to me; though, for aught I know, poor Frankly's life may depend upon it.

Cla. Whose life, Sir?

Ran. And here do I stand prating to you

now.

Cla. Pray, good cousin, explain yourself. Ran. Good cousin! She has it. [Aside.] Why, whilst I was making off with the wench, Bellamy and he were quarrelling about her; and though Jacintha and I made all the haste we could, we did not get to them before

Cla. Before what? I'm frightened out of my wits?

Ran. Not that Frankly cared three-halfpence for the girl.

Cla. But there was no mischief done, I hope?

Ran. Pho! a slight scratch; nothing at all, as the surgeon said: though he was but a queer-looking son of a bitch of a surgeon neither.

Cla. Good God! why, he should have the best that can be found in London.

Ran. Ay, indeed, so he should; that was what I was going for when I saw you. [Sits down.] They are all at Jack Meggot's, hard by, and you will keep me here.

Cla. I keep you here! For Heaven's sake, begone!

Ran. Your tea is a damned while a coming.
Cla. You shall have no tea now, I assure

you.

Ran. Nay, one dish!

Cla. No, positively you shall not stay. Ran. Your commands are absolute, Madam. Cla. Then Frankly is true, and I only am [Going. to blame.

Ran. [Returns. But I beg ten thousand pardons, cousin, that I should forgetCla. Forget what?

Ran. Forget to salute you.

Cla. Pshaw! how can you trifle at such a time as this?

Ran. A trifle! wrong not your beauty. Cla. Lord, how teasing you are! There. Ran. [Kisses her.] Poor thing, how uneasy she is! Aside.] Nay, no ceremony; you shall not stir a step with me.

Cla. I do not intend it.

provoking.

ACT V.

[Exit. This is downright

[Exit.

Mrs. S. Heigh ho!

Strict. What can possibly be the occasion of that sigh, Madam? you have yourself agreed to a maintenance, and a maintenance no duchess need be ashamed of.

Mrs. S. But the extremities of provocation that drove me to that agreementStrict. Were the effect of your own follies. Why do you disturb me? Mrs. S. I would not willingly give you a [Writes. moment's uneasiness; I but desire a fair and equal hearing; and if I satisfy you not in every point, then abandon me, discard me to the world and its malicious tongues.

Strict. What was it you said? Damn this pen.

Mrs. S. I say, Mr. Strictland, I would only

repeat what you have been saying this hour,
Strict. You would only-you would only
I am innocent; and when I showed you the
letter I had taken from your maid, what was
then your poor evasion, but that it was to
Clarinda, and you were innocent.
Mrs. S. Heaven knows, am innocent.

Strict. But I know your Clarinda, your woman of honour, is your blind, your cover, a woman I have no longer any concerns with? your -But why do I distract myself about Here, Madam, is your fate-a letter to your brother in the country.

Mrs. S. Sir

My

Strict. I have told him what a sister he is to receive, and how to bid her welcome. Mrs. S. Then my ruin is complete. brother! Strict. I must vindicate my own honour, else what will the world say?

Mrs. S. That brother was my only hope, my hoped my name might have been safe, and only ground of patience. In his retirement I slept, till by some happy means you might at length have known me innocent, and pitied

me.

Strict. Retirement! pretty soul! no, no, another sort of retiring you are fittest for. Ha! that face was never made for retirement; it is hark! What's that? [A knocking at the door.] Two gentle taps-and why but two? was that the signal, Madam? Stir not, on your life!

this usage, and keep it secret from the world. Mrs. S. Give me resolution, Heaven, to bear [Aside.

Strict. I will have no signs, no items, no hem tap! The gentleman is in haste I find. to tell him I am here. [A knock.] Ha, another

Enter TESTER.

[Opens the door.

Tester! Why did you not come in, rascal ? [Beats him.] All vexations meet to cross me.

Tes. Lard, Sir! what do you strike me for? my mistress ordered me never to come in where she was, without first knocking at the door. Strict. Oh, cunning devil! Tester is too honest to be trusted.

Mrs. S. Unhappy man! will nothing undeceive him?

Tes. Sir, here is a letter.

Strict. To my wife?

Tes. No, Sir, to you. The servant waits

below.

[Stares.

Strict. Art sure it is a servant?
Tes. Sir! it is Mr. Buckle, Sir.
Strict. I am mad; I know not what to say,
or do, or think. But let's read-

[Reads to himself.

