_Shr._ No, no, Mr. _Knapsack_, I'm as moderate at that Sport, as any Man;
I must own, when a pretty Lady comes betimes in a Morning to my Master,
and he, poor Gentleman, is in a dead Sleep with hard Drinking, I do now
and then take her into the next Room, play the Fool with her a little till
my Master wakes, then give her a Dram of Surfeit-Water, and put her to Bed
to him, now there's Safety in such an Amour, for my Master hasn't his
Mistresses from a profess'd Baud; I have found him out a conscientious old
Gentlewoman, that's one of the sober Party, and acquainted with most
Citizens Daughters, that have as much Inclination to turn Whores as a
Chamber-Maid out of Place, and the old Lady is so passionately fond of my
Master, because he was once so charitable to do her the Favour, she sends
him the choicest of all her Ware--but to pick up a dirty Drab in the
Eighteen-penny-Gallery, with a rusty black Top-knot, a little Flower in
her Hair, a turn'd Smock, and no Stockings, the Jade wou'd poyson you like
Eighteen-penny-Wine.
_Knap._ I find, Mr. _Shrimp_, you Gentlemens Gentlemen have all your Cues.
_Shr._ Ah! Mr. _Knapsack_, there's more goes to the finishing of a true
Valet, than tying a Wig smartly, or answering a Dun genteely. I have
sometimes such weighty Matters warring in my Brains, and a greater
Conflict with my self how I shall manage 'em, than a Merchant's
Cash-keeper, that's run away with two thousand Pounds, and can't resolve
whether he shall trust the Government with it, or put it into the _East
India_ Company--I only wish it were my Fate to serve some Statesman in
Business; for Pimping often tosses a Man into a Place of three hundred a
Year, when Mony shall be refus'd, Merit repuls'd, and Relations thought
impudent for pretending to't.--But, I believe, Mr. _Knapsack_, our Hour's
elaps'd, for tho' our Masters may n't want us, we that are at Board-wages
love to smell out where they dine.
_Knap._ The Motion, Mr. _Shrimp_, is admirable, for really the Tea begins
to rake my Guts confoundedly. [_Exeunt._
SCENE _Changes to Lady_ Rodomont's.
_Enter Lady_ Rodomont, _and Mrs._ Lovejoy, _follow'd by a Servant._
_Ser._ Madam, the Mercer, the Manto-Maker, the Sempstress, the
India-Woman, and the Toy-Man attend your Ladiship without.
L. _Rod._ Admit 'em,--this Grandeur, Cozen, which those o' Quality assume
above the Populace, to have obsequious Mechanicks wait our Levee in a
Morning, is not disagreeable; then they are as constant as our Menials,
and the less Mony one pays 'em, the more constantly they attend.
Mrs. _Lov._ Those Ladies, Madam, that want Mony to pay 'em, wou'd gladly
excuse their Attendance.
L. _Rod._ Cozen, 'tis Ill-breeding to suppose People o' Quality want Mony,
they have Business, Visits, Company, and very often are not in a Humour to
part with it; when we have Mony, we are easie, whether we pay it or no;
and 'tis affronting the Nobility, not to observe their Decorums.
_The Trades-People Enter._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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