eyes aside;
My feeble hopes in her deserts are lost:
I neither can such power nor beauty boast:
I have no tie upon you to be true,
But that, which loosened yours, my love to you.

_Cort_. Could you have heard my words!

_Cyd_.--Alas, what needs
To hear your words, when I beheld your deeds?

_Cort_. What shall I say? the fate of love is such,
That still it sees too little or too much.
That act of mine, which does your passion move,
Was but a mark of my respect, not love.

_Alm_. Vex not yourself excuses to prepare:
For one, you love not, is not worth your care.

_Cort_. Cruel Almeria, take that life you gave;
Since you but worse destroy me, while you save.

_Cyd_. No, let me die, and I'll my claim resign;
For while I live, methinks, you should be mine.

_Cort_. The bloodiest vengeance, which she could pursue,
Would be a trifle to my loss of you.

_Cyd_. Your change was wise: for, had she been denied,
A swift revenge had followed from her pride:
You from my gentle nature had no fears,
All my revenge is only in my tears.

_Cort_. Can you imagine I so mean could prove,
To save my life by changing of my love?

_Cyd_. Since death is that which naturally we shun,
You did no more than I, perhaps, had done.

_Cort_. Make me not doubt, fair soul, your constancy;
You would have died for love, and so would I.

_Alm_. You may believe him; you have seen it proved.

_Cort_. Can I not gain belief how I have loved?
What can thy ends, malicious beauty, be:
Can he, who kill'd thy brother, live for thee?

[_A noise of clashing of swords_.
[VASQUEZ _within, Indians against him_.

_Vasq_. Yield, slaves, or die; our swords shall force our way.
[_Within_.

_Ind_. We cannot, though o'er-powered, our trust betray.
[_Within_.

_Cort_. 'Tis Vasquez's voice, he brings me liberty.

_Vasq_. In spite of fate I'll set my general free;
[_Within_.
Now victory for us, the town's our own.

_Alm_. All hopes of safety and of love are gone:
As when some dreadful thunder-clap is nigh,
The winged fire shoots swiftly through the sky,
Strikes and consumes, ere scarce it does appear,
And by the sudden ill prevents the fear:
Such is my state in this amazing woe,
It leaves no power to think, much less to do.
--But shall my rival live, shall she enjoy
That love in peace, I laboured to destroy? [_Aside_.

_Cort_. Her looks grow black as a tempestuous wind;
Some raging thoughts are rolling in her mind.

_Alm_. Rival, I must yo