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Ding down my soul to hell, and with this soul
This son of mine, the honour of my house,
But I perform religiously to thee

That I have holily erst underta’en.

And that thy lords and captains may perceive
My mind in this single and pure to be,

As

pure as is the water of the brook,
My dearest son to thee I do engage :
Receive him, lord, in hostage of my vow;
For even my mind presageth to myself,
That in some slavish sort I shall behold
Him dragg'd along this running river shore,
A spectacle to daunt the pride of those,
That climb aloft by force, and not by right.

THE MOOR'S SON. Nor can it otherwise befall the

man,

That keeps his seat and sceptre all in fear;

That wears his crown in eye of all the world,
Reputed theft and not inheritance.

What title then hath Abdilmelec here

To bar our father or his progeny?

Right royal prince, hereof you make no doubt,
Agreeing with your wholesome Christain laws;
Help then, courageous lord, with hand and sword,
To clear his way, whose lets * are lawless men,
And for this deed ye all shall be renown'd,
Renown'd and chronicled in books of fame,
In books of fame, and characters of brass,
Of brass, nay beaten gold; fight then for fame,
* lets] i. e. impediments.

And find the Arabian Muly Hamet here,
Adventurous, bold, and full of rich reward.

STUк. Brave boy, how plain this princely mind in

thee

Argues the height and honour of thy birth!
And well have I observ'd thy forwardness ;
Which being tender'd by your majesty,
No doubt the quarrel open'd by the mouth
Of this young prince unpartially to us,
May animate and hearten all the host,
To fight against the devil for Lord Mahamet.

SEB. True, Stukeley, and so freshly to my mind
Hath this young prince reduc'd* his father's wrong,
That in good time I hope this honour's fire,
Kindled already with regard of right,

Bursts into open flames, and calls for wars,
Wars, wars, to plant the true succeeding prince.
Lord Mahamet, I take thy noble son

A pledge of honour, and shall use him so.
Lord Lodowick, and my good lord of Avero,
See this young prince convey'd safe to Messegon,
And there accompanied, as him fitteth best:
And to this war prepare ye more and less,

This rightful war, that Christians' God will bless.

reduc'd] i. e. brought back.

[Exeunt.

ACTUS IV.

The PRESENTER speaketh.

Now harden'd is this hapless heathen prince, And strengthen'd by the arms of Portugal, This Moor, this murderer of his progeny ; And war and weapons now, and blood and death, Wait on the counsels of this cursed king; And to a bloody banquet he invites The brave Sebastian and his noble peers.

Enter to the bloody banquet.

In fatal hour arriv'd this peerless prince,
To lose his life, his life, and many lives
Of lusty men, courageous Portugals,
Drawen by ambitious golden looks.

Let fame of him no wrongful censure sound,

Honour was object of his thoughts, ambition was his

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ground.

Enter ABDILMELEC and his train.

[Exit.

ABDILM. Now tell me, Celybin, what doth the enemy?

CEL. The enemy, dread lord, hath left the town Of Arzil with a thousand soldiers arm'd, To guard his fleet of thirteen hundred sail, And mustering of his men before the walls, He found he had two thousand armed horse,

* Drawen] Spelt, as pronounced, a disyllable,—for the sake of the verse.

And fourteen thousand men that serve on foot,

Three thousand pioneers, and a thousand coachmen,
Besides a number almost numberless

Of drudges, negroes, slaves, and muliters,*
Horse-boys, laundresses, and courtezans,
And fifteen hundred waggons full of stuff,
For noblemen brought up in delicate.

ABDILM. Alas, good king! thy foresight hath been small,

To come with women into Barbary,

With laundresses,† with baggage, and with trash,
Numbers unfit, to multiply thy host.

CEL. Their payment in the camp is passing slow, And victuals scarce, that many faint and die. ABDILM. But whither marcheth he in all this haste?

CEL. Some think he marcheth hitherward, And means to take this city of Alcazar.

ABDILM. Unto Alcazar? O unconstant chance! CEL. The brave and valiant king of Portugal Quarters his power in four battalions, Afront the which, to welcome us withal, Are six and thirty roaring pieces plac'd: The first consisting of light-armed horse, And of the garrisons from Tangier brought,

muliters] For muleteers :-" Your mariners are muliters, reapers, people ingross'd by swift impress." Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, act iii. sc. 7.

t laundresses] Old copy "landresse."

think] Old copy “thinks."

Is led by Alvaro Peres de Tavero;
The left or middle battle, of Italians,

And German horsemen, Stukeley doth command,
A warlike Englishman sent by the pope,

That vainly calls himself marquis of Ireland;
Alonso Aquilaz conducts the third;

That wing of German soldiers most consists;
The fourth legion is none but Portugals,

Of whom Lodevico Cæsar hath the chiefest charge:
Besides there stand six thousand horse
Bravely attir'd, prest* where need requires.
Thus have I told your royal majesty,

How he is plac'd to brave his fight.

ABDILM. But where's our nephew, Muly Mahamet?

CEL. He marcheth in the middle, guarded about With full five hundred harquebuze on foot, And twice three thousand needless armed pikes. ZAREO. Great sovereign, vouchsafe to hear me speak,

And let Zareo's counsel now prevail;

Whilst time doth serve, and that these Christians dare

Approach the field with warlike ensigns spread,

Let us in haste with all our forces meet,

And hem them in, that not a man escape;
So will they be advis'd another time,
How they do touch the shore of Barbary.

VOL. II.

* prest] i. e. ready.

K

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