[Page] THE BATTELL OF ALCAZAR, FOVGHT in Barbarie, betweene Sebastian king of Portugall, and Abdelmelec king of Marocco. With the death of Captaine Stukeley. As it was sundrie times plaid by the Lord high Admirall his seruants.
Imprinted at London by Edward Allde for Richard Bankworth, and are to be solde at his shoppe in Pouls Churchyard at the signe of the Sunne. 1594.
The Tragicall battell of Alcazar in Barbarie. With the death of three Kings, and Captaine Stukley an Englishman.
Enter the Presenter.
HOnor the spurre that pricks the princely minde,
To followe rule and climbe the stately chaire,
With great desire inflames the Portingall,
An honorable and couragious king,
To vndertake a dangerous dreadfull warre,
And aide with christian armes the barbarous Moore,
The Negro
Muly Hamet that with-holds
The kingdome from his vnkle
Abdilmelec,
Whom proud
Abdallas wrongd,
And in his throne instals his cruell sonne,
That now vsurps vpon this prince,
This braue Barbarian Lord
Muly Molocco.
The passage to the crowne by murder made,
Abdallas dies, and deisnes this tyrant king,
Of whome we treate sprong from the Arabian moore
Blacke in his looke, and bloudie in his deeds,
And in his shirt staind with a cloud of gore,
Presents himselfe with naked sword in hand,
Accompanied as now you may behold,
With deuils coted in the shapes of men.
[Page]
The first dumbe shew. Enter Muly Mahamet and his sonne, and his two young brethren, the Moore sheweth them the bed, and then takes his leaue of them, and they betake them to their rest. And then the presenter speaketh.
Like those that were by kind of murther mumd,
Sit downe and see what hainous stratagems
These damned wits contriue. And lo alas
How lyke poore lambes prepard for sacrifice;
This traitor king hales to their longest home,
These tender Lords his yonger brethren both.
The second dumbe shew. Enter the Moore and two murdrers bringing in his vnkle Abdelmus, then they draw the curtains and smoother the yong princes in the bed. Which done, in sight of the vnkle they strangle him in his chaire, and then goeforth. And then the Presenter saith.
His brethren thus in fatall bed behearst,
His fathers brother of too light beleefe.
This Negro puts to death by proud command.
Saie not these things are faind, for true they are,
And vnderstand how eager to inioy
His fathers crowne this vnbeleeuing Moore
Murthering his vnkle and his brethren,
Triumphs in his ambitious tyrannie,
Till Nemisis high mistres of reuenge,
That with her scourge keepes all the world in awe,
With thundering drums awakes the God of warre,
And cals the furies from Auernus crags,
To range and rage and vengeance to inflict
Vengeance on this accursed Moore for sinne,
And now behold how Abdelmelec comes,
Vnkle to this vnhappie traitor king,
[Page] Armd with great aide that
Amurath had sent,
Great
Amurath Emperor of the East,
For seruice done to
Sultan Solimon,
Vnder whose colours he had serud in field,
Flying the furie of this Negroes father,
That wrongd his brethren to install his sonne.
Sit you and see this true and tragicke warre,
A modern matter full of bloud and ruth,
Where three bolde kings confounded in their height,
Fell to the earth contending for a crowne,
And call this warre
The battell of Alcazar.
Exit.
Sound Drummes and trumpets, and enter Abdilmelec with Calsepius Bassa and his gard, and Zareo a Moore with souldiers.
Abdel.
Alhaile Argerd Zareo and yee Moores,
Salute the frontires of your natiue home,
Cease ratling drums, and Abdilmelec here
Throw vp thy trembling hands to heauens throne
Pay to thy God due thankes and thankes to him
That strengthens thee with mightie gracious armes,
Against the proud vsurper of thy right,
The roiall seate and crowne of Barbarie,
Great Amurath great Emperour of the world,
The world beare witnesse how I do adore
The sacred name of Amurath the great.
Calcepius Bassa, Bassa Calcepius
To thee and to thy trustie band of men
That carefully attend vs in our camp,
Pickt souldiers comparable to the guard
Of Mermidons, that kept Achilles tent
Such thankes we giue to thee and to them all,
As may conserne a poore distressed king
In honour and in princely curtesie.
[Page] Bassa.
Curteous and honourable
Abdelmelec,
VVe are not come at
Amuratbs command,
As mersenarie men to serue for pay,
But as sure friends by our great master sent
To gratifie and to remunerate,
Thy loue, thy loialtie, and forwardnes,
Thy seruice in his fathers dangerous warre,
And to performe in view of all the world,
The true office of right and roialtie,
To see thee in thy kingly chaire inthronde,
To settle and to seate thee in the same,
To make thee Emperor of this Barbarie,
Are come the viseroies and sturdie Ianisaries
Of
Amurath, sonne to
Sultan Solimon.
Enter Muly Mahamet Xeque, Rubin Arches, Abdil Rayes, with others.
Abdil Rayes
Long liue my Lord the soueraigne of my heart,
Lord
Abdilmelecke whom the God of kings,
The mightie
Amurath hath happie made,
And long liue
Amurath for this good deed.
Muly Mah.
Our Moores haue seen the siluer moons to wane,
In banners brauely spreading ouer the plaine,
And in this semicircles haue descride
All in a golden field a starre to rise,
A glorious comet that begins to blase,
Promising happie sorting to vs all.
Rubyn.
Braue man at armes whom
Amurath hath sent
To sow the lawfull true succeeding seed
In Barbarie, that bowes and grones withall
Vnder a proud vsurping tyrants m
[...]se,
Right thou the wrongs this rightfull king hath borne.
[Page] Abdilm.
Distressed ladies and yee dames of Fesse,
Sprong from the true Arabian
Muly Xarif
The loadstarre and the honor of our line,
Now cleere your watrie eies, wipe teares away,
And cheerfully giue welcome to these armes,
Amurath hath sent scourges by his men,
To whip that tyrant traitor king from hence,
That hath vsurpt from vs, and maimd you all.
Souldiers sith rightfull quarrels ayde
Succesfull are, and men that manage them
Fight not in feare as traitors and their pheres
That you may vnderstand what armes we beare,
What lawfull armes against our brothers sonne,
In sight of heauen, euen of mine honors worth,
Truly I will dehuer and discourse
The summe of all. Descended from the line
Of
Mahomet, our grandfire
Mulizaref
With store of golde and treasure leaues Arabia,
And strongly plants himselfe in Barbary,
And of the Moores that now with vs do wend,
Our grandfire
Mulizaref was the first,
From him well woe ye
Muly Mahamet Xeque,
Who in his life time made a perfect lawe,
Confirmd with generall voice of all his peeres
That in his kingdome should successiuely
His sonnes succeede.
Abdullas was the first
Eldest of faire
Abdelmenen the second,
And we the rest my brother and my selfe,
Abdullas raignd his time. But see the change,
He labours to inuest his sonne in all,
To disanull the lawe our father made,
And dis-inherite vs his brethren,
And in his life time wrongfully proclaimes,
His sonne for king that now contends with vs,
Therefore I craue to reobtaine my right
[Page] That
Muly Mahamet the traitor holdes,
Traitor and bloudie tyrant both at once,
That murthered his yonger brethren both,
But on this damned wretch, this traitor king,
The Gods shal poure down showers of sharp reuenge.
And thus a matter not to you vnknowen
I haue deliuered. Yet for no distrust
Of loyaltie my welbeloued friend,
But that the occasions fresh in memorie
Of these incumbers, so may moue your mindes,
As for the lawfull true succeeding prince,
Ye neither thinke your liues nor honors deare
Spent in a quarrell iust and honorable.
Bassa.
Such and no other we repute the cause,
That forwardly for thee we vndertake,
Thrice puisant and renowmed
Abdilmelec,
And for thine honor, safetie and crowne,
Our liues and honours frankly to expose,
To all the dangers that our warre attends,
As freely and as resolutely all,
As anie Moore whom thou commandest most.
Muly Xe.
And why is
Abdilmelec then so slow
To chastise him with furie of the sword,
Whose pride doth swell to sway beyond his reach,
Follow this pride then with furie of reuenge.
Rub. Ar.
Of death, of bloud, of wreake, and deepe reuenge.
Shall Rubin Archis frame her tragicke songs,
In bloud, in death, in murther and misdeede,
This heauens mallice did begin and end.
Abdilm.
