Volume I Part 128 (1/2)

_L. Lam._ We, poor Creature! how simply Majesty becomes her?

[They all sitting down, enter L. _Cromwel_ angrily, and takes her Place, L. _Lam. _uppermost.

--Madam, as I take it, at our last sitting, our Pleasure was, that you shou'd sit no more.

_Crom._ Your Pleasure! Is that the General Voice? This is my Place in spite of thee, and all thy fawning Faction, and I shall keep it, when thou perhaps, shalt be an humble Suppliant here at my Foot-stool.

_L. Lam._ I smile at thee.

_Cram._ Do, and cringe; 'tis thy business to make thee popular.

But 'tis not that-- Nor thy false Beauty that will serve thy Ends.

_L. Lam._ Rail on; declining Majesty may be excus'd, Call in the Women that attend for redress of Grievances.

[Ex. _Page_.

Enter _Page_ with Women, and _Loveless_ dress'd as a Woman.

Gentlewomen, what's your Bus'ness with us?

_Lov._ Gentlewomen! some of us are Ladies.

_L. Lam._ Ladies in good time; by what Authority, and from whom do you derive your t.i.tle of Ladies?

_L. Fleet._ Have a care how you usurp what is not your own!

_Lov._ How the Devil rebukes Sin! [Aside.

_L. Des._ From whom had you your Honours, Women?

_Lov._ From our Husbands.

_Gill._ Husbands, who are they, and of what standing?

_2 Lady._ Of no long standing, I confess.

_Gill._ That's a common Grievance indeed.

_L. Des._ And ought to be redress'd.

_L. Lam._ And that shall be taken into consideration; write it down, _Gilliflower_; who made your Husband a Knight, Woman?

_Lov._ _Oliver_ the first, an't please ye.

_L. Lam._ Of horrid Memory; write that down-- who yours?

_2 Lady._ _Richard_ the fourth, an't like your Honour.

_Gill._ Of sottish Memory; shall I write that down too?

_L. Des._ Most remarkably.