Sir-We cannot bear to reflect that Mrs. Strictin the voice of the world, only by the confusion land may possibly be ruined in your esteem, and out offering all within our power to clear the miswhich our affairs have made in your family, withyourself the trouble but to step to Mr. Mcggot's, understanding between you. If you will give entirely satisfy your most flagrant suspicions, to where all parties will be, we doubt not but we can the honour of Mrs. Strictland, and the quiet of your lives. JACINTHA. JOHN BELLAMY.

one another. They think I am an ass, and will Hey! here is the whole gang witnessing for be led by the nose to believe every thing.

[Aside.] Call me a chair. [ Exit TESTER.] Yes, I will go to this rendezvous of enemies-I will -and find out all her plots, her artifices, and contrivances: it will clear my conduct to her brother and all her friends. [Aside, and exit. Mrs. S. Gone so abruptly! What can that letter be about? no matter; there is no way left to make us easy but by my disgrace, and I must learn to suffer; tine and innocence will teach me to bear it patiently.

SCENE II-A Room in JACK MEGGOT'S

House.

I

J. Meg. Oh, you could not oblige me more.

Enter CLARINDA.

Cla. Dear Mrs. Bellamy, pity my confusion. am to wish you joy and ask you pardon all in a breath. I know not what to say; I am quite ashamed of my last night's behaviour. Jac: Come, come Clarinda, it is all well ; all is over and forgot. Mr. Bellamy[Salute. Cla. I wish you joy, Sir, with all my heart; and should have been very sorry if any folly of mine had prevented it.

Bel. Madam, I am obliged to you. Cla. I see nothing of Mr. Frankly! my mind misgives me. Aside. Ran. And so, you came hither purely out of friendship, good nature, and humility. Cla. Purely.

Ran. To confess your offences, to beg pardon, and to make reparation.

Cla. Purely. Is this any thing so extraordi

nary?

J. Meg. The most so of any thing in life, I think.

Ran. A very whimsical business for so fine a Enter FRANKLY, RANGER, BELLAMY, JACIN- lady, and an errand you seldom went on be

THA, and JACK MEGGOT.

Frank. Oh, Ranger, this is news indeed! your cousin, and a lady of such fortune?

.

Ran. I have done the business for you; I She loves you.. tell you she's your own.

Frank. You make my heart dance with joy. Words are too faint to tell the joy I feel.

Ran. I have put that heart of hers into such a flutter, that I'll lay a hundred guineas, with the assistance which this lady has promised me, I fix her yours directly.

Jac. Ay, ay, Mr. Frankly, we have a design upon her which cannot fail. But you must obey orders.

Frank. Most willingly; but remember, dear | lady, I have more than life at stake.

Juc. Away then into the next room; for she is this instant coming hither.

Frank. Hither! you surprise me more and

Buck. A lady, Madam, in a chair, says her name is Clarinda.

fore, I fancy, my dear cousin.

Jac. Never, I dare swear, if I may judge by the awkward concern she shows in delivering

it.

Cla. Concern! Lard, well I protest you are all exceeding pretty company! Being settled for life, Jacintha, gives an ease to the mind that brightens conversation strangely.

Jac. I am sorry, with all my heart, you are not in the same condition; for as you are, my dear, you are horridly chagriné.

Ran. But with a little of our help, Madam, the lady may recover, and be very good com

pany.

Cia. Hum! what does he mean, Mr. Bellamy ?

Bel. Ask him, Madam.

Cla. Indeed I shall not give myself the trouble.

Jac. Then you know what he means. Cla. Something impertinent, I suppose, not worth explaining.

Jac. It is something you wont let him explain, I find.

Re-enter BUCKLE, and whispers JACK MEGGOT.

J. Meg. Very well. Desire him to walk into the parlour. Madam, the gentleman is below. Jac. Then every one to your posts. You know your cues.

[Exeunt Gentlemen. am glad of it, for I want

Ran. I warrant ye.
Cla. All gone!
to speak to you.

Jac. And I, my dear Clarinda, have something which I do not know how to tell you: but it must be known sooner or later.

Cla. What's the matter?

Jac. Poor Mr. Frankly ---

Cla. You fright me out of my senses!

Jac. Has no wounds but what you can cure. Ha, ha, ha!

Cla. Pshaw! I am angry.

Jac. Pshaw! You are pleased; and will be more so, when I tell you this man, whom fortune has thrown in your way, is in rank and temper the man in the world who suits you best for a husband.

Cla. Husband! I say, husband indeed! where will this end?

[Aside. Jac. His very soul is yours, and he only waits an opportunity of telling you so. He is in the next room. Shall I call him in? Cla. My dear girl, hold! Jac. How foolish is this coyness now, Clarinda! If the men were here indeed, something might be said And so, Mr. Frankly

Cla. How can you be so teasing?

