[To them] SCANDAL.
SCANDAL Sir Sampson, sad news.
FORESIGHT Bless us!
SIR SAMPSON LEGEND Why, what's the matter?
SCANDAL Can't you guess at what ought to afflict you and him, and all of us, more than anything else?
SIR SAMPSON LEGEND Body o' me, I don't know any universal grievance, but a new tax, or the loss of the Canary fleet. Unless popery should be landed in the West, or the French fleet were at anchor at Blackwall.
SCANDAL No. Undoubtedly, Mr Foresight knew all this, and might have prevented it.
FORESIGHT 'Tis no earthquake!
SCANDAL No, not yet; nor whirlwind. But we don't know what it may come to. But it has had a consequence already that touches us all.
SIR SAMPSON LEGEND Why, body o' me, out with't.
SCANDAL Something has appeared to your son Valentine. He's gone to bed upon't, and very ill. He speaks little, yet he says he has a world to say. Asks for his father and the wise Foresight; talks of Raymond Lully, and the ghost of Lilly. He has secrets to impart, I suppose, to you two. I can get nothing out of him but sighs. He desires he may see you in the morning, but would not be disturbed to-night, because he has some business to do in a dream.
SIR SAMPSON LEGEND Hoity toity, what have I to do with his dreams or his divination? Body o' me, this is a trick to defer signing the conveyance. I warrant the devil will tell him in a dream that he must not part with his estate. But I'll bring him a parson to tell him that the devil's a liar: --or if that won't do, I'll bring a lawyer that shall out-lie the devil. And so I'll try whether my blackguard or his shall get the better of the day.