out of my doors, this moment, and let him rot and perifh-incestuous brute!

L. T. O for heav'n's fake, my lord, you'll ruin me if you take fuch public notice of it, it will be a town-talk: confider your own and my honour-nay, I told you you would not be fatisfied when you knew it.

Ld. T. Before I've done, I will be fatisfy'd. Ungrateful monster, how long?.

L. T. Lord, I don't know: I with my lips had grown together when I told you-Almott a twelvemonthNay, I won't tell you any more, 'till you are yourfelf. Pray, my lord, don't let the company fee you in this diforder- -Yet, I confefs, I can't blame you; for I think I was never fo furpriz'd in my life-Who would have thought my nephew could have so misconstrued my kindness-But will you go into your clofet, and recover your temper. I'll make an excufe of fudden bufinefs to the company, and come to you. Pray, good dear my lord, let me beg you do now: I'll come immediately, and tell you all; will you, my lord?

Ld. T. I will-I am mute with wonder.

L. T. Well, but go now, here's fome body coming. Ld. 7. Well, I go-You won't stay, for I would hear more of this.

[Exit.

Mafk. This was a master-piece, and did not need my help-tho' I ftood ready for a cue to come in and confirm all, had there been occafion.

L. T. Have you feen Mellefont?

Mafk. I have; and am to meet him here about this time. L. 7. How does he bear his disappointment?

Mafk. Secure in my affiftance, he feem'd not much afflicted, but rather laugh'd at the shallow artifice, which fo little time muft of neceffity discover. Yet he is apprehenfive of fome farther design of yours, and has engaged me to watch you. I believe he will hardly be able to prevent your plot, yet I would have you use caution and expedition.

L. T. Expedition indeed; for all we do, must be perform'd in the remaining part of this ev'ning, and before

the

the company break up; left my lord fhould cool, and have an opportunity to talk with him privately--My lord must not see him again.

Mak. By no means, therefore you must aggravate my lord's difpleasure to a degree that will admit of no conference with him.-What think you of mentioning me? L. T. How?

Mak. To my lord, as having been privy to Mellefont's defign upon you, but ftill ufing my utmoft endeavours to diffuade him tho' my friendship and love to him has made me conceal it; yet you may fay, I threatened the next time he attempted any thing of that kind, to dif cover it to my lord.

L. T. To what end is this?

Mafk. It will confirm my lord's opinion of my honour and honefty, and create in him a new confidence in me, which (fhould this defign mifcarry) will be neceffary to the forming another plot that I have in my head-To cheat you, as well as the reft

[Afide.

I'll tell him you hindred him

Mafk. Excellent! Your ladyfhip has a moft improving fancy. You had beft go to my lord, keep him as long as you can in his clofet, and I doubt not but you will mould him to what you pleafe; your guefts are fo engaged in their own follies and intrigues, they'll miss neither of

you.

L. T. When shall me meet?—At eight this evening in my chamber, there rejoice at our fuccefs, and toy away an hour in mirth.'

6

Mafk. I will not fail. [Exit. Lady Touch. So far all's well, yet I know what the means by toying away an hour well enough. Pox I have loft 'all appetite to her; yet she's a fine woman, and I lov'd •her once. But I don't know, fince I have been in a great measure kept by her, the cafe is alter'd; what was my pleasure is become my duty: and I have as little ftomach to her now as if I were her husband.” Should the fmoke my defign upon Cynthia, I were in a

B 4

fine

fine pickle. She has a damn'd' penetrating head, and knows how to interpret a coldness the right way; therefore I muft diffemble ardour and ecftafy, that's refolv'd: how eafily and pleafantly is that diffembled before fruition! Pox on't that a man can't drink without quenching his thirft.' Ha! yonder comes Mellefont thoughtful. Let me think: meet her at eight-humha! By Heav'n I have it-If I can fpeak to my lord before-Was it my brain or providence? No matter which -I will deceive 'em all, and yet fecure myfelf, 'twas a lucky thought! Well, this double-dealing is a jewel. Here he comes, now for me.

[Makwell pretending not to fee him, walks by him, and Speaks as it were to himself.

Enter Mellefont mufing.

Mafk. Mercy on us, what will the wickedness of this world come to?

Mel. How now, Jack? What, fo full of contemplation that you run over!

Mask. I'm glad you're come, for I could not contain myfeif any longer: and was juft going to give vent to a fecret, which no body but you ought to drink down.Your aunt's just gone from hence.

