Enter Peter with the Pedigree. There it is; there; Peter, help me to ftretch it out: there's feven yards more of lineals, befides three of collaterals, that I expect next Monday from the herald's office; d'ye fee, Mr Sprightly? Spri. Prodigious! Cad. Nay; but looky', there's Welsh princes and ambaffadors, and kings of Scotland, and members of parliament: Hold, hold, ecod, I no more mind an earl or a lord in my pedigree, hold, hold, than Kuli Khan wou'd a fergeant in the train'd bands. Spri. An amazing defcent! Cad. Hey! is it not? And for this low, loufy, fon of a fhoemaker, to talk of families-hold, hold, get out of my house. Rob. Now is your time, Sir. Cad. Mr Sprightly, turn him out. Gov. Stop, Sir, I have a fecret to disclose, that may make you alter your intentions. Cad. Hold, hold: how, Mr Interpreter? Gov. You are now to regard that young man in a very different light, and confider him as my fon. Cape. Your fon, Sir! Gov. In a moment, George, the mystery shall be explain'd. Cad. Your fon! Hold, hold; and what then? Gov. Then! Why then he is no longer the fcribbler, the mushroom you have described; but of birth and fortune equal to your own. Cad. What! the fon of an interpreter equal to me. A fellow that trudges about, teaching of languages to foreign counts! Gov. A teacher of languages! Cad. Stay; ecod, a runner to Monfieurs and Marquiffes! Spri. You are mistaken, Sir. Cad. A jack-pudding! that takes fillips on the nofe for fixpence a-piece! Hold, hold, ecod, give me eighteenpennyworth, and change for half-a-crown. Gov. Stop when you are well. Cad. A fpunger at other mens tables! that has jal X 2 lop lop put into his beer, and his face black'd at Christmas for the diverfion of children. Gov. I can hold no longer. 'Sdeath, Sir, who is it you dare treat in this manner? Cad. Hey! Zounds, Mr Sprightly, lay hold of him. Spri. Calm your choler. Indeed, Mr Cadwallader, 'nothing cou'd excufe your behaviour to this gentleman but your mistaking his perfon. Cad. Hold, hold. Is not he interpreter to- Cad. Why did not you tell. Spri. That was a mistake. This gentleman is the prince's friend; and by long refidence in the monarch's country, is perfect mafter of the language. Cad. But who the devil is he then? Spri. He is Mr Cape, Sir; a man of unblemish'd honour, capital fortune, and late governor of one of our moft confiderable fettlements. Cad. Governor! Hold, hold, and how came you father to hey! Gov. By marrying his mother. Cape. But how am I to regard this? Gov. As a folemn truth; that foreign friend, to whom you owe your education, was no other than myfelf: I had my reafons, perhaps capricious ones, for concealing this; but now they ceafe, and I am proud to own my fon. Cape. Sir; it is not for me (kneeling), but if gratitude, duty, filial Gov. Rife, my boy. I have ventured far to fix thy fortune, George; but to find thee worthy of it, more than o'erpays my toil; the reft of my ftory fhall be referv'd till we are alone. Cad. Hey! Hold, hold, hold; ecod, a good fenfible old fellow this; but harky', Sprightly, I have made a damn'd blunder here: Hold, hold, Mr Governor, I ask ten thousand pardons; but who the devil cou'd have thought that the interpreter to prince Potowowsky— Gov. Oh, Sir, you have in your power fufficient means to atone for the injuries done us both. Gov. By beftowing your fifter with, I flatter myself, no great violence to her inclinations, here. Cad. What, marry Bell! Hey! Hold, hold; zounds, Bell, take him, do; 'ecod, he's a good likely-hey! Will you? Arab. I fhan't difobey you, Sir. Cad. Shan't you? That's right. Who the devil knows but he may come to be a governor himself; hey! Hold, hold; come here then, give me your hands both; (joins their hands.) There, there, the business is done. And now, brother governor Gov. And now brother Cadwallader. Cad. Hey! Beck, here's fomething now for my pedigree; we'll pop in the Governor to-morrow. Mrs Cad. Hark'y, Mr Governor, can you give me a black boy and a monkey? Cad. Hey! ay, ay, you fhall have a black boy, and a monkey, and a parrot too, Beck. Spri. Dear George, I am a little late in my congra tulation; but Gov. Which if he is in acknowledging your difinterefted friendship, I fhall be forry I ever own'd him. Now, Robin, my cares are over, and my wifhes full; and if George remains as untainted by affluence as he has been untempted by diftrefs, I have given the poor a protector, his country an advocate, and the world a friend. [Exeunt omnes 246 EPILOGU E. Written by a LADY. Spoken by Mrs CLIVE. WELL-thank my fears, that I have done my task; And now throw off this aukward, idiot mask. Cou'd we fuppofe this circle, fo refin'd, Who feek thofe pleasures that improve the mind, Who come to plays, to fee, and to be seen; Not to hear things that fbock, or give the spleen; "Laft Tuesday night-There wa'n't a creature there; to C. "Ma'am, when foe's quite in voice, fhe'll go To me, I vow, "Ob "Does not this creature come from Pudding-Lane? "Look, look, my lord! She goggles! Ha, ha."-" Pray, be quiet; "Dear lady Bell, for fhame! You'll make a riot." Why, will they mix with us to make this rout? Bring in a bill, my lord, to keep 'em out." "We'll have a tafte act, faith!"—my lord replied; Struck by the great, then anfwer'd by the small; } Nay, you'll forgive, tho't knocks your neighbour down. THE "T" " 4 SCENE, Sherwood Foreft. Enter feveral COURTIERS as loft. IS horrid dark! and this wood, I believe, has Cour. You mean, to get out at; for we have found one in, you fee. 2 Cour. I with our good king Harry had kept nearer home to hunt: In my mind, the pretty tame deer in ⚫ London make much better sport than the wild ones in Sherwood forest. |