Tap. and Froth. Worshipful sir!

Well. Pray you, on before;

instead of turkies,

To beg my favour, I am inexorable:

Thou hast an ill-name; for, except thy musty

ale,

That hath destroyed many of the king's liege people,

Thou never hadst in thy house, to stay men's stomachs,

A piece of Suffolk cheese, or gammon of bacon,
Or any esculent, as the learned call it,

For their emolument, but sheer drink only.
For which gross fault, I here do damn thy licence,
Forbidding thee ever to tap or draw;
For instantly I will, in mine own person,
Command the constable to pull down thy sign;
And do it before I eat.
Froth. No mercy?
Greedy. Vanish.

If I shew any, may my promised oxen gore me! Tap. Unthankful knaves are ever so rewarded. [Exeunt TAPWELL and FROTH.

Well. Speak; what are you? 1 Cred. A decayed vintner, sir, That might have thrived, but that your worship broke me,

With trusting you with muscadine and eggs, And five pound suppers, with your after-drinkings,

When you lodged upon the bankside.

Well. I remember.

Greedy. For Heaven's sake don't stay long; It is almost ready. [Exit GREEDY. Mar. At four o'clock the rest know where to

2d Cred. A taylor once, but now mere botcher.

I gave you credit for a suit of cloaths,

ness,

fined

Under a stall.

Well. See him paid; and botch no more.
2d Cred. I ask no interest, sir.
Well. Such taylors need not;

If their bills are paid in one and twenty years,
They are seldom losers—O, I know thy face;
Thou wert my surgeon;

I will pay you in private.
See all men else discharged;

And, since old debts are cleared by a new way,
A little bounty will not misbecome me;
There is something, honest cook, for thy good
breakfasts,

And this for your respect; take it, 'tis good gold,

And I am able to spare it.

Order. You are too munificent.

Furn. He was ever so.

In being dispossest of what it longs for?
Or the smooth brow

Of a pleased sire, that slaves me to his will?
And, so his ravenous humour may be feasted
By my obedience, and he see me great,
Leaves to my soul nor faculties nor power
To make her own election.

Alla. But the dangers,
That follow the repulse!

Marg. To me they are nothing:

Let Allworth love, I cannot be unhappy.
Suppose the worst; that, in his rage, he kill me;
A tear or two by you dropt on my hearse,
In sorrow for my fate, will call back life
So far as but to say, that I die your's.
I then shall rest in peace.

Allw. Heaven avert

He does solicit me, I shall gladly hear him:
But in this peremptory, nay, commanding way,
To appoint a meeting, and without my know-
ledge;

A priest to tye the knot, can ne'er be undone,
Till death unloose it, is a confidence
In his lordship, that will deceive him.

Alla. I hope better, good lady.

Marg. Hope, sir, what you please: for me, I must take a safe and secure course; I have A father, and, without his full consent,

Will you still be one?. In the name of madness, what

Could his good honour write more to content you?

Is there aught else to be wished after these two,
That are already offered? Marriage first,
And lawful pleasure after: What would you
more?

Marg. Why, sir, I would be married like your daughter,

Not hurried away in the night I know not whither,
Without all ceremony; no friends invited,
To honour the solemnity.

Allw. An't please your honour,
For so before to-morrow I must stile you,
My lord desires this privacy, in respect
His honourable kinsmen are far off;
And his desires to have it done, brook not
So long delay as to expect their coming;
And yet he stands resolved, with all due pomp,
To have his marriage at court celebrated,
When he has brought your honour up to London.
Over. He tells you true; 'tis the fashion, on

my knowledge:

Yet the good lord, to please your peevishness,
Must put it off, forsooth.

Marg. I could be contented,
Were you but by to do a father's part,
And give me in the church.

Over. So my lord have you,

What do I care who gives you? since my lord
Does propose to be private, I'll not cross him.
I know not, Mr Allworth, how my lord
May be provided, and therefore, there's a purse
Of gold: 'twill serve this night's expence: to-
In the mean

morrow

I'll furnish him with any sums.

time,

At my manor of Gotham, and called parson

Welldo:

"Tis no matter for a licence; I'll bear him out in't. Marg. With your favour, sir, what warrant is your ring?

He may suppose I got that twenty ways
Without your knowledge; and, then, to be re-
fused,

Were such a stain upon me--if you please, sir,
Your presence would do better.
Over. Still perverse!

I say again, I will not cross my lord,
Yet I'll pervent you, too-Paper and ink there.
Allw. I can furnish you.
L

Over. I thank you, I can write then.

[Writes on his book. Allw. You may, if you please, leave out the name of my lord,

In respect he comes disguised, and only write,
Marry her to this gentleman.

Over. Well advised. [MARGARET kneels. 'Tis done; away—my blessing, girl? thou hast it. Nay, no reply-be gone, good Mr Allworth; This shall be the best night's work you ever made. Allw. I hope so, sir.

[Exeunt ALLWOrth and MargaRET. Over. Farewell! Now all's sure.