Jac. Nay, I am in downright earnest; and to show how particular I have been in my inquiries, though I know you have a spirit above regarding the modish, paltry way of a Smithfield bargain-His fortune

Cla. I don't care what his fortune is. Jac. Don't you so; then you are further gone than I thought you were.

Cla. No, pshaw! Pr'ythee, I don't mean so neither.

Jac. I don't care what you mean; but you wont like him the worse, I hope, for having a fortune superior to your own. Now shall I

call him in!

Clu. Pho, dear girl

-Some other time. Jac. [Raps with her fan.] That's the signal, and here he is. You shall not stir: I positively will leave you together.

Cla. I tremble all over.

Enter FRANKLY.

[Exit.

Frank. Pardon this freedom, Madam; but I hope our having so luckily met with a common friend in Mrs. Bellamy

Cla. Sir!

Frank. Makes any further apology for my behaviour last night absolutely unnecessary. Cla. So far, Mr. Frankly, that I think the apology should be rather on my side, for the impertinent bustle I made about her.

Frank. This behaviour gives me hopes, Madam: pardon the construction-but from the little bustle you made about the lady, may I not hope you was not quite indifferent about the gentleman?

Cla. Have a care of being too sanguine in your hopes: might not a love of power, or the satisfaction of showing that power, or the dear pleasure of abusing that power; might not these have been foundation enough for more than what I did?

Frank. Charming woman! with most of your sex, I grant, they might, but not with you. Whatever power your beauty gives, your good nature will allow you no other use of it than to oblige.

Cla. This is the height of compliment, Mr. Frankly.

Frank. Not in my opinion, I assure yon, Madam; and I am now going to put it to the

trial.

Cla. What is he going to say now? [Aside. Frank. What is it that ails me, that I cannot speak? Pshaw! he here!

of your true lovers. Here are you two now,
bowing and cringing, and keeping a passion
secret from one another, that is no secret to
all the house beside; and if you don't make
the matter up immediately, it will be all over
the town within these two hours.
Cla. What do you mean?
Frank. Ranger-

Ran. Do you be quiet, can't ye? [Apart to FRANKLY.] But it is over, I suppose, cousin, and you have given him your consent?

Cla. Sir, the liberties you are pleased to take with me

Ran. Oh! in your airs still, are you? Why then, Mr. Frankly, there is a certain letter of yours, Sir, to this lady

Cla. A letter to me?

Ran. Ay! to you, Madam.

Frank. Ha! what of that letter?

Ran. It is only fallen into Mr. Strictland's hands, that is all; and he has read it. Frank. Read it!

Ran. Ay, read it to all his family at home, and to all the company below; and if some stop be not put to it, it will be read in all the coffee-houses in town.

Frank. A stop! this sword shall put a stop to it, or I will perish in the attempt.

Ran. But will that sword put a stop to the talk of the town?-Only make it talk the faster, take my word for it.

Cla. This is all a trick.

Ran. A trick! is it so? you shall soon see that, my fine cousin.

[Exit.

Frank. It is but too true, I fear. There is such a letter, which I gave Lucetta. Can you forgive me? Was I much to blame, when I could neither see nor hear of you?

Cla. [Tenderly.] You give yourself, Mr. Frankly, a thousand more uneasinesses than you need about me. Frank. If this uneasiness but convinces you how much I love you-Interrupted again! Cla. This is downright malice. [Aside.

Re-enter RANGER, followed by JACINTHA, STRICTLAND, BELLAMY, and JACK MEGGOT. Ran. Enter, enter, gentlemen and lady. Now you shall see whether this is a trick or

no.

Cla. Mr. Strictland here! What is all this? Jac. Do not be uneasy, my dear; we will explain it to you.

Frank. I cannot bear this trifling, Ranger, when my heart is on the rack.

Ran. Čome this way, then, and learn.

[JACINTHA, CLARINDA, FRANKLY, and RANGER, retire. STRICTLAND, BEL

LAMY, and MEGGOT advance. Strict. Why, I know not well what to say. This has a face. This letter may as well agree with Clarinda as with my wife, as you have told the story; and Lucetta explained it so; but she, for a sixpenny-piece, would have construed it the other way.

J. Meg. But, Sir, if we produce this Mr. Frankly to you, and he owns himself the author of this letter

Bel. And if Clarinda likewise be brought before your face to encourage his addresses, there can be no further room for doubt.

