The City Bride (1696) Part 10

_Comp._ Good Words, Mistress; d'ye hear, give good Words you'd best, or I shall tell you your own.

Mr. _Ven._ I'll have no more to say to ye, the Law shall determine it; in the mean time Nurse keep the Child for me, there, there's Money for thee.

[_Gives her Money.

_Comp._ There's Money for me too, keep it for me, Nurse; give him both thy Duggs at once, I pay thee for the right one, Girl.

_Nurse._ I have two Hands, you see Gentlemen; this does but show ye how the Law will hamper ye; even thus you'l be used, Gentlemen, if you go to Law.

Mr. _Ven._ It can't be helpt, for I won't lose my Right.

_Comp._ Nor I mine for all you're a Merchant.

Mrs. _Ven._ Nor I mine for all I did not bear it.

_Peg._ Nor I, tho but a poor Sailer's Wife.

Mr. _Ven._ Well, fare ye well, we shall meet in another Place--Come _Winny_.

[_Exit_ Venter _and his Wife._

_Comp._ Ay, ay, I'll meet you when and where you dare, and do your worst, I fear you not: By the Lord _Harry_ the World's come to a fine Pa.s.s, that we must go to Law for our Children. No wonder the Lawyers are all so rich, yet e're the Law shall have a Limb, a Leg, a Joint or Nail of this same Boy,

_'T shall cost me more than a whole Child in getting, Some win by play, and standers by with Betting._

[Exeunt.

SCENE the Third.

_Enter_ Spruce, Arabella _with a Letter in her Hand_, Clara, _Mr._ Venter, _and Mrs._ Venter.

Mr. _Ven._ From whence came that Letter, Niece?

_Ara._ From _Putney_, Sir, and from my Husband.

Mr. _Ven._ And pray be free; Does he tell ye the Cause of his leaving you so abruptly on his Wedding-day?

_Ara._ Yes; Sir, yet this had been sufficient to have let me known what he is gone about, without the formal Addition of an Epistle.

_Spruce._ That, why what is that I pray Madam?

_Ara._ His Will, Sir, wherein he makes me his sole Executrix.

_Spr._ Will! why what the Devil does he mean, seriously I can't find it out?

_Ara._ Why, Sir, he's gone to fight.

_Spr._ How fight, Madam! On my Soul then I believe _Friendly_'s Second.

_Ara._ You're in the right, he is so, and I am lost for ever!

_Cla._ O foolish _Friendly_, this thy Mistake has made me the most wretched of Woman-kind! Such variety of Thoughts load my afflicted Breast, that I know not what to think: I rave, am mad, not knowing what my Folly may produce; I fear for both, for both my Heart does bleed.

_Ara_. Miserable Maid! nay, miserable Wife! but much more miserable Widow! O my dear _Bonvile_!

_Spr._ Duce take me, if e're I saw a Company so Phlegmatick in all my Life: Mr. _Venter_, prethee let's have a Song, to pa.s.s away the Time, and put Life into the Bride.

Mr. _Ven._ With all my Heart, Mr. _Spruce_: Here, who waits?--Call in the Musick, and desire 'em to oblige the Ladies with a new Song.

[_Servant Enter and Exit._ ]

_Cla._ Your self, Sir, you mean?

_Spr._ Nay all of us I protest.

Mr. _Ven._ Ay, ay, all of us.

_Enter Musick and others who sing._

A Dialogue set by _Seignior Baptist_.

Man. _A Woman's Love_ Woman. _And Man's is such,_ Man. _Still too little,_ Wom. _Or else too much._ Wom. _Men are Extreams,_ Man. _And Women too,_ Wom. _All, all are false,_ Man. _All, All like you._ Wom. _You'll swear and lie,_ Man. _If you'l believe,_ Wom. _And sigh and die,_ Man. _Yet still deceive._ Wom. _Your Vows and Oaths_ Man. _Your Smiles and Tears,_ Wom. _Are all but Baits,_ Man. _Are all but Snares._ Wom. _To win a Heart,_ Man. _And then destroy,_ Wom. _The easy Fool,_ Man. _The promis'd Joy._

Another Strain.

Wom. _I'le have you offer no more your Pretending,_ Man. _Nor will I suffer your modish Dissembling:_ Wom. _For Honour commands,_ Man. _And Freedom withstands,_ Wom. _What you?_ Man. _And you._ Wom. _I know wou'd have me be, your Slave,_ Man. _I know wou'd have me be, your Slave._ Wom. _O, no, no, no!_ Man. _No, no, no, no!_ Wom. _I never will agree,_ Man. _I ever will be free._

_After the Song enter Justice_ Merryman, Summerfield, _and three or four Sailers._

_Mer._ Daughter, Daughter! Where's my Daughter? I say, Where's my Daughter? O Girl, I have the best News to tell you----

_Ara._ What of my Husband, Sir?

_Mer._ No, no, of your Cousin, Girl, of your Cousin.

_Ara._ What of him, Sir?

_Mer._ Such a Cousin, Girl, such a dear Cousin he is, as _Alexander the Great_, if he were alive, might be proud and boast of.

_Ara._ You're welcome here again, Sir; You've made but a short Voyage, pray what occasion'd your Return so speedily?

_Sum._ Madam, I render you ten thousand Thanks; Your Generosity and Goodness has wholly made me yours; I am the humblest of your faithful Admirers.

_Ara._ Forbear such lavish Grat.i.tude; You'r too profuse in your Acknowledgment of your small Favours. But pray be brief, and let me know the happy Occasion of this your sudden Return, I long methinks to hear it.

_Sum._ Madam, you may command me--Not to molest the Company with the Recital of every vain and needless Circ.u.mstance; 'twas briefly thus.

Scarce had we pa.s.sed by _Marget_ on our Course, when on a sudden, from the Top-mast head, a Sailer cries, All hands Aloft, three Sails ahead: With that we rumidg and clear our Deck, our Gun-room arm'd, and all things now are ready for a Fight. The s.h.i.+ps before descried, with warlike Stems cut the resisting Waves, whilst from their Pendants fluttering in the Air, we found they were three _Dunkirk_ Privateers; they having made our English Cross advanced, salute us with a Broad-side, to make us strike and yield: But we, who ne're knew as yet what 'twas so cowardly to yield, and not regarding their unequal Odds, fell boldly on, returning Fire for Fire. The Engagement then grew desperate, for they on either Side fired in amain, whilst we withstood their Force. At length they boldly grappled, and laid us close aboard, and we as bravely beat them off again.