sters of thy breed, that I shall bring none of them I

am sure.

Col. I am likely to have a pretty task by that time I have gone thro' them all; but she's a city worth taking, and 'egad I'll carry on the siege: if I can but blow up the out-works, I fancy I am pretty secure of the town. [Aside.

Enter Servant.

Serv. Toby Periwinkle and Thomas Tradelove demand to see thee. [To Sir Philip.

Sir Phil. Bid them come up.

Mrs. Lov. Deliver me from such an inundation of noise and nonsense. Oh, Fainwell! whatever thy contrivance be, prosper it Heaven;-but oh! I fear thou never canst redeem me.

Sir Phil. Sic transit gloria mundi.

Enter Mr. PERIWINKLE and TRADELOVE.

These are my brother guardians, Mr. Fainwell, pr'ythee observe the creatures.

[Aside to Col. Trade. Well, Sir Philip, I obey your summons. Per. Pray, what have you to offer for the good of Mrs. Lovely, Sir Philip?

Sir Phil. First, I desire to know what you intend to do with that lady? Must she be sent to the Indies for a venture or live an old maid, and then be enter'd amongst your curiosities, and shewn for a monster, Mr. Periwinkle ?

Col. Humph, curiosities; that must be the virtuoso.

[Aside.

Per. Why, what wou'd you do with her? Sir Phil. I would recommend this gentleman to her for a husband, sir-a person, whom I have pick'd out from the whole race of mankind.

Ob. Pr. I would advise thee to shuffle him again with the rest of mankind, for I like him not.

Col. Pray, sir, without offence to your formality, what may be your objections?

Ob. Pr. Thy person; thy manners; thy dress; thy acquaintance; thy every thing, friend. Sir Phil. You are most particularly obliging, friend, ha, ha!

Trade. What business do you follow, pray, sir? Col. Humph, by that question he must be the broker. [Aside.]-Business, sir! the business of a gentleman.

Trade. That is as much as to say, you dress fine, feed high, lie with every woman you like, and pay your surgeon's bills better than your taylor's, or your butcher's,

Col. The court is much obliged to you, sir, for your character of a gentleman.

Trade. The court, sir! What would the court do without us citizens?

Sir Phil. Without your wives and daughters, you mean, Mr. Tradelove.

Per. Have you ever travell'd, sir?

Col. That question must not be answered nowIn books I have, sir.

Per. In books! That's fine travelling indeed!

Sir Philip, when you present a person I like, he shall have my consent to marry Mrs. Lovely; till then, your servant. [Exit. Col. I'll make you like me before I have done with you, or I am mistaken. [Aside. Trade. And when you can convince me that a beau is more useful to my country than a merchant, you shall have mine; 'till then, you must excuse me.

[Exit. [Aside.

Col. So much for trade-I'll fit you too. Sir Phil. In my opinion, this is very inhuman treatment, as to the lady, Mr. Prim.

Ob. Pr. Thy opinion and mine happens to differ as much as our occupations, friend; business requireth my presence, and folly thine; and so I must bid thee farewell. [Exit. Sir Phil. Here's breeding for you, Mr. Fainwell! Gad take me,

Half my estate I'd give to see 'em bit.

Col. I hope to bite you all, if my plot hit. [Exeunt.

ACT III. SCENE I.

The Tavern. SACKBUT and the Colonel in an Egyptian

Dress.

Sackbut.

A LUCKY beginning, colonel,

old beau's consent.

-you have got the

Col. Ay, he's a reasonable creature; but the other three will require some pains.-Shall I pass upon him, think you? 'Egad, in my mind, I look as antique as if I had been preserved in the Ark.

Sack. Pass upon him! ay, ay, as roundly as white wine dash'd with sack does for mountain and sherry, if you have assurance enough

Col. I have no apprehension from that quarter; assurance is the cockade of a soldier.

Sack. Ay, but the assurance of a soldier differs much from that of a traveller.-Can you lye with a good grace?

Col. As heartily, when my mistress is the prize, as I would meet the foe when my country call'd, and king commanded; so don't you fear that part; if he don't know me again, I am safe.—I hope he'll come.

Sack. I wish all my debts would come as sure. I told him you had been a great traveller, had many valuable curiosities, and was a person of a most singular taste; he seem'd transported, and begg'd me to keep you till he came.

1

Col. Ay, ay, he need not fear my running away.Let's have a bottle of sack, landlord; our ancestors drank sack.

Sack. You shall have it.

Col. And whereabouts is the trap-door you mentioned ?

Sack. There's the conveyance, sir.

[Exit. Col. Now, if I should cheat all these roguish guar.. dians, and carry off my mistress in triumph, it would be what the French call a grand coup d'eclat-Odso! here comes Periwinkle. Ah! Deuce take this

beard; pray Jupiter it does not give me the slip, and spoil all.

Enter SACKBUT with Wine, and PERIWINKLE following.

Sack. Sir, this gentleman hearing you have been a great traveller, and a person of fine speculation, begs leave to take a glass with you; he is a man of a curious taste himself.

Col. The gentleman has it in his face and garb; sir, you are welcome.

Per. Sir, I honour a traveller, and men of your enquiring disposition; the oddness of your habit pleases me extremely; 'tis very antique, and for that I like it.

Col. 'Tis very antique, sir;-this habit once be longed to the famous Claudius Ptolemeus, who lived in the year one hundred and thirty-five.

Sack. If he keeps up to the sample, he shall lye