of my whole Estate because he said I took up Arms in Ireland on Noble Ormond's Side nay hir'd Rogues perjur'd Villains Witnesses with a Pox to swear it too when at that Time I was but eight years old But I 'scapt as well as all the Gentry and Nobility of England To add to this he takes my Mistress too La. Des. You mistake my lovely Freeman I marryed only thy Estate the best Composition I cou'd make for thee and I will pay it back with Interest too Free You wou'd suspect my love then and swear that all the Adoration I pay you were as we do to Heaven for Int'rest only La. Des. How you mistake my love but do so still so you will let me give these Proofs of it Gives him Gold Free Thus like Atlante you drop Gold in my Pursuit To love I may not over-take you What 's this to giving me one happy minute Take back your Gold and give me currant love The Treasure of your Heart not of your Purse When shall we meet Maria La. Des. You know my leasure Hours are when my honourable Lord is busied in Affairs of State or at his Prayers from which long-winded Exercise I have of late withdrawn my self three Hours by the Clock he prays extempory which is for National and Houshold Blessings for the first 't is to confound the Interest of the King that the Lard wou'd deliver him his Friends Adherers and Allies wheresoever scatter'd about the Face of the whole Earth into the Clutches of the righteous Press 'em good Lard even as the Vintager doth the Grape in the Wine-Press till the Waters and gliding Chanels are made red with the Blood of the wicked In a Tone Free And grant the faithful to be mighty and to be strong in Persecution and more especially Ah! I beseech thee confound that malignant Tory Freeman that he may never rise up in Judgment against thy Servant who has taken from him his Estate his Sustinance and Bread give him Grace of thy infinite Mercy to hang himself if thy People can find no zealous Witnesses to swear him to the Gallows legally Ah we have done very much for thee Lard thou shoud'st consider us thy Flock and we shou'd be as good to thee in another thing In a Tone La. Des. Thou hit'st the zealous Twang right sure thou hast been acquainted with some of 'em Free Damn 'em no what honest Man wou'd keep 'em Company where harmless Wit and Mirth 's a Sin laughing scandalous and a merry Glav Abomination La. Des. Yes if you drink Healths my wicked Brother otherwise to be silently drunk to be as abusive and satyrical as you please upon the Heroicks is allowable for laughing indeed 't is not so well but the precise Sneere and Grin is lawful no swearing indeed but lying and dissimulation in abundance I 'll assure you they drink as deep and entertain themselves as well with this silent way of lewd Debauchery as you with all your Wit and Mirth your Healths to the Royal Family Free Nay I confess 't is a great Pleasure to cheat the World La. Des. 'T is Power as divine Hobs calls it Free But what 's all this to Love Where shall we meet anon La. Des. I 'll tell you that will please you as well Your Friend is within with her Highness that shall be if the Divel and her Husband's Politicks agree about the matter Free Ha has my cautious Railer manag'd matters so sleyly La. Des. No No the Matter was manag'd to his Hand You see how Heav'n brings things about for the Good of your Party this Bus'ness will be worth him at least a thousand pound a Year or two well manag'd But see my Ladies Woman Gill. Oh Madam my Lord Running cross the Stage into her Ladies Chamber Free Death how shall I bring my Friend off He 'll certainly be ruin'd Enter Gill. Lov. and La. Lam. Gill. Madam he 's coming up Lov. Madam for my self I care not but much concern'd for you La. Lam. takes two Papers out of her Pock and gives 'em to Lov. and Free La. Lam. Here take these two Petitions each of you one Poor Fellows you may be gone your Petitions will not be granted Enter Lambert Lam. How now my Dear what Petitions Friends what 's your Bus'ness La. Lam. 