SCENE III.--_Morocco. The Court_.

_Enter_ Mullisheg, Bashaw Alcade, _and_ Bashaw Joffer, _with other_ Attendants.

Mullisheg. Out of these bloody and intestine broils We have at length attained a fortunate peace, And now at last established in the throne Of our great ancestors, and reign as King Of Fez and great Morocco.

Alcade. Mighty Mullisheg, Pride of our age and glory of the Moors, By whose victorious hand all Barbary Is conquered, awed, and swayed, behold thy vassals With loud applauses greet thy victory.

[_Shout; flourish_.

Mullisheg. Upon the slaughtered bodies of our foes We mount our high tribunal; and being sole, Without competitor, we now have leisure To stablish laws, first for our kingdom’s safety, The enriching of our public treasury, And last our state and pleasure; then give order That all such Christian merchants as have traffic And freedom in our country, that conceal The least part of our custom due to us, Shall forfeit ship and goods.

Joffer. There are appointed Unto that purpose careful officers.

Mullisheg. Those forfeitures must help to furnish up The exhausted treasure that our wars consumed: Part of such profits as accrue that way We have already tasted.

Alcade. ’Tis most fit Those Christians that reap profit by our land Should contribute unto so great a loss.

Mullisheg. Alcade, they shall.--But what’s the style of king, Without his pleasure? Find us concubines, The fairest Christian damsels you can hire, Or buy for gold; the loveliest of the Moors We can command, and negroes everywhere; Italians, French, and Dutch, choice Turkish girls, Must fill our Alkedavy, the great palace Where Mullisheg now deigns to keep his court.

Joffer. Who else are worthy to be libertines But such as bear the sword?

Mullisheg. Joffer, thou pleasest us. If kings on earth be termèd demigods, Why should we not make here terrestrial Heaven? We can, we will: our God shall be our pleasure; For so our Meccan prophet warrants us. And now the music of the drums surcease; We’ll learn to dance to the soft tunes of peace.

[_Hautboys. Exeunt_.