_Bayes._ Why, then they had broke the design. _1st King._ Here take five guineas for those warlike men. _2nd King._ And here's five more, that makes the sum just ten. _1st Her._ We have not seen so much, the Lord knows when. [_Exeunt Heralds._ _1st King._ Speak on, brave Amaryllis. _Ama._ Invincible sovereigns, blame not my modesty, if at this grand conjuncture---- [_Drum beats behind the stage._ _1st King._ What dreadful noise is this that comes and goes? _Enter a Soldier with his sword drawn._ _Sold._ Haste hence, great sirs, your royal persons save, For the event of war no mortal knows:[52] The army, wrangling for the gold you gave, First fell to words, and then to handy-blows. [_Exit._ _Bayes._ Is not that now a pretty kind of a stanza, and a handsome come-off? _2nd King._ O dangerous estate of sovereign power! Obnoxious to the change of every hour. _1st King._ Let us for shelter in our cabinet stay; Perhaps these threatning storms may pass away. [_Exeunt._ _Johns._ But, Mr. Bayes, did not you promise us just now, to make Amaryllis speak very well? _Bayes._ Ay, and so she would have done, but that they hinder'd her. _Smith._ How, sir, whether you would or no? _Bayes._ Ay, sir, the plot lay so, that I vow to gad, it was not to be avoided. _Smith._ Marry, that was hard. _Johns._ But, pray, who hinder'd her? _Bayes._ Why, the battle, sir, that's just coming in at the door: and I'll tell you now a strange thing; tho' I don't pretend to do more than other men, egad, I'll give you both a whole week to guess how I'll represent this battle. _Smith._ I had rather be bound to fight your battle, I assure you, sir. _Bayes._ Whoo! there's it now: fight a battle! there's the common error. I knew presently where I should have you. Why, pray, sir, do but tell me this one thing: can you think it a decent thing, in a battle before ladies, to have men run their swords thro' one another, and all that? _Johns._ No, faith, 'tis not civil. _Bayes._ Right; on the other side, to have a long relation of squadrons here, and squadrons there: what is it, but dull prolixity? _Johns._ Excellently reason'd, by my troth! _Bayes._ Wherefore, sir, to avoid both those indecorums, I sum up the whole battle in the representation of two persons only, no more: and yet so lively, that, I vow to gad, you would swear ten thousand men were at it really engag'd. Do you mark me? _Smith._ Yes, sir: but I think I should hardly swear tho', for all that. _Bayes._ By my troth, sir, but you would tho', when you see it: for I make 'em both come out in armour _cap-a-pie_, with their swords drawn, and hung with a scarlet ribbon at their wrist; which, you know, represents fighting enough. _Johns._ Ay, ay; so much, that if I were in your place, I would make 'em go out again, without ever speaking one word.