'T is enough we know their Business Love we are sufficient to dispatch such Suters I hope Lam. Pardon me my Dear I thought no harm but I saw you frown and that made me concern'd La. Lam. Frown ' Twou'd make any Body frown to hear the Impudence of Gentlemen these Cavaliers wou'd you think it my Dear if this Fellow has not the Impudence to petition for the Thirds of his Estate again so justly taken from him for bearing Arms for the Man La. Des. Nay I ' am inform'd that they but two Nights ago in a Tavern Drunk a Health to the Man too Lam. How durst you Sirrah approach my Lady with any such sawcy Address you have receiv'd our Answer Lov. Death I 've scarce Patience Aside Free We knew my Lord the Influence your Ladies have over you and Women are more tender and compassionate naturally than Men and Sir 't is hard for Gentlemen to starve La. Lam. Have you not able Limbs can ye not work Lov. Persons of our Education work Lam. Starve or beg then La. Lam. Education why I 'll warrant there was that young Creature they call the Duke of Glocester was as well educated as any Lad in the Parish and yet you see he should have been bound Prentice to a handy Crafts Trade but that our Lords cou'd not spare Money to bind him out and so they sent him to beg beyond Sea Lov. Death I shall do Mischief not all the Joy she gave me but now can attone for this Blasphemy against the Royal Youth Free Patience Well my Lord we find you are obdurate and we 'll withdraw Lam. Do so And if you dare presume to trouble us any more I 'll have you whip'd d' e hear La. Des. Madam I 'll take my leave of your Ladiship Ex. Lov. Free L. Des. La. Lam. My Lord 't was I that ought to threaten 'em but you 'r so forward still what makes you from the Committee Lam. I left some Papers behind La. Lam. And they 'll make use of your Absence to set up Fleetwood King Lam. I 'll warrant ye my Dear La. Lam. You 'll warrant you 're a Fool and a Coxcomb I see I must go my self there will be no bus'ness done 'till I thunder 'em together They want Old Oliver amongst 'em his arbitrary Nod cou'd make ye all tremble when he wanted Power or Money he need but Cock in Parliament and lay his hand upon his Sword and cry I must have Money and had it or kick'd ye all out a doors And you are so mealy mouth'd you cannot Cock for a Kingdom Lam. I 'll warrant you Dear I can do as good a thing for a
of another Cut she marryed as most do for Interest but what thou 't to her Lov. If Lightening stop my way Perhaps a sober view may make me hate her Exit both Enter Lambert and Whitlock Scen. A Chamber Whit. My Lord now is your time you may be King Fortune is yours you 've time it self by th' fore-lock Lam. If I thought so I 'd hold him fast by Heaven Whit. If you let slip this Opportunity my Lord you are undone Aunt Caesar aut Nullus Lam. But Fleetwood Whit. Hang him soft head Lam. True he 's of an easie Nature yet if thou did'st but know how little Wit governs this mighty Universe thou wou'dst not wonder men should set up him Whit. That will not recommend him at this Iuncto though he 's an excellent Tool for your Lordship to make use of and therefore use him Sir as Cataline did Lentulus drill the dull Fool with hopes of Empire on and that all tends to his Advancement only The Block-head will believe the Crown his own what other Hopes could make him ruine Richard a Gentleman of Qualities a thousand times beyond him Lam. They were both too soft an ill Commendation for a General who should be rough as storms of War it self Whit. His Time was short and yours is coming on Old Oliver had his Lam. I hate the Memory of that Tyrant Oliver Whit. So do I now he 's dead and serves my Ends no more I lov'd the Father of the Great Heroick whilst he had Power to do me good he failing Reason directed me to the Party then prevailing the Fag End of the Parliament 't is true I took the Oath of Allegiance as Oliver your Lordship Tony and the rest did without which we could not have sat in that Parliament but that Oath was not for our Advantage and so better broke than kept Lam. I am of your Opinion my Lord. Whit. Let Honesty and Religion preach against it but how cou'd I have serv'd the Commons by deserting the King how have show'd my self loyal to your Interest by fooling Fleetwood in the deserting of Dick by dissolving the honest Parliament and bringing in the odious Rump how cou'd I have flatter'd Ireton by telling him Providence brought things about when 't was mere knavery all and that the hand