Yes! Let him forfeit all a Switzer's rights, Who talks of yielding thus to Austria's yoke!
I stand on this, Landamman.Let this be The foremost of our laws!
MELCH.
Even so! Whoe'er Shall talk of bearing Austria's yoke, let him Of all his rights and honours be despoiled, No man thenceforth receive him at his hearth!
ALL (raising their right hands).
Agreed! Be this the law!
REDING.(After a pause).
The law it is.
ROSSEL.
Now you are free--this law hath made you free.
Never shall Austria obtain by force What she has fail'd to gain by friendly suit.
WEIL.
On with the order of the day! Proceed!
REDING.
Confederates! Have all gentler means been tried?
Perchance the Emp'ror knows not of our wrongs, It may not be his will we suffer thus:
Were it not well to make one last attempt, And lay our grievances before the throne, Ere we unsheath the sword? Force is at best A fearful thing e'en in a righteous cause;God only helps, when man can help no more.
STAUFF.(to Conrad Hunn).
Here you can give us information.Speak!
HUNN.
I was at Rheinfeld, at the Emperor's Court, Deputed by the Cantons to complain Of the oppressions of these governors, And of our liberties the charter claim, Which each new king till now has ratified.
I found the envoys there of many a town, From Suabia and the valley of the Rhine, Who all received their parchments as they wish'd, And straight went home again with merry heart.
But me, your envoy, they to the Council sent, Where I with empty cheer was soon dismiss'd:
"The Emperor at present was engaged;
Some other time he would attend to us!"
I turn'd away, and passing through the hall, With heavy heart, in a recess I saw The Grand Duke John[*] in tears, and by his side The noble lords of Wart and Tegerfeld, Who beckon'd me, and said, "Redress yourselves.
Expect not justice from the Emperor.
Does he not plunder his own brother's child, And keep from him his just inheritance?"The Duke claims his maternal property, Urging he's now of age, and 'tis full time, That he should rule his people and estates;What is the answer made to him? The King Places a chaplet on his head; "Behold The fitting ornament," he cries, "of youth!"[*] The Duke of Suabia, who soon afterwards assassinated his uncle, for withholding his patrimony from him.
MAUER.
You hear.Expect not from the Emperor Or right or justice! Then redress yourselves!
REDING.
No other course is left us.Now, advise What plan most likely to ensure success.
FURST.
To shake a thraldom off that we abhor, To keep our ancient rights inviolate, As we received them from our fathers,--this, Not lawless innovation, is our aim.
Let Caesar still retain what is his due;
And he that is a vassal, let him pay The service he is sworn to faithfully.
MEYER.
I hold my land of Austria in fief.
FURST.
Continue, then, to pay your feudal dues.
WEIL.
I'm tenant of the lords of Rappersweil.
FURST.
Continue, then, to pay them rent and tithe.
ROSSEL.
Of Zurich's Abbess humble vassal I.
FURST.
Give to the cloister, what the cloister claims.
STAUFF.
The Empire only is my feudal lord.
FURST.
What needs must be, we'll do, but nothing more.
We'll drive these tyrants and their minions hence, And raze their towering strongholds to the ground, Yet shed, if possible, no drop of blood, Let the Emperor see that we were driven to cast The sacred duties of respect away;And when he finds we keep within our bounds, His wrath, belike, may yield to policy;For truly is that nation to be fear'd, That, arms in hand, is temperate in its wrath.
REDING.
But prithee tell us how may this be done?
The enemy is arm'd as well as we, And, rest assured, he will not yield in peace.
STAUFF.
He will, whene'er he sees us up in arms;
We shall surprise him, ere he is prepared.
MEYER.
Easily said, but not so easily done.
Two strongholds dominate the country--they Protect the foe, and should the King invade us, Our task would then be dangerous, indeed.
