Providence, what a Confpiracy have I discover'd (Reads) Hum After Supper in the Wardrobe by Dying Ned. Careless. Gads-bud, would that were matter of Fact too. Die and be damn'd for a Judas Maccabeus, and Ifcariot both. O Friendship! What art thou but a Name! Henceforward let no Man make a Friend that would not be a Cuckold: For whomfoever he receives into his Bofom, will find the Way to his Bed, and there return his Careffes with Intereft to his Wife. Have I for this been pinion'd Night after Night for three Years paft? Have I been fwath'd in Blankets 'till I have been even depriv'd of Motion? Have I approach'd the Marriage Bed with Reverence as to a facred Shrine, and deny'd my self the Enjoyment of lawful Domeftick Pleafures, to preferve its Purity, and muft I now find it polluted by foreign Iniquity? O my Lady Plyant, you were chafte as Ice, but you are melted now, and falfe as WaF 2 ter. ter. But Providence has been conftant to me in difcovering this Confpiracy. Still I am beholden to Providence; if it were not for Providence, fure poor Sir Paul thy Heart would break. SCENE X. [To him] Lady PLYANT. Lady PLYAN T. O, Sir, I see you have read the Letter, - Well now, Sir Paul, what do you think of your Friend Careles? Has he been treacherous, or did you give his Infolence a License to make Trial of your Wifes fufpected Virtue? D'ye fee here? Look, read it? [Snatches the Letter as in Anger. Gad's my Life if I thought it were fo, I would this Moment renounce all Communication with you. Ungrateful Monster! He? Is it fo? Ay, I fee it, a Plot upon my Honour; your guilty Cheeks confefs it: Oh where fhall wrong'd Virtue fly for Reparation! I'll be divorced this Inftant. Sir Paul. Gads-bud what fhall I fay? This is the ftrangeft Surprize! Why I don't know any thing at all, nor I don't know whether there be any thing at all in the World, or no. L. P. I thought I fhould try you, falfe Man. I that never diflembled in my Life: Yet to make Trial of you, pretended to like that Monster of Iniquity, Careless, and found out that Contrivance to let you fee this Letter; which now I find was of your own inditing I do Heathen, I do; see my Face no more? I'll be divorced prefently. Sir Paul. O ftrange, what will become of me! - I'm I'ın fo amaz'd, and fo overjoy'd, fo afraid, - and fo forry.- L. P. Did I? Do you doubt me Turk, Sarazen? I have a Coufin that's a Proctor in the Commons I'll go to him inftantly. Sir Paul. Hold, ftay, I beseech your LadyfhipI'm fo overjoy'd, ftay, I'll confefs all. L. P. What will you confefs, Jew? Sir Paul. Why now as I hope to be faved, I had no Hand in this Letter Nay hear me, I beseech your Ladyfhip: The Devil take me now if he did not go beyond my Commiffion- If I defired him to do any more than speak a good Word only juft for me; Gads-bud only for poor Sir Paul, I'm an Anabaptift, or a Jew, or what you pleafe to call me. L. P. Why is not here Matter of Fact? Sir Paul. Ay, but by your own Virtue and Continency that matter of Fact is all his own doing.I confefs I had a great Defire to have fome Honours conferr'd upon me, which lye all in your Ladyfhips Breaft, and he being a well-spoken Man, I defired him to intercede for me. L. P. Did you fo, Prefumption! Oh! he comes, the Tarquin comes; I cannot bear his Sight. IR Paul, I'm glad I've met with you, 'gad I Shave faid all I could, but can't prevail Then my Friendship to you has carry'd me a little farther in this Matter Sir Paul. Indeed-Well Sir I'll diffemble with him a little. [Afide. Care. Why faith I have in my Time known honeft Gentlemen abufed by a pretended Coynefs in their Wives, and I had a Mind to try my Ladys Virtue And when I could not prevail for you, 'gad I pretended to be in Love my felf. but all in vain, fhe would not hear a Word upon that Subject: Then I writ a Letter to her; I don't know what Effects that will have, but I'll be fure to tell you when I do; tho' by this Light I believe her Virtue is impregnable. Sir Paul. O Providence! Providence! What Difcoveries are here made? Why, this is better and more miraculous than the rest. Care. What do you mean? Sir Paul. I can't tell you, I'm fo overjoy'd; come along with me to my Lady; I can't contain my felf; come my dear Fiend. Care. So, fo, fo, this Difficulty's over. [Afide. SCE RETIRENDRE RENDRE DREADING SCENE XII. MELLEFONT, MASKWELL, from difrent Doors. MELLE FONT. MAskwell! I have been looking for you within a Quarter of Eight. Mask. My Lady is juft gone into my Lords Clo fet, you had best steal into her Chamber before fhe comes, and lye concealed there, otherwife fhe may lock the Door when we are together, and you not eafily get in to furprize us. Mel. He You fay true. Mask. You had beft make hafte, for after fhe has made fome Apology to the Company for her own, and my Lords Abfence all this while, fhe'll retire to her Chamber instantly. Mel. I go this Moment. Now Fortune I defie thee, SCEN E XIII. Confefs MASK WELL, alone. you may be allow'd to be fecure in your own Opinion; the Appearance is very fair; but I have an After-Game to play that fhall turn the Tables; and here comes the Man that I must manage. |