of the Lord was in 't when I knew the Devil was in 't or indeed how cou'd I now advise you to be King if I had started of Oaths or prefer'd Honesty or Divinity before Interest and the Good Old Cause Lam. Nay 't is most certain he that will live in this World must be indu'd with the three rare Qualities of Dissimulation Equivocation and mental Reservation Whit. In which Excellency Heav'n be prais'd we out-do the Iesuits Enter La. Lam. L. Lamb. I 'm glad to see you so well employ'd my Lord as in Discourse with my Lord Whitlock he 's of our party and has Wit Whit. Your Honour graces me too much Lam. My Lord my Lady is an absolute States-Woman La. Lam. Yes I think things had not arriv'd to this exalted height nor had you been in Prospect of a Crown had not my Politicks exceeded your meaner Ambition Lam. I confess I owe all my good fortune to thee Enter Page Pag. My Lord my Lord Wariston Lord Hewson Collonel Cobbet and Collonel Duckenfield desire the Honour of waiting on you La. Lam. This has a â—ace of Greatness let 'em wait a while i' th' Antichamber Lam. My Love I wou'd have 'em come in La. Lam. You wou'd have 'em you wou'd have a Fools Head of your own pray let me be Judge of what their Duty is and what your Glory I say I 'll have 'em wait Page My Lord Fleetwood too is just alighted shall he wait too Madam La. Lam. He may approach and d' ye hear put on your fawning looks flatter him and profess much Friendship to him you may betray him with the more facility Whit. Madam you counsel well Ex. Page re-enter with L. Fleetwood Enter Lord Fleetwood Lamb. My good Lord your most submissive Servant Whit. My Gracious Lord I am your Creature your Slave Fleet. I profess ingeniously I am much ingag'd to you my good Lords I hope things are now in the Lard's handling and will go on well for his Glory and my Interest and that all my good People of England will do things that become good Christians Whit. Doubt us not my good Lord the Government cannot be put into abler hands than those of your Lordship it has hitherto been in the hard clutches of Iews Infidels and Pagans Fleet. Yea verily Abomination has been in the hands of Iniquity Lam. But my Lord those hands by my good Conduct are now cut off and our Ambition is your Lordship wou'd take the Government upon you Fleet. I profess my Lord by ye and nay I am asham'd of this Goodness in making me the Instrument of saving Grace to this Nation 't is the great Work of the Lard La. Lam. The Lard Sir I 'll assure you the Lard has the least hand in your good fortune I think you ought to ascribe it to the Cunning and Conduct of my Lord here who so timely abandon'd the Interest of Richard Fleet. Ingeniously I must own your good Lord can do much and has done much but 't is our Method to ascribe all to the Powers above La. Lam. Then I must tell you your Method's an ungrateful Method Lam. Peace my Love Whit. Madam This is the Cant we must delude the Rabble with La. Lam. Then let him use it there my Lord not amongst us who so well understand one another Lam. Good Dear be pacifi'd and tell me shall the Gentlemen without have admittance La. Lam. They may Page goes out Enter Hewson Desbro Duckenfield Wariston and Cobbet War Guds Benizon light on yu my gued Loords for this days work Madam I kiss your white Honds Duc. My Lord I have not been behind hand in this days turn of State Lam. 'T is confess'd Sir What wou'd you infer from that Duc. Why I wou'd know how things go who shall be General who Protector or who King next Hews My Friend has well translated his meaning La. Lam. Fy how that filthy Cobler Lord betrayes his Function Duc. We 're in a Chaos a Confusion as we are Hews Indeed the Commonwealth at present is out at heels and wants underlaying Cob. And the People expect something suddenly from us Whit. My Lords and Gentlemen we must consider a while War Bread a gued there 's mickle Wisdom i that Sirs Duc. It ought to be consulted betimes my Lord 't is a matter of moment and ought to be consulted by the whole Committee Lam. We design no other my Lord for which reason at three a clock we 'll meet at Wallingford House Duc. Nay my Lord do but settle the Affair let 's but know who 's our Head and 't is no matter Hew Ay my Lord no matter who I hope 't will be Fleetwood
