FTER the great Triumvirate, Shakespear, JohnTon and Fletcher, Mallinger is certainly the Au thor of moft Confideration: for which reafon I have. chose to select from him as many Plays as would make an entire Volume. Some will afk, perhaps, why I have not taken the Roman Actor, which has commonly been reckon'd

is beft Play? I answer, that tho the writing of that Play, particularly the Pleading of the Roman Actor, may perhaps be fuperior to any thing Maflinger ever wrote, yet. the Story and Conduct of it are so very bad, that I could not think it equal to many other of his Plays; and I cannot help fuppofing, that the reason of its having been revived by Betterton, must have been for the fake of the Character of Paris the Roman Actor, which he himself. had a mind to appear in, I am furprix'd, that of foscelebrated a Writer, fo little can be collected relating to his Life all that I can find is, that he was born in 184, educated at Oxford, and died in 1639. It appears from his Dedication of the Bondman, that his Father, Philip Maflinger, was a Retainer, in fome fhape or other, to Philip Herbert, Earl of Montgomery; and, I think, from the general strain of his Dedications, one may gather that he was always in a ftate of Dependence and Neceffity.

Befides the Plays which compofe this Volume, he wrote the Roman Actor, the Fatal Dowry, the Duke of Milan, the Virgin Martyr, Tragedies; the Renegado, the Great Duke of Florence, the Eondman, the Bashful Lover, Comedies; the Maid of Honour, the Emperor of the Eaft, and a Very Woman, or the Prince of Tarent, Tragi-Comedies.

A

Dra

L

Dramatis Perfonæ.

Ord Lacy.

Sir John Rich, a merchant."

Sir Maurice Lacy, fon to Lord Lacy. Mr. Plenty, a country gentleman,

Luke, brother to Sir John Rich.

[4]

THE

CITY-MADAM:

A

COMEDY.

Actus primus, Scena prima,

Enter Tradewell and Goldwire.

Tradewell.

T

HE fhip is fafe in the pool then? and makes good,

In her rich freight, the name fhe bears, the Speedwell

My mafter will find it, for on my certain knowledge,

For every hundred that he ventur'd in her,

She hath return'd him five.

Goldwire. And it comes timely ;

For befides a payment on the nail for a manor
Late purchas'd by my master, his young daughters
Are ripe for marriage.

Tradewelk

Tradewell. Who, Nan and Mall?

Goldwire. Mittress Anne and Mary, and with fome

addition,

Or 'tis more punishable in our house
Than Scandalum Magnatum.

Tradewell. 'Tis great pity

Such a gentleman as my mafter (for that title
His being a citizen cannot take from him)
Hath no male heir to inherit his estate,
And keep his name alive.

Goldwire. The want of one

Swells my young miftreffes, and their madam-mother,
With hopes above their birth, and fcale. Their dreams are
Of being made counteffes, and they take state
As they were fuch already. When you went
To the Indies, there was fome shape and proportion
Of a merchant's house in our family; but fince
My mafter, to gain precedency for my mistress
Above fome elder merchants wives, was knighted,
'Tis grown a little court, in bravery,.
Variety of fashions, and thofe rich ones:
There are few great ladies going to a masque

That do outshine ours in their every-day habits.
Tradewell. 'Tis ftrange my mafter in his wifdom can
Give the reins to fuch exorbitancy.

Goldwire. He must,

"Or there's no peace nor reft for him at home.

I

grant his ftate will bear it; yet he's cenfur'd

For his indulgence, and for fir John Frugal,

By fome ftil'd fir, John Prodigal.

Tradewell. Is his brother,

Mr. Luke Frugal, living?

Goldwire. Yes, the more

His mifery, poor män!

Tradewell. Still in the Counter

Goldwire. In a worfer place. He was redeemed from

the hole,

To live in our house in hell: fince, his base usage

Confider'd, 'tis no better.

Admits him to her table,

My proud lady marry ever.

A 3

Beneath

Beneath the falt, and there he fits the fubject
Of her contempt and fcorn; and dinner ended,
His courteous nieces find employment for him
Fitting an under-apprentice, or a footman,
And not an uncle.

Tradewell. I wonder, being a scholar, well read, and travell❜d,

The world yielding means for men of fuch defert,
He should endure it,

Enter Stargaze, Lady, Anne, Mary, Millefcent, in feveral poftures, with looking-glafjes at their girdles. Goldwire. He does, with a ftrange patience; and to us The fervants, fo familiar, nay. humble.

I'll tell you; but I'm cut off.-Look these
Like a citizen's wife and daughters?
Tradewell. In their habits

They appear other things; but what are the motives
Of this ftrange preparation ?

Goldwire. The young wag-tails

Expect their fuitors. The firft, the fon and heir
Of the lord Lacy, who needs my master's money,
As his daughter does his honour. The fecond, mr. Plenty,
A rough-hewn gentleman, and newly come

To a great eftate; and fo all aids of art

In them's excufable.

Lady. You have done your parts here: To your ftudy, and be curious in the fearch Of the nativities.

Tradewell. Methinks the mother,

As if she could renew her youth, in care,
Nay curiofity to appear lovely,

Comes not behind her daughters.

Goldwire. Keeps the first place,

[Exit Stargaze

And tho' the church-book fpeaks her fifty, they
That say she can write thirty, more offend her
Than if they tax'd her honefty. T'other day
A tenant of her's, instructed in her humour,
But one he never faw, being brought before her;
For faying only, Good young mistress help me
To the fpeech of your lady-mother, fo far pleas'd her,

That