Rubin these rights to Abdelmunens ghost,
Haue pearst by this to Plutos graue below,
The bels of Pluto ring reuenge amaine.
The furies and the fiends conspire with thee,
Warre bids me drawe my weapons for reuenge
[Page] Of my deepe wrongs, and my deare brothers death.
Muly Xe.
Sheath not your swords you soulders of Amurath,
Sheath not your swords you Mores of Barbary
That fight in right of your annointed king,
But follow to the gates of death and hell,
Pale death and hell to entertaine his soule.
Follow I saie to burning
Phlegiton,
This traitor tyrant and his companies.
Bas
Heaue vp your swords against these stony holds,
Wherein these barbarous rebels are inclosde,
Called for is Abdilmelec by the Gods,
To sit vpon the throne of Barbarie.
Abd. Ra.
Bassa great thankes the honor of the Turks.
Forward braue Lords vnto this rightfull warre,
How can this battell but succesfull be,
Where courage meeteth with a rightfull cause?
Rub.
Go in good time my best beloued Lord,
Succesfull in thy worke thou vndertakes.
Exit.
Enter the Moore in his Chariot, attended with his sonne. Pisano his captaine with his gard and treasure.
Moore.
Pisano, take a cornet of our horse,
As many argolets and armed pikes,
And with our carriage march awaie before
By Scyras, and those plots of ground
That to Moroccus leads the lower waie.
Our enemies keepe vpon the mountaine tops,
And haue incampt themselues not farre from Fesse,
Madame, gold is the glue, sinewes, and strength of war,
And we must see our treasure may go safe,
Away.
Now boy whats the newes?
Muly Mah.
The newes my Lord is warre, warre and
[Page] reuenge.
And if I shall declare the circumstance.
Tis thus.
Rubyn our vnkles wife that wrings her hands
For Abdilmunens death, accompanied
With many dames of Fesse in mourning weeds,
Neere to Argier encountred Abdilmelec,
That bends his force puft vp with Amuraths aide,
Against your holds and castles of defence.
The yonger brother Muly Mahamet Seth,
Greets the great Bassa, that the king of Turkes.
Sends to inuade your right and royall realme,
And basely beg reuenge, arch-rebels all,
To be inflict vpon our progenie.
Moore.
Why boy, is Amuraths Bassa such a bug,
That he is markt to do this doubtie deed?
Then Bassa locke the winds in wards of brasse,
Thunder from heauen damne wretched men to death
Barre all the offices of Saturnes sonnes,
Be Pluto then in hell and barre the fiends,
Take Neptunes force to thee and calme the seas,
And execute Ioues iustice on the world,
Conuey Tamberlaine into our Affrike here,
To chastice and to menace lawfull kings,
Tamberlaine triumph not, for thou must die
As Philip did, Caesar, and Caesars peeres.
Muly Mah.
The Bassa grosly flattered to his face,
And Amuraths praise aduancde aboue the sound
Vpon the plaines, the souldiers being spread,
And that braue gard of sturdie Ianizaries,
That Amurath to Abdilmelec gaue,
And bad him boldly be to them as safe,
As if he slept within a walled towne,
Who take them to their weapons threatning reuenge.
Bloudie reuenge, bloudie reuengefull warre.
[Page] Moore.
Awaie, and let me heare no more of this,
Why boy, are we successours to the great Abdilmelec,
Descended from the Arabian Muly Zarif,
And shall we be afraide of Bassas and of bugs,
Rawe head and bloudie bone?
Boy, seest here this semitarie by my side,
Sith they begin to bath in blond,
Bloud be the theame whereon our time shall tread,
Such slaughter with my weapon shall I make,
As through the streame and bloudie chanels deepe,
Our Moores shall saile in ships and pinnaces,
From Tanger shore vnto the gates of Fesse.
Muly Mah.
And of those slaughtered bodies shall thy sonne,
A huge towre erect like Nemrods frame,
To threaten those vniust and parciall Gods,
That to Abdallas lawfull seed denie,
Along, a happie, and triumphant raigne.
Sound an alarum within, and enter a messenger.
Mes.
Flie king of Fesse, king of Moroccus flie,
Flie with thy friends Emperour of Barbary,
O flie the sword and furie of the foe,
That rageth as the ramping lyonesse,
In rescue of her yonglings from the beare,
Thy townes and holds by numbers basely yeeld,
Thy land to Abdilmelecs rule resignes,
Thy carriage and thy treasure taken is
By Amuraths souldiers, that haue sworne thy death,
Flie Amuraths power, and Abdilmelecs threats,
Or thou and thine looke heere to breath your last.
More.
Villain, what dreadfull sound of death & flght
Is this, where with thou doest afflict our eares?
But if there be no safetie to abide
[Page] The fauor, fortune, and successe of warre.
Away in hast, roule on my chariot wheeles
Restlesse, till I be safely set in shade
Of some vnhanted place, some blasted groue
Of deadly hue, or dismall cyprestree,
Farre from the light or comfort of the Sunne,
There to curse heauen, and he that heaues me hence,
To seeke as Enuie at Cecropes gate,
And pine the thought and terrour of mishaps,
Awaie.
Exit.
Actus secunda. Scaena prima.
Alarum. And then the presenter speaketh.
Now warre begins his rage and ruthlesse raine,
And Nemisis with bloudie whip in hand,
Thunders for vengeance on this Negro moore.
Nor may the silence of the speechlesle night,
Diuine Architects of murthers and misdeeds.
Of tragedies, and tragicke tyrannies,
Hide or containe this barbarous crueltie
Of this vsurper to his progenie.
Three ghosts crying Vindicta.
Hearke Lords, as in a hollow place a farre,
The dreadfull shrikes and clamors that resound,
And sound reuenge vpon this trai
[...]ors soule,
Traitor to kinne and kinde, to Gods and men.
Now Nemisis vpon her doubling drum,
Moude with this gastly mone, this sad complaint,
Larumes aloud into Alectoseares,
And with her thundering wakes whereas they lie,
In caue as darke as hell, and beds of steele,
The furies iust impes of dire reuenge,
[Page] Reuenge cries Abdilmelecs grieued ghost,
And rouseth with the terror of this noise
These nymphs of Erybus. Wreake and reuenge
Ring out the soules of his vnhappie brethren,
And now start vp these torments of the world,
Wakt with the thunder of Ramusians drum,
And feareful ecchos of these grieued ghosts,
Alecto with her brand and bloudie torch,
Megaera with her whip and snakie haire,
Tysiphone with her fatall murthering yron,
These three conspire, these three complaine & mone,
Thus Muly Mahamet is a counsell held,
To wreake the wrongs and murthers thou hast done.
By this imagine was this barbarous Moore
Chased from his dignitie and his diademe,
And liues forlorne among the mountaine shrubs,
And makes his food the flesh of sauage beasts.
A mureths souldiers haue by this instald
Good Abdelmelec in his roiall seate,
The dames of Fesse and ladies of the land,
In honor of the sonne of Soliman,
Erect a statue made of beaten gold,
And sing to Amurath songs of lasting praise.
Muly Mahamets furie ouer-rulde,
His crueltie controld, and priderebukt,
Now at last when sober thoughts renude,
Care of his kingdome and desired crowne,
The aide that once was offered and refusde
By messenge
[...]s, he furiously imployes,
Sebastians aide braue king of Portugall,
He forward in all armes and chiualrie
Hearkens to his Embassadors, and grants
What they in letters and by words intreate.
Now listen lordings now begins the game,
[Page] Sebastians tragedie in this tragicke warre.
Alarum within, and then enter Abdilmelec, Muly Mahamet Seth, Calsepius Bassa, with Moores and Ianizaries, and the Ladies.
Abdil.
Now hath the Sun displaid his golden beams,
And duskie clouds dispearst, the welkin cleeres,
Wherein the twentie coloured rainbow shewes,
After this fight happie and fortunate,
Wherein our Moores haue lost the day,
And victorie adornd with fortunes plumes,
Alights on Abdelmelecs glorious creast,
Here finde we time to breath, and now begin
To paie thy due and duties thou doest owe,
To heauen and earth, to Gods and Amurath.
Sound Trumpets.
And now drawe neere, and heauen and earth giue eare
Giue eare and record heauen and earth with me,
Ye Lords of Barbarie hearken and attend,
Hearke to the wordes I speake, and vowe I make,
To plant the true succession of the crowne,
Loe Lords, in our seate roiall to succeede,
Our onely brother here we doo install,
And by the name of Muly Mahamet Seth,
Intitle him true heire vnto the crowne,
Ye Gods of heauen gratulate this deed,
That men on earth may therwith stand content.
