_Sir Oliver._ Witness for thee! not I indeed. But I would rather be witness than surety, lad, where thou art docketed. _Oliver._ From the most despised doth the Lord ever choose His servants. _Sir Oliver._ Then, faith! thou art His first butler. _Oliver._ Serving Him with humility, I may peradventure be found worthy of advancement. _Sir Oliver._ Ha! now if any devil speaks from within thee, it is thy own: he does not snuffle: to my ears he speaks plain English. Worthy or unworthy of advancement, thou wilt attain it. Come in; at least for an hour's rest. Formerly thou knewest the means of setting the heaviest heart afloat, let it be sticking in what mud-bank it might: and my wet dock at Ramsey is pretty near as commodious as that over yonder at Hinchinbrook was erewhile. Times are changed, and places too! yet the cellar holds good. _Oliver._ Many and great thanks! But there are certain men on the other side of the gate, who might take it ill if I turn away and neglect them. _Sir Oliver._ Let them enter also, or eat their victuals where they are. _Oliver._ They have proud stomachs: they are recusants. _Sir Oliver._ Recusants of what? of beef and ale? We have claret, I trust, for the squeamish, if they are above the condition of tradespeople. But of course you leave no person of higher quality in the outer court. _Oliver._ Vain are they and worldly, although such wickedness is the most abominable in their cases. Idle folks are fond of sitting in the sun: I would not forbid them this indulgence. _Sir Oliver._ But who are they? _Oliver._ The Lord knows. Maybe priests, deacons, and such-like. _Sir Oliver._ Then, sir, they are gentlemen. And the commission you bear from the parliamentary thieves, to sack and pillage my mansion-house, is far less vexatious and insulting to me, than your behaviour in keeping them so long at my stable-door. With your permission, or without it, I shall take the liberty to invite them to partake of my poor hospitality. _Oliver._ But, Uncle Sir Oliver! there are rules and ordinances whereby it must be manifested that they lie under displeasure ... not mine ... not mine ... but my milk must not flow for them. _Sir Oliver._ You may enter the house or remain where you are, at your option; I make my visit to these gentlemen immediately, for I am tired of standing. If thou ever reachest my age,[12] Oliver! (but God will not surely let this be) thou wilt know that the legs become at last of doubtful fidelity in the service of the body. _Oliver._ Uncle Sir Oliver! now that, as it seemeth, you have been taking a survey of the courtyard and its contents, am I indiscreet in asking your worship whether I acted not prudently in keeping the _men-at-belly_ under the custody of the _men-at-arms_? This pestilence, like unto one I remember to have read about in some poetry of Master Chapman's,[13] began with the dogs and mules, and afterwards crope up into the breasts of men.