poor boy! The innocent boy! Confusion! But hush, they come: I must dissemble still-no news of my wine, gentlemen?

Enter the four Bravoes.

1 Bra. No, sir, I believe your country-booby has lost himself, and we can wait no longer for't: true, sir, you're a pleasant gentleman, but I suppose you understand our business.

Mir. Sir, I may go near to guess at your employments; you, sir, are a lawyer, I presume; you a physician; you a scrivener; and you a stock-jobber. All cut-throats, 'egad!

[Aside. 4 Bra. Sir, I am a broken officer; I was cashiered at the head of the army for a coward : so, I took up the trade of murderer to retrieve the reputation of my courage.

3 Bru. I am a soldier, too, and would serve my king, but I don't like the quarrel; and I have more honour than to fight in a bad cause.

2 Bra. I was bred a gentleman, and have no estate; but I must have my whore and my bottle, through the prejudice of education.

1 Bra. I am a ruffian, too; by the prejudice of education, I was bred a butcher. In short, sir, if your wine had come, we might have trifled a little longer. Come, sir, which sword will you fall by mine, sir?

2 Bra. Or mine?

3 Bra. Or mine?

heart--Ad's my life, madam, you have got the finest built watch there? Tompion's, I presume. Lam. Sir, you may wear it.

Mir. Oh, madam, by no means: 'tis too much -rob you of all!-[Taking it from her.]-Good dear time, thou'rt a precious thing! I am glad I have retrieved thee:-Putting it up.]-What, my friends, neglected all this while! Gentlemen, you'll pardon my complaisance to the lady. How now-is it civil to be so out of humour at my entertainment, and I so pleased with yours? Captain, you're surprised at all this! but we're in our frolics, you must know. Some wine here.

Enter servant with wine.

Come, captain, this worthy gentleman's health.
[Tweaks the first bravo by the nose; he roars.
But now, where-where's my dear deliverer, my
boy, my charming boy!

1 Bra. I hope some of our crew below-stairs have dispatched him.

Mir. Villain, what say'st thou? Dispatched! I'll have ye all tortured, racked, torn to pieces alive, if you have touched my boy. Here, page! page! page!

[Runs out.

Dur. Here, gentlemen, be sure you secure [Draws. those fellows. Draws. 1 Bra. Yes, sir, we know you and your guard Draws. will be very civil to us. Draws. Dur. Now for you, madam. He, he, he! I'm Mir. I scorn to beg my life; but to be but- so pleased to think that I shall be revenged of chered thus! O there's the wine! this moment one woman before I die-well, Mrs Snap-Dragon, (knocking) for my life or death. which of these honourable gentlemen is so happy to call you a wife?

4 Bra. Or mine?

Enter ORIANA.

Enter DURETETE with his sword drawn, and six

1 Bra. Sir, she should have been mine tonight, 'cause Sampre here had her last night. Sir, she's very true to us all four. Dug. Take them to justice.

[The guards carry off the Bravoes.

Old Mir. Robin, Robin, where's Bob? where's my boy? what, is this the lady? a pretty whore, faith! heark'e, child, because my son was so civil as to oblige you with a coach, I'll treat you with a cart; indeed I will.

of the grand musqueteers, with their pieces Enter OLD MIRABELL, DUGARD, and BISARRE. presented; the ruffians drop their swords. [ORIANA goes off Mir. The wine! the wine! the wine! Youth, pleasure, fortune, days, and years, are now my own again. Ah, my dear friends, did not I tell you this wine would make me merry? Dear captain, these gentlemen are the best-natured, facetious, witty creatures, that ever you knew.

Enter LAMORCE.

Lam. Is the wine come, sir!

Mir. O yes, madam, the wine is come- -see there![Pointing to the soldiers.]-Your ladyship has got a very fine ring upon your finger. Lam. Sir, 'tis at your service.

Dug. Aye, madam, and you shall have a swinging equipage, three or four thousand footmen at your heels at least.

Dur. No less becomes her quality.

Bis. Faugh! the monster!

Dur. Monster! aye, you're all a little monstrous, let me tell you.

Enter MIRABELL.

Old Mir. Ah, my dear Bob, art thou safe,

man?

Mir. O ho! is it so? thou dear seven hundred Mir. No, no, sir, I'm ruined; the saver of my pound, thou'rt welcome home again, with all my life is lost.

