Lord Justice (enters). Here I am. I have just come from London to do justice on that Knight. Where is he?
The Abbot. The Knight has failed to come with the money and this is the day when the land falls to me.
Lord Justice. I dare swear he will not come and thou shalt have his lands. I now declare that the knight, Sir Richard Lea, has failed to keep his promise and his lands are 
The Knight (entering and kneeling before the Abbot). Rejoice with me, Sir Abbot. I am come to keep my day.
The Abbot. What dost thou say? Hast brought the money?
The Knight (to try the Abbot). Not a penny, but 
The Abbot. What dost thou here without the money?
The Knight. To ask your kindness and patience, Sir Abbot, for a longer time.
Lord Justice. The day has come. Thou losest thy land, Sir Knight, since thou canst not pay.
The Knight. Good Lord Justice, help me against my foes! I will surely pay, but must have more time.
Lord Justice. I am sorry for thee, Sir Richard, but the law is plain.
Either pay your debt or lose your land.
The Knight. Sir Abbot, I pray thee, have pity.
The Abbot. Get the land when thou canst, thou gettest no pity from me.
The Knight. By my faith, then, if I get not my land again, thou shalt pay dearly for it.
The Abbot. Get thee gone, false knight! Darest thou threaten me?
The Knight. False knight I am not, for I have fought well for my king.
Lord Justice. Sir Abbot, the day is not yet gone. What wilt thou give the knight to hold his peace?
The Abbot. A hundred pounds.
Lord Justice. Make it two hundred.
The Knight. No, nor nine hundred. Ye shall not have my land! Here, Sir Abbot, are the four hundred pounds. Had you been less covetous, I would have given interest. Now, get you gone, all of you; and learn to deal more justly and kindly with those in need. [They go out.]
Lady Lea (entering). Oh, my dear husband! how glad I am to hear your voice again.
The Knight. Happy am I to see you and to be at home again. I must tell you how kind Robin Hood has been to me.
Lady Lea. Robin Hood your friend? Is he not the outlaw of the forest?
The Knight. Yes; but he is kind to all who are unhappy or oppressed.
He saved me from leaving England and gave me money to redeem my land.
Lady Lea. How I long to thank him for his goodness to you.
The Knight. In a year we will go to him and repay the four hundred pounds.
Lady Lea. I shall be glad to see him and his merry men, and try to thank them all.
WILLIAM TELL 
A STORY OF SWITZERLAND. A.D. 1307 
PERSONS IN THE PLAY WILLIAM TELL; LEWIS, HIS SON; ALBERT, HIS SON; ANNETTE, HIS WIFE; LALOTTE, HIS NIECE, GESSLER, SOLDIERS 
SCENE I. At Tell's Home 
Albert. Lewis, doesn't the quail smell good?
Lewis. Yes, I wish I could have some of it!
Lalotte. Hush! the quail is for your father.
Albert. I know that, Lalotte; but I am hungry, and I like quail.
Lalotte. Your father will be cold and hungry, for he has been on a long journey.
Albert. But perhaps he will not come. Mother, mother! may we have the quail if father is late? It is done now, and it will not be good if it is cooked any more.
Lalotte. Hush, you greedy boy! If I were your mother, I would send you to bed for thinking of such a thing.
Albert. You are not the mistress. You are not the mistress, and I shall not go to bed because you say so!
William Tell (at door). But you shall go to bed, young man, if your Cousin Lalotte tells you to do so. Take them to bed, Lalotte.
Albert. Oh, father! We were only joking.
Lewis. Please, father, don't send us to bed.
William Tell. I must, my boy, because it is late, and I have news for your mother. Good night, my sons.
Boys. Good night, dear father.
[They go out with Lalotte.]
William Tell. Thy father's news is not for young ears.
Annette. There is a sadness in thy voice, and trouble in thy face!
Tell me what has happened to thee! Wilt thou not trust me?
William Tell. Yes, my Annette! Thou hast ever been a good wife and faithful friend. Why should I conceal my deeds from thee?
Annette. What hast thou done, my husband?
William Tell. Perhaps thou wilt blame me.
