many voices.
the love and grace!
stauff.
grace from the father we, indeed, received, but what have we to boast of from the son?
did he confirm the charter of our freedom, as all preceding emperors had done?
did he judge righteous judgment, or afford shelter, or stay, to innocence oppress'd?
nay, did he e'en give audience to the men we sent to lay our grievances before him?
not one of all these things did the king do, and had we not ourselves achieved our rights by our own stalwart hands, the wrongs we bore had never touch'd him.gratitude to him!
within these vales he sowed no seeds of that;he stood upon an eminence--he might have been a very father to his people, but all his aim and pleasure was to raise himself and his own house: and now may those whom he has aggrandized, lament for him.
furst.
we will not triumph in his fall, nor now recall to mind the wrongs that we endured.
far be't from us! yet, that we should avenge the sovereign's death, who never did us good, and hunt down those who ne'er molested us, becomes us not, nor is our duty.love must be a tribute free, and unconstrain'd;from all enforced duties death absolves, and unto him we owe no further debt.
melch.
and if the queen laments within her bower, accusing heaven in sorrow's wild despair;here see a people, from its anguish freed, to that same heav'n send up its thankful praise.
who would reap tears, must sow the seeds of love.
[exit the imperial courier.]
stauff.(to the people).
but where is tell? shall he, our freedom's founder, alone be absent from our festival?
he did the most--endured the worst of all.
come--to his dwelling let us all repair, and bid the saviour of our country hail!
[exeunt omnes.]