same over me. Mon. And I'll answer for another that has the [Ogling CLARISSA. Clar. 'Tis mighty fine, gentlemen! mighty civil husbands, indeed! Gripe. Nay, what I say's true, and so true, that all quarrels being now at an end, I am willing, if you please, to dispense with all that fine company we talked of to-day, be content with the friendly conversation of our two good neighbours here, and spend all my toying hours alone with my sweet wife. Mon. Why, truly, I think now, if these good women pleased, we might make up the prettiest little neighbourly company between our two families, and set a defiance to all the impertinent people in the world. year. Mon. And perhaps I mayn't forget a fan, or as good a thing-hum, hussy. Clar. Well, upon these encouragements, Araminta, we'll try how good we can be. Gripe. [Aside.] Well, this goes most rarely! Poor Moneytrap, he little thinks what makes his wife so easy in his company. Mon. [Aside.] I can but pity poor neighbour Gripe. Lard, Lard, what a fool does his wife and I make of him! Clar. [Aside to ARAMINTA.] Are not these two wretched rogues, Araminta? Aram. [Aside to CLARISSA.] They are indeed. Gripe. Let's see't.- Victoria! the very same. Ah, my dear Mr. Clip! [Kisses him.] But who brought it you? you should have seized him. Clip. 'Twas a young fellow that I know: I can't tell whether he may be guilty, though it's like enough. But he has only left it me now, to show a brother of our trade, and will call upon me again presently. Gripe. Wheedle him hither, dear Mr. Clip Here's my neighbour Moneytrap in the house; he's a justice, and will commit him presently. Clip. 'Tis enough. Enter BRASS. Gripe. O, my friend Brass! Brass. Hold, sir, I think that's a gentleman I'm looking for.-Mr. Clip. oh, your servant! What, are you acquainted here? I have just been at your shop. Clip. I only stepped here to show Mr. Gripe the necklace you left. Brass. [To GRIPE.] Why, sir, do you understand jewels? I thought you had dealt only in gold. But I smoke the matter, hark you-a word in your car-you are going to play the gallant again, and make a purchase on't for Araminta; ha, ha? Gripe. Where had you the necklace? Brass. Look you, don't trouble yourself about that; it's in commission with me, and I car help you to a pennyworth on't. Gripe. A pennyworth on't, villain? [Strikes at him. Brass. Villain! ahey, ahey! Is't you or me, Mr. Clip, he's pleased to compliment? Clip. What do you think on't, sir? Brass. Think on't! now the devil fetch me if I know what to think on't. Gripe. You'll sell a pennyworth, rogue! of a thing you have stolen from me. Brass. Stolen! pray, sir-what wine have you drank to-day? It has a very merry effect upon you. Gripe. You villain! either give me an account how you stole it, or Brass. O ho, sir, if you please, don't carry your jest too far; I don't understand hard words, I give you warning on't. If you han't a mind to buy the necklace, you may let it alone; I know how to dispose on't. What a pox! Gripe. Oh, you shan't have that trouble, sir.— Dear Mr. Clip, you may leave the necklace here. I'll call at your shop, and thank you for your care. Clip. Sir, your humble servant. [Going. Brass. O ho, Mr. Clip, if you please sir, this won't do!-[Stopping him.] I don't understand raillery in such matters. Clip. I leave it with Mr. Gripe do you and be dispute it. [Exit Brass. Ay, but 'tis from you, by your leave, sir, that I expect it. [Going after him. Gripe. You expect, you rogue, to make your escape, do you? But I have other accounts besides this to make up with you. To be sure the dog has cheated me of two hundred and fifty pound. Come, villain, give me an account of Brass. Account of!-sir, give me an account of my necklace, or I'll make such a noise in your house I'll raise the devil in't. Gripe. Well said, Courage! Brass. Blood and thunder, give it me, orGripe. Come, hush, be wise, and I'll make no noise of this affair. Brass. You'll make no noise! but I'll make a noise, and a damned noise too. Oh, don't think to Gripe. I tell thee I will not hang thee. Brass. But I tell you I will hang you, if you don't give me my necklace. I will, rot me! Gripe. Speak softly, be wise; how came it thine? who gave it thee? Brass. A gentleman, a friend of mine. Brass. His name!-I'm in such a passion I have forgot it. Gripe. Ah, brazen rogue-thou hast stole it from my wife! 'tis the same she lost six weeks he looks how his eyes roll in his head! tie him down, or he'll do some mischief or other. Gripe. Let me come at him. Clar. Hold !