D. Man. Nay, now, thou art a downright distracted man-Dost thou expect I should take thy bare word, when here were two honest fellows that have just proved thee in a lie to tby face? Enter a Servant.

Serv. Sir, the priest is come.

D. Man. Is he so? then, sir, if you please, since you see you can do me no farther service, I believe it may be time for you to go.-Come, son, now let's wait upon the bride, and put an end to this gentleman's trouble altogether. [Exit Don MANUEL.

Hyp. Sir, I'll wait on ye. D. Phi. Confusion! I've undone my friend. [Walks about. Flo. [Aside.] Trappanti ! rogue, this was a master-piece. Trap. [Aside.] Sir, I believe it won't be mended [Exeunt FLO. and TRAP.

in haste.

Hyp. Sir.

D. Phi. Ha! alone! If I were not prevented now-Well, sir.

Hyp. I suppose you don't think the favours you have designed me are to be put up without satisfaction; therefore, I shall expect to see you early to-morrow, near the Prado, with your sword in your hand; in the mean time, sir, I'm a little more in haste to be the lady's humble servant than your's. [Going

D. Ph. Hold, sir!-you and I cann't part upon such easy terms. Hyp. Sir!

D. Phi. You are not so near the lady, sir, perhaps, as you imagine. [D. PHI. locks the door. Hyp. What d'ye mean? D. Phi. Speak softly. Hyp. Ha!

D. Phi. Come, sir-draw.

Hyp. My ruin has now caught me: my plots are yet unripe for execution; I must not, dare not, let him know me till I am sure at least he cannot be another'sThis was the very spite [Aside.

of fortune.

D. Phi. Come, sir, my time's but short. Hyp. And mine's too precious to be lost on any thing but love; besides, this is no proper place.

D. Phi. O! we'll make shift with it.

Hyp. To-morrow, sir, I shall find a better. D. Phi. No, now, sir, if you please-Draw, villain! or expect such usage as I'm sure Don Philip would not bear.

Hyp. A lover, sir, may bear any thing to make sure of his mistress-You know it is not fear that

D. Phi. No evasions, sir; either this moment confess your villainy, your name and fortune, or expect no mercy.

Hyp. Nay, then-within there!

D. Phi. Move but a step, or dare to raise thy voice beyond a whisper, this minute is thy last. [Seizes her, and holds his sword to her breast. Hyp. Sir! [Trembling

D. Phi. Villain! be quick, confess, orHyp. Hold, sir!I own I dare not fight with you.

D. Phi. No, I see thou art too poor a villaintherefore, be speedy, as thou hopest I'll spare thy life.

Hyp. Give me but a moment's respite, sir. D. Phi. Dog! do you trifle? Hyp. Nay, then, sir-Mercy, mercy! [Throws himself at his feet. And, since I must confess, have pity on my youth, have pity on my love!

D. Phi. Thy love! what art thou, speak? Hyp. Unless your generous compassion speres me, sure the most wretched youth that ever felt the pangs and torments of a successless passion.

D. Phi. Art thou indeed a lover, then ?-tell me thy condition?

Hyp. Sir, I confess my fortune's much inferior to my pretences in this lady, though, indeed, I'm born a gentleman; and, bating this attempt against you, which even the last extremities of a ruined love have forced me to, ne'er yet was guilty of a deed, or thought, that could debase my birth: but, if you knew the torments I have borne from her disdainful pride, the anxious days, the long watched winter nights I have endured, to gain of her, perhaps, at last a cold relentless look, indeed, you'd pity me. My heart was so entire subdued, the more she slighted me, the more loved; and, as my pains increased, grew farther from cure. Her beauty struck me with that submissive awe, that, when I dared to speak, words and looks were softer than an infant's blushes; but all these pangs of my persisting passion still were vain ; nor showers of tears, not storms of sighs, could melt or move the frozen bardness of her dead compassion!

D. Phi. How very near my condition! [Aside. Hyp. But yet so subtile is the flame of love, spite of her cruelty, 1 nourished still a secret liv ing hope, till hearing, sir, at last she was designed your bride, despair compelled me to this bold at tempt of personating you. Her father knew pot me, or my unhappy love; I knew, too, you ne'e had seen her face; and, therefore, hoped, wher I should offer to repair, with twice the worth, the value, sir, I robbed you of, begging thus low for your forgiveness; I say, I hoped, at least, your generous heart, if ever it was touched like mine, would pity my distress, and pardon the necessi tated wrong.

