2 Bra. Shall we difpatch him?

3

Bra. To be fure. I think he knows me.

1 Bra. Ay, ay, dead men tell no tales; I wonder at the impudence of the English rogues, that will hazard the meeting a man at the bar, whom they have encountered upon the road. I ha'n't the confidence to look a man in the face after I have done him an injury; therefore we'll murder him. [Exeunt,

SCENE changes to Old Mirabel's Houfe.

Enter Duretete.

Dur. My friend has forfaken me, I have abandoned my mistress, my time lies heavy upon my hands, and my money burns in my pocket. But, now I think on't, my Myrmidons are upon duty to-night; I'll fairly ftroll down to the guard, and nod away the night with my honeft Lieutenant, over a flask of wine, a rakehelly ftory, and a pipe of tobacco. [Going off, Bifarre meets him. Bif. Who comes there? Stand?

Dur. Hey-day! now fhe's turn'd dragoon.

Bif. Look ye, Sir, I'm told you intend to travel again. I defign to wait on you as far as Italy.

Dur. Then I'll travel into Wales."

Bif. Wales! What country's that?

Dur. The land of mountains, child, where you're never out of the way, because there's no fuch thing as a high-road.

Bif. Rather always in a high-road, because you travel all upon hills. But be it as it will, I'll jog along with you. Dur. But we intend to fail to the Eaft-Indies.

Bif. Eaft or Weft, 'tis all one to me; I'm tight and light, and the fitter for failing.

Dur. But fuppofe we take thro' Germany, and drink hard.

Bif. Suppofe I take thro' Germany, and drink harder than you.

Dur. Suppofe I go to a bawdy-house.

Bif. Suppofe I fhew you the way.

Dur. 'Sdeath, woman, will you go to the guard with me, and fmoak a pipe?

Bif. Allons donc !

Dur. The devil's in the woman! Suppose I hang myself.

Bif. There I'll leave you,

Dur. And a happy riddance; the gallows is welcome. Bif. Hold, hold, Sir; [Catches him by the arm, going.] one word before we part.

Dur. Let me go, Madam, or I shall think that you are a man, and perhaps examine you.

Bif. Stir if you dare; I have still spirits to attend me ; and can raise fuch a mufter of fairies as thall punish you to death. Come, Sir, ftand there now and ogle me. [He frowns upon her.] Now a languishing figh. [He groans.] Now run and take my fan-fafter. [He runs and takes it up.] Now play with it handfomely

Dur. Ay, ay.

[He tears it all in pieces. Bif. Hold, hold, dear humourous coxcomb! Captain, fpare my fan, and I'llWhy, you rude, inhuman mon

fter, don't you expect to pay for this?

Dur. Yes, Madam, there's twelve-pence; for that is the price on't.

Bif. Sir, it coft a guinea.

Ι

Dur. Well, Madam, you shall have the sticks again. [Throws them to her, and exit. Bif. Ha, ha, ha! ridiculous below my concern. must follow him, however, to know if he can give me any news of Oriana.

SCENE changes to Lamorce's Lodgings.

Enter Mirabel.

[Exit.

Mir. Bloody hell-hounds! I over-heard you. Was not I, two hours ago, the happy, gay, rejoicing Mirabel? How did I plume my hopes in a fair coming profpect of a long scene of years? Life courted me with all the charms of vigour, youth, and fortune; and to be torn away from all my promifed joys, is more than death--the manner too, by villains. Oh, my Oriana, this very moment might have blefs'd me in thy arms! and my poor boy, the innocent boy!-Confufion!-But, hush, they come; I must diffemble ftill-No news of my wine, gentlemen? Enter the four Bravoes.

1 Bra. No, Sir; I believe your country booby has loft himself, and we can wait no longer for it-True, Sir, you're a pleasant gentleman; but I fuppofe you underftand our bufinefs.

Mir. Sir, I may go near to guess at your employments; you, Sir, are a lawyer, I prefume; you a phyfician, you a fcrivener, and you a stock-jobber-All cut-throats, 'egad. [Afide. 4 Bra. Sir, I am a broken officer; I was cashiered at the head of the army for a coward; fo I took up the trade of murder to retrieve the reputation of my courage.

3 Bra. I am a foldier too, and would ferve my king; but I don't like the quarrel, and I have more honour than to fight in a bad caufe.

2 Bra. I was bred a gentleman, and have no estate; but I must have my whore and my bottle, through the prejudice of education.

i Bra. I am a ruffian too, by the prejudice of education; I was bred a butcher. In short, Sir, if your wine had come, we might have trifled a little longer. Come, Sir, which fword will you fall by? Mine, Sir?

[Draws.

[Draws.

[Draws.

[Draws.

Mir. I fcorn to beg my life; but to be butcher'd thus !

