University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

Rosalie's Bower, with a distant View of her Castle and Domains; she is discovered seated in her Bower, attended by Knights, Fair Dames, Minstrels, Dancers, &c.
AIR—MINSTREL.

Enter Osric (the Lion) disguised as a Palmer, he approaches and bows to Rosalie.
DUET—MINSTREL, AND OSRIC, DISGUISED.
Min.
Now Palmer, grey Palmer, oh tell kind and free,
What news bring you home from the holy country;
And how goes the warfare by Galilee's strand,
And how fare our Nobles, the flow'r of the land?

Pal.
O, well goes the warfare by Galilee's wave,
For Gilead and Nablous, and Ramah we have!
And well fare our Nobles by mount Libanon,
For the Heathens have lost, and the Christians have won.

ROSALIE AND MINSTREL.
And Palmer, good Palmer, by Galilee's wave,
Oh! saw ye Count Albert, the gentle and brave?
When the Crescent went back, and the Red-cross rush'd on,
Oh! saw ye him foremost on mount Libanon?

Pal.
Oh! lady, fair lady, as green the tree grows,
Your hopes soar on high, while the stream clear it flows;
But the pure stream runs muddy, your gay hope is gone,
Count Albert is taken on mount Libanon!
(Throws off his disguise, and appears in a very splendid martial garb.)
But Osric, the lion, thy bold kinsman see!
Whose heart's wounded deadly, its balm lives with thee;
Who brings thee rich presents in foreign climes grown,
Who proffers his hand, and wou'd call thee his own,
Since Albert is Captive on mount Libanon.

Dancers, &c. attendants on Osric, trip forward with presents, and sing the following
CHORUS.
Nimbly trip we blythe and bland,
While the tale of love is told,
And Rosalie bestows her hand
On the lion-knight so bold!

Osric throws himself at the feet of Rosalie, who treats his love with disdain, calling round her her Minstrels, &c. they join in the following
RESOLVE—MINSTRELS AND LADIES.
Mark Rosalie's resolve!—
To the Sorceress whose magic can wonders dilate,
She hies to past doubt, learn her brave Lover's fate;
For be Albert living, or be Albert dead,
No other will Rosalie take in his stead.

Exeunt.
Osric, thunderstruck at her resolution, seems undetermined how to act, but closes a hasty minute of meditation, by resolving at all hazards to obtain her; starts, confusedly, on being met by Urilda and Carloman, who are lead on by Nero, his sable Domestic.
AIR—URILDA.
False, false-hearted Osric, behold by thy side,
Urilda, thy vows have agnised as thy Bride,
Base artifice did her delude:
To anguish a prey, lost, dishonour'd her fame,
Thy infant unbless'd with a Father's fond name,
At the altar shou'd Osric fair Rosalie claim,
This dagger would drink her heart's blood!

Osric endeavours, hypocritically, to sooth, while, aside, he issues his unfeeling commands to Nero to dispatch her.
OSRIC, URILDA, AND CARLOMAN.
Osric.
For awhile I must leave thee, Urilda, why sigh?
How I love thee these kisses must tell,
(Aside to Nero.)
When the midnight bell tolls, let it be their death bell,
The brat and his mother must die.
Farewell! my sweet babe, dear Urilda farewell!

Uril.
Farewell, gallant Osric,

Carlo.
Dear Father, farewell!

They embrace him, and exeunt on opposite sides.