Old Mir. No, he came and brought us the don; my thanks are needless, for myself I owe.

pray, what do you propose will be the end of our journey

?

Hyp. Why, now, I hope the end of my wishes -Don Philip, I need not tell you how far he is in my heart.

Flo. No, your sweet usage of him told me that long enough ago; but now, it seems, you think fit to confess it: and what is it you love him for, pray?

Hyp. His manner of bearing that usage.

Flo. Ah, dear pride! how we love to have it tickled! But he does not bear it, you see, for he's coming post to Madrid to marry another woman; nay, one he never saw.

Hyp. An unknown face cannot have very far engaged him.

Flo. How came he to be engaged to her at Poor gentleman! very hard, by my conscience! all? Indeed, madam, this was carrying the jest a little Hyp. Why, I engaged him. too far. Flo. To another!

Hup. To my whole sex, rather than own I loved him.

Hyp. Ah, by many a long mile, Flora; but what would you have a woman do, when her hand's in?

Flo. Nay, the truth of it is, we never know the difference between enough and a surfeit; but, love be praised, your proud stomach's come

Flo. Ah, done like a woman of courage! Hyp. I could not bear the thought of parting with my power; besides, he took me at such an advantage, and pressed me so home to a surrend-down for it. er, I could have torn him piece-meal.

Flo. Why, truly, madam, as to your wits, I have not much altered my opinion for them, for I cannot see what you propose by it.

Hyp. Indeed, it is not altogether so high as Flo. Ay, I warrant you, an insolent-agreea-it was. In a word, his last letter set me at my ble puppy. Well, but to leave impertinence, ma- wit's end; and when I came to myself, you may dam, pray how came you to squabble with him? remember you thought me bewitched; for I imHyp. I'll tell thee, Flora: you know Don Phi- mediately called for my boots and breeches, a lip wants no charms that can recommend a lo- straddle we got, and so rode after him. ver; in birth and quality, I confess him my superior; and it is the thought of that has been a constant thorn upon my wishes. I never saw him in the humblest posture, but still I fancied he secretly presumed his rank and fortune might deserve me. This always stung my pride, and made me overact it: nay, sometimes, when his sufferings have almost drawn tears into my eyes, I have turned the subject with some trivial talk, or hummed a spiteful tune, though I believe his heart was breaking.

Flo. A very tender principle, truly! Hyp. Well, I don't know, it was in my nature. But to proceed-this, and worse usage, continued a long time; at last, despairing of my heart, he then resolved to do a violence on his own, by consenting to his father's commands of marrying a lady of considerable fortune here in Madrid.— The match is concluded, articles are scaled, and the day is fixed for his journey. Now, the night before he set out, he came to take his leave of me, in hopes, I suppose, I would have staid him. I need not tell you my confusion at the news; and though I could have given my soul to have deferred it, yet, finding him, unless I bade him stay, resolved upon the marriage, I (from the pure spirit of contradiction) swore to myself I would not bid him do it; so called for my veil, and told him I was in haste, begged his pardon, your servant, and so whipped to prayers.

Hyp. My whole design, Flora, lies in this port manteau, and these breeches.

Flo. A notable design, no doubt! but, pray, let's hear it.

Hyp. Why, I do propose to be twice married between them.

Flo. How twice?

Hyp. By the help of the portmanteau, I intend to marry myself to Don Philip's new mistress; and then I'll put off my breeches, and marry him.

Flo. Now, I begin to take ye: but, pray. what's in the portmanteau, and how came you by it?

Hyp, I hired one to steal it from his servant at the last inn we lay at in Toledo. In it are jewels of value, presents to my bride, gold good store, settlements, and credential letters, to cer tify, that the bearer (which I intend to be myself) is Don Philip, only son and heir of Don Fernando de las Torres, now residing at Seville, whence we came.

Flo. A very smart undertaking, by my troth! And, pray, madam, what part am I to act?

Hyp. My woman still; when I cannot lie for myself, you are to do it for me, in the person of

a cousin-german,

Flo. And my name is to beHyp. Don Guzman, Diego, Mendez, or what you please be your own goodfather.

Flo. 'Egad, I begin to like it mightily! this may prove a very pleasant adventure, if we can but come off without fighting, which, by the way, I don't easily perceive we shall; for, to be sure, Don Philip will make the devil to do with us when he finds himself here before he come i ther.

sir; why, they'll let you starve if you don't stir and call, and that like thunder, too

Hey!
[Knocks.

