Load. Aye, do, come: fhuffle thy brains; never fear the baronet. To let a lord of lands want fhiners; 'tis a fhame.

Tranf. I do recollect, in this quarter of the town, an old friend, that used to do things in this way.

Load. Who?

Tranf. Statute, the fcrivener.

Load. Slam me, but he has nicked the chance.

Tranf. A hard man, master Loader!

Sir Geo. No matter.

Tranf. His demands are exorbitant.

Sir Geo. That is no fault of ours.

Load. Well faid, knight!

Trans. But to fave time, I had better men

tion his terms,

Load. Unneceffary.

Tranf. Five per cent, legal interest.

Sir Geo He shall have it.

Tranf. Ten, the premium.

Sir Geo. No more words.

Trans. Then, as you are not of age, five more for enfuring your life,

Load. We will give it.

Tranf. As for what he will demand for the

rifque

Sir Geo. He fhall be fatisfied.

Trans. You pay the attorney.

Sir Geo, Amply, amply; Loader, dispatch him.

Load, There, there, little Transfer; now every thing is fettled. All terms shall be complied with, reasonable or unreasonable.

What,

What, our principal is a man of honour. [Exit. Tr. Hey, my knight, this is doing bufinefs. This pinch is a fure card.

Re-enter Transfer.

Trans. I had forgot one thing,

I am not

the principal; you pay the brokerage.

Load. Aye, aye; and a handsome prefent into the bargain, never fear.

Tranf. Enough, enough.

Load. Hark'e, Transfer, we'll take the Birmingham hafts and Whitney wares,

Trans. They shall be forthcomingwould not have the hay, with the flints?

-You

Load. Every pebble of 'em. The magiftrates of the baronet's borough are infirm and gouty. He fhall deal them as new pavement. [Ex. Tr.] So that's fettled. I believe, knight, I can lend you a helping hand as to the laft article. I know fome traders that will truck; fellows with finery; not commodities of fuch clumfy conveyance as old Transfer's.

Sir Geo. You are obliging.

Load, I'll do it, boy; and get you, into the bargain, a bonny auctioneer, that shall difpofe of 'em all in a crack. [Exit.

Enter Dick.

Dick. Your uncle, fir, has been waiting fome time.

Sir Geo. He comes in a lucky hour. Shew him in. [Ex. Dick.] Now for a lecture. My fituation than't fink my fpirits, however,

Ꭰ Ꮞ

Here

Here comes the mufty trader, running over with remonftrances, I must banter the cit,

Enter Richard Wealthy.

R, Weal. So, fir, what I fuppofe this is a fpice of your foreign breeding, to let your uncle kick his heels in your hall, whilst your prefence chamber is crouded with pimps, bawds, and gamefters.

Sir Geo. Oh, a proof of my respect, dear nuncle. Would it have been decent now, nuncle, to have introduced you into fuch company?

R. Weal. Wonderfully confiderate! Well, young man, and what do you think will be the end of all this? Here I have received, by the laft mail, a quire of your draughts from abroad. I fee you are determined our neighbours should tafte of your magnificence.

Sir Geo. Yes, I think I did fome credit to my country.

R. Weal. and how are all these to be paid?

Sir Geo. That I fubmit to you, dear nuncle.

R. Weal. From me !Not a fouse to keep from the counter.

you

Sir Geo. Why then let the fcoundrels stay. It is their duty. I have other demands, debts of honour, which must be discharged.

R. Weal. Here's a diabolical diftinction ! Here's a proftitution of words!-Honour! 'Sdeath, that a rafcal, who has picked your pocket, fhall have his crime gilded with the moft facred diftinction, and his plunder punc

4

tually

43

tually paid, whilst the induftrious mechanic, who minifters to your very wants, shall have his debts delayed, and his demand treated as infolent,

Sir Geo. Oh! a truce to this thread-bare trumpery, dear nuncle,

R. Weal, I confefs my folly; but make yourself eafy; you won't be troubled with many more of my vifits. I own I was weak enough to defign a fhort expoftulation with you; but as we in the city know the true value of time, I fhall take care not to fquander away any more of it upon you.

Sir Geo. A prudent refolution.

R. Weal, One commiffion, however, I can't difpenfe with myfelf from executing.--It was agreed between your father and me, that as he had but one fon and I one daugh

ter

Sir Geo. Your gettings fhould be added to his eftate, and my coufin Margery and I fquat down together in the comfortable frate of matrimony.

R. Weal. Puppy! fuch was our intention. Now his laft will claims this contract. 3ir Geo. Difpatch, dear nuncle.

R. Weal. Why then, in a word, see me here demand the execution.

Sir Geo. What dy'e mean? For me to marry Margery.

R. Weal. I do.

Sir Geo. What, moi-me?

R. Weal. You, you-Your answer, aye

or no?

Sir Geo. Why then, concifely and briefly, without evafion, equivocation, or further circumlocution.-No.

R. Weal. I am glad of it.

Sir Geo. So am I.

R. Weal. But pray, if it would not be too great a favour, what objections can you have to my daughter? Not that I want to remove 'em, but merely out of curiosity. What objections?

Sir Geo. None. I neither know her, have feen her, enquired after her, or ever intend it, R. Weal. What, perhaps, I am the ftumbling block?

Sir Geo. You have hit it,

R. Weal. Aye, now we come to the point. Well, and pray▬▬▬

Sir Geo. Why, it is not fo much a dislike to your perfon, tho' that is exceptionable enough, but your profeffion, dear nuncle, is an infuperable obftacle.

R. Weal. Good lack! And what harm has that done, pray?

Sir Geo. Done! So ftained, polluted, and tainted the whole mafs of your blood, thrown fuch a blot on your efcutcheon, as ten regular fucceffions can hardly efface.

R. Weal. The deuce!

Sir Geo. And could you now, confiftently with your duty as a faithful guardian, recommend my union with a daughter of a trader?

R. Weal. Why, indeed, I ask pardon; I am afraid I did not weigh the matter as maturely as I ought.

Sir Geo. Oh, a horrid barbarous scheme!

R. Weal.