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Enter Jeffamy.

Let 'em take away that chimney-board, and light a fire here immediately.

La. Min. What fhall I do! [Afide.]-Here, Jeffamy, there is no occafion-I am going to my own. chamber, and my Lord won't ftay here by himself.

[Exit Jeffamy. L. Min. How cruel is it, lady Minikin, to deprive me of the pleasure of a domeftic duetto.-A good efcape, faith! [Afide. La. Min. I have too much regard for lord Minikin, to agree to any thing that would afford him so little pleafure I fhall retire to my own apartment.

L. Min. Well, if your Ladyship will be cruel, I must ftill, like the mifer, ftarve and figh, tho' poffeffed of the greatest treasure.-[Bows.]-1 wish your Ladyfhip a good night

[He takes one candle, and he takes the other. May I prefume[Salutes ber. La. Min. Your Lordship is too obliging.- Nafty

man!

L. Min. Difagreeable woman!

[Afide. [Afide.

[They wipe their lips, and exeunt ceremoniously. Mifs Tit. [peeping out at the clofet.] All's filent now, and quite dark; what has been doing here I cannot guess -I long to be reliev'd, I wish my Lord was come- -But I hear a noife. [She fhuts the door.

Col. Tivy. [peeping over the chimney-board.] I wonder my Lady does not come. -I would not have Mifs Tittup know of this 'twou'd be ten thousand pounds out of my way, and I can't afford to give fo much for a little gallantry.

Mifs Tit. [comes forward.] What would my Colonel fay to find his bride, that is to be, in this critical fitua tion.

Enter Lord Minikin, at one door, in the dark. L. Min. Now to relieve my prifoner.

[Comes forward. Enter Lady Minikin, at the other door.

La. Min. My poor Colonel will be as miferable as if he were befieg'd in garrison; I must release him.

[Going towards the chimney.

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L. Min. Hift-hift!

Mifs Tit. La. Min. and Col. Tivy. Here, here!L. Min. This way.

La. Min. Softly.

[They all grope about, till Lord Minikin has got Lady Minikin, and the Colonel Mifs Tittup.

Sir John. [Speaking without.] Light this way, I fay; I am fure there are thieves, get a blunderbufs.

Jef. Indeed you dreamt it; there is nobody but the family. [All ftand and ftare. Enter Sir John in his cap, and hanger drawn, with

room

Jeffamy.

Sir John. Give me the candle, I'll ferret 'em out, I warrant; bring a blunderbufs, I fay; they have been fkipping about that gallery in the dark this half hour; there must be mischief. I have watch'd 'em into this Ho, ho, are you there?-If you ftir, you are dead men-[They retire.]—and [feeing the ladies] wo men too! Egad-ha! What's this? the fame party again! and two couple they are of as choice mortals as ever were hatch'd in this righteous town.-You'll excufe me, coufins! [They all look confounded.

L. Min. In the name of wonder, how comes all this about?

Sir John. Well, but hark'ee, my dear coufins, have you not got wrong partners?-Here has been fome miftake in the dark; I am mighty glad that I have brought you a candle to fet you all to rights again.-You'll excufe me, gentlemen and ladies!

Enter Gymp, with a candle.

Gymp. What, in the name of mercy, is the matter? Sir John. Why the old matter, and the old game, Mrs Gymp; and I'll match my coufins here at it against all the world; and I say done first.

L. Min. What is the meaning, Sir John, of all this tumult and confternation? May not Lady Minikin and I, and the Colonel and your niece, be feen in my house together without your raising the family, and making this uproar and confufion?

Sir John. Come, come, good folks, I fee you are all confounded; I'll fettle this matter in a moment.-As for

you

you, Colonel-tho' you have not deferv'd plain-dealing from me, I will now be ferious-you may imagine this young lady has an independent fortune, befides expectations from me-'tis a mistake, fhe has no expectations from me; if fhe marry you, and I don't confent to her marriage, fhe will have no fortune at all.

Col. Tivy. Plain-dealing is a jewel; and to fhow you, Sir John, that I can pay you in kind, I am most fincerely oblig'd to you for your intelligence; and I am, ladies, your moft obedient humble fervant-I fhall fee my Lord, at the club to-morrow? [Exit Col. Tivy. L. Min. Sans doute, mon cher Colonel.—I'll meet you there without fail.

do.

you,

Sir John. My Lord, you'll have fomething elfe to

L. Min. Indeed! what is that, good Sir John?

Sir John. You must meet your lawyers and creditors to-morrow, and be told, what you have always turn'd a deaf ear to, that the diffipation of your fortune and morals must be followed by years of parfimony and repentance.-As you are fond of going abroad, you may indulge that inclination without having it in your power to indulge any other.

L. Min. The bumkin is no fool, and is damn'd fatirical

[Afide. Sir John. This kind of quarantine for peftilential minds, will bring you to your fenfes, and make you renounce foreign vices and follies, and return with joy to your country and property again.-Read that, my Lord, and know your fate. [Gives a paper.

L. Min. What an abomination this is! that a man of fashion, aud a nobleman, fhould be oblig'd to fubmit to the laws of his country.

Sir John. Thank heaven, my Lord, we are in that country! You are filent, ladies?—If repentance has fubdu'd your tongues, I fhall have hopes of you-a little. country air might perhaps do well-as you are diftrefs'd, I am at your fervice.-What fay you, my Lady?

L. Min. However appearances have condemn'd me, give me leave to difavow the fubftance of those appearances. My mind has been tainted, but not profligate

your

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your kindness and example may restore me to my natural English conftitution.

former

Sir John. Will you refign your lady to me, my Lord,

for a time?

L. Min. For ever, dear Sir John, without a mur

mur.

Sir John. Well, Mifs, and what say you?

Mifs Tit. Guilty, uncle.

[Curtfeying Sir John. Guilty! the devil you are? of what?

Mifs Tit. Of confenting to marry one whom my heart could not approve; and coquetting with another, which friendship, duty, honour, morals, and every thing but fafhion, ought to have forbidden.

Sir John. Thus then, with the wife of one under this arm, and the mistress of another under this, I fally forth a knight-errant, to rescue diftrefs'd damfels from those monfters, foreign vices and bon ton, as they call it; and I trust that every English hand and heart here will affift me in fo defperate an undertaking.—You'll excufe me, Sirs!

COMUS.

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Comus enters with a charming-rod in one hand, his glas in the other; with him a route of men and women, dressed as Bacchanals: they come in making a riotous and unruly noife, with torches in their hands.

T

COMUS Speaks.

HE ftar that bids the fhepherd fold,
Now the top of heaven doth hold,

And

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