_As the music plays a soft air, the curtain rises slowly, and discovers an Indian Boy and Girl sleeping under two plantain-trees; and, when the curtain is almost up, the music turns into a tune expressing an alarm, at which the Boy awakes, and speaks; _Boy_. WAKE, wake, Quevira! our soft rest must cease, And fly together with our country's peace! No more must we sleep under plantain shade, Which neither heat could pierce, nor cold invade; Where bounteous nature never feels decay, And opening buds drive falling fruits away. _Que_. Why should men quarrel here, where all possess As much as they can hope for by success?-- None can have most, where nature is so kind, As to exceed man's use, though not his mind. _Boy_. By ancient prophecies we have been told, Our world shall be subdued by one more old;-- And, see, that world already hither come. _Que_. If these be they, we welcome then our doom! Their looks are Such, that mercy flows from thence, More gentle than our native innocence. _Boy_. Why should we then fear these, our enemies, That rather seem to us like deities? _Que_. By their protection, let us beg to live; They came not here to conquer, but forgive.-- If so, your goodness may your power express, And we shall judge both best by our success. DRAMATIS PERSONAE _The Inca of Peru_. MONTEZUMA, _his General_. ACACIS, _son to_ ZEMPOALLA. TRAXALLA, _General to_ ZEMPOALLA. GARUCCA, _a faithful subject to_ AMEXIA. _The God of Dreams_. ISMERON, _one of the prophets, a conjuror_. _Officers and Soldiers. Peruvians and Mexicans. Priests_. AMEXIA, _the lawful queen of Mexico_. ZEMPOALLA, _the usurping Indian Queen_. ORAZIA,_daughter to the Inca_. _Attendants of Ladies_. THE INDIAN QUEEN. ACT I. SCENE I. _Enter Inca,_ ORAZIA, MONTEZUMA, ACACIS, _prisoners, with Peruvians_. _Inca_. Thrice have the Mexicans before us fled, Their armies broke, their prince in triumph led; Both to thy valour, brave young man, we owe; Ask thy reward, but such as it may show It is a king thou hast obliged, whose mind Is large, and, like his fortune, unconfined. _Mont_. Young, and a stranger, to your court I came, There, by your favour, raised to what I am: I conquer, but in right of your great fate, And so your arms, not mine, are fortunate. _Inca_. I am impatient, till this debt be paid. Which still encreases on me while delayed; A bounteous monarch to himself is kind: Ask such a gift as may for ever bind Thy service to my empire, and to me. _Mont_. What can this gift, he bids me ask him, be! Perhaps he has perceived our mutual fires, And now, with ours, would crown his own desires; 'Tis so, he sees my service is above All other payments but his daughter's love. [_Aside_. _Inca_. So quick to merit, and to take so slow? I first prevent small wishes, and bestow This prince, his sword and fortunes, to thy hand; He's thine unasked; now make thy free demand. _Mont_. Here, prince, receive this sword, as only due [_Gives_ ACACIS _his sword_.