Lam. I move for a Salary Gentlemen Scobel and other petty Clerks have had a thousand a year my Lord sure merits more Hews Why let him have two thousand then Flee I profess ingeniously with all my heart Whit. I humbly thank your Lordships but if I may be so bold to ask from whence shall I receive it Lam. Out of the Customs Cob. Brotherly love ought to go along with us but under favour when this is gone where shall we raise new supplies Lam. We 'll tax the Nation high the City higher They are our Friends our most obsequious Slaves Our Dogs to fetch and carry our very Asses Lov. And our Oxes with the help of their Wives aside Lam. Besides the City's rich and near her time I hope of being deliver'd War Wons a gued wad I 'd the laying o her she shou'd be sweetly brought to Bed by my Sol. Des. The City cares for no Scotch Pipers my Lord. War By my Sol but she has danc'd after the gued Pipe of Reformation when the Covenant Jigg gang'd maryly round Sirs Cla. My Lords here are some poor malignant Petitioners Lam. Oh turn 'em out here 's nothing for 'em these Fellows were petitioning my Lady to day I thought she had given you a satisfactory Answer Lov. She did indeed my Lord but 't is a hard Case to take away a Gentleman's Estate without convicting him of any Crime Lam. Oh Sir we shall prove that hereafter Lov. But to make sure Work you 'll hang a man first and examine his Offence afterwards a Plague upon your Consciences my Friend here had a little fairer Play your Villains your Witnesses in Pension swore him a Collonel for our Glorious Master of ever blessed Memory at eight years old a Plague upon their miracles Fleet. Ingeniously Sirrah you shall be pillory'd for defaming our reverend Witnesses Guards take 'em to your Custody both Free Damn it I shall miss my Assignation with Lady Desbro a Pox of your unncessary Prating what shall I do Guards take 'em away Lam. And now my Lords we have finish'd the bus'ness of the Day My good Lord Fleetwood I am entirely yours and at our next sitting shall approve my self your Creature Whit. My good Lord I am your submissive Vassal Wariston Wons my Lord I scorn any man shou'd be mere yare Vassal than Archibald Iohnson To Fleetwood Ex. All. SCENE A Chamber Enter La. Desbro and Corporal in haste La. Des. Seiz'd on secur'd was there no time but this What made him at the Committee or when there why spoke he honest Truth What shall I do good Corporal Advise take Gold and see if you can corrupt his Guards but they are better paid for doing mischief yet try their Consciences are large Gives him Gold Cor. I 'll venture my Life in so good a Cause Madam Ex. Enter Page Pag. Madam here 's Mr. Ananias Gogle the Lay Elder of Clements Parish La. Des. Dam the sham Saint am I now in Condition to be plagu'd with his impertinent Non-sense Pag. Oh! Pray Madam hear him preach a little 't is the purest sport Enter Ananias Ana. Peace be in this Place La. Des. A blessed Hearing he preaches nothing in his Conventicles but Blood and Slaughter Aside What wou'd you Sir I 'm something busie now Ana. Ah the Children of the Elect have no Business but the great work of Reformation Yea verily I say all other Business is prophane and diabolical and divelish Yea I say these Dressings Curles and shining Habilliments which take so up your time your precious time I say they are an Abomination yea an Abomination in the sight of the Righteous and serve but as an Ignis fatuus to lead vain man astray I say again Looking now and then behind on the Page La. Des. You are a very Coxcomb Ana. I say again that even I upright I one of the new Saints find a sort of a a a I know not what a kind of a Motion as it were a stirring up as a man may say to Wickedness Yea verily it corrupteth the outward man within me La. Des. Is this your Business Sir to rail against my Cloaths as if you intended to preach me into my Primitive Nakedness again Ana. Ah the Naked Truth is best but Madam I have a little work of Grace to communicate unto you please you to send your Page away La. Des. Withdraw sure I can make my Party good with one wicked Elder Now Sir your Bus'ness Ex. Page Be brief Ana. As brief as you please but who in the sight of so much