Chapter 110

Enter _Lambert_ and _Whitlock_.

Whit. My Lord, now is your time, you may be King; Fortune is yours, you’ve time it self by th’ Fore-lock.

Lam. If I thought so, I’d hold him fast, by Heaven.

Whit. If you let slip this Opportunity, my Lord, you are undone—_Aut Cæsar, aut Nullus._

Lam. But _Fleetwood_—

Whit. Hang him, soft Head.

Lam. True, he’s of an easy Nature; yet if thou didst but know how little Wit governs this mighty Universe, thou wou’dst not wonder Men should set up him.

Whit. That will not recommend him at this _Juncto_, tho he’s an excellent Tool for your Lordship to make use of; and therefore use him, Sir, as _Cataline_ did _Lentulus_; drill the dull Fool with Hopes of Empire on, and that all tends to his Advancement only: The Blockhead will believe the Crown his own: What other Hopes could make him 354 ruin Richard, a Gentleman of Qualities a thousand times beyond him?

Lam. They were both too soft; an ill Commendation for a General, who should be rough as Storms of War it self.

Whit. His time was short, and yours is coming on; Old Oliver had his.

Lam. I hate the Memory of that Tyrant Oliver.

Whit. So do I, now he’s dead, and serves my Ends no more. I lov’d the Father of the great Heroick, whilst he had Power to do me good: he failing, Reason directed me to the Party then prevailing, the Fag-end of the Parliament: ’tis true, I took the Oath of Allegiance, as Oliver, your Lordship, Tony, and the rest did, without which we could not have sat in that Parliament; but that Oath was not for our Advantage, and so better broke than kept.

Lam. I am of your Opinion, my Lord.

Whit. Let Honesty and Religion preach against it. But how cou’d I have serv’d the Commons by deserting the King? how have I show’d my self loyal to your Interest, by fooling Fleet-wood, in the deserting of Dick; by dissolving the honest Parliament, and bringing in the odious Rump? how cou’d I have flatter’d Ireton, by telling him Providence brought thingsabout, when ’twas mere Knavery all; and that the Hand of the Lord was in’t, when I knew the Devil was in’t? or indeed, how cou’d I now advise you to be King, if I had started at Oaths, or preferr’d Honesty or Divinity before Interest and the Good Old Came?

Lam. Nay,’tis most certain, he that will live in this World, must be endu’d with the three rare Qualities of Dissimulation, Equivocation, and mental Reservation.

Whit. In which Excellency, Heav’n be prais’d, we out-do the Jesuits.

Enter Lady _Lambert_.

L. Lam. I’m glad to see you so well employ’d, my Lord, as in Discourse with my Lord Whitlock, he’s of our Party, and has Wit.

355 Whit. Your Honour graces me too much.

Lam. My Lord, my Lady is an absolute States-woman.

L. Lam. Yes, I think things had not arriv’d to this exalted height, nor had you been in prospect of a Crown, had not my Politicks exceeded your meaner Ambition.

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 Friendship 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 Lordship; it has hitherto been in the hard Clutches of _Jews, Infidels_, and _Pagans_.

356 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 Lordship 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 assure 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.

Enter _Hewson_, _Desbro_, _Duckenfield_, _Wariston_, and _Cobbet_.

War. Guds Benizon light on yu, my gued Loords, for this Day’s Work; Madam, I kiss your white Honds.

Duc. My Lord, I have not been behind-hand in this Day’s turn of State.

Lam. ’Tis confess’d, Sir; what would you infer from that?

Duc. Why, I wou’d know how things go; who shall be General, who Protector?

Hews. My Friend has well translated his meaning.

357 L. Lam. Fy, how that filthy Cobler Lord betrays his Function.

Duc. We’re in a Chaos, a Confusion, as we are.

Hews. Indeed the Commonwealth at present is out at Heels, and wants underlaying.

Cob. And the People expect something suddenly from us.

Whit. My Lords and Gentlemen, we must consider a while.

War. Bread a gued there’s mickle Wisdom i’that, Sirs.

Duc. It ought to be consulted betimes, my Lord, ’tis a matter of Moment, and ought to be consulted by the whole Committee.

Lam. We design no other, my Lord, for which Reason at three a Clock we’ll meet at _Wallingford_ House.

Duc. Nay, my Lord, do but settle the Affair, let’s but know who’s our Head, and ’tis no matter.

Hews. Ay, my Lord, no matter who; I hope ’twill be _Fleetwood_, for I have the length of his Foot already.

Whit. You are the leading Men, Gentlemen, your Voices will soon settle the Nation.

Duc. Well, my Lord, we’ll not fail at three a Clock.

Des. This falls out well for me; for I’ve Business in _Smithfield_, where my Horses stand; and verily, now I think on’t, the Rogue the Ostler has not given ’em Oates to day: Well, my Lords, farewel; if I come not time enough to _Wallingford_ House, keep me a Place in the Committee, and let my Voice stand for one, no matter who.

War. A gued Mon I’s warrant, and takes muckle Pains for the Gued o’th’ Nation, and the Liberty o’th Mobily—The Diel confound ’em aud.

Lam. Come, my Lord _Wariston_, you are a wise Man, what Government are you for.

War. Ene tol what ya please, my gued Loord. [Takes him aside.

Lam. What think you of a single Person here in my Lord _Fleetwood?_

358 War. Marry, Sir, and he’s a brave Mon, but gen I may cooncel, tak’t for yar sel my gued Loord, ant be gued for him, ’tis ene gued for ya te.

Lam. But above half the Nation are for him.

War. Bread a gued, and I’s for him then.

Fleet. The Will of the Lard be done; and since ’tis his Will, I cannot withstand my Fate—ingeniously.

Whit. My Lord _Wariston_, a Word—What if _Lambert_ were the Man? [Takes him aside.

War. Right Sir, Wons and ya have spoken aud; he’s a brave Mon, a Mon indeed gen I’s have any Judgment.

Whit. So I find this Property’s for any use. [Aside.

Lam. My Lord, I perceive Heaven and Earth conspire to make you our Prince.

Fleet. Ingeniously, my Lords, the Weight of three Kingdoms is a heavy Burden for so weak Parts as mine: therefore I will, before I appear at Council, go seek the Lard in this great Affair; and if I receive a Revelation for it, I shall with all Humility espouse the Yoke, for the Good of his People and mine; and so Gad with us, the Commonwealth of _England_. [Exeunt _Fleet._ _Desbro_, _Wariston_, _Due._ _Cob._ _Hews_, and _Whit._

L. Lam. Poor deluded Wretch, ’tis not yet come to that.

Lam. No, my dear, the Voice will go clearly for me; what with Bribes to some, Hypocrisy and Pretence of Religion to others, and promis’d Preferments to the rest, I have engag’d ’em all.

L. Lam. And will you be a King?

Lam. You think that’s so fine a thing—but let me tell you, my Love, a King’s a Slave to a Protector, a King’s ty’d up to a thousand Rules of musty Law, which we can break at pleasure; we can rule without Parliaments, at least chuse whom we please, make ’em agree to our Proposals, or set a Guard upon ’em, and starve ’em till they do.

L. Lam. But their Votes are the strangest things—that they must pass for Laws; you were never voted King.

359 Lam. No, nor care to be: The sharpest Sword’s my Vote, my Law, my Title. They voted _Dick_ should reign, where is he now? They voted the great Heroicks from the Succession; but had they Arms or Men, as I have, you shou’d soon see what wou’d become of their Votes—No, my Love! ’tis this—must make me King. [His Sword.

Let _Fleetwood_ and the Rump go seek the Lard, My Empire and my Trust is in my Sword.