Lo thus my due and duetie is done, I paie
To heauen and earth, to Gods and Amurath.
Sound Trumpets.
Muly Mah.
Renowmed Bassa, to remunerate
Thy worthines and magnanimitie,
Behold the noblest ladies of the land,
Bring present tokens of their gratitude.
[Page] Rub. Ar.
Rubin that breaths but for reuenge,
Bassa by this commends her selfe to thee
Resigne the token of her thankfulnes
To Amurath the God of earthly kings,
Doth Rubin giue and sacrifice her sonne,
Not with sweet smoake of fire, or sweet perfume,
But with his fathers sword, his mothers thankes
Doth Rubin giue her sonne to Amurath.
Queene.
As Rubin giues her sonne, so we our selues
To Amurath giue, and fall before his face.
Bassa, weare thou the golde of Barbarie,
And glister like the pallace of the Sunne,
In honour of the deed that thou hast-dun.
Bas.
Well worthie of the aide of Amurath,
Is Ab dilmelec and these noble dames,
Rubin thy sonne I shall ere long bestow,
Where thou doest him bequeath in honours fee,
On Amurath, mightie Emperor of the East,
That shall receiue the impe of roiall race,
With cheerefull lookes and gleames of princely grace,
This chosen gard of Amuraths Ienizaries,
I leaue to honor and attend on thee,
King of Marocco conqueror of thy foes,
True king of Fesse, Emperor of Barbarie,
Muly Molocco liue and keepe thy seate,
In spite of fortunes spite or enemies threats,
Ride Bassa now, bold Bassa homeward ride,
As glorious as great Pompey in his pride.
Exit omnes.
Enter Diego Lopis gouernor of Lisborne, the Irish Bishop, Stukley, Ionas, and Hercules.
Dieg.
Welcome to Lisborne valiant Catholikes,
Welcome braue English-men to Portugall,
Most reuerent primate of the Irish Church.
[Page] And noble
Stukeley famous by thy name,
Welcome, thrice welcome to Sebastians towne,
And welcome English captaines to you all,
It ioyeth vs to see his holynes fleet,
Cast ancor happily vpon our coast.
Bishop.
These welcomes worthie gouernor of Lisborne,
Argue an honorable minde in thee,
But treate of our misfortune therewithall,
To Ireland by pope Gregories command,
Were we all bound, and therefore thus imbarkt,
To land our forces there at vnawares,
Conquering the land for his holynesse,
And so restore it to the Romane faith,
This was the cause of our expedition,
And Ireland long ere this had bin subdude,
Had not foule weather brought vs to this bay.
Diego.
Vnder correction, are ye not all Englishmen,
And longs not Ireland to that kingdome Lords?
Then may I speake my conscience in the cause,
Sance scandall to the holy sea of Rome,
Vnhonorable is this expedition,
And misbeseeming yoo to meddle in.
Stuk.
Lord gouernour of Lisborne vnderstand,
As we are Englishmen, so are we men,
And I am Stukley so resolude in all,
To follow rule, honor and Emperie,
Not to be bent so strictly to the place,
Wherein at first I blew the fire of life,
But that I may at libertie make choise,
Of all the continents that bounds the world,
For why? I make it not so great desert
To be begot or borne in anie place,
Sith thats a thing of pleasure and of ease,
That might haue bin performd else-where as well.
[Page] Die.
Follow what your good pleasure will,
Good Captaine Stukley be it farre from me
To take exceptions beyond my priuiledge.
Bish.
Yet captaine giue me leaue to speake,
We must affect our countrie as our parents,
And if at anie time wealianate
Our loue or industrie from doing it honor,
It must respect effects and touch the soule,
Matter of conscience and religion,
And not desire of rule or benefite.
Stuk.
Well said Bishop, spoken like your selfe,
The reuerent lordly bishop of saint Asses.
Herc.
The bishop talkes according to his coate,
And takes not measure of it by his minde,
You see he hath it made thus large and wide,
Because he may conuert it as he list,
To anie forme may fit the fashion best,
Bish.
Captaine you do me wrong to descant thus,
Vpon my coate or double conscience,
And cannot answere it in another place.
Die.
Tis but in iest, Lord bishop put it vp,
And all as friends daine to be entertaind,
As my abilitie here can make prouision,
Shortly shall I conduct you to the king,
Whose welcomes euermore to strangers are,
Princely and honorable as his state becomes.
Stuk.
Thankes worthie gouernor, come bishop come
Will you shew fruits of quarrell and of wrath,
Come let vs in with my Lord of Lisborne here,
And put all conscience into one carouse,
Letting it out againe, as we may liue.
There shall no action passe my hand or sword,
That cannot make a step to gaine a crowne,
No word shall passe the office of my tong,
That sounds not of affection to a crowne,
[Page] No thought haue being in my lordly brest,
That workes not euerie waie to win a crowne,
Deeds, wordes and thoughts shall all be as a kings,
My chiefest companie shall be with kings,
And my deserts shall counterpoise a kings,
Why should not I then looke to be a king?
I am the marques how of Ireland made,
And will be shortly king of Ireland,
King of a mole-hill had I rather be,
Than the richest subiect of a monarchie,
Huffe it braue minde, and neuer cease t'aspire,
Before thou raigne sole king of thy desire
Exeunt.
Enter the Moore, with Calipolis his wife, Muly Mahamet his sonne, and two others.
Moore.
Where art thou boy, where is Calypolis?
O deadly wound that passeth by mine eie,
The fatall prison of my swelling heart!
O fortune constant in vnconstancie!
Fight earth-quakes in the intrailes of the earth,
And Easterne whirl-windes in the hellish shades,
Some foulecontagion of the infected heauen,
Blast all the trees, and in their cursed tops,
The dismall night rauen and tragike owle
Breed, and become fore-tellers of my fall,
The fatall ruine of my name and me,
Adders and serpents hisse at my disgrace,
And wound the earth with anguish of their stings,
Now Abdelmelee, now triumph in Fesse,
Fortune hath made thee king of Barbary.
Caly.
Alas my Lord, what boots these huge exclaime
To aduantage vs in this distrest estate,
Opittie our perplext estate my Lord;
And turne all curses to submisse complaints,
And those complaints to actions of reliefe,
I faint my Lord, and naught may cursing plaintes
[Page] Refresh the fading substance of my life.
Moore.
Faint all the world, consume and be accurst,
Since my state faints and is accurst.
Calyp.
Yet patience Lord to conquere sorrowes so.
More.
What patience is for him that lacks his crown
[...]
There is no patience where the losse is such,
The shame of my disgrace hath put on wings,
And swiftly flies about this earthly ball,
Car'st thou to liue then fond Calypolis,
When he that should giue essence to thy soule,
He on whose glorie all thy ioy should stay,
Is soulelesse, glorylesse, and desperate,
Crying for battell, famine, sword and fire,
Rather then calling for reliefe or life.
But be content, thy hunger shall haue end,
Famine shall pine to death and thou shalt liue,
I will go hunt these cursed solitaries,
And make the sword and target here my hound,
To pull downe lyons and vntamed beasts.
Exit.
Mah.
Tush mother, cherish your vnheartie soule,
And feede with hope of happines and ease,
For if by valor or by policie,
My kingly father can be fortunate,
We shall be Ioues commanders once againe,
And flourish in a three-fold happines.
Zareo
His maiestie hath sent Sebastian
The good and harmelesse king of Portugall,
A promise to resigne the roialtie
And kingdome of Marocco to his hands,
But when this haughtie offer takes effect,
And workes affiance in Sebastian,
My gracious Lord warnd wisely to aduise,
I doubt not but will watch occasion,
And take her fore-top by the slenderest haire,
To rid vs of this miserable life.
[Page] Mah.
Good madame cheere your selfe, my Fathers wife,
He can submit himselfe and liue below,
Make shew of friendship, promise, vow and sweare,
Till by the vertue of his faire pretence,
Sebastian trusting his integritie,
He makes himselfe possessor of such fruits,
As grow vpon such great aduantages.
Calip.
But more dishonor hangs on such misdeeds,
Than all the profit their returne can beare,
Such secret judgements hath the heauens imposde
Vpon the drouping state of Barbarie,
As publike merites in such lewd attempts,
Hath drawne with violence vpon our heads.
