_Des._ No Remedy?
_War._ Nene, Sirs, again the King"s Evil; Bread, Sirs, ya"s ene gan tol yar Stall agen: I"s en follow _Duckenfield_-- Farewel, Mr. Leyer.
_L. Lam._ See the Vicissitudes of human Glory.
These Rascals, that but yesterday pet.i.tion"d me With humble Adoration, now scarce pay Common Civilities due to my s.e.x alone.
Enter _Fleetwood_.
_Crom._ How now, Fool, what is"t that makes ye look so pertly? Some mighty Business you have done, I"ll warrant.
_Fleet._ Verily, Lady Mother, you are the strangest Body; a Man cannot please you-- Have I not finely circ.u.mvented _Lambert_? made the Rump Head, who have committed him to the _Tower_; ne"er stir now that I have, and I"m the greatest Man in _England_, as I live I am, as a Man may say.
_Crom._ Yes, till a greater come. Ah, Fool of Fools, not to fore-see the danger of that nasty Rump.
_L. Fleet._ Good Madam, treat my Lord with more Respect.
_Crom._ Away, fond Fool, born with so little Sense, To doat on such a wretched Idiot; It was thy Fate in _Ireton"s_ days to love him, Or you were foully scandalized.
_Fleet._ You are not so well spoken of neither, ne"er stir now, and you go to that. I can be King to morrow if I will.
_Crom._ Thou lyest, thou wo"t be hang"d first; mark that I tell thee so.
I"ll prove _Ca.s.sandra_ to thee, and prophesy thy Doom; Heav"n pays the Traitor back with equal Measure. Remember how you serv"d my poor Son Richard.
[Ex. _Crom._ and _Page_.
_Fleet._ She"s mad-- Come, my Dear, let"s leave the House of this Villain, that meant to have cozen"d me illegally or three Kingdoms-- but that I outwitted him at last.
[Ex. _Fleet._ L. _Fleet_, and _Page_.
Enter _Page_.
_L. Lam._ Imprison"d too, i"th" Tower! what Fate is mine?
[Leans on _Des._
_Page._ Madam, the fine Heroick"s come to wait on you.
_L. Lam._ Hah! _Loveless_! let him not see the Ruin of my Greatness, which he foretold, and kindly begg"d I wou"d usurp no more.
[Weep.
Enter _Loveless_.
_Lov._ This News has brought me back, I love this Woman, Vain as she is, in spite of all her Fopperies of State-- [Bows to her, and looks sad.
_L. Lam._ Alas, I do not merit thy Respect, I"m fall"n to Scorn, to Pity and Contempt. [Weeping.
Ah, Loveless, fly the wretched-- Thy Virtue is too n.o.ble to be shin"d on By any thing but rising Suns alone: I"m a declining Shade--
_Lov._ By Heaven, you were never great till now; I never thought thee so much worth my Love, My Knee, and Adoration, till this Minute. [Kneels.
--I come to offer you my Life, and all The little Fortune the rude Herd has left me.
_L. Lam._ Is there such G.o.d-like Virtue in your s.e.x?
Or, rather, in your Party.
Curse on the Lyes and Cheats of Conventicles, That taught me first to think Heroicks Devils, Blood-thirsty, leud, tyrannick, salvage Monsters.
--But I believe "em Angels all, if all like _Loveless_.
What heavenly thing then must the Master be, Whose Servants are divine?
[Enter _Page_ running.
_Page._ Oh, Madam! all the Heroick Boys are up in Arms, and swear they"ll have your Highness, dead or alive,-- they have besieg"d the House.
_L. Lam._ Heav"ns, the Rabble!-- those faithless things that us"d to croud my Coach"s Wheels, and stop my Pa.s.sage, with their officious Noise and Adoration.
Enter _Freeman_.
_Free._ _Loveless_, thy Aid; the City-Sparks are up; Their zealous Loyalty admits no Bounds.
A glorious Change is coming, and I"ll appear now barefac"d.
_Lov._ Madam, fear not the Rabble; retire. _Freeman_ and I can still "em. Leads her in, and bows low.
_Free._ My dear _Maria_, I shall claim ye shortly--
_L. Des._ Do your worst, I"m ready for the Challenge. [Go in.
[Ex. _Lov._ and _Free._ another way.
SCENE III. _The Street._
Enter _Captain_ and the rest.
_Capt._ I say we"ll have the She-Politican out, she did more mischief than her Husband, pitiful, dittiful _Lambert_; who is, thanks be prais"d, in the Tower, to which place Lord of his Mercy bring all the King"s Enemies.
_All._ Amen, Amen.
Enter _Lov._ and _Freeman_.
_Lov._ Why, how now, Captain, what, besiege the Women! No, let us lead our Force to n.o.bler Enemies.
_Capt._ Nay, n.o.ble Chief, your Word"s our Law.
_Lov._ No, I resign that t.i.tle to the brave _Scotch_ General, who has just now enter"d the City.
_Capt._ We know it, Sir; do you not observe how the Crop-ear"d Fanaticks trot out of Town?-- The Rogues began their old belov"d Mutiny, but "twould not do.
_Lov._ A Pox upon "em, they went out like the Snuff of a Candle, stinkingly and blinkingly.
_1 Pr._ Ay, ay, let "em hang themselves, and then they are cold Meat for the Devil.
_Capt._ But, n.o.ble Champion, I hope we may have leave to roast the Rump to night.