Whofe tafte has deftroy'd all your paffions,
Pray what do you think of my wooing?
You call it damn'd low,

Your heads and arms fo,

So liftlefs, fo loofe, and fo lazy;

But pray what can you

That I cannot do?

O fie, my dear craters be azy.

(mimicks them.)

Ye Patriots and Courtiers fo hearty,
To speech it and vote for your party;
For once be both conftant and steady,
And vote to support Widow Brady.
IV.

To all that I fee here before me,

The bottom, the top, and the middle;
For mufic we now muft implore you,
No wedding without pipe and fiddle.
If all are in tune,
Pray let it be foon;

My heart in my bofom is prancing!
If your hands fhould unite,
To give us delight,

O that's the best piping and dancing!
Your plaudits to me are a treafure,
Your fmiles are a dow'r for a lady;
O joy to you all in full measure,
So wishes and prays Widow Brady.

SCENE, A country Juftice's Hall, adorn'd with Scutcheons

and Stags Horns.

Enter Steward, Squire, Kitty, Dock, and others, in country habits.

Stew. SO you are ready in your parts, and in your drefs too, I fee; your own beft clothes do the bufi

nefs. Sure never was play and actors fo fuited. Come,

range

range yourselves before me; women on the right, and men on the left. Squire Thomas, you make a good fi(The actors range themselves, Sq. Tho. Ay, thanks to Barnaby's Sunday's clothes; but call me Thomas Filbert, as I am in the play.

gure.

Stew. Chear up, daughter, and make Kitty Carrot the fhining part: Squire Thomas is to be in love with you to-night, girl.

Kit. Ay, I have felt Squire Thomas's love to my coft. I have little stomach to play, in the condition he hath put me into. (Afide. Stew. Jonas Dock, doft thou remember thy name? Dock. My name? Jo Jo Jonas. No-that was the name my godfathers gave me. My play name is Timothy Pea Pea- Peafcod: ay, Peafcod-and am to be shot for a defertèr.

Stew. And you, Dolly?

Dol. An't please ye, I am Dorcas, Peafcod's fifterand am to be with child, as it were.

ift Country-m. And I am to take her up, as it wereI am the constable.

2d Country-m. And I am to see Tim fhot, as it were -I am the corporal.

Stew. But what is become of our ferjeant?

Dor. Why Peter Nettle, Peter, Peter!

Enter Nettle.

Net. These ftockings of Sufan's coft a woundy deal of pains the pulling on: But what's a ferjeant without red ftockings?

Dock. I'll drefs thee, Peter, I'll drefs thee. Here, ftand still, I must twist thy neckcloth; I would make thee hold up thy head, and have a ruddy complexion : But prithee don't look black in the face, mañ, (twisting his neckcloth.) thou muft look fierce and dreadful, (making whiskers with a burnt cork.) But what fhall we do for a grenadier's cap?

Stea. Fetch the leathern bucket that hangs in the belfry; that is curiously painted before, and will make a figure.

Net. No, no, I have what's worth twenty on't; the Pope's mitre, that my mafter Sir Roger feiz'd, when they would have burn't him at our market-town.

Stew. So, now let every body withdraw, and prepare to begin the play. [Exeunt actors. My daughter debauched! and by that booby Squire ! Well, perhaps the conduct of this play may retrieve her folly, and preferve her reputation. Poor girl! I cannot forget thy tears.

Enter Sir Roger.

Sir Rog. Lookye, Steward, don't tell me you can't bring them in. I will have a ghoft; nay, I will have a competence of ghofts. What, fhall our neighbours think we are not able to make a ghoft? A play without a ghost is like, is like—i'gad it is like nothing.

Stew. Sir, be fatisfied; you fhall have ghofts.

Sir Rog. And is the play as I order'd it, both a tragedy and a comedy? I would have it a pastoral too : and if you could make it a farce, fo much the better

And what if you crown'd all with a fpice of your opera? You know my neighbours never faw a play before; and, d'ye fee, I would fhow them all forts of plays under

one.

Stew. Sir Roger, it is contrived for that very purpose. Enter two Juftices.

Sir Rog. Neighbours, you are welcome. Is not this Steward of mine a pure ingenious fellow now, to make such a play for us these Christmas holidays?

[Exit Steward bowing. A rare headpiece! He has it here i'faith. (pointing to his own head.) But indeed I gave him the hint-To fee now what contrivance fome folks have! We have fo fitted the parts to my tenants, that ev'ry man talks in his own way !. -And then we have made just three Juftices in the play, to be play'd by us three juftices of the quorum.

ift Juft. Zooks!-fo it is;main ingenious. And can we fit and fmoke at the fame time we act?

Sir Rog. Ay, ay-we have but three or four words to fay, and may drink and be good company in peace and filence all the while after.

2d Juft. But how shall we know when we are to say these fame words?

Sir Rog. This fhall be the fignal

-When I fet

down the tankard, then fpeak you Sir Humphry,

VOL. V.

D

and,