-prithee, my dear, reduce things to a little temperance, and let us coolly into the secret of this disagreeable rupture. Gripe. Well then, without passion. Why, you must know (but I'll have him hanged,) you must know that he came to Mr. Clip, to Mr. Clip the dog did! -with a necklace to sell; so Mr. Clip having notice before that (can you deny this, sirral?) that you had lost yours, brings it to me. Look at it here, do you know it again?-Ah, you traitor ! [To BRASS. Here's an appearcompany, and yet Brass. He makes me mad! ance of something now to the nothing in't in the bottom. Enter Constable. Clar. Flippanta!— [Aside to FLIPPANTA, showing the necklace. Flip. "Tis it, faith; here's some mystery in this, we must look about us. Clar. The safest way is point blank to disown the necklace. Flip. Right, stick to that. Gripe. Well, madam, do you know your old acquaintance, ha? Clar. Why, truly, my dear, though (as you may all imagine) I should be very glad to recover so valuable a thing as my necklace, yet I must be just to all the world, this necklace is not mine. Brass. Huzza-Here, constable, do your duty. -Mr. Justice, I demand my necklace, and satisfaction of him. Gripe. I'll die before I part with it, I'll keep it, and have him hanged. Clar. But be a little calm, my dear, do, my bird, and then thou'lt be able to judge rightly of things. Gripe. O good lack! O good lack! Clar. No, but don't give way to fury and interest both, either of 'em are passions strong enough to lead a wise man out of the way. The necklace not being really mine, give it the man again, and come drink a dish of tea. Brass. Ay, madam says right. Gripe. Oons, if you with your addle head don't know your own jewels, I with my solid one do and if I part with it, may famine be my portion! Clar. But don't swear and curse thyself at this fearful rate don't, my dove. Be temperate in your blessing upon you and your family. words, and just in all your actions, 'twill bring a Gripe. Bring thunder and lightning upon me and my family, if I part with my necklace! Clar. Why you'll have the lightning burn your house about your ears, my dear, if you go on in these practices. Mon. A most excellent woman this! Enter Mrs. AMLET. Gripe. I'll keep my necklace. [Aside. Brass. Will you so? then here comes one has a title to it, if I han't.-[Aside.] Let Dick bring himself off with her as he can.-[Aloud.] Mrs. Amlet, you are come in a very good time; you lost a necklace t'other day, and who do you think has got it? Mrs. Aml. Marry that know I not, I wish I did. Brass. Why then here's Mr. Gripe has it, and swears 'tis his wife's. Gripe. And so I do, sirrah! - Look here, mistress, do you pretend this is yours? Mrs. Aml. Not for the round world I would not say it; I only kept it, to do madam a small courtesy, that's all. Clar. Ah, Flippanta, all will out now! [Aside to FLIPPANTA. Gripe. Courtesy! what courtesy ? Mrs. Aml. A little money only that madam had present need of, please to pay me that, and I demand no more. Brass. So here's fresh game; I have started a new hare, I find. Gripe. How, forsooth, is this true? [Aside. [TO CLARISSA. Clar. You are in a humour at present, love, to believe anything, so I won't take the pains to contradict it. Brass. This damned necklace will spoil all our affairs, this is Dick's luck again. [Aside. Gripe. Are you not ashamed of these ways? Do you see how you are exposed before your best friends here? don't you blush at it? Clar. I do blush, my dear, but 'tis for you, that here it should appear to the world, you keep me so bare of money, I'm forced to pawn my jewels. Gripe. Impudent housewife! [Raising his hand to strike her. Clar. Softly, chicken; you might have prevented all this by giving me the two hundred and fifty pound you sent to Araminta e'en now. Brass. You see, sir, I delivered your note. How I have been abused to-day! Gripe. I'm betrayed!-Jades on both sides, I see that! [Aside. Mon. But, madam, madam, is this true I hear? Have you taken a present of two hundred and fifty pound Pray what were you to return for these pounds, madam, ha? Aram. Nothing, my dear; I only took 'em to reimburse you of about the same sum you sent to Clarissa. Mon. Hum, hum, hum! Gripe. How, gentlewoman, did you receive money from him? Clar. Oh, my dear, 'twas only in jest; I knew you'd give it again to his wife. Mrs. Aml. But amongst all this tintamar, I don't hear a word of my hundred pounds. Is it madam will pay me, or master? Gripe. I pay the devil shall pay ! Clar. Look you, my dear, malice apart, pay Mrs. Amlet her money, and I'll forgive you the wrong you intended my bed with Araminta. Am not I a good wife now? Gripe. I burst with rage, and will get rid of this