Mel. [After a paufe.] So then,-fpite of my care and forefight, I am caught, caught in my fecurity. Yet this was but a fhallow artifice, unworthy of my Machiavelian aunt: there must be more behind, ́this is but the first flash, the priming of her engine; deftruction follows hard, if not moft presently prevented.'

Enter Mafkwell.

Mafkavell, welcome, thy prefence is a view of land, appearing to my fhipwreck'd hopes: the witch has rais'd the ftorm, and her minifters have done their work; you fee the veffels are parted.

Mafk. I know it; I met Sir Paul towing away Cynthia : come, trouble not your head, I'll join you together, ere to-morrow morning, or drown between you in the attempt.

Mel. There's comfort in a hand ftretch'd out, to one that's finking; tho' ne'er fo far off.

Mafk. No finking, nor no danger,Come, cheer up; why you don't know, that while I plead for you, your aunt has given me a retaining fee;-Nay, I am your greatest enemy, and she does but journey-work under me.

Mel. Ha! How's this?

Mask. What d'ye think of my being employ'd in the execution of all her plots? Ha, ha, ha! nay it's true; I have undertaken to break the match, I have undertaken to make your uncle difinherit you, to get you turn'd out of doors; and to-Ha, ha, ha! I can't tell you for laughing,- O fhe has open'd her heart to me,-I am to turn you a grazing, and to-Ha, ha, ha! marry Cynthia myfelf; there's a plot for you.

Mel. Ha! OI fee, I fee my rifing fun! Light breaks thro' clouds upon me, and I fhall live in day--O my Maskwell! How fhall I thank or praise thee: thou haft outwitted woman.-But tell me, how could'st thou thus get into her confidence?-Ha! how? But was it her contrivance to persuade my Lady Plyant to this extravagant belief?

Mask. It was, and to tell you the truth I encourag'd it for your divertion: tho' it made you a little uneafy

B

for

for the prefent, yet the reflexion of it must needs be entertaining,I warrant she was very violent at first. Mel. Ha, ha, ha! ay, a very fury; but I was most afraid of her violence at last,— If you had not come as you did, I don't know what she might have attempted.' Mask. Ha, ha, ha! I know her temper.-Well, you muft know then, that all my contrivances were but bubbles; 'till at laft I pretended to have been long fecretly in love with Cynthia; that did my bufinefs; that convinc'd your aunt, I might be trusted; fince it was as much my intereft as hers to break the match: then, fhe thought my jealoufy might qualify me to affift her in her revenge. And, in short, in that belief, told me the secrets of her heart At length we made this agreement, if Laccomplifh her designs (as I told you before) she has engag'd to put Cynthia with all her fortune into my power.

Mel. She is moft gracious in her favour, Well, and dear Jack, how haft thou contrived?

Mask. I would not have you stay to hear it now; for I don't know, but she may come this way; I am to meet her anon; after that, I'll tell you the whole matter; be here in this gallery an hour hence, by that time I imagine our confultation may be over.

Mel. I will, 'till then fuccefs attend thee. [Exit. Mafk. 'Till then fuccefs will attend me; for when I meet you, I meet the only obstacle to my fortune. Cynthia let thy beauty gild my crimes; and whatsoever I commit of treachery or deceit, shall be imputed to me as a merit-Treachery, what treachery? Love cancels all the bonds of friendship, and fets men right upon their firft foundations..

Duty to kings, piety to parents, gratitude to benefactors, and fidelity to friends, are different and particular ties: but the name of rival cuts 'em all afunder, and is a general acquittance-Rival is equal, and love like death an univerfal leveller of mankind. Ha! But is there not fuch a thing as honefty? Yes, and whofoever has it about him, bears an enemy in his breast: for your honest man, as I take it, is that nice, fcrupulous, confcientious perfon, who will cheat no body but himfelf; fuch another

another coxcomb, as your wife man, who is too hard for all the world, and will be made a fool of by nobody. but himself: ha, ha, ha! Well for wisdom and honefty, give me cunning and hypocrify; oh, 'tis fuch a pleasure, to angle for fair-fac'd fools! Then that hungry gudgeon credulity will bite at any thing-Why, let me fee, I have the fame face, the fame words and accents, when I speak what I do think; and when I fpeak what I do not think the very fame-and dear diffimulation is the only art, not to be known from nature.

Why will mankind be fools, and be deceiv'd?
And why are friends and lovers oaths believ'd?
When, each, who fearches ftrictly his own mind,
May fo much fraud and power of bafenefs find.

