The Works of Aphra Behn Volume Ii Part 1

The Works of Aphra Behn.

by Aphra Behn.

ARGUMENT.

The old King of Spain, having conquered Fez and killed the Moorish monarch, has taken the orphaned prince Abdelazer under his protection and in time made him General. Abdelazer, though always courageous, has the desire of revenge ever uppermost, and to gain influence, rather than from any love, he becomes the Queen's paramour. She, being a l.u.s.tful and wicked woman, joins with the Moor in poisoning her husband, at whose death Philip, her second son, newly returned victor from a martial expedition, leaving his army at some distance, rushes in mad with rage and publicly accuses his mother of adultery with Abdelazer. She is greatly incensed, but Cardinal Mendozo, as Protector of the King, promptly banishes her gallant. The young King Ferdinand, however, to please Florella, the Moor's wife, whom he loves, revokes this decree.

Abdelazer, in revenge, next orders his native officer Osmin to kill Philip and the Cardinal. They escape by night disguised as monks, whilst Abdelazer alarms the castle with cries of treason and tells the King that Philip and the Cardinal are plotting to murder him. Ferdinand orders Abdelazer to follow them, intending to visit Florella during her husband's absence. Abdelazer, fully aware of his plan, out of pride and mischief furnishes Florella with a dagger, bidding her stab the King if he persists in his suit. Elvira, the Queen Mother's confidante, Watches the King enter Florella's apartment and conveys the news to her Mistress who, with dissembled reluctance, informs Alonzo, the Moor's brother-in-law. Florella resists the King's solicitations and produces the dagger threatening to stab herself. At this juncture the Queen rushes in and, feigning to think that Florella was about to attempt the King's life, kills her. Her motive for this deed is, in reality, jealousy.

Whilst the King falls weeping at his dead mistress' feet Abdelazer enters, and in the ensuing fight Ferdinand is slain. Philip is then proclaimed King, but Abdelazer announcing he is a b.a.s.t.a.r.d, an avowal backed by the Queen, declares himself Protector of Spain, Overpowered by his following, The lords accept him. Alonzo, however, flies to Philip's camp with the tidings. A battle between the two parties follows, but the Queen treacherously detaches Mendozo, who loves her, from Philip, and although the Moors are at first beaten back they now gain the advantage and Philip is captured. At a general a.s.sembly of the n.o.bles the Queen relates the false tale of Philip's illegitimacy and a.s.serts that the Cardinal is his father. She privately bids Mendozo acknowledge this and so gain the crown, but he refuses to support the lie and is promptly arrested as a traitor. Abdelazer now brings forward the Infanta Leonora and proclaims her Queen of Spain, He next disposes of the Queen Mother by bidding Roderigo, a creature of his own, a.s.sa.s.sinate her forthwith. Roderigo gains admittance disguised as a friar and stabs her, upon which Abdelazer, to screen himself, rushes in and cuts him down. He next openly declares his love for Leonora and is about to force her when Osmin, his officer, enters to inform him that Alonzo, to whom Leonora is affianced, has resisted arrest but is at last secured. Abdelazer, enraged at the interruption, wounds Osmin in the arm. Leonora pities the blow; and the Moorish soldier, deeply hurt at the insult, resolves to betray his master. He accordingly goes to the prison where Philip, the Cardinal, and Alonzo are confined, and killing his fellow Zarrack who was to have been their executioner, sets them free. When Abdelazer enters he finds himself entrapped. He glories, however, in his crimes, and as they set on him kills Osmin, himself falling dead in the melee. The Cardinal is forgiven, Leonora and Alonzo are united, whilst Philip ascends the throne.

SOURCE.

_Abdelazer; or, the Moor's Revenge_ is an alteration of the robustious _l.u.s.t's Dominion; or, the _Lascivious Queen_, printed 12mo, 1657, and then attributed to Marlowe, who was certainly not the author. It is now generally identified with _The Spanish Moor's Tragedy_ by Dekker (Haughton and Day, 1600), although, as Fleay justly says, there is 'an under-current of pre-Shakespearean work' unlike either Dekker or Day.

There are marked crudities of form and a rough conduct of plot which stamp it as of very early origin. Probably it was emended and pruned by the three collaborators.

Although often keeping close to her original, Mrs. Behn has dealt with the somewhat rude material in a very apt and masterly way: she has, to advantage, omitted the old King, Emanuel, King of Portugal, Alvero, father to Maria (Florella), and the two farcical friars, Crab and Cole; she adds Elvira, and whereas in _l.u.s.t's Dominion_ the Queen at the conclusion is left alive, declaiming:--

'I'll fly unto some solitary residence When I'll spin out the remnant of my life In true contrition for my past offences.'--

Mrs. Behn far more dramatically kills her Isabella. Perhaps the famous a.s.sa.s.sination of Henri III of France by the Dominican, Jacques Clement, gave a hint for Roderigo masqued as a monk.

The s.e.xual pa.s.sion, the predominance of which in this tragedy a recent critic has not a little carpingly condemned, is entirely natural in such an untamed savage as Abdelazer, whilst history affords many a parallel to the lascivious Queen.

THEATRICAL HISTORY.

