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<DATE>2010-09-29</DATE>
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<NAME>Kayla Ondracek</NAME>
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<HEAD>To my Worthy Friends, Mr. <HI>W.C.</HI> and Mr. <HI>A.P.</HI></HEAD>
<P>_HAD it not been a nece&s;|&s;ary Acknow|ledgment, I had not pre&s;um'd (Gen|tlemen) to have occa&s;i|oned you a Blu&s;h, in throwing &s;uch a Trifle as this unto your Prote|ction.
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And yet, I fear, that what I de&s;ign as an Expre&s;&s;ion of my Gra|titude for your many Favours, may draw on me a greater Obligation from you; I mean in receiving this into your Patronage: It is the fir&s;t thing I have done publick Pennance for in a Sheet: Which, yet, had Mr. <HI>Blount</HI> been le&s;s ha&s;ty, had been more Correct and Pardonable.
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You know the Circum&s;tan|ces that provoked me to this Attempt; I &s;hall only put you in mind, that&mdash;
<Q><L>Nil habet Infaelix Paupertas durius in &s;e,</L>
<L>Quam quod Ridicules ho|mines facit!</L></Q></P>
<P>I &s;hall not need to trou|ble you with the <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> on't, to whom the <HI>Latin</HI> is as familiar and ea&s;y as your own <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> Tongue: Nor wou'd I
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have the Ladys under|&s;tand it, le&s;t it &s;poil my Fortunes.</P>
<P>I mu&s;t confe&s;s there is much in that! But there will be infinitely more in your goodne&s;s, if you will not, for this, le&s;&s;en the kind opinion you have hi|therto had of, mo&s;t Dear Friends!</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your mo&s;t &s;en&s;ibly Oblig'd, Obedient and Humble Servant, <HI>A. O.</HI></SIGNED></CLOSER>
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<HEAD>THE <HI>Fair EXTRAVAGANT</HI> OR, THE Humorous Bride. AN <HI>ENGLISH</HI> NOVEL.</HEAD>
<P>IT is expected (perhaps) I &s;hould &s;ay &s;omthing by way of Introdu|ction to this Di&s;cour&s;e, an play the Philo&s;opher before I play the Poet. But at pre&s;ent I am not di&s;po&s;ed to be &s;erious; be&s;ides I never was fond of that tedious Paradox, the farthe&s;t way about, is the neare&s;t way home,
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and &s;o am willing to be Trudging on to the Story, which tells us:</P>
<P><HI>Ariadne</HI> was as Beautiful as any of her Age, as Witty as Fair, as well Educated, and as Humorous as either; Add to the&s;e the advantage of her Un|cle's Death, who left her &s;ole Heire&s;s to Twelve Hundred Pounds a Year, be&s;ides &s;ome Thou&s;ands in Money and Jewels, and you will conclude he was the happie&s;t younger Brother in <HI>Chri|&s;tendom</HI> that Married her: And &s;o (per|haps) he was; for I never heard her Virtue call'd in que&s;tion; and 'tis hard if a Man could mi&s;carry among &s;o many Excellencies; at lea&s;t it mu&s;t be his own fault. Her Birth two was Honourable enough, being Daughter to a Knight Baronet, by which you may gue&s;s &s;he was an <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> Woman and our Neigh|bour; for (by the way) I am not going to put any <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Intrigue upon you.</P>
<P>The la&s;t fatal time &s;he was in Town, being about the &s;eventeenth year of her Reign, (for Beauty, give me leave to
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tell you, has a large Empire) &s;he Lodged, &mdash; let me &s;ee! &s;omewhere a|bout St. <HI>James's.</HI> I need not de&s;cribe her Lodgings to you, I mu&s;t only &s;ay, they were agreeable to her Humour and Fortune, which made 'em both &s;plendid and plea&s;ant, being richly hung and adorn'd with Cabinets, Chi|na, Gla&s;&s;es and what not! But much more with excellent Pictures of the be&s;t Hands, and tho&s;e cheifly in her Clo&s;et, where (if ever you were there) you might have ob&s;erved that of <HI>Don Quixot,</HI> and <HI>Sancho Panca,</HI> which hung ju&s;t over again&s;t <HI>Amadis de Gaul,</HI> and directly oppo&s;ite to <HI>Oroondates</HI> and <HI>Cae&s;ario</HI> in Combat when they had mi&s;taken one another; with many more fanta&s;ticks. Nor were her Books better match'd. Here you might &s;ee <HI>Frances Quarles</HI> bound up with <HI>George Withers,</HI> Sir <HI>John Suckling</HI> and Sir <HI>John Denham, Randolph</HI> and <HI>Broom, Shake&s;pear</HI> and <HI>John&s;on</HI> (though they could hardly ever agree before) <HI>B<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="3 letters">+<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="3 letters"></HI> and <HI>Fl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">cher</HI> (you know) always wor<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> together; many other Modern
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Poets were pil'd in a heap; my Lord <HI>Roche&s;ter</HI> was laid a&s;ide, only Mr. <HI>Cow|ley</HI> &s;tood alone: but what was mo&s;t plea&s;ant of all, this &s;atyrical pretty Lady had bound <HI>Rablais</HI> with <HI>Dod</HI> upon <HI>Clever.</HI> In &s;hort, here lay a Play, there a Sermon; here an Academy, there a Prayer-Book; here a Romance, and there a Bible: not but that &s;he was a good Chri&s;tian for all this I dare &s;ay. Now be plea&s;ed to take notice, when &s;he was weary of &s;ing|ing and dancing, &s;he did often read in one or other of the&s;e Books, e&s;pecial|ly Romances, for &s;he was a great lover of Knight Errantry, and was a little <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> way addicted, as I fear you'l find, &s;he had had the tender of many Hearts, the proffers of many a fair Service, but either this was a Squire, or that a Clown, or t'other a Fop, and &s;o to the end of the Chapter: &s;he never yet had liked any &s;o well as to M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="3 letters">y, One day, being very long and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> at her Devotion, I mean, her <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> on a &s;uddain &s;he &s;tarts up and run<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> a Cou&s;in of hers, whom &s;he l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">ed <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">|ry
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dearly. My heart (&s;aid &s;he) I am re&s;olved on't, my own <HI>Miranda</HI> (&s;he continued) it mu&s;t be. I am confir|med in the rea&s;onablene&s;s of the pro|ject, and I will go through with it; therefore make ha&s;t and prepare to &s;econd me. &mdash; The young Lady her Cou&s;in was &s;urpri&s;ed, but knowing her humour pretty well, &s;he &s;traight con|cluded there was &s;ome frolick intended, and boldly &s;aid, Lead on (my Dear<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">) Ile follow thee, a&s;&s;ured that &s;till thy Virtue will guide us always. Perhaps (reply'd <HI>Ariadne</HI>) the zealous and the &s;crupulous may at this time call it in que&s;tion, but thou &s;halt be my Judge. Know then (thou tender'&s;t part of my Soul!) I am ju&s;t now weary of that o'repre&s;&s;ing weight of a Maidenhead, which I have labou|red under the&s;e five long years; and &s;ince I have not been Courted by any man to whom I could engage my &s;elf for ever and for Ay, I am re&s;olved we will put on two of my Brothers <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> and ramble all the Town over, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> will meet with the man with
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whom I can find in my heart to com|mit the dangerous Sin of Matrimony. Thou wilt be witne&s;s of all my acti|ons, which I hope &s;hall <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="3 letters">er co&s;t thee a Blu&s;h, Ah (deare&s;t friend) reply'd <HI>Miranda,</HI> I know your Virtue keeps too &s;trict a Guard, to permit any thing to be acted contrary to it's Prerogative, 'tis ab&s;olute and allowes but few priviledges to the Subject, but tho&s;e mo&s;t whole&s;ome and plea&s;ant; and for this little extravagance you have pro|po&s;ed, I think it &s;o Innocent, e&s;peci|ally reguarding the de&s;ign that leads you, that I prote&s;t I am fond of it my &s;elf. Come along then (&s;aid <HI>Ari|adne</HI>) let's to my Brothers Chamber and dre&s;s! 'tis now about three a Clock, and <HI>Evander</HI> (that was her Brothers name) is ju&s;t gone out to take a Bottle before Play-time: How know you t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">t? (&s;aid her Cou&s;in,) As I &s;ate in my Clo&s;et (reply'd <HI>Ariadne</HI>) I heard him ask if the Coach were ready? 'twas an&s;wer'd yes, upon which he went down &s;tairs. This ble&s;&s;ed op|portunity mu&s;t not e&s;cape us, by <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word">
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means (&s;aid her loving Second.) With|out making any more words there|fore they went directly to <HI>Evanders</HI> Wardrobe, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> fitted them&s;elves with two of the riche&s;t, and mo&s;t modi&s;h Suits that were there, which indeed were very Glorious and fa&s;hionable: for by the way, <HI>Evander</HI> was a Spark of the fir&s;t Rate, his Father having left above 3000 <ABBR><HI>l.</HI></ABBR> a year, clear E&s;tate in Land, be&s;ides a con&s;iderable bank of Money. He was very good hu|mour'd and very hand&s;om, much like his Si&s;ter, and very little Taller; four years older than &s;he, being ju&s;t turn'd of twenty one. However were he twenty Brothers, and twenty times more like her, than he was, &s;he was mighty glad of his Ab&s;ence, for they immediately dre&s;t them&s;elves, and the Cloaths &s;ate very well on 'em, being all three much of the &s;ame height and proportion. Now (&s;aid <HI>Miranda</HI>) Cou|&s;in, Marry a&s;&s;oon as you will, I would advi&s;e you not to part with the Bree|che<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">, for I vow to you they become you extreamly well! Pardon me <HI>Mi|randa</HI>
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(&s;aid our t'other <HI>Amazon</HI>) if I take not your advice, for I &s;hould per|fectly hate my Husband, if I per|ceiv'd he would &s;uffer me to impo&s;e on him. But come Child (continued &s;he) let's &s;ee if the Coa&s;t be Clear, and whip out the back way: &s;aying &s;o, down the Back-&s;tairs they went into the Garden, which Door they pre&s;ent|ly unlock'd, <HI>Ariadne</HI> con&s;tantly keep|ing a Key of it about her, afterwards they rambl'd as far as <HI>Fleet-&s;treet,</HI> and the crowd going in, and coming out, at <HI>Richard's</HI> Coffee-hou&s;e, &s;topt 'em, which made <HI>Ariadne</HI> curious to know the humours of &s;uch a Place, with much ado then they thru&s;t in boldly and &s;ate 'em down: &s;ays one, who &s;ate at the Table where they were, In my o|pinion the <HI>Character</HI> of a <HI>Popi&s;h</HI> Suc|ce&s;&s;or, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> is as Rational a Di&s;cour&s;e as has been writ of late, nor can I think that Mr. <HI>L' Strange</HI> has any way an&s;wer'd his lea&s;t Objections to the <HI>D's</HI> Succe&s;&s;ion. O (cry'd <HI>Ariadne</HI>) a delicate peice 'tis, no doubt! And if he had but apply'd him&s;elf never &s;o
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little to the Lord Mayor, and Court of Aldermen, immediately upon the Death of Mr. <HI>Jordan;</HI> in reward he had certainly obtain'd the Honour of being Poet to the Honourable City of <HI>London,</HI> before any the mo&s;t pre&s;ump|tuous Competitor in Town. 'Twas a &s;trange over&s;ight in him (reply'd <HI>Mi|ra<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">da</HI>) but I under&s;tand now he &s;ets up for &s;omthing more Advantageous; I mean, to be Cheif-Firework Maker to the forementioned Honourable City, upon their u&s;ual Solemnities on the 5th. and 18th. of <HI>November:</HI> and it is &s;aid he de&s;igns to Burn his own <HI>Pope Joan</HI> next Year. Why, <HI>Sir!</HI> (&s;aid another that &s;ate by) do you imagin it de|&s;erves &s;o ill a fate? And that Mr. <HI>S.</HI> Writes &s;o mean a Stile, that it may only become a Pageant. No pardon me, <HI>Sir,</HI> (reply'd <HI>Ariadne</HI> taking up the Cudgels for her friend) we here no ill opinion of your Author, for cer|tainly I like his Scenes of Love and Gallantry very well: but my friend <HI>Elkanah</HI> had been more highly to be commended, had he left off before he
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came to <HI>Pope Joan</HI> and the <HI>Character &amp;c.</HI> I &s;uppo&s;e (&s;aid another neat &s;pruce Spark in a Band) you are a <HI>Tory.</HI> A <HI>Tory! Sir,</HI> (cry'd <HI>Ariadne</HI>) whats that? That is, a <HI>Tantivy-man,</HI> a <HI>Dukes-man,</HI> or a <HI>Papi&s;t</HI> in <HI>Ma&s;querade.</HI> On my word (&s;aid <HI>Miranda</HI>) 'tis of a large &s;ignification! But I can a&s;&s;ure you <HI>Sir,</HI> we are none of all the&s;e. Perhaps (con|tinu'd &s;he) we wi&s;h the <HI>D.</HI> all the Right imaginable: &s;o do I too, (repli'd our Spark with the Band) but then I fear it will go very hard with him. Pray <HI>Sir,</HI> (continued he very pertly) don't you think the late Parliament di&s;&s;olv'd at <HI>Oxford,</HI> were all wi&s;e and hone&s;t, well meaning Gentlemen? How <HI>Sir!</HI> (cry'd <HI>Ariadne</HI> very briskly) All w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2+ letters"> and hone&s;t! that can't be, for <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> mu&s;t be &s;ome Fools, and &s;ome Knaves, or el&s;e they are not the true Repre&s;entatives of the People. At this, &s;ome laugh'd, and &s;ome look'd Unplea|&s;antly. On my word young Gentlemen (&s;aid Sir <HI>Formal</HI> with his Band) 'tis well our Pre&s;ident is not here, for he wou'd have had about with you before
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now. About with us? (reply'd <HI>Ari|adne</HI>) what before all this Reverend Company? No, no, let him take about with his Boys, for we are not for his Management. However, (continu'd &s;he) 'tis time for us to be gone, for fear he &s;hou'd ha' &s;een us at <HI>Paris</HI> or <HI>Validolid,</HI> or &s;omewhere abroad where neither of us have been the&s;e forty Years. With the&s;e words they mov'd their Hats as they had &s;een others do, and left the Company to cen&s;ure 'em; they tript on to the <HI>Dukes</HI>-Play-hou&s;e, where that day was plaid the <HI>Orphan,</HI> or the <HI>&V;nhappy-Marriage.</HI></P>
<P>By the way (&s;aid <HI>Ariadne</HI>) I am &s;ure none of tho&s;e Fellows we left are for my turn. They got into the Pit, before they were aware, and <HI>Ari|adne</HI> had forgotten the Name of the Play. Prithee <HI>Jack</HI> (&s;ays &s;he to <HI>Mi|randa</HI>) what's play'd to day? The&mdash; &s;omething, or the <HI>&V;nhappy-Marriage,</HI> (an&s;wer'd &s;he.) How! (&s;aid t'other in a &s;urpri&s;e) pray Heaven it prove not Ominous! Which is enough to convince any charitable Man that &s;he
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vvas a good <HI>Chri&s;tian,</HI> for I dare a&s;&s;u|re him, her Prayers were heard. &mdash; Well &mdash; But &mdash; As &s;he vvas thus piou&s;ly reflecting, a Gentleman vvho &s;ate near 'em, and vvhom &s;he had not as yet ob&s;erv'd, over heard her Depreca|tions, and taking notice of the Zeal vvith vvhich &s;he utter'd 'em. <HI>Sir,</HI> (&s;aid he) you mi&s;take, po&s;&s;ibly; this is not St. <HI>Pauls Covent-Garden,</HI> nor St. <HI>Dun&s;tan's</HI> Church; and indeed I beleive it is not &s;o proper a place to Pray in. Hovv (&s;aid &s;he &s;martly) I'm &s;ure I have heard many a good Sermon here, and I knovv no rea&s;on but that I may add a Prayer to 'em if I plea&s;e; for a&s;&s;ure your &s;elf I have found it very vvhol|&s;ome &s;o to do. Nay, and more than that, I have on the contrary humm'd a Minuet to my &s;elf, vvhen I have &s;een many a Reverend Spark in a Ca&s;&s;ook hold forth &s;toutly, and have neverthele&s;s found no hurt by it at all I am &s;orry <HI>Sir</HI> (&s;aid he) you have perverted both the Places. Perverted (cry'd <HI>Ariadne,</HI> looking earne&s;tly on him) I think I made the prop<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">&s;t