Mel. And having trufted thee with the fecrets of her foul, thou art villainously bent to discover 'em all to me, ha?

Mafk. I'm afraid my frailty leans that way

-But I

don't know whether I can in honour difcover 'em all. Mel. All, all man, what you may in honour betray her as far as the betrays herfelf. No tragical defign upon my perfon, I hope.

Mak. No, but it's a comical defign upon mine.
Mel. What doft thou mean?

Mafk. Liften and be dumb, we have been bargaining about the rate of your ruin

Mel. Like any two guardians to an orphan heiressWell.

Mak. And whereas pleasure is generally paid with mischief, what mischief I do is to be paid with pleasure. Mel. So when you've fwallowed the potion, you fweeten your mouth with a plumb.

Majk.

Mafk. You are merry, fir, but I fhall probe your conftitution. In fhort, the price of your banishment is to be paid with the perfon of

Mel. Of Cynthia, and her fortune-Why you forget you told me this before.

Mafk. No, no-So far you are right; and I am, as an earneft of that bargain, to have full and free poffeffion of the perfon of

Mel. Ha!

-your aunt.

Pho, you trifle.

Mak. By this light, I'm ferious; all raillery apartI knew 'twould fun you: this evening at eight the will receive me in her bed-chamber.

Mel. Hell and the devil, is the abandon'd of all grace -Why the woman is poflefs'd

Mask. Well, will

you go in my ftead? Mel. By Heav'n' into a hot furnace fooner.

Mafk. No, you would not-It would not be fo convenient, as I can order matters.

Mel. What d'ye mean!

Mafk. Mean? Not to disappoint the lady I affure you -Ha, ha, ha! how gravely he looks-Come, come, won't perplex you. "Tis the only thing that fortune could have contriv'd to make me capable of ferving you, either to my inclination or your own neceflity.

Mel. How, how, for Heav'n's fake, dear Mafkwell? Mafk. Why thus-I'll go according to appointment; you fhall have notice at the critical minute to come and furprize your aunt and me together: counterfeit a rage against me, and I'll make my efcape through the private paffage from her chamber, which I'll take care to leave open: "Twill be hard, if then you can't bring her to any conditions. For this difcovery will difarm her of all defence, and leave her entirely at your mercy: nay, she must ever after be in awe of you.

Mel. Let me adore thee, my better genius! by Heav'n I think it is not in the power of fate to difappoint my hopes My hopes, my certainty!

Mafk. Well, I'll meet you here, within a quarter of eight, and give you notice.

Mel. Good fortune ever go along with thee!

B 5

[Exit.

Enter

Enter Careless.

Care. Mellefont, get out o' th' way, my lady Plyant's coming, and I fhall never fucceed while thou art in fight -Tho' fhe begins to tack about; but I made love a great while to no purpose.

Mel. Why, what's the matter? She's convinc'd that I don't care for her.

that does not

her religion,' me the whole

Care. I can't get an answer from her, begin with her honour, or her virtue, or fome fuch cant. Then he has told hiftory of Sir Paul's nine years courtship; how he has lain for whole nights together upon the ftairs, before her chamber-door; and that the firft favour he received from her, was a piece of an old fcarlet petticoat for a ftomacher; which fince the day of his marriage, he has, out of a piece of gallantry, converted into a night-cap, and wears it ftill with much folemnity on his anniverfary wedding-night.

Mel. That I have feen, with the ceremony thereunto belonging-For on that night he creeps in at the bed's feet like a gull'd Baffa that has marry'd a relation of the Grand Signior, and that night he has his arms at liberty. Did not fhe tell you at what a distance she keeps him? He has confefs'd to me that but at some certain times, that is I fuppofe when the apprehends being with child, he never has the privilege of ufing the familiarity of a hufband with a wife. He was once given to fcrambling with his hands, and fprawling in his fleep; and ever fince fhe has him fwaddled up in blankets, and his hands and feet swath'd down, and fo put to bed; and there he lies with a great beard, like a Ruffian bear upon a drift of fnow. You are very great with him, I wonder he never told you his grievances, he will I warrant you.

Care. Exceffively foolish!-But that which gives me most hopes of her, is her telling me of the many temptations she has refifted.

Mel. Nay, then you have her; for a woman's bragging to a man that she has overcome temptations, is an argument that they were weakly offer'd, and a challenge

to