D. Phi. Is't possible? Hast thou then loved to this unfortunate degree?

Hyp. Unfortunate, indeed, if you are still my rival, sir; but, were you not, I'm sure you'd piły me.

D. Phi. Nay, then, I must forgive thee; [Rais ing her.] for I have known too well the misery, not to pity-any thing in love.

Hyp. Have you, sir, been unhappy there? D. Phi. Oh! thou hast probed a wound that time or art can never heal.

Hyp. O joyful sound!--[Aside.] Cherish that

SCENE I.-Continues.

Enter TRAPPANTI.

Trap. What, in the name of roguery, can this new master of mine be? he's either a fool or bewitched, that's positive.-First, he gives me fifty pieces for helping him to marry the lady, and, as soon as the wedding is over, claps me twenty more into the other hand, to help him to get rid of her-Nay, not only that, but gives me a strict charge to observe his directions in being evidence against him as an impostor, to refund all the lies I have told in his service, to sweep him clear out of my conscience, and, now, to swear the robbery against him. What the bottom of this can be, I must confess, does a little puzzle my wit- -There's but one way in the world I can solve it He must certainly have some reason to hang himself, that he's ashamed to own; and so was resolved first to be married, that his friends might not wonder at the occasion! But, here he comes, with his noose in his hand.

Enter HYPOLITA and ROSara.

Hyp. Trappanti, go to Don Pedro; he has business with you.

Trap. Yes, sir.

[Exit TRAP.

Ros. Who's Don Pedro, pray? Hyp. Flora, madam; he knows her yet by no other name.

Ros. Well, if Don Philip does not think you deserve him, I'm afraid he won't find another woman that will have him in haste. But this last escape of yours was such a master-piece!

Hyp. Nay, I confess, between fear and shame, I would have given my life for a ducat.

Ros. Though I wonder, when you perceived him so sensibly touched with his old passion, how you had patience to conceal yourself any longer.

Hyp. Indeed, I could not easily have resisted it, but that I knew, if I had been discovered before my marriage with you, your father, to be sure, would have insisted then upon his contract with him, which I did not know how far Don Philip might be carried in point of honour to keep; I knew, too, his refusing it would but the more incense the old gentleman against my brother's happiness with you; and I found myself obliged, in gratitude, not to build my own upon the ruin of yours.

Ros. This is an obligation I never could de

Hyp. Oh, he'll be released presently; F has her orders. Where's your father, madra Ros. I saw him go towards his closet: s lieve he's gone to fetch you part of my fortar; he seemed in mighty good humour.

Hyp. We must be sure to keep it up as t as we can, that he may be the more stunned when he falls.

Ros. With all my heart: methinks, I am po sessed with the spirit of disobedience-No, could I, in the humour I am in, consent to any mischief that would but heartily plague my gentleman, for daring to be better than his word to Octavio.

Hyp. And if we don't plague him—But here he comes.

Enter Don MANUEL.

D. Man. Ah, my little conqueror! let me en brace thee! That ever I should see the day! this most triumphant day! this day of al days in my life!

Hyp. Ay, and of my life too, sir.

[Embracing bin D. Man. Ay, and my cares are over-now, I have nothing to do but to think of the othe world, for I've done all my business in this; g as many children as I could; and, now I'm grown old, have set a young couple to work that will do

it better.

Hyp. I warrant ye, sir, you'll soon see whether your daughter has married a man or no.

D. Man. Ah, well said! and that you never be out of humour with your business, look you here, children, I have brought you some baubles that will make you merry as long as you live; twelve thousand pistoles are the least valee of them; the rest of your fortune shall be paid in the best Barbary gold to-morrow morning Hyp. Ay, sir, this is speaking like a father! this is encouragement, indeed!

D. Man. Much good may do thy heart and soul with them--and Heaven bless you together! I have had a great deal of care and trouble to bring it about, children; but, thank my stars, 'tis over 'tis over now-now, I may sleep with my doors open, and never have my slumbers broken with the fear of rogues and rivals.

Ros. Don't interrupt him, and see how far his humour will carry him. [To HYPOLITA

D. Man. But there is no joy lasting in this world; we must all die, when we have done our best, sooner or later; old or young, prince of peasant, high or low, kings, lords, and-common whores must die! nothing certain; we are forced to buy one comfort with the loss of another. Now I have married my child, I have lost my companion-I have parted with my girl-her

heart's gone another way now-She'll forget her | old father-I shall never have her wake me more, like a cheerful lark, with her pretty songs in a morning—I shall have nobody to chat at dinner with me now, or take up a godly book, and read me to sleep in an afternoon. Ah! these comforters are all gone now! [Weeps. Hyp. How very near the extreme of one passion is to another! Now he is tired with joy, till he is downright melancholy.

