King and his Royal Brother defend his Cause and assert his Right without the fear of a taste of the Old Sequestration call'd a Fine Guard the Illustrious Paire good Heaven from Hâ—llâ—sh Plots and all the Devilish matchinations of Factious Cruelties and you great Sir whose Merits have so justly deserv'd that glorious Command so lately trusted to your Care which Heaven increase and make your glad Regiment Armyes for our safety May you become the great Example of Loyalty and Obedience and stand a firm and unmoveable Pillar to Monarchy a Noble Bull-work to Majesty defend the Sacred Cause imploy all that Youth Courage and Noble Conduct which God and Nature purposely has endued you with to serve the Royal Intrest You Sir who are obliged by a double Duty to Love Honour and Obey his Majesty both as a Father and a King O undissolvable Knot O Sacred Vnion what Duty what Love what Adoration can express or repay the Debt we owe the first or the Alegiance due to the last but where both meet in one to make the Tye Eternal Oh vvhat Counsel what Love of Power what fancied Dreams of Empire what fickle Popularity can inspire the heart of man or any Noble mind with Sacreligious thoughts against it can harbour or conceive a stubborn disobedience Oh what Son can desert the Cause of an Indulgent Parents what Subject of such a Prince without renouncing the Glory of his Birth his Loyalty and good Nature Ah Royal lovely Youth bevvare of false Ambition wisely believe your Elevated Glory at least more happy then a Kings you share their Ioys their pleasures and magnificence without the toiles and business of a Monarch their carefull dayes and restless thoughtful nights know you are blest with all that Heaven can give or you can wish your Mind and Person such so excellent that Love knows no fault it would wish to mend nor Envy to increase blest with a Princess of such undisputable charming Beauty as if Heaven designing to take a peculiar care in all that concerns your happiness had form'd her on purpose to compleat it Haile happy glorious Paire the perfect joy and pleasure of all that look on ye for whom all Tongues and Hearts have Prayers and Blessings May you out-live Sedition and see your Princely Race as Numerous as Beautifull and those all great and Loyal Supporters of a long Race of Monarchs of this Sacred Line This shall be the perpetuall wish this the Eternal Prayer of SIR Your Graces most Humble and most Obedient Servant A. Behn PROLOGUE Spoken by the Ghost of Huson ascending from Hell drest as a Cobler I Am the Ghost of him who was a true Son Of the late GOOD OLD CAVSE Ecliped Huson Rous'd by strange scandal from th' eternal flame With noise of Plotts of wonderous birth and name Whilst the sly Jesuit robs us of our fame Can all their Conclave tho' with Hell th' agree Act mischief equal to Presbittery Look back on our success in Forty One Was ever braver Villanies carryed on Or new ones now more hopefully begun And shall our unsuccess our merit lose And make us quit the Glory of our Cause No Hire new Villains Rogues without remorse And let no Law nor Conscience stop your course Let Polititions order the Confusion And let the Saints pay Pious Contribution Pay those that Rail and those that can delude With scribling Nonsence the Loose Multitude Pay well your Witnesses they may not run To the right side and tell who set 'em on Pay 'em so well that they may ne'r Recant And so turn Honest meerly out of want Pay Juries that no formal Laws may harm us Let Treason be secur'd by Ignoramus Pay Bully Whig who Loyal writers bang And honest Tories in Effigie hang Pay those that burn the Pope to please the fools And dayly pay Right Honourable Tooles Pay all the Pulpit knaves that Treason brew And let the zealous Sisters pay 'em too Justices bound by Oath and obligation Pay them the utmost price of their Damnation Not to disturb our useful Congregation Nor let the Learned Rabble be forgot Those Pious hands that crown our hopeful Plott No Modern States-men cry t is Lunacy To barter Treason with such Rogues as we But subtiller Oliver did not disdain His Mightier Politiques with ours to joyn I for all uses in a State was able Cou'd Mutiny cou'd fight hold forth and Cobble Your lazy State man may sometimes direct But your small busie knaves the Treason Act. The Actors Names 1. Lord Fleetwood 2. Lord Lambert Competitors for the Crown but Lambert is General of the Army Lord Wariston Chairman of the Committee of Safety Hewson Desbro Duckingfield Corbet Commanders and Committee men 3. Lord Witlock Ananias Gogle Lay Elder of Clements Parish A Rable Of the sanctified Mobily Corporal Right An Oliverian Commander but honest and a Cavelier in his heart Loveless A Royalist a man of Honor loves Lady Lambert Freeman His friend of the same Character in love with Lady Desbro Lady Lambert In love