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SCENE XIII.

ROSSETTA, LUCINDA, HAWTHORN.

Haw. Lucy, where are you?

Luc. Your pleasure, sir.

Ros. Mr. Hawthorn, your servant.

Haw. What my little water-wagtail!-The very couple I wish'd to meet: come hither both of you.

Ros. Now, Sir, what would you say to both of us? Haw. Why, let me look at you a little-have you got on your best gowns, and your best faces? If not, go and trick yourselves out directly, for I'll tell you a secret-there will be a young batchelor in the house, within these three hours, that may fall to the share of one of you, if you look sharp-but whether mis- · tress or maid

Ross. Ay, marry, this is something; but how do you know whether either mistress or maid will think him worth acceptance ?

Haw. Follow me, follow me; I warrant you.

Luc. I can assure you, Mr. Hawthorn, I am very difficult to please.

Ros. And so am I, Sir.

Haw. Indeed!

AIR.

Well come, let us hear what the swain must possess
Who may hope at your feet to implore with success?

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The youth that is form'd to my mind,
Must be gentle, obliging and kind;
Of all things in nature love me;
Have sense both to speak and to see-
Yet sometimes be silent and blind.

'Fore George a most rare matrimonial receipt;
Observe it, ye fair, in the choice of a mate;
Remember, 'tis wedlock determines your fate.

ACT III. SCENE 1.

Enter Sir

A parlour in JUSTICE WOODCOCK's house.
WILLIAM MEADOWS, followed by HAWTHORN

Sir William.

WELL, this is excellent, this is mighty good, this is mighty merry, faith; ha! ha! ha! was ever the like heard of? that my boy, Tom, should run away from me, for fear of being forced to marry a girl he never saw? that she should scamper from her father, for fear of being forced to marry him; and that they should run into one another's arms this way in disguise, by mere accident; against their consents, and without knowing it, as a body may say! May I never do an ill turn, master Hawthorn, if it is not one of the oddest adventures partly

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Haw. Why, Sir William, it is a romance; a novel; a pleasanter history by half, than the loves of Dorastus and Faunia: we shall have ballads made of it within these two months, setting forth, how a young 'squire became a serving man of low degree; and it will be stuck up with Margaret's Ghost and the Spanish Lady, against the walls of every cottage in the country.

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Sir Will. But what pleases me best of all, master Hawthorn, is the ingenuity of the girl. May I never do an ill turn, when I was called out of the room, and.

the servant said she wanted to speak to me, if I knew what to make on't: but when the little gipsey took me aside, and told me her name, and how matters stood, I was quite astonished, as a body may say; and could not believe it partly; 'till her young friend that she is with here, assured me of the truth_on't : Indeed, at last, I began to recollect her face, though I have not set eyes on her before, since she was the height of a full-grown grey-hound.

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Haw. Well, Sir William, your son as yet knows nothing of what has happened, nor of your being come hither; and, if you'll follow my counsel, we'll have some sport with him. He and his mistress were to meet in the garden this evening by appointment, she's gone to dress herself in all her airs; will you let me direct your proceedings in this affair?

38 Sir Will. With all my heart, master Hawthorn, with all my heart, do what you will with me, say what you please for me; I am so overjoyed, and so happy-And may I never do an ill turn, but I am very glad to see you too; ay, and partly as much pleased at that as any thing else, for we have been merry together before now, when we were some years younger: well, and how has the world gone with you, master Hawthorn, since we saw one another last? eft bono

Haw. Why, pretty well, Sir William, I have no reason to complain :' every one has a mixture of sour with his sweets: but, in the main, I believe, I have done in a degree as tolerably as my neighbours.: 51

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The world is a well furnish'd table,
Where guests are promisciously set;:
We all fare as well as were able,
And scramble for what we can get,
My simile holds to a tittle, .

Some gorge, while some scarce have a taste ; § But if I'm content with a little,

Enough is as good as a feast.

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Ros. Sir William, I beg pardon for detaining you, but I have had so much difficulty in adjusting my borrowed plumes.-

Sir Will. May I never do an ill turn but they fit you to a T, and you look very well, so you do: Cocksbones, how your father will chuckle when he comes to hear this! Her father, master Hawthorn, is as worthy a man as lives by bread, and has been almost out of his senses for the loss of her-But tell me, hussy, has not, this been all a scheme, a piece of conjuration between you and my son? Faith, I am half persuaded it has, it looks so like hocus-pocus as a body - may say, c

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