To buy my wedding clothes.

No, I'll be furnished something like myself.
And so farewell; for thy suit, touching Knave's
Acre,

When it is mine, 'tis thine.

Mar. I thank your worship.

[Erit WELLBORN. How was I cozened in the calculation Of this man's fortune? my master cozened, too, Whose pupil I am in the art of undoing men; For that is our profession. Well, well, Mr Wellborn,

You are of a sweet nature, and fit again to be cheated:

Which, if the fates please, when you are possessed Of the land and lady, you sans question shall be. I'll presently think of the means.

[Walks by, musing.

Over. How succeed we In our plot on Wellborn? Mar. Never better, sir.

Over. Has he hanged or drowned himself?
Mar. No, sir, he lives-

Lives once more to be made a prey to you;
And greater prey than ever.

Over. Art thou in thy wits?

If thou art, reveal this miracle, and briefly. Mar. A lady, sir, is fallen in love with him. Over. With him! What lady?

Mar. The rich lady Allworth.

And would, at his request, have kissed me too. Over. Why, thou rascal,

To tell me these impossibilities!

Dine at her table! and kiss him! or thee!
Impudent varlet! Have not I myself,

To whom great countesses' doors have oft flown open,

Ten times attempted, since her husband's death, In vain to see her, though I came a suitor? And yet your good solicitorship, and rogue Wellborn,

Were brought into her presence, feasted with her.

But that I know thee a dog that cannot blush,
This most incredible lie would call up one
On thy butter-milk cheeks.

Mar. Shall I not trust my eyes, sir?
Or taste? I feel her good cheer in my belly.
Over You shall feel me, if you give not over,
sirrah;

Recover your brains again, and be no more gulled

With a beggar's plot, assisted by the aids
Of serving men, and chambermaids; for, beyond

these,

Thou never saw'st a woman; or I'll quit you
From my employments.

Mar. Will you credit this, yet?

On my confidence of their marriage, I offered

Wellborn

Over. I have done, then. Now, forgetting Your late imaginary feast and lady,

Mar. I speak truth;

And I do so but once a year; unless

It be to you, sir. We dined with her ladyship; I thank his worship.

Over. His worship!

Mar. As I live, sir,

I dined with him, at the great lady's table,

Simple as I stand here; and saw when she kissed

him;

Be careful not be wanting to receive him;
And bid my daughter's women trim her up,
Though they paint her, so she catch the lord;
I'll thank them.

There's a piece, for my late blows.

Mar. I must yet suffer:

But there may be a time-
Over. Do you grumble ?
Mar. No, sir.

[Aside.

[Exeunt.

Greedy. As I do, indeed, sir,

Almost as much as to give thanks for them

Over. I do confer that province, with my power

Of absolute command to have abundance,

To your best care.

Greedy. I'll punctually discharge it, And give the best direction.-[OVERREACH retires.]-Now am I,

In mine own conceit, a monarch; at the least Arch-president of the boiled, the roast, the baked; I would not change my empire for the great Mogul's.

I will eat often, and give thanks,
When my belly's braced up like a drum, and that's
pure justice.
[Exit.
Over. It must be so. Should the foolish girl
prove modest,

She may spoil all; she had it not from me,
But from her mother: I was ever forward,
As she must be, and therefore I'll prepare her.

Enter MARGARET and MARRALL. Alone, and let your women wait without, Margaret. [Exit MARRALL. Marg. Your pleasure, sir? Over. Ha, this is a neat dressing! These orient pearls, and diamonds well placed,

too!

The gown affects me not; it should have been Embroidered o'er and o'er with flowers of gold; But these rich jewels and quaint fashion help it. How like you your new woman, the lady Downfallen?

Marg. Well, for a companion: Not as a servant.

Over. Is she humble, Meg,

And careful, too? her ladyship forgotten?
Marg. I pity her fortune.

Over. Pity her, trample on her.

I took her up in an old tattered gown,
E'en starved for want of food, to serve thee;
And, if I understand she but repines

To do thee any duty, though ne'er so servile,
I'll pack her to her knight, where I have lodged
him,

Into the counter; and there let them howl together.

Marg. You know your own ways: but, for me, I blush

When I command her, that was once attended With persons not inferior to myself

In birth.

