Each precious drop of murder'd Arden's blood Would find a tongue, and cry to heaven for vengeance.

Mayor. What says the lady?
Mos. Oh! sir, heed her not:

Her husband has not been at home to-night,
And her misboding sorrow for his absence,
Has almost made her frantic.

Mayor. Scarce an hour

Since I beheld him enter here with you.

Mos. The darkness of the night deceiv'd you, sir:

It was a stranger, since departed hence.

Mayor. That's most surprising. No man knows him better.

Frank. (Without.) Within there! ho! bar up your gates with care,

And set a watch. Let not a man go by!

Enter FRANKLIN and others, with lights. And ev'ry tongue, that gave not its consent To Arden's death, join mine and cry aloud To heaven and earth for justice. Honest Arden, My friend, is murder'd.

Mayor. Murder'd!

Green. How?

Mos. By whom?

Frank. How shall I utter what my eyes have

seen!

Horrid, with many a gaping wound, he lies
Behind the abbey, a sad spectacle!
O vengeance! vengeance!

Mayor. Justly art thou mov'd.
Passion is reason in a cause like this.

Frank. Eternal Providence, to whose bright eye Darkness itself is as the noon-day blaze, Who brings the midnight murd'rer and his deeds To light and shame, has, in their own security, Found these.

Mayor. Here scize them all-this instant: (Alicia faints.) Look to the lady. This may be but feign'd. Your charge but goes along with my suspicions. Brad. And mine.

A. Fowl. And mine.

Frank. First hear me, and then judge,
Whether on slight presumptions I accuse them.
These honest men, (neighbours and townsmen all,)
Conducted me, drooping with grief and fear,
To where the body lay; with them I took these
notes,

Not to be trusted to the faithless memory:
"Huge clots of blood and some of Arden's hair
May still be seen upon the garden-wall;
Many such rushes as these floors are strew'd with
Sticks to his shoes and garments: and the prints
Of several feet may in the snow be trac'd,
From the stark body to the very door."

These are presumptions he was murder'd here, And that th' assassins having borne his corse Into the fields, hither return'd again.

Mos. Are these your proofs?

Green. These are but circumstances,
And only prove thy malice.
Frank. And this scarf,

Known to be Arden's, in the court was found,
All blood.

Magor. Search 'em.

Mich. I thought I'd thrown it down the well.

(Aside) Mayor. (To an Officer.) Enter that room, and search the lady there;

We may, perhaps, discover more.

(Officer goes out and re-enters; in the mean-
time another Officer searches Mosby and
Green.)

1 Officer. On Arden's wife I found this letter.
2 Officer. And I this ring on Mosby.
Mayor. Righteous heaven!

Well may'st thou hang thy head, detested villain;
This very day did Arden wear this ring;
I saw it on his hand.

Mos. I freely yield me to my fate.

Enter another Officer.

Officer. We've seiz'd two men behind some stacks of wood. +

Mayor. Well, bring 'em in.

BLACK WILL and SHAKEBAG brought in.
They answer the description;
But let them wait till I have done with these.
Heav'ns! what a scene of villany is here.

(Having read the letter.) B. Will. Since we're sure to die, though I could wish it were in better company, (for I hate that fawning rascal, Mosby,) I'll tell the truth for onee. He has been long engaged in an affair with Arden's wife there; but fearing a discovery, and hoping to get into his estate, hired us to hide him. That's all.

Mayor. And you the horrid deed perform'd? Shake. We did, with his assistance, and Green's and Michael's

May suffer in bad fellowship. And Bradshaw, My honest neighbour, Bradshaw, too: I read it With grief and wonder.

Brad. Madam, I appeal

To you, as you are shortly to appear
Before a judge that sees our secret thoughts,
Say, had I knowledge, or-

Ali. You brought the letter,

But well I hope, you knew not the contents. Mayor. Hence with them all, till time and further light

Shall clear these mysteries.

A. Fowl. If I'm condemn'd, My blood be on his head that gives the sentence. I'm not accus'd, and only ask for justice. Frank. You shall all have justice, rig'rous jus

tice.

So shall the growth of such enormous crimes, By their dread fate be check'd in future times: Of av'rice, Mosby a dread instance prove, | And poor Alicia of unlawful love.

[Excunt.

Useph. Be silent, you soldiers: his highness the Seraskier is coming; he has just arrived with the Turkish army under his command to relieve Belgrade. I have been conversing with him; I told him your loyalty to the sublime Porte. your highness-my dear highness," says I; for we talked it very familiarly: "I am the chief magistrate of this village; I know the Ottoman Porte has not more loyal subjects in all the province of

Till the envious moon die away in the sky;

of your highness-your highness's name is never out of our mouths." By-the-by, remember his name

stream

To reflect our victorious crescent's bright beam.

dare say you never heard it before. So, says the Seraskier to me, "My dear Useph Ben Yacomb

Lilla. Please your highness, I jumped out of the window.

Ben Mustapha' at the same time graciously laughing at ine with great condescension. (Flourish.) Oh! here he comes: now you shall see how his highness is pleased to honour me; I shall certainly be created a pacha of three tails.

Enter SERASKIER, ISMAEL, and Attendants. Seras. Useph, come hither.

Useph. Yes, your highness. (Apart to the Peasants.) Now he is going to consult me on some great military operation.

Seras. Are there many pretty girls in this neighbourhood?

Useph. Ha, ha, ha! That's a good joke. Ah! your highness will conquer every way, I see. Ha, ha, ha! Your highness is pleased to make me langh. Ha, ha, ha!

Seras. You are too familiar.
Useph. My lord?

Seras. Begone.

[Exeunt Useph and Peasants.

Enter LILLA, who kneels to the Seraskier

AIR. LILLA.

