ELDEST MEM. Our voice is, that the perjured brother merits death. ROD. How wilt thou stand before that throne, load. ed with the guilt of a broken oath The blood of the ROD. Accuser, thou hast heard the voice of the as- criminal be upon us and ours! sembly; name the criminal. Accu. George, Baron of Aspen. [A murmur in the assembly. A MEM. (suddenly rising.) I am ready, according to our holy laws, to swear, by the steel and the cord, that George of Aspen merits not this accusation, and that it is a foul calumny. Accu. Rash man! gagest thou an oath so lightly? MEM. I gage it not lightly. proffer it in the cause of innocence and virtue. Accu. What if George of Aspen should not himself deny the charge? MEM. Then would I never trust man again. Accu. Hear him, then, bear witness against himself (throws back his mantle.) ROD. Baron George of Aspen! GEO. The same-prepared to do penance for the crime of which he stands self-accused. ROD. Still, canst thou disclose the name of the criminal whom thou hast rescued from justice, on that condition alone, thy brethren may save thy life. GEO. Thinkest thou I would betray for the safety of my life, a secret I have preserved at the breach of my word? No! I have weighed the value of my obligation-I will not discharge it—but most willingly will I pay the penalty! ELDEST MEM. So be it, in the name of God! [He takes the dagger from the altar, goes slowly towards the back scene, and reluctantly exters the sacristy. ELDEST JUDGE (from behind the scene.) Dost thou forgive me? GEO. (behind.) I do! (He is heard to fall heavily.) [Re-enter the old judge from the sacristy. He lays on the altar the bloody dagger. ROD. Hast thou done thy duty ? ELDEST MEM. I have. (He faints.) ROD. He swoons. Remove him. [He is assisted off the stage. During this four members enter the sacristy, and bring out a bier covered with a pall, which they place on the steps of the altar. A deep silence. ROD. Judges of evil, dooming in secret, and avenging in secret, like the Deity: God keep your thoughts from evil, and your hands from guilt. BER. I raise my voice in this assembly, and cry, Vengeance! vengeance! vengeance! ROD. Enough has this night been done-(he rises and brings BERTRAM forward.) Think what thou doest-George has fallen-it were murder to slay both mother and son. BER. George of Aspen was thy victim-a sacrifice ROD. Retire, George of Aspen, till the assembly to thy hatred and envy. I claim mine, sacred to juspronounce judgment. tice and to my murdered brother. Resume thy place! thou canst not stop the rock thou hast put in mo GEO. Welcome be your sentence-I am weary of your yoke of iron. A light beams on my soul. Woe to those who seek justice in the dark haunts of mystery and of cruelty! She dwells in the broad blaze of the sun, and Mercy is ever by her side. Woe to those who would advance the general weal by trampling upon the social affections! they aspire to be more than men-they shall become worse than tigers. I go: better for me your altars should be stained with my blood, than my soul blackened with your crimes. [Exit GEORGE, by the ruinous door in the bark scene, into the sacristy. ROD. Brethren, sworn upon the steel and upon the cord, to judge and to avenge in secret, without favour and without pity, what is your judgment upon George of Aspen, self-accused of perjury, and resistance to the laws of our fraternity. [Long and earnest murmurs in the assembly. ROD. Speak your doom. ELDEST MEM. George of Aspen has declared himself perjured; the penalty of perjury is death! ROD. Father of the secret judges-Eldest among those who avenge in secret-take to thee the steel and the cord ;-let the guilty no longer cumber the land. ELDEST MEM. I am fourscore and eight years old. My eyes are dim, and my hand is feeble; soon shall I be called before the throne of my Creator;-How shall I stand there, stained with the blood of such a man? tion. POD. Canst thou swear to the accusation? ROD. (apart to BERTRAM.) Whom dost thou mean BER. (his hand on the altar.) I lay my hand on the to call? [BERTRAM whispers. steel and the cord, and swear. ROD. This goes beyond