with Loveless Lady Desbro In love with Freeman Lady Fletwood Lady Cromwell Gilliflower Lady Lamberts Old Woman Several Ladies For Redress of Grievances Two Pages To Lady Lambert Page To Lady Desbro Footmen Fidlers and a Bâ—nd of Loyal City Apprentices THE ROVND-HEADS OR THE Good Old Cause ACT. I. Scene I. The Street Enter three Souldiers and Corporal Right Cor. AH Rogues the World runs finely round the bus'ness is done 1 Sould. Done the Town 's our own my fine Rascal 2 Sould. We 'll have Harlots by the Belly Sirrah 1 Sould. Those are Commodities I confess I wou'd fain be truckâ—ing for but no words of that Boy Cor. Stand who go's there To them a Ioyner and Felt-maker 1 Sould. Who are you for hah Ioyn Are for Friend we are for Gad and the Lord Fleetwood 1 Sould. Fleetwood knock 'em down Fleetwood that snivelling Thief Felt. Why Friends who are ye for Cor. For who shou'd we be for but Lambert Noble Lambert Is this a time o' th' day to declare for Fleetwood with a Pox indeed i' th morning 't was a Question had like to have been decided with push a Pike 2 Sould. Dry blows wou'd ne'r a don 't some must have sweat blood for 't but 't is now decided Ioyn Decided 2 Sould. Yes decided Sir without your Rule for 't Ioyn Decided by whom Sir by us the Free-born Subjects of England by the Honourable Committee of Safety or the Right Reverend City without which Sir I humbly conceive your Declaration for Lambert is illegal and against the Property of the People 2 Sould. Plain Lambert here 's a sawcy Dog of a Joyner Sirrah get ye home and mind your Trade and save the Hang-man a labour Ioyn Look ye Friend I fear no Hang-man in Christendom for Conscience and Publick good for Liberty and Property I dare as far as any man 2 Sould. Liberty and Property with a pox in the mouth of a Joyner you are
art mistaken But did'st thou mind her next the Pulpit Lov. A Plague upon the whole Congregation I minded nothing but how to fight the Lord's Battel with that damn'd sham Parson whom I had a mind to beat Free My Lady Desbro is not of that Persuasion but an errant Heroick in her Heart and feigns it only to have the better occasion to serve the Royal Party I knew her and lov'd her before she married Lov. She may chance then to be sav'd Free Come I 'll have thee bear up briskly to some one of 'em it may redeem thy Sequestration which now thou see'st no hopes of compounding puts thee out of Patience Lov. Let 'em take it and the Devil do 'em Good with it I scorn it should be said I have a Foot of Land in this ungrateful and accursed Island I 'd rather beg where Laws are obey'd and Justice perform'd than be powerful where Rogues and base born Rascals rule the Rost. Free But suppose now dear Loveless that one of the Wives of these Pageant Lords should fall in love with thee and get thy Estate again or pay thee double for 't Lov. I wou'd refuse it Free And this for a little dissembled Love a little Drudgery Lov. Not a night by Heav'n not an hour no not a single kiss I 'd rather make love to an Incubus Free But suppose 't were the new Protectoress her self the fine Lady Lambert Lov. The greatest Devil of all Damn her dost think I 'll Cuckold the Ghost of old Oliver Free The better there 's some Revenge in 't do'st know her Lov. Never saw her nor care to do Cor. Collonel Do you command me any thing Free Yes I 'll send thee with a Note Let 's step into a Shop and write it Loveless stay a moment and I 'll be with thee Ex. Free and Corporal Enter L. Lambert L. Desbro Gilliflowr Pages with great Bibles and Footmen Love walks sullenly not seeing ' em L. Lamb. Train carried La. Lam. O I 'm impatient to know his Name ah Desbro he betray'd all my Devotion and when I wou'd have pray'd Heav'n knows it was to him and for him onely L. Des. What manner of man was it L. Lam. I want words to describe him not tall nor short well made and such a face Love Wit and Beauty revel'd in his Eyes From whence he shot a thousand winged Darts That pierc'd quite through my Soul L. Des. Seem'd he a Gentleman L. Lam. A God! Altho his out-side were but mean but he shone th'ro like Lightning from a Cloud and shot more piercing Rayes L. Des. Stay'd he long L. Lam. No methought he grew displeas'd with our Devotion And seem'd to contradict the Parson with his Angry Eyes A Friend he had too with him young and handsom Who seeing some disorder in his Actions got him away I had almost forgot all Decency And started up to call him but my Quality And wanting something to excuse that Fondness Made me decline with very much adoe Gill. Heav'ns Madam I 'll warrant they were Heroicks La. Lam. Heroicks Gill. Cavaliers Madam of the Royal Party L. D. They were so I knew one of ' em La. Lam. Ah Desbro do'st thou Ah Heav'ns that they should prove Heroicks L. D. You might have known that by the Conquest I never heard e're one o' th t'other