Enter Muly Mahamet with lyons flesh vpon bis sworde.
Mu. Ma.
Hold thee Calypolis feed and faint no more,
This flesh I forced from a lyonesse,
Meate of a princesse, for a princesse meate,
Learne by her noble stomacke to esteeme
Penurie plentie, in extreamest dearth,
Who when she sawe her foragement bereft,
Pinde not in melancholy or childlish feare,
But as braue mindes are strongest in extreames,
So she redoubling her former force
Rangde thorough the woodes, and rent the breeding vaultes
Of proudest sauages to saue her selfe,
Feede then and faint not faire Calypolis,
For rather than fierce famine shall preuaile,
To gnaw thy intrailes with her thornie teeth,
The conquering lyonesse shall attend on thee,
And laie huge heapes of slaughtered carcases
[Page] As bulwarkes in her waie to keepe her backe.
I will prouide thee of a princely ospraie,
That as she flyeth ouer fish in pooles,
The fish shall turne their glistering bellies vp,
And thou shalt take thy liberall choice ofall,
Ioues stately bird with wide commanding wings
Shall houer still about thy princely head,
And beate downe fowle by sholes into thy lap,
Feede then and faint not faire Calypolis.
Calyp.
Thankes good my Lord, and though my stomacke be
Too queasie to disgest such bloudie meate,
Yet strength I it with vertue of my minde,
I doubt no whit but I shall liue my Lord.
Moore.
Into the shades then faire Calypolis,
And make thy sonne and Negros here good cheere,
Feede and be fat that we may meete the foe
With strength and terror to reuenge our wrong.
Enter S
[...]bastian king of Portugall, the Duke of Auero, the duke of Barceles, Leues de Silua, Christophero de Tauera
Sebast.
Call forth those Moores, those men of Barbarie.
That came with letters from the king of Fesse.
Exit one.
Ye warlike lords and men of chiualrie,
Honorable Embassadors of this high regent,
Harke to Sebastian king of Portugall:
These letters sent from your distressed Lord,
Torne from his throne by Abdilmelecs hand,
Strengthned and raisde by furious Amurath,
Imports a kingly fauor at our hands,
For aide to reobtaine his roiall seate,
And place his fortunes in their former height.
[Page] For quitall of which honorable armes,
By these his letters he doth firmely vow,
Wholy to yeeld and to surrender vp
The kingdome of Maroccus to our hands,
And to become to vs contributarie,
And to content himselfe with the realme of Fesse,
These lines my Lords writ in extremitie,
Containe therefore but during fortunes date,
How shall Sebastian then beleeue the same?
Embas.
Viceroies, and most christian king of Portugall,
To satisfie thy doubtfull minde heerein,
Command forthwith a blasing brand of fire
Be brought in presence of thy maiestie,
Then shalt thou see by our religious vowes
And ceremonies most inuiolate
How firme our soueraignes protestations are,
Beholde my Lord, this bindes our faith to thee.
In token that great Muly Mahamets hand
Hath writ no more than his stout heart allowes,
And will performe to thee and to thine heires,
We offer heere our hands into this flame,
And as this flame doth fasten on this flesh,
So from our soules we wish it may consume
The heart of our great Lord and soueraigne
Muly Mahamet king of Barbarie,
If his intent agree not with his wordes.
Sebast.
These ceremonies and protestations
Sufficeth vs ye Lordes of Barbarie,
Therefore returne this answere to your king,
Assure him by the honour of my crowne,
And by Sebastians true vnfained faith
He shall haue aide and succour to recouer,
And seate him in his former emperie,
Let him relie vpon our princely word,
[Page] Tell him by August we will come to him,
With such a power of braue impatient mindes,
As Abdelmelec and great Amurath
Shall tremble at the strength of Portugall.
Emb.
Thanks to the renowmed king of Portugal
On whose stout promises our state depend.
Sebast.
Barbarians go glad your distressed king,
And saie Sebastian liues to right his wrong,
Exit.
Duke of Auero call in those English-men,
Don Stukley, and those Captaines of the fleet
That lately landed in our bay of Lisborne.
Now breath Sebastian, and in breathing blow
Some gentle gale of thy new formed ioyes,
Duke of Auero, it shall be your charge,
To take the muster of the Portugals,
And brauest blouds of all our countrie,
Lewes de Sylua you shall be dispatcht
With letters vnto Philip king of Spaine,
Tell him we craue his aide in this behalfe,
I know our brother Philip nill denie
His furtherance in this holy christian warre,
Duke of Barceles as thy ancestors
Haue alwaies loiall bin to Portugall,
So now in honor of thy toward youth,
Thy charge shall be to Anwerpe speedily,
To hire vs mercenarie men at armes,
Promise them princely paie, and be thou sure
Thy word is ours, Sebastian speakes the word.
Chri.
I beseech your maiestie imploy me in this war.
Seb.
Christopher de Tauera, next vnto my selfe
My good Efestian, and my bedfellow,
Thy cares and mine shall be alike in this,
Enter Stukley and the rest.
And thou and I will liue and die together.
And now braue English-men to you,
[Page] Whom angrie stormes haue put into our bay,
Hold not your fortune ere the worse in this,
We holde our strangers honors in our hand,
And for distressed franke and free reliefe,
Tell me then Stukley, for thats thy name I trow,
Wilt thou in honor of thy countries fame,
Hazard thy person in this braue exploit,
And follow vs to fruitfull Barbarie,
With these sixe thousand souldiers thou hast brought
And choicely pickt through wanton Italy,
Thou art a man of gallant personage,
Proud in thy lookes, and famous euerie waie,
Frankly tell me, wilt thou go with me?
Stuk
Couragious king, the wonder of my thoughts
And yet my Lord, with pardon vnderstand,
My selfe and these, whom weather hath inforst,
To lie at roade vpon thy gracious coast,
Did bend our course and made amaine for Ireland.
Sebast.
For Ireland Stukley, thou mistakst me wonderous much,
With seuen shippes, two pinnaces, and sixe thousand men,
I tell thee Stukley, they are farre too weake,
To violate the Queene of Irelands right,
For Irelands Queene commandeth Englands force,
Were euerie ship ten thousand on the seas,
Mand with the strength of all the Easterne kings,
Conuaying all the monarchs of the world,
To inuade the Iland where her highnes raignes,
Twere all in vaine, for heauens and destinies
Attend and wait vpon her Maiestie,
Sacred, imperiall, and holy is her seate,
Shining with wisedome, loue and mightines.
Nature that euerie thing imperfect made,
Fortune that neuer yet was constant found,
[Page] Time that defaceth euerie golden shew,
Dare not decay, remoue, or be impure,
Both nature, time and fortune, all agree,
To blesse and serue her roiall maiestie,
The wallowing Ocean hems her round about,
Whose raging flouds do swallow vp her foes,
And on the rockes their ships in peeces split,
And euen in Spaine where all the traitors dance,
And plaie themselues vpon a sunny daie,
Securely gard the west part of her Isle,
The South the narow Britaine sea begirts,
Where Veptune sits in triumph, to direct
Their course to hell that aime at her disgrace,
The Germaine seas alongst the East do run,
Where Nenus banquets all her water Nymphs,
That with her beautie glansing on the waues,
Disdaines the checke of faire Proserpina,
Aduise thee then proud Stukley ere thou passe,
To wrong the wonder of the highest God,
Sith danger, death and hell doth follow thee,
Thee and them all that seeke to danger her.
If honor be the marke wherat thou aimst,
Then followe me in holy christian warres,
And leaue to seeke thy Countries ouerthrow.
Stuk.
Rather my Lord, let me admire these wordes,
Than answere to your firme obiections,
His holynes Pope Gregorie the seuenth,
Hath made vs foure the leaders of the rest,
Amongst the rest my Lord, I am but one,
If they agree Stukley will be the first
To die with honor for Sebastian.
Sebast.
Tell me Lord Bishop, Captaines tell me all,
Are you content to leaue this enterprise,
Against your countrie and your countrie men,
To aide Mahamet king of Barbarie?
[Page] Bish.
To aide Mahamet king of Barbarie,
Tis gainst our vowes great king of Portugall.
Sebast.
Then Captaines what saie you?
Ionas
I saie my Lord as the Bishop said,
We may not turne from conquering Ireland.
Herc.
