SCENE II.

Wind borns. Enter a Lord from hunting, with a Train.

Lord. Huntsman, I charge thee, tender well my hounds,

Brach, Merriman, the poor cur is imboft; s
And couple Clowder with the deep-mouth'd Brach.
Saw'st thou not, boy, how Silver made it good
At the hedge-corner in the coldest fault?
I would not lose the dog for twenty pound.

Hun. Why, Belman is as good as he, my Lord; He cried upon it at the meerest loss,

And twice to day pick'd out the dulleft fcent:
Truft me, I take him for the better dog.

Lord. Thou art a fool; if Eccho were as feet,

I would efteem him worth a dozen fuch.

But fup them well, and look unto them all,
To morrow I intend to hunt again.

Hun. I will, my Lord.

Lord. What's here? one dead, or drunk? fee, doth

he breathe?

2 Hun. He breathes, my Lord.

warm'd with ale,

Were he not

This were a bed but cold, to fleep fo foundly.

Lord. O monftrous beaft! how like a fwine he lies! -Grim death, how foul and loathfome is thy image!-Sirs, I will practise on this drunken man.

What think you, if he were convey'd to bed, Wrapt in sweet cloaths; rings put upon his fingers; A moft delicious banquet by his bed,

And brave attendants near him, when he wakes;
Would not the beggar then forget himself?

1 Hun. Believe me, Lord, I think he cannot chufe. 2 Hun. It would feem ftrange unto him, when he wak'd.

Lord. Even as a flatt'ring dream, or worthless fancy.
Then take him up, and manage well the jeft:
Carry him gently to my faireft chamber,

And hang it round with all my wanton pictures;
Balm his foul head with warm diftilled waters,
And burn fweet wood to make the lodging fweet.
Procure me mufick ready, when he wakes,
To make a dulcet and a heav'nly found;
And if he chance to fpeak, be ready ftraight,
And with a low fubmiflive reverence

Say, what is it your Honour will command?
Let one attend him with a filver bafon

Full of rofe water, and beft rew'd with flowers;
Another bear the ewer; a third a diaper;

And fay, will't pleafe your lordship cool your hands?
Some one be ready with a costly suit,

And ask him what apparel he will wear;
Another tell him of his hounds and horfe,
And that his Lady mourns at his disease;
Perfuade him, that he hath been lunatick.
And when he fays he is,fay, that he dreams;
For he is nothing but a mighty lord:
This do, and do it kindly, gentle Sirs:
It will be paftime paffing excellent,

If it be husbanded with modefty.

1 Hun. My Lord, I warrant you, we'll play our

part,

As he fhall think, by our true diligence,

He is no less than what we fay he is.

Lord. Take him up gently, and to bed with him ;

6 modefty. By modefty is meant moderation, without fuffering our merriment to break into any excess.

And

And each one to his Office, when he wakes.

[Some bear out Sly. Sound Trumpets.

Sirrah, go see what trumpet is that founds.

Belike, fome noble gentleman that means, [Ex. Servant. Travelling fome journey, to repofe him here.

How now? who is it?

Ser. An't please your Honour, Players That offer Service to your lordship.

Lord. Bid them come near :

Enter Players.

Now, Fellows, you are welcome.
Play. We thank your Honour.

Lord. Do you intend to stay with me to night?
2 Play. So please your Lordship to accept our duty.
Lord. With all my heart. This fellow I remember,
Since once he play'd a farmer's eldest fon:

'Twas where you woo'd the gentlewoman fo well: I have forgot your name; but, fure, that part Was aptly fitted, and naturally perform'd.

Sim. I think, 'twas Soto that your Honour means. ? Lord. 'Tis very true; thou didst it excellent: Well, you are come to me in happy time, The rather for I have fome sport in hand, Wherein your cunning can affift me much.

* It was in those times the cuftom of players to travel in companies, and offer their fervice at great houses.

71 think, 'twas Soto] I take our Author here to be paying a Compliment to Beaumont and Fletcher's Women pleas'd, in which Comedy there is the Character of Soto, who is a Farmer's Son, and

a very facetious Serving-man. Mr. Rowe and Mr. Pope prefix the Name of Sim to the Line here fpoken; but the first folio has it Sincklo; which, no doubt, was the Name of one of the Players here introduc'd, and who had play'd the Part of Soto with Applaufe. THEOBALD.

B 4.

There

There is a Lord will hear you play to night;
But I am doubtful of your modefties,
Left, over-eying of his odd Behaviour,
(For yet his honour never heard a Play,)
You break into fome merry Paffion,
And fo offend him: for I tell you, Sirs,
If you should smile, he grows impatient.

Play. Fear not, my lord, we can contain ourselves; Were he the veriest antick in the world.

2 Play. [to the other.] Go get a Dishclout to make clean your fhoes, and I'll fpeak for the properties. [Exit Player. My lord, we must have a fhoulder of mutton for a property, and a little Vinegar to make our devil roar. Lord. Go, firrah, take them to the buttery, And give them friendly welcome, every one: Let them want nothing that the house affords.

[Exit one with the Players.

Sirrah, go you to Bartholomew my page,
And fee him dreft in all fuits like a lady.

That done, conduct him to the drunkard's chamber,
And call him Madam, do him all obeifance.
Tell him from me, (as he will win my love)
He bear himself with honourable action,

8 Property, in the language of a play-houfe, is every implement neceffary to the exhibition.

9 a little Vinegar to make our devil roar.] When the acting the myfteries of the old and new tef. tament was in vogue; at the reprefentation of the mystery of the Paffion, Judas and the Devil made a part. And the Devil, wherever he came, was always to fuffer fome difgrace, to make the people laugh: As here, the buffonery was to apply the gall and vinegar to make him roar.

And the Paffion being that, of all
the myfteries, which was moft
frequently reprefented, vinegar
became at length the standing
implement to torment the De-
vil: And ufed for this purpose
even after the mysteries ceased,
and the moralities came in vogue;
where the Devil continued to
have a confiderable part.-
The mention of it here was to
ridicule fo abfurd a circumitance
in thefe old farces.

WARBURTON.

Such

Such as he hath observ'd in noble ladies
Unto their lords, by them accomplish'd;
Such duty to the drunkard let him do,
With foft low tongue, and lowly courtesy;
And fay; what is't your Honour will command,
Wherein your lady and your humble wife,
May fhew her duty, and make known her love?
And then with kind embracements, tempting kiffes,
And with declining head into his bosom,
Bid him shed tears, as being over-joy'd
To fee her noble lord reftor'd to health,
Who for twice feven years hath esteem'd himself
No better than a poor and loathfome beggar:
And if the boy have not a woman's gift
To rain a fhower of commanded tears,
An* onion will do well for fuch a shift;
Which in a Napkin being clofe convey'd,
Shall in defpight enforce a wat❜ry eye.
See this dispatch'd, with all the hafte thou canft;
Anon I'll give thee more inftructions.

[Exit Servant.

I know the boy will well ufurp the grace,
Voice, gate, and action of a gentlewoman.

I long to hear him call the drunkard, husband;
And how my men will stay themselves from laughter,
When they do homage to this fimple peafant.
I'll in to counsel them: haply, my prefence
May well abate the over-merry spleen;
Which otherwife will go

into extreams.

• In former editions, Who for thefe feven Years hath efteem'd himself No better than a poor and loathJome Beggar.]

I have ventur'd to alter a Word here, against the Authority of the printed Copies; and hope, I fhall be juftified in it by two fubfequent Paflages. That the

[Exit Lord.