Wendoll.

O lord, fir, I shall never deserve it.

Frankford.

O fir, difparage not your worth too much;
You are full of quality, and fair defert :
Choose of my men which fhall attend you, fir,
And he is your's. I will allow you, fir,
Your man, your gelding, and your table,
All at my own charge: be my companion.
Wendoll.

६

Mr. Frankford, I have oft been bound to you
By many favours: this exceeds them all,
That I shall never merit your leaft favour.
But when your last remembrance I forget,
Heaven at my foul exact that weighty debt.
Frankford.

There needs no proteftation: for I know you
Virtuous, and therefore grateful. Pr'ythee, Nan,
Ufe him with all thy loving'ft courtesy.

Mrs. Anne.

As far as modefty may well extend, It is my duty to receive your friend,

Frankford.

To dinner come, fir, from this prefent day, Welcome to me for ever: come away.

[Exeunt Frankford, Mrs. Frankford, and Wendoll. Nicholas.

I do not like this fellow by no means:

I never see him but my heart ftill yearns :

Zounds, I could fight with him, yet know not why:
The devil and he are all one in mine eye.

Enter Jenkin.
Jenkin.

O Nick, what gentleman is that that comes to lie, at our house? my mafter allows him one to wait on him, and I believe it will fall to thy lot.

Nicholas.

I love my mafter; by these hilts I do :

T 3

But

But rather than I'll ever come to ferve him,

I'll turn away my master.

Enter Sifly.
Sifly.

Nich'las, where are you, Nich'las ? you must come in, Nich❜las, and help the gentleman off with his boots. Nicholas.

If I pluck off his boots, I'll eat the fpurs, And they shall stick fast in my throat like burs.

Sifly.

Then, Jenkin, come you.

Fenkin.

Nay, 'tis no boot for me to deny it. My mafter hath given me a coat here, but he takes pains himfelf to brush it once or twice a day, with a holly-wand.

Sifly.

Come, come, make hafte, that you may wash your hands again, and help to ferve in dinner.

Fenkin.

You may fee, my mafters, though it be afternoon with you, 'tis but early days with us, for we have not din'd yet: ftay a little, I'll but go in and help to bear up the firft courfe, and come to you again presently. [Exeunt.

Enter Malby and Cranwell.
Malby.

This is the feffions-day; pray can you tell me
How young Sir Charles hath fped? Is he acquit,
Or muft he try the law's ftrict penalty?

Cranwell.

He's clear'd of all, fpight of his enemies,
Whofe earneft labour was to take his life :
But in this fuit of pardon he hath spent
All the revenues that his father left him ;
And he is now turn'd a plain countryman,
Reform'd in all things: fee, fir, here he comes.

Enter Sir Charles, and his Keeper.

Keeper.

Discharge your fees, and you are then at freedom.

Sir Charles.

Here, Mr. Keeper, take the poor remainder
Of all the wealth I have: my heavy foes
Have made my purfe light; but, alas! to me
"Tis wealth enough that you have fet me free.
Malby.

God give you joy of your delivery;
I am glad to fee you abroad, Sir Charles.
Sir Charles.

The poorest knight in England, Mr. Malby;
My life hath coft me all my patrimony

My father left his fon: well, God forgive them
That are the authors of my penury.

Enter Shafton.
Shafton.

Sir Charles a hand, a hand; at liberty?
Now, by the faith I owe, I am glad to fee it.
What want you? wherein may I pleasure you?
Sir Charles.

O me! O moft unhappy gentleman!
I am not worthy to have friends stirr'd up,
Whofe hands may help me in this plunge of want.
I would I were in heaven, to inherit there
Th' immortal birth-right which my Saviour keeps,
And by no unthrift can be bought and fold;
For here on earth what pleasures should we trust?
Shafton.

To rid you from thefe contemplations,
Three hundred pounds you fhall receive of me;
Nay five for fail: Come, fir, the fight of gold
Is the moft fweet receipt for melancholy,

And will revive your fpirits. You fhall hold law

With your proud adverfaries. Tush, let Frank Acton
Wage his knigthood-like expence with me,
And a' will fink, he will: nay, good Sir Charles,
Applaud your fortune, and your fair escape

From all these perils.

Sir Charles.

O fir, they have undone me:

T 4

Twe

Two thousand and five hundred pound a year
My father, at his death, poffeft me of;
All which the envious Acton made me fpend.
And, notwithstanding all this large expence,
I had much ado to gain my liberty :
And I have only now a houfe of pleasure,
With fome five hundred pounds, referved
Both to maintain me and my loving fifter.

Shafton.

That must I have, it lies convenient for me: If I can faften but one finger on him,

With my full hand I'll gripe him to the heart.
'Tis not for love I proffer'd him this coin,

But for my gain and pleafure.-Come, Sir Charles,
I know you have need of money;
take my offer.

Sir, I accept it,

Sir Charles.
and remain indebted

Even to the beft of my unable power.

Come, gentlemen,

and fee it tender'd down. [Exeunt," Enter Wendoll melancholy.

Wendoll.

I am a villain if I apprehend

But fuch a thought: then to attempt the deed,
Slave, thou art damn'd without redemption.
I'll drive away this paffion with a fong:
A fong! ha, ha a fong! as if, fond man,
Thy eyes could fwim in laughter, when thy foul
Lies drench'd and drowned in red tears of blood.
I'll pray, and fee if God within my heart

Plant better thoughts: why, prayers are meditations
And when I meditate (O God forgive me!)
It is on her divine perfections.

I will forget her; I will arm myself
Not t'entertain a thought of love to her :
And, when I come by chance into her presence,
I'll hale thefe balls until my eye-ftrings crack,
From being pull'd and drawn to look that way.

Enter

Enter over the ftage, Frankford, his wife, and Nicholas,
O God! O God! with what a violence
I'm hurried to mine own deftruction.
There goeft thou, the most perfect man
That ever England bred a gentleman;

And fhall I wrong his bed? Thou God of thunder,
Stay in thy thoughts of vengeance and of wrath,
Thy great, almighty, and all-judging hand
From speedy execution on a villain;

A villain, and a traitor to his friend.

Nor is my service of any great acquaintance.
Wendoll.

I never bound him to me by defert:
Of a mere ftranger, a poor gentleman;
A man by whom in no kind he could gain :
And he hath plac'd me in his highest thoughts,
Made me companion with the beft and chiefeft
In Yorkshire. He cannot eat without me,
Nor laugh without me: I am to his body
As neceffary as his digeftion,

And equally do make him whole or fick :

And