The liberty that 's granted thee; what sayest

thou?

Wilt thou be mine?

Sus. Your what, sir? I dare swear

Never your wife.

War. Canst thou be so unkind, Considering how dearly I affect thee, Nay, dote on thy perfections?

Sus. You are studied,

Too scholar-like, in words I understand not.
I am too coarse for such a gallant's love

As you are.

War. By the honour of gentility

Sus. Good sir, no swearing; yea and nay with us Prevail above all oaths you can invent.

War. By this white hand of thine

Sus. Take a false oath!

Fy, fy! flatter the wise; fools not regard it,
And one of these am I.

War. Dost thou despise me?

Car. Let them talk on, master Thorney; I know Sue's mind. The fly may buzz about the candle, he shall but singe his wings when all's done: Frank, Frank is he has her heart.

Som. But shall I live in hope, Kate ?

Kath. Better so,

Than be a desperate man.

Som. Perhaps thou think'st it is thy portion

I level at: wert thou as poor in fortunes

As thou art rich in goodness, I would rather

Be suitor for the dower of thy virtues,

Than twice thy father's whole estate; and, prithee, Be thou resolv'd so.

Kath. Master Somerton,

It is an easy labour to deceive

A maid that will believe men's subtle promises;
Yet I conceive of you as worthily

As I presume you to deserve.

Som. Which is,

As worthily in loving thee sincerely,
As thou art worthy to be so beloved.
Kath. I shall find time to try you.
Som. Do, Kate, do;

And when I fail, may all my joys forsake me! Car. Warbeck and Sue are at it still. I laugh to myself, master Thorney, to see how earnestly he beats the bush, while the bird is flown into another's bosom. A very unthrift, master Thorney; one of the country' roaring-lads: we have such as well as

1 The reader who casts his eye over a preceding note, p. 113, and also over the following passages, extracted from others of our old dramas, will find Warbeck, much to his credit, to be but a very tame specimen of the roaring-boy.

Timothy. But I mean, can they roar,

Beat drawers, play at dice, and court their mistress?

Timothy. You are a captain, sir?

Quartfield. I have seen service, sir.

Timothy. Captain, I love

The City Match.

Men of the sword and buff; and if need were,
I can roar too; and hope to swear in time,

Do you see, captain.

The same.

Banausus. O, I have thought on 't: I will straightway build

A freeschool here in London; a freeschool

For th' education of young gentlemen,

To study how to drink and take tobacco;

To swear, to roar, to dice, to drab, to quarrel.

Barnacle.

The Muse's Looking-glass.
Mistake not,

I do not all this while account you in

The list of those are called the blades, that roar
In brothels, and break windows; fright the streets
At midnight, worse than constables; and sometimes

Set upon innocent bellmen, to beget

Discourse for a week's diet; that swear dammés,
To pay their debts; and march like walking armories,
With poniard, pistol, rapier, and batoon,

As they would murder all the king's liege people,

And blow down streets.

The Gamester.

Compared with these heroes, Warbeck is more insipid than even Snore the Constable's roarer :

Truly a very civil gentleman;

'Las, he hath only roar'd, and sworn, and curs'd

Since he was taken.

The Wits.

VOL. II.-14

the city. Sue knows the rascal to a hair's-breadth, and will fit him accordingly.

Thor. What is the other gentleman ?

Car. One Somerton; the honester man of the two, by five pound in every stone-weight. A civil fellow; he has a fine convenient estate of land in Westham, by Essex: master Ranges, that dwells by Enfield, sent him hither. He likes Kate well; I may tell you, I think she likes him as well: if they agree, I'll not hinder the match for my part. But that Warbeck is such another-I use him kindly for master Somerton's sake; for he came hither first as a companion of his: honest men, master Thorney, may fall into knaves' company now and then. War. Three hundred a-year jointure, Sue. Sus. Where lies it!

By sea or land? I think by sea.

War. Do I look like a captain?

Sus. Not a whit, sir.

Should all that use the seas be reckon'd captains,
There's not a ship should have a scullion in her
To keep her clean.

War. Do you scorn me, mistress Susan?

Am I a subject to be jeer'd at?

Enter FRANK.

Car. Master Francis Thorney, you are welcome indeed; your father expected your coming.

How

does the right worshipful knight, Sir Arthur Claring

ton, your master?

Frank. In health this morning. Sir, my duty.

Thor. Now

You come as I could wish.

War. Frank Thorney? ha!

Sus. You must excuse me.

Frank. Virtuous mistress Susan.

[Aside.

Kind mistress Katherine.-[Kisses them.]-Gentle.

men, to both

Good time o' th' day.

Som. The like to you.

War. 'Tis he:

A word, friend.-[Aside to Soм.]-On my life, this is the man

Stands fair in crossing Susan's love to me.

Som. I think no less; be wise and take no notice on 't;

He that can win her, best deserves her.

War. Marry

A serving-man? mew!

Som. Prithee, friend, no more.

Car. Gentlemen all, there's within a slight dinner ready, if you please to taste of it. Master Thorney, master Francis, master Somerton!-Why, girls! what, huswives! will you spend all your forenoon in tittle-tattles? away; it's well, i'faith. Will you go in, gentlemen?

Thor. We'll follow presently; my son and I Have a few words of business.

Car. At your pleasure.

[Exeunt all but THORNEY and FRANK. Thor. I think you guess the reason, Frank, for which

I sent for you.

Frank. Yes, sir.

Thor. I need not tell you

With what a labyrinth of dangers daily

The best part of my whole estate 's encumber'd;
Nor have I any clew to wind it out,

But what occasion proffers me; wherein,

If you should falter, I shall have the shame,
And you the loss. On these two points rely
Our happiness or ruin. If you marry

With wealthy Carter's daughter, there's a portion
Will free my land; all which I will instate,
Upon the marriage, to you: otherwise

I must be of necessity enforced

To make a present sale of all; and yet,
For aught I know, live in as poor distress,

Or worse, than now I do; you hear the sum :
I told you thus before ; have you consider'd
on't?

Frank. I have, sir; and however I could wish
To enjoy the benefit of single freedom,
For that I find no disposition in me
To undergo the burden of that care
That marriage brings with it; yet to secure
And settle the continuance of your credit,
I humbly yield to be directed by you
In all commands.

Thor. You have already used

Such thriving protestations to the maid,

That she is wholly yours; and-speak the truth,You love her, do you not?

Frank. 'T were pity, sir,

I should deceive her.

Thor. Better you had been unborn.
But is your love so steady, that you mean,
Nay, more, desire, to make her your wife?
Frank. Else, sir,

It were a wrong not to be righted.

Thor. True,

It were: and you will marry her?
Frank. Heaven prosper it,

I do intend it.

Thor. Oh, thou art a villain!

A devil like a man!

Wherein have I

Offended all the powers so much, to be

Father to such a graceless, godless son?

Frank. To me, sir, this! Oh, my cleft heart'

Thor. To thee,

Son of my curse. Speak truth, and blush, thou

monster!

Hast thou not married Winnifrede, a maid

Was fellow-servant with thee?

Frank. Some swift spirit

Has blown this news abroad; I must outface it.

[Aside.