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Mac. And I would love you all the day,
Polly. Every night would kiss and play,
Mac. If with me you'd fondly stray
Polly. Over the hills and for away.

Pally. Yes, I would go with thee, But oh! how shall I speak it? I must be torn from thee! We must part!

Mac. How part!

Polly. We must, we must. My papa and mamma are set against thy life: they now, even now, are in search after thee: they are preparing evidence against thee: thy life depends upon a moment.

AIR-Gin thou wert my ain thing.
Polly. O what pain it is to part!

Can I leave thee, can I leave thee?
what pain it is to part!
Can thy Polly ever leave thee?
But lest death my love should thwart,
And bring thee to the fatal cart,
Thus I tear thee from my bleeding heart;
Fly hence and let me leave thee!

One kiss and then-one kiss-Begone-
Farewell!

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ACT II.

SCENE I.

A Tavern near Newgate. JEMMY TWITCHER, CROOK-FINGERED JACK, WAT DREARY, ROBIN OF BAGSHOT, NIMMING NED, HARRY PADDINGTON, MAT OF THE MINT, BEN BUDGE, and the rest of the gang, at the table, with wine, brandy and tobacco.

Ben. But, prithee Mat, what is become of thy brother Tom? I have not seen him since my return from transportation.

Mut, Poor brother Tom had an accident this time twelvemonth, and so clever made a fellow he was, that I could not save him from those fying rascals the surgeons, and now poor man he is among the otamies at Surgeons'-hall

Ben. So it seems his time was come. Jem. But the present time is ours, and nobody alive hath more. Why are the laws levelled at ts? Are we more dishonest than the rest of mankind? What we win, gentlemen, is our own by the law of arms, and the right of conquest. Crook. Where shall we find such another set of practical philosophers, who, to a man, are

above the fear of death?

Wat. Sound men and true!

Reb. Of tried courage, and indefatigable indastry.

Ned. Who is there, here, that would not die for his friend.

Har. Who is there, here, that would betray hm for his interest?

Mat. Shew me a gang of courtiers that can say as much.

Ben. We are for a just partition of the world; for every man hath a right to enjoy life.

Mat. We retrench the superfluities of mankind. The world is avaricious, and I hate avarice. A covetous fellow, like a jackdaw, steals what he was never made to enjoy, for the sake of hiding it. These are the robbers of mankind: for money was made for the free-hearted and generous: and where is the injury of taking from another what he hath not the heart to make use of?

Jem. Our several stations for the day are fixed. Good luck attend us all! fill the glasses.

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air with you, sir, this evening upon the heath? I drink a dram now and then with the stage coachmen, in the way of friendship and intelligence; and I know, that about this time, there will be passengers upon the western road who are worth speaking with.

Mac. I was to have been of that partybut

Mat. But what, sir?

Mac. Is there any man who suspects my courage?

Mat. We have all been witnesses of it.
Mac. My honour and truth to the gang?
Mat. I'll be answerable for it.

Mac. in the division of our booty, have I ever shewn the least marks of avarice or injustice?

Mat. By these questions something seems to have ruffled you. Are any of us suspected? Mac. I have a fixed confidence, gentlemen, in you all as men of honour, and, as such, I value and respect you; Peachum is a man that is useful to us.

Mat. Is he about to shew us any foul play? I'll shoot him through the head.

Mac. I beg you, gentlemen, act with conduct and discretion. A pistol is your last resort. Mat. He knows nothing of this meeting. Mac. Business cannot go on without him: he

is a man who knows the world, and is a necessary agent to us. We have had a slight difference, and till it is accommodated, I shall be obliged to keep out of his way. Any private dispute of mine shall be of no ill consequence to my friends. You must continue to act under his direction; for, the moment we break loose from him, our gang is ruined.

Mat. He is, to us, of great convenience. Mac. Make him believe I have quitted the gang, which I can never do but with life. At our private quarters, I will continue to meet you. A week or so, will probably reconcile us.

Mat. Your instructions shall be observed'Tis now high time for us to repair to our several duties; so, till the evening, at our quarters in Moorfields, we bid you farewell. Mac. I shall wish myself with you. Success attend you. [Sits down melancholy at the table.

AIR.-March in RINALDO, with drums and trumpets.

Mat. Let us take the road.

Hark! I hear the sound of coaches,
The hour of attack approaches,
To your arms brave boys and load!
See the ball I hold!

Let the chemists toil like asses,
Our fire their fire surpasses,
And turns all our lead to gold.