Our countrie and our country-men will condemne
Vs worthie of death, if we neglect our vowes.
Sebast
Consider Lords you are now in Portugall,
And I may now dispose of you and yours.
Hath not the winde and weather giuen you vp,
And made you captiues to our roiall will?
Ionas.
It hath my Lord, and willingly wee yeeld
To be commanded by your maiestie,
But if you make vs voluntarie men,
Our course is then direct for Ireland.
Sebast.
That course will we direct for Barbary,
Follow me Lords, Sebastian leades the way,
To plant the christian fath in Affrica.
Stuk.
Saint George for England, and Irelande nowe adue,
For here Tom Stukley shapes his course anue.
Exit.
Enter the presenter and speakes.
Lo thus into a lake of bloud and gore,
The braue couragious king of Portugall
Hath drencht himselfe, and now prepares amaine
With sailes and oares to crosse the swelling seas,
With men and ships, courage and canon shot,
To plant this cursed Moore in fatall houre,
And in this Catholike case the king of Spaine
Is cald vpon by sweet Sebastian.
Who surfetting in prime time of his youth,
[Page] Vpon ambitious poison dies thereon.
By this time is the Moore to Tangar come,
A citie longing to the Portugall,
And now doth Spaine promise with holy face,
As fauouring the honor of the cause,
His aide of armes, and leuies men apace,
But nothing lesse than king Sebastians good
He meanes, yet at Sucor de Tupea.
He met some saie in person with the Portugall,
And treateth of a marriage with the king,
But ware ambitious wiles and poisned eies,
There was nor aide of armes nor marriage,
For on his waie without those Spaniardes king Sebastian went.
Enter the king of Portugall and his Lordes, Lewes de Sylua, and the Embassadors of Spaine.
Seb.
Honorable Lords, Embassadors of Spaine,
The many fauors by our meetings done
From our beloued and renowmed brother,
Philip the Catholike king of Spaine
Say therefore good my Lord Embassador,
Saie how your mightie master minded is,
To propagate the fame of Portugall.
Embas.
To propagate the fame of Portugall,
And plant religious truth in Affrica,
Philip the great and pussant king of Spaine,
For loue and honor of Sebastians name,
Promiseth aide of armes and sweares by vs
To doe your maiestie all the good he can,
With men, munition, and supply of warre,
Of Spaniards proud in king Sebastians aide,
[Page] To spend their blouds in honor of their Christ.
Legate.
And farther to manifest vnto your maiesty
How much the Catholike king of Spaine affects
This warre with Moores and men of little faith,
The honour of your euerlasting praise,
Behold to honor and inlarge thy name,
He maketh offer of his daughter Isabel,
To linke in marriage with the braue Sebastian,
And to inrich Sebastians noble wife,
His maiestie with promise to resigne
The titles of the Islands of Moloccus,
That by his roialtie in Iudah he commands
These fauors with vnfained loue and zeale,
Voweth king Philip to king Sebastian.
Sebast.
And God so deale with king Sebastians soul
As iustly he intends to fight for Christ,
Nobles of Spaine, sith our renowmed brother,
Philip the king of honor and of zeale,
By you the chosen Orators of Spaine,
The offer of the holdes he makes
Are not so precious in our account,
As is the peerlesse dame whom we adore,
His daughter, in whose loyaltie consists
The life and honor of Sebastian.
As for the aide of armes he promiseth,
We will expect, and thankfully receiue
At Cardis, as we saile alongst the coast.
Sebastian clap thy hands for ioy,
Honourd by this meeting and this match,
Go Lords and follow to the famous warre
Your king, and be his fortune such in all,
As he intends to manage armes in right.
Exeunt.
Manet Stubley and another.
Stuk.
Sit fast Sebastian, and in this worke
[Page] God and good men labor for Portugall,
For Spaine disguising with a double face,
Flatters thy youth and forwardnes good king,
Philip whome some call the catholike king,
I feare me much thy faith will not be firme,
But disagree with thy profession.
The other.
What then shall of these men of warre become,
Those numbers that do multiply in Spaine?
Stuk.
Spaine hath a vent for them and their supplies,
The Spaniard readie to imbarke himselfe,
Heere gathers to a head, but all to sure,
Flanders I feare shall feele the force of Spaine,
Let Portugall fare as he may or can,
Spaine meanes to spend no pouder on the moores.
The other.
If kings doo dally so with holy oaths,
The heauens will right the wrongs that they sustaine,
Philip if these forgeries be in thee,
Assure thee king, twill light on thee at last,
And when proud Spaine hopes soundly to preuaile,
The time may come that thou and thine shall faile.
Exit.
Enter Abdelmelec, Muly Mahamet. Seth, Zareo and their Traine.
Abdelm.
The Portugall lead with decoining hope,
Hath raisde his power, and receiu'd our foe
With honorable welcomes and regard,
And left his countrie bounds, and hether bends,
In hope to helpe Mahamet to a crowne,
And chase vs hence, and plant this Negro moore
That clads himselfe in coat of hammerd steele,
To heaue vs from the honor we possesse,
But for I haue my selfe a souldier bin,
[Page] I haue in pittie to the
Portugall
Sent secret messengers to counsell him.
As for the aide of Spaine whereof they hop'd,
We haue dispatcht our letters to their prince,
To craue that in a quarrell so vniust,
He that intituled is the Catholike king,
Would not assist a carelesse christian prince,
And as by letters we are let to know,
Our offer of the seuen holdes we made,
He thankfully receines, with all conditions,
Differing in minde farre from all his wordes
And promises to king Sebastian,
As we would wish, or you my Lords desire.
Zareo.
What resteth then but Abdelmelec may
Beate backe this proud inuading
Portugall,
And chastice this ambitious Negro moore
With thousand deaths for thousand damned deeds.
Abdilm.
Forward Zareo and ye manly moores,
Sebastian see in time vnto thy selfe,
If thou and thine misled doe thriue amisse,
Guiltlesse is Abdilmelec of thy bloud.
Exeunt.
Enter Don de Meuysis gouernor of Tangar, with his companie speaking to the Captaine.
Gouer.
Captaine, we haue receiued Letters from the king.
That with such signes and arguments of loue,
We entertaine the king of Barbarie,
That marcheth toward Tangar with his men,
The poore remainders of those that fled from Fesse,
When Abdilmelec got the glorious day,
And stald himselfe in his emperiall throne.
Cap.
Lord gouernor, we are in readines
To welcome and receiue this haplesse king,
[Page] Chased from his land by angrie A murath,
And if the right rest in this lustie Moore,
Bearing a princely heart vnvanquishable,
A noble resolution than it is,
In braue Sebastian our christian king,
To aide this Moore with his victorious armes,
Thereby to propagate religious truth,
And plant his springing praise in Affrica.
Ano. Capt.
But when ariues this braue Sebastian,
To knit his forces with this manly Moore,
That both in one, and one in both may ioyne
In this attempt of noble consequence?
Our men of Tangar long to see their king,
Whose princely face that lyke the summers sonne,
Glads all these hether parts of Barbarie.
Gouern.
Captaines, he commeth hetherward amaine,
Top and top gallant, all in braue araie
The 26. daie of Iune he lefte the bay of Lisborne,
And with all his fleete at Cardis happily he
Ariu'de in Spain the eight of Iuly, tarrying for the aide
That
Philip king of Spaine had promised,
And fifteene daies he there remaind aboord,
Expecting when this Spanish force would come,
Nor stept a shore as he were going still:
But Spaine that meant and minded nothing lesse,
pretends a sodaine feare and care to keepe
His owne from A muraths fierce inuasion,
And to excuse his promise to our king,
For which he stormes as great A chilles earst.
Lying for want of winde in Aldest gulfe,
And hoiseth vp his sailes and anchors waighs,
And hetherward he comes, and lookes to meete
This manly Moore, whose case he vndertakes,
Therefore go we to welcome and rescue,
With canon shot, and shouts of yong and olde,
[Page] This fleet of Portugals and troupe of Moores.
Exit.
The Trumpets sound the chambers are dischargde. Then enter the king of Portugall and the Moore, with all theyr traine.
Sebast.
Muly Mahamet king of Barbarie
Well met, and welcome to our towne of Tanger,
After this sodaine shocke and haplesse warre,
Welcome braue Queene of Moores, repose thee here,
Thou and thy noble sonne, and souldiers all,
Ropose you here in king Sebastians towne.