Hyp. Ha! you eat here sometimes, I presume, sir?

Trap. Umph! Aye, sir, that's as it happensI seldom eat at home, indeed-things are genenerally, you know, so out of order there, that Did you hear any fresh news upon the road, sir? Hyp. Only, sir, that the king of France lost a

Hyp. Oh, let me alone to give him satisfac-great horse-match upon the Alps t'other day. tion.

Flo. I'm afraid it must be alone, if you do give him satisfaction; for my part, I can push no more than I can swim.

Hyp. But can you bully upon occasion ?
Flo. I can scold, when my blood's up.
Hyp. That's the same thing: bullying would

be scolding in petticoats.

Trap. Ha! a very odd place for a horse-race but the king of France may do any thing-did you come that way, gentlemen? or-Hey!

Enter HOST.

Host. Did you call, gentlemen?

[Knocks.

Trap. Yes, and bawl, too, sir. Here, the gen

near them. What have you in the house, now, that will be ready presently?

Flo. Say ye so? Why, then, Don, look to your-tlemen are almost famished, and nobody comes self; if I don't give you as good as you bring, I'll be content to wear breeches as long as I live, though I lose the end of my sex by it. Well, madam, now you have opened the plot, pray, when is the play to begin?

Hyp. I hope to have it all over in less than four hours: we'll just refresh ourselves with what the house affords, comb out our wigs, and wait upon my father-in-law-How now! what would this fellow have?

Enter TRAPPANTI.

Trap. Servant, gentlemen; I have taken nice care of your nags; good cattle they are, by my troth! right and sound, I warrant them; they deserve care, and they have had it, and shall have it, if they stay in this house. I always stand by, sir; see them rubbed down with my own eyes- -Catch me trusting an ostler-I'll give you leave to fill for me, and drink for me, too. Flo. I have seen this fellow somewhere. Trap. Hey-day! what, no cloth laid? was ever such attendance! Hey, house ! tapster! landlord! hey! [Knocks.] What was it you bespoke, gentlemen?

Hyp. Really, sir, I ask your pardon; I have almost forgot you.

Trap. Pshaw! dear sir, never talk of it; I live here hard by-I have a lodging——I cannot call it a lodging, neither—that is, I have aSometimes I am here, and sometimes I am there; and so, here and there, one makes shift, you know. Hey! will these people never come? [Knocks. Hyp. You give a very good account of yourself, sir.

Trap. Oh, nothing at all, sir. Lord, sir-was it fish or flesh, sir?

Host. You may have what you please, sir.
Hyp. Can you give us a partridge?
Host, Sir, we have no partridges; but we'll
get you what you please in a moment.
We have

a very good neck of mutton, sir; if you please, it
shall be clapped down in a moment.

Hyp. Have you no pigeons or chickens? Host. Truly, sir, we have no fowl in the house at present; if you please, you may have any thing else in a moment.

Hyp. Then, prithee, get us some young rab

bits.

Host. Upon my word, sir, rabbits are so scarce, they are not to be had for money. Flo. Have you any fish?

Host. Fish, sir! I drest yesterday the finest dish that ever came upon a table; I am sorry we have none left, sir; but if you please, you may have any thing else in a moment.

Trap. Pox on thee! hast thou nothing but any thing else in the house?

Host. Very good mutton, sir.
Hyp. Prithee get us a breast, then.

Host. Breast! don't you love the neck, sir? Hyp. Have ye nothing in the house but the neck?

Host. Really, sir, we don't use to be so unprovided; but at present we have nothing else left.

Trap. Faith, sir, I don't know but a nothing else may be very good meat, when any thing else is not to be had.

Hyp. Then, prithee, friend, let's have thy neck of mutton before that is gone, too.

Trap. Sir, he shall lay it down this minute; I'll see it done, gentlemen; I'll wait upon ye presently; for a minute I must beg your pardon, and leave to lay the cloth myself. Hyp. By no means, sir. Trap. No ceremony, dear sir! Indeed I'll do [Exeunt HOST and TRAPPANTI.

Flo. Really, sir, we have bespoke nothing yet. Trap. Nothing! for shame! it's a sign you are young travellers. You don't know this house, | it.