University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

Tancred. Osmond. Sigismunda.
Osmond.
[Snatching her Hand from the King.
Madam, this Hand, by the most solemn Rites,
A little Hour ago, was given to me,
And did not sovereign Honour now command me,
Never but with my Life to quit my Claim,
I would renounce it—thus!

Tancred.
Ha! who art Thou?
Presumptuous Man!

Sigismunda,
aside.
Where is my Father? Heavens!

[Goes out.
Osmond.
One Thou shouldst better know—Yes—view me—One!
Who can and will mantain his Rights and Honour,
Against a faithless Prince, an upstart King,
Whose first base Deed is what a harden'd Tyrant
Would blush to act.

Tancred.
Insolent Osmond! know,
This upstart King will hurl Confusion on Thee,
And all who shall invade his sacred Rights,
Prior to Thine—Thine founded on Compulsion,
On infamous Deceit, while His proceed
From mutual Love and free long-plighted Faith.
She is, and shall be mine!—I will annul,
By the high Power with which the Laws invest me,
Those guilty Forms in which you have entrap'd,
Basely entrap'd, to thy detested Nuptials,
My Queen betroth'd; who has my Heart, my Hand,
And shall partake my Throne—If, haughty Lord,
If This thou didst not know, then know it now!
And know besides, that, having told Thee This,
Shouldst Thou but think to urge thy Treason further—
Than Treason more! Treason against my Love!—
Thy Life shall answer for it!

Osmond.
Ha! my Life!—
It moves my Scorn to hear thy empty Threats.
When was it that a Norman Baron's Life
Became so vile, as on the Frown of Kings
To hang?—Of That thy Lord the Law must judge:
Or if the Law be weak, my Guardian Sword—

Tancred.
Dare not to touch it, Traitor! lest my Rage
Break loose, and do a Deed that misbecomes me.