Ld. Touch. Monster, Dog! your Life shall anfwes this [Draws and runs at Mel. is held by Lady Touchwood. L. Touch. O Heav'ns my Lord! Hold, hold > for Heav'ns, fake.

Mel. Confufion

Sorcerefs.

, my Uncle the damn'd

L. Touch. Moderate your Rage, good my Lord! He's mad Indeed he is my Lord, and knows not what he does See how wild he looks. Mel. By Heav'n 'twere senseless not to be mad, and fee fuch Witchraft.

L. Touch. My Lord, you hear him, he talks idly.

Ld, Touch. Hence from my Sight, thou living Infamy to my Name; when next I fee that Face, I'll write Villain in't with my Swords Point.

Mel. Now, by my Soul, I will not go 'till I have made known my Wrongs- Nay, 'till I have made known yours, which (if poffible) are greater

though fhe has all the Hoft of Hell her Servants. L. Touch. Alas he raves! Talks very Poetry ! For Heav'ns fake away my Lord; he'll either tempt you to Extravagance, or commmit fome himself.

Mel. Death and Furies, will you not hear me -Why by Heav'n fhe laughs, grins, points to your Back ; fhe forks out Cuckoldom with her Fingers, and you're running Horn-mad after your Fortune.

[As he is going the turns back and fmiles at him. Ld. Touch. I fear he's mad indeed Let's fend Maskwell to him.

Mel. Send him to her.

L. Touch, Come come, good my Lord, my Heart akes so, I fhall faint if I stay.

SCE

I could curfe my Stars, Fate, and Chance ; all caufes and Accidents of Fortune in this Life! But to what Purpofe? Yet 'fdeath, for a Man to have the Fruit of all his Industry grow full and ripe ready to drop into his Mouth, and just when he holds out his Hand to gather it, to have a fudden Whirlwind come, tear up Tree and all and bear away the very Root and Foundation of his Hopes; What Temper can contain? They talk of fending Maskwell to me; I never had more need of him But what can he do? Imagination cannot form a fairer and more plaufible Design than this of his which has mifcaried. O my precious Aunt, I shall never thrive without I deal with the Devil, or another Woman.

Women like Flames have a destroying Pow'r;

Ne'er to be quench'd, 'till they themselves devour.

SCENE Jbuts.

裝

A CT.

A C T. V.

SCENE I.

Lady Touchwood and Maskwel

W

Lady TOUCHWOOD.

AS'T not lucky?

Mask. Lucky! Fortune is your own, and 'tis her Interest fo to be; by Heav'n I believe you can controul her Power and the fears it; though Chance brought my Lord, 'twas your own Art that turn'd it to Advantage..

L. Touch. 'Tis true it might have been my Ruin
But yonder's my Lord, I believe he's co-

ming to find you, I'll not be feen.

CO; I durft not own my introducing my Lord, though it fucceeded well for her, for the would have fufpected a Defign which I fhould have been puzzled to excufe. My Lord is thoughtful be fo to; yet he fhall know my Thoughts; or think he does

G

-I'll

SCE

SCENE III.

[To him] Lord TOUCHWOOD.

MASK WELL.

have I done?

WHAT hauch. Talking to himself!

Mask. 'Twas honeft and fhall I be rewarded for it? No, 'twas honeft, therefore I shan't; Nay, rather therefore I ought not; for it rewards it felf.

Ld. Touch. Unequall'd Virtue !

[Afide, Mask. But fhould it be known! then I have loft a Friend! He was an ill Man, and I have gain'd; for half my felf I fent him, and that I have recall'd; fo I have ferved my felf, and what is yet better, I have ferved a worthy Lord to whom I owe my felf.

[Afide

Ld. Touch. Excellent Man! Mask. Yet I am wretched O there is a Secret burns within this Breaft, which should it once blaze forth, would ruin all, confume my honeft Character, and brand me with the Name of Villain. Ld. Touch. Ha!

Mask. Why do I love! Yet Heav'n and my waking Confcience are my Witnesses, I never gave one working Thought a Vent; which might difcover that I lov'd, nor ever muft; no, let it prey upon my Heart; for I would rather die, than feem once, barely feem, dishoneft:-O, fhould it once be known I love fair Cynthia, all this that I have done would look like Rivals Malice, falfe Friendfhip to my Lord, and bafe Self-intereft. Let me perifh first, and

from

from this Hour avoid all Sight and Speech, and if I can, all Thought of that pernicious Beauty. Ha! But what is my Diftraction doing? I am wildly talking to my felf, and fome ill Chance might have directed malicious Ears this way.

[Seems to start, feeing my Lord. Ld. Touch. Start not let guilty and difhoneft Souls start at the Revelation of their Thoughts, but be thou fix'd as is thy Virtue.

Mask. I am confounded, and beg your Lordships Pardon for those free Difcourfes which I have had with my felf.

L. Touch. Come, I beg your Pardon that I overheard you, and yet it fhall not need, Honeft Mask well! thy and my good Genius led me hither Mine, in that I have discover'd so much manly Virtue ; thine, in that thou fhalt have due Reward of all thy Worth. Give me thy Handmy Nephew is the alone remaining Branch of all our ancient Family; him I thus blow away, and conftitute thee in his room to be my Heir

Mask. Now Heav'n forbid

Ld. Touch. No more-I have refolv'd The Writings are ready drawn, and wanted nothing but to be fign'd, and have his Name inferted, Yours will fill the Blank as well- -I will have no Reply

-

Let me command this time; for 'tis the laft, in which I will aflume Authority-hereafter, you fhall rule where I have Power.

Mask. I humbly would Petition

Ld. Touch. Is't for your felf?- [ Mask. paus fes. I'll hear of nought for any Body clfc.

Mask. Then Witness Heav'n for me, this Wealth and Honour was not of my feeking, nor would I build my. Fortune on anothers Ruin: I had but one Defire

Ld. Touch. Thou fhalt enjoy it, If all I'm worth

G z