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 shackled slave of mine,
But should have smil'd that hour, through all his

care,

* And shook his chains in transport and rude harmony. Gon. What she has done, was in excess of goodness;

Betray'd by too much piety, to seem
As if she had offended.

Sure, no more.

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King. To seem is to commit, at this conjuncture. I wo'not have a seeming sorrow seen

To-day.-Retire; divest yourself with speed
Of that offensive black; on me be all
The violation of your vow; for you
It shall be your excuse, that I command it.

Gar. [Kneeling.] Your pardon, Sir, if I presume so

far,

As to remind you of your gracious promise.
King. Rise, Garcia-I forgot. Yet stay, Almeria.
Alm. My boding heart!-What is your pleasure,

Sir?

King. Draw near, and give your hand, and, Gar-
cia, yours:

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

Gar. Thus let me kneel to take-O not to take

But to devote, and yield myself for ever
The slave and creature of my royal mistress.

Gon. O let me prostrate pay my worthless thanks

King. No more; my promise long since pass'd, thy

services,

And Garcia's well-try'd valour, all oblige me. 320
This day we triumph; but to-morrow's sun,

Garcia, shall shine to grace thy nuptials-
Alm. Oh!

Gar. She faints! help to support her.

"Gon. She recovers."

[Faints.

King. "A fit of bridal fear." How is't, Almeria? Alm. A sudden chillness seizes on my spirits.

Your leave, Sir, 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 shall preach her from her faith, "And make it sin, not to renounce that vow "Which I'd have broken." Now, what would

Alonzo ?

Enter ALONZO.

Alon. Your beauteous captive, Zara, is arriv'd, And with a train as if she still were wife To Albucacim, and the Moor had conquer'd. King. It is our will she should be so attended. "Bear hence these prisoners." Garcia, which is he, Of whose mute valour you relate such wonders?

[Prisoners led of.

Gar. Osmyn, who led the Moorish horse; but he, Great Sir, at her request, attends on Zara. 341 King. He is your prisoner; as you please dispose him.

C

Gar. I would oblige him, but he shuns my kind

ness;

And with a haughty mien, and stern civility,
Dumbly declines all offers. If he speak,
'Tis scarce above a word; as he were born
Alone to do, and did disdain to talk;
At least to talk where he must not command.
King. Such sullenness, and in a man so brave,
Must have some other cause than his captivity.
Did Zara, then, request he might attend her?
Gar. My lord, she 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.

Enter 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,

359

A king and conqueror can give, are yours.
A conqueror indeed, where you are won;
Who with such lustre strike admiring eyes,
That had our pomp been with your presence grac'd,
Th' expecting crowd had been deceiv'd; and seen
The monarch enter not triumphant, but
In pleasing triumph led; your beauty's slave.
Zar. If I on any terms could condescend
To like captivity, or think those honours,
Which conquerors in courtesy bestow,

THE MOURNING BRIDE.

27

Of equal value with unborrow'd rule
And native right to arbitrary sway,
I might be pleas'd, when I behold this train
With usual homage wait: but when I feel
These bonds, I look with loathing on myself,
And scorn vile slavery, though doubly hid
Beneath mock-praises, and dissembled state.

King. Those bonds! 'Twas my command you

should be free.

How durst you, Perez, disobey ?

Perez. Great Sir,

Your order was she should not wait your triumph;

But at some distance follow, thus attended.

King. 'Tis false; 'twas more; I bid she should 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 stay-my hands alone can make

Fit restitution here_Thus I release you,

And by releasing you, enslave myself.

380

Zar. Such favours, so conferr'd, tho' when unsought;

Deserve 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 transcendent beauty to attract

All eyes, so by pre-eminence of soul

To rule all hearts.

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

(Beholding Osmyn as they unbind him.

And sullen port, glooms downwards with his eyes;
At once regardless of his chains, or liberty?

Gar. That, Sir, is he of whom I spoke; that's Osmyn.
King. He answers well the character you gave him.

Whence comes it, valiant Osmyn, that a man
So great in arms, as thou art said to be,
So hardly can endure captivity,
The common chance of war?

Osm. Because captivity

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

Osm. I would not have you.

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

400

King. She does excuse him; 'tis as I suspected. [To Gons.

Gon. That friend might be herself; seem not to heed

His arrogant reply: she looks concern'd.

King. I'll have enquiry made; perhaps his friend

Yet lives, and is a prisoner. His name?

Zar. Heli.

King. Garcia, that search shall be your care:

It shall be mine to pay devotion here;
At this fair shrine to lay my laurels down,
And raise love's altar on the spoils of war.
Conquest and triumph, now, are mine no more;
Nor will I victory in camps adore:
"For, ling'ring there, in long suspence she stands,

420