noose, though I tuck myself up in another. Mon. Nay, pray, e'en tuck me up with you. [Exeunt MONEYTRAP and GRIPE. Clar, and Aram. Bye, dearies! Enter DICK AMLET. Cor. Look, look, Flippanta, here's the colonel come at last! Dick. Ladies, I ask your pardon, I have stayed so long, but Mrs. Aml. Ah, rogue's face, have I got thee, old Good-for-nought? Eirrah, sirrah, do you think to amuse me with your marriages, and your great fortunes? Thou hast played me a rare prank, by my conscience! Why, you ungracious rascal, what do you think will be the end of all this? Now Heaven forgive me, but I have a great mind to hang thee for't. Mrs. Aml. Do but look at him, my dames: he has the countenance of a cherubim, but he's a rogue in his heart. Clar. What is the meaning of all this, Mrs. Amlet? Why Mrs. Aml. The meaning, good lack! this all-to-be-powdered rascal here is my son, an't please you.-Ha, Graceless! Now I'll make you own your mother, vermin! Clar. What, the colonel your son? Mrs. Aml. 'Tis Dick, madam, that rogue Dick I have so often told you of, with tears trickling down my old cheeks. Aram. The woman's mad, it can never be. Mrs. Aml. Speak, rogue, am I not thy mother, ha? Did I not bring thee forth? say then. Dick. What will you have me say? you had a mind to ruin me, and you have done't; would you do any more. Clar. Then, sir, you are son to good Mrs. Amlet? Aram. And have had the assurance to put upon | us all this while! Flip. And the confidence to think of marrying Corinna? Brass. And the impudence to hire me for your servant, who am as well born as yourself? Clar. Indeed I think he should be corrected. Aram. Indeed I think he deserves to be cudgelled. : Flip. Indeed I think he might be pumped. Brass. Indeed I think he will be hanged. Mrs. Aml. Good lack a-day! Good lack a-day! there's no need to be so smart upon him neither if he is not a gentleman, he's a gentleman's fellow.-Come hither, Dick, they shan't run thee down neither; cock up thy hat, Dick, and tell 'em, though Mrs. Amlet is thy mother, she can make thee amends with ten thousand good pounds to buy thee some lands, and build thee a house in the midst on't. All. How! Clar. Ten thousand pounds, Mrs. Amlet! Mrs. Aml. Yes forsooth, though I should lose the hundred you pawned your necklace for.-Tell 'em of that, Dick. Cor. Look you, Flippanta, I can hold no longer, and I hate to see the young man abused.—And so, sir, if you please, I'm your friend and servant, and what's mine is yours; and when our estates are put together, I don't doubt but we shall do as well as the best of 'em. his consent, upon my word you shall have mine, for anything belongs to him. Flip. Then all's peace again, but we have been more lucky than wise. Aram. And I suppose for us, Clarissa, we are to go on with our dears, as we used to do. Clar. Just in the same tract, for this late treaty of agreement with 'em was so unnatural you see it could not hold. But 'tis just as well with us as if it had. Well, 'tis a strange fate, good folks! But while you live, everything gets well out of a broil but a husband. [Exeunt omnes. EPILOGUE. SPOKEN BY MRS. BARRY. I've heard wise men in politics lay down You'd find your tyrants-what I've found my dear. You've seen to-night, a sample for your use: I know they'll make campaigns, risk blood and life; But this is a more terrifying strife; They'll stand a shot, who'll tremble at a wife. Let all your visits of your feats resound, Be wise, and keep 'em under good command. (WRITTEN BY MR. STEELE) SPOKEN BY MR. BOOTH. OUR author's wit and raillery to-night The other style you full as well advance; On this great question, which house first should The new French steps, imported by Ruel? Some hopes of your indulgence and applause. Then to glass pillars turns her conscious eyes, Thus all must own, our author has done more, SCENE 1.-A Street. Enter DON CARLOS and SANCHO. ACT I. Don Car. I tell thee, I am not satisfied; I'm in love enough to be suspicious of everybody. San. And yet methinks, sir, you should leave me out. Don Car. It may be so, I can't tell; but I'm not at ease. If they don't make a krave, at least they'll make a fool of thee. San. I don't believe a word on't. But good faith, master, your love makes somewhat of you; I don't know what 'tis, but methinks when you suspect me, you don't seem a man of half those parts I used to take you for. Look in my face, 'tis round and comely, not one hollow line of a villain in it. Men of my fabric don't use to be suspected for knaves; and when you take us for fools, we never take you for wise men. For my part, in this present case, I take myself to be |