fhe

Witty. She can change her Shape, and be Mafculine? Ruin. 'Tis one of the free'ft Conditionsfears not the crack of a Piftol, fhe dares fay, Stand, to a Grazier.

Prif. Probatum fuit, profecto Domine. ·

Witty. Good, then you Sir Bacchus Apollo, fhall be difpatch'd with her Share, and fome Contents to meet us to Morrow, at a certain Place and Time appointed, in the Masculine Gender; my Father has a Nephew, and I an own Coufin' coming up from the Univerfity, whom he loves most indulgently, eafy Mafter Credulous Oldcraft, (13) for you know what your meer Academick is, your Carrier never miffes his Hour; he must not be robb'd, because he has but little to lose; but he muft join with us in a Device that I have, that fhall rob my Father of a hundred Pieces, and thank me to be rid on't: for there's the Ambition of my Wit, to live upon his profeft Wit, that has turn'd me out to live by my Wits.

Pref. Cum birundinis alis tibi regratulor.

Witty. A Male Habit, a Bag of an hundred Weight though it be Counters, for my Alchimy fhall turn 'em into Gold of my Father's; the Hour, the Place, the Action fhall be at large fet down; and Father, you shall know, that I put my Portion to use, that you have given me to live by;

And to confirm yourself in me renate,

I hope you'll find my Wit's legitimate.

[Exeunt.

(13) ·(for you know what your meer Academick is) your Carrier never miffes his Hour;--] Without taking away the Parenthefis, I know not how to make Sense of the second Sentence: I read it thus ; for you know what your meer Academick is, your Carrier never miffes bis Hour; i. e. Your meer Academick is a Carrier in the Regularity of his Motions. Mr. Seward.

ACT

ACT II.

SCENE I.

Enter Lady Gentry and Servant.

AY Lady.

Serv. Lady. Put me not in mind onʼt, prithee;}
N

You cannot do a greater wrong to Women ;

For in our Wants, 'tis the moft chief Affliction
To have that Name remembred; 'tis a Title
That Mifery mocks us by, and the World's Malice:
Scorn and Contempt has not wherewith to work
On humble Callings; they are fafe, and lie
Level with Pity still, and pale Distress

Is no great Stranger to 'em; but when Fortune
Looks with a stormy Face on our Conditions,
We find Affliction Work, and Envy Pastime,
(14) And our worft Enemy then, that most abuses us,
Is that we are call'd by, Lady. Oh my Spirit,
Will nothing make thee humble? I'm well methinks,
And can live quiet with my Fate fometimes,
Until I look into the World again;

t

Then I begin to rave at my Stars bitterness,
To fee how many Muckhills plac'd above me ;
Peasants and (15) Droyls, Caroches full of Dunghills,
Whofe very Birth ftinks in a generous Noftril, [Streets,
Gliftring by Night like Glow-worms through the High
Hurried by Torch-light in the Footmens Hands,
That fhew like running Fire-drakes through the City,
And I put to my Shifts and Wits to live,

(Nay fometimes Danger too;) on Foot, on Horseback,
And earn my Supper manfully e'er I get it;

Many a Meal I've purchas'd at that rate,

(14) And our worft Enemy than that,] Mr. Seward rejects the Particle than, and the Comma after that, as prejudicial both to Senfe and Measure: I once thought fo too, but am now convinc'd, that the Change of a Letter, with the difplacing of a Comma, is all that is neceffary to be done here; for thus reads the Folio of 1647.

And our worft Enemy then, that &c.

(15) Droyls, i. e. Drudges,&c.

Enter Prifcian.

Fed with a Wound upon me, ftampt at midnight.
Ha, what are you? Prif. Now you may tell yourself,
Lady.[Pulls off's Beard.] Lady. Oh Mr. Prifcian, what's
the Project?

For you ne'er come without one.
Prif. First, your Husband,

Sir Ruinous Gentry, greets you with best Wishes,
And here has fent you your full Share by me
In five Cheats and two Robberies.

Lady. And what comes it to?

Prif. Near upon thirteen Pound.
Lady. A goodly Share!

'Twill put a Lady scarce (16) in Philip and Cheyney, With three small Bugle Laces, like a Chamber-maid; Here's precious lifting.

Prif. 'Las you must confider, Lady,

'Tis but young Term, Attornies ha' small doings yet,
Then Highway Lawyers, they muft needs ha' little;
We've had no great good luck to fpeak troth, Beauty,
Since your ftout Ladyfhip parted from's at Highgate,
But there's a fair hope now for a prefent Hundred,
Here's Man's Apparel, your Horse stands at Door.
Lady. And what's the virtuous Płot now?
Prif. Marry, Lady,

You, like a brave young Gallant, (17) must be robb'd.
[Gives her a Letter.

