"6 Nei. No, sir.

<< 3 Nei. We had gone in then, sirg "Love. He has no gift

"Of teaching i' the nose, that e'er I knew of. "You saw no bills set up that promis'd cure "Of agues, or the tooth-ach?

66 2 Nei. No such thing, sir,

20

"Love. Nor heard a drum struck, for baboons, or puppets?

5 Nei. Neither, sir."

Love. What device should he bring forth now? I love a teeming wit as I love my nourishment. Pray, Heav'n, he ha' not kept such open house, That he hath sold my hangings and my bedding; I left him nothing else. If he have eat them, A plague o' the mouth, say I. "Sure he has got "Some bawdy pictures, to call all this gang." When saw you him?

1 Nei. Who, sir? Jeremy?

2 Nei. Jeremy, butler?

We saw him not this month.

Love. How!

4

Nei. Not these five weeks, sir.

6 Nei. These six weeks, at the least.

Love. Y' amaze me, neighbours !

5 Nei. Sure, if your worship know not where he is, He's slipp'd away.

41

6 Nei. Pray, Heav'n, he be not made away. [He knocks. Love. Ha! It is no time to question, then,

6 Nei. About

Some three weeks since, I heard a doleful cry,
As I sat up, a mending my wife's stockings.
Love. This's strange, that none will answer!
Didst thou hear

A cry, say'st thou ?

6 Nei. Yes, sir, like unto a man

That had been strangled an hour, and could not speak.

2 Nei. I heard it too, just this day three weeks at two o'clock

Next morning.

Love. These be miracles, or you make 'em so. A man an hour strangled, and could not speak, And both you heard him cry!

Love. Thou art a wise fellow. Give me thy hand, I pray thee.

What trade art thou?

3 Nei. A smith, an't please your worship.

60,

Love. A smith! then lend me thy help to get this

door open.

3 Nei. That I will, presently, sir; but fetch my

tools.

[Exit. 1 Nei. Sir, best to knock again, afore you break it.

Love. I will.

Enter FACE.

Face. What mean you, sir?

All Nei. Oh, here's Jeremy!

Face. Good sir, come from the door.

Love. Why, what's the matter?

Face. Yet farther; you are too near yet.

Love. I' the name of wonder, what means the fellow?

Face. The house, sir, has been visited.

Love. Stand thou then farther.

Face. No, sir, I had it not.

Love. Who had it then? I left

None else but thee i' the house.

Face. Yes, sir, my fellow,

The cat that kept the buttery, had it on her
A week before I spied it; but I got her
Convey'd away i' the night. And so I shut
The house up for a month-

Love. How!

Face. Purposing then, sir,

T' have burnt rose-vinegar, treacle, and tar,

80

And ha'made it sweet,thatyou should ne'er ha'known it. Because I knew the news would but afflict you, sir.

Love. Why, this is stranger !

The neighbours tell me all here, that the doors

Have still been open

Face. How, sir!

Love. Gallants, men, and women,

And of all sorts, tag-rag, been seen to flock here
In threaves, these ten weeks, as to a second hog's-den,
In days of Pimlico and Eye-bright.

Face. Sir,

Their wisdoms will not say so!

Love. To-day, they speak

Of coaches and gallants; one in a French hood

Went in they tell me; and another was seen

In a velvet gown at the window; divers more
Pass in and out.

Face. They did pass thro' the doors then,

100

Or walls, I assure their eye-sights, and their spectacles; For here, sir, are the keys, and there have been, In this my pocket, now above twenty days. "And for before, I kept the fort alone there. "But that 'tis not yet deep i' the afternoon, "I should believe my neighbours had seen double "Thro' the black pot, and made these apparitions:" For, on my faith to your worship, for these three weeks, And upwards, the door has not been open'd.

Love. Strange!

Nei. Good faith, I think I saw a coach.

Love. Do you but think it now?

And but one coach?

4 Nei. We cannot tell, sir; Jeremy Is a very honest fellow.

Face. Did you see me at all?

1 Nei. No; that we are sure on.

Love. Fine rogues to have your testimonies built on!

3

Re-enter 3 Neighbour.

Nei. Is Jeremy come?

I Nei. Oh, yes; you may leave your tools;
We were deceiv'd; he says he has had the keys,
And the door has been shut these three weeks.
3 Nei. Like enough.

Love. Peace, and get hence, you changelings.
Face. [Aside.] Surly come !

120

And Mammon made acquainted! They'll tell all.
How shall I beat them off? What shall I do?
Nothing's more wretched than a guilty conscience.

Enter SURLY and MAMMON.

Sur. No, sir, he was a great physician. This, It was no bawdy-house, but a mere chancel. You knew the lord and his sister.

Mam. Nay, good Surly

Sur. The happy word, Be rich-
Mam. Play not the tyrant.

Sur. Should be to-day pronounc'd to all your friends. And where be your andirons now, and your brasspots, That should ha' been golden flaggons, and great wedges? Mam. Let me but breathe. What! they ha' shut their doors,

Methinks.

Sur. Ay, now, 'tis holy-day with them.
Mam. Rogues,

Cozeners, impostors, bawds!

140

Face. What mean you, sir? [Mam. and Surly knock.

Mam. To enter, if we can.

Face. Another man's house!

Here is the owner, sir; turn to him,

And speak your business.

Mam. Are you, sir, the owner?

Love. Yes, sir.

Mam. And are those knaves within your cheaters ?

Love, What knaves, what cheaters :

Mam. Subtle, and his Lungs.