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u&s;e of them according to the times and Circum&s;tances, for there I have heard &s;uch Hum drum Di&s;cour&s;e, that I mu&s;t of nece&s;&s;ity have fallen a&s;leep, had I not &s;ung in my own defence. Now here I have often taken notice of &s;ome Scenes that have &s;o patly fitted the Circum&s;tances, which I was then un|der, that I could not forbear &s;aying <HI>A|men</HI> to them. (Said <HI>Polydor,</HI> for &s;o the Gentleman was call'd,) I &s;ee <HI>(Sir)</HI> you value your &s;elf much on your Con|tempt of the Clergy and things Sacred, but I can a&s;&s;ure you, no man in his right Sen&s;es will e&s;teem you e're the more for it. And pray <HI>(Sir)</HI> give me leave to ask you how long tis &s;ince you read Mr. <HI>Hobbs's Leviath<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">?</HI> for, I &s;uppo&s;e you are mighty conver&s;ant with his No|tions. Hum! &mdash; (&s;aid &s;he &s;cornfully) you will pardon me <HI>(Sir)</HI> if I do not well know whether you mean a Book or a Mon&s;ter by the Name. The la&s;t un|doubtedly (cry'd <HI>Miranda.</HI>) You are very po&s;itive, <HI>Sir</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor,</HI>) and have &s;oon determined on my thoughts. But by good fortune you are in the
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right; for, if things that have no re&s;em|blance to the other part of the whole Creation, may ju&s;tly be call'd Mon|&s;trous; this is &s;o. Ha! (&s;aid <HI>Ari|adne,</HI> whi&s;pering <HI>Miranda</HI>) This is the Man. I confe&s;s (continued &s;he tur|ning to <HI>Polydor</HI>) to prevent any fur|ther di&s;cour&s;e on this matter, I have heard before of this old Gentleman, but I never gave my &s;elf the trouble to be better acquainted with him, than by Hear-&s;ay. You are the happier man, <HI>Sir</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Poloydor</HI>) for certainly you have avoided giving your &s;elf a great deal of Perplexity. &mdash; By this time the Curtain was drawn up, and they &s;uffered them|&s;elves to be entertained by the Players. And truly they did them&s;elves no great Violence, for I think 'twas a good Play. They had however &s;ome Di&s;cour&s;e be|tween the Acts, which (perhaps) was more Harmonious than the Mu&s;ick, e&s;|pecially to <HI>Ariadne,</HI> who was &s;o ex|treamly plea&s;ed with our younger Bro|ther, (for &s;o was <HI>Polydor</HI>) that &s;he had engaged to go with him to <HI>Lockets</HI> after the Play. Now ought I in cour&s;e, to
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give you a Character of this &s;ame <HI>Poly|dor,</HI> and &s;o I will. &mdash; He had lived about thirty Years, and tho&s;e cheifly in <HI>Paris</HI> and <HI>London,</HI> and a good <HI>Chri&s;tian</HI> too was he. I mean no <HI>Papi&s;t,</HI> nor yet a <HI>Presbyterian,</HI> but (perhaps) of Mr. <HI>Le&s;trange's</HI> Faction, if I may call the Church of England a factious Party; but pardon me, I think it more proper to name tho&s;e &s;o, who di&s;&s;ent from it. For pray take notice I mean to repre&s;ent him as he was, a very hone&s;t brave Gen|tleman, of a good Family, well educa|ted, and of good natural Parts; for his Singing and Dancing I cannot &s;ay much, but of his Poetry, the Town has had &s;ufficient opportunities to Judge. He was as hand&s;ome too as the be&s;t <HI>Here</HI> I have ever &s;een upon our Stage. Not &s;o cruel as <HI>Almanzor,</HI> nor yet &s;o timerous as Sir <HI>Nicholas Culley.</HI> Not &s;o vain as Sir <HI>Fopling,</HI> nor &s;o plain as my wor|&s;hipful friend Ju&s;tice <HI>Cloapate.</HI> In &s;hort, he was a very de&s;erving man, you may believe, for I have drunk &s;ome Bottels with him. He had an excellent virtue too be&s;ides all the&s;e, which you will have
<PB N="16" REF="13">
occa&s;ion to ob&s;erve: I mean his Con|&s;tancy. This was therefore the Man on whom our fair <HI>Amazon</HI> had already thrown her &s;elf away. To <HI>Lockets</HI> there|fore they went in a Coach together, where my dear friend <HI>Polydor</HI> lo&s;t twen|ty Guinneys, which both the Ma&s;que|rading Ladies were witne&s;&s;es of, but they ob&s;erved him &s;o undi&s;turbed at it, that they concluded him a <HI>Stoick.</HI> Said <HI>Ariadne</HI> to him, Tempt your Fortune (<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word">) once more, here are &s;ome Guin|neys at your &s;ervice. Pulling out a Pur&s;e that held forty or fifty, truly I cannot tell which. I thank you, <HI>Sir,</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor,</HI> very obligingly,) but I mu&s;t not accept them. I have lo&s;t alrea|dy what I propo&s;ed to my &s;elf to hazard, be&s;ides I am yet &s;o much a Stranger to you that I ought not in mode&s;ty to re|ceive &s;o great an obligation of you, for I have not as yet forgotten that the Phi|lo&s;opher &s;aid. <HI>Qui beneficium accepit, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">ent a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">om vendidit.</HI> Pray what is that <HI>(Sir)</HI> in Engli&s;h? (&s;aid <HI>Miranda.</HI>) O <HI>Sir!</HI> (replied <HI>Polydor</HI>) I am &s;en&s;ible of my want of breeding, and I know it was
<PB N="17" REF="13">
an Errour to &s;peak Latin in Gentlemens Company, e&s;pecially in &s;uch a Place. No matter (&s;aid <HI>Ariadne</HI>) &s;ince we know <HI>(Sir)</HI> you will not accept of my Service. But (proceeded &s;he) I have a propo&s;ition to make to you, if you can find in your heart to divorce your &s;elf from this good Company, and drink a Bottle or two with my Co&s;in and me in another Room. I could wi&s;h you would Sir (&s;aid <HI>Miranda</HI>) for I vow to you I am unea&s;y among &s;o many Strangers. Call then for another Room (&s;aid <HI>Po|lydor</HI>) and I will wait on you immediate|ly Gentlemen. I will but ju&s;t take my leave here. They did &s;o, after having made their Conge to our Game&s;ters, and expected him not long: but no &s;ooner were they gone, e're one enquired who they were? Another, whether they would Play? A third, what E&s;tate either of them had? And how long he had known them? Nay god (&s;aid he) I have not been long acquainted with them; tho one of them is a Relation of mine: which was that? (cry'd his friend <HI>Harry.</HI>) Why, he that offered me
<PB N="18" REF="14">
Money, (an&s;wered <HI>Polydor.</HI>) Dam thee for a Coxcomb, (&s;aid his other friend <HI>Tom</HI>) for refu&s;ing it! No no (interrup|ted our third Gam&s;ter) I fancy he has better Bu&s;ine&s;s with him hereafter. You may &s;wear it <HI>Will</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor</HI>) the Gold and I had not parted el&s;e, at lea&s;t this Night; for be plea&s;ed to take notice, I &s;hould not have played an Ace more. Well &mdash; However &s;it down and drink a little more for the Money thou ha&s;t lo&s;t already (&s;aid hone&s;t <HI>Will.</HI>) No faith (cry'd <HI>Polydor</HI> going out) I am enga|ged. He went directly to his new Ac|quaintance, who (perhaps) were very glad to &s;ee him &s;o punctual: and after having &s;aluted him a fre&s;h, (&s;aid <HI>Ari|adne</HI>) Let us now lay a&s;ide all formali|ty, for if you plea&s;e (Sir) I mean to be very intimately acquainted with you. (A pretty &s;ort of a Phra&s;e, had he known who &s;poke it.) It will undoub|tedly be my unhappine&s;s if I be not, (&s;aid <HI>Polydor.</HI>) You do not know (cry'd &s;he very plea&s;antly) how it would contribute to the whole felicity of my Life, if you vvould but endeavour
<PB N="19" REF="14">
it. Hovv do you mean Sir? (an&s;vve|red <HI>Polydor</HI> by the vvay of Que&s;tion.) I mean (&s;aid &s;he) that all things might be in common betvveen us tvvo. For believe me, I vovv it mo&s;t &s;acredly to you: vvere I a Woman, you are the only man I mu&s;t love. Hovvever I vvill novv make you an offer that may not (happily) be vvholly di&s;advantage|ous to you, though it vvill add much to my Quiet. &mdash; Dear Sir (Interrupted <HI>Polydor</HI>) pray &s;pare your Complements, and a&s;&s;oon as you plea&s;e propo&s;e if you can what I dare refu&s;e to you. Come! To the Bu&s;ine&s;s; to the Bu&s;ine&s;s, Cou&s;in, (&s;aid <HI>Miranda.</HI>) You &s;hall know then Sir (continued <HI>Ariadne</HI>) I have a Cou&s;in that is a rich Heire&s;s, being at pre&s;ent po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed of twelve hundred pounds a year in Land, be&s;ides &s;ome thou&s;and pounds in Money and Jewels: her Per&s;on is Tolerable, I think at lea&s;t it is &s;o, if mine may be thought &s;o; for we are more like than any other two you ever &s;aw. Her humour I think exceeds that Pardon me (interrupted <HI>Miran|da</HI>) they are both &s;o excellent, that it
<PB N="20" REF="15">
is no ea&s;ie matter to determine which is mo&s;t Beautiful and Charming. She is ob|liged to you (&s;aid <HI>Ariadne</HI>) her Age (con|tinued &s;he addre&s;&s;ing her &s;elf to <HI>Poly|dor</HI>) is the &s;ame with mine, being very near Seventeen. You may believe in the&s;e Circum&s;tances &s;he could never want the Addre&s;&s;es of many Per&s;ons, and tho&s;e (perhaps) of no mean Quality. But &s;he is very curious in the choice of that fatal thing we call a Husband, for (I dare &s;wear for her) &s;he means to make no Property of him, but to love him as immoderately, unmodi&s;hly, and a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> virtuou&s;ly as ever Husband was loved, in the old Sacramental days of Matrimo|ny! And were &s;he mine, (interrupted <HI>Polydor</HI> I would love her &s;o heartily &s;he &s;hould almo&s;t complain on it: Not that I mean to kill her with kindne&s;s, for if I &s;hould attempt that, I die fir&s;t my &s;elf, but I beg your pardon. Pray, Sir, pro|ceed: I mu&s;t then remind you (pur&s;ued &s;he) how difficult it has been hitherto for any man to make the lea&s;t impre&s;&s;ion on her Inclinations, which &s;he is &s;o &s;en|&s;ible of, that &s;he almo&s;t de&s;pairs of
<PB N="21" REF="15">
finding a man &s;he could heartily love. I have often heard her though de&s;cribe &s;uch a Figure of a Lover and of &s;uch Qualifications to her &s;elf, which made me once offer my Service to her in the &s;earch of &s;uch a one &s;he had de&s;cribed, in&s;inuating that I was the more likely to Succeed of the two, and the &s;ooner; becau&s;e my Breeches would admit me into that Company, which her Petticoats would exclude her. She readily accep|ted my offer, and was plea&s;ed to &s;ay, &s;he was certain &s;he &s;hould approve of my Choice. And now this very minute am I playing the Knight Errant to &s;erve this Lady, which I would do with the hazard of my life, for a&s;&s;ure your &s;elf I love her as my own heart. You were &s;aying (Sir interrupted <HI>Polydor</HI>) &s;he gave you a Figure of the man &s;he could love, pray what was that Sir? If it be not rude in me to de&s;ire it, nor inconve|nient in you to &s;hew it. I beg you would proceed to his Picture. You &s;hall have it Sir, (&s;aid &s;he) a&s;&s;oon as I can get yours drawn. As for your humour you are &s;ufficiently acquainted
<PB N="22" REF="16">
with that already; for your Quality, I know it by your Name. So that to &s;ave the expence of &s;o much pretious time, I am &s;ure you need only con&s;ult your Gla&s;s, and you will &s;ee the very Man therein all Circum&s;tances. O Dear Sir! (&s;aid <HI>Polydor</HI>) do not Impo&s;e on me, but I perceive this is but real Raillery, you have a mind to be merry: But, Come, Sir, my Service to you; this Gla&s;s will in&s;|pire us with another and (perhaps) as plea&s;ant di&s;cour&s;e. She &s;aw him drink off his Gla&s;s fairly: And then an&s;wered, By all the truth Mankind is capable of, you do me wrong (Sir) to imagin that I have hitherto impos'd on you, or that I &s;hall ever hereafter endeavour it; be|&s;ides, I am very &s;en&s;ible 'tis no ea&s;ie at|tempt in any body, e&s;pecially in me. Yet, give me leave once more to attack your unju&s;t, and if I may &s;ay &s;o your unkind mi&s;tru&s;t of me, of what I have told you. By all the hopes I have of fu|ture Pro&s;perity (pur&s;u'd &s;he) you are the Man. How can you be a&s;&s;ur'd of that, Sir! (&s;aid <HI>Polydor.</HI>) I am ab&s;olutely Con|firm'd,
<PB N="23" REF="16">
a&s;&s;ur'd and dare &s;wear it <HI>(replyed &s;he)</HI> For, &s;he &s;ee's with my Eyes, hears with my Ears, Under&s;tands with my In|tellectuals, and thinks as I do. On my word, Sir, (&s;aid <HI>Polydor</HI>) you are a very dangerous Rival then.</P>
<P>Alas, Sir, (replyed <HI>Ariadne</HI>) were I your Rival; you have a great deal the advantage in your Weapon: And the Combat would be more Plea&s;ant than Fatal. But be confident (continu'd &s;he) you need fear no Rival, to my certain knowledge, &s;he is pa&s;&s;ionately in Love with you: And to confe&s;s the truth, I was &s;ent to ob&s;erve your motions, and if po&s;&s;ible to fix you &s;o long as to make this di&s;cour&s;e to you, with &s;ome overtures which yet I have omitted. <HI>Polydor</HI> all this time regarded her &s;o earne&s;tly, and &s;o &s;trictly &s;urveyed her all over, that he hardly was &s;en&s;ible when &s;he came to this la&s;t Period: But at length Recol|lecting him&s;elf, Sir (&s;aid he) allowing all this to be real; yet you are to learn the Circum&s;tances, which at pre&s;ent I am under. But forgive me, after all the &s;erious Faces you have us'd, and after all
<PB N="24" REF="17">
your earne&s;t di&s;cour&s;e, I am &s;till &s;u&s;pici|ous of my own Merits, tho (perhaps) not of your &s;incerity, and the a&s;&s;urance you have from her. And come continu'd he drinking to <HI>Miranda</HI>) my Service to you, Sir. Help me I be&s;eech you to Divert this Gentleman's Melancholly. &mdash;Melancholly! (&s;aid <HI>Ariadne</HI> very eagerly, a&s;&s;oon as ever he had &s;et down the Gla&s;s) 'Tis you that Impo&s;e now, for I &s;ee you are about to per&s;wade me that I am a little civilly Di&s;tracted, or &s;o. &mdash; But (pur&s;u'd &s;he vehemently) pray (Sir) let us learn tho&s;e Circum|&s;tances of yours which we are yet igno|rant of. <HI>Polydor</HI> &s;eeing her &s;omewhat concern'd, did not know what Judgment to make of what he had heard, whether it were Real or Fictitious. But weigh|ing deliberately the Meen, the Habit, Beauty, and Di&s;cour&s;e of the Per&s;on, began tacitely to accu&s;e him&s;elf of Inci|vility to a Per&s;on who at the fir&s;t &s;ight had offer'd him &s;o con&s;iderable a Ser|vice, as Thirty or Forty Guinneys might ha' done him, had he accepted 'em, wherefore he concluded him&s;elf
<PB N="25" REF="17">
mi&s;taken and rather the madder of the two; which oblig'd him very ea&s;ily and mode&s;tly to reply; Sir, I mo&s;t Re|ligiou&s;ly beg your Pardon for my own Madne&s;s in mi&s;taking you &s;o long; and that you may the more ea&s;ily be Invited to &s;o generous an Act I will tell you my Circum&s;tances, and you will find what nece&s;&s;ity I had to de&s;pair of my own de|&s;erts in &s;o great an advantage as this might ha' been to me. You may (hap|pily) have heard of my name (pur&s;u'd he) if you do not know any of the Fa|mily, which I dare &s;ay is hone&s;t and not altogether Ignoble; my Father (let me &s;peak it with Mode&s;ty) enjoys a plenti|ful E&s;tate, Heaven be prai&s;ed! However I am the younge&s;t Son: And my For|tune is &s;mall enough. I have no depen|dance but on Providence and my own endeavours, if I &s;hou'd extravagantly continue to impair that little E&s;tate my Grandfather left me; and already the better moiety is engag'd, part of which you &s;aw me ju&s;t now make my la&s;t &s;take in this Hou&s;e; yet, give me leave to add, I am an Hone&s;t Follow, true to my
