speak to her, she will hardly give me an answer; and if I attempt the smallest familiarity, is gone in an instant-I feel my passion for her grow every day more and more violent-Well, would I marry her? would I make a mistress of her if I could? Two things, called prudence and honour, forbid either. What am I pursuing, then? A shadow. Sure my evil genius laid this snare in my way. However, there is one comfort, it is in my power to fly from it; if so, why do I hesitate? I am distracted, unable to determine any thing.

AIR VII.

Still in hopes to get the better
Of my stubborn flame I try;
Swear this moment to forget her,
And the next my oath deny.
Now prepar'd with scorn to treat her,
Ev'ry charm in thought I brave;
Boast my freedom, fly to meet her,
And confess myself a slave.

[Exit.

SCENE III.

A Hall in JUSTICE WOODCOCK's House.

Enter HAWTHORN, with a Fowling-piece in his Hand, and a Net with Birds at his Girdle.

AIR VIII.

There was a jolly miller once,

Liv'd on the river Dee;

He work'd and sung from morn till night;
No lark more blithe than he

And this the burden of his song,
For ever us'd to be,

I care for nobody, not I,

If no one cares for me.

House here, house! what, all gadding, all abroad; house, I say, hilli ho ho!

J. Wood. [Without.] Here's a noise! here's a racket! William! Robert! Hodge! why does not somebody answer? Odds my life, I believe the fellows have lost their hearing!

Enter JUSTICE WOODCOCK.

Oh, Master Hawthorn! I guessed it was some such madcap-Are you there?

Hawth. Am I here? Yes: and if you had been where I was three hours ago, you would find the good effects of it by this time: but you have got the lazy unwholesome London fashion, of lying a bed in a morning, and there's gout for you-Why, sir, I have not been in bed five minutes after sun-rise these thirty years, am generally up before it; and I never took a dose of physic but once in my life, and that was in compliment to a cousin of mine, an apothecary, that had just set up business.

J. Wood. Well, but Master Hawthorn, let me tell you, you know nothing of the matter; for I say sleep is necessary for a man; ay, and I'll maintain it.

Hawth. What, when I maintain the contrary ?— Look you, neighbour Woodcock, you are a rich man, a man of worship, a justice of peace, and all that; but learn to know the respect that is due to the sound from the infirm; and allow me that superiority a good constitution gives me over you-Health is the greatest of all possessions; and 'tis a maxim with me, that an hale cobler is a better man than a sick king.

would'

J Wood. Well, well, you are a sportsman. Hawth. And so would you too, if you take my advice. A sportsman! why there is nothing like it: I would not exchange the satisfaction I feel while I am beating the lawns and thickets. about my little farm, for all the entertainments and pageantry in Christendom.

Hodge. Did your worship call, sir?

J Wood. Call, sir! where have you and the rest of these rascals been? but I suppose I need not askYou must know there is a statute, a fair for hiring servants, held upon my green to-day; we have it usually at this season of the year, and it never fails to put all the folks hereabout out of their senses.

Hodge. Lord, your honour, look out, and see what a nice show they make yonder; they had got pipers, and fiddlers, and were dancing as I came along, for dear life-I never saw such a mortal throng in our village in all my born days again.

Hawth. Why I like this now, this is as it should be.

J Wood. No, no, 'tis a very foolish piece of business; good for nothing but to promote idleness and the getting of bastards: but I shall take measures for preventing it another year, and I doubt whether I am not sufficiently authorized already; for by an act passed Anno undecimo Caroli primi, which impowers a justice of peace, who is lord of the manor

Hawth. Come, come, never mind the act; let me tell you this is a very proper, a very useful meeting; I want a servant or two myself, I must go see what your market affords ;-and you shall go, and the girls, little Lucy and the other young rogue, and we'll make a day on't as well as the rest:

my

J. Wood. I wish, master Hawthorn, I could teach you to be a little more sedate: why won't you take pattern by me, and consider your dignity!-Odds heart, I don't wonder you are not a rich man; you laugh too much ever to be rich.

Hawth. Right, neighbour Woodcock! health, goodhumour, and competence, is my motto: and if my executors have a mind, they are welcome to make it my epitaph.

AIR X.

The honest heart, whose thoughts are clear
From fraud, disguise, and guile,

Need neither fortune's frowning fear,
Nor court the harlot's smile.

The greatness that would make us grave

Is but an empty thing;

What more than mirth would mortals have?

The cheerful man's a king.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

The Hall.

Enter LUCINDA and HODGE.

Lucin. Hist, hist, Hodge!

Hodge. Who calls? here am I.

Lucin. Well, have you been?

Hodge. Been! ay I ha' been far enough, an' that be all: you never knew any thing fall out so crossly in your born days.

Lucin. Why, what's the matter?

Hodge. Why, you know, I dare not take a horse out of his worship's stables this morning, for fear it should be missed, and breed questions; and our old nag at home was so cruelly beat i'th'hoofs, that, poor beast, it had not a foot to set to ground; so I was fain to go to Farmer Ploughshare's, at the Grange, to borrow the loan of his bald filly: and, would you think it! after walking all that way-de'el from me, if the crossgrained toad did not deny me the favour.

Lucin. Unlucky!

Hodge. Well, then I went my ways to the King'shead in the village, but all their cattle were at plough: and I was as far to seek below at the turnpike: so at last, for want of a better, I was forced to take up with Dame Quickset's blind mare.

Lucin. Oh, then you have been?

Hodge. Yes, yes, I ha' been.

Lucin. Psha! Why did not you say so at once? Hodge. Ay, but I have had a main tiresome jaunt on't, for she is a sorry jade at best.

Lucin. Well, well, did you see Mr. Eustace, and what did he say to you?-Come, quick-have you e'er a letter?