THE

MOURNING BRIDE.

ACT I. SCENE I.

A room of fate. The curtain rifing flowly to foft mufic, difcovers ALMERIA in mourning, LEONORA waiting in mourning.

After the mufic, ALMERIA rifes from her chair, and comes forward.

Almeria.

MUSIC has charms to footh a favage breaft,
To foften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.
I've read, that things inanimate have mov❜d,
And, as with living fouls, have been inform'd
By magic numbers and perfuafive found.
What then am I? Am I more senseless grown
Than trees or flint? O, force of conftant woe!
'Tis not in harmony to calm my griefs.
Anfelmo fleeps, and is at peace; laft night
The filent tomb receiv'd the good old king;

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THE MOURNING BRIDE.

He and his forrows now are fafely lodg'd
Within its cold, but hofpitable, bofom.
Why am not I at peace?

Leon. Dear Madam, cease,

ACT I.

Or moderate your grief; there is no caufeAlm. No caufe! Peace, peace; there is eternal caufe,

And mifery eternal will fucceed.

Thou canst not tell-thou haft indeed no caufe.

Leon. Believe me, Madam, I lament Anfelmo,
And always did compaffionate his fortune;
Have often wept, to fee how cruelly
Your father kept in chains his fellow-king:

And oft, at night, when all have been retir'd,
Have ftol'n from bed, and to his prison crept ;
Where, while his gaoler flept, 1 thro' the grate
Have foftly whisper'd, and enquir'd his health;
Sent in my fighs and pray'rs for his deliv'rance;
For fighs and pray'rs were all that I could offer.

Alm. Indeed thou haft a foft and gentle nature;
That thus could melt to see a stranger's wrongs.
Oh, Leonora, hadft thou known Anfelmo
How wou'd thy heart have bled to fee his fufferings !
Thou hadft no caufe, but general compaffion.

Leon. Love of my royal mistress gave me cause; My love of you begot my grief for him; For I had heard, that when the chance of war Had blefs'd Anfelmo's arms with victory, And the rich fpoil of all the field, and you, The glory of the whole, were made the prey Of his fuccefs; "that then, in fpite of hate, Revenge, and that hereditary feud

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"Between Valentia's and Granada's kings,"
He did endear himself to your affection,
By all the worthy and indulgent ways
His most induftrious goodness could invent;
Propofing, by a match between Alphonfo
His fon, the brave Valentian prince, and you,
To end the long diffention, and unite
The jarring crowns.

"Alm. Alphonfo! O, Alphonfo!

"Thou too art quiet-long haft been at peace"Both, both-father and fon are now no more. "Then why am I? Oh, when shall I have reft? Why do I live to say you are no more?

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Why are all these things thus ?—Is it of force? "Is there neceflity I must be miferable?

"Is it of moment to the peace of Heav'n,

"That I fhould be afflicted thus ?—If not,

Why is it thus contriv'd? Why are things laid "By fome unfeen hand, fo, as of fure confequence,

They must to me bring curses, grief of heart, "The last distress of life, and fure despair?

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"Leon. Alas! you fearch too far, and think too deeply."

Alm. Why was I carried to Anfelmo's court?

Or there, why was I us'd fo tenderly?

Why not ill-treated, like an enemy?

For fo my father would have us'd his child.

Oh, Alphonfo, Alphonfo!

Devouring feas have wash'd thee from my fight.

No time fhall raze thee from my memory;
No, I will live to be thy monument:
The cruel ocean is no more thy tomb:

My grief has hurry'd me beyond all though I would have kept that fecret; though I kn Thy love, and faith to me deserve all confide "But 'tis the wretch's comfort ftill to have "Some fmall referve of near and inward w "Some unfufpected hoard of darling grief, Which they unfeen may wail, and weep, an "And, glutton-like, alone devour.

Leon. Indeed,

"I knew not this.

Alm. Oh, no, thou know'ft not half, "Know'ft nothing of my forrows-if thou di "If I fhould tell thee, would'ft thou pity me "Tell me; I know thou would'ft; thou a paffionate."

Leon. Witnefs thefe tears

"Alm. I thank thee, Leonora―― "Indeed I do, for pitying thy fad mistress : "For 'tis, alas! the poor prerogative "Of greatness to be wretched, and unpitied"But I did promise I would tell thee-What "My miferies! Thou doft already know 'em "And when I told thee thou didft nothing k "It was because thou didst not know Alphonfo "For to have known my lofs, thou must have kr "His worth, his truth, and tenderness of love."

Leon. The memory of that brave prince ftands fair

In all report

And I have heard imperfectly his lofs;
But, fearful to renew your troubles past,
I never did presume to ask the story.

Alm. If for my fwelling heart I can, I'll tell
thee.

I was a welcome captive in Valentia,
E'en on the day when Manuel, my father,
Led on his conqu'ring troops high as the gates
Of king Anfelmo's palace; which, in rage,
And heat of war, and dire revenge, he fir'd.
The good king, flying to avoid the flames,
Started amidst his foes, and made captivity
His fatal refuge-Would that I had fall'n
Amidft thofe flames-but 'twas not fo decreed.
Alphonfo, who forefaw my father's cruelty,
Had borne the queen and me on board a ship
Ready to fail; and when this news was brought 120
We put to fea; but being betray'd by fome
Who knew our flight, we clofely were purfu'd,
And almoft taken; when a fudden storm

Drove us, and those that follow'd, on the coaft
Of Afric: There our veffel ftruck the shore
And bulging 'gainst a rock, was dash'd in pieces ;
But Heav'n fpar'd me for yet much more affliction !
Conducting them who follow'd us, to fhun
The fhore, and fave me floating on the waves,
While the good queen and my Alphonfo perish'd.
Leon. Alas! were you then wedded to Alphonfo?