A Chamber in La. Desbro’s House. Candles, and Lights.
Enter L. Desbro and Freeman.
L. Des. By what strange Miracle, my dearest Freeman, wert thou set at liberty?
Free. On the zealous Parole of Rabbie Ananias; that Rhetorick that can convert whole Congregations of well-meaning Blockheads to errant Knaves, has now mollify’d my Keeper; I’m to be render’d back within this Hour: let’s not, my dear Maria, lose the precious minutes this Reverend Hypocrite has given us.
L. Des. Oh! you are very gay, have you forgot whose Prisoner you are, and that perhaps, e’er many Days are ended, they may hang you for High-Treason against the Commonwealth? they never want a good thorow-stitch’d Witness to do a Murder lawfully.
Free. No matter, then I shall die with Joy, Maria, when I consider, that you lov’d so well to give me the last Proof on’t.
L. Des. Are you in earnest, Freeman? and wou’d you take what Honour will not suffer me to grant?
Free. With all my Heart, Honour’s a poor Excuse. Your Heart and Vows (your better part) are mine; you’ve only lent your Body out to one whom you call Husband, and whom Heaven has mark’d for Cuckoldom. Nay, ’tis an Act of honest Loyalty, so to revenge our Cause; whilst you were only mine, my honest Love thought it a Sin to press these Favours from you; ’twas injuring my self as well as thee; but now we only give and take our Right.
L. Des. No more, my Husband’s old —
Free. Right, my dear Maria, and therefore —
L. Des. — May possibly die —
Free. He will be hang’d first.
L. Des. — I hope so — either of which will do our Bus’ness — unreasonable Freeman, not to have Patience till my Husband be hang’d a little.
Free. But what if Destiny put the Change upon us, and I be hang’d instead of Desbro?
L. Des. Why then thou art not the first gallant Fellow that has died in the Good and Royal Cause; and a small taste of Happiness will but turn thee off the Ladder with the sadder Heart.
Free. Hast thou the Conscience, lovely as thou art,
To deal out all thy Beauty to a Traitor?
Is not this Treason of the highest Nature,
To rob the Royal Party of such Treasure,
And give it to our mortal Enemies?
For Shame, be wise, and just,
And do not live a Rebel to our Cause;
’Tis Sin enough to have Society with such a wicked Race.
L. Des. But I am married to him.
Free. So much the worse, to make a League and Covenant with such Villains, and keep the sinful Contract; a little harmless Lying and Dissimulation I’ll allow thee, but to be right down honest, ’tis the Devil.
L. Des. This will not do, it never shall be said I’ve been so much debauch’d by Conventicling to turn a sainted Sinner; No, I’m true to my Allegiance still, true to my King and Honour. Suspect my Loyalty when I lose my Virtue: a little time, I’m sure, will give me honestly into thy Arms; if thou hast Bravery, shew it in thy Love.
Free. You will o’ercome, and shame me every way; — but when will this Change come? and till it do, what Pawn will you give me, I shall be happy then?
L. Des. My Honour, and that Happiness you long for, and take but two Months time for their Redemption.
Free. How greedily I’ll seize the Forfeiture!
L. Des. But what am I like to get if this Change do come?
Free. A Slave, and whatever you please to make of him.
L. Des. Who knows, in such an universal Change, how you may alter too?
Free. I’ll give ye Bond and Vows, unkind Maria, — Here take my Hand — Be it known unto all Men, by these Presents, that I, John Freeman of London, Gent, acknowledge my self in Debt to Maria Desbro, the Sum of one Heart, with an incurable Wound; one Soul, destin’d hers from its first Being; and one Body, whole, sound, and in perfect Health; which I here promise to pay to the said Maria, upon Demand, if the aforesaid John Freeman be not hang’d before such Demand made. Whereto I set my Hand — and seal it with my Lips.
[In a Tone.
L. Des. And I, in consideration of such Debt, do freely give unto the abovesaid John Freeman, the Heart and Body of the abovesaid Maria Desbro, with all Appurtenances thereto belonging, whenever it shall please Heaven to bring my Husband fairly to the Gallows.
[In a Tone.
Free. Amen — kiss the Book —
[Kisses her.
[Ana. hums without.
L. Des. Hah! that’s Ananias; sure some Danger’s near, the necessary Rascal gives us notice of.
Free. ’Tis so, what wouldst thou have me do?
L. Des. Thou art undone if seen — here, step within this Curtain.
[He goes.
Enter Ananias, humming, and spreading his Cloak wide; Desbro
behind him, puffing in a Chafe.
Des. Ads nigs, what a Change is here like to be? — puff, puff — we have manag’d Matters sweetly — to let the Scotch General undermine us; puff, puff.
L. Des. What’s the Matter?
Des. Nothing, Cockey, nothing, but that we are like to return to our first nothing.
Ana. Yea, verily, when our time’s come; but ah, the great Work of Reformation is not yet fully accomplish’d, which must be wrought by the Saints, and we cannot spare one of them until the Work be finish’d.