Methinks, I hear already knights and ladies
Say, sir Giles Overreach, how is it with
Your honourable daughter? has her honour
Slept well to-night? or, will her honour please
To accept this monkey, dog, or paroquet?
(This is state in ladies) or my eldest son
To be her page, and wait upon her trencher?—
My ends, my ends are compassed!-then for
Wellborn

And the lands; were he once married to the widow

I have him here—I can scarce contain myself, I am so full of joy! nay, joy all over!

house.

Enter LOVELL and LADY.

Lady. By this, you know how strong the motives were,

That did, my lord, induce me to dispense
A little with my gravity, to advance

The plots and projects of the down-trod Wellborn.

Lov. What you intended, madam, For the poor gentleman, hath found good success; For, as I understand, his debts are paid, And he once more furnished for fair employ

ment:

But all the arts, that I have used to raise
The fortunes of your joy and mine, young All-
worth,

Stand yet in supposition, though I hope well.
For the young lovers are in wit more pregnant
Than their years can promise; and for their de-
sires,

On my knowledge they equal.

Lady. Though my wishes

Are with yours, my lord, yet give me leave to fear

The building, though well grounded, To deceive

Sir Giles, that's both a lion and a fox
In his proceedings, were a work beyond
The strongest undertakers; not the trial
Of two weak innocents.

Lov. Despair not, madam :

Hard things are compassed oft by easy means.

The cunning statesman, that believes he fathoms
The counsels of all kingdoms on the earth,
Is, by simplicity, oft overreached.

Lady. May be so.

The young ones have my warmest wishes.

[Erit.

I could not but have thought it as a blessing,
Far, far beyond my merit.

Lov. You are too modest,

And undervalue that, which is above
My title, or whatever I call mine. In a word,
Our years, our states, our births, are not unequal,
If, then, you may be won to make me happy,
But join your hand to mine, and that shall be
A solemn contract.

Lady. I were blind to my own good,
Should I refuse it; yet, my lord, receive me
As such a one, the study of whose whole life
Shall know no other object but to please you.

Lov. If I return not, with all tenderness, Equal respect to you, may I die wretched!

Lady. There needs no protestation, my lord, To her, that cannot doubt-You are welcome, sir, Enter WELLBORN,

Now, you look like yourself.

Well. And will continue

for

me!

You've kindly heard-now grant my suit.

What say you, lady?

Lady. Troth, my lord,

My own unworthiness may answer for me; For had you, when I was in my prime,

Lov. I hope my project took.

Enter OVERREACH, with distracted looks, driving in MARRALL before him.

I'll bore thine eyes out else.

Well. May it please your lordship,

For some ends of my own, but to withdraw
A little out of sight, though not of hearing;
You may, perhaps, have sport.

Lov. You shall direct me.
Over. I shall sol fa you, rogue e!

Mar. Sir, for what cause

Do you use me thus ?

[Steps aside.

Over. Cause, slave! why, I am angry, And thou a subject only fit for beating; And so to cool my choler. Look to the writing; Let but the seal be broke upon the box, That has slept in my cabinet these three years, I'll rack thy soul for it.

Mar. I may yet cry quittance; Though now I suffer, and dare not resist. [Aside. Over. Lady, by your leave, did you see my daughter, lady?

And the lord her husband? Are they in your house?

If they are, discover, that I may bid them joy;
And, as an entrance to her place of honour,
See your ladyship on her left hand, and inake

curt'sies

When she nods on you; which you must re

ceive

As a special favour.

Lady. When I know, sir Giles,

Enter AMBLE, ORDER, and FURNACE. Lady. Help, murder! murder!

Well. Let him come on,

I give you to understand, I neither know

Nor care where her honour is.

Over. When you once see her

Supported, and led by the lord her husband, You'll be taught better-Nephew!

Well. Well!

Over. No more!

Well. 'Tis all I owe you.

Over. Have your redeemed rags

Made you thus insolent?

Well. Insolent to you!

[In scorn.

Why, what are you, sir, more than myself?
Over. His fortune swells him:

'Tis rank, he is married.

Lady. This is excellent!

Over. Sir, in calm language (though I seldom use it),

I am familiar with the cause, that makes you
Bear up thus bravely; there's a certain buz
Of a stolen marriage; Do you hear? of a stolen
marriage;

In which, 'tis said, there's somebody hath been cozened.

And punish his extortion.
Over. That I had thee
But single in the field!

Lady. You may; but make not
My house your quarrelling scene.
Over. Were it in a church,
By Heaven and hell, I'll do it!
Mar. Now, put him to

The showing of the deed.

Well. This rage is vain, sir;

For fighting, fear not, you shall have your hands full

Upon the least incitement; and whereas
You charge me with a debt of a thousand pounds;
If there be law (howe'er you have no conscience)
Either restore my land, or I'll recover

A debt, that is truly due to me from you,
In value ten times more than what you challenge.
Over. I in thy debt! oh impudence! Did I

not purchase