Bel. She's provided for with a familiar too: One that is in this very room with you, and by your elbow; but I'll shew you him some other time.

Alon. And that baggage Beatrix, how I would swinge her, if I had her here: I'll lay my life she was in the plot for the flight of her mistresses.

[BEAT. claps her hands at him.

Bel. Sir, you do ill to provoke her; for being the spirit of a woman, she is naturally mischievous: You see she can scarce hold her hands from you al

ready.

Mask. Let me alone to revenge your quarrel upon Beatrix: If e'er she come to light, I'll take a course with her, I warrant you, sir.

Bel. Now come away, sir, you have seen enough; the spirits are in pain whilst we are here: We keep them too long condensed in bodies; if we were gone, they would rarify into air immediately.— Maskall, shut the door.

[MASK. goes to the scene, and it closes. Alon. Monstrum hominis! O prodigy of science!

Enter two Servants with Don MELCHOR.

Bel. Now help me with a lie, Maskall, or we are

ost.

Mask. Sir, I could never lie with man or woman in a fright.

Sero. Sir, we found this gentleman bound and gagged, and he desired us to bring him to you with all haste imaginable.

Mel. O, sir, sir! your two daughters and your niece

Bel. They are gone; he knows it:-But are you mad, sir, to set this pernicious wretch at liberty? Mel. I endeavoured all that I was able

Mask. Now, sir, I have it for you. [Aside to his master.]--He was endeavouring, indeed, to have

got away with them; for your daughter Theodosia was his prize. But we prevented him, and left him in the condition in which you see him.

Alon. I thought somewhat was the matter, that Theodosia had not a spirit by her, as her sister had. Bel. This was he I meant to shew you. Mel. Do you believe him, sir?

Bel. No, no, believe him, sir: You know his truth, ever since he stole your daughter's diamond. Mel. I swear to you, by my honour

Alon. Nay, a thief I knew him; and yet, after that, he had the impudence to ask me for my daughter.

Bel. Was he so impudent? The case is plain, sir; put him quickly into custody.

Mel. Hear me but one word, sir, and I'll discover all to you.

Bel. Hear him not, sir; for my art assures me, if he speaks one syllable more, he will cause great mischief.

Alon. Will he so? I'll stop my ears; away with him.

Mel. Your daughters are yet in the garden, hidden by this fellow and his accomplices.

Alon. At the same time, drowning him.] I'll stop my ears, I'll stop my ears.

Bel. Mask. [At the same time also.] A thief, a thief! away with him.

[Servants carry MELCHOR off struggling. Alon. He thought to have borne us down with his confidence.

Enter another Servant.

Sero. Sir, with much ado we have got out the key, and opened the door.

Alon. Then, as I told you, run quickly to the corrigidor, and desire him to come hither in person

to examine a malefactor. [WILDBLOOD sneezes within.] Hark! what noise is that within? I think one

sneezes.

Bel. One of the devils, I warrant you, has got a cold, with being so long out of the fire. Alon. Bless his devilship, as I may say.

[WILDBLOOD Sneezes again. Serv. [To Don ALONZO.] This is a man's voice; do not suffer yourself to be deceived so grossly, sir. Mask. A man's voice! that's a good one indeed, that you should live to these years, and yet be so silly as not to know a man from a devil.

Alon. There's more in't than I imagined: Hold up your torch, and go in first, Pedro, and I'll follow you.

Mask. No, let me have the honour to be your usher. [Takes the torch and goes in. Mask. [Within.] Help, help, help!

Alon. What's the matter?

Bel. Stir not upon your life, sir.

Enter MASKALL again, without the torch.

Mask. I was no sooner entered, but a huge giant seized my torch, and felled me along, with the very whiff of his breath, as he passed by me.

Alon. Bless us!

Bel. [At the door to them within.] Pass out now, while you have time, in the dark: The officers of justice will be here immediately; the garden-door is open for you.

Alon. What are you muttering there, sir?

Bel. Only dismissing these spirits of darkness, that they may trouble you no further.-Go out, I say. [They all come out upon the stage, groping their

way. WILDBLOOD falls into ALONZO's hands. Alon. I have caught somebody: Are these your spirits? Another light quickly, Pedro.

Mask. [Slipping between ALON. and WILD.] Tis Maskall you have caught, sir; do you mean to strangle me, that you press me so hard between your arms?

Alon. [Letting WILD. go.] Is it thee, Maskall? I durst have sworn it had been another.

Bel. Make haste now, before the candle comes. [AURELIA falls into ALONzo's arms.

Alon. Now I have another.

Aur. "Tis Maskall you have caught, sir.

Alon. No, I thank you, niece, this artifice is too gross: I know your voice a little better. What ho, bring lights there!

Bel. Her impertinence has ruined all.

Enter Servants with lights, and swords drawn.

Serv. Sir, the corrigidor is coming, according to your desire: In the mean time, we have secured the garden doors.

Alon. I'm glad on't: I'll make some of them severe examples.

Wild. Nay, then, as we have lived merrily, so let us die together: But we'll shew the Don some sport first.

Theo. What will become of us!

Jac. We'll die for company: Nothing vexes me, but that I am not a man, to have one thrust at that malicious old father of mine before I go.

Lop. Let us break our way through the corrigidor's band.

Jac. A match, i'faith. We'll venture our bodies with you: You shall put the baggage in the middle.

Wild. He that pierces thee, I say no more, but I shall be somewhat angry with him.-[To ALON.] In the mean time, I arrest you, sir, in the behalf of

this good company. As the corrigidor uses us, so we'll use you.

Alon. You do not mean to murder me!

Bel. You murder yourself, if you force us to it. Wild. Give me a razor there, that I may scrape his weeson, that the bristles may not hinder me, when I come to cut it.

Bel. What need you bring matters to that extremity? You have your ransom in your hand: Here are three men, and there are three women; you understand me.

Jac. If not, here's a sword, and there's a throat; you understand me.

Alon. This is very hard!

Theo. The propositions are good, and marriage is as honourable as it used to be.

Beat. You had best let your daughters live branded with the name of strumpets; for whatever befals the men, that will be sure to be their share.

Alon. I can put them into a nunnery.

All the Women. A nunnery!

Jac. I would have thee to know, thou graceless old man, that I defy a nunnery: Name a nunnery once more, and I disown thee for my father.

Lop. You know the custom of the country, in this case, sir: "Tis either death or marriage. The business will certainly be public; and if they die, they have sworn you shall bear them company.

Alon. Since it must be so, run, Pedro, and stop the corrigidor: Tell him it was only a carnival merriment, which I mistook for a rape and robbery. Jac. Why now you are a dutiful father again, and I receive you into grace.

Bel. Among the rest of your mistakes, sir, I must desire you to let my astrology pass for one: My mathematics, and art magic, were only a carni

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