Beau ty can think of any Bus'ness but the Bus'ness Ah! hide those tempting Breasts Alack how smoth and warm they are Feeling 'em and sneering La. Des. How now Have you forgot your Function Ana. Nay but I am mortal man also and may fall seven times a day Yea verily I may fall seven times a day Your Ladiships Husband is old and where there is a good Excuse for falling Ah there the fall-ing is excusable And might I but fall with your Ladiship might I I say La. Des. How this from you the Head o' th' Church militant the very Pope of Presbytery Ana. Verily the Sin lyeth in the Scandal therefore most of the discreet pious Ladies of the Age chuse us upright men who make a Conscienâ—e of a secret the Laiety being more regardless of their Fame In sober sadness the Place inviteth the Creature tempting and the Spirit very violent within me Takes and ruffles her L. Des. Who waits there I 'm glad you have prov'd your self what I ever thought of all your pack of Knaves An Ah Madam Do not ruine my Reputation there are Ladies of high Degree in the Commonwealth to whom we find our selves most comforting why might not you be one for alas we are accounted as able men in Ladies Chambers as in our Pulpits we serve both Functions Enter Servants Hah her Servants stands at a distance La. Des. Shou'd I tell this I shou'd not find belief aside Anan Madam I have another Errand to your Ladiship It is the Duty of my Occupation to catechize the Heads of every Family within my Diocese and you must answer some sew Questions I shall ask In the first place Madam Who made ye La. Des. So from whoring to a zealous Catechism who made me what Insolence is this to ask me Questions which every Child that lisps out words can answer An. 'T is our Method Madam La. Des. Your Impudence Sirrah let me examine your Faith who are so sawcy to take an account of mine Who made you But lest you shou'd not know I will inform you First Heav'n made you a deform'd ill favour'd Creature then the Rascal your Father made you a Taylor next your Wife made you a Cuckold and lastly the Devil has made you a Doctor and so get you gone for a Fool and a Knave all over Ana. A man of my Coat affronted thus La. Des. It shall be worse Sirrah my Husband shall
was lavish enough Lov. Yes of the Nations Treasure but prithee tell me Is not thy Lady mad raving on Crowns and Kingdoms Gill. It appears so to you who are not us'd to the Vanity of the Party but they are all so mad in their degree and in the Fit they talk of nothing else Sir we have to morrow a hearing as they call it Lov. What 's that a Conventicle Gill. No no Sir Ladies of the last Edition that present their Grievances to the Council of Ladies of which my Lady 's Chief which Grievances are laid open to the Committee of Safety and so redress'd or slighted as they are Lov. That must be worth one's Curiosity cou'd one but see 't Gill. We admit no man Sir Lov. 'Sdeath for so good a sight I will turn Woman I 'll Act it to a hair Gill. That wou'd be excellent Lov. Nay I must do 't the Novelty is rare but I 'm impatient prethee let thy Lady know I wait Gill. She 's in Affairs of State but will be here immediately mean time retire into her Cabinet I 'll send the Page with Lights there you may repose till my Lady comes on the Pallat. she leads him out SCENE A great Chamber of State and Canopy And at a Table seated Lambert Fleetwood Desbro Hewson Duckingfield Wariston Cobbet all half drunk with Bottles and Glasses on the Table La. Lam. and La. Fleet. Lam. My Lord Wariston you are not merry to night War Wons Mon this Monk sticks in my Gullet the muckle Diel pull him out by th' Lugs the faud Loone will en spoyle ad our sport mon. Lam. I thought I had enough satisfy'd all your Fears the Army 's mine that is 't is yours my Lords and I 'll employ it too so well for the Good of the Commonwealth you shall have cause to commend both my Courage and Conduct my Lord Wariston will you accompany me War Ah my gued Lord the Honour is too great 'T is not but I's dare fight my Lord but I love not the limmer Loone he has a villainous honest Face an's ene I's kend him ence and lik't him not but I's drink tol y ar gued Fortune let it gang aboote ene and ad Sirs all drink Lam. We 'll leave