The Council-Table.
Enter Col. Wellman, Col. Downright, Dullman, Timorous, and
about seven or eight more seat themselves.
Well. You heard Mr. Dunce’s opinion, Gentlemen, concerning Bacon’s coming upon our Invitation. He believes he will come, but I rather think, though he be himself undaunted, yet the persuasions of his two Lieutenant-Generals, Daring and Fearless, may prevent him — Colonel, have you order’d our Men to be in Arms?
Enter a Soldier.
Down. I have, and they’l attend further order on the Sevana.
Sold. May it please your Honours, Bacon is on his way, he comes unattended by any but his Footmen, and Col. Fearless.
Down. Who is this Fellow?
Well. A Spy I sent to watch Bacon’s Motions.
Sold. But there is a Company of Soldiers in Ambush on this side of the Sevana to seize him as he passes by.
Well. That’s by no order of the Council.
Omnes. No, no, no order.
Well. Nay, ‘twere a good design if true.
Tim. Gad zoors, wou’d I had thought on’t for my Troop.
Down. I am for no unfair dealing in any extremity.
Enter Brag in haste.
Brag. An’t please your Honours, the saddest News — an Ambush being laid for Bacon, they rush’d out upon him on the Sevana, and after some fighting took him and Fearless —
Tim. Is this your sad News — zoors, wou’d I had had a hand in’t.
Brag. When on a sudden, Daring and his Party fell in upon us, turn’d the tide — kill’d our Men, and took Captain Whimsey, and Captain Whiff Pris’ners; the rest run away, but Bacon fought like fury.
Tim. A bloody Fellow!
Down. Whimsey and Whiff? they deserve Death for acting without order.
Tim. I’m of the Colonel’s Opinion, they deserve to hang for’t.
Dull. Why, Brother, I thought you had wish’d that the Plot had been yours but now.
Tim. Ay, but the Case is alter’d since that, good Brother.
Well. Now he’s exasperated past all hopes of a Reconciliation.
Dull. You must make use of the Statesman’s Refuge, wise Dissimulation.
Brag. For all this, Sir, he will not believe but that you mean honourably, and no Persuasions could hinder him from coming, so he has dismiss’d all his Soldiers, and is entring the Town on foot.
Well. What pity ’tis a brave Man should be guilty of an ill Action.
Brag. But the noise of his danger has so won the Hearts of the Mobile, that they increase his Train as he goes, and follow him in the Town like a Victor.
Well. Go wait his coming.
[Exit Brag.
He grows too popular and must be humbled.
Tim. I was ever of your mind, Colonel.
Well. Ay, right or wrong — but what’s your Counsel now?
Tim. E’en as it used to be, I leave it to wiser Heads.
Enter Brag.
Brag. Bacon, Sir, is entring.
Tim. Gad zoors, wou’d I were safe in bed.
Dull. Colonel, keep in your Heat, and treat calmly with him.
Well. I rather wish you would all follow me, I’d meet him at the head of all his noisy Rabble, and seize him from the Rout.
Down. What, Men of Authority dispute with Rake-hells! ’tis below us, Sir.
Tim. To stake our Lives and Fortunes against their nothing.
Enter Bacon, after him the Rabble with Staves and Clubs,
bringing in Whim. and Whiff bound.
Well. What means this Insolence? — What, Mr. Bacon, do you come in Arms?
Bac. I’d need, Sir, come in Arms, when Men that should be honourable can have so poor Designs to take my Life.
Well. Thrust out his following Rabble.
1st Rab. We’ll not stir till we have the General safe back again.
Bac. Let not your Loves be too officious — but retire —
1st Rab. At your Command we vanish. —
[The Rabble retire.
Bac. I hope you’ll pardon me, if in my own defence I seized on these two Murderers.
Down. You did well, Sir, ’twas by no order they acted — stand forth and hear your Sentence — in time of War we need no formal Tryals to hang Knaves that act without order.
Whiff. Oh, Mercy, Mercy, Colonel— ’twas Parson Dunce’s Plot.
Down. Issue out a Warrant to seize Dunce immediately — you shall be carry’d to the Fort to pray.
Whim. Oh, good your Honour, I never pray’d in all my Life.
Down. From thence drawn upon a Sledge to the place of Execution — where you shall hang till you are dead — and then be cut down and —
Whim. Oh, hold — hold — we shall never be able to endure half this.
[Kneeling.