Thus farre in honor of thy name and aide
Lord Mahamet, we haue aduentured
To winne for thee a kingdome, for our selues
Fame, and performance of those promises,
That in thy faith and roialtie thou hast
Sworne to Sebastian king of
Portugall,
And thriue it so with thee as thou doest meane,
And meane thou so as thou doest wish to thriue,
And if our Christ for whom in chiefe we fight,
Heereby to inlarge the bounds of christendome,
Fauor this warre, and as I do not doubt,
Send victorie to light vpon my crest.
Braue Moore I will aduance thy kingly sonne,
And with a diademe of pearle and golde,
Adorne thy temples and inrich thy head,
Moore
O braue Sebastian noble
Portugall,
Renowmd and honourd euer maist thou bee,
Triumpher ouer those that menace thee.
The hellish prince grim
Pluto with his mace
Ding downe my soule to hel, and with this soule
This sonne of mine the honor of my house,
But I performe religiously to thee,
[Page] That I haue holyly earst vndertane,
And that thy Lords and Captaines may perceiue
My minde in this single and pure to be,
As pure as is the water of the brooke,
My dearest sonne to thee I doo ingage,
Receiue him Lord in hostage of my vow,
For euen my minde presageth to my selfe,
That in some slauish sort I shall beholde
Him dragde along this running riuer shore,
A spectacle to dant the pride of those
That climbe aloft by force, and not by right.
The Moores sonne.
Nor can it otherwise befall the man
That keeps his seate and scepter all in feare,
That weares his crowne in eie of all the world,
Reputed theft and not inheritance.
What title then hath Abdilmelec here,
To barre our father or his progenie,
Right roiall prince, hereof you make no doubt,
Agreeing with your wholsome christian lawes,
Helpe then couragious Lord with hand and sword,
To cleere his waie, whose lets are lawlesse men,
And for this deede ye all shall be renowmd,
Renowmd and chronicled in bookes of fame,
In bookes of fame and caracters of brasse,
Of brasse may beaten golde, fight then for fame,
And finde the Arabian Muly Hamet here,
Aduenturous, bold, and full of rich reward.
Stuk.
Braue boy, how plaine this princely mind in thee
Argues the height and honor of thy birth,
And well haue I obseru'd thy forwardnes,
Which being tendred by your maiestie,
No doubt the quarrell opened by the mouth
Of this yong prince vnpartially to vs,
May animate and hearten all the hoast,
[Page] To fight against the deuill for Lord Mahamet.
Sebast.
True Stukley, and so freshly to my minde,
Hath this yong prince redus'd his fathers wrong,
That in good time I hope this honors fire,
Kindled alreadie with regard of right,
Bursts into open flames, and cals for warres,
Warres, warres to plant the true succeeding prince.
Lord Mahamet, I take thy noble sonne
A pledge of honor, and shal vse him so.
Lord Lodowicke, and my good Lord of Auero
See this yong prince conuaide safe to Messegon,
And there accompanide as him fitteth best,
And to this warre prepare ye more and lesse,
This rightfull warre, that Christians God will blesse.
Exeunt.
Actus 4.
The presenter speaketh.
Now hardned is this haplesse heathen prince,
And strengthned by the armes of Portugall,
This Moore, this murtherer of his progenie.
And warre and weapons now, and bloud and death
Wait on the counsels of this cursed king:
And to a bloudie banket he inuites
The braue Sebastian and his noble peeres.
Enter to the bloudie banket.
In fatall houre ariu'd this peerelesse prince,
To loose his life, his life and many liues
Of lustie men, couragious Portugals,
Drawen by ambitious golden lookes,
Let fame of him no wrongfull censure sound,
[Page] Honour was obiect of his thoughtes, ambition was his ground.
Exit.
Enter Abdelmelec and his traine.
Abdilm.
Now tell mee Celybin, what doeth the enemie?
Celybin.
The enemie dread lord, hath left the towne
Of Areil, with a thousand souldiers armde,
To gard his fleet of thirteene hundred saile,
And mustering of his men before the wals,
He found he had two thousand armed horse,
And foureteene thousand men that serue on foot,
Three thousand pioners, and a thousand cochmen,
Besides a number almost numberlesse
Of drudges, Negroes, slaues and Muliters,
Horse-boies, landresses and curtizans,
And fifteene hundred waggons full of stuffe
For noble men, brought vp in delicate.
Abdil.
Alas good king, thy fore-sight hath bin small
To come with women into Barbarie,
With landresse, with baggage, and with trash,
Numbers vnfit to multiplie thy hoast.
Cely.
Their paiment in the campe is passing slow,
And victuals scarce, that many faint and die.
Abdilm.
But whether marcheth he in all this hast?
Cely.
Some thinkes he marcheth hetherward,
And meanes to take this citie of Alcazar.
Abdil.
Vnto Alcazar, O vnconstant chance!
Cely.
The braue and valiant king of Portugall
Quarters his power in foure batalians,
A front the which, to welcome vs withall,
Are sixe and thirtie roaring peeces plast,
The first consisting of light armed horse,
And of the garisons from Tangar brought
[Page] Is lead by Aluaro Peres de Tauero,
The left or middle battell of Italians,
And Germane horse-men Stukley doth command,
A warlike Englishman sent by the pope,
That vainly cals himselfe Marques of Ireland.
Alonjo Aquilaz conducts the third,
That wing of Germaine souldiers most consists.
The fourth legion is none but Portugals,
Of whom Lodeuico Caesar hath the chiefest charge,
Besides there stand sixe thousand horse
Brauely attirde, prest where need requires.
Thus haue I tolde your roiall maiestie,
How he is plac'd to braue his fight.
Abdil.
But where's out nephew Muly Mahamet?
Cely
He marcheth in the middle, garded about
With full fiue hundred hargubuze on foote,
And twice three thousand needlesse armed pikes.
Zareo.
Great soueraigne, vouchsafe to heare me speak,
And let Zareos counsell now preuaile,
Whilst time doth serue, and that these Christians dare
Approch the field with warlike Ensignes spread,
Let vs in hast with all our forces meete,
And hemme them in, that not a man escape,
So will they be aduisde another time,
How they doo touch the shore of Barbarie.
Abdilm.
Zareo, heare our resolution,
And thus our forces we will first dispose,
Hamet my brother with a thousand shot
On horse-backe, and choice harguebuziers all,
Hauing ten thousand with speare and shield,
Shall make the right wing of the battell vp,
Zareo you shall haue in charge the left,
Two thousand argolets and ten thousand horse,
The maine battell of harguebuze on foot,
And twentie thousand horse-men in their troupes,
[Page] My selfe inuirond with my trustie'gard
Of Ianizaries, fortunate in warre,
And toward Arzil will we take our waie,
If then our enemie will balke our force,
In Gods name let him, it will be his best,
But if he leuell at Alcazar wals,
Then beate him backe with bullets as thicke as haile,
And make him know and rue his ouersight,
That rashly seekes the ruine of this land.
Exeunt.
Enter Sebastian king of Portugall, the Duke of Auero, Stukley, and others.
Sebast.
Why tell me Lords, why left ye Portugall,
And crost the seas with vs to Barbarie,
Was it to see the countrie and no more,
Or else to slay before ye were assaild?
I am ashamd to thinke that such as you,
Whose deeds haue bin renowmed heretofore,
Should slacke in such an act of consequence,
We come to fight, and fighting vow to die,
Or else to win the thing for which we came,
Because
Abdilmelec as pittying vs,
Sends messages to counsell quietnes,
You stand amaz'd and thinke it sound aduise,
As if our enemie would wish vs anie good,
No, let him know we scorne his curtesie,
And will resist his forces what so ere.
Cast feare aside, my selfe will leade the way,
And make a passage with my conquering sword
Knee deepe in bloud of these accursed Moores,
And they that loue my honor follow me.
[Page] Were you as resolute as is your king,
Alcazar wals should fall before your face,
And all the force of this Barbarian Lord
Should be confounded, were it ten times more.
Auero.
So well become these words a kingly mouth
That are of force to make a coward fight,
But when aduice and prudent fore-sight
Is ioynd with such magnanimitie,
Troupes of victorie and kingly spoiles
Adorne his crowne, his kingdome, and his fame.
Herc.
We haue descride vpon the mountaine tops
A hugie companie of inuading Moores,
And they my lord, as thicke as winters haile,
Will fall vpon our heads at vnawares,
Best then betimes t'auoide this gloomie storme,
It is in vaine to striue with such a streame.