Lost, distress'd, thus driven from home.
Whither shall poor Lilla go?
Wheresoe'er my steps may roam,
Tyrant power will prove my foe.

Seras. Who is this beautiful girl? Rise, lovely fair one.

Lilla. I humbly beg your highness' pardon for my holiness; I am not used to talk to great folks.

Sras. Speak, charming angel! bless me with the voice of nature; who are you?

TRIO.-SERASKIER, LILLA, and ISMAEL.
Seras. Speak, I command thee, tell thy grief.
Say, can my power afford relief;
For my trembling heart must yield beliej.

(Aside.)

Lilla. Ah! may I dare to tell my grief,
And, humbly, thus, implore relief;
To my falt'ring tongue, oh! yield belief.

Ismael. Beauty may boldly tell her grief; Such fine eyes command relief;

And his trembling heart must yield belief.

Lilla. I am but a poor country girl, sir; my name is Lilla; but I love Leopold, and Leopold loves me; yet my cross, ill-natured brother wants me to refuse Leopold, to marry that ugly old miser, Useph, a justice of peace in our village.

Seras. Useph! Oh! the old poacher! (Aside.) Does your brother object to Leopold?

Lilla. He says, and please your highness, that Leopold is too passionate to make a good husband; now, I owe he is rather violent, but I don't like him a bit the worse for that.

Seras. Where is Leopold?

Lilla. Ah! my lord, my mind misgives me that some mischief has happened to him; but they locked me up to prevent my going in search of him.

Seras. Then how came you here?

Seras. What a pleasing sample of rustic simplicity; how handsome she is! (To Ismael.)

Ismael. What, my lord, do you forget your Austrian captive?

Seras. Forget her; no: but why should I confine myself to a single rose, when I can form a bouquet of them. hour I promise you redress. Conduct her to my Well, charming Lilla, within this half

tent, and attend her well.

Lilla. A thousand thanks, your highness.

Seras. Is she not beautiful, Ismael?

[Exit.

Ismael. I own, my lord, she is beautiful; but

Seras. But what?

Ismael. I beg your highness' pardon; but while I see the black eagle soar upon the walls of Belgrade, I cannot forget that I am a soldier.

Seras. Nor I, Ismael; but I have room in my heart for love and valour at the same time; I never fight better than when I am in love; Mars never smiles so propitiously upon me as when I am paying my adoration to Venus; so, if you wish me to conquer the Austrians, you must get me this girl. [Exit Ismael.] She is a charming creature, and shall be mine.

Peter. Indeed, sir! Ghita. Hear me, sir.

Useph. No, I'll not hear you: am I to be talked to by you? I, who have conversed with his highness the Seraskier?-besides, I hate to hear both sides of the question; it perplexes me so, that I never know how to make a decision.

Peter. Why, then, sir, how can you decide? Useph. Why, I decide that you are both in the wrong. I fancy that decision will hold good in most quarrels; my friend, his highness the Seraskier, could not make a better decision. But whereis your sister? where is my dear Lilla?

Useph. Rather cloudy.

Leop. What?

Useph. It was rather cloudy when I was talking to his highness the Seraskier just now. But I believe I can answer your inquiries: in the first place

Leop. What do you mean by that? I'd have you know that I won't take an insult from any man living.

Useph. Why, there is no talking to you: I can't reason with you.

gistrate and a cou.tier: do you respect my authoity?

(Marching up to Leopold, who draws back.) Leop. (Marching up to Useph, who draws back.) No, I do not: that for your authority. (Snaps his fingers.) A magistrate, indeed! Ha, ha, ha! Look at the magistrate. What have you to say now, magistrate?

Useph. Nothing: if you don't respect authority, there's an end of the matter.

Leop. (To Peter.) Give me the key.

Peter. Why, to say the truth, Leopold, I have lost it.

Leop. Lost it! Oh! very well. But it's no matter: I believe this right shoulder of mine will force any lock. I'll break open the door; and I'll do it without any violence, only to shew how I can keep my temper; now 1 defy any of you to say that I · put myself in a passion. D-e! stand out of the way, or I'll knock you down, you old goat.

[Pushes violently against Useph, and exit. Ghita. What do you think now, sir? Useph. 'Faith! I don't know; my thoughts are rather confused;-I-I-I (Noise without.) There, there, he has broke the door all to smash. Good

morning to you: perhaps his highness waits for (Going.)

me.

Peter. Consider, sir, you had better not leave us. Useph. Indeed, I beg your pardon; our good humoured friend may come back and knock out my brains very coolly; only to shew what he can do without being in a passion. [Exit, with Peter. Ghita. Poor Lilla! I hope Leopold will carry her off. I am sure she loves him, and that he loves her; the whole village will rejoice at their wedding.

SCENE III.- Outside of Peter's house; a garden wail

round it.

Useph. But give me leave

Leop. Well, I know what you are going to say, that people needn't quarrel because they are rivals.

Useph. Granted; and besides

Leop. Well, I know, I know; and you mean to observe, that warmth and anger betray a weakness on these occasions, which, I trust, I am free' from. Harkye! you rascal, (to Peter) I know your sister is locked up; if you don't give me the key, d-e! I'll break your head; I will, by

Useph. Sir, do you remember who I am; a ma

a veil hanging.

Leop. Poor Lilla! nowhere to be found: she's gone; and, by her veil hanging here out of the window, in a fit of despair. I'll after her. (Jumps out and comes out of the door of the garden wall with the veil.) This relic of my beloved Lilla shall servo to keep my resentment alive. But where's that cruel villain, Peter? d-e! I'll maul him.

[Retires into the garden. Enter PETER.

Peter. Ha! the window open! nay, then