The Works of Aphra Behn Volume I Part 107

Pay 'em so well, that they may ne'er recant, And so turn honest merely out of want.

Pay Juries, that no formal Laws may harm us, Let Treason be secur'd by _Ignoramus_.

Pay Bully Whig, who loyal Writers bang, And honest Tories in Effigie hang: Pay those that burn the Pope to please the Fools, And daily pay Right Honourable Tools; Pay all the Pulpit Knaves that Treason brew, And let the zealous Sisters pay 'em too; Justices, bound by Oath and Obligation, Pay them the utmost Price of their d.a.m.nation, Not to disturb our useful Congregation.

Nor let the Learned Rabble be forgot, Those pious Hands that crown our hopeful Plot.

No, modern Statesmen cry, 'tis Lunacy To barter Treason with such Rogues as we.

But subtiler _Oliver_ did not disdain His mightier Politicks with ours to join.

I for all Uses in a State was able, Cou'd Mutiny, cou'd fight, hold forth, and cobble.

Your lazy Statesman may sometimes direct, But your small busy Knaves the Treason act._

DRAMATIS PERSONae.

MEN.

Lord _Fleetwood_, } Compet.i.tors for the Crown, Lord _Lambert_, } but _Lambert_ is General of the Army.

Lord _Wariston_, Chairman of the Committee of Safety.

_Hewson_, } _Desbro_, } Commanders, _Duckingfield_, } and Committee-men.

_Corbet_, } Lord _Whitlock_.

_Ananias Goggle_, Lay Elder of _Clement's_ Parish.

_A Rabble_ of the Sanctify'd Mobile.

Corporal _Right_, an _Oliverian_ Commander, but honest, and a Cavalier in his Heart.

_Loveless_, a Royalist, a Man of Honour, in love with Lady _Lambert._ _Freeman_, his Friend, of the same Character, in love with Lady _Desbro_.

Captain of the Prentices.

Two Pages to Lady _Lambert_.

_Tom_, Page to Lady _Desbro_.

Page to Lady _Fleetwood_.

A Felt-maker.

A Joyner.

Doorkeeper.

Two Clerks.

Three Soldiers.

WOMEN.

Lady _Lambert_, in love with _Loveless_.

Lady _Desbro_, in love with _Freeman_.

Lady _Fleetwood_.

Lady _Cromwell_.

_Gilliflower_, Lady _Lambert's_ Old Woman.

Several Ladies, for Redress of Grievances.

Women Servants to Lady _Lambert_.

Pet.i.tioners, Servants, Guards, Footmen, Fidlers, and a Band of Loyal City Apprentices.

ACT I.

SCENE I. _The Street._

Enter three _Soldiers_, and Corporal _Right_.

_Cor._ Ah, Rogue, the World runs finely round, the business is done.

_1 Sold._ Done! the Town's our own, my fine Rascal.

_2 Sold._ We'll have Harlots by the Belly, Sirrah.

_1 Sold._ Those are Commodities I confess I wou'd fain be trucking for-- but no words of that, Boy.

_Cor._ Stand, who goes there?

[To them a Joyner and a Felt-maker.

_1 Sold._ Who are you for?-- hah!

_Joy._ Are for, Friend? we are for Gad and the Lord _Fleetwood_.

_1 Sold._ _Fleetwood_! knock 'em down, _Fleetwood_, that sniveling Thief?

_Felt._ Why, Friends, who are ye for?

_Cor._ For! who shou'd we be for, but _Lambert_, n.o.ble _Lambert_? Is this a time o'th' day to declare for _Fleetwood_, with a Pox? indeed, i'th' Morning 'twas a Question had like to have been decided with push a Pike.

_2 Sold._ Dry blows wou'd ne'er ha' don't, some must have sweat Blood for't; but-- 'tis now decided.

_Joy._ Decided!

_2 Sold._ Yes, decided, Sir, without your Rule for't.

_Joy._ Decided! by whom, Sir? by us the Free-born Subjects of _England_, by the Honourable Committee of Safety, or the Right Reverend City?

without which, Sir, I humbly conceive, your Declaration for _Lambert_ is illegal, and against the Property of the People.

_2 Sold._ Plain _Lambert_; here's a saucy Dog of a Joyner; Sirrah, get ye home, and mind your Trade, and save the Hangman a labour.

_Joy._ Look ye, Friend, I fear no Hang-man in _Christendom_; for Conscience and Publick Good, for Liberty and Property, I dare as far as any Man.

_2 Sold._ Liberty and Property, with a Pox, in the Mouth of a Joyner: you are a pretty Fellow to settle the Nation-- what says my Neighbour Felt-maker?

_Felt._ Why, verily, I have a high respect for my honourable Lord _Fleetwood_, he is my intimate Friend; and till I find his Party the weaker, I hope my Zeal will be strengthned for him.

_2 Sold._ Zeal for _Fleetwood_! Zeal for a Halter, and that's your due: Why, what has he ever done for you? Can he lead you out to Battle? Can he silence the very Cannon with his Eloquence alone?-- Can he talk-- or fight-- or--

_Felt._ But verily he can pay those that can, and that's as good-- and he can pray--