Party ever gain'd a Heart and indeed Madam 't is a just Revenge our Husbands make Slaves of them and they kill all their Wives Love sees 'em and starts Lov. Hah what have we here Women faith and handsom too I never saw a Form more Excellent whoe're they are they seem of Quality by Heav'n I cannot take my Eyes from her pointing to La. Lam. La. Lam. Hah he 's yonder my Heart begins to fail My trembling Limbs refusing to support me His Eyes seem fix'd on mine too ah I faint leans on Desbro Gill. My Ladies Coach William quickly she faints Lov. Madam can an unfortunate Stranger 's aid add any thing to the recovery of so much Beauty bowing and holding her La. Lam. Ah Wou'd he knew how much aside Gill. Support her Sir till her Ladiships Coach comes I beseech ye Lov. Not Atlas bore up Heaven with greater Pride La. Lam. I beg your Pardon Sir for this Disorder That has occasion'd you so great a Trouble You seem a Gentleman and consequently May need some Service done you name the way I shall be glad to let you see my Gratitude Lov. If there be ought in me that merits this amazing Favour from you I owe my thanks to Nature that indow'd me with something in my Face that spoke my Heart La. Lam Heav'n how he looks and speaks to Desbro aside L. Des. Oh these Heroicks Madam have the most charming Tongues La. Lam. Pray come to me and ask for any of my Officers and you shall have admittance Lov. Who shall I ask for Madam for I 'm yet ignorant to whom I owe for this great Bounty La. Lam. Not know me Thou art indeed a Stranger I thought I 'd been so Elevated above the common Crowd it had been visible to all Eyes who I was Lov. Pardon my Ignorance My Soul conceives ye all that Heaven can make ye Of Great of Fair and Excellent But cannot guess a Name to call you by But such as wou'd displease ye My heart begins to fail and by her Vanity I fear she 's one of the new Race of Quality aside But be she Devil I must love that Form La. Lam. Hard Fate of Greatness We so highly Elevated Are more expos'd to Censure than the little ones By being forc'd to speak our Passions first Is my Coach ready Pag. It waits your Honour La. Lam. I give you leave to visit me ask for the General 's Lady if my Title be not by that Time alter'd Lov. Pistols and Daggers to my Heart 't is so La. Lam. Adiew Sir Ex. all but Lov. who stands musing Enter Freeman Free How now what 's the matter with thee Lov. Prethee wake me Freeman Free Wake thee Lov. I dream by Heav'n I dream Nay yet the lovely Phantam's in my View Oh! wake me or I sleep to perfect Madness Free What ayl'st thou what did'st dream of Lov. A strange fantastick Charmer A thing just like a Woman friend It walk't and look'd with wonderous Majesty Had Eyes that kill'd and Graces deck'd her Face But when she talk'd mad as the Winds she grew Chimera in the form of Angel Woman Free Who the Devil meanest thou Lov. By Heav'n I know not but as she vanish'd hence she bad me come to th' General 's Free Why this is she I told thee ey'd thee so at the Conventicle 't is Lambert the renown'd the famous Lady Lambert Mad call'st thou her 't is her ill acted Greatness thou mistak'st thou art not us'd to the Pageantry of these Women yet they all run thus mad 't is greatness in 'em Loveless Lov. And is thine thus thy Lady Desbro Free She 's
Fleetwood Fleet. My honour'd Mother I am glad to find you here I hope we shall reconcile things between ye Verily we shou'd live in brotherly Love together come ingeniously you shall be Friends my Lady Mother Cro. Curse on th' occasion of thy being a Kin to me Flee Why an please ye forsooth Madam Cro. My Daughter had a Husband Worthy the Title of my Son in Law Ireton my best of Sons he 'd Wit and Courage And with his Councels rais'd our House to Honours Which thy impolitick Easiness pulls down And whilst you shou'd be gaining Crowns and Kingdoms Art poorly couzening of the World with fruitless Prayers Fleet. Nay I 'll warrant you Madam when there is any gadly mischief to be done I am as forward as the best but 't is good to take the Lard along with us in every thing I profess ingeniously as I am an honest man verily ne're stir I shall act as becomes a good Christian. Cro. A Good Coxcombe Dost thou not see her reverend Highness there That Minion now assumes that glorious Title I once and my Son Richard's Wife enjoy'd Whilst I am call'd the Night Mare of the Commonwealth But wou'd I were I 'd so hag-ride the perjur'd Slaves Who took so many Oaths of true Allegiance To my great Husband first and then to Richard Who whilst they reign'd were most illustrious Most high and mighty Princes whilst fawning Poets Write Panegyricks on 'em And yet no sooner was The wonderous Heroe dead but all his glorious Titles fell to Monster of Mankind Murderer Of Piety Traytor to Heav'n and Goodness Flee Who calls him so Pray take their Names