Strict. No. Let that appear, and I shall, I think I shall, be satisfied-But yet it cannot

be

Juc. In short, Clarinda, unless the affair is made up directly, a separation, with all the obloquy on her side, must be the consequence. Clu. Poor Mrs. Strictland! I pity her; but for him, he deserves all he feels, were it ten times what it is.

Jac. It is for her sake only, that we beg of you both to bear his impertinence. Cla. With all my heart. you please with me.

You will do what

Frank. Generous creature! Strict. Ha! here she is, and with the very man I saw deliver the letter to Lucetta. I do begin to fear I have made myself a fool. Now for the proof. [Aside.] Here is a letter, Sir, which has given me great disturbance, and these gentlemen assure me it was wrote by you.

Frank. That letter, Sir, upon my honour, I left this morning with Lucetta, for this lady. Strict. For that lady? and Frankly, the name at the bottom, is not feigned, but your real

name?

Ran. Why then, Sir, I declare myself your friend: and were I as you, nothing but their immediate marriage should convince me.

Strict. Sir, you're right, and are my friend indeed. Give me your hand.

Mrs. S. Reproach you! No! If ever you hear the least reflection pass my lips, forsake me in that instant; or, "what would yet be worse, suspect again.

Strict. It is enough. I am ashamed to talk to thee. This letter, which I wrote to your brother, thus I tear in pieces, and with it part for ever with my jealousy.

Mrs. S. This is a joy, indeed! as great as unexpected. Yet there is one thing wanting to make it lasting.

Ran. What the devil is coming now. [Aside. Mrs. S. Be assured, every other suspicion of me was as unjust as your last: though perhaps you had more foundation for your fears. Ran. She wont tell, sure, for her own sake. [Aside.

Mrs. S. All must be cleared before my heart will be at ease.

Ran. It looks plaguy like it, though! [Aside. Strict. What mean you? I am all attention. Mrs. S. There was a man, as you suspected, in my chamber last night.

[.1side.

Strict. Ha! take care, I shall relapse. Mrs. S. That gentleman was he Ran. Here is a devil for you! Mrs. S. Let him explain the rest. Ran. A frolic, a mere frolic, on my life. Strict. A frolic! Zounds! [They interpose. Ran. Nay, don't let us quarrel the very mo. ment you declared yourself my friend. There was no harm done, I promise you. Nay, never frown. After I have told my story, any satisfaction you are pleased to ask, I shall be ready to give.

Strict. Be quick then, and ease me of my pain. Ran. Why then, as I was strolling about last night, upon the look out, I must confess, chance, and chance only, conveyed me to your house where i espied a ladder of ropes most invitingly fastened to the window.

Jac. Which ladder, I had fastened for my escape.

Strict. Proceed.

Ran. Up mounted I, and up I should have gone, if it had been in the garret; it's all one to Ranger. I opened one door, and then anoRan. Nay, were I to hear her say-I, Cla-ther, and to my great surprise the whole house rinda, take thee, Charles, I would not believe was silent; at last, I stole into a room where them till I saw them a-bed together. Now re- this lady was undressing. sent it as you will.

Strict. Ay, Sir, as you will; but nothing less shall convince me ; and so, my fine lady, if you are in earnest

Cla. Sure, Mr. Strictland

Strict. Nay, no flouncing; you cannot

Cla. And so am I, now it is once over. Ran. And so am I, my dainty cousin; and I wish you joy of a man your whole sex would go to cuffs for, if they knew him but half so well as I do-Ha! she here; this is more than [Aside. I bargained for. Enter JACINTHA, leading in MRS. STRICTLAND. Strict. [Embracing MRS. STRICTLAND.] Madam, reproach me not with my folly, and you shall never hear of it again.

Strict. 'Sdeath and the devil! you did not dare sure

Run. I don't know whether I had dared, or no, if I had not heard the maid say something of her master's being jealous. Oh, damn me, thought I, then the work is half done to my

hands.

Jac. Do you mind that, Mr. Strictland?

Strict. I do I do, most feelingly.

Ran. The maid grew saucy, and most cenveniently to my wishes was turned out of the room; and if you had not the best wife in the world

Strict. Ounds, Sir, but what right have youRan. What right, Sir? if you will be jealous of your wife, without a cause; if you will be out at this time of night, when you might have been so much better employed at home; we young fellows think we have a right—

Strict. No joking, I beseech you; you know not what I feel.

Ran. Then seriously, I was mad, or drunk enough, call it which you will, to be very rude to this lady, for which I ask both her pardon and yours. I am an odd sort of a fellow, perhaps; but I am above telling you or any man a lie, damn me, if I am not.