<PB N="26" REF="18">
King, and my Mi&s;tre&s;s when ever I had one; no more a Game&s;ter than my An|ce&s;tors, which (may be) was too much; I mean tho, not fond of it, but in hopes to improve the little pittance was left to &s;upport this Tenement, too little for the unruly Gue&s;t that fills it; for certainly I had never been &s;o unadvis'd as to hazard my E&s;tate, had it been any thing propor|tionable to my Humour; but at pre&s;ent I only po&s;&s;e&s;s 80 Pounds a year, the Remainder of 150<ABBR><HI>l.</HI></ABBR> a year left me by the old Gentlemean I &s;poke of before. And now (Sir) if after all I have di&s;cover'd to you 'tis po&s;&s;ible this Lady &s;hould love me, &s;he is a Prodigy of Goodne&s;s: But I hope, you are convinc'd &s;he cannnot. So far I am from being convinc'd that &s;he &s;hou'd not love you for your &s;lender for|tunes (an&s;wered <HI>Ariadne</HI>) that it the more Confirms me you only mu&s;t be the Man. For, the&s;e are the very Circum|&s;tances &s;he could have wi&s;h'd to have met with in him &s;he Lov'd; And when her Brother has told her &s;he would &s;ome|time or other throw her &s;elf away, (as he call'd it) on &s;ome younger Brother,
<PB N="27" REF="18">
or Extravagant Elder Brother; I have often heard her prote&s;t, &s;he had ra|ther be&s;tow her &s;elf according to the de|&s;erts of the Per&s;on, not his Land, &s;ince &s;he bad enough to maintain both him, her &s;elf and her Children &s;plendidly, without being oblig'd to any of her Re|lations. This I dare &s;afely avow (inter|rupted <HI>Miranda</HI>) I have &s;everal times heard her declare it. Ay&mdash;But Sir, (&s;aid <HI>Polydor</HI>) what a pretty Life mu&s;t that Husband have; when on the lea&s;t difference imaginable the Lady Wife &s;hall fly out to this Effect; <HI>Ba&s;e Man<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> do you con&s;ider who rais'd you? God made you 'tis true; but he left you poor; I found you &s;o and made you Rich?</HI> And &s;uppo&s;e that by the advantage of her Forte<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">es he &s;hou<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">d be prefer'd at Court; &mdash;<HI>Was i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> not I? Was it not through my means you are what you are? Was it not my Money Brib'd &s;uch a Lord? &mdash; Alas poor Thing Thou coud'&s;t hardly ha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> gone thither in a</HI> Hackney-Coach, <HI>much lo&s;s in a Coach of thine own, but that I taking pity on thy thin Shoos, gave thee Room in mine; nay more, in my Bed: More mi&s;erable
<PB N="28" REF="19">
wretch; more C<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">&s;ed Fool I! O damn'd Infatuated.</HI> &mdash; Hold, Sir, Hold! (cry'd <HI>Ariadne</HI> aloud) and almo&s;t out of Breath, or I &s;hall bur&s;t my Spleen and Ribs with La<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ghing. Methinks you act it very naturally; y' are &s;trangely concern'd what ever's the matter: But give me the opportunity to Breath a lit|tle; and I will tell you, &s;he is a Lady, if not of &s;o good a Family as <HI>Polydor</HI>'s; yet he &s;hou'd have no cau&s;e to blu&s;h at the alliance he may have, if he plea&s;es. And &s;ince we do &s;uppo&s;e her &s;uch; we may pre&s;ume &s;he has had &s;uch Education as wou'd not allow the lea&s;t di&s;obedient Word to the Man whom &s;he had once found in her Heart to Marry. And pray let me confirm you in this Opinion of her: But above all (continued &s;he) be ab&s;olutely &s;atisfied &s;he Loves you perfe|ctly. This I mu&s;t urge too (&s;aid <HI>Mi|randa.</HI>) I am extreamly oblig'd to the Lady (reply'd <HI>Polydor</HI>) But what does &s;he expect of me? Reciprocal Love (an&s;wer'd <HI>Ariadne.</HI>) If you can find in your Heart (&s;aid <HI>Miranda</HI>) to ca&s;t your &s;elf away on a mo&s;t Beautiful,
<PB N="29" REF="19">
Young, Good Humour'd, Vi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">tuous, Well-educated Lady, with a good For|tune, and one that has a great deal of Love in &s;tore for you; &s;ay the Word, and you both may be happy. How now (interrupted <HI>Ariadne</HI>) I believe Cou&s;in, you are in Love with her your &s;elf!&mdash; But come, Sir, (continu'd &s;he A<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">dre&s;|&s;ing her &s;elf to <HI>Polydor</HI>) your An&s;wer? When I &s;ee the Lady and have di&s;cours'd her a while I'le re&s;olve you (&s;aid <HI>Polydor</HI>) for (continu'd he) I hope you are not &s;o unrea&s;onable as to propo&s;e to your &s;elf that I &s;hou'd make you any promi&s;e be|fore that. Still you are &s;crupulous I &s;ee Sir (&s;aid <HI>Ariadne</HI>) and let me tell you without a Cau&s;e: Dare not you take my Word? You know my Name by this time I &s;uppo&s;e, and &s;ome of our Family (perhaps) if not &mdash; Or if I do (interrupted <HI>Polydor</HI>) I mu&s;t &s;till de&s;ire to &s;peak with the Lady fir&s;t; otherwi&s;e I &s;hould deny my &s;elf the u&s;e of my Rea&s;on; and that I beg you wou'd not exact of me. I confe&s;s (reply'd <HI>A|riadne</HI>) that which you ask is but rea&s;o|nable, but &s;uch is the Caprice of this
<PB N="30" REF="20">
Lady's Humour, that &s;he is re&s;olv'd the Per&s;on &s;he de&s;igns for her Husband &s;hall not &s;ee her Face till after they are Mar|ried. And in &s;hort, this is the hazard you mu&s;t run: Con&s;ider on't! To Mor|row till Eleven in the Morning is the ut|mo&s;t Minute &s;he will expect you. You'l find her in the Park by <HI>Ro&s;amond</HI>'s Pond, accompanied only with one Lady more, both Ma&s;qu'd. She that gives you her Hand is yours for ever. The&s;e are hard Terms you'l &s;ay; But Remember, <HI>No|thing venture, nothing have.</HI> Ay, Sir, (interrupted <HI>Polydor</HI>) or faint heart, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> No matter for the re&s;t. &mdash; But pray give me leave to tell you, I hazard all the little E&s;tate I have: Be&s;ides, perhaps, my Reputation, as 'tis not impo&s;&s;ible but &s;he may have lov'd before to my co&s;t, &s;hou'd I Marry her, and then my Quiet follows my Reputation, or pray Sir pardon me I be&s;eech you, for you may remember too, 'T<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">s good to look be|fore we leap; I mu&s;t urge what I can a|gain&s;t you to &s;atisfie my &s;elf; &s;he may, in&s;tead of being &s;o great a Fortune, prove a greater Cheat, and Marry me to
<PB N="31" REF="20">
keep her &s;elf out of a Pri&s;on.&mdash;Hold Sir (interrupted <HI>Ariadne</HI>) have I been all this while labouring to per&s;wade you of her Vi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">tue and Wealth to &s;o little pur|po&s;e! What do you &s;ee in me that &s;hou'd make you &s;u&s;pect the truth of what I have told you, after all the Prote&s;tations I have made! if &s;he were a lewd Woman, or one who wanted an Husband to go to Goal for her; are there not a now in e|rior to you every way, that m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ght act &s;uch a part? in fine, Credit me; I am &s;ure you may be very happy with her if you embrace the Propo&s;als I have made you.</P>
<P>I am in earne&s;t, think well on't! This is the la&s;t time of asking. 'Tis &s;ome what a &s;hort warning &s;he gives a Man; me|thinks (continu'd <HI>Polydor</HI>) &s;he might enlarge the Bounds of her Re&s;olution a day or two more. For, &s;he will other|wi&s;e have but lit<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">le Rea&s;on to commend my Di&s;cretion. No matter; &s;he is al|ready &s;ufficiently &s;atisfy'd of all your good Qual<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ties. And &s;he can't afford you one Second more. Nay (&s;aid <HI>Mi|randa</HI>) I know her &s;o well, that I dare
<PB N="32" REF="21">
engage &s;he will not yield you one Mo|ment. Shee's very determinate then in her purpo&s;es! (&s;ayd <HI>Polydor;</HI>) But me|thinks continu'd he) I Dream. No, <HI>Polydor,</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Ariadne</HI>) you wake: But you &s;hut your eyes to your own good Fortune. Open 'em I beg you. I &s;up|po&s;e, you may know or have heard of her Brother Sir <HI>Fr. Heartwell,</HI> enquire at his Lodgings of his Si&s;ter <HI>Ariadne,</HI> and if you find what I have told fal&s;e concerning her E&s;tate and Virtue, ee'n go back again to drink or to play as your Humour &s;hall then &s;erve you. That's pretty fair (&s;aid <HI>Polydor:</HI>) But if &s;he be indeed Si&s;ter to Sir <HI>Francis,</HI> whom I am very well acquainted with, why mayn't I &s;ee her before we Marry. No more Que&s;tions of that nature, Dear Infidel, (&s;aid &s;he) I have partly told you the ex|travagance of her Humour, and one Caution more I am to give you; If you di&s;cour&s;e one Syllable of what has pa&s;|&s;ed between us to her Brother; you lo&s;e her for ever. To Morrow Morning you may &s;atisfy your Scrupulous Con&s;cience in the other matters. Well!&mdash; for once
<PB N="33" REF="21">
(&s;aid he) I may chance to tru&s;t Fortune, at lea&s;t I &s;hall take the pains to con&s;ult my Pillow about it; which I hope &s;he and you will allow me to do. And all the rea&s;on in the World! (Reply'd <HI>Mi|randa.</HI>) By all means (&s;aid <HI>Ariadne</HI>) &s;o Sir, my Service to you, (continu'd &s;he drinking to <HI>Polydor.</HI>) This is the fir&s;t time (&s;aid <HI>Polydor</HI>) that I am like to have the Honour of Pledging you: But for my part, what with drinking before the Play and &s;ince, I find my &s;elf pretty well to pa&s;s. Be&s;ides, it grows late. Well Con&s;ider (&s;aid <HI>Ariadne,</HI> pulling out a Golden Watch) 'tis now turn'd of ten; and I pre&s;ume you may be weary of our Company, which has &s;o long made you unea&s;y. However I would have you part with us re&s;olved, if po&s;&s;ible, to &s;ee this Lady that &s;o Adores you, at the time appointed. I will endeavour, (Re|ply'd he) to per&s;wade my &s;elf, which is as much as you can de&s;ire. So, imme|diately they call'd a Reckoning, which <HI>Ariadne</HI> would needs di&s;charge: And then parted at the Door, <HI>Polydor</HI> walk|ing towards <HI>We&s;tmin&s;ter,</HI> and <HI>Ariadne</HI>
<PB N="34" REF="22">
took Coach with <HI>Miranda</HI> for her Bro|thers Hou&s;e; into which they got the back way as they came Where we may leave 'em to &s;hift them&s;elves, for I hold it not convenient to peep into Ladies Privacies. In the mean time my Friend <HI>Polydor</HI> was making Reflections on what had pa&s;s'd; &s;ometimes he was for going to meet 'em, then pre&s;ently Cur&s;ing him|&s;elf for being &s;uch a Fool as to give ear to &s;o, improbable a Story as he then thought it. Staggering all the way home both in Mind and Body. At la&s;t he reach'd his Apartment to &s;peak Gentile|ly; And I think, without &s;aying his Prayers, he went to Bed; where he fell fa&s;t a&s;leep till next Morning, about 5 or 6. When Waking, he began afre&s;h to recal the la&s;t Nights Adventure, and the Propo&s;ition <HI>Ariadne</HI> made to him. <HI>Ha!</HI> (&s;aid he to him&s;elf) <HI>'Tis very odd! Yet there is &s;omething in it looks very Rea<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> The two Sparks very Rich and Gay, e&s;pe|cially my particular Friend who&s;e Pockets were doubly lin d: That Watch, that G<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="3 letters"> and tho&s;e Rings I took notice of on his <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="3 letters">+gers, were marks of no ordinary Quali<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">
<PB N="35" REF="22">
His Meen was</HI> a la mode, <HI>Ea&s;y and Sweet; His Conver&s;ation Free and Gene|rous: Sure he can have no Ends in this.</HI> &mdash;How Fool! (Replyd he to him|&s;elf) is it not very po&s;&s;ible he has been, and (may be) is her Gallant, who now is &s;ated, and would willingly turn her on my hands, with th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> advantage of a Great Belly. Yet as <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="3 letters">rid, why might not another Man, any Ra&s;cal might have &s;erv'd his ends. What &s;hall I do? I am al|ready fallen a Stern very finely; and un|le&s;s I meet with a good Pilot I &s;hall run a' ground to rights. This Lady then mu&s;t be my Pilot, I was mor'd before, but now I only hold at one Anchor, and that too drags too fa&s;t. Well! I will 'een throw at all. Saying &s;o, he was ju&s;t going to leap out o' Bed; when a &s;econd and con|trary Thought &s;urpris'd him and threw him again on his Pillow. <HI>What art a' going to do&mdash;Fool</HI> (cry'd he to him&s;elf) <HI>See all thy old Acquaintance &s;ome of 'em Witty, Satyrical Rogues, others Da<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">n'd, Dull Dogs, all of them Barking at thee aloud; Is this the Spark we have &s;o long mi&s;taken for a Man of Sen&s;e! Is this he
<PB N="36" REF="23">
who was wont to help us Laugh at all tho&s;e Sots that dur&s;t hazard their Carka&s;&s;es with one Woman for better for wor&s;e? And is this</HI> Jolly Debauche <HI>at la&s;t overtaken? Nay more, Jilted by a Lewd Woman, pre|tended Heire&s;s? Very fine i' faith! &mdash; No, no, I'le ha' none on't; I &s;hall hardly give 'em the Opportunity to ea&s;e their Spleens at my co&s;t.</HI> &mdash; Yet&mdash; (conti|nu'd he, turning on t' other &s;ide;) My little, new Acquaintance did urge what he &s;aid &s;o vehemently, and with &s;o much concern; that I mu&s;t believe him.&mdash; Well&mdash;Hang't. The Die is thrown, and it is Decreed. At the&s;e Words out he jump'd, as re&s;olutely as <HI>Cae&s;ar</HI> into the <HI>Rubicon:</HI> Makes him&s;elf as fine as the be&s;t of three good Suits could make him! Puts all the Guineys he cou'd then come at in his Pockets, which I think were ju&s;t three. Then down he drops on his Knees, lifting up his Hands and Eyes; but where his Heart was at that time I will not pretend to determin. Well! &mdash;At length up he gets, and out o' doors he marches very courageou&s;ly to Sir <HI>Francis</HI>'s, where he met ju&s;t coming
<PB N="37" REF="23">
out, one of his Acquaintance who was very intimate with our young Knight. <HI>O</HI> Jack (&s;aid he a&s;&s;oon as he &s;aw him) <HI>you are the only Man I cou'd wi&s;h to have encountr'd! And, if you are not bu&s;y we mu&s;t drink one Bottle this Morning.</HI> I am no Morning drinker (&s;aid his Friend) However, to wait on you, I don't much care if I take one Gla&s;s, provided the Wine be good. Where will you go? The blue Po&s;ts in the <HI>Hay market</HI> I think is the neare&s;t place where we may ven|ture our Carka&s;&s;es (an&s;wered <HI>Polydor.</HI>) Now, I really believe he was in the right on't: For, he had an excellent Pa|late for <HI>French</HI> Wines; I dare a&s;&s;ure you: And I wou'd a&s;&s;oon take his Judg|ment of 'em as any Man's I know. To the blue Po&s;ts then they went. Where, after they had each of 'em drank their two Gla&s;&s;es a piece; <HI>Polydor</HI> began to inform him&s;elf of <HI>Ariadnes</HI> Fortune and Humour, which he found an&s;werable to the Character &s;he had given him of her &s;elf the Night pa&s;t in every particular. The Gentleman who gave him this ac|count did &s;o enlarge on her Beauty and
<PB N="38" REF="24">
Gayety of Humour, that <HI>Polydor</HI> began to be Jealous, he lov'd her him&s;elf: Which made 'em part the &s;ooner by a Bottle or two. <HI>Polydor</HI> now long'd for Eleven a' Clock, being perfectly re&s;olv'd for once to make a blind Bargain with Fortune, and wholly Committed him|&s;elf to her Guidance. I think, 't was be|tween Nine and Ten when he &s;hook off his Friend; &s;o he went directly to the Park where he expected <HI>Ariadne</HI> as ea|gerly as if he had Lov'd her for &s;even years together, and that the fir&s;t time &s;he had ever made him an A&s;&s;ignation. I can but think what Reflections he made on his Friends Relation of <HI>Ariadne</HI>'s Per&s;on, Beautiful (&s;aid he) to a Mi|racle and of an Humour as extravagant|ly Plea&s;ant. Is &s;he &s;o, Sir (&s;aid <HI>Polydor</HI> to him&s;elf as he walk'd) &s;o much the more happy is your Friend and <HI>Polydor</HI> like to be. Little do&s;t thou think Dear Heart (continu'd he) that I am going to be Marry'd with her this very Morning. And 'gad 'tis her own fault too. If &s;he will throw away her &s;elf and her E&s;tate on an Hone&s;t Fellow of a younger Bro|ther;