me. (After a moment's ROD. Isabella of Aspen, thou hast heard thy accu- thought.) But be it so. Maltingen shall behold Aspen sation. What canst thou answer? humbled in the dust. (Aloud.) Brethren, the accuISA. That the oath of an accuser is no proof of guilt! ser calls for a witness who remains without: admit ROD. Hast thou more to say? him. [All muffle their faces. ISA. I havo. ROD. Speak on. ISA. Judges invisible to the sun, and seen only by the stars of midnight! I stand before you, accused of an enormous, daring, and premeditated crime. I was married to Arnolf when I was only eighteen years old. Arnolf was wary and jealous; ever suspecting me without a cause, unless it was because he had injured me. How then should I plan and perpetrate such a deed? The lamb turns not against the wolf, though a prisoner in his den. ROD. Have you finished? ISA. A moment. Years after years have elapsed without a whisper of this foul suspicion. Arnolf left a brother! though common fame had been silent, natural affection would have been heard against mewhy spoke he not my accusation? Or has: my conduct justified this horrible charge? No! awful judges, I may answer, I have founded cloisters, I have endowed hospitals. The goods that Heaven bestowed on me I have not held back from the needy. I appeal to you, judges of evil, can these proofs of innocence be downweighed by the assertion of an unknown and disguised, perchance a malignant accuser? BER. No longer will I wear that disguise (throws back his mantle.) Dost thou know me now? ISA. Yes; I know thee for a wandering minstrel, relieved by the charity of my husband. BER. No, traitress ! know me for Bertram of Ebersdorf, brother to him thou didst murder. Call her accomplice, Martin. Ha! turnest thou pale? ISA. May I have some water?--(Apart.) Sacred Heaven! his vindictive look is so like [Water is brought. A MEM. Martin died in the hands of our brethren. ROD. Dost thou know the accuser, lady? Isa. (reassuming fortitude.) Let not the sinking of nature under this dreadful trial be imputed to the consciousness of guilt. I do know the accuser-know him to be outlawed for homicide, and under the ban of the empire: his testimony cannot be received. ELDEST JUDGE. She says truly. BER. (to RODERIC.) Then I call upon thee and William of Wolfstein to bear witness to what you know. ROD. Wolfstein is not in the assembly, and my place prevents me from being a witness. Enter RUDIGER, his eyes bound or covered, leaning upon two members; they place a stool for him, and unbind his eyes. ROD. Knowest thou where thou art, and before whom? RUD. I know not, and I care not. Two strangers summoned me from my castle to assist, they said, at a great act of justice. I ascended the litter they brought, and I am here. ROD. It regards the punishment of perjury and the discovery of murder. Art thou willing to assist us? RUD. Most willing, as is my duty. ROD. What if the crime regard thy friend? RUD. I would let it out with my poniard. ROD. Then canst thou not blame us for this deed of justice. Remove the pall. (The pall is lifted, beneath which is discovered the body of GEORGE pale and bloody. RUDIGER staggers towards it.) RUD. My George! my George! Not slain manly in battle, but murdered by legal assassins. Much, much may I mourn thee, my beloved boy; but not nownot now: never will I shed a tear for thy death till I have cleared thy fame.-Hear me, ye midnight murderers, he was innocent (raising his voice)—upright as the truth itself. Let the man who dares gainsay me lift that gage. If the Almighty does not strengthen these frail limbs, to make good a father's quarrel, I have a son left, who will vindicate the honour of Aspen, or lay his bloody body beside his brother's. ROD. Rash and insensate! Hear first the cause. Hear the dishonour of thy house. ISA. from the sacristy.) Never shall he hear it till the author is no more! (RUDIGER attempts to rush towards the sacristy, but is prevented. ISABELLA enters wounded, and throws herself on GEORGE's body.) ISA. Murdered for me-for me! my dear, dear son! RUD. (still held.) Cowardly villains, let me loose! Maltingen, this