Enter Muly Mahamet.
Muly Mah.
Beholde thrice noble Lorde, vncalde I come,
To counsell where necessitie commands,
And honor of vndoubted victorie,
Makes me exclime vpon this dastard flight.
Why king Sebastian, wilt thou now fore-slow,
And let so great a glorie slip thy hands?
Saie you doo march vnto Tarissa now,
The forces of the foe are come so nigh,
That he will let the passage of the riuer,
So vnawares you will be forst to fight.
But know O king, and you thrice valiant Lords,
Few blowes will serue, I aske but onely this,
That with your power you march into the field,
For now is all the armie resolute,
To leaue the traitor helplesse in the fight,
[Page] And flie to me as to their rightfull prince,
Some horse-men haue alreadie lead the waie,
And vow the like for their companions,
The host is full of tumult and of feare.
Then as you come to plant me in my seate,
And to inlarge your fame in Affrica,
Now, now or neuer brauely execute
Your resolution sound and honorable,
And end this warre together with his life,
That doth vsurpe the crowne with tyrannie.
Sebast.
Captaines, you heare the reasons of the king,
Which so effectually haue pearst wine eares,
That I am fully resolute to fight,
And who refuseth now to follow me,
Let him be euer counted cowardly.
Auero.
Shame be his share that flies when kings do fight,
Auero laies his life before your feet.
Stukley
For my parte Lordes, I cannot sell my bloud
Deerer than in the companie of kings.
Exeunt.
Manet Muly Mahamet.
Muly Ma.
Now haue I set these Portugals a worke,
To hew a waie for me vnto the crowne,
Or with your weapons here to dig your graues,
You dastards of the night and Erybus,
Fiends, Fairies, hags that fight in beds of steele,
Range through this armie with your yron whips,
Driue forward to this deed this christian crew,
And let me triumph in the tragedie,
Though it be seald and honourd with my bloud,
Both of the Portugall and barbarous Moore,
Ride Nemisis, ride in thy firie cart,
[Page] And sprinkle gore amongst these men of warre,
That either partie eager of reuenge,
May honor thee with sacrifice of death,
And hauing bath'd thy chariot wheeles in bloud,
Descend and take to thy tormenting hell,
The mangled bodie of that traitor king,
That scornes the power and force of Portugall.
Then let the earth discouer to his ghost,
Such tortures as vsurpers feele below,
Rackt let him be in proud lxions wheele,
Pinde let him be with Tantalus endlesse thirst,
Praie let him be to Tisons greedie bird,
Wearied with Sisiphus immortall toile,
And lastly for reuenge, for deepe reuenge,
Whereof thou goddesse and deuiser art,
Damnd let him be, damnd and condemnd to beare
All torments, tortures, plagues and paines of hell.
Exit.
Enter the Presenter before the last dumbe show, and speaketh.
Ill be to him that so much ill bethinkes,
And ill betide this foule ambitious Moore,
Whose wily traines with smoothest course of speech.
Hath tide and tangled in a dangerous warre,
The fierce and manly king of Portugall.
Lightning and thunder.
Nowe throwe the heauens foorth their lightning flames,
And thunder ouer Affrickes fatall fields,
Bloud will haue bloud, foul murther scape no scourge.
Enter Fame like an Angell, and hangs the crownes vpon a tree.
At last descendeth fame as Iris,
[Page] To finish fainting Didoes dying lyfe,
Fame from her stately bowte doth descend,
And on the tree as fruit new ripe to fall,
Placeth the crownes of these vnhappie kings,
That earst she kept in eie of all the world.
Heere the blazing Starre.
Now sirie starres and streaming comets blaze,
That threat the earth and princes of the same.
Fire workes.
Fire, fire about the axiltree of heauen,
Who orles round, and from the foot of Casyopa
In fatall houre consumes these fatall crownes,
One fals.
Downe fals the diademe of Portugall,
The other fals.
The crownes of Barbary and kingdomes fall,
Ay me, that kingdomes may not stable stand,
And now approching neere the dismall day,
The bloudie daie wherein the battels ioyne,
Mondaie the fourth of August seuentie eight,
The sunne shines wholy on the parched earth,
The brightest planet in the highest heauen,
The heathens eager bent against their foe,
Giue onset with great ordnance to the warre.
The christians with great noise of canon shot,
Send angrie onsets to the enemie.
Geue eare and heare how warre begins his song,
With dreadfull clamors, noise, and trumpets sound.
Exit.
Alarums within, let the chambers be discharged, then enter to the battell, and the Moores flie.
Skirmish still then enter Ab dilmelec in his chaire, Zareo and their traine.
Abdil.
Saie on Zareo, tell me all the newes,
Tell me what furie rangeth in our campe,
[Page] That hath inforst our Moores to turne their backes.
Zareo saie, what chance did bode this ill,
What ill inforst this dastard cowardise?
Zareo.
My Lord, such chance as wilfull warre affords
Such chances and misfortunes as attend
On him, the God of battell and of armes,
My Lord, when with our ordenance fierce we sent
Our Moores with smaller shot as thicke as haile,
Followes apace to charge the Portugall,
The valiant Duke the deuill of Auero,
The bane of Barbary, fraughted full of ire
Breakes through the rankes, and with fiue hundred horsse
All men at armes, forward and full of might,
Assaults the middle wing, and puts to flight
Eight thousand Harquebush that seru'd on foot,
And twentie thousand Moores with speare & sheild:
And therewithall the honour of the day.
Abdel.
Ah Abdelmelec doost thou liue to heare
This bitter processe of this first attempt?
Labour my Lords to renue our force,
Of fainting Moores, and fight it to the last.
My horsse Zareo, O the goale is lost,
The goale is lost, thou King of Portugall
Thrice happy chance it is for thee and thine
That heauens abates my strength and calles me hence.
My sight doth faile, my soule, my feeble soule
Shall be releaste from prison on this earth:
Farwell vaine world for I haue playd my parte.
He dyeth.
A long Skirmidge, and then enter his brother Muly Mahomet Seth.
Muly.
Braue Abdelmelec, thou thrise noble Lord,
Not such a wound was giuen to Barbary,
[Page] Had twenty hoasts of men beene put to swoord
As death, pale death with fatall shaft hath giuen.
Loe dead is he, my brother and my King
Whome I might haue reuiu'd with newes I bring.
Zareo.
His honours and his types he hath resignde
Vnto the world, and of a manly man
Loe, in a twinckling a sencelesse stocke we see.
Muly.
You trustie soldiers of this warlike King,
Be counsail de now by vs in this aduise,
Let not his death be bruted in the campe,
Least with the sodaine sorrowe of the newes,
The armye wholy be discomfited.
My Lord Zareo thus I comforte you,
Our Moores haue brauely borne themselues in fight
Likely to get the honour of the day
If ought may gotten be where losse is such.
Therfore in this apparell as he dyed
My noble brother will we heere aduance,
And set him in his chayre with cunning props,
That our Barbarians may beholde their King
And thinke he doth repose him in his Tent.
Zareo.
Right pollitique and good is your aduice.
Goe then to see it speedily performd.
Braue Lord, if Barbary recouer this,
Thy soule with ioy will sit and see the sight.
Exeunt.
Alarmes. Enter to the battaile, and the christians flye. The Duke of Auero slaine.
Enter Sebastian and Stukeley.
Sebast.
Seest thou not Stukley, O Stukley seest thou not
The great dishonour doone to Christendome?
[Page] Our cheerfull onset crost in springing hope,
The braue and mightie prince, Duke of Auero
Slaine in my sight, now ioy betide his ghost,
For like a lyon did he beare himselfe.
Our battels are all now disordered,
And by our horses strange retiring backe,
Our middle wing of foot-men ouer-rod.
Stukley, alas I see my ouer-sight,
False hearted Mahamet, now to my cost,
I see thy trecherie, warnd to beware
A face so full of fraud and villanie.
Alarums within, and they runne out, and two set vppon Stukley, and he driueth them in. Then enter the Moore and his boy flying.
Moore.
Villaine, a horse.
Boy.
Oh my Lord, if you returne you die.
Moore.
Villaine I saie, giue me a horse to flie,
To swimme the riuer villaine, and to flie.
Exitboy.
