SCENE I.-Jobson's House.

Enter JOBSON and NELL.

Nell. Pr'ythee, good Jobson, stay with me tonight, and for once make merry at home.

Job. Peace, peace, you jade! and go spin; for, if I lack any thread for my stitching, I will punish you by virtue of my sovereign authority.

Nell. Ay, marry, no doubt of that, whilst you

take your swing at the alehouse, spend your substance, get as drunk as a beast, and then come home like a sot, and use one like a dog.

Job. Nounz! do you prate? Why, how now, brazen-face! do you speak ill of the government? Don't you know, hussy, that I am king in my own house, and that this is treason against my majesty?

Nell. Did ever one hear such stuff? But I pray you now, Jobson, don't go to the alehouse to-night.

Job. Well, I'll humour you for once: but don't grow saucy upon't; for I am invited by Sir John Loverule's butler, and am to be princely drunk with punch at the hall-place; we shall have a bowl | large enough to swim in.

Nell. But they say, husband, the new lady will not suffer a stranger to enter her doors; she grudges even a draught of small beer to her own servants; and several of the tenants have come home with broken heads from her ladyship's own hands, only for smelling strong beer in the house,

Job. A plague on her for a fanatical jade! She has almost distracted the good knight. But she's now abroad, feasting with her relations, and will scarce come home to-night; and we are to have much drink, a fiddle, and merry gambols.

Nell. O, dear husband, let me go with you; we'll be as merry as the night's long.

Job. Why, how now, you bold baggage! would you be carried to a company of smooth-faced, eating, drinking, lazy, serving-men? No, no, you jade, I'll not be a cuckold.

Nell. I'm sure they would make me welcome: you promised I should see the house: and the family has not been here before since you married and brought me home.

Job. Why, thou most audacious strumpet, darest thou dispute with me, thy lord and master? Get in and spin, or else my strap shall wind about thy ribs most confoundedly.

AIR.

Ile that has the best wife,

She's the plague of his life;

But for her who will scold and will quarrel,

Let him cut her off short

Of her meat and her sport,

And ten times a day hoop her barrel, brave boys,
And ten times a day hoop her barrel

Nell. Well, we poor women must always be slaves, and never have any joy; but you men run and ramble at your pleasure.

Job. Why you most pestilent baggage, will you be hoop'd? Be gone.

Nell. I must obey. (Going.)

Job. Stay; now I think on't, here's sixpence for you; get ale and apples, stretch and puff thyself up with lamb's wool, rejoice and revel by thyself, be drunk and wallow in thy own sty, like a grumbling sow as thou art. (Sings)

He that has the best wife,

She's the plague of his life, &c.

AIR.

Come, jolly Bacchus, god of wine,
Crown this night with pleasure;
Let none at cares of life repine,

To destroy our pleasure:
Fill up the mighty sparkling bowl,
That every true and loyal soul
May drink and sing without control
To support our pleasure.

Thus, mighty Bacchus, shalt thou be
Guardian of our pleasure;
That under thy protection we

May enjoy new pleasure.
And as the hours glide away,
We'll in thy name invoke their stay,
And sing thy praises that we may
Live and die with pleasure.

But. The king and the royal family, in a brimmer.
AIR

Here's a good health to the king,
And send him a prosp'rous reign;
O'er hills and high mountains
We'll drink dry the fountains,
Until the sun rises again, brace boys,
Until the sun rises again.

Then here's to thee, my boy boon,

And here's to the, my boy boon;

As we've tarry'd all day

For to drink down the sun,

So we'll tarry and drink down the moon, brave boys, So we'll tarry and drink down the moon.

SCENE II.-Sir John Loverule's House. Enter Butler, Cook, Footman, Coachman, LUCY, LETTICE, &c.

But. I would the blind fiddler and our dancing neighbours were here, that we might rejoice a little, while our termagant lady is abroad: I have made a most sovereign bowl of punch.

Lucy. We had need rejoice sometimes, for our devilish new lady will never suffer it in her hearing.

Enter blind Fiddler, JOBSON, and neighbours. But. Welcome, welcome all; this is our wish. Honest old acquaintance, goodman Jobson, how dost thou ?

Job. By my troth, I am always sharp-set towards punch; and am now come with a firm resolution, though but a poor cobbler, to be as richly drunk

Lady L. I say, meddle with your own affairs; I will govern my own house without your putting in an oar. Shall I ask you leave to correct my own servants?

