INSTALLATION OF THE KING OF THE BEGGARS. FROM BEGGARS' BUSH, ACT II. SCENE I. Persons.-King Clause, Prigg, Ginks, Higgen, Ferret, and other Beggars. Ferret. WHAT is't I see? Snap has got it. Snap. A good crown, marry. Prigg. A crown of gold Ferret. For our new King-good luck. Ginks. To the common treasury with it—if it be gold, Thither it must. Prigg. Spoke like a patriot, Ginks. King Clause. I bid God save thee first; first Clause, After this golden token of a crown Where's orator Higgen with his gratulating speech now, In all our names? Ferret. Here he is, pumping for it. Ginks. H' has cough'd the second time, 'tis but once more, And then it comes. Ferret. So out with all! Expect now Hig. That thou art chosen, venerable Clause, Our king, and sovereign monarch of the maunders, Thus we throw up our nab-cheats first for joy, And then our filches; last we clap our famblesThree subject signs-we do it without envy. For who is he here, did not wish thee chosen? I then presag'd thou shortly wouldst be king. Give him leave to spit-the fine, well-spoken Higgen! No impositions, taxes, grievances ! Knots in a state, and whips unto a subject, Lie lurking in this beard, but all kemb'd out. 1 Alehouse.-2 Combed. If, now, the beard be such, what is the Prince That owes the beard? A father? no—a grandfather? Nay, the great-grandfather of you his people. He will not force away your hens; your bacon, have ventur'd hard for't; nor take from you When you The fattest of your puddings. Under him Each man shall eat his own stol'n eggs and butter, In his own shade or sunshine, and enjoy His own dear doll doxy, or mort at night In his own straw, with his own shirt or sheet, Clause. That we must have, my learned orator, It is our will-and every man to keep In his own path and circuit. Hig. Do you hear? You must hereafter maund on your own pads, he says. Clause. And what they get there is their own; besides, To give good words Hig. Do you mark, to cut been whids, That is the second law. DISTANT VIEW OF THE ROMAN ARMY ENGAGING THE BRITONS. FROM THE TRAGEDY OF BONDUCA, SCENE V. ACT III. SEE that huge battle moving from the mountains, Move me again when they charge1, when the moun tain Melts under their hot wheels, and from their ax-trees Huge claps of thunder plough the ground before them, Till then I'll dream what Rome was. BONDUCA ATTACKED IN HER FORTRESS BY THE ROMANS. FROM THE SAME, SCENE IV. ACT IV. Persons. Suetonius, Junius, Decius, and other Romans. Bonduca and her daughters with Nennius above. Sueton. BRING up the catapults, and shake the wall, We will not be outbrav'd thus. 1 The Roman who makes this speech is supposed to be reclining, overcome with fatigue, and going to snatch a momentary repose. Nennius. Shake the earth, Ye cannot shake our souls. Bring up your rams, And with their armed heads make the fort totter, Ye do but rock us into death. Junius. See, sir, See the Icenian queen in all her glory From the strong battlements proudly appearing, Decius. Yield, queen. Bonduca. I'm unacquainted with that language, Roman. Sueton. Yield, honour'd lady, and expect our mercy; We love thy nobleness. Bond. I thank ye, ye say well; But mercy and love are sins in Rome and hell. Sueton. You cannot 'scape our strength, you must yield, lady; You must adore and fear the power of Rome. She's vicious, and your partial selves confess Therefore 'tis fitter I should reverence The thatched houses where the Britons dwell In careless mirth; where the bless'd household gods "Tis not high power that makes a place divine, |