[Exit.

ACT III.

Enter Lord Touchwood and Lady Touchwood.

L.T.M
Μ

Y lord, can you blame my brother Plyant, if he refufes his daughter upon this provocation? The contract's void by this unheard of impiety. Ld. T. I don't believe it true; he has better principles-Pho, 'tis nonfenfe. Come, come, I know my Lady Plyant has a large eye, and wou'd centre every thing in her own circle;' 'tis not the first time she has mistaken respect for love, and made Sir Paul jealous of the civility of an undefigning perfon, the better to beSpeak his fecurity in her unfeigned pleasures.

L.T. You cenfure hardly, my lord; my fifter's honour is very well known.

Ld. T. Yes, I believe I know fome that have been familiarly acquainted with it. This is a little trick wrought by fome pityful contriver, envious of my nephew's merit.

L. T. Nay, my lord, it may be fo, and I hope it will be found fo: but that will require fome time; for in fuch a cafe as this, demonftration is necessary.

B 2

Ld. 7.

Ld. T. There fhould have been demonstration of the contrary too, before it had been believ'd

L. T. So I fuppofe there was.

Ld. T. How? where? when?

L. T. That I can't tell; nay I don't fay there was I am willing to believe as favourably of my nephew as I can.

Ld. T. I don't know that.

[Half afide. L. T. How? Don't you believe that, fay you, my lord?

Ld. 7. No, I don't say fo—I confefs I am troubled to find you fo cold in his defence.

L. T. His defence! blefs me, would you have me defend an ill thing.

Ld. T. You believe it then?

L. 7. I don't know; I am very unwilling to fpeak my thoughts in any thing that may be to my coufin's dif advantage; befides, I find, my lord, you are prepared to receive an ill impreffion from any opinion of mine which is not confenting with your own: but fince I am like to be fufpected in the end, and 'tis a pain any longer to diffemble, I own it to you; in fhort I do believe it, nay, and can believe any thing worse, if it were laid to his charge-Don't ask me my reafons, my lord, for they are not fit to be told you.

Ld. 7. I'm amaz'd, here must be something more than ordinary in this, [Afide.] Not fit to be told me, madam? You can have no interefts, wherein I am not concern'd, and confequently the fame reafons ought to be convincing to me, which create your fatisfaction or difquiet.

L. T. But thofe which caufe my difquiet, I am wil ling to have remote from your hearing. Good my lord, don't prefs me.

Ld. T. Don't oblige me to prefs you.

L. T. Whatever it was, 'tis paft: and that is better to be unknown which cannot be prevented; therefore let me beg you to reft fatisfy'd

Ld. T. When you have told me, I will

L. 7. What if you can't?

Ld. T. How? Then I must know, nay I will: no more trifling-I charge you tell me-By all our mutual peace to come; upon your duty

L. T. Nay, my lord, you need fay no more, to make me lay my heart before you, but don't be thus transported; compofe yourfelf: it is not of concern, to make you lofe one minute's temper. 'Tis not indeed, my dear. Nay, by this kiss you flan't be angry. O lord, I wish I had not told you any thing.Indeed, my lord, you have frighted me. Nay, look pleas'd, I'll tell you. Ld. T. Well, well.

L. T. Nay, but will you be calm-indeed it's nothing but

Ld. 7. But what?

L. T. But will you promise me not to be angry-Nay you muft-Not to be angry with Mellefont-I dare fwear he's forry-and were it to do again, would not

Ld. T. Sorry, for what? 'Death, you rack me with delay.

L. T. Nay, no great matter, only-Well I have your promife,-Pho, why nothing, only your nephew had a mind to amufe himself, fometimes with a little galantry towards me. Nay, I can't think he meant any thing feriously, but me thought it look'd oddly.

Ld. T. Confusion and hell, what do Í hear!

L. T. Or, may be, he thought he was not enough a, kin to me, upon your account, and had a mind to create a nearer relation on his own; a lover you know, my lord-Ha, ha, ha! Well but that's all-Now you have it; well remember your promife, my lord, and don't take any notice of it to him.

Ld. 7. No, no, no Damnation!'

L. T. Nay, I fwear you must not-A little harmless mirth-Only mifplac'd, that's all-But if it were more, 'tis over now, and all's well. For my part, I have forgot it; and fo has he, I hope-for I have not heard thing from him these two days.

any

Ld. T. These two days! Is it fo fresh? Unnatural villain! 'Death, I'll have him ftripp'd and turn'd naked