The force and influence of your matchlefs charms.

Alm. I doubt not of the worth of Garcia's deeds, Which had been brave, tho' I had ne'er been born. Leo. Madam, the king,

Alm. My women.

[Flourish.

I wou'd meet him. [Attendants to Almeria exter in mourning.

SCENE IV.

Symphony of Warlike Mufick. Enter the King, attended by Garcia and feveral Officers. Files of Prisoners in Chains, and Guards, who are ranged in order round the ftage. Almeria mess the King, and kneels; afterwards Gonfalez kneels and kiffes the King's hand, while Garcia does the fame to the Princess.

King. Almeria, rise

my beft Gonfalez, rife.

What, tears! my good old friend.

Gonf. But tears of joy.

Believe me, fir, to see you thus, has fill'd

My eyes with more delight than they can hold.

King. By heav'n thou lov'ft me, and I'm pleas'd thou

doft

fome

Take it for thanks, old man, that I rejoice
To fee thee weep on this occafion-
Here are, who seem to mourn at our fuccefs !
Why is't, Almeria, that you meet our eyes,
Upon this folemn day, in these fad weeds?
In oppofition to my brightnefs, you
And yours are all like daughters of affliction.
Alm. Forgive me, fir, if I in this offend.
The year, which I have vow'd to pay to heav'n,
In mourning and ftrict life, for my deliverance
From wreck and death, wants yet to be expired.
King. Your zeal to heav'n is great, fo is your debt:
Yet fomething too is due to me, who gave

That life, which heav'n preferv'd. A day beftow'd
In filial duty, had aton'd and giv'n

A difpenfation to your vow

'Twas weak and wilful

no more.

and a woman's error.

Yet upon thought it doubly wounds my fight,
To fee that fable worn upon the day

Succeeding

Succeeding that, in Which our deadliest foe,
Hated Anfelmo, was interr'd-by heav'n,
It looks as thou didst mourn for him: juft fo,
Thy fenfelefs vow appear'd to bear its date.
Not from that hour wherein thou wer't preferv'd,
But that wherein the curs'd Alphonfo perish'd.
Ha! what? thou dost not weep to think of that?
Gonf. Have patience, royal fir, the princess weeps
To have offended you. If fate decreed,
One pointed hour fhould be Alphonfo's lots,
And her deliverance; is fhe to blame?

King. I tell thee fhe's to bas, not to have feafted
When my firft foe was laid in earta, fuch enmity,
Such deteftation, bears my blood to his;
My daughter fhould have revell'd at his death,
She fhould have made thefe palace walls to shake,
And all this high and ample roof to ring

With her rejoicings. What, to mourn, and weep!
Then, then to weep, and pray, and grieve? By heav'n,
There's not a slave, a fhackled slave of mine,

But should have fmil'd that hour, through all his care,
And shook his chains in tranfport and rude harmony.
Gonf. What she has done, was in excess of goodness!
Betray'd by too much piety, to feem
-Sure, no more.
King. To feem is to commit, at this conjuncture.
I wonot have a seeming forrow seen

As if she had offended.

To-day Retire, diveft your felf with speed
Of that offenfive black; on me be all

The violation of your vow: for you,

It fhall be your excufe, that I command it.

(Garcia kneeling. Gar. Your pardon, fir, if I prefume fo far,

As to remind you of your gracious promife.

King. Rife, Garcia-I forgot. Yet ftay, Almeria. Alm. My boding, heart!What is your pleasure,

fir?

King. Draw near, and give your hand; and, Garcia'

yours:

Receive this lord, as one whom I have found
Worthy to be your husband, and my fon.

Gar.

Gar. Thus let me kneel to take-O not to takeBut to devote, and yield my felf for ever

The flave and creature of my royal mistress.

Gonf. O let me proftrate, pay my worthless thanksKing. No more; my promife long fince pafs'd, thy fervices,

And Garcia's well-try'd valour, all oblige me.
This day we triumph, but to-morrow's fun,
Garcia, fhall fhine to grace thy nuptials-

Alm. Oh!

Gar. She faints! help to fupport her.

Gonf. She recovers.

(Faints.

King. A fit of bridal fear. How, is't, Almeria? Alm. A fudden chilnefs feizes on my fpirits. Your leave, fir, to retire.

King. Garcia, conduct her.

