DRAMATIS PERSONE.

SPANIARDS.

GONSALVO, Governor of a Spanish Fort.

FERNANDEZ, his Son.

FLORIO, Lover of Almanza.

PEREZ and GASPRO, Attendants of the Governor.

ABDALLAH, a Slave of the Governor.

ALMANZA, the Governor's Daughter.

INDIANS.

RAYMOND, an Englishman, but naturalized among the Creeks, and their Leader.

POTOWMAK, } Discontented Creeks.

TELICO,

Other Creeks.

Zos, Wife to Raymond.

Time, the Performance.

THE INDIANS.

Scene, the Governor's House.

Gov. (With a letter in his hand.) This stubborn girl still thwarts my great design,

And stands between me and my monarch's smile.
Almanza! Florio has bewitch'd her, sure;

Taught her to mock a father's dull commands,
And give up all for love. Almanza!

Enter ALMANZA.

Alm. Sir.

Gov. Why came you not at first?

Alm. I beg your pardon,

If I have made you wait, sir.

Gov. You could not hear;

You were all eye to follow Florio.

I mark'd you but no more such foolery.
Dispatches from our court arrived last night,
In which our monarch rates my service high,
And promises, if I fulfil his wishes

But you shall hear him speak.

(Reads.) "Above all things gain over the Indian chief. If fair means will not bribe him, he must be dealt with accordingly. Remove this obstacle to our nation's glory, and reckon upon the generosity of Philip."

Now listen, and observe me. This proud chief
Laughs at our proffer'd friendship-spurns our gold:
Fear then alone remains. This very hour
We were, by mutual consent, to meet,

And fix our boundaries. I've plac'd an ambush,

Which, as he passes

-You may guess

the rest:

He is, ere this, my prisoner.

Alm. Oh, my father,

Think you that Indian friendship can be bought

With Spanish perfidy?

Gov. I will make him ours:

The rest depends on thee.

Alm. On me, my father?

Gov. Ay, girl, on thee. Well

(To a Messenger who enters.)

Mess. The Indian chief, my liege.

Enter RAYMOND as prisoner, and Spaniards.
Raym. Is this your governor ?

I pray you, sir, chastise your vassals here:

I have rebuk'd them, but they heed not me.
The foul-mouth'd rogues report that by your order
I am brought pris'ner here. It cannot be,
That in defiance of all public faith,

And the most solemn pledge 'twixt man and man,
You have surpriz'd me. Oh, I see 'tis false;
Your kindling cheek disowns the foul aspersion,
And blushes for this outrage of your slaves.

Gov. (To the Attendants.) Retire.

Go you, Almanza, to your chamber. [Exit ALMANZA. 'Tis by my orders you are here.

Raym. Indeed!

I then beg pardon of those humble knaves,

And thank you for this high-born courtesy.

Gov. You are too quick, sir.

master

Raym. Did he bid thee do it?

The great king, my

Gov. Again you are too warm.

master,

The king, my

Feels much good-will toward the Indian tribes.
Raym. And takes this royal mode of shewing it.
Gov. There was no other. Oft by friendly means

I've tried to bring us face to face; but still
You scorn'd my proffer'd love.

Raym. I scorn it still.

Is there no corner of the peopled earth
But ye must come to ravage? No small spot-
No sea-encircled nook, where man may rest,
But sordid gain, and bloody bigotry,

Must spoil his poor inheritance. Shame, shame!
You have a country blest to overflowing

With all the prodigality of nature:

Your palaces, your buildings, and your pomp
Of dress and equipage, fatigue the eye;

The daintiest viands crown your social boards;
Fruits that still ripen beneath golden suns;
Quick sparkling wine, that dances in the eye;
And women
ah, how lovely! Yet, shame, shame!
You leave the harvest all unreap'd at home,
To glean the scanty produce of our wastes;
And, like an envious churl, grasping at all,
Whose eye still hungers, tho' his hands are full,
Quit the encumb'ring fleeces of your flocks,
To shear the poor man's lamb.

Gov. With what an eye

You look upon our purposes! We came

To enrich, and not impoverish this domain.

Raym. Yes, as the bee brings honey to the flower,