K.  Ferd. At length the time is come, when Spain shall be
From the long yoke of Moorish tyrants free. 
All causes seem to second our design,
And heaven and earth in their destruction join. 
When empire in its childhood first appears,
A watchful fate o’ersees its tender years;
Till, grown more strong, it thrusts and stretches out,
And elbows all the kingdoms round about: 
The place thus made for its first breathing free,
It moves again for ease and luxury;
Till, swelling by degrees, it has possessed
The greater space, and now crowds up the rest;
When, from behind, there starts some petty state,
And pushes on its now unwieldy fate;
Then down the precipice of time it goes,
And sinks in minutes, which in ages rose.

Q.  Isabel. Should bold Columbus in his search succeed,
And find those beds in which bright metals breed;
Tracing the sun, who seems to steal away,
That, miser-like, he might alone survey
The wealth which he in western mines did lay,—­
Not all that shining ore could give my heart
The joy, this conquered kingdom will impart;
Which; rescued from these misbelievers’ hands,
Shall now, at once, shake off its double bands: 
At once to freedom and true faith restored,
Its old religion and its ancient lord.

K.  Ferd. By that assault which last we made, I find,
Their courage is with their success declined: 
Almanzor’s absence now they dearly buy,
Whose conduct crowned their arms with victory.

Alonzo. Their king himself did their last sally guide;
I saw him, glistering in his armour, ride
To break a lance in honour of his bride: 
But other thoughts now fill his anxious breast;
Care of his crown his love has dispossest.

  To them ABDALLA.

Q.  Isabel. But see, the brother of the Moorish king:  He seems some news of great import to bring.

K.  Ferd. He brings a spacious title to our side:  Those, who would conquer, must their foes divide.

Abdal. Since to my exile you have pity shown,
And given me courage yet to hope a throne;
While you without our common foes subdue,
I am not wanting to myself or you;
But have, within, a faction still alive,
Strong to assist, and secret to contrive,
And watching each occasion to foment
The people’s fears into a discontent;
Which, from Almanzor’s loss, before were great,
And now are doubled by their late defeat: 
These letters from their chiefs the news assures.
                                         [Gives letters to the KING.

K.  Ferd. Be mine the honour, but the profit yours.

To them the DUKE OF ARCOS, with OZMYN and BENZAYDA,
Prisoners.

K.  Ferd. That tertia of Italians did you guide, To take their post upon the river side?