Before my Lord? No Deference? Go to my Nephew, See all his Debts difcharg'd, and help his Worship

To fit on his rich Suit.

Mar. I may fit you too;

Tofs'd like a Dog ftill?

Lovell. I have writ this Morning

[Exit Marṛall.

A few Lines to my Mistress, your fair Daughter.

Over. "Twill fire her, for fhe's wholly your's already: Sweet Mafter Allworth, take my Ring; 'twill carry you To her Prefence, I dare warrant you; and there plead For my good Lord, if you fhall find Occafion. That done, pray ride to Nottingham; get a Licence, Still by this Token. I'll have it dispatch'd, And fuddenly, my Lord; that I may fay

My Honourable, nay, Right Honourable Daughter. Greedy. Take my Advice, young Gentleman; get your Breakfast.

'Tis unwholesome to ride fafting. I'll eat with you; And eat to purpose.

Over. Some Fury's in that Gut :

Hungry again did you not devour this Morning
A Shield of Brawn, and a Barrel of Colchester Öyfters?
Greedy. Why that was, Sir, only to fcour my Stomach,
A kind of a Preparative. Come, Gentleman, 10
I will not have you feed like the Hangman of Flushing
Alone, while I am here.

Lovell. Hafte your Return.
Allworth. I will not fail, my Lord.
Greedy. Nor I, to line

My Christmas Coffer.

[Exeunt Greedy and Allworth.

10 A kind of a Preparative. Come, Gentleman,

I will not have, &c.

Mr. DodЛley alters this, and reads

: A kind of Preparative. Come, Gentiemen,

I will, &c.

But to me 'tis very plain that Greedy, by his former Advice to Allworth, now directs himself to him only; and not to the whole Com pany; nor could they be faid to eat alone, if he had not kept them Company.

Over. To my Wifh, we are private.
I come not to make Offer with my Daughter
A certain Portion; that were poor and trivial:
In one Word, I pronounce all that is mine,
In Lands, or Leafes, ready Coin, or Goods,
With her, my Lord, comes to you; nor fhall you have
One Motive to induce you to believe,

I live too long, fince every Year I'll add
Something unto the Heap, which fhall be your's too.
Lovell. You are a right kind Father.

Over. You fhall have Reason

To think me fuch. How do you like this Seat?
It is well wooded, and well water'd, the Acres
Fertile and rich; would it not ferve for Change
To entertain your Friends in a Summer Progrefs?
What thinks my noble Lord?

Lovell. 'Tis a wholefome Air,

And well built Pile; and the that's Mistress of it
Worthy the large Revenue.

Over. She the Mistress?

It may be fo for a Time: But let my Lord
Say only, that he likes it, and would have it,
I fay, ere long 'tis his.

Lovell. Impoffible.

Over. You do conclude too faft, not knowing me; Nor the Engines that I work by. 'Tis not alone The Lady Allworth's Lands; for thofe once Wellborn's (As by her Dotage on him, I know they will be,) Shall foon be mine, but point out any Man's In all the Shire, and fay they lie convenient, And useful for your Lordship, and once more, I fay aloud, they are your's.

Lovell. I dare not own

What's by unjust and cruel Means extorted;
My Fame and Credit are more dear to me,
Than fo to expofe 'em to be cenfur❜d by
The publick Voice.

Over. You run, my Lord, no Hazard,
Your Reputation fhall ftand as fair

In all good Men's Opinions as now:

Nor can my Actions, though condemn'd for ill,
Cast any foul Afperfion upon your's.

For, though I do contemn Report myself,
As a meer Sound; I ftill will be fo tender

Of what concerns you, in all Points of Honour,
That the immaculate Whitenefs of your Fame,
Nor your unquestioned Integrity,

All

Shall e'er be fullied with one Taint or Spot,
That may take from your Innocence and Candor.
my Ambition is to have my Daughter
Right Honourable; which my Lord can make her:
And might I live to dance upon my

Knee
A young Lord Lovell, born by her unto you,
I write nil ultra to my proudest Hopes.
As for Poffeffions, and annual Rents,
Equivalent to maintain you in the Port
Your noble Birth and prefent State require,
I do remove that Burthen from your Shoulders,
And take it on mine own: For though I ruin
The Country to fupply your riotous Waste,
The Scourge of Prodigals, Want, fhall never find
Lovell. Are you not frighted with the Imprecations
And Curfes of whole Families, made wretched
By your finister Practifes?

