MAUER. You hear. Expect not from the Emperor Or right or justice! Then redress yourselves! REDING. No other course is left us. Now, advise What plan most likely to ensure success. FURST. To shake a thraldom off that we abhor, To keep our ancient rights inviolate, As we received them from our fathers,--this, Not lawless innovation, is our aim. Let Caesar still retain what is his due; And he that is a vassal, let him pay The service he is sworn to faithfully. MEYER. I hold my land of Austria in fief. FURST. Continue, then, to pay your feudal dues. WEIL. I'm tenant of the lords of Rappersweil. FURST. Continue, then, to pay them rent and tithe. ROSSEL. Of Zurich's Abbess humble vassal I. FURST. Give to the cloister, what the cloister claims. STAUFF. The Empire only is my feudal lord. FURST. What needs must be, we'll do, but nothing more. We'll drive these tyrants and their minions hence, And raze their towering strongholds to the ground, Yet shed, if possible, no drop of blood, Let the Emperor see that we were driven to cast The sacred duties of respect away; And when he finds we keep within our bounds, His wrath, belike, may yield to policy; For truly is that nation to be fear'd, That, arms in hand, is temperate in its wrath. REDING. But prithee tell us how may this be done? The enemy is arm'd as well as we, And, rest assured, he will not yield in peace. STAUFF. He will, whene'er he sees us up in arms; We shall surprise him, ere he is prepared. MEYER. Easily said, but not so easily done. Two strongholds dominate the country--they Protect the foe, and should the King invade us, Our task would then be dangerous, indeed. Rossberg and Sarnen both must be secured, Before a sword is drawn in either Canton. STAUFF. Should we delay, the foe would soon be warned; We are too numerous for secrecy. MEYER. There is no traitor in the Forest States. ROSSEL. But even zeal may heedlessly betray. FURST. Delay it longer, and the keep at Altdorf Will be complete,--the governor secure. MEYER. You think but of yourselves. SACRIS. You are unjust! MEYER. Unjust! said you? Dares Uri taunt us so? REDING. Peace, on your oath! SACRIS. If Schwytz be leagued with Uri, Why, then, indeed, we must perforce be dumb. REDING. And let me tell you, in the Diet's name, Your hasty spirit much disturbs the peace. Stand we not all for the same common cause? WINK. What, if till Christmas we delay? 'Tis then The custom for the serfs to throng the castle, Bringing the Governor their annual gifts. Thus may some ten or twelve selected men Assemble unobserved, within its walls. Bearing about their persons pikes of steel, Which may be quickly mounted upon staves, For arms are not admitted to the fort. The rest can fill the neighb'ring wood, prepared To sally forth upon a trumpet's blast, Soon as their comrades have secured the gate; And thus the castle will with ease be ours.