Volume I Part 111 (1/2)

_Lam._ I confess, I owe all my good Fortune to thee.

Enter _Page_.

_Page._ My Lord, my Lord _Wariston_, Lord _Hewson_, Colonel _Cobbet_, and Colonel _Duckenfield_ desire the Honour of waiting on you.

_L. Lam._ This has a Face of Greatness-- let 'em wait a while i'th'

Antichamber.

_Lam._ My Love, I would have 'em come in.

_L. Lam._ You wou'd have 'em! you wou'd have a Fool's 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 lie wait too, Madam?

_L. Lam._ He may approach: and d'ye hear-- put on your fawning Looks, flatter him, and profess much Friends.h.i.+p to him, you may betray him with the more facility.

_Whit._ Madam, you counsel well. [Ex. _Page_.

_Page_ re-enters with Lord _Fleetwood_.

_Lam._ My good Lord, your most submissive Servant.

_Whit._ My gracious Lord, I am your Creature-- your Slave--

_Fleet._ I profess ingeniously, I am much engag'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 Lords.h.i.+p; it has. .h.i.therto been in the hard Clutches of _Jews, 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 Lords.h.i.+p wou'd take the Government upon you.

_Fleet._ I profess, my Lord, by yea and nay, I am asham'd of this Goodness, in making me the Instrument of saving Grace to this Nation; 'tis the great Work of the Lard.

_L. Lam._ The Lard! Sir, I'll a.s.sure 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 'tis our Method to ascribe all to the Powers above.

_L. 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.

_L. Lam._ Then let him use it there, my Lord, not amongst us, who so well understand one another.

_Lam._ Good Dear, be pacified-- and tell me, shall the Gentlemen without have Admittance?

_L. Lam._ They may. [_Page_ goes out.