FREEMAN. Oh yes, by every tie; by love, by law. Rash man. Alas! You know not what you've done! What will you fay, or do, when you shall A hear, you're first wife's ftill alive. Mr. WILDLY.. Ah! Freeman.) no Mifs STUKELY. Ah! his first wife living! Dear Mrs. Wildly, let me retire. [Exit Mifs Stukely and Mrs. Wildly. FREEMAN. You are misinform'd, Sir, I've a letter to produce, from fuch authentic hands-My mother, Sir, informs me she is dead. Mr. STUKELY. Your letter, Sir, is nothing.-This day I faw the lady. FREEMAN. By heavens! 'tis all a wile! a fham! a cheat! Mr. STUKELY. Sir, 'tis the first time, my veracity has been call'd in queftion. FREEMAN. Your pardon, Sir. My paffion hurries me away. But I'm affur'd, convinc'd that she is dead. Mr. STUKELY. And Sir, I am convinc'd that fhe's alive.Therefore if you'll do her justice, and live with her, I'll get this fecond marriage difannulled, and drop the affair in filence, both for your's and my. daughter's fake. FREEMAN. Never, never upon my Mr. STUKELY. Hold, Sir, before you fwear, you shall fee and hear her, and then follow your own inclination. [exit Mr Stukely. DROLIO. Oh! Sir, I told you what damn'd work thefe marriages make. Mr. WILDLY. Freeman, what will you do? this is a most unfortunate affair. FREEMAN. It is, for it will delay my happiness an age; 'till I can hear from England. I'm certain my friend, my mother, would not write to me with out the fureft grounds. Mr. WILDLY. Who can this lady be, then? I can't imagine. FREEMAN. Enter MrStukely, Mrs Wildly, & Mifs Stukely, veil'd. Mr. STUKELY. This is the lady, Sir; will you give up my daughter, and take your first wife to your arms? FREEMAN. No! never, Sir. I'll inftantly for England, and clear up this mistake! Mr. STUKELY, Mr. STUKELY. Look at her first, and then-(takes off her veil) FREEMAN. Ah! Am I awake!Is it poffible! Mifs STUKELY. Most true, however ftrange! I am your first and fecond wife. Mr. STUKELY. The whole contrivance was my daughter's own. Hearing you were foon to be at Paris, fhe confulted with your mother, who came into the plot, and wrote you word your wife was dead, and directed you to come to me, on business of the utmost consequence. My child's fcheme has anfwered all our warmeft wishes, and made us happy.And now my dearest children, receive a father's bleffing. Mr. WILDLY. A double marriage, Madam, must have a double congratulation. FREEMAN. What years of happiness have I loft, by my own folly. Mr. WILDLY. We have both been fools, Ned; let us hereafter be wifer. FREEMAN. Was it from thee I fled, thou lovely creature? art thou the Lydia Fondly I had form'd fo monftrous in my thoughts? can you forgive me what is is past and my endeavours shall be through all my future life, to make amends. Mifs STUKELY. Talk not of forgiveness. I have no life, no thought, but what are your's! FREEMAN. We are most happy then, our bliss is mutual. And to make it completely fo, I see my friend is bleft as well as I. And now, Drolio, won't these examples tempt thee to a reconciliation? DROLIO. No, Sir; I wish you, and Mr. Wildly, every joy on earth, indeed I do-but FREEMAN. Come I will make you eafy, as to fortune, and your wife will promise you peace and content at home. DROLIO. I thank you, Sir. But that is impoffible. I know too well her curfed temper, ever to expect content. I know what fort of a peace she will make; it will as furely foretell a war, as a dead calm at fea does a storm. FREEMAN. What do you intend doing then? DROLIO. I do not know at prefent, but if I did, I would not discover it before that VIXEN. What, you sneaking fellow? I fhall never henceforth trouble myself about you. DROLIO. And here I fwear, sooner than cohabit with thee, I would be fent for ever to the barren island of Balanbangan, to be ftung to death by mufquetos, or to the inhospitable fhore of New Zealand, to be roafted alive by favages! Mr. STUKELY. Come, gentlemen, and ladies, I've an entertainment ready, you fhall pafs your night here; and we'll fet out to-morrow for England. DROLIO. Now toy and kiss, and hold your sweet discourse, But in a year, you'll all with me divorce. [Exeunt Omnes. SONGS. |