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his sword and swore, and afterwards laid it down and said nothing.

Bal. Give the gentleman his sword again-Wait you without. [Exeunt CONSTABLE and WATCH.]—I'm sorry, sir, To SYLVIA.] to know a gentleman upon such terms, that the occasion of our meeting should prevent the satisfaction of an acquaintance.

Syl. Sir, you need make no apology for your warrant, no more than I shall do for my behaviour-my innocence is upon an equal foot with your authority.

Scale. Innocence! have you not seduced that young maid?

Syl. No, Mr Goosecap; she seduced me.

Bul. So she did, I'll swear-for she proposed marriage first.

Bal. What, then you are married, child?

Rose. Yes, sir, to my sorrow.

Bal. Who was witness?

[To ROSE:

Bul. That was 1-I danced, threw the stocking, and spoke jokes by their bedside, I'm sure.

Bal. Who was the minister?

Bul. Minister! we are soldiers, and want no minister--they were married by the articles of war.

Bal. Hold thy prating, fool-Your appearance, sir, promises some understanding; pray, what does this fellow mean?

Syl. He means marriage, I think-but that, you know, is so odd a thing, that hardly any two people under the sun agree in the ceremony; but among soldiers 'tis most sacred. Our sword, you know, is our honour; that we lay down-the Hero jumps over it first, and the Amazon after-Leap, rogue; follow, whore-the drum beats a ruff, and so to bed: that's all the ceremony is concise.

Bul. And the prettiest ceremony, so full of pastime and prodigality

Bal. What are you a soldier?

Bul. Ay, that I am-Will your worship lend me your cane, and, I'll shew you how I can exercise? Bal. Take it. [Strikes him over the Head.]-Your name, pray, sir ? [To SYLVIA

Syl. Captain Pinch: I cock my hat with a pineh, I' take snuff with a pinch, pay my whores with a pinch; in short, I can do any thing at a pinch but fight.

Bal. And pray, sir, what brought you into Shrop→

shire?

Syl. A pinch, sir: I know you country gentlemen want wit, and you know that we town gentlemen want money, and so

Bal. I understand you, sir-Here, constable

Enter CONSTable.

Take this gentleman into custody, till further orders. Rose. Pray, your worship, don't be uncivil to him, for he did me no hurt; he's the most harmless man in the world, for all he talks so.

Scale. Come, come, child, I'll take care of you.

Syl. What, gentlemen, rob me of my freedom and my wife at once? 'tis the first time they ever went together.

Bal. Harkye, constable.

[Whispers him. Const. It shall be done, sir-Come along, sir. [Exeunt CONSTable, Bullock, and SYLVIA. Bal. Come, Mr Scale, we'll manage the spark presently. [Exeunt,

SCENE II.

The Market Place.

Enter PLUME and KITE.

Plume. A baker, a tailor, a smith, butchers, carpenters, and journeymen shoemakers, in all thirtynine-I believe the first colony planted in Virginia had not more trades in their company than I have in mine.

Kite. The butcher, sir, will have his hands full, for we have two sheep-stealers among us-I hear of a fellow, too, committed just now for stealing of horses.

Plume. We'll dispose of him among the dragoonsHave we never a poulterer among us?

Kite. Yes, sir, the king of the gipsies is a very good one; he has an excellent hand at a goose or a turkey -Here's Captain Brazen, sir. I must go look after the men.

Enter BRAZEN, reading a Letter.

-Um,

Brazen. Um, um, um, the canonical hourum, very well-My dear Plume! give me a buss. Plume. Half a score, if you will, my dear! What hast got in thy hand, child?

Brazen. 'Tis a project for laying out a thousand pounds.

Plume. Were it not requisite to project first how to get it in?

w ant

Brazen. You can't imagine, my dear, that twenty thousand pounds! I have spent twenty times

as much in the service-But if this twenty thousand pounds should not be in specie

Plume. What twenty thousand?
Brazen. Harkye

Plume Married!

[Whispers:

Brazen. Presently; we're to meet about half a mile out of town, at the waterside-and so forth-[Reads.] For fear I should be known by any of Worthy's friends, you must give me leave to wear my mask till after the ceremony which will make me for ever yours.-Lookye there, my dear dog!

[Shews the Bottom of the Letter to PLUME, Plume. Melinda! and by this light her own hand! Once more, if you please, my dear-Her hand exactly Just now, you say

?

Brazen. This minute; I must be gone.

Plume. Have a little patience, and I'll go with you.

Brazen. No, no, I see a gentleman coming this way that may be inquisitive; 'tis Worthy, do you know

him?

Plume. By sight only.

Brazen. Have a care, the very eyes discover se

crets.

Enter WORTHY.

[Exit.

Wor. To boot and saddle, captain; you must

mount.

Plume. Whip and spur, Worthy, or you won't

mount.

Wor. But I shall; Melinda and I are agreed; she's gone to visit Sylvia, we are to mount and follow; and could we carry a parson with us, who knows what might be done for us both?

Plume. Don't trouble your head; Melinda has se cured a parson already.

Wor. Already! do you know more than I?

Plume. Yes, I saw it under her hand-Brazen and

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she are to meet half a mile hence, at the water side, there to take boat, I suppose, to be ferried over to the Elysian Fields, if there be any such thing in matrimony.

Wor. I parted with Melinda just now; she assured me she hated Brazen, and that she resolved to discard Lucy for daring to write letters to him in her

name.

Plume. Nay, nay, there's nothing of Lucy in this -I tell ye, I saw Melinda's hand as surely as this is

mine.

Wor. But I tell you, she's gone this minute to Justice Balance's country-house.

f

Plume. But I tell you, she's gone this minute to the waterside.

Enter a SERVANT.

Serv. Madam Melinda has sent word that you need not trouble yourself to follow her, because her journey to Justice Balance's is put off, and she's gone to take the air another way. [TO WORTHY.

Wor. How! her journey put off? Plume. That is, her journey was a put off to you. Wor. 'Tis plain, plain-But how, where, when is she to meet Brazen?

Plume. Just now, I tell you, half a mile hence, at the waterside.

Wor Up or down the water?

Plume. That I don't know.

Wor. I'm glad my horses are ready-I shall return presently.

[Exit. Plume. You'll find me at the Hall: the justices are sitting by this time, and I must attend them. [Exit.

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