(16)

in Philip and Cheyney,] What fort of Stuff Philip is, I don't remember ever to have heard or read of: I imagine the origi nal Reading run thus,

Philippine Cheyney,

which is a fort of Stuff at prefent in common ufe, but goes now by the Appellation of Harrateen.

(17) -must be robb'd.] But can any one tell where, or when? If the Reader will turn to the laft Speech of Witty, in the A& above, he will find, that as the Lady was to have a Male Habit, and a Bag of Counters, fo fhe was likewife to have a Note fent her, in which every Particular belonging to this Robbery was exactly to be fet down. As Prifcian brings her the two firft, he may very well be fuppofed to bring the laft too; and 'tis but making him, by a Stage Direction, deliver her here a Letter, and every thing then will be right and confiftent.

Lady.

Lady. I robb'd?

Prif. Nay then

Lady. Well, well, go on, let's hear, Sir.

Prif. Here's a feal'd Bag of a Hundred, which indeed
Are Counters all, only fome fixteen Groats
Of white Mony i'th' Mouth on't.
Lady. So, what Saddle have I?

Prif. Monfieur Larron's the Frenchman's.
Lady. That again?

You know fo well it is, not for my

How oft have I complain'd on't?

ftride;

Prif. You may have Jocky's then, the little Scotch one,

You must dispatch.

Lady. I'll foon be ready, Sir,

[Exit Prifcian.

Before you ha' fhifted Saddles. Many Women
Have their Wealth flow to 'em, I was made, I fee,
To help my Fortune, not my Fortune me.

Enter Cunningham.

[Exit.

Cun. My ways are Goblin-led, and the Night-Elf
Still draws me from my Home, and yet I follow ;
Sure 'tis not altogether fabulous,

Such Haggs do get Dominion of our Tongues
And fo foon as we fpeak, the Enchantment binds;
I have diffembled fuch a Trouble on me,
As my best Wits can hardly clear again;
Piping through this old Reed, the Guardianefs,
With Purpose that my Harmony shall reach
And please the Lady's Ear, fhe ftops below,
And echoes back my Love unto my Lips,
Perfwaded by moft violent Arguments
Of Self-love in herself, I am fo Self-fool,
To doat upon her hundred wrinkl❜d Face;
(18) I could e'en beggar her t' accept the Gifts
She'd throw upon me; it were Charity,
But I for Pity's fake will be a Niggard
And undo her, refusing to take from her

(18) I could beggar her to accept the Gifts
She would throw upon me; 'twere Charity,
But for Pity's fake I will be a Niggard

I'm

And undo her, refufing to take from her; ] The Senfe here

R 4

feems

I'm again haunted, if it take not now

I'll break the Spell.

Enter Guardianefs.

(19) Guard. Welcome, fweet Cunningham ; What? abfent a whole Day? Birds that build Nefts Have care to keep 'em warm.

Cun. That's indeed granted.
But not continually to fit upon 'em,

'Lefs in the youngling Seafon; elfe they defire
To fly abroad, and recreate their Labours,
Then they return with fresher Appetite
To work again.

Guard. Well, well, you've built a Neft
That will stand all Storms, you need not miftruft
A Weather-wrack; and one day it may be

feems obfcure, tho' it is certainly explicable. It were Charity and Generofity to beggar her, the Refufal of her Gifts will so mortify her; but I will be charitable another way, I'll be a Niggard and undo ber by my Refufal But furely this is very itiff, and as the Meafure is greatly injured by either Omiffions or Tranfpofitions, therefore 'tis highly probable the Senfe has fhared its Fate; and I propofe the fol lowing Cure to both.

I could e'en beggar her t'accept the Gifts
She'd throw upon me; were it Charity,
But I for Pity's fake will be a Niggard
And undo her, refufing to take from her;
(19) Guard. Sweet Cunningham, welcome;

Mr. Seward.

What? a whole Day abfent? Birds that build Nefts
Have care to keep 'em.

Cun. That's granted,] As thefe Plays were moftly, if not all, printed from the Players Copies, it is no Wonder the Measure should be fo frequently confufed; the Tranfpofitions, Additions, and Omiffions of Words that did not feem very material to the Senfe, are all very naturally made by Perfons who had no regard to, and perhaps no Ear for, Verse. I always endeavour, in my Part of the Work, tq reftore the Measure, tho' I am obliged to take as great Liberties as I would wish might be done in this Place;

Guard. Welcome, fweet Cunningham;

What, abfent a whole Day! Birds that build Nefs
Have care to keep 'em warm.

Cun. That's indeed granted.

I think the Senfe and Humour improved by the Addition in the third Line, and that it was very probably the original Reading.

Mr. Seward

The