Well. I think the Offence needs not so great Punishment; their Crime, Sir, is but equal to your own, acting without Commission.
Bac. ’Tis very well explained, Sir, — had I been murder’d by Commission then, the Deed had been approved, and now perhaps I am beholding to the Rabble for my Life.
Well. A fine Pretence to hide a popular Fault, but for this once we pardon them and you.
Bac. Pardon! for what? by Heaven, I scorn your Pardon, I’ve not offended Honour nor Religion.
Well. You have offended both in taking Arms.
Bac. Should I stand by and see my Country ruin’d, my King dishonour’d, and his Subjects murder’d, hear the sad Crys of Widows and of Orphans? you heard it loud, but gave no pitying care to’t, and till the War and Massacre was brought to my own door, my Flocks and Herds surprized, I bore it all with Patience. Is it unlawful to defend my self against a Thief that breaks into my Doors?
Well. And call you this defending of your self?
Bac. I call it doing of my self that right, which upon just demand the Council did refuse me; if my Ambition, as you’re pleased to call it, made me demand too much, I left my self to you.
Well. Perhaps we thought it did.
Bac. Sir, you affront my Birth — I am a Gentleman, and yet my Thoughts were humble — I would have fought under the meanest of your Parasites.
Tim. There’s a Bob for us, Brother.
[To Dull.
Bac. But still you put me off with Promises — and when compell’d to stir in my Defence I call’d none to my aid, and those that came, ’twas their own Wrongs that urg’d them.
Down. ’Tis fear’d, Sir, under this Pretence, you aim at Government.
Bac. I scorn to answer to so base an Accusation; the height of my Ambition is to be an honest Subject.
Well. An honest Rebel, Sir —
Bac. You know you wrong me, and ’tis basely urg’d — but this is trifling — here are my Commissions.
[Throws down Papers, Down. reads.
Down. To be General of the Forces against the Indians, and blank Commissions for his Friends.
Well. Tear them in pieces — are we to be imposed upon? Do ye come in hostile manner to compel us?
Down. Be not too rough, Sir, let us argue with him.
Well. I am resolv’d I will not.
Tim. Then we are all dead Men, Gudzoors! he will not give us time to say our Prayers.
Well. We every day expect fresh force from England, till then, we of our selves shall be sufficient to make defence against a sturdy Traitor.
Bac. Traitor! S’death, Traitor — I defy ye, but that my Honour’s yet above my Anger, I’d make you answer me that Traitor dearly.
[Rises.
Well. Hah — am I threatned — Guards, secure the Rebel.
[Guards seize him.
Bac. Is this your honourable Invitation? Go — triumph in your short-liv’d Victory, the next turn shall be mine.
[Exeunt Guards with Bac.
A Noise of Fighting — Enter Bacon, Wellman’s Guards beat back by the Rabble, Bacon snatches a Sword from one, and keeps back the Rabble, Tim. gets under the Table.
Down. What means this Insolence?
Rab. We’ll have our General, and knock that Fellow’s Brains out, and hang up Colonel Wellman.
All. Ay, ay, hang up Wellman.
[The Rabble seize Well. and Dull. and the rest.
Dull. Hold, hold, Gentlemen, I was always for the General.
Rab. Let’s barbicu this fat Rogue.
Bac. Be gone, and know your distance to the Council.
[The Rabble let ‘em go.
Well. I’d rather perish by the meanest Hand, than owe my safety poorly thus to Bacon.
[In Rage.
Bac. If you persist still in that mind I’ll leave you, and conquering make you happy ‘gainst your will.
[Ex. Bacon and Rabble, hollowing a Bacon, a Bacon.
Well. Oh villanous Cowards! who will trust his Honour with Sycophants so base? Let us to Arms — by Heaven, I will not give my Body rest, till I’ve chastised the boldness of this Rebel.
[Exeunt Well. Down. and the rest, all but Dull. Tim. peeps
from under the Table.
Tim. What, is the roistering Hector gone, Brother?
Dull. Ay, ay, and the Devil go with him.
[Looking sadly, Tim. comes out.
Tim. Was there ever such a Bull of Bashan! Why, what if he should come down upon us and kill us all for Traitors.
Dull. I rather think the Council will hang us all for Cowards — ah — oh — a Drum — a Drum — oh.
[He goes out.
Tim. This is the Misery of being great.
We’re sacrific’d to every turn of State.
[Exit.