<PB N="39" REF="24">
who can help it! The Devil take them that wou'd hinder her for me. I &s;peak nothing but Rea&s;on, I am &s;ure. I think it is fit &s;he &s;hou'd have her Hu|mour. Shee's like to pay for't, I believe. He told me too, &s;he Sung finely. That's another excellence I mightily well ap|prove of. We may make &s;hift to Sing two parts I fancy. Let me &s;ee! what new Song have <HI>I</HI> to Surprize her with! <HI>Char|mante Douce,</HI> &amp;c.&mdash; Dam the&s;e <HI>French</HI> Songs! No <HI>I'le</HI> Entertain her with plain down right <HI>Engli&s;h.</HI> As thus (&s;aid he humming it &s;oftly to him&s;elf.)</P>
<Q><L>Tho' your Pride be great as your Beauty,</L>
<L>And my Vows you hear with &s;corn;</L>
<L>Yet (Alas!) 'tis but my Duty</L>
<L>Silently to Love and Mourn.</L>
<L>In hopele&s;s Angui&s;h</L>
<L>I'd chu&s;e to Langui&s;h,</L>
<L>Rather than wi&s;h to break the Chain;</L>
<L>'Tis more Glory</L>
<L>Thus to Adore y<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">&punc;</L>
<L>Than 'ore all your Sex to Reign!</L></Q>
<P><PB N="40" REF="25">Pox on't! (&s;aid he) <HI>I</HI> made the&s;e Words my &s;elf to a <HI>French</HI> Air; <HI>I</HI> don't know whether &s;hee'l like 'em or no. But &s;hee mu&s;t take 'em for better or wor&s;e, as <HI>I</HI> take her. By this time he found him|&s;elf at the farther end of the Wall; <HI>I</HI> mean that end toward the Mulberry Garden that was. There <HI>I</HI> &s;ay, he found him&s;elf; for he was ab&s;olutely lo&s;t before in the Contemplation of his Mi|&s;tre&s;&s;es Perfections. Onward he goes to <HI>Ro&s;amond</HI>'s Pond, where he no &s;ooner Arriv'd, but he was Surpriz'd at the &s;ight of two Ladies in their Dre&s;s, Ma&s;qu'd. One of which, who, by the Richne&s;s of her Cloaths &s;eem'd to be of the better Quality of the two, pre&s;ented him a mo&s;t Beautiful, Soft, White Hand; without &s;aying one Word to him. He took it, and &s;eeting one Knee to the Ground, ki&s;s'd it mo&s;t religiou&s;ly. I be|lieve you may &s;ee the print of his Lips there yet, if &s;he has not us'd &s;ome art to get it out. Well&mdash;he look'd on it, and ki&s;s'd it, and ki&s;s'd it, and look'd on it again: Then gaz'd on her two De|licate,
<PB N="41" REF="25">
Charming, Black Eyes through the peep holes of her Mask. And fan|cy'd to him&s;elf a Face, if not &s;o Beauti|ful altogether as <HI>Ariadnes</HI> indeed was; yet &s;uch as the mo&s;t excellent Painter cou'd not have flatter'd if he &s;hou'd en|deavour it. The other Lady was &s;ome|what the Kinder of the two; for, &s;eeing him &s;tare thus Silently and Curiou&s;ly, &s;he pull'd of her Mask and ask'd him if he had never a Tongue to prai&s;e what he beheld? No, Madam, (&s;aid he) not you your &s;elf neither, &s;o much, as it de&s;erves; though you come &s;o near the excellencies of an Angel. For, to give her her due; &s;he was as Beautiful as any of the Sex, except <HI>Ariadne;</HI> for, I mu&s;t maintain the Character of my He|roin, for a Rea&s;on that I know. But &s;till, &mdash;I &s;ay give the Devil his due! Well. She was very hand&s;om, and there's an end on't. Nay <HI>Polydor</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Ariadne</HI> keeping her Mask on) we know you are a Courtier. But 'tis a little odd (methinks) that you &s;hou'd &s;o highly commend what you have not as yet &s;een. How do you know now (conti|nued
<PB N="42" REF="26">
&s;he) but this Mask covers the mo&s;t ugly Face you ever &s;aw! O 'tis impo&s;&s;i|ble, Madam, (&s;aid <HI>Polydor</HI> in a Rapture) 'tis impo&s;&s;ible, I &s;wear, with tho&s;e eyes. But how can you tell (&s;aid <HI>Ariadne</HI> in|terrupting him) but the Skin on't may be as black as the Velvet of my Mask. I believe it is as &s;oft (&s;aid he very Amo|rou&s;ly, feeling on the Mask) But Par|don me (Madam) your Eyelids have confirm'd the contrary. I have &s;een, Madam (continu'd he) enough to com|pleat your Victory. Di&s;po&s;e, Madam, (pur&s;u'd he all over in a tran&s;port of Love!) Di&s;po&s;e how you plea&s;e of your Slave. I was an Infidel la&s;t Night, 'tis true, but now I will believe, nay I do believe you are the greate&s;t Ble&s;&s;ing Heav'n cou'd be&s;tow on me in this World.</P>
<P>Hey day! What a hopeful and &s;ud|dain change is here, (cry'd <HI>Ariadne</HI>) &s;ure this is not the &s;ame <HI>Polydor</HI> my Cou&s;in &s;aw la&s;t Night. No, no Madam, (&s;aid he) not a Word of that over Cau|tious, Scrupulous, and Ill natur'd Fellow. I have not one doubt about me: You
<PB N="43" REF="26">
appear to me all Glorious and Good. But we trifle, (Madam) Let us walk to the other end of the Park and take Coach for <HI>Mary Bone.</HI> Hold, Sir, (&s;aid &s;he) there's a Coach waits us at this Gate; which, I pre&s;ume, is as convenient. O mo&s;t advantageous (&s;aid <HI>Polydor,</HI> lead|ing her towards the Gate) where they quickly Arriv'd, and got into the Coach; which made all the rea&s;onable ha&s;t to the Bowling Green that cou'd be expected. Cry your Mercy, I mean to the Church. But I had been oftner at the fir&s;t, which made it come &s;ooner into my Thoughts.</P>
<P>Be&s;ides I had forgot <HI>Polydor</HI> had any Bu&s;ine&s;s at the la&s;t mention'd place, what|ever he has had at the Green. By the way, (&s;aid <HI>Ariadne</HI> to him) have you bethought your &s;elf of a Ring? A Ring Child? (&s;aid he) no, faith.&mdash; But by good Fortune here is one on my Fin|ger which a <HI>French</HI> Mi&s;tre&s;s of mine gave me at <HI>Paris;</HI> and we may make &s;hift for once with it. Nay, nay, (&s;aid &s;he) &s;hift now and &s;hift always. But come, it mu&s;t and &s;hall do. But hark you (con|tinu'd &s;he) don't you fancy we go as
<PB N="44" REF="27">
merrily to Execution as any two Con|demn'd People ever did? You may call it what you will (&s;aid he) but (methinks) 'twas a little improperly &s;poken. Was it ever &s;aid a Man was Condemn'd to be happy? For &s;uch I apprehend my Cir|cum&s;tance at the pre&s;ent; I don't know what you judge of your own. O (&s;aid &s;he) doubt not, I have as good an Opi|nion of you as you can have of me, for the Heart of you. I &s;ee then (interrup|ted <HI>Miranda</HI>) you are both in a fair way to be perfectly happy. &mdash; You know I mu&s;t make her &s;peak &s;omething, and not let her &s;it like a Mute all the while; much contrary to the humour of her Sex. Well&mdash;But&mdash; now or about this time they got within &s;ight of the Steeple, Look there <HI>Polydor</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Ariadne</HI>) what do you think of turning back? Why (&s;aid he) I think of it as of the only thing I mu&s;t deny you at the pre&s;ent. No, no&mdash;(continu'd he) I am re&s;olv'd to enter the Enchanted Ca&s;tle with thee, and try the force of it's Charms. Ten to one interrupted <HI>Ari|adne</HI>) you may find 'em too &s;trong for
<PB N="45" REF="27">
you at a long Run. But for my part (&s;he pur&s;u'd) I am as Re&s;olute as my Friend <HI>John Florio.</HI> And &s;o (&s;aid &s;he) Coach-Man open the Door. They all three immediately lighted and went directly toward the Church; ju&s;t before they came to the Porch, a little dapper old Fellow comes to 'em; and asks 'em, if they had any bu&s;ine&s;s with him this Morning. Why faith Friend (&s;aid <HI>Po|lydor</HI>) if you can mumble over the Ma|trimony, or &s;o&mdash;We have&mdash; How! (interrupted <HI>Ariadne</HI>) mumble it over! No don't you mi&s;take! <HI>I</HI> mean to have it as Audibly, Di&s;tinctly, Laudably, and Plainly read, as ever <HI>I</HI> have heard part &s;poken on the Stage: But you are in the right on't <HI>Polydor</HI> (continu'd &s;he) for this Right Reverend looks as if he cou'd only mumble it. Well; Madam, (&s;aid the little Old Gentleman) <HI>I</HI> can make a &s;hift to <HI>&s;ay Amen</HI> plain enough <HI>I</HI> warrant you. But Mr. &mdash; the Mini&s;ter is within &mdash; And <HI>I</HI> believe at lei&s;ure by this time to do you that Office which he has dont this Morning to four Couple more. &mdash;But, believe me Gentlefolks you are
<PB N="46" REF="28">
the fine&s;t we have &s;een today. O! We thank you, Sir, (&s;aid <HI>Polydor</HI>) But pray how long do you Ply here a Days? Ply here Sir! (&s;aid he) we expect Company here generally from Six till Twelve. &mdash; But &s;ee, Sir, (continu'd he) the la&s;t Cou|ple are ju&s;t coming out! I have a little bu&s;ine&s;s with 'em, e'r they go. If you plea&s;e to walk up to the Altar, I'l wait on you before you have done your Com|plements to the Mini&s;ter.&mdash; O! your Servant, good Sir; we don't doubt it (&s;aid <HI>Polydor,</HI> leading <HI>Ariadne</HI> to the Fatal place:) There <HI>Polydor</HI> immediately opens their Ca&s;e, di&s;covers their Grie|vances, and asks a Remedy; Promi&s;ing him to reward him like a Gentleman. <HI>And now</HI> (continu'd he, addre&s;&s;ing him|&s;elf to <HI>Ariadne</HI> very Obediently and A|morou&s;ly as cou'd be expected from any Man in his Circum&s;tances) <HI>Now I hope you will di&s;cover tho&s;e Perfections which yet I only Adore in Idea's too Imperfect to be call'd the true Shadows of 'em.</HI> How do you mean? (&s;aid &s;he.) <HI>I mean</HI> (an|&s;wer'd he) <HI>This Cloud mu&s;t be remov'd that I may behold the Sun. &mdash; In &s;hort,
<PB N="47" REF="28">
Madam, this Mask mu&s;t off.</HI> &mdash; She was very unwilling to unmask, but the Mini&s;ter urging the nece&s;&s;ity of it, &s;he was at la&s;t oblig'd to conform. <HI>Polydor</HI> at the &s;ight of her Beauty &s;tood like a Statue, and was all over Exta&s;y'd with the Apprehen&s;ion of his future Happi|ne&s;s. But at length recollecting him|&s;elf, he wou'd fain have knelt to ki&s;s her Hand, but &s;he prevented him, Charg|ing him to forbear expre&s;&s;ing his Senti|ments of Love, or any other Pa&s;&s;ion, till the Ceremony was over, and they in a more convenient place: It la&s;ted not long in the performance, but the Effects I think remain to this day.</P>
<P>After the la&s;t <HI>Amen,</HI> having before gi|v'n the Par&s;on a Guinney, and the Clerk and Sexton another, out of which they were to di&s;tribute half a Piece to the Poor, (for he was a mighty kind-heart|ed Soul as liv'd, to my knowledge.) Af|ter all this I &s;ay, and 'tis true, they took Coach, and drave back to <HI>Lockets,</HI> where, by the de&s;ire of <HI>Ariadne, Polydor</HI> be&s;poke two or three pretty &s;ea&s;onable Di&s;hes of Meat: And return'd in all ha&s;t to &s;ay all
<PB N="48" REF="29">
the mo&s;t obliging and tender things his Soul was capable of uttering.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t he threw him&s;elf at her Feet, Embrac'd her Knees, ki&s;&s;ing her Hands by force, and almo&s;t wept with Joy. Then on a &s;uddain up he &s;tarts, and like a meer Tyrant in Love, falls aboard her delicate powting Lip, and Lovely Ri&s;ing Brea&s;ts, without &s;o much as giving her the opportunity to chide him. <HI>Hold&mdash; Hold</HI> Polydor (&s;aid &s;he at la&s;t) <HI>I mu&s;t make Articles with you. Hear me I charge you. For this day is all mine, tho it be the la&s;t I mu&s;t command in.</HI>&mdash; O! &s;ay not &s;o my Soul (&s;aid he almo&s;t out of Breath) Thou &s;halt ever command me.&mdash; Ob|&s;erve then (&s;aid <HI>Ariadne</HI>)&mdash;If you will &s;it quietly by me, and once in a quarter of an Hour ki&s;s me; I will now force my &s;elf this fir&s;t time to ki&s;s a Man.&mdash;Ah (&s;aid <HI>Polydor</HI> looking on her very Amo|rou&s;ly) tho your Condition be &s;omewhat ha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">d; yet for the Ble&s;&s;ing of a Ki&s;s gi|ven me heartily by you; I will forbear as much as Fle&s;h and Blood can. Stand fair then (&s;aid &s;he) and look on <HI>Mi|randa.</HI> O I beg your Pardon (cry'd
<PB N="25" REF="29">
<HI>Polydor</HI>) I &s;hall lo&s;e the &s;atisfaction of encountring your Eyes then; which is above half the plea&s;ure of your Obliga|tion; tho I cou'd ea&s;ily be per&s;waded to look that way, were not <HI>Ariadne</HI> here. Well then (&s;aid &s;he &s;miling and blu&s;hing at the &s;ame time) I'le &s;hut my Eyes. O that's cruel (cry'd <HI>Miranda:</HI>) No, no, fair play ought to be, Cou&s;in: Come Advance, and do't as you &s;hou'd! Can you In&s;truct me then? (&s;aid <HI>Ariadne.</HI>) No matter, Madam, (interrupted <HI>Poly|dor</HI>) Let Love in&s;truct you.</P>
<P><HI>Well! Have at you then</HI> (cry'd &s;he throwing her Arms about his Neck, and &s;hedding Tears which I ought to have call'd Pearls, according to the Lau|dable cu&s;tom of other Writers: But the&s;e were only Briny Tears, nothing el&s;e in the World; which &s;he meerly di|&s;till'd from her Brain through exce&s;s of Joy, I pre&s;ume:) <HI>Now my dear</HI> Polydor (&s;aid &s;he giving him a Thou&s;and Ki&s;&s;es) <HI>Are you now convinc'd</HI> Ariadne <HI>loves you? I am &s;o well convinc'd, and &s;o extreamly &s;en|&s;ible of my happine&s;s,</HI> (&s;aid he) <HI>that I wou'd not change circum&s;tances with the happy and
<PB N="26" REF="30">
Amorous</HI> Mark Anthony, <HI>were he now li|ving with his</HI> Cleopatra. <HI>O</HI> (&s;aid &s;he, retreating a little) <HI>I mu&s;t take care you do not &s;urfeit on't. Too much will cloy you. Ah! how Cruel are you now</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Poly|dor,</HI> pur&s;uing her) <HI>can you imagin I &s;hou'd &s;urfeit before I have ta&s;ted! How! Before you have ta&s;ted!</HI> (replyed <HI>Ariad|ne) Why, I believe by this time you are a|ble to di&s;tingui&s;h the touch of my Lips, from any Ladies in Town, though in the dark, or hoodwink'd; you have already been &s;o familiar with 'em. Alas</HI> Madam, (&s;aid he) <HI>this is but like a Walk and a Gla&s;s of</HI> Rheni&s;h <HI>before Dinner to whet a Mans appetite. Or wou'd you have me be &s;atisfy'd only with the &s;mell of a Di&s;h of Meat that I Love? No,</HI> Madam (con|tinu'd he) <HI>Con&s;ummation is the &s;ub&s;tanti|al part of our bu&s;ine&s;s. That is yet be|hind. I don't know what you mean by Con&s;ummation</HI> (cry'd &s;he) <HI>But (methinks) I have already done you all the right in the World. &mdash; But</HI> (continu'd &s;he looking toward the Door) <HI>I am oblig'd to the Waiters who have ju&s;t brought up Dinner, to prevent any farther de&s;cant on &s;o un|plea&s;ant
<PB N="27" REF="30">
a Subject. Come</HI> (pur&s;u'd &s;he very eagerly) <HI>Let us &s;it, I am hungry. Ay faith and &s;o am I too</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor) and yet though Grace is &s;aid and the meat ready, you won't &s;o much as bring it to the Table, that I may fall on. No more Non&s;en&s;e</HI> (interrupted <HI>Ariadne.) 'Tis here already, and you may eat if you plea&s;e. Come! Let us &s;it Cou&s;in</HI> (continu'd &s;he looking on <HI>Miranda) The Gentleman (perhaps) has no Stomach yet. Gad but he has, and a &s;winging one too</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor;) and that you &s;hall find Dear heart, e'r long.</HI></P>
<P>With that he &s;ate him down at the left hand of <HI>Ariadne,</HI> and eat like a Souldier in a Siege: But drank little. <HI>Much good d'it you Don,</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Ariadne) you are welcome to our</HI> Engli&s;h <HI>Fle&s;h; I fear you have but little on't i' your Countrey: For, to &s;ay truth, and &s;peak plain</HI> En|gli&s;h, <HI>you feed like a Farmer. I thank you,</HI> (Madam &s;aid he, with his Mouth full, and looking another way) <HI>&s;o me|thinks. But</HI> (continu'd he, pulling of his Peruke) <HI>you &s;hall have better proofs of my eating e'r</HI> I <HI>ha' done yet. Hold!