[Knocking.] Oh, there's the wine!

my life or death.

Enter Oriana..

This moment for

Loft, for ever loft!-Where's the wine, child? [Faintly. Ori. Coming up, Sir. [Stamps. Enter Duretete with his word drawn, and fix of the grand Mufqueteers with their pieces prefented; the Ruffans drop their fwords. Oriana goes off.

Mir. The wine, the wine, the wine! Youth, pleafure, fortune, days and years are now my own again!-Ah, iny dear friends! did not I tell you this wine would make me merry?-Dear Captain, these gentlemen are the best--` natured, facetious, witty creatures, that ever you knew. Enter Lamorce.

Lam. Is the wine come, Sir?

Mir. Oh, yes, Madam, the wine is come- -See there!! [Pointing to the foldiers.] Your Ladyfhip has got a very. fine ring upon your finger.

Lam. Sir, 'tis at your fervice.

Mir. Oh, ho! is it fo? Thou dear feven hundred pounds, thou'rt welcome home again, with all my heart-Ad's my

life, Madam, you have got the finest built watch there! Tompion's, I prefume.

Lam. Sir, you may wear it.

Mir. Oh, Madam, by no means, 'tis too much-Rob you of all!-[Taking it from her.] Good dear time, thou'rt a precious thing, I'm glad I have retrieved thee. [Putting it up.] What, my friends neglected all this while! Gentlemen, you'll pardon my complaifance to the lady.How now is it civil to be fo out of humour at my entertainment, and I fo pleafed with yours? Captain, you are furprized at all this! but we're in our frolics, you' muft know.- -Some wine here.

Enter Servant with Wine.

Come, Captain, this worthy gentleman's health. (Tweaks the firft Bravo by the nofe; he roars.] But now, where where's my dear deliverer, my boy, my charming

boy!

ift Bra. I hope fome of our crew below-stairs have difpatched him.

Mir. Villain, what fayeft thou? Dispatched! I'll have ye all tortured, racked, torn to pieces alive, if you have touched my boy.-Here, Page! Page! Page!

[Runs out. Dur. Here, gentlemen, be fure you fecure thofe fellows.

ift Bra. Yes, Sir, we know you and your guard will be very civil to us.

Dur. Now for you, Madam ; He, he, he.-I'm fo pleafed to think that I fhall be revenged of one woman before I die-Well, Mistress Snap-Dragon, which of these honourable gentlemen is fo happy to call you wife?

ift Brav. Sir, fhe should have been mine to-night, becaufe Sampre here, had her last night. Sir, fhe's very true to us all four.

Dug. Take them to justice.

[The Guards carry off the Bravoes. Enter Old Mirabel, Dugard, and Bifarre. Old Mir. Robin, Robin, where's Bob? Where's my boy? What, is this the lady? a pretty whore, faith ?— Heark'e, child, because my fon was fo civil as to oblige you with a coach, I'll treat you with a cart, indeed I will, Dug. Ay, Madam,-and you fhall have a swinging

equipage, three or four thousand footmen at your heels

at leaft.

Dur. No lefs becomes her quality.

Bif. Faugh the monster !

Dur. Monster! ay, you're all a little monstrous, let me tell you.

Enter Mirabel.

Old Mir. Ah, my dear Bob, art thou fafe, man? Mir. No, no, Sir, I'm ruin'd, the faver of my life is loft.

Old Mir. No, he came and brought us the news.
Mir. But where is he?

Enter Oriana.

Ha! [Runs and embraces her.] My dear preferver, what fhall I do to recompenfe your truft? Father, friends, gentlemen, behold the youth that has relieved me from the most ignominious death, from the fcandalous poniards of thefe bloody Ruffians, where to have fallen would have defamed my memory with vile reproach→→ My life, eftate, my all, is due to fuch a favour'Command me, child: before you all, before my late fo kind indulgent stars, I fwear to grant whate'er you ask. Ori. To the fame ftars, indulgent now to me, I will appeal as to the juftice of my claim; I fhall demand but what was mine before the juft performance of your [Difcovering herself.

contract to Oriana.

Om. Oriana!

Ori. In this difguife I refolved to follow you abroad, counterfeited that letter that got me into your fervice; and fo, by this ftrange turn of fate, I became the inftru ment of your prefervation; few common fervants would have had fuch cunning; my love infpired me with the meaning of your meffage, because my concern for your fafety made me fufpect your company.

Dur. Mirabel, you're caught.

Mir. Caught! I fcorn the thought of impofition, the tricks and artful cunning of the fex I have defpifed, and broke through all contrivance.' Caught! No, 'tis my voluntary act; this was no human ftratagem, but by my providential ftars defigned, to fhew the dangers wandering youth incurs by the purfuit of an unlawful love, to plunge me headlong in the fnares of vice, and then

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