A Cardener's Garden, where feveral Gardeners are at work, fome digging, &c. others, together with feveral Women, tying up bundles of Afparagus. Bundle and Tug feated under a Tree, at Breakfaft upon cold Roast Beef; a Tankard of Beer upon the Table. CHO CHORUS. LABOUR, lads, ere youth be gone, For fee apace the day steals on ; gone, Bun. This, now, is my delight, to fit at breakfast while the men work. Come, honeft Tom, let us make an end of our tankard before my wife gets up; her raking fo in London (where, between you and I, fhe stays a devilish deal longer than while fhe fells the fparrowgrafs) keeps her bed woundy late of a morning. Tug. Why, Mafter Bundle, I have often-times thought to myself, that it was a wonderfome kind of thing how it came to pass, that you two agree fo badly; when out of all the four and twenty hours you are hardly ever above two of them together. Bun. Ah, Thomas! Thomas! 'tis very hard that a man like me can't be allowed to get drunk once a-day, without being called to an account for it; but, between you and I, fhe is the arranteft Mrs Bun. (Within.) What are you all about there? Where's your lazy, idle mafter ? Bun. You hear fhe has begun to ring her ufual peal: this is the way the moment she is up. Tug. And I believe the feldom leaves off till fhe to bed; does fhe, Mafter Bundle? goes Bun. No, nor then neither; every thing must be her way, or there's no getting any peace. As foon as the marketing's over in town, away fhe and her favourite Robin trudge to the two-fhilling gallery of one of the play-houfes; where they have picked up fuch a pack of damned nonfenfe, about fentiments and ftuff, that I am not only obliged to put up with her scolding me all the time I do fee her, but I am fcolded in a language I don't understand. Tug. Why, I fhould like that beft now; for then, you know, one has no right to take it for fcolding at all. Bun. O, when once fire raises her voice, you never can take it for any thing else. Tug. Why then, mayhap, it is all concerning this fame play-house bufinefs that fhe's fo ftout againft me, and does all the can to serve Master Robin with Mifs Wilelminy. Bun. Ay, there was another of her freaks; fhe was then as fond of romances as fhe is now of plays; and though my father, who was as plain a man as myself, fwore he would not leave us a farthing if we did not call the girl Margery, nothing would fatisfy her, forfooth, but we must give her the name of Wilelmina :'Tis fuch a damn'd, confounded, hard name, that I was a matter of three years before I could pronounce it right. Tug. Well, ftand to your oars, for here fhe comes? SCENE II. Mrs Bun. Is it not a moft marvellous thing, Mr Bundle, that I must be fuch an eternal flave to my family, in this here manner, while you and your cologuing companions are befotting and fquandering away your time with your guzzling, and every thing goes to rack and manger? I that am fuch a quiet, well-bred, eafy, tame creature, that never fcolds, nor riots; nor dins your faults in your ears; but am always as gentle and as patient as a lamb. Bun. You are a very good wife to be fure, my dear, only a little inclined to talking; if you now had no tongue, or I had no ears, we fhould be the happiest couple in the world. Mrs Bun. What a provocating creature-tongue! But this comes of marrying such a scum of a fellow; one that you may throw away all the tendernefs in the world for before it makes any oppreffion upon him.-But it ferves me right, for 'tis very well known, what great of fers I refufed upon your account! Bun. I don't know how it fhould be otherwife than well-known, my love; for I generally hear of it about x times a-day: But, my dear, don't you think it will VOL. VI. H be be neceffary to give orders about loading the cart againft you go to London ? Mrs Bun. Sir, I fhall not go to London to-night at all. Robin, Mifs Wilelmina, and I, are invited to go with a party to fee the rowing match this afternoon; and afterwards there is to be a hop at Mr Wick's the tallowchandler's, where I intend to fettle the purliminaries about my daughter's wedding: And I defire you to take care, that the pines are not all gone before next week, for I intend to invite the whole party to a hop here. my Sir; Tug. But, Madam Bundle, be'n't you fome how or other afraid, that what with one thing and what with another, you'll hop all the money out of your husband's pocket. Mrs Bun. I don't direct difcourfe to you, but 'tis my husband that encourages you to behave in fuch a brutish and outrageous manner. He has promised you, I know, that you fhould have my daughter; but I'll make him to know who's at home, I will:- I'll affure you, indeed!-Such a fellow as you!-A nasty, idling, fcurvy, rapfcallion, that leads a filthy, drunken, lazy life; fotting in one ale-house, and fotting in another and fhall fuch a low brute dare to expire to the honour of marrying Mifs Wilelmina Bundle? : Tug. I'll tell you what, Ma'am Bundle, I should not care much for marrying your daughter, if she was not of a little better temper than yourself. Mrs Bun. O, the villain!-Why, you vile, wic ked Bun. My dear, how can you put yourself in fuch a paffion; you, you know, who are fuch a tame creatureone that never fcolds, nor riots? Mrs Bun. I'll riot you all to fome tune, I will— therefore, Mr Bundle, unless you would have me fue for a feparate maintainnance; mind what I fay-Next time I go to London, I fhall take Robin with me to Doctor'sCommons, and nothing but your confent to his marrying your daughter fhall ever make me look upon you again. AIR Bundle and Tug. Tug. Well, and what say you to all this? Bun. Why, I'll tell you what, honeft Thomas; for me to contradict her, would be much the fame thing as for you to row against wind and tide. Tug. Why, then, that would be bad enough, Master Bundle. Bun. But I'll try what I can do with my daughter. for you; and all I can fay to put you in heart is, that if I find her as headftrong and as perverse as her mother, I fhall advife you to have nothing to do with her, and fo fave you from hanging yourself in a month. Tug. But, Mafter Bundle, if I marries Mifs, I expect to be a little happier than you are. Bun. Ah, Tom, Tom! the wifeft of us may be deceived! AIR. I. I just as eagerly as thee, Thought when I got a wife, My joy, of course, fo great would be, It needs must laft for life. When the agreed to tie the knot, 'Twixt her and me, Nor did I grudge the king his lot, |