[The gang, ranged in the front of the stage, load their pistols, and stick them under their girdles; then go off, singing the first part in chorus.

Mac. What a fool is a fond wench! Polly is most confoundedly bit. I love the sex; and a man, who loves money, might as well be contented with one guinea, as I with one woman. The town, perhaps, hath been as much obliged to me for recruiting it with free-hearted ladies, as to any recruiting officer in the army. If it were not for us and the other gentlemen of the sword, Drury-lane would be uninhabited.

AIR-Would you have a young virgin, &c.
If the heart of a man is depressed with cares,
The mist is dispelled, when a woman appears;
Like the notes of a fiddle she sweetly, sweetly
Raises the spirits, and charms our ears.
Roses and lilies her cheeks disclose,

But her ripe lips are more sweet than those;
Press her,

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Enter MRS. COAXER, DOLLY TRULL, MRS. VIXEN, BETTY DOXY, JENNY DIVER, MRS. SLAMMEKIN, SUKY TAWDRY, and MOLLY BRAZEN.

Mac. Dear Mrs. Coaxer! you are welcome; you look charmingly to-day: I hope you don't want the repairs of quality, and lay on paint?— Dolly Trull! kiss me, you slut! are you as amorous as ever, hussy? you are always so taken up with stealing hearts, that you don't allow yourself time to steal any thing else; ah, Dolly! thou wilt ever be a coquette.-Mrs. Vixen! I'm your's; I always loved a woman of wit and spirit; they make charming mistresses, but plaguy wives.Betty Doxy! come hither, hussy! do you drink as hard as ever? you had better stick to good wholesome beer; for, in troth, Betty, strong waters will in time ruin your constitution: you should leave those to your betters.—What, and my pretty Jenny Diver, too! as prim and demure as ever! there is not any prude, though ever so high bred, hath a more sanctified look, with a more mischievous heart; ah, thou art a dear, artful hypocrite!Mrs. Slammekin! as careless and genteel as ever: all you fine ladies, who know your own beauty, affect an undress.-But see!

here's Suky Tawdry come to contradict what I was saying;-Molly Brazen! [She kisses him.] that's well done! I love a free-hearted wench: thou hast a most agreeable assurance, girl, and art as willing as a turtle.But hark! I hear music: the harper is at the door. If music be the food of love, play on. Ere you seat yourselves, ladies, what think you of a dance? Come in!

Enter HARPER.

Play the French tune that Mrs. Slammekin was so fond of. [A dance, then this song and chorus.]

AIR.-Cotillon.

Youth's the season made for joys, Love is then our duty, She alone, who that employs, Well deserves her beauty. Let's be gay

While we may,

Beauty's a flower despised in decay.

CHORUS.-Youth's the season, &c.

Let us drink and sport to-day,
Ours is not to-morrow;
Love with youth flies swift away,
Age is nought but sorrow.
Dance and sing.

Time's on the wing,

Life never knows the return of spring.

CHORUS.-Let us drink, &c.

Mac. Now, pray, ladies, take your places. Here, fellow. [Pays the harper.] Bid the drawer bring us more wine. [Exit harper.] If any of the ladies chuse gin, I hope they will be so free to

call for it.

Jen. You look as if you meant me. Wine is strong enough for me. Indeed, sir, I never drink strong waters, but when I have the cholic.

Mac. Just the excuse of the fine ladies! why, a lady of quality is never without the cholic. I hope, Mrs. Coaxer, you have had good success of late in your visits among the mercers?

Coar. We have so many interlopers; yet, with industry, one may still have a little picking. If any woman hath more art than another, to be sure it is Jenny Diver.

Mac. Have done with your compliments, ladies, and drink about. You are not so fond of me, Jenny, as you used to be.

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Jen. I must, and will have a kiss, to give my wine a zest.

[They take him about the neck, and make signs to PEACHUM and constables, who rush in upon him.

Peach. I seize you, sir, as my prisoner. Mac. Was this well done, Jenny ?—Women are decoy-ducks; who can trust them? beasts, jades, jilts, harpies, furies, whores!

Peach. Your case, Mr. Macheath, is not particular. The greatest heroes have been ruined by women. But, to do them justice, I must own they are pretty sort of creatures, if we could trust them. You must now, sir, take your leave of the ladies; and, if they have a mind to make you a visit, they will be sure to find you at home. This gentleman, ladies, lodges in Newgate. Constables, wait upon the captain to his lodgings.

