THE GENEROUS MOOR. ACT I. SCENE, The Ruins of the Chriftian Church, at Tangier. Enter Ricardo and Egmond. EGMOND. WITHIN the ruins of this facred dome (By impious men now suffer'd to decay,) We meet fecure. And now relate; why thus I find my friend a captive like myself. RICARDO. Egmond 'tis near nine months I've been a slave, Of woe, 'twould wound thy heart to hear, what I EGMOND. Despair not, brave Ricardo-Time yet may come And bring us great revenge. Elfe doft thou think My foul could brook thefe vile, thefe curfed bonds, In fupple patience? No, I fcorn a life Held in dependance of a tyrant's will; I watch the moment that may give me pow'r Egmond has hopes. Alas, for me! I've none. How art thou chang'd from what I knew thee once! And ease. And canft thou now fupport these chains, Dar'ft not venture for delightful freedom? O Egmond! what is life or liberty To one, that never can have pleasure more? The kind-the friendly hand of death fhall bring. What is thy Leonifa quite forgot? RICARDO. Forgot? O! Egmond, my Leonifa Is no more! She's gone, fhe's fnatch'd for ever From From these widow'd arms! Tell me then, Egmond, What was she forc'd at laft to take the veil ? O no, my friend; her parents, won at length, Forfaken wretch that breathes. Had heav'n been pleas'd To've loaded me with complicated ills, My fmiling family, at night when I had EGMOND. What, are they dead?. RICARDO. Both fuffer'd in my fight! I'll ftrive to stop my tears whilst I unfold, Our Our Royal Mafter call'd me to Madrid; (I little thought for ever) at my blest To the fea, were by a band of pirates Shore, and laugh'd at all their promifes And threats. A faithful fervant mounted my Soon we faw the Moors (for fuch these robbers Heaven (to finish what it had begun) Dafh'd ev'ry hope at once, and fix'd me here To look upon! Excule thefe tears my friend! EGMOND. |