Where shall I finde some vnfrequented place,
Some vncouth walke where I may curse my fill,
My starres, my dam, my planets and my nurse,
The fire, the aire, the water, and the earth,
All causes that haue thus conspirde in one,
To nourish and preserue me to this shame,
Thou that wert at my birth predominate,
Thou fatall starre, what planet ere thou be,
Spit out thy poison bad, and all the ill
That fortune, fate or heauen may bode a man.
Thou Nurse infortunate, guiltie of all:
Thou mother of my life that broughtst me forth,
Curst maist thou be for such a cursed sonne,
Curst be thy sonne with euerie curse thou hast,
Ye Elements of whome consists this clay,
[Page] This masse of flesh, this cursed crazed corpes,
Destroy, dissolue, disturbe, and dissipate,
What water, earth, and aire conieald.
Alarums and enter the boy.
Boy.
Oh my Lorde, these rulthlesse Moores pursue you at the heeles,
And come amaine to put you to the sword.
Moore.
A horse, a horse, villaine a horse,
That I may take the riuer straight and flie,
Boy.
Here is a horse my Lord,
As swiftly pac'd as Pegasus,
Mount thee thereon, and saue thy selfe by flight.
Moore.
Mount me I will,
But may I neuer passe the riuer till I be
Reuengde vpon thy soule accursed Abdilmelec,
If not on earth, yet when we meete in hell,
Before grim Minos, Rodamant, and Eocus,
The cumbat will I craue vpon thy ghost,
And drag thee thorough the lothsome pooles,
Of Lethes, Stikes, and firie Phlegiton.
Exit.
Alarums. Enter Stukley with two Italians.
Herc.
Stand traitor, stand ambitious English-man,
Proud Stukley stand, and stirre not erethou die,
Thy forwardnes to follow wrongfull armes,
And leaue our famous expedition earst,
Intended by his holynes for Ireland,
Fouly hath here betraide, and tide vs all
To ruthlesse furie of our heathen foe,
For which as we are sure to die,
Thou shalt paie satisfaction with thy bloud.
[Page] Stuk.
A uant base villaines, twit ye me with shame
Or infamie of this iniurious warre?
When he that is the iudge of right and wrong
Determines battaile as him pleaseth best.
But sith my starres bode me this tragicke end
That I must perrish by these barbarous Moores,
Whose weapons haue made passage for my soule
That breakes from out the prison of my brest,
Ye proud malicious dogges of Italy
Strike on, strike downe this body to the earth
Whose mounting minde stoopes to no feeble stroke.
Stab him.
Ionas.
Why suffer we this English man to liue?
Villaine bleed on, thy blood in chanels run
And meet with those whome thou to death hast doon
Exeunt.
Stuk.
Thus Stukley slaine with many a deadly stab,
Dyes in these desart feilds of Affrica.
Harke freindes, and with the story of my life
Let me beguile the torment of my death.
In Englands London Lordings was I borne,
On that braue Bridge, the barre that thwarts the Thames.
My golden dayes, my yonger carelesse yeeres,
Were when I toucht the height of Fortunes wheele,
And liu'd in affluence of wealth and ease.
Thus in my Countrie carried long aloft,
A discontented humor draue me thence
To crosse the Seas to Ireland, then to Spaine,
There had I welcome and right royall pay
Of Phillip, whome some call the Catholique King,
There did Tom Stukley glitter all in golde,
Mounted vpon his Iennet white as snowe,
Shining as Phoebus in King Phillips Court,
There like a Lord, famous Don Stukley liu'd,
[Page] For so they calde me in the Court of Spaine
Till for a blowe I gaue a Bishops man,
A strife gan rise betweene his Lord and me,
For which, we both were banisht by the King.
From thence, to Rome rides Stukley all a flaunt
Receiud with royall welcomes of the Pope.
There was I grac'd by Gregorye the great,
That then created me Marquis of Ireland.
Short be my tale, because my life is short,
The coast of Italy and Rome I left.
Then was I made Leiftennant Generall
Of those small Forces that for Ireland went,
And with my companies embarkt at Austria
My Sayles I spred, and with these men of warre
In fatall houre at Lishborne we ariu'd.
From thence to this, to this hard exigent
Was Stukley driuen to fight or els to dye,
Dar'd to the field, that neuer could endure
To heare God Mars his drum, but he must martch.
Ah sweet Sebastian, hadst thou beene well aduisde
Thou mightst haue manag'd armes sucsesfully.
But from our Cradles we were marked all
And destinate to dye in Affric heere.
Stukley, the story of thy life is tolde,
Here breath thy last and bid thy freindes farwell.
And if thy Countries kindnes be so much,
Then let thy Countrie kindely ring thy knell.
Now goe, and in that bed of honour dye
Where braue Sebastians breathles Course doth lye.
Heere endeth Fortune, rule, and bitter rage:
Heere ends Tom Stukleys pilgrimage.
He dyeth
Enter Muly MahometSeth and his traine, with Drums and Trumpets.
Muly.
Retreat is sounded through our Camp, & now
[Page] From battells furie cease our conquering Moores,
Paie thankes to heauen with sacrificing fire,
Alcazar and ye townes of Barbarie.
Now hast thou sit as in a trance and seene,
To thy soules ioy and honor of thy house,
The trophes and the triumphs of thy men,
Great Abdilmelec and the God of kings,
Hath made thy warre succesfull by thy right,
His friends whom death and fates hath tane from thee,
Lo this was he that was the peoples pride,
And cheerfull Sun-shine to his subiects all,
Now haue him hence, that roially he may
Be buried and imbalmd, as is meete.
Zareo, haue you thorough the campe proclaimd
As earst we gaue in charge?
Zareo.
We haue my Lorde, and rich rewardes proposde
For them that finde the bodie of the king,
For by those gard that had him in their charge,
We vnderstand that he was done to death,
And for his search two prisoners Portugals
Are set at large to finde their roiall king.
Muly Mah.
But of the traitrous Moore you heare no newes.
That fled the field and sought to swim the foord?
Zareo.
Not yet my Lord, but doubtlesse God wil tell
And with his finger point out where he hants.
Muly Mah.
So let it rest, and on this earth bestow
This princely coarse, till further for his funerals
We prouide.
Zareo.
From him to thee as true succeeding prince,
With all allegeance, and with honors tipes,
In name of all thy people and thy land,
We giue this kingly crowne and diademe.
Muly.
We thanke you all, and as my lawfull right,
[Page] With Gods defence and yours shall I keepe.
Enter two Portugals with the bodie of the king.
Port.
As gaue your grace in charge, right roiall prince,
The fields and sandie plaines we haue suruaide,
And euen among the thickest of his Lords,
The noble king of Portugall we found
Wrapt in his coulours coldly on the earth,
And done to death with many a mortall wound.
Mah.
Lo here my Lords, this is the earth and claie,
Of him that earst was mightie king of Portugall,
There let him lie, and you for this be free,
To make returne from hence to christendome.
Enter two bringing in the Moore.
One.
Long liue the mightie king of Barbary.
Mah.
Welcome my friend, what bodie hast thou there?
One.
The bodie of the ambitious enemie,
That squandred all this bloud in Affrica,
Whose mallice sent so many soules to hell,
The traitor Muly Mahamet doo I bring,
And for thy slaue I throw him at thy feet.
Mah.
Zareo giue this man a rich reward,
And thanked be the God of iust reuenge,
That he hath giuen our foe into our hands,
Beastly, vnarmed, slauish, full of shame,
But saie, how came this traitor to his end?
One,
Seeking to saue his life by shamefull flight,
He mounteth on a hot Barbarian horse,
And so in purpose to haue past the streame,
His headstrong stead throwes him from out his seate,
Where diuing oft for lacke of skill to swim,
[Page] It was my chance alone to see him drownd.
Whom by the heeles I dragd from out the poole,
And hether haue him brought thus filde with mud.
Mah.
A death too good for such a damned wretch,
But sith our rage and rigor of reuenge,
By violence of his end preuented is,
That all the world may learne by him to auoide,
To hall on princes to iniurious warre,
His skin we will be parted from his flesh,
And being stifned out and stuft with strawe,
So to deterre and feare the lookers on.
From anie such soule fact or bad attempt,
Awaie with him.
And now my Lords, for this christian king,
My Lord Zareo, let it be your charge,
To see the souldiers tread a solempne march.
Trailing their pikes and Ensignes on the ground,
So to performe the princes funeralls.
Here endeth the tragicall battell of Alcazar.