And make me supple for their slavish purpose. [SELIMA comes forward, and kneels to BAJAZET. Sel. My lord! my royal father! Baj. Ha! what art thou? What heavenly innocence! that in a form Sel. Have you forgot me? Your Selima, your daughter whom you lov❜d, To help to wear the tedious minutes out, [Embrace. Baj. Now, by our prophet, if my wounded mind Could know a thought of peace, it would be now: Ev'n from thy prating infancy thou wert My joy, my little angel; smiling comfort Now I'm curs'd Ev'n in thee too. Reproach and infamy Attend the christian dog t' whom thou wert trusted. Receive this second gift, thy beauteous daughter: Baj. Bear back thy fulsome greeting to thy master; For aught besides, it is not worth my care; The giver and his gifts are both beneath me. Ar. Enough of war the wounded earth has known : Oh, sultan! by the Pow'r divine I swear, With joy I would resign the savage trophies In blood and battle gain'd, could I atone The fatal breach 'twixt thee and Tamerlane; And think a soldier's glory well bestow'd To buy mankind a peace. Baj. And what art thou, That dost presume to mediate 'twixt the rage Ar. A prince, born of the noblest, And of a soul that answers to that birth, Sel. Could aught efface the merit Of brave Axalla's name? yet when your daughter Shall tell how well, how nobly she was us'd, How light this gallant prince made all her bondage, Most sure the royal Bajazet will own That honour And when thou couldst descend to take a benefit Rather than taste a mercy from these dogs. Ax. Weep not, lovely maid I swear, f One sigh from thee has made a large amends Baj. Oh, my curst fortune!Am I fall'n'thus low! Dishonour'd to my face! Thou earth born thing! Thou clod! how hast thou dar'd to lift thy eyes Up to the sacred race of mighty Ottoman, Whom kings, whom e'en our prophet's holy offspring At distance have beheld? And what art thou? What glorious titles blazon out thy birth? Thou vile obscurity has! say thou base one. Ax. Thus challeng'd, virtue, modest as she is, Stands up to do herself a common justice: To answer, and assert that inborn merit, you That worth, which conscious to herself she feels. A Were honour to be scann'd by long descent, I From ancestors illustrious, I could, vaunt A lineage of the greatest, and recount, Among my fathers, names of ancient story, Heros and god-like patriots, who subdu'd The world by arms and virtue, and, being Romans, Scornid to be kings; but that be their own praise: Nor will I borrow merit from the dead, s Myself an undeserver, I could proven! My friendship such, as thou might'st deign t' accept With honour, when it comes with friendly office, To render back thy crown, and former greatness; Baj. To me give back what yesterday took from me Would be to give like Heav'n, when having finish'd‚Â This world (the goodly work of his creation) He bid his favourite man be lord of all. But this Ar. Nor is this gift beyond my pow'r. I promise boldly for the royal giver, Mean'st thou to barter? Ha !I tell thee, Christian, Ar. Oh! name the mighty ransom; task my pow'r; Let there be danger, difficulty, death," T' enhance the price. Baj. I take thee at thy word; 19ď of Bring me the Tartar's head. the Axa Ha Baj. Tamerlane's ! That death, that deadly poison to my glory. Baj. And couldst thou hope to bribe me with aught else With a vile peace, patch'd up on slavish terms? No! To merit A recompence for me, sate my revenge. The Tartar is my bane, I cannot bear him: One heav'n and earth can never hold us both; Still shall we hate, and with defiance deadly Keep rage alive, till one be lost for ever: As if two suns should meet in the meridian, And strive in fiery combat for the passage. Weep'st thou, fond girl? Now as thy king, and father, I charge thee, drive this slave from thy remembrance! Hate shall be pious in thee. Come and join །་ To curse thy father's foes. [Laying hold on her Hand, Sel. Undone for ever bodie い Now, tyrant duty, art thou yet obeyed? There is no more to give thee. Oh, Axalla! [BAJAZET leads out SELIMA, she looking back on AXALLA. 0 1 SCENE II. TAMERLANE'S Camp. Enter TAMERLANE and a DERVISE. Tam. Thou bring'st me thy credentials from the From Alla, and our prophet. Speak thy message, Der. Thus speaks our holy Mahomet, who has To reign and conquer: ill dost thou repay The fountain whence thy streams of greatness flow. Tam. Now, as I am a soldier and a king, (The greatest names of honour) do but make Thy imputation out, and Tamerlane Shall do thee ample justice on himself. So much the sacred name of Heaven awes me, Y Der. Yes, thou hast hurt our holy prophet's honour, Tam. I fear me, thou out-go'st the prophet's order, And bring'st his venerable name to shelter A rudeness ill becoming thee to use, Or me to suffer. When thou nam'st my friend, W |