me, and lov'd me truly, I would be fo uncivil to refufe him?

Love. When I confider what you endur'd in Sir Oliver Laycock's time, I think you ought to do it, Madam; and that Man's unjust, that urges you to break your Refolution.

Lady. Pray do not mistake me, Sir, I have made no fuch Refolution yet.

Love. Nay, Madam, fince you are difpleas'd at what I faid, we'll change the Difcourfe. Pray, Madam, do you think the young Lord Lucky has that Intereft at Court, that Fame reports he has?

Lady. Lord, Sir, this is a strange wild Answer to my Question. Let me tell you, Sir, if I have any Merit, Wealth or Beauty, there's one in the World deferves 'em all.

Pru. Good! How fhe teazes him!

(Afide Love. But has that one no Fault, Madam ? Lady. You know him very well, Sir.

Love. I know him, Madam!

Lady. Yes, you, Sir. 'Tis your felf.

Love. 'Sdeath! What will become of me now?

Serv. Madam

Lady. What now?

Serv. The Marchionefs is come to vifit you. Lady. Troublefome Creature. Go one of you and entertain her quickly.

Pru. Which of us, Madam?

Lady. Go you, Philadelphia, and keep her Compa

ny till I come.

Phil. I fhall, Madam.

(Exit Phil. Cun. Pray, Madam, what is this Marchioness? Lady. Oh, Sir! a moft eternal Talker: Her Tongue goes like the Larum of a Clock, as faft, and to the

fame Tune ftill. She's almoft Sixty, and yet pretends to Beauty, and loves Courtship moft unreasonably. Say but a kind thing to her, and you win her Heart. The Truth is, fhe has not much Reputation; but the Refpe&t I give her is to her Quality and to her Perfon. But he's an Original in her kind, Sir.

Love. Oh blind, blind Creature! fhe draws her own Picture, and laughs at it.

Cun. Sure, Madam, her Conversation must be very pleasant?

Lady. She has been much courted in her Youth; • but 'twould make one die to hear her boast of her Lovers now. How this Knight fighs, and that Lord dies for her; when all the while I know what Neceffity the poor Creature is reduc'd to. I would have brought her hither, but I know we never should have been rid of her. Excufe me a Moment, I'll fend her away, and return presently. Your Servant, Gentlemen, Exit Lady. Cun. How now, Friend-What's the Matter? Why doft look fo fullenly?

Love. I play the Afs here any longer! No; if I do, may I turn Pudding to a Rope-Dancer, and fhew Tricks next Bartholomew Fair.

Cun. Nay, but Friend, Dear Friend

Love: Tell not me of Friendship. What Man would endure to be fo plagued as I have been. I have parry'd with my best Skill the dangerous Thrufts that ever were made at me. To tug at an Oar, or dig in a Mine in Peru, is Recreation to it. But the first time to offer Marriage to me! I fweat to think on it. It made me tremble twice, for fear fhe fhould have forc'd my Neck into her muddy Noofe of Matrimony.

Cun. We have no other way to blind her.
Love. 'Tis all one to me.

Cun

Cun. If thou lov'ft my Life, Friend, do not forfake

me now.

Love. Pray live, if you please, and give me leave to do fo too. Should I again be left alone with her, the best I can hope for is Diftra&tion.

Pru. How do you like the Niece?

Cun. She's all Perfection.

Pru. How do you thrive? Do you find her kind, Mr. Cuningham?

Cun. She has promis'd me a Meeting this Afternoon, if thou canft but remove the Aunt from us. Pru. I'll try what I can do, but Mr. Lovemore is the only Man in her Favour.

Cun. Dear Friend, try but this one.

Love. I'll be hang'd, drawn, and quarter'd for a Traitor first, and have my Limbs hung up for the Birds to feed upon. No, no, I have my Belly full, I thank you, and fome to fpare.

Pru. But now I think on't, where's this Viscount all this while? His Arrival wou'd be of great use in this Affair.

Love. Prudence advises well: Methinks he's long a coming.

Cun. Why, you must know, there is one Merryman just come up out of the Country. He is my Falconer upon occafion, the Fellow is bold, and very apt, and has not been feen much in Town. What think you of him to act awhile, till fome more lucky Occafion prefent it felf?

Love. 'Tis a lucky Thought, and may be of use. Where is he?

Jeff. In the Pantry, a ramming down a Wedge of Roaft-Beef to keep out the Town Air, and making Sport with a fimple Country Fellow he has brought out of the Country with him to fee the Town; one Clodpole, he calls him.

Love. Twould not be amifs to examine him, and inftru&t him how to behave himself, before he is too much known.

Feff. No body of the Family has feen him yet, but the Butler; and he, I know, will be fecret. I'll ftep and call him to you,. Sir, if you please?

Cun. Do fo. (Exit Jeff. In the mean time, Prudence, there's fomething to buy thee a Pair of Gloves. (Gives her Money. Pru. Oh, dear Sir! how long have I deferved this? Please to command me any thing within my Power, and conclude it done.

Enter Jeffrey with Merfyman drefs'd like a Falconer.

Feff. Sir, I found him juft paffing by the Door, and have told him part of the Bufinefs.

Love. Well, Friend, doft think thou can't act the Part of a Viscount for a little while?

Merr. What fort of a Lord is he to be?

Cun. Oh! An Amorous Refolute fort of a Perfon, that's much given to love Mufick. You fhall have all things that's fitting for a Man of fuch Quality.

Merr. Well, Sir, let me be once fet out with a good Equipage, and leave the reft to me.

Love. Come with us, Friend, and we'll inftru&t thee fully in thy Part.

Merr. Well, give me but my Cue of Entrance, and let me alone to act my Part.

Cun Let's about it then. (Exit Lovemore, Cuningham and Merryman.

Feff. Prudence

Pru. What's your Will?

Feff. One Kifs.

Pru. 'Phaw! Is that all?

Feff. All! I fay no more, but

Ah Prudence, Prudence!

B

(He kifles her:

Pru

Pru. What damnable whining Tone haft thou got, ha?

Feff. I am afraid of this Viscount, Prudence.

Pru. Away, you Fool, I have other things to trouble my Head withal Farewel.

Feff. Adieu.

(Exeunt feverally.

Cun.

АСТ II.

Enter Cuningham and Philadelphia.

WHY

Hy, Madam, are you fo unwilling to credit what my conftant Paffion, fo long in vain, has urg'd? Do you not believe I love you? Oh! Did you but know what I endure, when you refufe to hear me, you would in Charity have fome Compaffion on my wounded Soul.

Phil. I dare not hear this Language from you, Sir. Cun. What are you afraid of, Madam?

Phil. All Men fay the fame things, Sir, till they have won our cafy Hearts to pity and believe you; then ftraight you flight your Conqueft, and leave us to pursue our Ruin.

Cun. Be not fo cruel to cenfure all for thofe Faults, which fome few commit; for all, I must confefs, do not stand excus'd. But, Madam, you cannot be fo great a Stranger to my Love, as not to think it real, or fo great an Enemy to your own Worth, to believe it has not Power to enflave a Heart, that's guarded more fecurely than mineBut no moreYour Aunt

Enter.