WILLDO. Do a father's part, and say, Heaven give 'em joy! OVER. Confusion and ruin! Speak, and speak quickly, Or thou art dead.

WILLDO.

OVER.

They are married.

Thou hadst better

Have made a contract with the king of fiends,
Than these:-my brain turns!

WILLDO.

Why this rage to me?

Is not this your letter, sir, and these the words?

66

'Marry her to this gentleman."

OVER.

It cannot

Nor will I e'er believe it, 'sdeath! I will not;

That I, that in all passages I touch'd

At worldly profit have not left a print

Where I have trod for the most curious search

To trace my footsteps, should be gull'd by children,
Baffl'd and fool'd, and all my hopes and labours
Defeated and made void.

WELL.

You are so, my grave uncle.

OVER.

As it appears,

Village nurses

Revenge their wrongs with curses; I'll not waste

A syllable, but thus I take the life

Which, wretched, I gave to thee.

Offers to kill Margaret. Lov. [coming forward.] Hold, for your own sake! Though charity to your daughter hath quite left you, Will you do an act, though in your hopes lost here, Can leave no hope for peace or rest hereafter? Consider; at the best you are but a man, And cannot so create your aims, but that They may be cross'd.

OVER.

Lord! thus I spit at thee,

And at thy counsel; and again desire thee,
And as thou art a soldier, if thy valour
Dares shew itself where multitude and example
Lead not the way, let's quit the house, and change
Six words in private.

Lov.

L. ALL.

I am ready.

Stay, sir,

Contest with one distracted!

WELL.

You'll grow like him,

Are you pale?

Should you answer his vain challenge.

OVER.
Borrow his help, though Hercules call it odds,
I'll stand against both as I am, hemm'd in thus.
Since, like a Libyan lion in the toil,

My fury cannot reach the coward hunters,
And only spends itself, I'll quit the place.
Alone I can do nothing; but I have servants
And friends to second me; and if I make not
This house a heap of ashes (by my wrongs,
What I have spoke I will make good!) or leave
One throat uncut,-if it be possible,

Hell, add to my afflictions!

MAR.

Is't not brave sport?

Exit.

GREEDY. Brave sport! I am sure it has ta'en away my

stomach;

I do not like the sauce.

ALL.

Though it express your pity; what's decreed

Above, we cannot alter.

L. ALL.

No scruple, madam.

MAR.

Nay, weep not, dearest,

His threats move me

Was it not a rare trick,

An it please your worship, to make the deed nothing?

I can do twenty neater, if you please

To purchase and grow rich; for I will be

Such a solicitor and steward for you,

As never worshipful had.

WELL.

I do believe thee;

15

But first discover the quaint means you us'd
To raze out the conveyance?

MAR.

They are mysteries

Not to be spoke in public: certain minerals
Incorporated in the ink and wax-

Besides, he gave me nothing, but still fed me

With hopes and blows; but that was the inducement

To this conundrum. If it please your worship

15 Crafty.

To call to memory, this mad beast once caus'd me
To urge you or to drown or hang yourself;
I'll do the like to him, if you command me.

WELL. You are a rascal! He that dares be false
To a master, though unjust, will ne'er be true
To any other. Look not for reward

Or favour from me; I will shun thy sight
As I would do a basilisk's. Thank my pity,

If thou keep thy ears; howe'er, I will take order

Your practice shall be silenc'd.

GREEDY.

If you'll have me, sir.
WELL.

I'll commit him,

His conscience be his prison. Not a word,

But instantly be gone.

ORD.

That were to little purpose;

Take this kick with you.

His looks are ghastly.

Lov. Fear not, I am your guard.

WELL.

WILLDO. Some little time I have spent, under your favours,

In physical studies, and if my judgment err not,

He's mad beyond recovery: but observe him,

And look to yourselves.

OVER.

Why, is not the whole world

Include in yourself? To what use then

Are friends and servants? Say there were a squadron
Of pikes, lin'd through with shot, when I am mounted
Upon my injuries, shall I fear to charge them?

No: I'll through the battalia, and, that routed,

Flourishing his sword sheathed.10

I'll fall to execution.-Ha! I am feeble:

Some undone widow sits upon mine arm,

And takes away the use of't; and my sword,

Glu'd to my scabbard with wrong'd orphans' tears,

Will not be drawn. Ha! what are these? Sure, hangmen,
That come to bind my hands, and then to drag me
Before the judgment-seat: now they are new shapes,
And do appear like Furies, with steel whips
To scourge my ulcerous soul. Shall I then fall
Ingloriously, and yield? No; spite of Fate,
I will be forc'd to hell like to myself.
Though you were legions of accursed spirits,
Thus would I fly among you.

[Rushes forward and flings himself on the ground.]

WELL.

Disarm him first, then bind him.

GREEDY.

And carry him to Bedlam.
Lov.

There's no help;

Take a mittimus,"

How he foams!

Carry him to some dark room,

WELL. And bites the earth!
WILLDO.

There try what art can do for his recovery.

MARG. O my dear father! They force OVERREACH off. You must be patient, mistress.

ALL.

Lov. Here is a precedent to teach wicked men,

That when they leave religion, and turn atheists,

Their own abilities leave them. Pray you take comfort,
I will endeavour you shall be his guardians

In his distractions: and for your land, Master Wellborn,
Be it good or ill in law, I'll be an umpire

Between you, and this, th' undoubted heir

Of Sir Giles Overreach. For me, here's the anchor
That I must fix on.

ALL.

My lord, I will allow of.

WELL.

What you shall determine,

'Tis the language

That I speak too; but there is something else

Beside the repossession of my land,

And payment of my debts, that I must practise.

I had a reputation, but 'twas lost

17 A writ of committal.

In my loose course; and until I redeem it
Some noble way, I am but half made up.
It is a time of action; if your lordship
Will please to confer a company upon me
In your command, I doubt not in my service

To my king and country but I shall do something
That may make me right again.

Lov.

And you lov'd for the motion.

Your suit is granted,

WELL. [coming forward.] Nothing wants then But your allowance

THE EPILOGUE

But your allowance, and in that our all
Is comprehended; it being known, nor we,
Nor he that wrote the comedy, can be free,
Without your manumission; which if you
Grant willingly, as a fair favour due

To the poet's and our labours, (as you may,
For we despair not, gentlemen, of the play,)
We jointly shall profess your grace hath might
To teach us action, and him how to write.

[Exeunt.]

FINIS