_Abdelazer; or, The Moor's Revenge_ was first produced at the Duke's Theatre in Dorset Garden during the late autumn of 1677. It was supported by a strong cast, and Betterton, whose Oth.e.l.lo, Steele--writing exquisitely in the _Tatler_--seems to have considered artistically quite perfect, was no doubt n wonderful representative of the ferocious Afric.

The effective role of Queen Isabella fell to Mrs. Mary Lee, the first tragedienne of the day, Mrs. Marshall, the leading lady of the King's Company, having at this time just retired from the stage. [Footnote: Her last role was Berenice in Crowne's heroic tragedy, _The Destruction of Jerusalem_ (1677).] It is interesting to notice that Mrs. Barry on her way to fame played the secondary part of Leonora.

_Abdelazer_ seems to have met with good success, and on Easter Monday, April, 1695, the patentees, after the secession of Betterton, Mrs. Barry, Mrs. Bracegirdle and their following to Lincoln's Inn Fields, chose the tragedy to reopen Drury Lane. The Moor was played by George Powell, a vigorous and pa.s.sionate actor, who also spoke a new prologue written for the nonce by Cibber, then a mere struggler in the ranks. Colley's verses were accepted at the eleventh hour in default of better, and he tells us how chagrined he was not to be allowed to deliver them in person. The house was very full the first day, but on the morrow it was empty, probably owing to the inexperience of many of the actors and a too hasty rehearsing of the play.

On the stage _Abdelazer_ was superseded by Edward Young's _The Revenge_, a tragedy largely borrowed in theme and design from Mrs. Behn, with reminiscences of _Oth.e.l.lo_. Produced at Drury Lane, 18 April, 1721, with Mills, Booth, Wilks, Mrs. Porter and Mrs. Horton in the cast, it attained considerable success, and Zanga, the Moor, was long a favourite part with our greatest actors even down to the days of Kean, who excelled in it, and Macready. _The Revenge_ is not without merit, and it stands out well before the lean and arid tragedies of its time, but this, unfortunately, is not much to say. It is not for a moment to be compared with the magnificent tapestry of _Abdelazer_, woven though the latter may be in colours strong and daring.

ABDELAZER; or, The Moor's Revenge.

PROLOGUE.

_Gallants, you have so long been absent hence, That you have almost cool'd your Diligence; For while we study or revive a Play, You, like good Husbands, in the Country stay, There frugally wear out your Summer Suit, And in Prize Jerkin after Beagles toot; Or, in Montero-Caps, at Feldfares shoot.

Nay, some are so obdurate in their Sin, That they swear never to come up again, But all their Charge of Clothes and Treat retrench, To Gloves and Stockings for some Country Wench: Even they, who in the Summer had Mishaps, Send up to Town for Physick for their Claps.

The Ladies too are as resolved as they, And having Debts unknown to them, they stay, And with the Gain of Cheese and Poultry pay.

Even in their Visits, they from Banquets fall, To entertain with Nuts and Bottle-Ale; And in Discourse with Secresy report State-News, that past a Twelve-month since at Court.

Those of them who are most refind, and gay, Now learn the Songs of the last Summer's Play: While the young Daughter does in private mourn, Her Lovers in Town, and hopes not to return.

These Country Grievances too great appear: But cruel Ladies, we have greater here; You come not sharp, as you are wont, to Plays; But only on the first and second Days: This made our Poet, in her Visits, look What new strange Courses, for your time you took, And to her great Regret she found too soon, d.a.m.n'd Beasts and Ombre spent the Afternoon; So that we cannot hope to see you here Before the little Net-work Purse be clear.

Suppose you should have Luck-- Yet sitting up so late, as I am told, You'll lose in Beauty what you win in Gold: And what each Lady of another says, Will make you new Lampoons, and us new Plays.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE.

MEN.

_Ferdinand_, a young King of Spain, in love with _Florella_. Mr. _Harris_.

_Philip_, his Brother. Mr. _Smith_.

_Akdelazer_, the Moor. Mr. _Betterton_.

_Mendozo_, Prince Cardinal, in love with the Queen. Mr. _Medburn_.

_Alonzo_, a young n.o.bleman of _Spain_, contracted to _Leonora_. Mr. _Crasbie_.

_Roderigo_, a Creature to the Moor, Mr. _Norris_.

_Antonio_, _Sebastian_, Two Officers of _Phillip's_. Mr. _John Lee_.

_Osmin_, Mr. _Percivall_.

_Zarrack_, Moors and Officers to _Abdelazer_. Mr. _Richards_.

_Ordonio_, a Courtier.

A Swain, and Shepherds.

Courtiers, Officers, Guards, Soldiers, Moors, Pages, and Attendants.

WOMEN.

_Isabella_, Queen of _Spain_, Mother to _Ferdinand_ and _Philip_, in love with _Abdelazer_. Mrs. _Lee_.

_Leonora_, her Daughter, Sister to _Ferdinand_ and _Philip_. Mrs. _Barrey_.

_Florella_, Wife to _Abdelazer_, and Sister to Mrs. _Betterton_.

_Alonzo_.

_Elvira_, Woman to the Queen. Mrs. _Osborne_.

A Nymph, and Shepherdesses.

Other Women Attendants.

SCENE _Spain_, and in the Camp.

ACT I.

SCENE I. _A rich Chamber_.

_A Table with Lights_, Abdelazer _sullenly leaning his Head on his Hands: after a little while, still Musick plays_.

SONG.