is thy doing! Thy face thou wouldst disguise, thy deeds thou canst not! I defy thee to in. stant and mortal combat! Isa. (looking up.) No! no! endanger not thy life! Myself! myself! I could not bear thou shouldst know -Oh! (Dies.) RUD. Oh let me go-let me but try to stop her BER. Then I will call another meanwhile let the blood, and I will forgive all. accused be removed. ROD. Retire, lady. [ISABELLA is led to the sacristy. Isa. (in going off.) The ground is slippery Heavens! it is floated with blood! ROD. Drag him off and detain him. The voice of lamentation must not disturb the stern deliberation of justice. RUD. Bloodhound of Maltingen! Well beseems [Exit into the sacristy.thee thy base revenge! The marks of my son's lance Lre still on thy cravon crest! Vengeance on the band of ye'! [RUDIGER is dragged off to the sacristy, ROD. Brethren, we stand discovered! What is to be done to him who shall descry our mystery? place, which the Duke occupies.-Thou standest accused of having perverted the laws of our order; for that, being a mortal enemy to he House of Aspen, thou hast abused thy sacred authority to pander to thy ELDEST JUDGE. He must become a brother of our private revenge; and to this Wolfstein has been witorder, or die! ness. ROD. Chief among our circles, I have but acted according to our laws. DUKE. Thou hast indeed observed the letter of our statutes, and woe am I that they do warrant this night's bloody work! I cannot do unto thee as I I would, but what I can I will. Thou hast not in deed transgressed our law, but thou hast wrested and abused it: kneel down, therefore, and place thy hands betwixt mine. (RODERIC kneels as directed.) I degrade thee from thy sacred office (spreads his hands, as pushing RODERIC from him.) If after two days thou ROD. This man will never join us! He cannot put his hand into ours, which are stained with the blood of his wife and son: he must therefore die! (Murmurs in the assembly.) Brethren! I wonder not at your reluctance; but the man is powerful, has friends and allies to buckler his cause. It is over with us, and with our order, unless the laws are obeyed. (Fainter murmurs.) Besides, have we not sworn a deadly path to execute these statutes? (A dead silence.) Take to thee the steel and the cord (to the eldest judge.) ELDEST JUDGE. He has done no evil-he was the darest to pollute Bavarian ground by thy footsteps, be companion of my battle-I will not! ROD. (to another.) Do thou-and succeed to the rank of him who has disobeyed. Remember your oath! (Member takes the dagger, and goes irresolutely forward; looks into the sacristy, and comes back.) MEM. He has fainted-fainted in anguish for his wife and his son; the bloody ground is strewed with his white hairs, torn by those hands that have fought for Christendom. I will not be your butcher.-(Throws down the dagger.) BER. Irresolute and perjured! the robber of my inheritance, the author of my exile, shall die! ROD. Thanks, Bertram. Execute the doom-secure the safety of the holy tribunal! [BERTRAM seizes the dagger, and is about to ALL. Hold! Hold ! it at the peril of the steel and the cord (RODERIC rises.) I dissolve this meeting (all rise.) Judges and condemners of others, God teach you knowledge of yourselves! (All bend their heads-Duke breaks his rod, and comes forward.) ROD. Lord Duke, thou hast charged me with treachery-thou art my liege lord—but who else dares maintain the accusation, lies in his throat. HEN. (rushing from the sacristy.) Villain! I accept thy challenge! ROD. Vain boy! my lance shall chastise thee in the lists-there lies my gage. DUKE. Henry, on thy allegiance, touch it not. (70 RODERIC.) Lists shalt thou never more enter; lance shalt thou never more wield (draws his sword.) With this sword wast thou dubbed a knight; with this sword I dishonour thee-I thy prince-(strikes him slightly with the flat of the sword)-I take from thee the degree of knight, the dignity of chivalry. Thou art no longer a free German noble; thou art honourless and rightless; the funeral obsequies shall be performed for thee as for one dead to knightly honour and to fair fame; thy