What's that you mutter? 'Tis a worthless race, For nothing fit but just to milk their cows, And saunter idly up and down the hills.
Have you no bowels of compassion, thus To press so hard upon a poor old man That scarce can drag his feeble limbs along?
Shame, shame upon you--shame! It cries to heaven.
Mind your own business. I but do my duty.
Pray, Master, what's to be the name of this Same castle, when 'tis built?
The Keep of Uri; For by it we shall keep you in subjection.
Keep Uri, will you, with this paltry place!
How many molehills such as that must first Be piled up each on each, ere you make A mountain equal to the least in Uri?
I'll drown the mallet in the deepest lake, That served my hand on this accursed pile.
O, that I had not lived to see this sight!
Here 'tis not good to be. Let us proceed.
O, Sir, if you could only see the vaults Beneath these towers. The man that tenants them Will ne'er hear cock crow more.
Look at these ramparts and these buttresses, That seem as they were built to last forever.
What hands have built, my friend, hands can destroy.
_That_ home of freedom God hath built for us.
[_A drum is heard. People enter bearing a cap upon a pole, followed by a crier. Women and children thronging tumultuously after them_.]
Why, here's a mumming! And look, the cap--what can they mean by that?
Ye men of Uri, ye do see this cap! It will be set upon a lofty pole In Altdorf, in the market place: and this Is the Lord Governor's good will and pleasure; The cap shall have like honor as himself, All do it reverence with bended knee, And head uncovered; thus the King will know Who are his true and loyal subjects here; His life and goods are forfeit to the crown That shall refuse obedience to the order.
[_The people burst out into laughter. The drum beats and the procession passes on_.]
A strange device to fall upon indeed: Do reverence to a cap! A pretty farce! Heard ever mortal anything like this?
Down to a cap on bended knee, forsooth! Rare jesting this with men of sober sense!
Nay, an it were the imperial crown! A cap! Merely the cap of Austria! I've seen it Hanging above the throne in Gessler's hall.
The cap of Austria? Mark that! A snare To get us into Austria's power, by Heaven!