Leader. Yet the remembrancing did sound right

filial.

R. Kiu. A holy name and words of natural duty Are blasted by a thankless traitor's utterance.

Cas. O hear me, sire! not lightly have I sworn Homage to Emerick. Illyria's sceptre Demands a manly hand, a warrior's grasp. The queen Zapolya's self-expected offspring At least is doubtful: and of all our nobles, The king inheriting his brother's heart,

Hath honoured us the most. Your rank, my lord! Already eminent, is-all it can be

Confirmed: and me the king's grace hath appointed Chief of his council and the lord high steward.

R. Kiu. (Bought by a bribe!) I know thee now still less.

Cas. So much of Raab Kiuprili's blood flows here, That no power, save that holy name of father, Could shield the man who so dishonoured me.

R. Kiu. The son of Raab Kiuprili a bought bondslave,

Guilt's pander, treason's mouth-piece, a gay parrot, School'd to shrill forth his feeder's usurped titles, And scream, long live king Emerick!

Leaders.

Aye, king Emerick !

Stand back, my lord! Lead us, or let us pass.
Soldier. Nay, let the general speak!

Soldiers.

R. Kiu.

Hear him! hear him!

Assembled lords and warriors of Illyria,

Hear me,

Hear, and avenge me!

Twice ten years have I
Stood in your presence, honoured by the king;
Beloved and trusted. Is there one among you
Accuses Raab Kiuprili of a bribe,

Or one false whisper in his sovereign's ear?
Who here dares charge me with an orphan's rights
Outfaced, or widow's plea left undefended?
And shall I now be branded by a traitor,

A bought, bribed wretch, who, being called my son,
Doth libel a chaste matron's name, and plant
Henbane and aconite on a mother's grave?
The underling accomplice of a robber,
That from a widow and a widow's offspring
Would steal their heritage? To God a rebel,
And to the common father of his country
A recreant ingrate!

Cas.

Sire! your words grow dangerous. High-flown romantic fancies ill-beseem

Your age and wisdom. "Tis a statesman's virtue,
To guard his country's safety by what means
It best may be protected-come what will

Of these monk's morals!

R. Kiu. (aside.)

Ha! the elder Brutus

Made his soul iron, though his sons repented;

They boasted not their baseness. [draws his sword.

Infamous changeling;

Recant this instant, and swear loyalty,

And strict obedience to thy sovereign's will;
Or, by the spirit of departed Andreas,

Thou diest

[Chiefs, &c. rush to interpose; during the tumult,

enter Emerick, alarmed.

Eme. Call out the guard!

assassin.

Kiuprili? Ha!

Ragozzi! seize the

[making signs to the guard to retire. Pass on, friends! to the palace.

[Music recommences.-The procession passes into the palace.

Eme. What? Raab Kiuprili? What? a father's

sword

Against his own son's breast?

R. Kiu.

"Twould best excuse him Were he thy son, prince Emerick. I abjure him.

Eme. This is my thanks, then, that I have commenced

A reign to which the free voice of the nobles
Hath called me, and the people, by regards
Of love and grace to Raab Kiuprili's house?
R. Kiu. What right hadst thou, prince Emerick,
to bestow them?

Eme. By what right dares Kiuprili question me?
R. Kiu. By a right common to all loyal subjects-
To me a duty! As the realm's co-regent
Appointed by our sovereign's last free act,
Writ by himself.-(Grasping the Patent.)
Eme. Aye!-writ in a delirium!

R. Kiu. I likewise ask, by whose authority The access to the sovereign was refused me? Eme. By whose authority dared the general leave

His camp and army, like a fugitive?

R. Kiu. A fugitive, who, with victory for his

comrade,

Ran, open-eyed, upon the face of death!

A fugitive, with no other fear, than bodements
To be belated in a loyal purpose—

At the command, prince! of my king and thine,
Hither I came; and now again require

Audience of queen Zapolya; and (the States
Forthwith convened) that thou dost show at large,
On what ground of defect thou'st dared annul
This thy king's last and solemn act—hast dared
Ascend the throne, of which the law had named,
And conscience should have made thee a protector.
Eme. A sovereign's ear ill brooks a subject's ques-
tioning!

Yet for thy past well-doing-and because

'Tis hard to erase at once the fond belief
Long cherished, that Illyria had in thee
No dreaming priest's slave, but a Roman lover
Of her true weal and freedom-and for this, too,
That, hoping to call forth to the broad day-light
And fostering breeze of glory all deservings,
I still had placed thee foremost.

R. Kiu.

Prince! I listen.

Eme. Unwillingly I tell thee, that Zapolya, Maddened with grief, her erring hopes proved

idle

Cas. Sire! speak the whole truth! Say her fraud detected!

Eme. According to the sworn attests in council Of her physician

R. Kiu. (aside.) Yes! the Jew, Barzoni!

Eme. Under the imminent risk of death she lies, Or irrecoverable loss of reason,

If known friend's face or voice renew the frenzy. Cas. (to Kiuprili.) Trust me, my lord! a woman's trick has duped you—

Us too-but most of all, the sainted Andreas.
Even for his own fair fame, his grace prays hourly
For her recovery, that (the States convened)

She may take counsel of her friends.

Eme. Right, Casimir! Receive my pledge, lord general. It shall stand In her own will to appear and voice her claims; Or (which in truth I hold the wiser course) With all the past passed by, as family quarrels, Let the queen dowager, with unblenched honours, Resume her state, our first Illyrian matron.

R. Kiu. Prince Emerick! you speak fairly, and your pledge too

Is such, as well would suit an honest meaning. Cas. My lord! you scarce know half his grace's goodness.

The wealthy heiress, high-born fair Sarolta,

Bred in the convent of our noble ladies,

Her relative, the venerable abbess,

Hath, at his grace's urgence, wooed and won for me. Eme. Long may the race, and long may that name flourish,