<PB N="28" REF="31">
Good Sir!</HI> (cry'd <HI>Miranda) pray keep on your Perurke, or I fear we mu&s;t be&s;peak another Di&s;h. You may be&s;peak a dozen more if you plea&s;e Madam,</HI> (&s;aid he) <HI>but I'm afraid you are like to find none of the effects of my eating. No, nor any body el&s;e but your &s;elf I fancy</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Ariadne.) That's as time &s;hall try, &s;weet heart,</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor) But &mdash; you may chance to Groan for it.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Ariadne</HI> cou'd not chu&s;e but Laugh down right to hear him talk and &s;ee him eat &s;o heartily. And I believe &s;he was well enough plea&s;ed with his Stomach; for &s;ome rea&s;on that &s;hall be kept &s;ecret at this time.</P>
<P><HI>But pray Sir</HI> (&s;aid &s;he Laughing) <HI>Do you always eat thus? Always Honey!</HI> (replied <HI>Polydor) Ay: I think I do Child. What then? Why, nothing, (&s;aid &s;he) but only I think it mo&s;t convenient we &s;hou'd go live in</HI> Wales, <HI>or in &s;ome other Coun|ty, where Meat is cheaper than it is here, or you'l eat us out of Hou&s;e and Home. &mdash; Nay-gad</HI> (&s;aid he, looking a little &s;urly) <HI>you need not grudge me my Victuals, for you are like to reap the benefit on't. I thank you Sir</HI> (replyed <HI>Ariadne) But I
<PB N="29" REF="31">
don't care for't at &s;econd hand. Lord!</HI> (cry'd <HI>Polydor</HI> lifting up his Hands and Eyes) <HI>what a delicate rea&s;onable Wife have I got! I warrant</HI> (continu d he looking plea&s;antly on <HI>Ariadne) you could be &s;atisfy'd barely with Ki&s;&s;ing, Eating, and Drinking with me. Nay, I can't tell that,</HI> (&s;aid &s;he) <HI>But</HI> I <HI>&s;ee you are pro|viding again&s;t the wor&s;t. No, no, Dear Heart</HI> (cry'd <HI>Polydor,</HI> tran&s;ported with Joy) <HI>for the be&s;t, for the be&s;t</HI> Ariadne! <HI>Nay,</HI> (&s;aid &s;he) I <HI>know ne'r another of the Name be&s;ides my &s;elf, and if all the&s;e pains be taken, for me,</HI> I <HI>am much oblig'd to you: for (methinks) you &s;weat at it! I &s;hall before we ha' done</HI> (&s;aid he) <HI>no doubt. Thus did they eat and talk till they were weary of both.</HI> The Cloth was taken away, and the Gla&s;s went round merrily as long as one Bottle la&s;ted. Then fell <HI>Polydor</HI> to ki&s;&s;ing again: Till he made both him&s;elf and his Lady mad: And I'm afraid he did not a little di&s;|oblige <HI>Miranda;</HI> who was fain to go humming about the Room to divert the Thoughts that &s;ometimes did A&s;&s;ault her.</P>
<P><PB N="30" REF="32"><HI>Well now</HI> (cry'd Ariadne) <HI>I &s;wear I can endure no longer! Pray &s;it farther, and let us parley a little. &mdash; You may remember</HI> (continued he) <HI>you gave me a Ring to day. Ay</HI> (&s;aid he,) <HI>I fancy I did, what of that? Only I mean to return your kindne&s;s</HI> (&s;aid &s;he) pulling of a Rich Diamond-Ring of her finger) <HI>pray wear this for my &s;ake,</HI></P>
<P>And now (continued &s;he) I mu&s;t beg you would Entertain your &s;elf with the Bottle till our Return; for my Co&s;in and I mu&s;t be private for a Minute or two: And that you may not altogether be Drinking, pray take the pains to tell over this Gold, (&s;aid &s;he throwing a Pur&s;e full on the Table) There &s;hould be a Hundred peices: See (Sir,) Your Servant for a time.</P>
<P><HI>Nay, nay,</HI> &s;aid <HI>Polydor, I like the Employment pretty well, &s;ince I mu&s;t be rob'd of thy dear Company &s;o long as the&s;e two Minutes.</HI> Good <HI>Sir,</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Miranda</HI>) don't be Jealous, I'le be your <HI>Argus.</HI> If I thought my <HI>Ariadne</HI> needed Watching, replied he, I would e'en leave her to the wide World; And
<PB N="13" REF="32">
her own Roving humour. This he &s;poke Ki&s;&s;ing her, &s;he dropt him a Cur&s;ey and out &s;he went with <HI>Miranda.</HI></P>
<P>He pre&s;ently fell to telling the Broad peices, which he found exact y an Hun|dred in Number: He put them up very carefully, and laid them again on the Table: And took a March three or four times about the Room. At la&s;t he be|thought him&s;elf, and takes to the Bot|tle. <HI>Well hone&s;t Polydor,</HI> &s;aid he, <HI>her's to thee: Thy dear Ariadnes good health. But I gad methinks &s;he &s;tays &s;weetly.</HI> He drank off his gla&s;s, and expected almo&s;t a quarter of an hour longer with indif|ferent Patience. But &s;eeing no <HI>Ariad|ne</HI> come yet, he called up a Waiter, and asked him, where the two Ladies were, that went down about half an hour ago? <HI>They took Coach Sir,</HI> &s;aid the Waiter, <HI>a&s;&s;oon as they left you: Why 'tis Impo&s;&s;ible. Thou art Drunk &s;ure!</HI> Saying &s;o: He took up the Gold in all ha&s;t, and ran down to the Bar to be more fully &s;atisfied of his Misfortune; which he was too &s;oon. He ran up into the Room again, like a man di|&s;tracted
<PB N="32" REF="33">
where he &s;hut the Door to him&s;elf, and fell a railing at all Wo|men kind, <HI>What! fitted thus,</HI> &s;aid he, <HI>'tis very devili&s;h: What a dam'd Sot was I to l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">t her go! But rather what an Eternal Coxcomb to Marry &s;uch a Jilt! This is no more</HI> Ariadne, <HI>I warrant, than</HI> I <HI>am</HI> Ariadne. <HI>'Tis impo&s;&s;ible a Per&s;on of her Quality and Education &s;hould be guilty of &s;o lewd an Action! Where the Devil &s;hould &s;he go! Or what Bu&s;ine&s;s had &s;he, but with me! I find I am meerly drawn into a Pri&s;on: Ay, ay, &s;hee's in Debt, i'le lay my Life on it, and I mu&s;t &s;uffer the weight of all the Actions that are laid again&s;t her. &mdash; So, hey for a Pri&s;on! But may &s;he not happily be gone to her Brothers? Then &s;hall I look on my &s;elf as a ra&s;h, Jealous Fop. Well</HI> (continued he) <HI>I am re&s;olved i'le &s;ee.</HI> Immediately upon this thought, he flies down Stairs, calls for a Bill, but he was an&s;wered, 'twas all paid. <HI>Paid, Ha! marry</HI> (&s;aid he to him&s;elf) <HI>I like the Matter the better for this. Come, come! Chear up my Heart! All may be well yet.</HI> He call d pre&s;ently for a Coach, and on
<PB N="33" REF="33">
he drives to Sir <HI>Francis's:</HI> but ju&s;t as he came near the Hou&s;e, his Courage fail'd him, and he was &s;et down within five or &s;ix doors of it. He &s;tood &s;till &s;ometime con&s;idering what he &s;hould do, whether it were Convenient to go directly thi|ther and ask for her, or to pretend a Vi&s;it to her Brother, and &s;o learn in di&s;cour&s;e, what was become of <HI>Ari|adne.</HI> But at la&s;t, he bethought him&s;elf of a better Expedient: He knocked at the door, and asked if his Friend were there, with whom he drank in the Mor|ning. The Footman that opened the door told him, he was ju&s;t ri&s;en from Dinner with Sir <HI>Francis: Prithee, then tell him</HI> (&s;aid Polydor) <HI>I would &s;peak with him here.</HI> The Footman did &s;o, and pre&s;ently led him to <HI>Polydor. O my dear Friend</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor</HI> with a great deal of Concern) <HI>I mu&s;t needs drink a|nother Bottle with you this Minute; you &s;hall not deny me: I am &s;o very Melan|cholly and out of humour, that you will be very unkind if you do. Well</HI> (&s;aid he) <HI>I'le but ju&s;t make my</HI> bai&s;e les mains <HI>to</HI> Sir <HI>Francis, and &s;tay one half hour with
<PB N="34" REF="34">
you:</HI> He ju&s;t went in and return'd to his perplex'd Friend. They went to the &s;ame Hou&s;e again, where they drank their Mornings Draught together: And <HI>Polydor</HI> began his Circumlocutions be|fore he came to the bu&s;ine&s;s. <HI>Dear Friend</HI> (&s;aid he) <HI>how happy am I to meet thee again at a time when</HI> I <HI>&s;tood in mo&s;t need of thy Company:</HI> I <HI>have met with un untoward Accident &s;ince</HI> I <HI>left thee; which has. &s;o di&s;turb'd me</HI> I <HI>cannot yet Compo&s;e my &s;elf. But come!</HI> (continu'd he) <HI>Help me to divert the thought on't. Let's drink and talk of things indifferent! When &s;aw you the Beautiful</HI> Ariadne <HI>whom you &s;o lowdly commended in the Morning? Not &s;ince la&s;t Night</HI> (an&s;we|red his Friend) <HI>&s;he went out o' Town this Morning before &s;even a' Clock as far as St.</HI> Albans, <HI>to a Cou&s;in of hers who is taken de&s;perately ill; one whom &s;he loves mo&s;t dearly. Sir</HI> Francis <HI>went with her him&s;elf as far as</HI> High-Gate: <HI>She had an Hack|ney-Coach and four Hor&s;es that waited on her thither empty, till &s;he left her Brother. Ha!</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor) does &s;he go often out of Town, has &s;he
<PB N="35" REF="34">
&s;uch frequent Excur&s;ions, She's hardly at Home</HI> (reply'd his Friend) <HI>three days in a Week together. A pretty &s;ort of a Lady</HI> (cry'd Polydor:) <HI>Is it a he Cou&s;in, or a &s;he Cou&s;in, &s;he's gone to Vi&s;it? A very pretty Lady 'tis ile a&s;&s;ure you</HI> (&s;aid he.) <HI>Why do&s;t not thou &s;trike in with this &s;ame</HI> Ariadne, <HI>or with &s;ome of her fine Cou&s;ins?</HI> (&s;aid Polydor.) <HI>O &s;he's too great for me! Be&s;ides &s;he has been engaged to a Per&s;on of very con&s;iderable Quality a|bove the&s;e three Months.</HI></P>
<P>O Cur&s;ed Jealou&s;ie! A hopeful Spark, and a kind Friend indeed was this &s;ame <HI>Marwood</HI> to <HI>Polydor!</HI> Now &s;he was no more Engaged than her Monkey. Only he loved her him&s;elf, and &s;poke this lea&s;t his Friend &s;hould have any thoughts of attempting her. And indeed he &s;aid enough to make <HI>Polydor</HI> mad, and to confirm him in the opinion that he had Married a Cheat in&s;tead of an Heire&s;s. However, he forced him&s;elf to look and talk as plea&s;antly as was po&s;&s;ible for a Man in his Condition: till at la&s;t the Bottle being out, <HI>Marwood</HI> was in ha&s;t to be
<PB N="36" REF="35">
one to his beloved Knight, which made both part very ea&s;ily with one another. <HI>Polydor</HI> for his part walk'd very di&s;|con&s;olately into the Park, to the fatal place where he fir&s;t &s;aw the <HI>fal&s;e fair One,</HI> as he was plea&s;ed to call her in his Dumps. The fir&s;t thing he reflected on was the Pond. <HI>Humb!</HI> (&s;aid he) <HI>Ro|&s;amonds Pond! What a dull Bea&s;t was I not to apprehend the ill Omen, in the very Name of the place where we fir&s;t met! that ever</HI> I <HI>&s;hould hope to find an hone&s;t Woman at a place that took its Name from a lewd Strumpet!</HI> Very fine, faith! As if it were impo&s;&s;ible to encounter a good Woman there becau&s;e of the Name it had! When I dare &s;ay, I have &s;een above twenty Citizens Wives and Daughters at that very place; Nay, if I &s;hould &s;ay forty, I &s;hould not Ly. And whether they could be light or di&s;hone&s;t, I leave all the Town to determine. Nay, more, I my &s;elf have walked thither with a She kindred of my own, of about 7 or 8 years Old, but I mu&s;t confe&s;s, I cannot &s;wear &s;he was a Maid, yet it is not improbable but &s;he might
<PB N="37" REF="35">
be a very good one. But now to our <HI>Hero,</HI> who all this while has been Cur|&s;ing the Pond, and Comparing him&s;elf to a decoy'd Du<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">k. <HI>Heavens!</HI> (con|tinued he) <HI>was not the &s;ight of tho&s;e &s;ufficient Caution to thee, to prevent thy Ruin!</HI> Then bending his thoughts another way (he pur&s;ued) <HI>I am glad I did not Bed her: I'le &s;ue her to a divorce now, and &s;wear point blanck &s;he &s;tole me.</HI> &mdash; (Did not he talk like a Madman now!) But he &s;oon recollected his &s;tragling Sen&s;es, and (cry'd) <HI>Fool that I am! was ever &s;uch a thing heard of! O Death and the Devil</HI> (continued he) <HI>Whoever She be, She is Beautiful enough to tempt any man to make me a Mon&s;ter! A Cuckold! Which (perhaps) is ju&s;t now in Agitation. &mdash; O Ju&s;tice! Ju&s;tice! How many of my own intimate acquaintance have I &s;erved &s;o! Not to name Strangers and Forreigners. &mdash; Well! I am at la&s;t overtaken, and now I pay for all! For all of them put together could never have made half &s;uch a Beau|ty as my fal&s;e Ariadne! My Jilting A|riadne, my Devil, Damn'd impo&s;tour A|riadne!
