Col. Yea, the age is full of vice-'Sdeath, I am so confounded, I know not what to say. Ob. Pr. Thou art disorder'd, friendnot well?

· [Aside. -art thou

Col. My spirit is greatly troubled, and something telleth me, that tho' I have wrought a good work in converting this maiden, this tender maiden, yet my labour will be in vain: for the evil spirit fighteth against her; and I see, yea I see with the eye of my inward man, that Satan will re-buffet her again, whenever I withdraw myself from her; and she will, yea, this very damsel will, return again to that abomination from whence I have retriev'd her, as if it were, yea, as if it were out of the jaws of the fiend. Ob. Pr. Good lack, thinkest thou so?

Mrs. Lov. I must second him. [Aside.] What meaneth this struggling within me? I feel the spirit resisteth the vanities of this world, but the flesh is rebellious, yea, the flesh-I greatly fear the flesh and the weakness thereof -hum

Ob. Pr. The maid is inspir❜d.

[Aside. Col. Behold, her light begins to shine forth.Excellent woman!

Mrs. Lov. This good man hath spoken comfort unto me, yea comfort, I say; because the words which he hath breathed into my outward ears, are gone through and fix'd in mine heart, yea verily in mine heart, I say;—and I feel the spirit doth love him exceedingly-hum

Col. She acts it to the life.

[Aside.

Ob. Pr. Prodigious! The damsel is filled with the spirit-Sarah.

Enter Mrs. PRIM.

Mrs. Pr. I am greatly rejoiced to see such a change in our beloved Anne. I came to tell thee that supper stayeth for thee.

Col. I am not disposed for thy food, my spirit longeth for more delicious meat!—fain would I redeem this maiden from the tribe of sinners, and break those cords asunder wherewith she is bound— hum

Mrs. Lov. Something whispers in my ears, methinks -that I must be subject to the will of this good man, and from him only must hope for consolation.

hum. It also telleth me, that I am a chosen vessel to raise up seed to the faithful, and that thou must consent that we two be one flesh according to the word-hum

Ob. Pr. What a revelation is here! This is certainly part of thy vision, friend, this is the maiden's growing into thy side; ah! with what willingness should I give thee my consent, could I give thee her fortune too-————— -but thou wilt never get the consent

of the wicked ones.

Col. I wish I was sure of yours. [Aside. Ob. Pr. My soul rejoiceth; yea, rejoiceth, I say, to find the spirit within thee; for lo, it moveth thee with natural agitation-yea, with natural agitation, towards this good man-yea, it stirreth, as one may

say—yea, verily I say it stirreth up thy inclinationyea, as one would stir a pudding.

Mrs. Lov. I see, I see! the spirit guiding of thy hand, good Obadiah Prim, and now behold thou art signing thy consent;—and now I see myself within thy arms, my friend and brother, yea, I am become bone of thy bone, and flesh of thy flesh. [Embracing him]-hum

Col. Admirably perform'd. [Aside.]And I will take thee in all spiritual love for an helpmate, yea, for the wife of my bosom-and now methinksI feel a longing-yea, a longing, I say, for the consummation of thy love, -yea, I do long exceed

ingly.

Mrs. Lov. And verily, verily, my spirit feeleth the same longing.

Mrs. Pr. The spirit hath greatly moved them both, -friend Prim, thou must consent, there's no resisting of the spirit!

Ob. Pr. Yea, the light within sheweth me, that I shall fight a good fight-and wrestle thro' those reprobate fiends, thy other guardians;-yea, I perceive the spirit will hedge thee into the flock of the righteous.-Thou art a chosen lamb-yea, a chosen lamb, and I will not push thee back-No, I will not, I say ;—no, thou shalt leap-a, and frisk-a, and skip-a, and bound, and bound, I say,-yea, bound within the fold of the righteous- -yea, even within thy fold, my brother.

Fetch me the pen and ink, Sarah

-and my hand shall confess its obedience to the spirit.

Col. I wish it were over.

Enter Mrs. PRIM, with pen and ink.

Mrs. Lov. I tremble lest this quaking rogue should return and spoil all. [Aside. Ob. Pr. Here, friend, do thou write what the spirit prompteth, and I will sign it.

[Col. sits down. Mrs. Pr. Verily, Anne, it greatly rejoiceth me, to see thee reformed from that original wickedness wherein I found thee.

Mrs. Lov. I do believe thou art, and I thank theeCol. [Reads.] This is to certify all whom it may concern, that I do freely give all my right and title, in Anne Lovely, to Simon Pure, and my full consent that she shall become his wife, according to the form of marriage. Witness my hand.

Ob. Pr. That's enough, give me the pen.

[Signs it.

Enter BETTY, running to Mrs. LOVELY.

Betty. Oh! madam, madam, here's the quaking man again, he has brought a coachman and two or three more.

Mrs. Lov. Ruin'd past redemption!

[Aside to Col.

Col. No, no, one minute sooner had spoil'd all; but now here's company coming, friend, give me the paper. [Going up to Prim hastily.

Ob. Pr. Here it is, Simon; and I wish thee happy with the maiden.

Mrs. Lov. 'Tis done, and now, devil, do thy worst.

Enter SIMON PURE, and Coachman, &c.

S. Pu. Look thee, friend, I have brought these people to satisfy thee that I am not that impostor which thou didst take me for, this is the man that did drive the leathern conveniency, and brought me from Bristol-and this is

Col. Look ye, friend, to save the court the trouble of examining witnesses-I plead guilty-ha, ha!

Ob. Pr. How's this? Is not thy name Pure, then? Col. No really, sir, I only make bold with this gentleman's name -but I here give it up safe and sound; it has done the business which I had occasion for, and now I intend to wear my own, which shall be at his service upon the same occasion at any time.- -Ha, ha, ha!

S. Pu. Oh! the wickedness of the age!

Coachman. Then you have no further need of us.

[Exit. Col. No, honest man, you may go about your busi

ness.

Ob. Pr. I am struck dumb with thy impudence. Anne, thou hast deceiv'd me-and perchance undone thyself.

Mrs. Pr. Thou art a dissembling baggage, and shame will overtake thee.

[Exit.