_Sir H_. Mr Mayor, I hope you received those three bucks I sent you, and that they were good. _May_. Sir Harry, I thank you for them; but 'tis so long since I eat them that I have forgot the taste. _Sir H_. We'll try to revive it--I'll order you three more to-morrow morning. _May_. You will surfeit us with venison: you will indeed; for it is a dry meat, Sir Harry, a very dry meat. _Sir H_. We'll find a way to moisten it, I'll warrant you, if there be any wine in town. Mr Alderman Stitch, your bill is too reasonable; you certainly must lose by it: send me in half a dozen more greatcoats, pray; my servants are the dirtiest dogs! Mr Damask, I believe you are afraid to trust me, by those few yards of silk you sent my wife; she likes the pattern so extremely she is resolved to hang her rooms with it; pray let me have a hundred yards of it; I shall want more of you. Mr Timber, and you, Mr Iron, I shall get into your books too. _Fust_. Would not that getting into books have been more in the character of the courtier, Mr Trapwit? _Trap_. Go on, go on, sir. _Sir H_. That gentleman interrupts one so.--Oh, now I remember--Mr Timber, and you Mr Iron, I shall get into your books too; though if I do, I assure you I won't continue in them long. _Trap_. Now, sir, would it have been more in the character of a courtier? But you are like all our modern criticks, who damn a man before they have heard a man out; when, if they would but stay till the joke came-- _Fust_. They would stay to hear your last words, I believe. [_Aside_. _Sir H_. For you must know, gentlemen, that I intend to pull down my old house, and build a new one. _Trap_. Pray, gentlemen, observe all to start at the word _house_. Sir Harry, that last speech again, pray. _Sir H_. For you, &c.----Mr Mayor, I must have all my bricks of you. _May_. And do you intend to rebuild your house, Sir Harry? _Sir H_. Positively. _May_. Gentlemen, methinks Sir Harry's toast stands still; will nobody drink liberty and property, and no excise? [_They all drink and huzza_. _Sir H_. Give me thy hand, mayor; I hate bribery and corruption: if this corporation will not suffer itself to be bribed, there shall not be a poor man in it. _May_. And he that will, deserves to be poor; for my part, the world should not bribe me to vote against my conscience. _Trap_. Do you take that joke, sir? _Fust_. No, faith, sir. _Trap_. Why, how can a man vote against his conscience who has no conscience at all? _1 Ald_. Come, gentlemen, here's a Fox-chace and a Tankard! _Omnes_. A Fox-chace and a Tankard! huzza! _Sir H_. Come, let's have one turn in the marketplace, and then we'll to dinner. _May_. Let's fill the air with our repeated cries Of liberty, and property, and no excise. [_Exeunt_ Mayor _and_ Aldermen. _Trap_. How do you like that couplet, sir? _Fust_. Oh! very fine, sir!