Annette. Nay, for thou art a good man, and whatever thou doest is right in my eyes.
William Tell. Thou knowest how our foreign rulers oppress the good people of Switzerland?
Annette. I do, but why should we poor peasants worry over the affairs of the nobles?
William Tell. But they are our troubles, too. So to-night I have met with three and thirty men, brave and loyal hearts, who have sworn to resist our oppressors and free our land from tyranny.
Annette. But how can three-and-thirty men think to conquer the armies of foreign tyrants?
William Tell. Sometimes great events are brought about by small means.
All the people in their hearts hate the false ruler of our poor country, and many of these will willingly die for her sake.
Annette. Thou art brave, my husband, but what can so few do?
William Tell. Think of it! The father of one of our band has just been put to a cruel death. No man knows where the tyrant will strike next.
Perhaps Gessler will pick me out for the next victim.
Annette. Thee! What charge could he bring against thee?
William Tell. He could say that I am the friend of my country, which in the tyrant Gessler's mind is a crime.
Annette. But Gessler will never hear of us, humble peasants. He is too far above us to care what we think.
William Tell. Not so, my dear wife. Gessler will not permit us to hold our thoughts in secret. He has a plan to discover our inmost thoughts.
Annette. What plan can he make to read our minds?
William Tell. A clever plan to tell a freeman from a slave. In Altdorf, our capital city, he has set up a pole. Upon the top of this pole he has put the cap of the Austrian king and has ordered every man to take off his hat as he passes by, to show that he yields to the Austrian rule. Is not this a brave plan? He who obeys the tyrant is a slave. Wouldst thou have thy husband doff his cap to his country's tyrant?
Annette. Never! I should despise thee, couldst thou do it!
William Tell. That is my own brave wife! Thou speakest as a free woman, the mother of free children, should speak. And our children shall be free! When I go to Altdorf I shall refuse to obey the order of Gessler and all Switzerland shall know that William Tell will not bow to a foreign tyrant.
Annette. But why go to Altdorf, my husband? Thou knowest the power of Gessler and his cruelty!
William Tell. Wouldst have me a coward? No, dear wife. When my business calls me to Altdorf I shall go and in all ways act as a free man, loyal to my country and afraid of no one.
Annette. Thou art a brave man, my husband, and I honor thee.
SCENE II. Altdorf: The Market place 
WILLIAM TELL, ALBERT, SOLDIERS, GESSLER 
William Tell. Come, my son, I have sold the chamois skins, and now I must buy the things your mother wished me to get for her.
Albert. And, father, please buy some toys for little Lewis.
William Tell. You are a good boy, Albert, to remember your little brother. We will go to the shop across the square and look there for toys.
Soldier. Halt, man! Salute yonder cap!
William Tell. Why should I salute a cap of cloth?
Soldier. It is the cap of our emperor. If you do not honor the cap, you are a traitor.
William Tell. I am no traitor, and yet I will not bow down to an empty cap. I am a true Swiss and love my country.
Gessler. Ha, ha! Then we have a traitor here who will not yield to our emperor! Arrest him, my men; and we will teach him his manners. Who is this man?
Soldier. His name is William Tell, my lord.
Gessler. Insolent traitor! Bind him well.
Albert. Oh, father, I am afraid. Do not let the soldiers take me.
William Tell. Be calm, my son. No harm will come to thee.
Gessler. Indeed, and is this your son? Has he come to mock the cap of our royal master, too? Seize the boy and bind him to yonder tree.
William Tell. What will you do with the boy? Does a captain war with a child?
Gessler. We shall see. I hear you are a famous shot, William Tell, and handle well the bow and arrow. We shall soon know your skill. Have you a good arrow in your quiver? Perhaps you can shoot an apple from the head of your child.
Soldier. Where shall I bind the boy, my captain?
Gessler. To yonder tree. If his father shoots the apple from his child's head, he shall go free. If he fails he must die. Are you ready?
William Tell. Rather would I die than risk killing my eldest son. Let him go, and take my life.
Gessler. That I shall not do. You must both die unless you save your lives as I have said. Will you try the shot or are you afraid?