down I profess ingeniously forsooth Madam verily I 'll order 'em as I am here I will Cro. Thou alas they scorn so poor a thing as thou Fleet. Do they ingeniously I 'll be even with 'em forsooth Mother as I am here I will and there 's an end on 't Cro. I wou'd there were an end of our disgrace and shame which is but just begun I fear What will become of that fair Monument Thy careful Father did erect for thee to La. Fleetw Yet whilst he liv'd next to thy Husband Ireton Lest none shou'd do it for thee after he were dead The Malice of proud Lambert will destroy all Fleet. I profess Madam you mistake my good Lord Lambert he 's an honest man and fears the Lard he tells me I am to be the man verily he do's after all 's done Cro. Yes after all 's done thou art the man to be pointed at Fleet. Nay ingeniously I scorn the words so I do I know the great Work of Salvation to the Nation is to be wrought by me verily Cro. Do Cant on till Heav'n drop Kingdoms in thy mouth dull silly Sot thou ruine of our Interest thou fond inccorrigible easie Fool. Enter Page Pag. My Lord the Committee of Safety waits your coming Fleet. Why law you now forsooth I profess verily you are ingeniously the hardest of belief tell the honourable Lords I'm coming Go Lady mother go home with my Wife and verily you 'll see things go to your wish I must to Coach L. Fleet. Madam your humble Servant to La. Lam. Fleet. Honour'd Lady I kiss your hands Ex. Crom. Fleet. and La. Fleet. Enter Loveless Lov. Was this the thing that is to be Protector This little snivelling Fellow rule three Kingdoms But leave we Politicks and fall to Love Who deals more Joyes in one kind happy moment Than Ages of Dull Empire can produce La. Lam. Oh Gods Shall I who never yielded yet But to him to whom three Kingdoms fell a Sacrifice Surrender at first Parly Lov. Perhaps that Lover made ye gayer Presents But cou'd not render you a Heart all love Or mind embyass'd in Affairs of Blood I bring no Guilt to fright ye from my Embraces But all our hours shall be serene and soft La. Lam. Ah Gilliflower thy Aid or I 'm lost Shall it be said of me in after Ages When my great Fame 'mongst Queens shall be recorded That I ah Heav'ns regardless of my Countries Cause Espous'd the wicked Party of its Enemies The Heathenish Heroicks ah defend me Lov. Nay by all that 's La. Lam. Ah hold Do not prophane my Ears with Oaths or Execrations I cannot bear the sound Lov. Nay nay by Heav'n I 'll not depart your lodgings till that soft Love that playes so in your Eyes give me a better proof by La. Lam. Oh hold I dye if you proceed in this Abomination Lov. Why do you force me to 't d' ye think to put me off with such a Face such lips such smiles such Eyes and every Charm You 've made me mad and I shall swear my Soul away if disappointed now Gill. Ah save the Gentleman's Soul I beseech ye Madam La. Lam. I 'm much inclin'd to Acts of Piety leaning on him smiling He goes to lead her out Enter La. Desbro And you have such a Power that howe're I incommode my Honour Desbro here how unseasonably she comes La. Des. Cry mercy Madam I 'll withdraw a while La. Lam. Ah Desbro thou art come in the most lucky minute I was just on the point of falling As thou say'st these Heroicks have the strangest Power La. Des. I never knew a Woman cou'd resist ' em La. Lam. No marvel then our Husbands use 'em so betray 'em banish 'em sequester murder 'em and every way disarm ' em La. Des. But their Eyes Madam La. Lam. Ay their Eyes Desbro I wonder our Lords shou'd take away their Swords and let 'em wear their Eyes La. Desbro I 'll move it to the Committee of Safety Madam those Weapons shou'd be taken from 'em too La. Lam. Still they 'll have some to be reveng'd on us La. Des. Ay so they will My Lord says a Cavalier is a kind of Hidra knock him o' th' Head as often as you will he has still one to peep up withall Enter Page Page Madam here 's Mr. Freeman to speak with your Honour Lov. That 's a Friend of mine Madam and 't wou'd be unnecessary he saw your Highness and I together let us withdraw La. Lam. Withdraw why What will Desbro say Des. O Madam I know your Vertue and your Piety too well to suspect your Honour wrongfully 't is impossible a Lady that goes to a Conventicle twice a day besides long Prayers and lowd Psalm-singing shou'd do any thing with an Heroick against her Honour Your known Sanctity preserves you from Scandal But here 's Freeman Puts 'em in Enter Freeman Free So Madam you are very kind La. Des. My charming Freeman this tedious day of Absence has been an Age in love How hast thou liv'd without me Free Like one condemn'd sad and disconsolate And all the while you made your Husband happy La. Des. Name not the beastly Hypocrite thou know'st I make no other use of him But a dull Property to advance our Love Free And 't is but Iustice Maria he sequester'd me