Des. Yea, yea, it is finish’d I doubt, puff, puff: fie, fie, what a Change is here!
Ana. Patience, ah, ’tis a precious Virtue! —
Des. Patience, Sir! what, when I shall lose so many fine Estates which did appertain to the Wicked; and which, I trusted, had been establish’d ours, and tell’st thou me of Patience? puff, puff.
[Walking fast.
Ana. How! lose ‘em, Sir? handle the matter with Patience; I hope the Committee of Safety, or the Rump, will not do an illegal thing to one of the Brethren.
Des. No, no, I have been a trusty Knave to them, and so I have found them all to me: but Monk! Monk! O that ever we should be such blind Fools to trust an honest General!
Ana. Patience, Sir! what of him?
Des. I just now receiv’d private Intelligence, he’s coming out of Scotland with his Forces — puff, puff.
Ana. Why, let him come a Gad’s Name, we have those will give him a civil Salute, if he mean not honourably to the Commonwealth. Patience, Sir.
Des. But if he proves the stronger, and shou’d chance to be so great a Traitor to us, to bring in the Man — the King.
L. Des. How, the King, Husband! the great Heroick!
Free. Death, this Woman is a Sybil: ah, noble Monk!
Ana. Hum — the King! —
Des. Ah, and with the King, the Bishops; and then, where’s all our Church and Bishops Lands! oh, undone — puff, puff.
Ana. How, bring in the King and Bishops! my righteous Spirit is raised too — I say, I will excommunicate him for one of the Wicked, yea, for a profane Heroick, a Malignant, a Tory, — a — I say, we will surround him, and confound him with a mighty Host; yea, and fight the Lard’s Battel with him: yea, we will —
Des. Truckle to his Pow’r — puff, puff.
Ana. Nay, I say verily, nay; for, in Sadness, I will die in my Calling.
Des. So I doubt shall I — which is Ploughing, Hedging, and Ditching.
Ana. Yea, we have the Sword of the Righteous in our Hand, and we will defend the mighty Revenues of the Church, which the Lard hath given unto his People, and chosen ones — I say, we will defend —
Des. Ah, Patience, Sir, ah, ’tis a pious Virtue —
Ana. Ah, it is Zeal in one of us, the Out-goings of the Spirit.
Enter Tom.
Tom. Sir, will you go down to Prayers? the Chaplain waits.
Des. No, no, Boy, I am too serious for that Exercise, I cannot now dissemble, Heav’n forgive me.
Ana. How, Sir, not dissemble — ah, then you have lost a great Virtue indeed, a very great Virtue; ah, let us not give away the Good Old Cause — but, as we have hitherto maintain’d it by gadly Cozenage, and pious Frauds, let us persevere — ah, let us persevere to the end; let us not lose our Heritage for a Mess of Pottage, that is, let us not lose the Cause for Dissimulation and Hypocrisy, those two main Engines that have earned on the great Work.
Des. Verily, you have prevail’d, and I will go take counsel of my Pillow: Boy — call my Man to undress me — I’ll to Bed, for I am sick at Heart.
[Ex. Tom.
Free. Death, what shall I do now?
[Des. walks, she whispers Ana.
L. Des. You must get my Man off, or we’re undone.
Ana. Madam, be comforted, Heaven will bring all things about for our Advantage —
[As Des. turns.
L. Des. But he’s behind the Curtains, Man —
[Des. turns from ‘em.
Ana. Ah, let Providence alone — [Spreads his Cloak wide, and goes by degrees toward the Bed.] — Your pious Lady, Sir, is doubtful, but I will give her ample Satisfaction.
Des. Ah, do, Mr. Ananias, do, for she’s a good and virtuous Lady, certo she is.
[Ana. goes close to the Bed-post, and speaks over his Shoulder.
Ana. Get ye behind my Cloak —
L. Des. Indeed, Sir, your Counsel and Assistance is very comfortable.
Ana. We should be Help-meets to one another, Madam.
Des. Alack, good Man!
[L. Des. goes to coax her Husband.
L. Des. Ay, my dear, I am so much oblig’d to him, that I know not, without thy Aid, how to make him amends.
Free. So, this is the first Cloak of Zeal I ever made use of.
[Ana. going, spreading his Cloak, to the Door; Free. behind goes
out.
Des. Good Lady, give him his twenty pieces, adad, he worthily deserves ‘em.
[Gives her Gold.
L. Des. Indeed, and so he does, Dear, if thou knew’st all. — What say you now, do I not improve in Hypocrisy? And shall I not in time make a precious Member of your Church?
[To Ana.
Ana. Verily, your Ladyship is most ingenious and expert. — Sir, I most humbly take my leave.
[Ex. Ana.
Enter Tom.
Tom. My Lord, my Lord Lambert has sent in all haste for you, you must attend at his House immediately.
Des. So, he has heard the News — I must away — let my Coach be ready.
[Ex. Des.
L. Des. How unlucky was this that Freeman should be gone — Sirrah, run and see to o’ertake him, and bring him back.
[Exeunt.