THE SIEGE: A DRAMATIC TALE.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.--SIR ALEXANDER SETON, Governor of Berwick;
RICHARD and HENRY, his sons. PROVOST RAMSAY. HUGH ELLIOT, a
traitor. KING EDWARD. EARL PERCY. MATILDA, wife of Seton; etc.



SCENE I.--_A Street--the Market-place_.


_Enter_ SIR ALEXANDER SETON, RICHARD _and_ HENRY
(_his sons_), PROVOST RAMSAY, HUGH ELLIOT, _and others of
the People_.

_Provost Ramsay_.--Brither Scotchmen! it is my fixed an'
solemn opinion, that the King o' England has entered into a
_holy alliance_ wi' the enemy o' mankind! An' does he
demand us to surrender!--to gie up our toun!--our property!--our
lives!--our liberty!--to Southern pagans, that hae entered into
compact wi' the powers o' the air! Surrender! No, Scotchmen!
While we breathe, we will breathe the _breath o' Freedom!_
as it soughs down the Tweed, between the heathery hills o' our
ain auld country! I am but provost o' Berwick, Sir Alexander,
an' ye are its governor; an' in a time like this, the power o'
defending or surrendering the gates is yours; but though ye gie
up the keys this very hour, an' were every stane o' the walls
turned are upon anither--here!--the power to defend this
market-place is mine!--and _here_ will I stand, while this
hand can wield a sword, or a Scotchman is left to die by my