Over. Yes, as Rocks are,

When foamy Billows fplit themselves against
Their flinty Ribs; or as the Moon is mov'd,

you.

When Wolves, with Hunger pin'd, howl at her BrightI'm of a folid Temper, and like these

[nefs. Steer on a conftant Courfe. With mine own Sword, If call'd into the Field, I can make that right, Which fearful Enemies murmur'd at as wrong. Now, for those other piddling Complaints Breath'd out in Bitterness; as when they call me Extortioner, Tyrant, Cormorant, or Intruder, On my poor Neighbour's Right; or grand Inclofer Of what was common, to my private Ufe; Nay, when my Ears are pierc'd with Widows Cries,

And

And undone Orphans wash with Tears my Threshold
I only think what 'tis to have my Daughter
Right Honourable; and 'tis a powerful Charm
Makes me infenfible of Remorfe or Pity,

Or the leaft Sting of Conscience.

Lovell. I admire

The Toughness of your Nature.
Over. 'Tis for you,

My Lord, and for my Daughter, I am Marble
Nay more, if you will have my Character
In little, I enjoy more true Delight

In my Arrival to my Wealth these dark

And crooked Ways, than you fhall e'er take Pleasure
In fpending what my Industry hath compafs'd.

My Hafte commands me hence: In one Word therefore,
Is it a Match?

Lovell. I hope, that is paft Doubt now.

Over. Then reft fecure; not the Hate of all Mankind, Nor Fear of what can fall on me hereafter,

Shall make me ftudy aught, but your Advancement
One Story higher. An Earl! if Gold can do it.
Difpute not my Religion, nor my Faith,
Though I am borne thus headlong by my Will;
You may make Choice of what Belief you please,
To me they are equal; fo, my Lord, good-morrow.

[Exit. Lovell. He's gone-I wonder how the Earth can bear** Such a Portent! I, that have liv'd a Soldier, And stood the Enemies violent Charge undaunted, To hear this blafphemous Beaft, am bath'd all over In a cold Sweat: Yet like a Mountain he (Confirm'd in Atheistical Affertions)

"He's gone, I wonder how the Earth can bear

Such a Portent, &c.

All the Characters of this Piece are finely drawn, but that of Overreach is inimitable; nothing could give us fuch an Idea of a defigning cruel Extortioner, as the foregoing Scene, it is a Mafter-piece in its kind, and worthy of Obfervation.-Lord Lovell is a beautiful Contraft, and the Reflections he makes on Overreach are equally worth cur Attention.

Is no more fhaken, than Olympus is

When angry Boreas loads his double Head
With fudden Drifts of Snow.

Enter Lady, Woman, Amble.

Lady. Save you, my Lord. Disturb I not your Privacy?

Lovell. No, good Madam;

For your own Sake I am glad you came no fooner.
Since this bold, bad Man, Sir Giles Overreach,
Made fuch a plain Discovery of himself,
And read this Morning fuch a devilish Matins,
That I fhould think it a Sin next to his;
But to repeat it.

Lady. I ne'er prefs'd, my Lord,

On others Privacies; yet, against my Will,
Walking, for Health Sake, in the Gallery
Adjoining to your Lodgings, I was made
(So vehement and loud he was) Partaker
Of his tempting Offers.

Lovell. Please you to command

Your Servants hence, and I fhall gladly hear
Your wifer Counsel.

Lady. 'Tis, my Lord, a Woman's,

But true and hearty ;-wait in the next Room,
But be within Call; yet not fo near to force me

To whisper my Intents.

Amble. We are taught better

By you, good Madam.

Woman. And well know our Distance.

Lady. Do fo, and talk not, 'twill become your Breed

ing.

[Exeunt Amble and Woman.

Now, my good Lord; if I may ufe my Freedom,

As to an honour'd Friend?

Lovell. You leffen elfe

Your Favour to me..

Lady. I dare then fay thus ;

As your are Noble, howe er common Men

Make