all discourse of bus'ness and give our selves to Mirth I fancy good Success from this days Omen Enter Gill. whispers La. Lam. she rises La. Lam. Waited so long Gill. And grew inpatient and please your Highness must I go tell him you cannot see him to Night La. Lam. Not for the World my silly Politician will be Busying himself in dull Affairs of State Dull in Comparison of Love I mean I never lov'd before Old Oliver I suffer'd for my Interest And 't is some Greatness to be Mistress to the best But this mighty Pleasure comes A propo To sweeten all the heavy Toyls of Empire Gill. So it does an 't please your Highness La. Lam. Go let him know I 'm coming Madam I must beg your Pardon you hear my Lord to morrow goes on this great Expedition and for any thing we know may fall a glorious Sacrifice to the Commonwealth therefore 't is meet I offer up some Prayers for his Safety and all my Leasure Hours 'twixt this and that will be too few Your humble Servant Madam Ex. La. Lam. La. Fleet. My Dear I 'll leave you too my Time of Devotion is come and heav'n will stay for no Body where are my People is my Coach ready or may Chair Fleet. Go in your Chair my Love lest you catch cold La. Fleet. And light your Flambeaus I love to have my Chair surrounded with Flambeaus Enter Page Pag. Your Chair is ready Madam She goes out led by Fleet. Hews What think ye now my Lords of settling the Nation a little I find my Head swim with Politicks and what ye call ums War Wons and wad ya settle the Nation when we real our selves Hews Who pox shall we stand making Childrens Shoes all the year No No let 's begin to settle the Nation I say and go throw stich with our Work Duc. Right we have no Head to obey so that if this Scotch General do come whilst we Dogs fight for the Bone he runs away with it Hews Shaw we shall patch up matters with the Scotch General I 'll warrant you However here 's to our next Head One and All. all drink Flee Verily Sirs this Health drinking savoureth of Monarchy and is a Type of Malignancy War Bread my Lord no preaching o're y ar Liquer wee's now for a Cup o' th' Creature Cob. In a gadly way you may it is lawful Lam. Come Come we 're dull give us some Musick Come my Lord I 'll give you a Song I love Musick as I do a Drum there 's Life and Soul in 't call my Musick Fleet. Yea I am for any Musick except an Organ War ' SBread Sirs and I's for a Horn-pipe I 've a faud Theefe here shall dance ye dance tol a Horn-pipe with any States man a ya'ad All. He He He. Duc. I know not what your faud Theefe can do but I 'll hold you a Wager Collonel Hewson and Collonel Desbro shall dance ye the Saints Jigg with any Sinner of your Kirk or Field Conventickler War Wons and I's catch 'em at that sport I's dancâ— tol 'em for a Scotch Poond but farst y ar Song my Lord I hope 't is body or 't is not wâ—rth a Feart All. He He He. Song sung by Lord Lambert A Pox of the States-man that 's witty That watches and Plots all the sleepless Night For Seditious Harangues to the Whigs of the City And piously turns a Traytor in spight Let him wrack and torment his lean Carrion To bring his Sham-Plots about Till Religion King Bishop and Baron For the Publick Good be quite rooted out Whilst we that are no Politicians But Rogues that are Resolute bare-fac'd and Great Boldly head the rude Rabble in open Sedition Bearing all down before us in Church and in State Your Impudence is the best State trick And he that by Law means to rule Let his History with ours be related Tho' we prove the Knaves 't is he is the Fool. War The Diel a me we le sung my Lord and gen aud Trads fail yas make a quaint Minstrel All. He He He. War Noo Sirs y ar Dance They fling Cushions at one another and grin Musick plays Mary Sirs an this be y ar dancing tol dance and ne're stir Stap the Diel lead the Donce for Archibald When they have flung Cushions thus a while to the Musick Time they beat each other from the Table one by one and fall into a godly Dance after a while Wariston rises and dances ridiculously a while amongst them then to the Time of the Tune they take out the rest as at the Cushion Dance or in that Nature Wariston being the last taken in leads the rest Haud Minstrels hade Bread a gued I's fatch ad Ladies in