where thou hast often vented thy vows of sincerity, and thou wilt most assuredly find thine,

DORCAS ZEAL."

Hark'ee; let the lady know I'll wait on her instantly. [Exit Servant.

Miz. So, brother, I find you have an intrigue already; I suppose I sha'n't be much behind-hand with you, for I expect a billet-doux from a ten thousand pounder. Rove. Pr'ythee, who is she?

Miz. Why, she's a Quaker: an intimate acquaintance of mine has promised me his assistance in stealing her for me.

Wor. Death and hell! This is my angel!

Rove. Patience, man!

Miz. Now you must know, if we once get her upon the beach, I whip her into my boat, carry her on board, marry her, lie with her, then come ashore and demand her fortune; and after that, you know, if I don't like her, 'tis but heaving her out at the cabin window, and give out she had a calenture, and so jump'd overboard. Well, dear gentlemen, I must go and see about this business; for such a fortune is not to be neglected, especially when a peace is so [Exit.

near.

Wor. Blood and fire! What a discovery's here! Rove. Why, truly, it was a lucky one: I have a merry thought come into my head; there's a quondam friend of yours and mine, who in our sinful days was very obliging to us.

Wor. What, Jenny Private ?

Rove. The same.

Wor. Alas! poor frailty! that once fair pleasureboat begins to lower her sails, wears out in her hulk, and sinks both in her price and her credit; besides, the new reformation wind blows so high, that every weather-beaten vessel cann't live in't.

Rove. Now, for that very reason, a sudden charitable design is got into this fruitful noddle, of putting off this very creature to Mizen for a wife, a just punishment upon him for his barbarous designs upon thy Dorcas.

Wor. Nay, but, thanks to Heaven, we have discovered the villany, and I'll instantly to my Dorcas, and give her that due caution, as shall blow up his whole conspiracy; and therefore mix a little mercy with thy justice.

Rove. No; I'll not carry on the jest so cruelly as to undo the poor dog neither; a little mortify him, but not ruin him.

Wor. I'll instantly then to my dear Dorcas, and make her our confident in the business: about an hour hence I'll meet you at Daniel's, where we'll take a sneaker of Amy's punch; and afterwards spend our evening with the women: I'll send Dorcas to see Belinda, and there shall be the rendezvous.

Enter DORCAS ZEAL and ARABELLA.

[Exeunt.

Ara. Why, sister, do you ever think to secure

Worthy to yourself, with that senseless religion of yours; he'll certainly laugh at your formal hood.

Dor. Why look thee, Arabella, my religion and dress may seem strange unto thee, because thou art of the church belonging to the wicked; but I tell unto thee, Worthy loveth me so much, that I have hopes of drawing him to be one of the pure ones. 'Tis true, thou art a facetious young creature, and the education my aunt hath given thee, maketh thy thoughts run much upon the vanity of this world; and I suppose the fortune my father left thee will be thrown into the arms of one of the lewd pillars of thy steeple-house.

Ara. Look'ee, I'll have no reflections upon establishments. Liberty of conscience gives you no title to rail. I find you are resolved to persist in your whining faith; 'tis one stubborn article of your cant: but I am well assured Worthy will force you to church; if he don't, I'll part with my maidenhead without a husband.

Dor. And that thou art wild enough to do; but I pray thee, none of this vain raillery before Worthy, if thou hast any expectation of my living in sisterly love and charity with thee.

Ara. Oh, you should have snuffled that thro' the nose. In short, I'll always tease you; you that have sense and beauty, thus to deform those heavenly graces, it makes me mad. If all the kind bewitching airs, the tender looks, and compassionate words that

C

woman can invent, will draw Worthy's love from you, I'll use them, and triumph in the conquest.

Dor. Poor vain creature! thou art handsome it's true; but thou hast not the virtues of the mind to ensnare him with. But see, he comes; forbear thy follies, I say, forbear.

Enter WORTHY.

Wor. [Embraces.] This is a reward for all my labours; the fatigues of an hundred voyages are forgot whilst I am in these arms.

Dor. Be not vain, flatter not; 'tis base, 'tis mean, 'tis irreligious.

Wor. Dear charmer, I am all ecstasy.

Ara. So much of it, that, methinks you have forgot your friends, good captain.

Wor. Pardon me, madam, [Salutes her.] some of my ecstasies are due to you; for the love I have to this lady makes me admire all her relations.

Ara. Ay, wheedle her out of what she has: get her money, then use her like a wife, turn her out of doors, and compound with her for a maintenance.

Dor. Sister, to shew thee that I think it is impossible for thee to debauch the principles of my friend Worthy, I now commit myself into his hands.

Wor. Which blessing I receive with all the joy imaginable: this is a reward indeed for all my services.

Dor. Take to thyself my hand, and thus I plight it with my faith. Now, sister, your threatening

words are vain, for all your looks and sighs can never take him from me.

Ara. Ha, ha, ha! you see, Worthy, I have done the work for you, reconciled even contradiction itself, made the flesh and the spirit unite, and joined an unsanctified brother of the wicked to a sanctified sister of the godly ones.

Dor. Fie, sister, do not triumph in my weakness.

Ara. Thy weakness! no, thy shame; with all thy boasted sanctity, to own before my face a carnal inclination! Nay, and to put thy hand to pen and paper to court him to thy arms! Out on thee! I am ashamed of thee.

Dor. Nay, now thou art scurrilous! I cannot bear this, thou raisest all the blood into my cheeks. Stay thou, dear Worthy, and rebuke her for it, whilst I retire awhile to recover my confusion, and then I'll see thee again.

[Exit Dor.

Wor. Fie, Arabella; could you have the heart to treat that innocent thing so roughly? Nay, by Heavens, I'm amazed! I cannot guess the meaning of all this.

Ara. Fie, stupid Worthy, cann't you apprehend the reason why I study to make a breach betwixt my sister and yourself?

Wor. 'Tis all a mystery to me!

Ara. Spare a virgin's blushes, and let your apprehensions tell you what my trembling tongue is loth to utter.

Wor. Fine heroics, truly! I'm too well acquainted