Sir _Feeb_. Ah--
_Let_. and _Phil_. [_squeak_]--Oh, Heavens!
--why, is it _Bellmour_? [_Aside to_ Phil.
_Bel_. Go not to Bed, I guard this sacred Place, And the Adulterer dies that enters here.
Sir _Feeb_. Oh--why do I shake?--sure I"m a Man, what art thou?
_Bel_. I am the wrong"d, the lost and murder"d _Bellmour_.
Sir _Feeb_. O Lord! it is the same I saw last night--Oh!--hold thy dread Vengeance--pity me, and hear me--Oh! a Parson--a Parson--what shall I do--Oh! where shall I hide my self?
_Bel_. I"th" utmost Borders of the Earth I"ll find thee-- Seas shall not hide thee, nor vast Mountains guard thee: Even in the depth of h.e.l.l I"ll find thee out, And lash thy filthy and adulterous Soul.
Sir _Feeb_. Oh! I am dead, I"m dead; will no Repentence save me? "twas that young Eye that tempted me to sin; Oh!--
_Bel_. See, fair Seducer, what thou"st made me do; Look on this bleeding Wound, it reach"d my Heart, To pluck my dear tormenting Image thence, When News arriv"d that thou hadst broke thy Vow.
Sir _Feeb_. Oh Lord! oh! I"m glad he"s dead though.
_Let_. Oh, hide that fatal Wound, my tender Heart faints with a Sight so horrid! [_Seems to Weep_.
Sir _Feeb_. So, she"ll clear her self, and leave me in the Devil"s Clutches.
_Bel_. You"ve both offended Heaven, and must repent or die.
Sir _Feeb_. Ah,--I do confess I was an old Fool,--bewitcht with Beauty, besotted with Love, and do repent most heartily.
_Bel_. No, you had rather yet go on in Sin: Thou wou"dst live on, and be a baffled Cuckold.
Sir _Feeb_. Oh, not for the World, Sir! I am convinc"d and mortifi"d.
_Bel_. Maintain her fine, undo thy Peace to please her, and still be Cuckol"d on,--believe her,--trust her, and be Cuckol"d still.
Sir _Feeb_. I see my Folly--and my Age"s Dotage--and find the Devil was in me--yet spare my Age--ah! spare me to repent.
_Bel_. If thou repent"st, renounce her, fly her sight;-- Shun her bewitching Charms, as thou wou"dst h.e.l.l, Those dark eternal Mansions of the dead-- Whither I must descend.
Sir _Feeb_. Oh--wou"d he were gone!--
_Bel_. Fly--be gone--depart, vanish for ever from her to some more safe and innocent Apartment.
Sir _Feeb_. Oh, that"s very hard!--
[_He goes back trembling_, Bellmour _follows in with his Dagger up; both go out_.
_Let_. Blest be this kind Release, and yet methinks it grieves me to consider how the poor old Man is frighted.
[Bellmour _re-enters, puts on his Coat_.
_Bel_.--He"s gone, and lock"d himself into his Chamber-- And now, my dear _Leticia_, let us fly--
_Despair till now did my wild Heart invade, But pitying Love has the rough Storm allay"d_.
[_Exeunt_.
SCENE III. _Sir_ Cautious _his Garden_.
_Enter two Porters and_ Rag, _bearing_ Gayman _in a Chest; set it down, he comes forth with a Dark-lanthorn_.
_Gay_. Set down the Chest behind yon hedge of Roses--and then put on those Shapes I have appointed you--and be sure you well-favour"dly bang both _Bearjest_ and _Noisey_, since they have a mind to see the Devil.
_Rag_. Oh, Sir, leave "em to us for that; and if we do not play the Devil with "em, we deserve they shou"d beat us. But, Sir, we are in Sir _Cautious_ his Garden, will he not sue us for a Trespa.s.s?
_Gay_. I"ll bear you out; be ready at my Call.
[_Exeunt_.
--Let me see--I have got no ready stuff to banter with--but no matter, any Gibberish will serve the Fools--"tis now about the hour of Ten--but Twelve is my appointed lucky Minute, when all the Blessings that my Soul could wish, shall be resign"d to me.
_Enter_ Bredwel.
--Hah! who"s there? _Bredwel_?
_Bred_. Oh, are you come, Sir--and can you be so kind to a poor Youth, to favour his Designs, and bless his Days?
_Gay_. Yes, I am ready here with all my Devils, both to secure you your Mistress, and to cudgel your Captain and Squire, for abusing me behind my Back so basely.
_Bred_. "Twas most unmanly, Sir, and they deserve it--I wonder that they come not.
_Gay_. How durst you trust her with him?
_Bred_. Because "tis dangerous to steal a City-Heiress, and let the Theft be his--so the dear Maid be mine--Hark--sure they come--
_Enter_ Bearjest, _runs against_ Bredwel.
--Who"s there? Mr. _Bearjest_?
_Bea_. Who"s that? _Ned_? Well, I have brought my Mistress, hast thou got a Parson ready, and a License?
_Bred_. Ay, ay, but where"s the Lady?
_Bea_. In the Coach, with the Captain at the Gate. I came before, to see if the Coast be clear.
_Bred_. Ay, Sir; but what shall we do? here"s Mr. _Gayman_ come on purpose to shew you the Devil, as you desir"d.
_Bea_. Sho! a Pox of the Devil, Man--I can"t attend to speak with him now.