Over. In birth! Why, art thou not my daughter,

The blest child of my industry and wealth?
Why, foolish girl, was't not to make thee great,
That I have run, and still pursue those ways,
That hale down curses on me, which I mind not?
Part with these humble thoughts, and apt thyself
To the noble state I labour to advance thee;

I will adopt a stranger to my heir,

And throw thee from my care; do not provoke

Enter GREEDY.

Greedy. I'll resign my office,

If I be not better obeyed.

Over. 'Slight, art thou frantic?

Greedy. Frantic! 'twould make me frantic, and stark mad,

Were I not a justice of peace and quorum, too,
Which this rebellious cook cares not a straw for;
There are a dozen of woodcocks,
For which he has found out

A new device for sauce, and will not dish them
With toast and butter.

Over. Cook, rogue, obey him.

I have given the word; pray you, now, remove yourself

To a collar of brawn, and trouble me no farther. Greedy. I will, and meditate what to eat for dinner. [Exit GREEDY. Over. And, as I said, Meg, when this gull dis

turbed us,

This honourable lord, this colonel, I would have thy husband.

Over. In, without reply,

Marg. There's too much disparity
Between his quality and mine to hope it.
Over. I more than hope it, and doubt not to
effect it.

Be thou no enemy to thyself; my wealth
Shall weigh his titles down, and make you equals.
Now for the means to assure him thine, observe

me;

Remember he's a courtier and a soldier,

And not to be trifled with; and therefore, when He comes to woo you, see you do not coy it. This mincing modesty hath spoiled many a match

By a first refusal, in vain after hoped for. Marg. You'll have me, sir, preserve the distance that

Confines a virgin?

Over. Virgin me no virgins.

I will have you lose that name, or you lose me;
I will have you private; start not, I say private;
If you are my true daughter, not a bastard,
Thou wilt venture alone with one man, though
he came

Like Jupiter to Semele, and come off too.

Marg. I have heard this is the wanton's fashion, sir,

Which I must never learn.

Over. Learn any thing,

And from any creature, to make thee great;
From the devil himself.

Stand not on for form:

Words are no substances.

Marg. Though you can dispense
With your honour, I must guard my own.
This is not the way to make me his wife.
My maiden honour yielded up so soon,
Nay, prostituted, cannot but assure him,
I, that am light to him, will not hold weight
When tempted by others: so, in judgment,
When to his will I have given up iny honour,
He must and will forsake me.

Over. How! forsake thee?

Do I wear a sword for fashion? or is this arm
Shrunk up, or withered? does there live a man
Of that large list I have encountered with,
Can truly say I e'er gave inch of ground,
Not purchased with his blood, that did oppose

me?

Forsake thee when the thing is done! he dares

not.

Give me but proof he has enjoyed thy person,
Though all his captains, echoes to his will,
Stood armed by his side to justify his wrong,
And he himself in the head of his bold troop,
Spite of his lordship, I will make him render
A bloody and a strict account, and force him,
By marrying thee, to cure thy wounded honour.
I have said it.

Enter MARRALL.

Mar. Sir, the man of honour's come, Newly alighted.

VOL. II,

And do as I command, or thou art lost.

Is the loud music I gave order for, Ready to receive him?

Mar. Tis, sir.

Over. Let them sound

[Exit MARG.

A princely welcome [Exit MARRALL.]-
Roughness awhile leave me ;

For fawning, now, a stranger to my nature,
Must make way for me.

[Loud music. Enter LOVELL, ALLWORTH, and MARRALL. Lov. Sir, you meet your trouble.

Over What you are pleased to style so, is an honour

Above my worth and fortunes.
Alla. Strange! so humble!
Enter GREEDY.

Over. A justice of peace, my lord.

[Presents GREEDY to him.

Lov. Your hand, good sir.
Greedy. This is a lord; and some think this a

favour;

But I had rather have my hand in my dumpling.

Over. Room for my lord.

Lov. I miss, sir, your fair daughter

To crown my welcome.

Over, May it please my lord

[Aside.

To taste a glass of Greek wine first; and sud denly

She shall attend, my lord.

Lov. You'll be obeyed, sir.

[Exeunt omnes, præter OVER. Over. 'Tis to my wish; as soon as come, ask

for her!