DRAMATIS PERSONE.

COUNT DI PROCIDA.

RAIMOND DI PROCIDA, his Son.

ERIBERT, Viceroy.

DE COUCI.

MONTALBA.

GUIDO.

ALBERTI.

ANSELMO, a Monk.

VITTORIA.

CONSTANCE, Sister to Eribert.

Nobles, Soldiers, Messengers, Vassals, Peasants, &c. &c.

Scene-Palermo.

THE VESPERS OF PALERMO.

A TRAGEDY.

ACT THE FIRST.

SCENE I-A Valley, with Vineyards and Cottages.

Groups of Peasants—PROCIDA, disguised as a Pilgrim, amongst them.

FIRST PEASANT.

AYE, this was wont to be festal time

In days gone by! I can remember well
The old familiar melodies that rose

At break of morn, from all our purple hills,
To welcome in the vintage. Never since

Hath music seem'd so sweet!

But the light hearts

And the fair castles of our ancient lords,

Where now the stranger banquets. Ye may hear, From thence the peals of song and laughter rise

At midnight's deepest hour.

THIRD PEASANT.

Alas! we sat

In happier days, so peacefully beneath
The olives and the vines our fathers rear'd,
Encircled by our children, whose quick steps
Flew by us in the dance! The time hath been
When peace was in the hamlet, wheresoe'er
The storm might gather. But this yoke of France
Falls on the peasant's neck as heavily

As on the crested chieftain's.

E'en to the earth.

We are bow'd

PEASANT'S CHILD.

My father, tell me when

Shall the gay dance and song again resound
Amidst our chesnut-woods, as in those days
Of which thou 'rt wont to tell the joyous tale?

FIRST PEASANT.

When there are light and reckless hearts once more

In Sicily's green vales. Alas! my boy,

Men meet not now to quaff the flowing bowl,

To hear the mirthful song, and cast aside

The weight of work-day care :-they meet, to speak

Of wrongs and sorrows, and to whisper thoughts

They dare not breathe aloud.

PROCIDA (from the back-ground).

Aye, it is well

So to relieve th' o'erburden'd heart, which pants

Beneath its weight of wrongs; but better far

The stranger pilgrim, who hath sojourn'd here

Since yester-morn. Good neighbours, mark him well; He hath a stately bearing, and an eye

Whose glance looks through the heart. His mien accords Ill with such vestments. How he folds round him

His pilgrim-cloak, e'en as it were a robe

Of knightly ermine! That commanding step

Should have been used in courts and camps to move.
Mark him!