Page:A Series of Plays on the Passions Volume 1.pdf/144

This sword is thine against ten thousand strong,
If it should come to this.

Bas.No, never, never!
There is no mean. I with my soldiers must
Or their commander or their victim prove.
But are my officers all staunch and faithful?

Ros. All but that devil, Frederick——
He, disappointed, left his former corps,
Where he, in truth, had been too long neglected,
Thinking he should all on the sudden rise,
From Basil's well-known love of valiant men;
And now, because it still must be deferr'd,
He thinks you seek from envy to depress him,
And burns to be reveng'd,

Bas. Well, well——This grieves me too——
But let us go.[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

The ramparts of the Town. The Soldiers are discovered drawn up in disorderly manner, hollaing and speaking big, and clashing their arms tumultuously.

1st Sol. No, comrade, no, hell gape and swallow me!
If I do budge for such most dev'lish orders.

2d Sol. Huzza, brave comrades! Who says otherwise?

3d Sol. No one, huzza! confound all treach'rous leaders!
(The Soldiers huzza and clash their arms.)