Shou"d I obey this Tyrant--then too she dies.
Yes, Sir--You may be cruel--take the Law, And kill me quickly, "twill become your Justice. [_Weeps_.
_Lord_. Was I call"d back for this? Yes, I shall take it, Sir; do not fear.
[_Offers to go_.
_Bel_. Yet, stay, Sir--Have you lost all Humanity?
Have you no Sense of Honour, nor of Horrors?
_Lord_. Away with him--go, be gone.
_Bel_. Stay, Sir. Oh, G.o.d! what is"t you"d have me do?
--Here--I resign my self unto your Will-- But, Oh _Celinda_! what will become of thee? [_Weeps_.
--Yes, I will marry--and _Diana_ too.
_Lord_. "Tis well you will; had I not been good-natur"d now, You had been undone, and miss"d _Diana_ too.
_Bel_. But must I marry--needs marry, Sir?
Or lose my Fortune, and my Liberty, Whilst all my Vows are given to another?
_Lord_. By all means, Sir--
_Bel_. If I must marry any but _Celinda_, I shall not, Sir, enjoy one moment"s Bliss: I shall be quite unman"d, cruel and brutal; A Beast, unsafe for Woman to converse with.
Besides, Sir, I have given my Heart and Faith, And my second Marriage is Adultery.
_Lord_. Heart and Faith, I am glad "tis no worse; if the Ceremony of the Church has not past, "tis well enough.
_Bel_. All, Sir, that Heaven and Love requires, is past.
_Lord_. Thou art a Fool, _Frank_, come--dry thy Eyes. And receive _Diana_--_Trusty_, call in my Niece.
_Bel_. Yet, Sir, relent, be kind, and save my Soul.
[_Ex_. Trusty.
_Lord_. No more--by Heaven, if you resist my Will, I"ll make a strange Example of thee, and of that Woman, whoe"er she be, that drew you to this Folly. Faith and Vows, quoth ye!
_Bel_. Then I obey.
_Enter_ Trusty _and_ Diana.
_Lord_. Look ye here, _Frank_; Is this a Lady to be dislik"d? Come hither, _Frank--Trusty_, haste for Dr. _Tickletext_, my Chaplain"s not in Town; I"ll have them instantly married--Come hither, _Diana_--will you marry your Cousin, _Frank Bellmour_?
_Dia_. Yes, if it be your pleasure; Heaven cou"d not let fall a greater Blessing. [_Aside_.
_Lord_. And you, _Frank_, will you marry my Niece _Diana_?
_Bel_. Since you will have it so.
_Lord_. Come, follow me then, and you shall be both pleas"d.
_Bel_. Oh my _Celinda_!--
_To preserve thee, what is"t I wou"d not do?
Forfeit my Heaven, nay more, I forfeit you_.
[_Exit_.
SCENE V. _The Street_.
_Enter Sir_ Timothy Tawdrey, Sham _and_ Sharp.
Sir _Tim_. Now, _Sham_, art not thou a d.a.m.n"d lying Rogue, to make me saunter up and down the _Mall_ all this Morning, after a Woman that thou know"st in thy Conscience was not likely to be there?
_Sham_. Why, Sir--if her Maid will be a jilting Wh.o.r.e, how can I help it?--_Sharp_, thou know"st we presented her handsomly, and she protested she"d do"t.
_Sharp_. Ay, ay, Sir: But the Devil a Maid we saw. [_Aside_.
_Sham_. Sir, it may be Things have so fallen out, that she could not possibly come.
Sir _Tim_. Things! a Pox of your Tricks--Well, I see there"s no trusting a poor Devil--Well, what Device will your Rogueship find out to cheat me next?
_Sham_. Prithee help me out at a dead lift, _Sharp_. [_Aside_.
_Sharp_. Cheat you, Sir!--if I ben"t reveng"d on this She-Counsellor of the Patching and Painting, this Letter-in of Midnight Lovers, this Receiver of Bribes for stol"n Pleasures; may I be condemn"d never to make love to any thing of higher Quality.
Sir _Tim_. Nay, nay, no threatning, _Sharp_; it may be she"s innocent yet--Give her t"other Bribe, and try what that will do.
[_Gives him Money_.
_Sham_. No, Sir, I"ll have no more to do with frail Woman, in this Case; I have a surer way to do your Business.
_Enter_ Page _with a Letter_.
Sir _Tim_. Is not that _Bellmour"s_ Page?
_Sharp_. It is, Sir.
Sir _Tim_. By Fortune, the Rogue"s looking for me; he has a Challenge in his hand too.
_Sham_. No matter, Sir, huff it out.
Sir _Tim_. Prithee do thee huff him, thou know"st the way on"t.
_Sham_. What"s your Bus"ness with Sir _Timothy_, Sir?
_Page_. Mine, Sir, I don"t know the Gentleman; pray which is he?