The Works of Aphra Behn Volume I Part 117

_Fleet._ Amen.

_Due._ I'd rather see it there than in your Hand-- [Aside.

_Fleet._ For we are, as it were, a Body without a Head; or, to speak more learnedly, an Animal inanimate.

_Hew._ My Lord, let us use, as little as we can, the Language of the Beast, hard Words; none of your Eloquence, it savoureth of Monarchy.

_Lam._ My Lord, you must give Men of Quality leave to speak in a Language more gentile and courtly than the ordinary sort of Mankind.

_Hew._ My Lord, I am sorry to hear there are any of Quality among this honourable Dissembly.

[Stands up.

_Cob._ a.s.sembly, my Lord--

_Hew._ Well, you know my meaning; or if there be any such, I'm sorry they should own themselves of Quality.

_Due._ How! own themselves Gentlemen! Death, Sir, d'ye think we were all born Coblers?

_Hew._ Or if you were not, the more the pity, for little _England_, I say.

[In a heat.

_Fleet._ Verily, my Lords, Brethren should not fall out, it is a Scandal to the good Cause, and maketh the wicked rejoice.

_War._ Wons, and theys garr the loosey Proverb on't te, _when loons gang together by th' luggs, gued men get their ene._

_All._ He, he, he.

_Due._ He calls you Knaves by Craft, my Lords.

_War._ Bread a gued, take't among ye, Gentlemen, I's ment weel.

_Fleet._ I profess, my Lord _Wariston_, you make my Hair stand an end to hear how you swear.

_War._ Wons, my Loord, I's swear as little as your Lords.h.i.+p, only I's swear out, and ye swallow aud.

_Due._ There's a Bone for you to pick, my Lord.

_All._ He, he, he.

_Lam._ We give my Lord _Wariston_ leave to jest.

_Des._ But what's this to the Government all this while? A dad I shall sit so late, I shall have no time to visit my Horses, therefore proceed to the Point.

_Hew._ Ay, to the Point, my Lords; the Gentleman that spoke last spoke well.

_Cob._ Well said, Brother, I see you will in time speak properly.

_Duc._ But to the Government, my Lords! [Beats the Table.

_Lam._ Put 'em off of this Discourse, my Lord. [Aside to _War._

_Des._ My Lord _Wariston_, move it, you are Speaker.

_War._ The Diel a me, Sirs, and noo ya talk of a Speaker, I's tell ye a blithe Tale.

_Fleet._ Ingeniously, my Lord, you are to blame to swear so.

_Lam._ Your Story, my Lord.

_War._ By my Sol, mon, and there war a poor Woman the other Day, begg'd o'th' Carle the Speaker, but he'd give her nought unless she'd let a Feart; wons at last a Feart she lat. Ay marry, quoth the Woman, noo my Rump has a Speaker te.

_All._ He, he, he.

_Due._ But to our Bus'ness--

_Des._ Bus'ness; ay, there's the thing, I've a World on't. I shou'd go and bespeak a Pair of Mittins and Shears for my Hedger and Shearer, a pair of Cards for my Thrasher, a Scythe for my Mower, and a Screen-Fan for my Lady-Wife, and many other things; my Head's full of Bus'ness.

I cannot stay--

_Whit._ Fy, my Lord, will you neglect the bus'ness of the Day? We meet to oblige the Nation, and gratify our Friends.

_Des._ Nay, I'll do any thing, so I may rise time enough to see my Horses at Night.

_Lav._ d.a.m.n 'em, what stuff's here for a Council-Table?

_Free._ Where are our _English_ Spirits, that can be govern'd by such Dogs as these?--

_Lam._ Clerk, read the Heads of what past at our last sitting.

_War._ In the first place, I must mind your Lords.h.i.+ps tol consider those that have been gued Members in the Commonwealth.

_Fleet._ We shall not be backward to gratify any that have serv'd the Commonwealth.

_Whit._ There's Money enough; we have taxt the Nation high.

_Due._ Yes, if we knew where to find it: however, read.

_Clerk reads._] To _Walter Walton_, Draper, six thousand nine hundred twenty nine Pounds six s.h.i.+llings and five Pence, for Blacks for his Highness's Funeral.

_Lam._ For the Devil's; put it down for _Oliver Cromwel's_ Funeral: We'll have no Record rise up in Judgment for such a Villain.

_Lav._ How live a.s.ses kick the dead Lion! [Aside.

_Due._ Hark ye, my Lords, we sit here to reward Services done to the Commonwealth; let us consider whether this be a Service to the Commonwealth or not?

_Lam._ However, we will give him Paper for't.

_Hews._ Ay, let him get his Money when he can.

_Lam._ Paper's not so dear, and the Clerk's Pains will be rewarded.