they do there, but they are
only intent how to reimburse themselves (if their elections were at
their own charge) or how to bargain their votes for a place or a
pension. They list themselves straightways into some Court faction,
and it is as well-known among them, to what Lord each of them
retain, as when formerly they wore coats and badges. By this long
haunting so together, they are grown too so familiar among
themselves, that all reverence of their own Assembly is lost, that
they live together not like Parliament men, but like so many good
fellows met together in a publick house to make merry. And which is
yet worse, by being so thoroughly acquainted, they understand their
number and party, so that the use of so publick a counsel is
frustrated, there is no place for deliberation, no perswading by
reason, but they can see one another's votes through both throats and
cravats before they hear them.

"Where the cards are so well known, they are only fit for a cheat,
and no fair gamester but would throw them under the table."[209:1]

It is a melancholy picture.

Here, perhaps, may be best inserted the story about the proffered bribe.
The story is entitled to small credit, but as helping to swell and
maintain a tradition concerning an historical character about whom
little is positively known, it can hardly escape mention in any
biography of Marvell. A pamphlet printed in Ireland (1754) supplies an
easy flowing version of the tale.

"The borough of Hull, in the reign of Charles II., chose Andrew
Marvell, a young gentleman of little or no fortune, and maintained
him in London for the service of the public. His understanding,
integrity, and spirit, were dreadful to the then infamous
administration. Persuaded that he would be theirs for properly
asking, they sent his old school-fellow, the Lord Treasurer Danby, to
renew acquaintance with him in his garret. At parting, the Lord
Treasurer, out of _pure affection_, slipped into his hand an order
upon the treasury for L1000, and then went to his chariot. Marvell,
looking at the paper, calls after the Treasurer, 'My Lord, I request
another moment.' They went up again to the garret, and Jack, the
servant boy, was called. 'Jack, child, what had I for dinner
yesterday?' 'Don't you remember, sir? you had the little shoulder of
mutton that you ordered me to bring from a woman in the market.'