Sir J. I thought, madam, this had been my house, and these my tenants and servants.

Lady L. Did I bring a fortune, to be thus abused and snubbed before people? Do you call my authority in question, ungrateful man? Look to your dogs and horses abroad, but it will be my province to govern here; nor will I be controlled by e'er a hunting, hawking knight in Christendom.

AIR-SIR JOHN LOVERULE

Te gods, you gave to me a wife,
Out of your grace and favour,
To be the comfort of my life,
And I was glad to have her;

But if your providence divine Far greater bliss design her, To obey your wills, at any time, I'm ready to resign her.

This is to be married to a continual tempest: strife and noise, canting and hypocrisy, are eternally afloat: 'tis impossible to bear it long.

Lady L. Ye filthy scoundrels, and odious jades, I'll teach you to junket it thus, and steal my provi

sions; I shall be devoured at this rate.

But. I thought, madam, we might be merry once upon a holiday.

Lady L. Holiday, you popish cur! Is one day more holy than another? And if it be, you'll be sure to get drunk upon it, you rogue. (Beats him.) after an abominable fiddle? (Lugs Lucy by the ears.) You miux, you impudent flirt! are you jigging it Lucy. O lud! she has pull'd off both my ears, Sir J. Pray, madam, consider your sex and quality: I blush for your behaviour.

Lady L. Consider your incapacity; you shall not instruct me. Who are you, thus muffled, you buzzard? (She beats them all; Jobson steals by.)

Job. I am an honest, plain, psalm-singing cobbler, madam: if your ladyship would but go to church, you might hear me above all the rest there.

Lady L. I'll try thy voice hero, first, villain. (Strikes him.)

Job. Nounz! what a plague, what a devil ails you?

Lady L. O profane wretch! wicked varlet! Sir J. For shame! your behaviour is monstrous! Lady L. Was ever poor lady so miserable in a brutish busband as I am? I that am so pious and so religious a woman!

Job. (Sings.) He that has the best wife,

She's the plague of his life;

But for her that will scold and will quarrel.

home; and knowing your worship's hospitality, desire the favour to be harbour'd under your roof to-night.

Lady L. Out of my house, you lowd conjurer you magician.

have any art, ye shall smart for this. Doc. Here's a turn! here's a change! Well, if I (Aside.)

Sir J. You see, friend, I am not master of my down the lane about a quarter of a mile, and you'll own house; therefore, to avoid any uneasiness, go see a cobbler's cottage; stay there a little, and I'll send my servant to conduct you to a tenant's house, where you'll be well entertained.

Doc. I thank you, sir; I'm your most humble servant; but as for your lady there, she shall, this [Exit. conference together. night, feel my resentment. Sir J. Come, madam, you and I must have some

Lady L. Yes; I will have a conference and a re

formation, too, in this house, or I'll turn it upside down, I will.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III-Jobson's house. Enter NELL and the Doctor.

Nell. Pray, sir, mend your draught, if you please; you are very welcome, sir.

Doc. Thank you heartily, good woman! and to requite your civility, I'll tell you your fortune.

Nell. O, pray do, sir; I never had my fortune told me in my life.

Doc. Let me behold the lines of your face. Nell. I'm afraid, sir, 'tis none of the cleanest; I have been about dirty work all this day.

Doc. Come, come, 'tis a good face; be not ashamed of it; you shall shew it in greater places suddenly.

Nell. O dear, sir, I shall be mightily ashamed; I want dacity when I come before great folks.

Doc. You must be confident, and fear nothing; there is much happiness attends you.

Nell. Oh me! this is a rare man; heaven be thanked. (Aside.)

Doc. To-morrow, before the sun-rise, you shall be the happiest woman in this country.

Nell. How, by to-morrow? Alack-a-day, sir! how can that be?

Doc. No more shall you be troubled with a surly husband, that rails at, and straps you.

Nell. Lud! how came he to know that? He must be a conjurer! (Aside.) Indeed, my husband is somewhat rugged, and, in his cups, will beat me, but it is not much: he's an honest, pains-taking man, and I'll let him have his way. Pray, sir, take t'other cup of ale.

Doc. I thank you. Believe me, to-morrow you shall be the richest woman in the hundred, and ride in your own coach.

Nell. O father! you jeer me.

Doc. By my art, I do not. But mark my words, be confident, and bear all out, or worse will follow. Nell. Never fear, sir, I warrant you. O gemini!

a coach.