AIR.—When first I laid siege to my Chloris. Mac. At the tree I shall suffer with pleasure. At the tree I shall suffer with pleasure; Let me go where I will,

In all kinds of ill,

I shall find no such furies as these are. [Exit MACHEATH, guarded, with PEACHUM and constables, the ladies after with great ceremony.

SCENE II-Newgate.

Enter LocKIT, Turnkeys, MACHEATH and Constables.

Lock. Noble captain! you are welcome; you have not been a lodger of mine this year and half. You know the custom, sir: garnish, captain, garnish. Hand me down those fetters there.

Mac. Those, Mr. Lockit, seem to be the heaviest of the whole set. With your leave I should like the further pair better."

Lock. Look ye, captain, we know what is fittest for our prisoners. When a gentleman Jen. Tis not convenient, sir, to shew my fond-uses me with civility, I always do the best I can Dess among so many rivals. 'Tis your own choice, and not the warmth of my inclination, that will determine you. But to be sure, sir, with so much good fortune as you have had upon the road, you must be grown immensely rich?

Mac. The road, indeed, hath done me justice, bat the gaming-table hath been my ruin.

Jen. A man of courage should never put any thing to the risk but his life. These are the tools of a man of honour: cards and dice are

to please him. Hand them down, I say. We have them of all prices, from one guinea to ten; and 'tis fitting every gentleman should please himself.

Mac. I understand you, sir. [Gives money.] The fees here are so many and so exorbitant, that few fortunes cau bear the expence of getting off handsomely, or of dying like a gentleman.

Lock. Those I see will fit the captain better.

Take down the further pair. Do but examine them, sir. Never was better work; how genteclly they are made! They will sit as easy as a glove, and the nicest man in England need not be ashamed to wear them.-[He puts on the chains.]-If I had the best gentleman in the land in my custody, I could not equip him more handsomely. And so, sir-I now leave you to your private meditations.

[Exeunt LOCKIT, Turnkeys, and Constables.

(have but patience) you shall be my wife, in whatever manner you please.

Lucy. Insinuating monster! And so you think I know nothing of the affair of Miss Polly Peachum?-I could tear thy eyes out! Mac. Sure, Lucy, you cannot be such a fool as to be jealous of Polly?

Lucy. Are you not married to her, you brute you?

Mac. Married! Very good! the wench gives it out only to vex thee, and to ruin me in thy good opinion. 'Tis true, I go to the house; I chat with the girl; I kiss her; I say a thousand things to her (as all gentlemen do that mean nothing) to divert myself; and now the silly jade hath set it about that I am married to her, to let me know what she would be at. Indeed, The fly that sips treacle is lost in the my dear Lucy, these violent passions may be of

AIR.-Courtiers, courtiers, think it no harm.
Mac. Man may escape from rope and gun,
Nay, some have outlived the doctor's pill;
Who takes a woman must be undone,
That basilisk is sure to kill. -

sweets,

So he that tastes woman, woman, woman,
He that tastes woman, ruin meets.

ill consequence to a woman in your condition.

Lucy. Come, come, captain; for all your assurance, you know that Miss Polly hath put it out of your power to do me the justice you pro

mised me.

her passion suggests. To convince you of my Mac. A jealous woman believes every thing sincerity, if we can find the Ordinary, I shall know the consequence of having two at a have no scruples of making you my wife; and I

To what a woeful plight have I brought myself!
Here must I (all day long till I am hanged) be
confined to hear the reproaches of a wench,
who lays her ruin at my door. I am in the
custody of her father; and, to be sure, if he
knows of the matter, I shall have a fine time
of it betwixt this and my execution. But I pro-time.
mised the wench marriage. What signifies a
promise to a woman? Does not man, in mar-
riage itself, promise a hundred things that he
never means to perform? Do all we
women will believe us; for they look upon a
promise as an excuse for following their own
inclinations-But here comes Lucy—and I can-
not get from her-would I were deaf!

Enter LUCY.

cau,

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Mac. In every respect but the form; and that, my dear, may be said over us at any time. Friends should not insist upon ceremonies. From a man of honour, his word is as good as his bond.

Lucy. Tis the pleasure of all you fine men to insult the women you have ruined.

Lucy. That you are only to be hanged, and so get rid of them both.

Mac. I am ready, my dear Lucy, to give you satisfaction--if you think there is any in marriage. What can a man of honour say more?

Lucy. So, then, it seems you are not married to Miss Folly ?

