s,
He shows himself to you; to me he stood
Confessed before, and owned his insolence
To espouse my person, and assume the crown,
Claimed in my right; for this, he slew your tyrant;
Oh no! he only changed him for a worse;
Embased your slavery by his own vileness,
And loaded you with more ignoble bonds.
Then think me not ungrateful, not to share
The imperial crown with a presuming traitor.
He says, I am a Christian; true, I am,
But yet no slave: If Christians can be thought
Unfit to govern those of other faith,
'Tis left for you to judge.

_Bend._ I have not patience; she consumes the time
In idle talk, and owns her false belief:
Seize her by force, and bear her thence unheard.

_Alm._ [_To the People._]
No, let me rather die your sacrifice,
Than live his triumph.
I throw myself into my people's arms;
As you are men, compassionate my wrongs,
And, as good men, protect me.

_Ant._ Something must be done to save her. [_Aside to_ MUST.] This is
all addressed to you, sir: she singled you out with her eye, as
commander in chief of the mobility.

_Must._ Think'st thou so, slave Antonio?

_Ant._ Most certainly, sir; and you cannot, in honour, but protect
her: now look to your hits, and make your fortune.

_Must._ Methought, indeed, she cast a kind leer towards me. Our
prophet was but just such another scoundrel as I am, till he raised
himself to power, and consequently to holiness, by marrying his
master's widow. I am resolved I'll put forward for myself; for why
should I be my lord Benducar's fool and slave, when I may be my own
fool and his master?

_Bend._ Take her into possession, Mustapha.

_Must._ That's better counsel than you meant it: Yes, I do take her
into possession, and into protection too. What say you, masters, will
you stand by me?

_Omnes._ One and all, one and all.

_Bend._ Hast thou betrayed me, traitor?--Mufti, speak, and mind them
of religion. [_MUFTI shakes his head._

_Must._ Alas! the poor gentleman has gotten a cold with a sermon of
two hours long, and a prayer of fear; and, besides, if he durst speak,
mankind is grown wiser at this time of day than to cut one another's
throats about religion. Our Mufti's is a green coat, and the
Christian's is a black coat; and we must wisely go together by the
ears, whether green or black shall sweep our spoils.
[_Drums within, and shouts._

_Bend._ Now we shall see whose n