e Lord will descend
upon them, and destroy them, and wreck them utterly, together with the
dissolute men and abandoned women who frequent them.'

'Your strong opinions, friend,' said Sir Gervas quietly, 'are borne out
doubtless by your full knowledge of the subject. How often, prythee,
have you been in these playhouses which you are so ready to decry?'

'I thank the Lord that I have never been so far tempted from the
straight path as to set foot within one,' the Puritan answered, 'nor
have I ever been in that great sewer which is called London. I trust,
however, that I with others of the faithful may find our way thither
with our tucks at our sides ere this business is finished, when we shall
not be content, I'll warrant, with shutting these homes of vice, as
Cromwell did, but we shall not leave one stone upon another, and shall
sow the spot with salt, that it may be a hissing and a byword amongst
the people.'

'You are right, John Derrick,' said the Mayor, who had overheard the
latter part of his remarks. 'Yet methinks that a lower tone and a more
backward manner would become you better when you are speaking with your
master's guests. Touching these same playhouses, Colonel, when we have
carried the upper hand this time, we shall not allow the old tares to
check the new wheat. We know what fruit these places have borne in the
days of Charles, the Gwynnes, the Palmers, and the whole base crew of
foul lecherous parasites. Have you ever been in London, Captain Clarke?'

'Nay, sir; I am country born and bred.'

'The better man you,' said our host. 'I have been there twice. The first
time was in the days of the Rump, when Lambert brought in his division
to overawe the Commons. I was then quartered at the sign of the Four
Crosses in Southwark, then kept by a worthy man, one John Dolman, with
whom I had much edifying speech concerning predestination. All was
quiet and sober then, I promise you, and you might have walked from
Westminster to the Tower in the dead of the night without hearing aught
save the murmur of prayer and the chanting of hymns. Not a ruffler or
a wench was in the streets after dark, nor any one save staid citizens
upon their business, or the halberdiers of the watch. The second visit
which I made was over this business of the levelling of the ramparts,
when I and neighbour Foster, the glover, were sent at the head of a
deputation from this town to the Privy Council of Charles. Who could
have credited