SCENE II-A hall in Lady ALLWORTH'S House. Enter OVERREACH, GREEDY, Order, Amble, FURNACE, and MARRALL, Greedy. Not to be seen? Over. Still cloistered up? her reason, I hope, assures her, though she makes herself Close prisoner ever for her husband's loss "Twill not recover him. Order. Sir, it is her will; Which we, that are her servants, ought to serve, And not dispute. However, you are nobly wel come : And, if you please to stay, that you may think so, Greedy. Is it of the right race? Amble. How his mouth runs over! Furn. I'll make it run and run. Save your good worship! Greedy. Honest Mr Cook, thy hand; again! How I love thee! Are the good dishes still in being? speak, boy. Furn. If you have a mind to feed, there is a chine Of beef well seasoned. Greedy. Good. Furn. A pheasant, larded. Greedy. That I might now give thanks for it! Furn. Other kick-shaws. Besides, there came last night, from the forest of Sherwood, The fattest stag I ever cooked. Greedy. A stag, man? Furn. A stag, sir; part of it is prepared for dinner, And baked in puff-paste. Greedy. Puff-paste, too, Sir Giles! A ponderous chine of beef! a pheasant larded! And red deer, too, Sir Giles, and baked in puffpaste! All business set aside, let us give thanks here. Mar. Your worships are to sit on a commission, And if you fail to come, you lose the cause. Greedy. Cause me no causes; I'll prove it, for such a dinner, We may put off a commission; you shall find it Henrici decimo quarto. Over. Fie, Mr Greedy! Will you lose me a thousand pounds for a dinner? No more, for shame! We must forget the belly, When we think of profit. Greedy. Well, you shall o'er-rule me. I could even cry now. Do you hear me, Mr Cook? Send but a corner of that immortal pasty; And I, in thankfulness, will, by your boy, Enter WELLBOrn. Who have we here? Well. Don't you know me? Over. I did once, but now I will not; Thou art no blood of mine. Avaunt, thou beggar! If ever thou presume to own me more, I do love thee, Furnace, E'en as I do malmsey in a morning. [Exeunt OVERREACH, GREEDY, and MARRAL. Amble. Will you out, sir? I wonder how you durst creep in. Amble. Cannot you stay To be served among your fellows from the basket, But you must press into the hall? Furn. Prithee, vanish As may become the true friend of 'your hus-So winning a behaviour, not to be band; Though sworn, that it can ever find belief; Equipage, and fortune; your mens' observance, Order. How she starts! Well. That husband, madam, was once, in his fortune, Almost as low as I. Want, debts, and quarrels, And in his own hopes not to be buoyed up, Furn. Are not we base rogues, Well. I confess, you made him Master of your estate; nor could your friends, Though he brought no wealth with him, blame you for it: For he had a shape, and to that shape a mind, SCENE I-A landscape. Enter OVERREACH and MARRALL. Resisted, madam. Lady. 'Tis most true, he had. Well. For his sake, then, in that I was his friend, lady, Who can, at once, so kindly meet my purposes, АСТ II. Of the poor farmer. Over. 'Twas for these good ends [Exit. I made him a justice. He, that bribes his belly, Is certain to command his soul, Mar, I wonder (Still with your licence) why, your worship having The Over. Thou art a fool; In being out of office, I am out of danger; Where, if I were a justice, besides the trouble, I Over. I'll therefore buy some cottage near his manor; Which done, I'll make my men break ope his Ride o'er his standing corn, and in the night pences; Which I can spare, but will soon beggar him. When I have harried him thus two or three years, Though he sue forma pauperis, in spite Of all his thrift and care, he'll grow behindhand. any thing to work him to despair, And 'tis thy master-piece. Mar. I will do my best, sir. Over. I am now on my main work, with the The gallant-minded, popular lord Lovell, Mar. I have you. This points at my young mistress. That humble title, and write honourable; If all I have, or e'er shall get, will do it. I will have her well attended; there are ladies And 'tis my glory, though I came from the city, Mar. The best I ever heard; I could adore To kneel to mine, as bond slaves. you. Over. Then, with the favour of my man of I will pretend some title; want will force him Mar. 'Tis above wonder. Wellborn was apt to sell, and needed not Over. Well thought on. This varlet, Wellborn, lives too long to upbraid me With my close cheat put upon him. Will nor cold Nor hunger kill him? Mar. I know not what to think on't. I have used all means; and the last night I caused His host, the tapster, to turn him out of doors; Mar. Tis fit state, sir. Over. And therefore, I'll not have a chamber- That ties her shoes, or any meaner office, Well. I thank you. Mar. Will you stay till you die in a ditch? Or, if you dare not do the fate yourself, But that you'll put the state to charge and trouble, Is there no purse to be cut? house to be broken? Or market-woman with eggs that you may murder, And so dispatch the business? Well. Here's variety, I must confess; but I'll accept of none Mar. Why, have you hope ever to eat again? Or drink? or be the master of three farthings? If you like not hanging, drown yourself; take Furn. I know my cue, ne'er doubt me. [Exit. Enter MARRALL and WELLBORN. Order. Most welcome; You were long since expected. Well. Say so much To my friend, I pray you. Order. For your sake I will, sir. Well. Mum; this is nothing. Mar. More than ever [Exit. I would have believed, though I had found it in my primmer. Allw. When I have given you reasons for my late harshness, You'll pardon and excuse me: for, believe me, Mar. Service! with a vengeance! [Exit ALLWORTH, Mar. To kiss her foot, is, to poor me, a favour Lady. Nay, pray you, rise; Or sure these men are mad, to worship a dung-You shall dine with me to-day, at mine own ta Order. This place becomes you not; Till her ladyship quits her chamber. 'Tis a rare change! but yesterday you thought straw. Order. Sir, my lady. Enter Lady. [Exit ORDER. The roasting of his heart, that cheated him, I ever heard or read of, I never met To tell him so, fellow Furnace? As my throat is worth; for that would be the To have a usurer that starves himself, And wears a cloak of one and twenty years man, To grow rich, is too common: But this sir Giles feeds high, keeps many ser- Who must, at his command, do any outrage; Lady. I come to meet you, and languished till Yet he to admiration still increases I saw you. This first kiss for form; I allow a second, As token of my friendship. Well. I am wholly yours; yet, madam, if you please To grace this gentleman with a salute Mar. Salute me at his bidding! Well. I shall receive it As a most high favour. In wealth and lordships. Order. He frights men out of their estates, And breaks through all law-nets, made to curb ill men, As they were cobwebs. No man dares reprove him. Such a spirit to dare, and power to do, were never Lodged so unluckily. |