"Rome's malice and Spaine's practice still concurs, With Stukeley they combine to raise new stirs, In that great battell at Alcazor fought. Whereby we see his power doth still defend Taylor's (the Water Poet's) Churches Deliverances, A ballad called The Life & Death of the famous Lord Stukely, an English gallant, in the time of Queen Elizabeth, who ended his days in a Battle of three Kings of Barbary, is in Evans's Collection, vol. iii. p. 148. ed. 1810. He is the hero of another play, acted* long before it was printed, entitled The Famous Historye of the life and death of Captaine Thomas Stukely. With his marriage to Alderman Curteis daughter, and valiant ending of his life at the Battaile of Alcazar. As it hath beene acted. Printed for Thomas Pauyer, and are to be sold at his shop at the entrance into the Exchange. 1605.-4to. black letter. I believe it is to the Battle of Alcazar, not to the Famous History of Stukeley, that Peele himself alludes in his Farewell to Norris and Drake : "Bid Mahomet's Poo, and mighty Tamburlaine, (Malone's Shakespeare by Boswell, vol. iii. p. 307.) THE TRAGICAL BATTLE OF ALCAZAR IN BARBARY, WITH THE DEATH OF THREE KINGS, AND CAPTAIN STUKELEY, AN ENGLISHMAN. ACTUS I.* Enter the PRESENTER. HONOUR, the spur that pricks the princely mind And aid with Christian arms the barbarous Moor, The kingdom from his uncle Abdilmelec, And in his throne installs his cruel son, * In the old copy the Act is not marked here. + leaves] Old copy "deisnes." Something seems to be wanting in this passage. Of whom we treat, sprung from th' Arabian Moor, Enter MULY MAHAMET and his son, and his two young brethren; the Moor showeth them the bed, and then takes his leave of them, and they betake them to their rest. And then the Presenter speaketh. Like those that were by kind of murder mumm'd,* THE SECOND DUMB-SHOW. Enter the Moor, and two murderers, bringing in his uncle Abdelmunen, then they draw the curtains and smother the young princes in the bed: which done in sight of the uncle, they strangle him in his chair, and then go forth. And then the Presenter saith. His brethren thus in fatal bed behearst, His father's brother of too light belief mumm'd] Old copy "mumd:" if it be not a misprint, it must mean-made silent. This Negro puts to death by proud command. Say not these things are feign'd, for true they are ; His father's crown this unbelieving Moor, That with her scourge keeps all the world in awe, And call this war, The battle of Alcazar. [Exit. Sound drums and trumpets, and enter ABDILMELEC, with CALSEPIUS BASSA and his guard, and ZAREO a Moor, with soldiers. ABDILM. All hail, Argerd Zareo; and, ye Moors, Salute the frontiers of your native home: |