<PB N="38" REF="36">
Yet one Comfort is</HI> (continued he looking on the Diamond Ring &s;he gave him) <HI>My Cheat is a Cheat of Qua|lity: for I am &s;ure this Stone is Right, and the Gold is good old Gold! Marwood &s;aid Shee's gone to St.</HI> Albans; <HI>why let her go to the Devil! who would ride twen|ty Miles to &s;ee him&s;elf made a Cuckold! Ah but</HI> (continued he) <HI>That is the true Ariadne. VVell! &mdash; True or fal&s;e, I'le write to her. But fir&s;t I'le go Play off ten or twenty pieces that I may write more ea&s;ily.</HI></P>
<P>In this Re&s;olution he went to look for Company, at mo&s;t of the Gaming Hou&s;es in Town; and at la&s;t he met two or three of his Acquaintance at <HI>Bani&s;ters</HI> in the City, where he fell to Play; And fortune, as if &s;he de&s;igned to make him amends for the trick &s;he plaid him &s;o lately; threw every Dy to his advantage, &s;o that in two Hours time, he had won above forty Guinneys: So wee'l leave him, to find what's be|come of our two <HI>Ladys Errant.</HI> They were by this time gotten almo&s;t as far as St. <HI>Albans:</HI> for 'twas true, that her
<PB N="93" REF="36">
Brother left her at <HI>Highgate</HI> in the Morning; but he was no &s;ooner out of &s;ight, but &s;he turned and made for St. <HI>Jame&s;e's,</HI> but a&s;&s;oon as &s;he came into Town, &s;he bid the Coachman take out two of the Hor&s;es, and &s;o went to meet her <HI>Polydor.</HI></P>
<P>Now, her Cou&s;in was in as good health as I am at this pre&s;ent writing prai&s;ed &mdash;for the &s;ame (as my Mothers Maid, I remember u&s;ed to begin her Letters, when I writ them for her, about twenty years ago.) But it was a trick of <HI>Ari|adnes</HI> to cover her real de&s;ign of Mar|rying that very Morning, who had counterfeited a Letter as from her Cou|&s;in, who&s;e hand &s;he knew perfectly well, and &s;hew d it to her Brother. But (perchance) you will ask me why &s;he did not take her own Coach and Hor&s;es to perform that Journey? for certainly that was ea&s;ier, and looked greater! But did ever I tell you &s;he kept a Coach? yes, now you &s;hall know &s;he did. However, &s;he fore&s;aw the in|convenience if &s;he had met <HI>Polydor</HI> in her own Coach; and be&s;ides her Ser|vants
<PB N="40" REF="37">
would have been witne&s;&s;es of what &s;he intended to conceal, had &s;he returned to Town with them about her. And again, I believe &s;he was willing to &s;pare her own Hor&s;es. Now are you &s;atisfied?</P>
<P>As they were within two Miles of their Journeys End (&s;aid <HI>Miranda</HI> to her fair Cou&s;in) <HI>For Heavens &s;ake what is in your mind, that you leave your Husband the very fir&s;t day of your Mar|riage? I &s;hould not have wondered had you left him after the Honey-moon; I mean if you had fairly taken your leave of him for a week or &s;o: But this (me|thinks) is a little inhumane. Alas! How dull thou art my Dear!</HI> (repli'd Ariadne) <HI>I de&s;ign to try his Patience and his Con&s;tancy; and all the World &s;hall not di&s;wade me from treating him much more &s;everely yet, for &s;ome days: I Married him too &s;oon, to be acquainted with all his Humours; but I am re&s;olved, I will know mo&s;t of'em, ere we come clo&s;er toge|ther. And I think it is but a ju&s;t Pu|ni&s;hment for his ea&s;ine&s;s, in &s;o &s;oon be|leiving a Stranger, in a matter of &s;o
<PB N="41" REF="37">
great Importance. I like his Addre&s;s and Di&s;cour&s;e well enough; nay &s;o well, that I was obliged to make the more ha&s;t from him, le&s;t he &s;hould have made me re|pent of my purpo&s;e.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Nay,</HI> (&s;aid Miranda) <HI>I very well know the pretty innocent extravagances of your humour, and am &s;en&s;ible, you are not to be prevailed on to forbear them, e&s;pecially when they carry with them any &s;hew of Rea&s;on. But</HI> (continued &s;he) <HI>how long my Dear do&s;t thou intend to torment him? Why &mdash; This day Sennight</HI> (reply'd A|riadne) <HI>I mean to give him my &s;elf, and all that I have for Ever, and Ever, and Amen. Well be &s;ure you do</HI> (&s;aid Miran|da) <HI>Or I'le be certain to di&s;cover all to him the very next day following. I give you leave</HI> (cry'd &s;he) <HI>but not a word on it before, if thou ha&s;t any kindne&s;s for me. Be confident</HI> (&s;aid her Cou&s;in) <HI>I will be &s;ilent. Nay, 'tis your be&s;t way let me tell you</HI> (repli'd Ariadne) <HI>for fear I &s;hould be revenged on you, and let</HI> Mar|wood <HI>know how pa&s;&s;ionately you love him. You won't be &s;o inhuman I hope</HI> (inter|rupted Miranda) <HI>do you think I &s;hall
<PB N="42" REF="38">
ever be able to &s;ee any of our acquain|tance again if you do? Never di&s;turb your &s;elf</HI> (&s;aid Ariadne) <HI>I only &s;hew you how ea&s;ily, and bravely I could be Re|venged on you, if you begin fir&s;t.</HI></P>
<P>By this time they found them&s;elves at the Ladys Hou&s;e they went to Vi&s;it, they pre&s;ently alighted and went in; where they were received with all ima|ginable Kindne&s;s and Re&s;pect, and the more becau&s;e their Coming was unex|pected, and the obligation plea&s;antly &s;urpri&s;ing. Here I mu&s;t take my leave of them, and look a little back for my friend <HI>Polydor:</HI> who that Night came off a Winner by three&s;core Guinneys, pretty well laden with Wine too, which made him &s;leep that N<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ght the more &s;oundly, (perhaps) without e|ver &s;o much as dreaming on his Bride; for Wine let me tell you, is a Sove|raign Remedy again&s;t Love, e&s;pecially if the infection be but newly received: Be&s;ides, he was a Man of a &s;trong Re|&s;olution, and could &s;wagger it out mo&s;t Modi&s;hly: yet when he gave his mind to it, could Love like a Sparrow,
<PB N="43" REF="38">
and as Con&s;tantly as any Turtle. In the Morning he waked between 7 and 8, for you mu&s;t know it was pa&s;t One ere he got into Bed: and he u&s;ually &s;lept &s;ix hours upon a Tack, and that che<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">fly when he had been Drinking over Night. The fir&s;t thing he did was to examine his Pockets, which he found pretty weighty on one &s;ide, and on the other all his old Gold intire in the Pur&s;e. His hands indeed were dirty, and he had all the other &s;igns of a Bacchanalian, but an empty Pocket. He was gene|rally very plea&s;ant, and witty after a Debauch; for he was always &s;ure to drink the be&s;t Wines. Well! He lay till Eight reflecting on his Good and Evil Fortune, at length, after he had &s;tretched and wi&s;hed for his <HI>Ariadne;</HI> fal&s;e or true, &s;he would then have &s;erv'd turn: After that (I &s;ay) he turns out and dre&s;&s;es. When he had done that, and his Devotions, he &s;at him down, and writ as follows.</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<PB N="44" REF="39">
<HEAD>To <HI>Ariadne.</HI></HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>Madam,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P><HI>I</HI> Had the good Fortune ye&s;terday to be in a place where I pre&s;ume you dropt a Pur&s;e of Gold and a Diamond-Ring, which I am come to re&s;tore, and only beg, you wou'd permit me the honour of ki&s;&s;ing your hand: I fear, I am utterly a &s;tran|ger to you, yet I be&s;eech you <HI>(Madam)</HI> Refu&s;e not this Obligation to</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your Lady&s;hips mo&s;t Obedient, Humble Servant. <HI>Beaufort.</HI></SIGNED></CLOSER>
</LETTER>
<P>When he had Written it, he knew not where to direct its And was in a Thou|&s;and Perplexities about it, but in the end he took heart of Grace, and re&s;olv'd on
<PB N="45" REF="39">
a Vi&s;it to Sir <HI>Francis Heartwell,</HI> with whom, 'twas ten to one, but he found <HI>Marwoud.</HI> He took Coach then imme|diately, and came &s;oon enough to his Brother in Law's Hou&s;e to take him at home; and to his greater &s;atifaction there was <HI>Marwoud</HI> too: Tho he did not in the lea&s;t contribute to his Information of the place of <HI>Ariadne</HI>'s Retreat, as it happen'd. For, after the fir&s;t Comple|ments were over, Sir <HI>Francis</HI> &s;ate him down to make an end of a Letter, which he was then di&s;patching to his Si&s;ter, to enquire of his Cou&s;in's Health, or if there were any need of his Pre&s;ence? A&s;|&s;oon as he had fini&s;h'd it, he de&s;ir'd <HI>Mar|woud</HI> to fold it up, Seal it and Write the Super&s;cription? <HI>For</HI> (&s;aid he) <HI>I have not &s;een</HI> Polydor <HI>&s;o long, that I am un|willing to lo&s;e one Minute of his Conver|&s;ation. You! mu&s;t direct it</HI> (continu'd he) <HI>To my Sister, at my Lady</HI> Courtin's, <HI>two Miles wide of St.</HI> Alban<HI>'s. Polydor,</HI> overjoy d at &s;uch a Ble&s;&s;ed Opportunity of &s;eeing the true <HI>Ariadne</HI> with a Letter from her Brother. Immediately offer'd his Service to pre&s;ent it to her; Adding,
<PB N="46" REF="40">
<HI>It cou'd be no trouble to him, becau&s;e he had oblig'd him&s;elf to be at St.</HI> Albans <HI>by two a' Clock at farthe&s;t.</HI> Sir <HI>Francis</HI> told him, <HI>by no means he wou'd be guilty of &s;uch a Rudene&s;s;</HI> and that he had already <HI>com|manded one of his Servants to deliver it, and to bring him an account of his Cou&s;in's Health, the next day a&s;&s;oon as po&s;&s;ible. Polydor</HI> urg'd on the other &s;ide, that he <HI>mu&s;t of nece&s;&s;ity return him&s;elf too, the next day, before Dinner, to meet Compa|ny at</HI> Bani&s;ters. <HI>However,</HI> Sir, (&s;aid the over Courteous Knight) <HI>I can by no means permit it. Polydor</HI> was then ju&s;t going to tell him that he had bu&s;ine&s;s with her, and di&s;cover the Ring and the Gold to them, and how he came by 'em; but that he con&s;ider'd, if they &s;hou'd not prove Sir <HI>Francis</HI>'s Si&s;ters, they wou'd but Laugh at him for his Credulity; or, if they were really hers; &s;he on the o|ther &s;ide might be di&s;plea&s;ed at the di&s;|covery</P>
<P>But after all, he determin'd with him|&s;elf to &s;et out with the Knight's Servant, and to his greater Comfort, he under|&s;tood the Footman was not to begin his
<PB N="47" REF="40">
Journey till after Dinner: For he was to carry &s;ome things with him from the Change, which cou'd not be ready till about one. <HI>Polydor</HI> therefore had time enough to provide him of a good Hor&s;e; which he did a&s;&s;oon as he parted from Sir <HI>Francis</HI> and <HI>Marwoud.</HI></P>
<P>After he was fix'd with every thing for his Journey, he betook him to a little Alehou&s;e almo&s;t over again&s;t the Knights Hou&s;e, whence a&s;&s;oon as he &s;aw the Footman come; he mounted and fol|low'd him at a convenient di&s;tance. 'Tis true, he let him ride a good way before him till they got clear off the Stones; but about a Mile out o' Town, he over|took him. <HI>O Friend</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor) well overtaken! Your Servant</HI> (&s;aid the Foot|man) <HI>I'm very glad that</HI> I <HI>&s;hall have the honour to wait on you mo&s;t part of your Journey.</HI> I <HI>thank thee</HI> (reply'd <HI>Polydor.) &mdash; But&mdash;What!</HI> (continu'd he) <HI>Is it your young Lady, Madam</HI>&mdash;A&mdash; Ariadne <HI>that is &s;ick? No Sir,</HI> (an&s;we|red the Servant) <HI>'Tis a Cou&s;in of hers. Nay</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor) I only ask'd that Que|&s;tion, becau&s;e Mr.</HI> Marwoud <HI>gave me
<PB N="48" REF="41">
this Letter ju&s;t as</HI> I <HI>left your Ma&s;ter and him, and I think he talk'd of &s;omthing there was of advice in it:</HI> Saying &s;o, he gave him his own Letter to <HI>Ariadne. Is this for my Lady Sir</HI> (&s;aid the Foot|man.) <HI>Yes,</HI> (an&s;wer'd <HI>Polydor) for your Ma&s;ters Si&s;ter. I'le take care to deliver it, Sir</HI> (&s;aid the Footman.) <HI>Prithe do!</HI> (reply'd <HI>Polydor) There is an an&s;wer re|quired, and pray let me have it; for,</HI> I <HI>have engag'd my &s;elf to bring him what|ever &s;he is pleas'd to &s;end him.</HI> I <HI>Prophecy</HI> (&s;aid the Servant) <HI>What her an&s;wer will be: For</HI> I <HI>am &s;ure this is a Love-Let|ter. Nay, may be &s;o</HI> (cry'd <HI>Polydor.) However</HI> (continu'd the Footman) <HI>I'le de|liver it very faithfully to her, for I have a great re&s;pect for my hone&s;t Ma&s;ter</HI> Mar|woud. <HI>I'me &s;ure.</HI> (added he) <HI>I have had many a Half-Crown of him, nay, many a Crown, I may &s;ay; &s;ince</HI> I <HI>have known him. O</HI> (cry'd <HI>Polydor) if thou had'&s;t not &s;poke on't, I fear, my Memory is &s;o Treacherous, I &s;hou'd ha' done thee wrong. Here</HI> (continu'd he pulling Money out of his Pocket) <HI>Here's a Guinny for thee which he &s;ent thee. I thank you Sir,</HI>
<PB N="73" REF="41">
(&s;aid the Footman receiving it) <HI>But he is always too bountiful; I wou'd ha' &s;erv'd him ten times more without a quarter of this. No doubt of that</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor) But prithee</HI> (continu'd he) <HI>what an&s;wer do&s;t thou think &s;hee'l &s;end him? Alas Sir</HI> (replyed the Footman) <HI>a very cold or &s;cornful one, I fear. Then &s;he does not Love him?</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor) O, no Sir: I believe</HI> (&s;aid the Footman) <HI>&s;he wou'd not endure to &s;ee him, were it not in Complai|&s;ance to Sir</HI> Francis. <HI>How &s;o!</HI> (cry'd <HI>Polydor) he is a hand&s;om Man. Ah, Sir!</HI> (an&s;wer'd the Footman) <HI>As long as &s;he does not think him &s;o; what advantage is his hand&s;omne&s;s to him; in that ca&s;e! Th'art in the right</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor) But &mdash;How long has he lov'd her? Above the&s;e</HI> 2 <HI>Years</HI> (reply'd the Servant) They had a great deal more di&s;cour&s;e concer|ning <HI>Ariadne</HI>'s Scorn, and <HI>Marwoud</HI>'s Love, which Entertain'd 'em till they came within two Miles of the Hou&s;e where the Footman was to go. <HI>Now</HI> (Friend, (&s;aid <HI>Polydor) &s;ince, as thou &s;ai'&s;t, we are &s;o near the Lady's hou&s;e; &s;hew we &s;ome little blind Ale-hou&s;e or hedge
<PB N="74" REF="42">
Tavern as nigh it as may be: That I may expect an an&s;wer of</HI> Marwoud<HI>'s Letter, by thee a&s;&s;oon as po&s;&s;ible. I will Sir,</HI> (&s;aid the Footman.)</P>
<P>So they Rode on a Mile farther, and the Footman Lodg'd him at a little thatched Hou&s;e, where they &s;old good Nappy Ale. There <HI>Polydor</HI> treated him&s;elf and his Hor&s;e, which drank Ale as freely as his Rider did Clarret. <HI>Polydor</HI> was Cur&s;ing <HI>Marwoud</HI> heartily, though as yet he was not certain whether it was his <HI>Ariadne</HI> or no. In the mean time the Footman came to his Po&s;t, and delivered his Letters.</P>
<P><HI>Ariadne</HI> not knowing <HI>Polydor</HI>'s hand, and being very curious to &s;ee what was in his Letter, opened it fir&s;t: and look|ing then on the Name, &s;he was much more &s;urpri&s;ed by reading it; &s;he be|gan to gue&s;s who 'twas. <HI>What manner of Gentleman</HI> (&s;aid &s;he to the Footman) <HI>was he who gave you this? A very fine hand&s;ome Gentleman Madam,</HI> (reply'd the Footman) <HI>&s;omething with the talle&s;t, delicately &s;haped, yet very &s;trongly &s;et, of a dark brown Complexion, and hazle
<PB N="75" REF="42">