spurs shall be hacked from thy heels; thy arms baffled and reversed by the common executioner. Go, fraudful and dishonoured, hide thy shame in a foreign land! (RODERIC shows a dumb exDUKE. (sees the bodies.) I am too late-the victims pression of rage.) Lay hands on Bertram of Ebersdorf. have fallen. as I live, he shall pay the forfeiture of his outlawry [The Duke of BAVARIA, attended by many mem- ROD. The Duke of Bavaria! I am lost. HEN. (who enters with the Duke.) Gracious Heaven! Henry, aid us to remove thy father from this charnelO George! house. Never shall he know the dreadful secret. Be it mine to soothe his sorrows, and to restore the honour of the House of Aspen. RUD. from the sacristy.) Henry-it is thy voiceBave me! [HENRY rushes into the sacristy. DUKE. Roderic of Maltingen, descend from the seat which thou hast dishonoured-(RODERIC leaves his (Curtain slowly falls.) THE END. Inder. L. "" ABBOT," Verses from the, 684-5. A bercorn, Marquis of, suggestion of, re- Marchioness of, 97, n. Achaius, King of Scotland, 161, n. 552-3. Addison, his criticism on Chevy Chase, Adolphus, J. L., Esq. extracts from bis Albania, a poem, extract from, 610. Alexander III. "the last Scottish king Ambition, personification of, 271. 468. ANCIENT GAELIC MELODY," 673. "Annual Review," the critical notices ANNE OF GEIRSTEIN, Verses from, Anthony Now Now, 554. ANTIQUARY," Verses from the, 657-60). Ardoch, Roman camp at, 255. "AUCHINDRANE, or the Ayrshire tra- Ayr, loyalty of the men of, rewarded by B. BAILLIE, JOANNA, letter to, on Rokeby, 97. 523, n.; 721, n. ·FROM THE GERMAN," 606-622. Collections of, by Pepys, 543. Mr. John, 660. Bangor the Monks of, 666. Bannerman, Miss Anne, her "Tales of Bansters, what, 548, n. "BARD'S INCANTATION, THE," written "BAREFOOTED FRIAR, THE," 675. 523. "BATTLE OF SEMPACH," 616. Bealach-nam-bo, Pass of, 201. 244. Dr., lines from, on the power of Sir James, 595, n. Beltane-tree, the, 587. 590. Berguer, Lionel, Esq., 704. "BERTRAM, HARRY, Nativity of," 652 "BETROTHED," Verses from the, 707-8. on the ballad of, 552. Bethune, or Beaton, family of, 47. Blackford-hill, 113, 114. Black-mail, 23. 254. Blackwater, Battle of, in Ireland, 360, "BLACK KNIGHT'S SONG, THE," 676. Blair, Right Honourable Robert, Lord "BLONDEL, THE BLOODY VEST," Song Blood of which party first shed, an "Blue-blanket," the, 696, n. Bohun, Sir Henry de, his encounter Bolero, a Spanish dance, 280. "The Vision of Don Roderick," 270. "Bonnets of Bonny Dundee," SONG to "BORDER BALLAD," 682. 238. Manner of carrying on depre- Borough-moor of Edinburgh, 160. Francis Stewart, Earl of (temp. Jac. VI.) 235. James Hepburn, Earl of, (temp. Brackenbury Tower, 306. 356. Branksome Castle, 9. 44, ib. "BRIDAL OF TRIERMAIN," 373. See alan "BRIDAL SONG" in Waverley, 642. "Bridge of Dee," poem of the, 551. "Brooch of Lorn," the, 419. 471. Nigel, another brother of the Sir John, of Kinross, 548. Brunne, Robert de, 539. 545. Brydone, Patrick, Esq. 170. Charles, Duke of, 87, n. LET- Harriet, Duchess of, 4. 87. and Monmouth, Anne, Du- Buchan, Mr. Peter, his Collection of Buchanan of Arnprior, "King of Kip- Burns, Robert, his "Scots wha' hae wi' most capable to relieve and heighten Cameron, Colonel, killed at Fuentes de Colonel, of Fassiefern, killed at Sir Ewan of Lochiel, 256. Campbell, Thomas, 161. "The Bard of Lady Charlotte. See "Bury." 559. "Child of Elle, The," 547. Cid, the, in Spain, metrical poems of 538. "CLAUD HALCRO'S VERSES," 687. 6NG Claverhouse, Grahame of. See Dundee. John, Esq. of Eldin, author of a Collins, his flights of imagination, 377. Colman's "Random Records," 742. 155. Combat, single, 28. 56, 57. 63, 64. 124 Comyn, the Red, 419. 423. 472. 476. Constable, Mr. Archibald, his "bold Coronach of the Highlanders, 198. 243. "COUNT ROBERT OF PARIS," Mottoes "COUNTY GUY," Song, 701. Cox, Captain, of Coventry, 548. George, Esq. consulted by Crichton Castle, 110. 159. 24. 27. 35. 37. 132. 140. 180. 185. 190. Cup, a drinking one, at Dunevegan, 409 "CYPRESS WREATH, THE," 326 D. DACRE, families of, 61. Dalhousie, Earl of, tribute to, 640. Harriet, Countess of, (after- Town and Castle of. 609 |