Garcia leads Almeria to the Door, and returns.

This idle vow hangs on her woman's fears.
I'll have a priest fhall preach her from her faith,
And make it fin not to renounce that vow
Which I'd have broken. Now, what would Alenge?

KING, GONSALEZ, GARCIA, ALONZO, Attendants.
Alon. Your beauteous captive, Zara, is arriv'd,
And with a train as if fhe ftill were wife
To Abucacim, and the Moor had conquer'd.

King. It is our will she shou'd be fo attended.
Bear hence these prifoners. Garcia, which is he,
Of whofe mute valour you relate such wonders?
[Prifoners led off.
Gar. Ofmyn, who led the Moorish horse; but he,
Great fir, at her request attends on Zara.

King. He is your prifoner, as you pleafe difpofe him. Gar. I would oblige him, but he fhuns my kindness; And with a haughty mein, and ftern civility, Dumbly declines all offers. If he fpeak, "Tis fcarce above a word; as he were born Alone to do, and did difdain to talk ;

At least, to talk where he must not command.

King. Such fullennefs, and in a man so brave,
Muft have fome other cause than his captivity.
Did Zara, then, request he might attend her?
Gar. My Lord, the did.

King. That, join'd with his behaviour,
Begets a doubt. I'd have 'em watch'd; perhaps
Her chains hang heavier on him than his own.

SCENE VI.

KING, GONSALEZ, GARCIA, ALONZO, ZARA, and OSMYN bound, conducted by PEREZ and a Guard, and attended by SELIM and several Mutes and Eunuchs in a train.

King. What welcome, and what honours beauteous Zara, A king and conqueror can give, are yours. A conqueror indeed, where you are won; Who with fuch luftre ftrike admiring eyes, That had our pomp been with your prefence grac'd, Th' expecting crowd had been deceiv'd; and feen Their monarch'enter not triumphant, but In pleafing triumph led; your beauty's flave. Zara. If I on any terms could condefcend To like captivity, or think thofe honours, Which conquerors in courtefie bestow, Of equal value with unborrow'd rule, And native right to arbitrary fway; I might be pleas'd when I behold this train With ufual homage wait. But when I feel These bonds, I look with loathing on my felf; And feorn vile flavery, tho' doubly hid Beneath mock praifes, and diffembled ftate. King. Those bonds! 'twas my command you be free.

How durft you, Perez, difobey?

Per. Great Sir,

should

Your order was, fhe should not wait your triumph;
But at fome distance follow thus attended.

King. 'Tis falfe; 'twas more; I bid fhe fhould be free: If not in words, I bid it by my eyes.

Her eyes did more than bid-Free her and hers

With speed-Yet ftay--my hands alone can make
Fit reftitution here-
-Thus I release you,

And by releafing you enflave my felf.

Zara. Such favours fo conferr'd, tho' when unfought,
Deferve acknowledgment from noble minds.
Such thanks as one hating to be oblig'd
Yet hating more ingratitude, can pay,
I offer.

King. Born to excel, and to command!
As by tranfcendent beauty to attract
All eyes, fo by preheminence of foul

To rule all hearts.

Garcia, what's he, who with contracted brow,

[Beholding Ofmyn as they unbind him.

And fullen port, glooms downward with his eyes;

At once regardleis of his chains, or liberty?

Gar. That, Sir, is he of whom I fpoke; that's Ofmyn. King. He anfwers well the character you gave him. Whence come's it, valiant Ofmyn, that a man

So great in arms as thou art faid to be,

So hardly can endure captivity

The common chance of war.

Ofm. Because captivity

Has robb'd me of a dear and just revenge.
King. I understand not that.

Ofm. I would not have you.

Zar. That gallant Moor in battle loft a friend,
Whom more than life he lov'd; and the regret
Of not revenging on his foes that lofs,
Has caus'd this melancholy and defpair.

King. She does excufe him; 'tis as I fufpected.

[To Gonfalez. Gonf. That friend may be her felf; feem not to heed

His arrogant reply. She looks concern'd.

King. I'll have enquiry made; perhaps his friend Yet lives, and is a prifoner. His name.

Zara. Heli.

King. Garcia, that fearch fhall be your care:
It fhall be mine to pay devotion here;
At this fair fhrine to lay my laurels down,
And raise love's altar on the spoils of war.

Conqueft