They had hardly made an End of reading it, ere the whole Company, and
more than he had invited, came in, and were receiv’d with a great deal
of Formality and Magnificence. _Lucy_ was there attended as his Queen;
and _Philibella_, as the Princess her Sister. They danc’d then till they
were weary; and afterwards retired to another large Room, where they
found the Tables spread and furnished with all the most seasonable cold
Meat; which was succeeded by the choicest Fruits, and the richest Desert
of Sweetmeats that Luxury could think on, or at least that this Town
could afford. The Wines were all most excellent in their Kind; and their
Spirits flew about thro’ every Corner of the House: There was scarce a
Spark sober in the whole Company, with drinking repeated Glasses to the
Health of the King of _Bantam_, and his Royal Consort, with the Princess
_Philibella’s_ who sat together under a Royal Canopy of State, his
Majesty between the two beautiful Sisters: only _Friendly_ and
_Goodland_ wisely manag’d that part of the Engagement where they were
concern’d, and preserv’d themselves from the Heat of the Debauch.
Between Three and Four most of them began to draw off, laden with Fruit
and Sweetmeats, and rich Favours compos’d of Yellow, Green, Red and
White, the Colours of his new Majesty of _Bantam_. Before Five they were
left to themselves; when the Lady _Friendly_ was discompos’d, for want
of Sleep, and her usual Cordial, which obliged Sir _Philip_ to wait on
her Home, with his two Nieces: But his Majesty would by no means part
with _Goodland_; whom, before Nine that Morning, he made as drunk as a
Lord, and by Consequence, one of his Peers; for Majesty was then,
indeed, as great as an Emperor: He fancy’d himself _Alexander_, and
young _Valentine_ his _Hephestion_; and did so be-buss him, that the
young Gentleman fear’d he was fallen into the Hands of an _Italian_.
However, by the kind Persuasions of his condescending and dissembling
Majesty, he ventur’d to go into Bed with him; where King _Would-be_ fell
asleep, hand-over-head: and not long after, _Goodland_, his new-made
Peer, follow’d him to the cool Retreats of _Morpheus_.
About Three the next Afternoon they both wak’d, as by consent, and
called to dress. And after that Business was over, I think they
swallow’d each of ’em a Pint of _Old-Hock_, with a little Sugar, by the
way of healing. Their Coaches were got ready in the mean time; but the
Peer was forced to accept of the Honour of being carried in his
Majesty’s to Sir _Philip’s_, whom they found just risen from Dinner,
with _Philadelphia_ and his two Nieces. They sat down, and ask’d for
something to relish a Glass of Wine, and Sir _Philip_ order’d a cold
Chine to be set before ’em, of which they eat about an Ounce a-piece;
but they drank more by half, I dare say.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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