University of Virginia Library

SCENE, the out Part of the Castle.
Enter Ascanio, Alphonso, Mendoza, Castruchio; Souldiers and the Rabble shooting.
ASCANIO.
Alphonso , Let it be your Care to see
The City Ports well mann'd; you, Mendoza, guard
The Cittadel-Avenues; th'Usurper, drench'd in Blood,
Lies there immur'd—Place so your wilely Toyls,
That he escape us not—And you, Castruchio,
Inspire the People's Minds with just Revenge,
For Wrongs sustain'd—And let our Friends aloud
Cry, Liberty—

OMNES.
—Liberty—Huzzah—Liberty—

CASTRUCHIO.
My Countrymen, 'tis Liberty we fight for,
Nature's Inheritance, the universal Charter
That all Mankind are born to—
Remember, Oh you Men of Naples! think
What you have suffer'd, since you yielded up
Your Native Rights to arbitrary Sway.
Life is a Burthen, when it labours under
Th'oppressive Load of a despotick Power,
And those alone who are in willing Bondage
Deserve to dragg a Tyrant's cumb'rous Chain:
And if again you wish not to be Slaves,
Take Courage, and compleat what you've begun.

ASCANIO.
Then to th'Attack, my Friends! Behold
This is the Tyrant's Hive, where all his Swarm
Of lazy Drones, immur'd within their Cells,
In plenty feed upon the People's Honey,
Which we with sulphurous Fury will expell.
Root out the Cause, the Consequence is great,
When Tyrants Blood attones for Blood they've spilt,
But see the Usurper—

CASTRUCHOI.
See how the Furies dwell upon his Brow,
How his Eyes sparkle, how his glowing Cheeks,
Illustrate all his Soul tyrannick—

The King appears upon the Battlements.
KING.
Rebellious Miscreants, who for Power contend,
Think not that we regard your worthless Rage,
That thus we answer to your impious Summons:
Nor let your Pride so far deceive your Faith,
Fondly to fancy we vouchsafe our Presence
Through Fear, Despair, or shameful Cowardice!
But know, we scorn to stoop, or bend us to our Fate,
And tho encircled round with certain Death,
Which, like directing Lines from all Parts bent,
Point to the Center of our stable Heart,—
'Tis now as free, as far from being dejected,
As when with most ungovern'd Sway we trod
On your rebellious Necks—

ASCANIO.
Be not deceiv'd with these delusive Hopes,
Tyrant, thou'rt in the Toyle, and growl'st in vain;
Not the glad Huntsman's prouder of his Prey,
Than thou wer't in the Height of Lust and Riot.

KING.
What is this Vaunter?

ASCANIO.
I am Ascanio, lawful Heir of Naples,
Resolv'd to mount my Predecessor's Throne!
Tyrant, open the Gates, and yield thy self
Our Prisoner, or expect no Mercy;
Awake thy Fears, and tremble at our Justice.

KING.
That Sin of Cowards, Traytor,
Is far beneath the Soul of Majesty.
Know, Slaves, Alberto is in this weak Tower,
As great as fearless, and as bravely Royal
As ever Monarch was amidst his Triumphs.
And, to your Terror, from these old Battlements,
Shall let the Sun of Royalty break forth
With such contagious Ardor on Rebellion,
That every Beam, instead of chearing Warmth,
Shall bring consuming Plagues, and sweep you all
To swift Destruction—

CASTRUCHIO.
Once more we offer you our Articles,
The Terms by which you yet may save your Life.

KING.
Away, be gone, my Soul disdains your Kindness:
If thou wilt gratify my Choler, curse me!
Death is a Bugbear to fright Women with,
And only terrible to timerous Slaves.
Come on, and now, I wish this Storm of Fate,
May prove as dreadful as the Fall of Orbs
Thrown by the angry Hand of mighty Jove,
On his gigantick Foes, attempting Heaven,
And crush this nether Globe!
Then to immortal Fame it shall be known
(Shou'd there a new created World arise)
That the old tottering Fabrick sunk with us,
And from our Dust th'unfinish'd Embryo sprung.

OMNES.
Huzza! &c. Down with the Tyrant.

[Exeunt.