Eyes, with a few marks of the &s;mall Pox in his Face.</HI> By this De&s;cription &s;he knew it mu&s;t be <HI>Polydor. Well</HI> (&s;aid &s;he &s;miling, which &s;he could not for|bear) <HI>don't &s;et up your Hor&s;e yet, you mu&s;t go fetch the Gentleman hither.</HI> With that &s;he goes immediately to the young Lady her Cou&s;in, to whom &s;he had al|ready related her adventure with <HI>Po|lydor,</HI> and de&s;ires her A&s;&s;i&s;tance in tormenting him a little. (Said &s;he) <HI>I mu&s;t get you to Per&s;onate me. Here is the Letter he &s;ent me. But you mu&s;t tell him, you know nothing of a Ring or of Gold:</HI> the&s;e and a few more In&s;tructi|ons made the young Lady <HI>Dorothea,</HI> (for &s;o &s;he was call'd) very perfect in her part. <HI>Miranda</HI> and <HI>Ariadne</HI> were to keep out of &s;ight.</P>
<P>When they had agreed upon all cir|cum&s;tances to deceive him, <HI>Ariadne</HI> &s;ent the Footman to tell <HI>Polydor,</HI> that his Lady <HI>Ariadne,</HI> de&s;ired to &s;ee him, and charged him, not to de&s;cribe her Per&s;on to him, but to bring him di|rectly to <HI>Dorothea.</HI></P>
<P>The hone&s;t Fellow obliged her very
<PB N="76" REF="43">
exactly, and brought <HI>Polydor</HI> to <HI>Doro|thea,</HI> who by this time really thought her &s;elf to be <HI>Ariadne. Polydor</HI> at the &s;ight of her, was &s;o confounded and grieved to find it was not his <HI>Ariadne,</HI> that he was ready to &s;ink down. <HI>Do|rothea</HI> &s;eeing him in that ruful Po&s;ture began fir&s;t, <HI>Sir</HI> (&s;aid &s;he) <HI>I &s;uppo&s;e this is your Letter to me. It is</HI> (Madam) re|ply'd <HI>Polydor,</HI> fetching a deep &s;igh) <HI>but I find my Errour, you are not the Lady Madam. Indeed I am not Sir,</HI> (an&s;we|red <HI>Dorothea.) No! (Madam</HI> Inter|rupted <HI>Polydor,</HI> with a pittious Groan) <HI>To my Eternal &s;hame, Sorrow and Con|fu&s;ion, you are not my</HI> Ariadne. <HI>Pardon me, I be&s;eech you Madam! and to &s;hew you that this is not meerly a Pretence; &s;ee here the Ring, and the Pur&s;e of Gold, which I wrote of to your Lady&s;hip. I once more beg you would forgive this Rudene&s;s, and forget</HI> Beaufort. <HI>I am your mo&s;t Obedient Servant Madam,</HI> Continued he bowing and went out.</P>
<P>The Compa&s;&s;ionate pretty Lady was &s;o concerned for him, that &s;he was once or twice going to call him back
<PB N="77" REF="43">
to di&s;cover the fallacy to Him: But knowing <HI>Ariadnes</HI> humour &s;he dur&s;t not: for fear of di&s;obliging her. However &s;he went to her, with re&s;olution to chide her &s;everely, for &s;o ill treating &s;o <HI>hand|&s;ome a Gentleman</HI> (as &s;he call'd him) <HI>and one who She dur&s;t engage loved her mo&s;t pa&s;&s;ionately. So much the better</HI> (&s;aid A|riadne) <HI>I am glad to hear it. But ere it be too late</HI> (continued &s;he) <HI>I mu&s;t di&s;|patch this Fellow that came with him to ob&s;erve where he takes up his Quarters, for you have not performed half your part with him yet. O Heavens!</HI> (cry'd <HI>Do|rothea</HI> almo&s;t ready to weep) <HI>I am re|&s;olved I'le not torture the poor wretch any more. Let Miranda do't an She will! &mdash; So I promi&s;e you, She &s;hould</HI> (re|ply'd Ariadne) <HI>if it were convenient, but She knows her too well. And in &s;hort</HI> (continued &s;he) <HI>you are the fittest Per|&s;on alive. My Dear</HI> (pur&s;u'd &s;he, &s;weetning the tone of her Voice, and ki&s;&s;ing her Cheek) <HI>you mu&s;t oblige me. Nay</HI> (&s;aid Dorothea) <HI>&s;ince my</HI> Ariadne <HI>&s;ays there is a Nece&s;&s;ity for it, I &s;hall obey. Well</HI> (&s;aid Ariadne) <HI>I thank thee
<PB N="78" REF="44">
my Dear, I'le in&s;truct thee pre&s;ently, a&s;&s;oon as I have &s;ent this Footman after him.</HI> VVhich &s;he did immediately, and returned to her fair Scholar, and her Dear <HI>Miranda.</HI> Now (&s;aid &s;he to the fir&s;t) <HI>You mu&s;t know I will write a mo&s;t pa&s;&s;ionate Love-Letter to him, as if I had fall'n in Love with him at fir&s;t &s;ight, and invite him hither, where you are to &s;econd what I &s;hall write, and pretend you are deeply in Love with him. O fy!</HI> (interrupted Dorothea) <HI>I profe&s;s you impo&s;e a very difficult task on me; and to &s;ay truth, I am the rather more avers to this, le&s;t in pretending it, I &s;hould really Love him &mdash; O! No,</HI> (reply'd Ariadne) <HI>think on me, and you are &s;ecure enough. Yet I vow to you</HI> (interrupted Miranda) <HI>'tis very hard to Counterfeit love to a Man of his Addre&s;s and Per&s;on. Very fine</HI> (cry'd Ariadne) <HI>I &s;ee I have two dangerous Rivals of you. Yet this must be done. Be &s;atisfied!</HI> (&s;aid Do|rothea) <HI>It &s;hall, It &s;hall.</HI> Thus as they had been di&s;cour&s;ing, and plotting a|gain&s;t poor wretched <HI>Polydor,</HI> for about an hours &s;pace; The Footman returned
<PB N="79" REF="44">
and gave them an Accountorious as my betaken him&s;elf to the litt<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ut<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">es of the Hou&s;e where he left him at <HI>Ay</HI> (pur&s;u'd how long he would continue there, he could not po&s;itively &s;ay.</P>
<P><HI>Ariadne</HI> upon this wrote a Letter immediately, as &s;he had before de&s;ign|ed, and obliged the Compa&s;&s;ionate <HI>Do|rothea</HI> to Act out her part, while <HI>Poloydor</HI> lay Raving on a Flock-B<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">d in the little Ale-Hou&s;e, not at all regarding or fear|ing the Vermin that might a&s;&s;ault him. Now if I had been he, I would rather have &s;at down and drank with my Hor&s;e, than have ventured my Boots in &s;o &s;u&s;picious a Place. For all my de|light is in clean Linnen, (as the VVench &s;aid when &s;he wa&s;hed her di&s;h-Clout.) But he not at all Curious, Sollicitous; Anxious or unea&s;y for his Apartment; began a large and bitter Satyr again&s;t VVomen; and concluded with no great Encomium of his own Di&s;cretion. <HI>Ah</HI> (&s;aid he) <HI>was ever man &s;o Credulous! &s;o ea&s;ily deluded; by a little Lewd <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ilting Scrumpet! O Bea&s;t! and which is wor&s;t, O, Cuckold!</HI> (continued he, &s;cratching
<PB N="78" REF="45">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
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<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
<PB N="80" REF="46">
<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 span"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">re it did not itch.) Now had <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 span"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">enchify'd, and had it been <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 span"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">e, or Fall of the Leaf, it were not Ridiculous to &s;uppo&s;e he might have Entertained his fingers ends with a budding Maid or two; But I dare a&s;&s;ure you, he was as &s;ound as a Roach, and be&s;ides it was Summer. Yet tho he was thus tender of his Honour, he could not but admire and commend to him&s;elf his <HI>Ariadnes</HI> Beauty and Hu|mour. <HI>O!</HI> (cry'd he aloud) <HI>were not this Creature fal&s;e,</HI> (for did you mark? that's generally the fir&s;t word your Jea|lous or for&s;aken Lovers call one another) <Q>had &s;he not been fal&s;e, <HI>(repeated he)</HI> &s;he were worth a Thou&s;and &s;uch <HI>Ari|adnes</HI> as I &s;aw la&s;t, yet I mu&s;t own by the little notice I took of her, &s;he was extreamly Beautiful too! &mdash; But <HI>(con|tinued he all in a rage)</HI> my Devil is &s;o Charming, that if &s;he were already re|ally a Devil, <HI>(as in time no doubt She may)</HI> &s;he would invite a Saint to her Embraces. Well! I am a Cuckold! and Ile go herd in the City, my Horns will not be perceived there: at lea&s;t
<PB N="81" REF="46">
they may not be &s;o notorious as my Elder Brothers the Deputies of the Ward where I fix. <HI>Ay, Ay</HI> (pur&s;u'd he) and I'le throw off my Sword, and turn as great a Cheat as any Trade&s;man of them all! As great a Rebel, and as great an Hypocrite as any Puritan Villain among them, nay more (ad|ded he fiercely) I cou<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">d almo&s;t find in my heart to write-Pamphlets a|gain&s;t the <HI>D.</HI> and call the Kings late mo&s;t Gracious De<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">laration a Libel. But hold, <HI>&s;aid he coming a little to him&s;elf,</HI> It mu&s;t not go there. No, let her be damn'd by her &s;elf, I will not per&s;wade my &s;elf to the&s;e Imp<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">|ties le&s;t I keep her Company. Ah, Polydor! <HI>continued he;</HI> what will thy Mother, thy Brother, thy Si&s;ters, and all thy Relations &s;ay to this, will they not &s;corn thee? will they not point at thee, and &s;hun thee? For there is nothing in the World &s;o contemptible to each other, as Relations, when any one of them Mi&s;carries. Nay, and it carries with it &s;ome &s;hew of Rea&s;on. 'Tis a di&s;grace to the whole Family! What
<PB N="82" REF="47">
<HI>&s;ays one,</HI> Marry a VVhore! A Jilt! O Devil! &mdash; Why I &s;hall become a Town-talk! Be &s;ung about the Streets in a Ballad to the tune of <HI>Fortune my Foe.</HI> Married! <HI>&s;ays another,</HI> with a Plague, what need he have Married! He always &s;eemed aver&s;e to it. &mdash;But I beg your pardon Sir, <HI>pur&s;u'd he,</HI> If this Woman had been really what &s;he pretended, I would not have been un|married for an Empire. &mdash; But &s;hees Fal&s;e! and I am Lo&s;t, Ruin'd, and E|ternally mi&s;erable.</Q></P>
<P>If all this &s;hou'd be true now that he &s;ays, there is no body but would pitty him. But Well! He &s;aid no more for the pre&s;ent: only he hurried up and down about the Room mo&s;t Violently; as I have &s;een a Mou&s;e looking for a hole to e&s;cape at. In this motion <HI>Ariadnes</HI> Me&s;&s;enger found him, and delivered his Lady's Letter to him, which held the&s;e words.</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<PB N="83" REF="47">
<OPENER><SALUTE>SIR,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>Though you mi&s;took, when you thought you had found a Ring and Gold that belonged to me; yet I am not mi&s;taken in accu&s;ing you, as the Man that has &s;toll'n my Heart and Rob'd me of my Quiet: which unle&s;s you immediate|ly re&s;tore with your Pre&s;ence, I am re|&s;olved to haunt you, as long as I am</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Ariadne.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</LETTER>
<P><HI>Hey day,</HI> (cry'd Polydor with a &s;cornful Smile) <Q>What's here! more &s;port for Fortune! Her Lady&s;hip (me|thinks) is merrily di&s;po&s;ed at pre&s;en<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">. Pray hone&s;t Friend and fellow Tra|vellor <HI>(&s;aid he to the Footman)</HI> what does your Lady mean by this? Alas <HI>(Sir reply'd the Footman)</HI> I thought that Paper had fully di&s;cover'd her In|tentions to you: I am only to entreat you would plea&s;e to let me wait on you to her Immediately. Humh! Immediately! <HI>(cry'd Polydor to him|&s;elf)</HI>
<PB N="84" REF="48">
Her Lady&s;hip's mighty warm on the &s;uddain! But I' gad, &s;hee's mi&s;ta|ken her Man, as it happens. The cur&s;e on't is, nothing will go down with me now, but that &s;ame other fal&s;e <HI>Ariad|ne.</HI> How ever I &s;hall oblige her &s;o far for her Brothers &s;ake, for Civility's &s;ake, and for our Families &s;ake, who never refu&s;'d a Vi&s;it to a pretty Lady. There may (perhaps) too, be more Gold, or more Rings coming: but I fear, I &s;han't de&s;erve 'em. Poor La|dy! I'm &s;orry for her. I am an Elder Brother in my humour, and cannot drudge for a Livelyhood. Well! Come Friend (continued he turning to the Footman) <HI>I'le go with you,</HI> &s;o on they walk'd to the Lady, where I'le leave 'em a while.</Q></P>
<P>His Guide &s;oon Conducted him to the Couterfeit <HI>Ariadne,</HI> who expected him in her Clo&s;et, a&s;&s;oon as &s;he &s;aw him, &s;he was in &s;uch di&s;order, and her thoughts were &s;o confus'd, that &s;he cou'd not &s;ay one word to him. She blu&s;h'd and ca&s;t down her Eyes, as if &s;he had really been Guilty of loving him. <HI>Po|lydor</HI>
<PB N="85" REF="48">
took notice of it; And began, &s;hewing her the Billet &s;he &s;ent him. <Q>If this Paper (Madam) has di&s;cover'd more than you will own, be plea&s;ed to con|demn it to the Flames, and Sacrifice it to your Indignation. I mu&s;t confe&s;s <HI>(continu'd he)</HI> 'tis that has occa&s;ion'd you the trouble of a &s;econd Vi&s;it</Q> &mdash; By this time &s;he had pretty well reco|ver'd her &s;elf, and an&s;wer'd him. <Q>'Tis true Sir, that Paper has caus'd the Confu&s;ion, which (perhaps) you might ob&s;erve I was in at the &s;ight of you. But if it had not done me the good Office of di&s;covering my deare&s;t thoughts to you; believe me, I &s;hou'd have had no little difficulty to per&s;wade my &s;elf to it. And (continu'd &s;he) I mu&s;t needs Ju&s;tify what you have read there. But I mu&s;t Chide you, (pur|&s;u'd &s;he with an obliging Smile) I mu&s;t Chide you <HI>Beaufort</HI> for calling that a Trouble, which is the greate&s;t Obligation you could have done me at pre&s;ent.</Q> Pray &s;it (&s;aid &s;he taking him by the hand) they both &s;at down, <HI>Polydor</HI> fixing his Eyes on hers, as if
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he &s;eem'd to ask them what &s;he would be at? <Q>You expect (perhaps &s;aid <HI>Do|rothea</HI>) that I &s;hould make an Apolo|gy for my Mode&s;ty, which probably you may think I have violated, in treating thus familiarly with a Stran|ger. But I &s;hall only &s;ay, you are very unkind if you do, &s;ince you were the cau&s;e of it your &s;elf. And give me leave to add, 'twas Love, 'twas Almighty Love that forc'd me to this Extravagance. Be&s;ides (pur&s;u'd &s;he) I did not know how &s;oon you would leave us and the Country: nor could I tell where to have enquired of you. Madam <HI>(reply'd Polydor)</HI> I confe&s;s, it had not been very ea&s;y to have met with me by that name. And I be&s;eech you pardon me <HI>(continued he)</HI> and I will undeceive you. <HI>He paus'd, but &s;eeing &s;he expected he &s;hould proceed.</HI> My name <HI>(pur&s;u'd he)</HI> is Polydor; I am not altogether unknown to your Brother Sir <HI>Francis.</HI> Why then <HI>(in|terrupted Dorothea)</HI> did you borrow an other name. Becau&s;e Madam <HI>(re|ply'd he)</HI> I would have been wholly
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di&s;guis'd to you, for &s;ome Rea&s;ons that are not fit to be di&s;cours'd. And I beg you (Madam <HI>added he</HI>) not to pre&s;s me to the di&s;covery of them. Alas! I do not mean it Sir, (reply'd the fair Impo&s;tor) I have other Bu&s;i|ne&s;s with you, and of greater Mo|ment to my &s;elf. I have Propo&s;als to make to you which (happily) may not prove ab&s;olutely Di&s;advantageous to you, if embrac'd.</Q> I love you (<HI>Poly|dor</HI> continued &s;he, without &s;uffering him to &s;peak.) <Q>And I love you &s;o pa&s;|&s;ionately, that I can be capable of no re&s;t, nor &s;en&s;ible of any Joy; unle&s;s you ju&s;tly an&s;wer me.</Q> Nay Madam (Interrupted <HI>Polydor</HI>) <Q>As for that mat|ter I can Love as fa&s;t, and as well as any man. And I am ready to do your Lady&s;hip any Civil Kindne&s;s.</Q> Ah (cry'd &s;he) <Q>I fear you mi&s;take me, <HI>Po|lydor!</HI> my de&s;ires and de&s;igns are ho|ne&s;t and Honourable. &mdash; We mu&s;t Marry (continued <HI>Dorothea</HI>) if you mean to make me Happy; If you will not kill a poor Lady that langui&s;hes for you. How! Marry! &mdash; (Interrup|ted
