your cruelty fend me the fame road your villanies forced your father to take. Enter Mrs: MECHLIN.. Mrs. Mech. Hey-day! What the deuce have we here; our old lady in tears! Mrs. Lov. Difappointed a little ; that's all. Mrs. Mech. Pray, ma'am, what can occafion Mrs. Lov. Lord blefs me, Mrs. Mechlin, what a blunder you have made. Mrs. Mech. A blunder! as how? Mrs. Lov. Do you know who you have brought me? Mrs. Mech. Not perfectly. Mrs. Lov. My own fon! that's all. Mrs. Mech. Your fon! Mrs. Lov. Ay, that rebellious, unnaturalMrs. Mech. Blunder indeed! But who could have thought it: why by your account, ma'am, I imagined your fon was a child fcarce out of his frocks. Mrs. Lov. Here's company coming, fo my reputation will be blafted for ever. me. Mrs. Mech. Never fear, leave the care on't to Enter FUNGUS and DOLLY. Fun. What is the matter: you make fuch a noife, there is no fuch thing as minding the writings. Mrs. Mech. This worthy lady an old friend of mine, not having fet eyes on her fon fince the death of his father; and being apprised by me, that here fhe might meet with him, came with a true true maternal affection to give him a little wholfome advice. Mrs. Lov. Well faid, Mrs. Mechlin. Mrs. Mech. Which the young man returned in a way fo brutal and barbarous, that his poor mother-be comforted, ma'am; you had better repofe on my bed. Mrs. Lov. Any where to get out of his fight. Mrs. Mech. Here, Jenny. Mrs. Lov. Do you think you can procure me another party. Mrs. Mech. Never doubt it. Mrs. Lov. Ugh, ugh [Exit coughing. [Exit. Mrs. Mech. Bear up a little, maʼam. Fun. Fye upon you, you have thrown the old gentlewoman into the fteric's. r. Lov. Sir! Fun. You a man! you are a scandal, a fhame. to your fect. Enter Dr. CATGUT. Dr. Cat. Come, come, Mrs. Mechlin, are the couple prepared; the fiddles are tuned, the bows ready rofined, and the whole band-Oh, you, fir, are one party I reckon, but where is the-Ah, Dolly, what are you here, my dear. Dolly. Soh! Fun. Dolly! Who the devil can this be? Dr. Cat. Ás nice and as fpruce too, the bridemaid I warrant: why you look as blooming, you flut. Fun. What can this be? hark ye, fir! Dr. Cat. Well, fir. Fun. Don't you think you are rather too familiar with a lady of her rank and condition ? Dr. Cat. Rank and condition: what, Dolly? Fun. Fun. Dolly; what a plague poffeffes the man; this is no Dolly, I tell you. Dr. Cat. No! Fun. No this is lady Scachariffa Mackirkincroft. Dr. Cat. Who? Fun. Defcended from the old, old, old earl of Glendowery. Dr. Cat. What fhe, Dolly Mechlin ? Fun. Dolly Devil, the man's out of his wits, I believe. Enter Mrs. MECHLIN. Oh, Mrs. Mechlin, will you fet this matter to rights ? Mrs. Mech How, Dr. Catgut! Fun. The ftrangeft fellow here has danced up ftairs, and has Dolly, Dolly, Dolly'd my lady; who the plague can he be? Dr. Cat. Oh, a-propos, Molly Mechlin, what is this the man that is to be married? the marriage will never hold good; why he is more frantic and madder Fun. Mad! John, fetch me the foils; I'll carte and tierce you, you scoundrel. Enter ISAAC FUNGUS and JENNY. I. Fun. Where's brother, it an't over; you be'n't married, I hope. Z. Fun. No, I believe not; why, what is the I. Fun. Pretty hands you are got into! Your fervant, good madam; what this is the perfon, I warrant; ay how pretty the puppet is painted; do you know who fhe is? Z. Fun. Who fhe is? without doubt. I. Fun. I. Fun. No, you don't, brother Zac. only the fpawn of that devil incarnate, dreffed out asZ. Fun. But hark ye, Ifaac, are-don't be in a hurry-are you fure I. Fun. Sure-the girl of the house, abhorring their fcandalous project, has freely confeffed the whole fcheme. Jenny, ftand forth, and answer boldly to what I fhall afk: Is not this wench the woman's niece of the houfe? Jen. I fancy fhe will hardly deny it. I. Fun. And is not this mistress of yours a most profligate Mrs. Mech. Come, come, Mafter Ifaac, I will fave you the trouble, and cut this matter fhort in an inftant:-well then, this girl, this Dolly, is my niece; and what then? Z. Fun. And ar'n't you ashamed? Y. Lov. She ashamed! I would have told you, but I could not get you to liften; why fhe brought me here to marry my mother. Z. Fun. Marry your mother! Lord have mercy on us, what a monfter! to draw a young man in to be guilty of incenfe. Ifaac. But hark ye, brother They retire. Dr. Cat. Gads my life, what a fweet project I have helped to deftroy; but come, Dolly, I'll piece thy broken fortunes again; thou haft a good pretty voice, I'll teach thee a thrill and a fhake, perch thee amongst the boughs at one of the gardens and then as a mistress, which, as the world goes, is a much better station than that of a wife, not the proudeft of them all Mrs. Mech. Miftrefs! No, no, we have not managed our matters fo badly. Hark ye, Mr. Commiffary. Z. Fun. Well, what do you want? Mrs. Mrs. Mech. Do you propose to confummate your nuptials? Z. Fun. That's a pretty question, indeed. Mrs. Mech. You have no objection then to paying the penalty, the contract here that Mr. Harpy has drawn. Z. Fun. The contract, hey, brother Ifaac. I. Fun. Let me fee it. Mrs. Mech. Soft you there, my maker of candles, it is as well where it is; but you need not doubt of its goodness: I promife you the beft advice has been taken. Z. Fun. What a damned fiend, what a harpy! Mrs. Mech. And why fo, my good mafter Fungus; is it because I have practifed that trade by retail which you have carried on in the gross? What injury do I do the world? I feed on their follies, 'tis true; and the game, the plunder, is fair; but the fangs of you and your tribe, A whole people have felt, and for ages will feel: [Exeunt omnes. FINI S. |