Ros. What's the matter, sir?

D. Man. Ah, my child! now it comes to the test, methinks, I don't know how to part with thee.

Ros. Oh, sir! we shall be better friends than

ever.

D. Man. Uh, uh! shall we? wilt thou come and see the old man, now and then? Well, Heaven bless thee! give me a kiss-I must kiss thee at parting: be a good girl, use thy husband well, make an obedient wife, and I shall die contented. Hyp. Die, sir! Come, come, you have a great while to live-Hang these melancholy thoughts! they are the worst company in the world at a wedding-Consider, sir, we are young; if you would oblige us, let us have a little life and mirth, a jubilee to-day at least; stir your servants; call in your neighbours; let me see your whole family mad for joy, sir.

D. Man. Ha! shall we, shall we be merry, then?

Hyp. Merry, sir! ay, as beggars at a feast What! shall a dull Spanish custom tell me, when I am the happiest man in the kingdom, I sha'n't be as mad as I have a mind to? Let me see the face of nothing to-day but revels, friends, feasts, and music, sir.

D. Man. Ah! thou shalt have thy humourthou shalt have thy humour! Hey, within there! rogues! dogs! slaves! where are my rascals? Ah, my joy flows again-I cann't bear it.

Enter several Servants.

Serv. Did you call, sir?

D. Man. Call, sir! ay, sir. What's the reason you are not all out of your wits, sir! don't you know that your young mistress is married, scoundrels?

1st Serv. Yes, sir; and we are all ready to be mad as soon as your honour will please to give any distracted orders.

Hyp. You see, sir, they only want a little encouragement.

D. Man. Ah, there shall be nothing wanting this day, if I were sure to beg for it all my life after Here, sirrah, cook! look into the Roman history; see what Mark Antony had for supper when Cleopatra first treated him cher entire: rogue, let me have a repast that will be six times as expensive and provoking-Go.

2d Serv. It shall be done, sir.

D. Man. And, d'ye hear? one of you step to Monsieur Vendevin, the king's butler, for the same wine that his majesty reserves for his own

|

drinking; tell him he shall have his price for it. 1st Serv. How much will you please to have, sir ?

D. Man. Too much, sir: I'll have every thing on the outside of enough to-day. Go you, sirrah, run to the theatre, and detach me a regiment of fiddlers, and singers, and dancers; and you, sir, to my nephew, Don Lewis; give my service, and bring all his family along with him.

Hyp. Ay, sir, this is as it should be; now it begins to look like a wedding.

D. Man. Ah, we'll make all the hair in the world stand an end at our joy.

Hyp. Here comes Flora-Now, madam, observe your cue.

Enter FLORA.

Flo. Your servant, gentlemen-I need not wish you joy-You have it, I see-Don Philip, I must needs speak with you.

Hyp. Pshaw! Pr'ythee, don't plague me with business at such a time as this.

Flo. My business won't be deferred, sir.
Hyp. Sir?

Flo. I suppose you guess it, sir; and I must tell you, I take it ill it was not done before. Hyp. What d'ye mean?

Flo. Your ear, sir.

[They whisper.

D. Mun. What's the matter now, trow? Ros. The gentleman seems very free, me thinks.

D. Man. Troth, I don't like it.

Ros. Don't disturb them, sir-We shall know all presently,

Hyp. But what have you done with Don Philip?

Flo. I drew the servants out of the way, while he made his escape; I saw him very busy in the street with Octavio and another gentleman; Trappanti dogged them, and brings me word they just now went into the Corrigidore's in the next street-therefore, what we do, we must do quickly. Come, come, put on your fighting face, and I'll be with them presently. [Aside. Hyp. [Aloud.] Sir, I have offered you very fair; if you don't think so, I have married the lady, and take your course.

Fio. Sir, our contract was a full third; a third part's my right, and I'll have it, sir.

D. Man. Hey!

Hyp. Then, I must tell you, sir, since you are pleased to call it your right, you shall not have it. Flo. Not, sir?

Hyp. No, sir! Look ye, don't put on your pert airs to me-'egad I shall use you very scur vily.

Flo. Use me! You little son of a whore, draw. Hyp. Oh, sir, I am for you.

[They fight, Don MANUEL interposes. Ros. Ah, help! murder! [Runs out. D. Man. Within there! help! murder!Why, gentlemen, are ye mad? pray put up. Hyp. A rascal!

D. Man. Friends, and quarrel? for shamel