who's there?

Per. My lord.

King. Hence, slave! how darest thou bide to watch, and pry

Into how poor a thing a king descends?
How like thyself, when passion treads him down!
Ha! stir not, on thy life; for thou wert fixed,
And planted here, to see me gorge this bait,
And lash against the hook-by Heaven, you are

all

Rank traitors! thou art with the rest combined:
Thou knewest that Osmyn was Alphonso; knewest
My daughter privately with him conferred;
And wert the spy and pandar to their meeting.
Per. By all that's holy, I am amazed-
King. Thou liest.

Thou art accomplice too with Zara; here
Where she sets down- Still I will set thee free.'
[Reading.

That somewhere is repeated- I have power O'er them that are thy guards'-Mark that, thou traitor.

Per. It was your majesty's command I should Obey her order.

King. [Reading.] And still will I set Thee free, Alphonso-Hell! cursed, cursed, Alphonso!

False and perfidious Zara! Strumpet daughter!
Away, begone, thou feeble boy, fond Love!
All nature, softness, pity, and compassion,
This hour I throw ye off, and entertain
Fell hate within my breast, revenge and gall,
By Heaven, I will meet, and counterwork this
treachery.

Hark thee, villain, traitor-answer me, slave!
Per. My service has not merited those titles.
King. Darest thou reply? Take that-thy ser-
vice! thine!
[Strikes him.
What is thy whole life, thy soul, thy all, to my
One moment's ease? Hear my command: and look,
II h