Mac. You know, Lucy, the girl is prodigiously conceited: no man can say a civil thing to her, but (like other fine ladies, her vanity makes her think he's her own for ever and ever.

AIR.-The sun had loosed his weary teams.

The first time at the looking glass
The mother sets her daughter,
The image strikes the smiling lass
With self-love ever after:

Each time she looks, she, fonder grown,
Thinks every charm grows stronger,

But alas, vain maid! all cyes but your own
Can see you are not younger.

When women consider their own beauties, they
are all alike unreasonable in their demands, for
they expect their lovers should like them as long
as they like themselves.

Lucy.-Yonder is my father-Perhaps this way we may light upon the ordinary, who shall try if I long to be made an honest woman. [Exeunt. you will be as good as your word for

Enter PEACHUM and LocKIT, with an account book.

Mac. The very first opportunity, my dear, Lock. in this last affair, brother Peachum,

we are agreed. You have consented to go halves in Macheath?

Peach. We shall never fall out about an execution. But as to that article, pray how stands our last year's account?

Lock. If you will run your eye over it, you'll find 'tis fair and clearly stated.

the wrong-we shall be both losers in the dispute-for you know, we have it in our power to hang each other. You should not be so passionate.

Lock. Nor you so provoking.

Peach. 'Tis our mutual interest-'tis for the interest of the world, we should agree-If I said any thing, brother, to the prejudice of your character, I ask pardon.

Lock. Brother Peachum-I can forgive, as

Peach. This long arrear of the government, is very hard upon us. Can it be expected that we should hang our acquaintance for nothing, when our betters will hardly save theirs with-well as resent--Give me your hand: suspicion out being paid for it? Unless the people in does not become a friend. employment pay better, I promise them, for the future, I shall let other rogues live besides their own.

Lock. Perhaps, brother, they are afraid these matters may be carried too far. We are treated too by them with contempt, as if our profession were not reputable.

Peach. In one respect indeed, our employment may be reckoned dishonest, because, like great statesmen, we encourage those who betray their friends.

Lock. Such language, brother, any where else, might turn to your prejudice. Learn to be more guarded, I beg you.

AIR.-How happy are we, &c.
When you censure the age,
Be cautious and sage,
Lest the courtiers offended should be ;
If you mention vice or bribe,
'Tis so pat to all the tribe,

Each cries-That was levell'd at me. Peach. Here's poor Ned Clincher's name, I see: sure, brother Lockit, there was a little unfar proceeding in Ned's case; for he told me, in the condemned hold, that, for value received, you had promised him a session or two longer without molestation.

Lock. Mr. Peachum-this is the first time my honour was ever called in question.

Peach. I only meant to give you occasion to justify yourself. But I must now step home, for I expect the gentleman about this snuff-box, that Filch nimmed two nights ago in the Park. I appointed him at this hour.

Enter Lucy.

Lock. Whence come you, hussy?

[Erit.

Lucy. My tears might answer that question. Lock. You have been whimpering and fondabused you. ling like a spaniel, over the fellow that hath

Lucy. One can't help love; one can't cure it. 'Tis not in my power to obey you, and hate him.

Lock. Learn to bear your husband's death like a reasonable woman: 'tis not the fashion now-a-days so much as to affect sorrow upon these occasions. No woman would ever marry, if she had not the chance of mortality for a release. Act like a woman of spirit, hussy, and thank your father for what he is doing.

AIR.-Of a noble race was Shenkin.

Lucy. Is, then, his fute decreed, sir?
Such a man can I think of quitting?
When first we met so moves me yet.
Oh! see how my heart is splitting.

Lock. Look ye, Lucy-there's no saving him-so I think you must even do like other

Peach. Business is at an end-if once we act widows-buy yourself weeds, and be cheerful.

dishonourably.

Lock, Who accuses me?

Peach. You are warm, brother.

Lock. He that attacks my honour, attacks may livelihood-And this usage-Sir-is not to be borne.

Peach. Since you provoke me to speak,-I must tell you too, that Mrs. Coaxer charges you with defrauding her of her information-money, for the apprehending of Curl-pated Hugh. Indeed, indeed, brother, we must punctually pay our spies, or we shall have no information.

Lock. Is this language to me, sirrah!-who have sav'd you from the gallows, sirrah?

[Collaring each other. Peach. If I am hanged, it shall be for ridding the world of an arrant rascal.

ter

Lock. This hand shall do the office of the halyou deserve, and throttle you-you

dog!

Peach. Brother, brother!-we are both in

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