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Tan. Dare not to touch it, traitor, lest my rage Break loose, and do a deed that misbecomes me.

Enter SIFFREDI.

Sif. My gracious lord, what is it I behold!
My sovereign in contention with his subjects}
Heavens! can your highness

From your exalted character descend,
Unkindly thus disturb the sweet repose,
The sacred peace of families, for which
Alone the free-born race of man to laws
And government submitted?

Tan. My Lord Siffredi,

Spare thy rebuke. The duties of my station
Are not to me unknown. But thou, old man,
Dost thou not blush to talk of rights invaded,
And of our best, our dearest, bliss disturb'd?
Thou, who with more than barbarous perfidy,
Hast trampled all allegiance, justice, truth,
Humanity itself, beneath thy feet?

Thou know'st thou hast.-I could to thy confusion
Return thy hard reproaches; but I spare thee
Before this lord, for whose ill-sorted friendship
Thou hast most basely sacrificed thy daughter.
Farewell, my lord.-For thee, Lord Constable,
Who dost presume to lift thy surly eye
To my soft love, my gentle Sigismunda,
I once again command thee, on thy life-
Yes-chew thy rage-but mark me—on thy life,
No further urge thy arrogant pretensions!
[Exit TANCREd.
Osm. Ha! arrogant pretensions! Heaven and earth!

What! arrogant pretensions to my wife?
My wedded wife!-Where are we? in a land
Of civil rule, of liberty, and laws?—

Not, on my life, pursue them!-Giddy prince!
My life disdains thy nod. It is the gift

Of parent Heaven, who gave me too an arm,
A spirit to defend it against tyrants.

Mine is a common cause. My arm shall guard,
Mix'd with my own, the rights of each Sicilian.
Ere to thy tyrant rage they fall a prey,

I shall find means to shake thy tottering throne,
And crush thee in the ruins!-

Constantia is my queen!

Sif. Lord Constable,

Let us be stedfast in the right; but let us
Act with cool prudence, and with manly temper,
As well as manly firmness.

I know the king; at first, his passions burst
Quick as the lightning's flash, but in his breast
Honour and justice dwell.-Trust me, to reason
He will return.

Osm. He will!-By Heavens, he shall!—
You know the king-I wish, my Lord Siffredi,
That you had deign'd to tell me all you knew.—
And would you have me wait, with duteous patience,
Till he return to reason? Ye just powers!
When he has planted on our necks his foot,
And trod us into slaves; when his vain pride
Is cloy'd with our submission.

No, no, my lord! there is a nobler way
To teach the blind oppressive Fury reason:
Oft has the lustre of avenging steel

Unseal'd her stupid eyes.-The sword is reason!—

Enter RODOLPHO, with GUARDS.

Rod. My Lord High Constable of Sicily, In the King's name, and by his special order, I here arrest you prisoner of state.

Osm. What king? I know no King of Sicily, Unless he be the husband of Constantia.

Rod. Then know him now -behold his royal orders,

To bear you to the castle of Palermo.

Sif. Let the big torrent foam its madness off. Submit, my lord-No castle long can hold

Our wrongs.-This, more than friendship or alliance, Confirms me thine; this binds me to thy fortunes, By the strong tie of common injury,

Which nothing can dissolve.-I grieve, Rodolpho, To see the reign in such unhappy sort

Begin.

Osm. The reign?-The usurpation, call it! This meteor king may blaze a while, but soon Must spend his idle terrors.-Sir, lead on Farewell, my lord-more than my life and fortune, Remember well, is in your hands-my honour!

Sif. Our honour is the same. My son, farewellWe shall not long be parted.-On these eyes Sleep shall not shed his balm, till I behold thee Restored to freedom, or partake thy bonds. [Exeunt.

ACT THE FIFTH.

SCENE I.

A Chamber.

SIFFREDI, alone.

Sif. The prospect lowers around. I found the king Inexorably fix'd, whate'er the risk,

To claim my daughter, and dissolve the marriage.I have embark'd, upon a perilous sea,

A mighty treasure; and I only faster rush

Upon the desperate evils I would shun.
Whate'er the motive be, deceit, I fear,
And harsh unnatural force, are not the means
Of public welfare, or of private bliss.-

Bear witness, Heaven, thou mind-inspecting eye!
My breast is pure. I have preferr'd my duty,
The good and safety of my fellow-subjects,
To all those views that fire the selfish race
Of mortal men, and mix them in eternal broils.

Enter an OFFICER belonging to SIFfredi.

Off. My lord, a man of noble port, his face Wrapp'd in disguise, is earnest for admission. Sif. Go, bid him enter

Ha! wrapp'd in disguise!

And at this unseasonable hour!

[Exit OFFICER.

Enter OSMOND, discovering himself.

What! ha!-Earl Osmond, you?-Welcome, once

more,

To this glad roof!

Would I could hope the king exceeds his promise!
I have his faith, soon as to-morrow's sun
Shall gild Sicilia's cliffs, you shall be free.-
Has some good angel turn'd his heart to justice?
Osm. It is not by the favour of Count Tancred
That I am here. As much I scorn his favour,
As I defy his tyranny and threats-

Our friend Goffredo, who commands the castle,
On my parole, ere dawn to render back
My person, has permitted me this freedom.
Know, then, the faithless outrage of to-day,
By him committed whom you call the king,
Has roused Constantia's court. Our friends, the friends
Of virtue, justice, and of public faith,

Ripe for revolt, are in high ferment all.
I thence of you, as guardian of the laws,
As guardian of this will, to you entrusted,
Desire, nay more, demand your instant aid,
To see it put in vigorous execution.

Sif. You cannot doubt, my lord, of my concur

rence;

But let us not precipitate the matter.

Constantia's friends are numerous and strong;
Yet Tancred's, trust me, are of equal force:
Oh, let us join,

My generous Osmond, to avert these woes,
And yet sustain our tottering Norman kingdom!
Osm. But how, Siffredi, how? -If by soft means
We can maintain our rights, and save our country,
May his unnatural blood first stain the sword,
Who with unpitying fury first shall draw it!
Sif. I have a thought-The glorious work be thine.
Suppose my daughter, to her God devoted,
Were placed within some convent's sacred
Beneath the dread protection of the altar-
Osm. Ere then, by Heavens! I would
Turn whining monk myself,

And pray

incessant for the tyrant's safety.What!-How! because an insolent invader, A sacrilegious tyrant, demands my wifeWhat! shall I tamely yield her

up,

Even in the manner you propose?

verge,

-Oh, then I were supremely vile! degraded ! shamed! The scorn of manhood! and abhorr'd of honour! Sif. There is, my lord, an honour, the calm child Of reason, of humanity, and mercy.

Osm. My lord, my lord, I cannot brook your prudence ;

It holds a pulse unequal to my blood-
Unblemish'd honour is the flower of virtue !
The vivifying soul! and he who slights it,
Will leave the other dull and lifeless dross.

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