Fireb. Thanks to the Sun for this desired encounter.
Q. C. S. Oh, priest! all's lost; our forces are o'erthrown— Some gasping lie, but most are run away.
Fireb. I knew it all before, and told you too The Sun has long been out of humour with you.
Q. C. S. Dost thou, then, lay upon the Sun the faults Of all those cowards who forsook my cause?
Fireb. Those cowards all were most religious men: And I beseech thee, Sun, to shine upon them.
Q. C. S. Oh, impudence! and darest thou to my face?—
Fireb. Yes, I dare more; the Sun presents you this, [Stabs her. Which I, his faithful messenger, deliver.
Q. C. S. Oh, traytor! thou hast murder'd Common Sense.
Farewel, vain world! to Ignorance I give thee,
Her leaden sceptre shall henceforward rule.
Now, priest, indulge thy wild ambitious thoughts;
Men shall embrace thy schemes, till thou hast drawn
All worship from the Sun upon thyself:
Henceforth all things shall topsy-turvy turn;
Physick shall kill, and Law enslave the world;
Cits shall turn beaus, and taste Italian songs,
While courtiers are stock-jobbing in the city.
Places requiring learning and great parts
Henceforth shall all be hustled in a hat,
And drawn by men deficient in them both.
Statesmen—but oh! cold death will let me say
No more—and you must guess et caetera. [Dies.
Fireb. She's gone! but ha! it may beseem me ill
T' appear her murderer. I'll therefore lay
This dagger by her side; and that will be
Sufficient evidence, with a little money,
To make the coroner's inquest find self-murder.
I'll preach her funeral sermon, and deplore
Her loss with tears, praise her with all my art.
Good Ignorance will still believe it all. [Exit.
Enter Queen IGNORANCE, &c.