Who here dares charge me with an orphan's rights
Outfac'd, or widow's plea left undefended?

And shall I now be branded by a traitor,

A bought brib'd wretch, who, being call'd my son,
Doth libel a chaste matron's name, and plant
Hensbane 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!

CASIM.

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!

KIUP. (aside.)

Ha! the elder Brutus

Made his soul iron, tho' his sons repented.

They BOASTED not their baseness.

(Starts, and draws his sword.)

Infamous changeling!

Recant this instant, and swear loyalty,;

And strict obedience to thy sov'reign's will; ·

Or, by the spirit of departed Andreas,

Thou diest

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

tumult enter, EMERICK, alarmed.

EMER. Call out the guard! Ragozzi! seize the

assassin.

Kiuprili? Ha!(with lower'd, voice, at the same

time with one hand making signs to the

guard to retire.)———————

Pass on, friends! to the palace.

[Music recommences. -The Procession passes into the Palace.-During which time EMERICK and KIUPRILI regard each other stedfastly.

EMER. What? Raab Kiuprili? What? a father's sword

Against his own son's breast?

KIUP.

"Twould best excuse him,

Were he thy son, Prince Emerick. I abjure him.

EMER. This is my thank, then, that I have com→

menc'd

A reign to which the free voice of the nobles

Hath call'd me, and the people, by regards
Of love and grace to Raab Kiuprili's house?

KIUP. What right hadst thou, Prince Emerick, to

bestow them?

EMER. By what right dares Kiuprili question

me?

KIUP. By a right common to all loyal subjects— To me a duty! As the realm's co-regent Appointed by our sov'reign's last free act, Writ by himself.-(Grasping the patent.) EMER. (With a contemptuous sneer.)

Aye!-Writ in a delirium!

KIUP. I likewise ask, by whose authority The access to the sov'reign was refused me?

EMER. By whose authority dar'd the general leave

His camp and army, like a fugitive?

KIUP. A fugitive, who, with victory for his com

rade,

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 conven'd) that thou dost shew at large,
On what ground of defect thou 'st dar'd annul

!

This thy king's last and solemn act-hast dar'd
Ascend the throne, of which the law had nam'd,
And conscience should have made thee, a protector.
EMER. A Sov'reign'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 cherish'd, 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. 1

KIUP.

Prince! I listen.

EMER. Unwillingly I tell thee, that Zapolya, Madden'd with grief, her erring hopes prov'd idleCASIM. Sire! speak the whole truth! Say, her frauds detected!

EMER. According to the sworn attests in council

Of her physician

KIUP. (Aside.) Yes! the Jew, Barzoni!

EMER. Under the imminent risk of death she lies,

Or irrecoverable loss of reason,

If known friend's face or voice renew the frenzy.

CASIM. (To Kiuprili.) Trust me, my lord! a

woman's trick has duped you

Us too-but most of all, the sainted Andreas.

Ev'n for his own fair fame, his grace prays hourly

For her recovery, that (the States convened)

She may take council of her friends.

EMER.

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 pass'd by, as family quarrels,
Let the Queen Dowager, with unblench'd honors,
Resume her state, our first Illyrian matron.

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

Is such, as well would suit an honest meaning.

CASIM.

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, woo'd and won for me.

EMER. Long may the race, and long may that name

flourish,

C