<PB N="88" REF="50">
he) you don't know what you ask Madam. I wi&s;h I could with all my heart! But I have &s;een enough of that already. I hope in Heaven <HI>(cry'd Do|rothea all in a &s;urprize)</HI> you are not Married. Are you? If I be not; <HI>(an|&s;wered Polydor)</HI> I have &s;een the fatal Con&s;equences of it in others: No, no Madam <HI>(continued he)</HI> no more of that! &s;uch another word and I &s;hall Swown, though I nere u&s;e to do &s;o. Why <HI>(re|ply'd Dorothea)</HI> am I &s;o contemptible then? if you are any way acquainted with my Brother, you may (perhaps) have heard my Fortunes are not. And <HI>(pur&s;u'd &s;he)</HI> could it enter into your thoughts, that the Si&s;ter of Sir <HI>Fran|cis Heartwell</HI> could ask any thing but Marriage of you, after the Declarati|on of her Love? Ah (Madam <HI>&s;aid Polydor Kneeling</HI>) for Heavens &s;ake forgive me! I am certain you would (added he) if you knew my wretched, Cur&s;ed, Circum&s;tances. Heaven knows (pur&s;u'd he, looking very A|mourou&s;ly on her) I would &s;oon em|brace &s;o advantageous an offer if it
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were convenient for either of us. Seek not I be&s;eech you (continued he with a &s;igh) &s;eek not to know the mi&s;erable Ob&s;tacle. Be &s;atisfied, I am lo&s;t (Madam!) Condemned to perpetual Infamy while here I Live! My Re|putation is Damn'd, my Fortune and my Re&s;t for ever broken: And my Liberty is no more! Ah pitty Madam, (pur&s;u'd he with a hearty &s;igh) pitty a mi&s;erable Creature, that is not cap|able of receiving the Happine&s;s your Goodne&s;s would throw away upon him! And now (continu'd he ri&s;ing) Permit me I beg of you to retire, and Cur&s;e my Evil Stars, which have heap'd &s;o great Misfortunes on me, only for my Credulity; &s;uffer me I Conjure you by your Excellent good Humour, to retire, that I may Rave freely alone! that I may either &s;hake off the thoughts of my Mi&s;ery, or &s;ink under 'em. O Heavens! (cry'd <HI>Dorothea</HI> weeping, which by no means &s;he could refrain,) &s;uch was the &s;weet|ne&s;s of her Temper, I pitty you from my Soul. Alas! I cannot but
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be too &s;en&s;ible that you are much Af|flicted. And I wi&s;h heartily it were in my Power or Art to relieve you. You may go (continued he) &s;ince you mu&s;t, and will go. But I be&s;eech you, as ever you hope to regain your Quiet, Let me at all times know where to find you.</Q> Be confident Madam, you &s;hall (&s;aid <HI>Polydor</HI> ki&s;&s;ing her Hand) and ma|king his Obey&s;ance very humbly to the very Door, he left her gazing after him.</P>
<P>When he was quite out of &s;ight, &s;he went to her cruel Cou&s;in whom &s;he rail|ly'd &s;everely for making her In&s;trument in Torturing the Poor mi&s;taken <HI>Polydor.</HI> &mdash;But to her greater di&s;&s;atisfaction, &s;he under&s;tood, that &s;he had a Scene or two more to play of her part yet: Which <HI>Ariadne</HI> began to in&s;truct her in. While <HI>Polydor</HI> retreated to his little Thatch'd hou&s;e; where he weigh'd every Circum|&s;tance of this La&s;t Adventure.</P>
<P><Q>Heavens! <HI>(cry'd he)</HI> was there ever &s;o unfortunate a Fellow as I am, to be abus'd by a Counterfeit <HI>Ariadne,</HI> when I might really have had the true one! But, perhaps, I had never &s;een the la&s;t
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had it not been in que&s;t of the fir&s;t. 'Tis &s;tranged Methinks, there is &s;till &s;omething that hangs about my Heart and will not let me hate that naughty Woman, nor I fear I &s;hou'd receive her again, were I a&s;&s;ur'd of her Vir|tue: Were I confident &s;he were not in Debt, or had I but an E&s;tate to pay her Debts, whatever they were; up|on the a&s;&s;urahce of her truth to me: I &s;hou'd take her into my Bo&s;om. O ea&s;y Fool that I am! I am certain I &s;hou'd. Shee's witchingly fair! I cannot for my Soul forget her Beauty. Her Humour too &s;o ju&s;tly an&s;wers mine; that 'twere too great a Ble&s;&s;ing for me to enjoy her had &s;he but Ho|nour too. &mdash; But O! <HI>(continu'd he)</HI> I have lo&s;t a Diamond for a Pebble. Is that &s;o &s;trange! Alas! I have lo&s;t my &s;elf.&mdash; But well <HI>(pur&s;ued he)</HI> Ile to Town, and &s;trive to divert the Thoughts of my ill Fortune and Di&s;|grace with Company and Play. I may meet there with &s;omebody as wretched as my &s;elf: And then wee'l &s;it and Rail, and Cur&s;e Fortune, Wo|men,
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and our own Follies &mdash; Hold, <HI>Polydor!</HI> Hold! <HI>(pur&s;u'd he after a little Pau&s;e)</HI> Do's this become the greatne&s;s of thy Spirit! No; I will &s;uffer quietly and &s;ilently. I'le be as great a Stoick as the be&s;t of 'em. Nay more; I'le bear my Afflictions like a Chri&s;tian Woman, I forgive thee. Thou ha&s;t not Damned me yet. Thou ha&s;t only made me forfeit all my Hap|pine&s;s on Earth, unle&s;s I find it here, here in my Brea&s;t. I fir&s;t mu&s;t drive thee out and then I may. Alas! Thou coud&s;t not help this Treachery! It is Entail'd upon thy Sex. Heaven has ordain'd that you &s;hou'd all be fal&s;e. Made Soft and Fair the ea&s;ier to De|ceive.</Q></P>
<Q><L>'Twas not the Fruit nor Serpent ruin'd Man:</L>
<L>O no! The Woman look'd the Sin into him!</L>
<L>Shee Smil'd and rai&s;ed &s;trong Appetites within him:</L>
<L>The Mighty Charm prevail'd! The glo|rious Bait.</L>
<L><PB N="93" REF="52">He &s;peedily devour'd; and in one mo|ment</L>
<L>Thus Poy&s;on'd all his Pure, Immacu|late Soul!</L>
<L>And left his Sons weak Preys to's &s;ubtle Daughters!</L></Q>
<P><HI>So</HI> (continu'd he Recollecting him|&s;elf) <HI>I can Preach I &s;ee, upon occa&s;ion. However, this is no place to Preach in; the Night comes on apace; I will to Town in &s;pite of Darkne&s;s.</HI> With that, he call'd for his Hor&s;e and a Pen, Ink, and Paper; which with much ado he got: But, I believe, his Ho&s;te&s;s was forc'd to tear a blank Leaf out of the <HI>Practice of Piety</HI> or &s;ome &s;uch Book; or, for ought I know, it might as well be torn out of the Famous Hi&s;tory of <HI>Valentine</HI> and <HI>Or&s;on;</HI> which indeed, is the mo&s;t likely of the two: For as I under&s;tand, it was a Quarter of a &s;heet of Paper; on which he wrote a piece of his Mind to the Counterfeit <HI>Ariadne,</HI> giving her no|tice where &s;he might direct her Com|mands to him at any time; which he
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di&s;patch'd to her by a Me&s;&s;enger he found there, who undertook to deliver it that Night for a Te&s;ter. So, immedi|ately he mounted and came for <HI>London;</HI> where he Arriv'd about eleven at Night: He &s;et up his Bea&s;t very carefully, and &s;tay'd till he had &s;een his Bed made, and till he had eaten a hearty Supper of Corn. Then&mdash;<HI>God-a-mercy Hor&s;e</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor</HI>) and left him to provide for his own &s;elf; which he did; taking Coach and driving directly to his Lodgings; where he vow'd, Pray'd a little and Sigh'd more, &s;o put out his Candle and went to Bed. What with Travelling and Vexation, he was &s;o tir'd, that he &s;lept very &s;oundly till &s;even the next Morning, without the help of Wine. When he 'ro&s;e he found him&s;elf much better for having drank &s;o little the Day pa&s;t: But &s;till he found his Troubles return into his Thoughts, as fre&s;h as ever. He knew not what in the World to do, to ea&s;e him&s;elf. At la&s;t, he bethought him&s;elf of his Friend <HI>Mar|woud:</HI> To whom he re&s;olved to di&s;|cour&s;e his Misfortunes at large and ask his Advice, what to do in his mi&s;erable
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Condition: For, he had fully determi|ned in his Thoughts to drink no more &s;o largely and frequently as he had done hitherto. To his mi&s;taken Friend then he go's, finds him hardly awake, in Bed. <HI>What! Not awake yet</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Po|lydor,</HI> drawing open the Curtains) <HI>Who's that?</HI> (cry'd <HI>Marwoud,</HI> rubbing his Eyes) <HI>O</HI> Polydor! <HI>What Return'd al|ready! Will you believe your Eyes, or no,</HI> (reply'd <HI>Polydor) you &s;ee I am. Hardly</HI> (an&s;wer'd <HI>Marwoud) for faith thou ha&s;t made &s;uch ha&s;t 'tis almo&s;t incredible to me! Since,</HI> I <HI>pre&s;ume, you stay'd &s;ome time with your Friends you went to &s;ee: And for my part,</HI> I <HI>declare to you, I don't love to ride &s;o hard: But did you not travel &s;ome part of the la&s;t Night?</HI> (con|tinu'd he) I <HI>did,</HI> (reply'd <HI>Polydor</HI>) I <HI>&s;hou'd not-like that without Company</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Marwoud) 'tis dangerous, there are High|way-Men abroad every Night on that Road: Be&s;ides if it were never &s;o clear of them;</HI> I <HI>&s;hou'd neverthele&s;s be A&s;&s;aulted by all the Melancholy Thoughts my Soul cou'd mu&s;ter. Ay!</HI> (interrupted <HI>Polydor) Tho&s;e were my Entertainment all the way.</HI>
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I <HI>never was &s;o melancholy in all my Life,</HI> (added he) <HI>nor ever had rea&s;on to be &s;o: How? Prithee why?</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Marwoud) &s;it on the Bed and let me hear the rea&s;on. You &s;hall</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor</HI> &s;itting down) I <HI>am Marry'd my dear Friend</HI> (continu'd he, embracing <HI>Marwoud;</HI> &s;ighing and almo&s;t weeping at every word) <HI>At la&s;t,</HI> he &s;ummon'd all his Re&s;olution, and made &s;hift to di&s;cour&s;e all his Adventures with <HI>Ariadne</HI> to him, which he did in &s;uch pitteous Accents and with &s;uch mournful Ge&s;tures, that <HI>Marwoud</HI> often &s;igh'd in Con&s;ort with him. But, perhaps, it was more, becau&s;e he under&s;tood that <HI>Polydor</HI> had rob'd him of his Mi&s;tre&s;s, tho he did not know it him&s;elf. But as if it had been to make him more enra|ged; <HI>Polydor</HI> &s;hews him the Ring and Gold <HI>Ariadne</HI> left with him. <HI>Marwoud</HI> &s;oon knew the Pur&s;e and the Ring. Which made him &s;ay, coldly, <Q>On my Word, I &s;hou'd think by this &s;he were a Per&s;on of Quality; but her leaving you &s;o &s;trangely confirms me in a con|trary Opinion,</Q> <HI>Polydor</HI> then proceed|ed to tell him how pa&s;&s;ionately in Love
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the true <HI>Ariadne</HI> was with him, all along mi&s;taking <HI>Dorothea</HI> for her. <Q>But (<HI>&s;aid he tenderly embracing</HI> Marwoud <HI>again</HI>) I will have nothing to &s;ay to her, be|cau&s;e, I know your Heart is engag'd there. How came you to hear that (<HI>&s;aid</HI> Marwoud?) The Foot-man that I overtook on the Road di&s;cover'd it to me, by a trick I put upon him. Well then, <HI>cry'd</HI> Marwoud, how do you like the true <HI>Ariadne?</HI> What manner of Woman is &s;he? for, per|haps, <HI>continu'd he,</HI> you may be &s;till deceiv'd. That's impo&s;&s;ible, <HI>replyed</HI> Polydor, and to convince you that I am not, I will de&s;cribe her to you. Her Hair is of a pale brown, her Eyes are Gray, full and Langui&s;hing. She Li&s;ps a little; and &s;he has a Mole on her left Cheek which become her ex|treamly. Nay, nay, I'm &s;ure 'tis &s;he.</Q></P>
<P>Well I am &s;atisfy'd; <HI>&s;aid</HI> Marwoud, who knew well enough 'twas <HI>Dorothea,</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">y the De&s;cription:</P>
<P><PB N="98" REF="55">He pre&s;ently imagin'd 'twas one of <HI>Ariadnes</HI> Caprices that &s;et <HI>Dorothea</HI> to per&s;onate her. He began to be very unea&s;y, and impatient of <HI>Polydor</HI>'s Stay. &mdash; When <HI>Polydor</HI> asked him, <Q>Am not I the mo&s;t wretched Creature breathing? Do&s;t thou not pitty me heartily? What &s;hall I do? <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">rithee a&s;&s;i&s;t me.</Q> And a thou&s;and other things that a man in his Condition might pro|po&s;e. He reply'd, <Q>I believe 'tis Nine a Clock; I mu&s;t ri&s;e to take Sir Francis ere he go out. What? &s;hall I drink a Bottle with you at Night? I will not fail to meet you at Eight, at Lockets, or where you will. I'le &s;ee you ther<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> if you plea&s;e (reply'd Polydor) bu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> I can't Drink. You dull Dog (&s;aid Marwood to his <HI>Valet de Chambre</HI>) ar<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> the&s;e Clothes for this Weather? Wha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> occa&s;ion have I to Sweat this Weather more than I mu&s;t of Nece&s;&s;ity? Do<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> your Rogue&s;hip think I'm Pox'd! yo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> are but an ill Phy&s;itian to pre&s;cri<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters"> me a Sweat, amid'&s;t all this Heat, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> I were.</Q> The poor Devil an&s;wer'd nere<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> word, but with all &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion imag<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">+nable
<PB N="99" REF="55">
brought him another Suit that look'd a little Cooler. He put it on and dre&s;&s;ed, till he had occa&s;ion for his Perruke; by ill Luck, that which he de&s;igned to wear that day, was not Comb'd out. &mdash; Defend us! How many <HI>Dammees?</HI> How many <HI>Oaths?</HI> How many <HI>In&s;ipi'd Ra&s;cally Negligent Bea&s;ts</HI> were there utter'd! <HI>Polydor</HI> ob|&s;erving him out of Humour, did not know what certainly to attribute it to, but thought it very <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">onvenient to leave him. <HI>Marwood</HI> (&s;aid he) <HI>good Morrow! To Night at Eight, at Lockets; remem|ber your Servant,</HI> an&s;wered he in the &s;ame Tone, he had &s;poken to his <HI>Valet de Chambre.</HI></P>
<P>Down Stairs went <HI>Polydor,</HI> and not long after <HI>Marwood</HI> took a Chair and went to Sir <HI>Francis,</HI> where he appear'd very much di&s;compos'd, all along; in|&s;omuch tha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> Sir <HI>Francis</HI> took part<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">cular Notice of him. <Q>Marwood (&s;aid he) What the Devil ails thee? Thy looks are enough to give the mo&s;t Co&s;tive Body a &s;tool! What's the matter? Come, impart, impart 'Tis not whol|&s;ome
<PB N="100" REF="56">
for your knowledge of all Mens, (reply'd Marwood) 'twill bli&s;ter your Ears if I relate it. You &s;eem to imply (&s;aid the Knight) that it Concerns me. And your words have rais'd my Curio&s;ity to that height, that you mu&s;t explain 'em, or I cannot e&s;teem you my Friend. My &s;ilence (an&s;wer'd Marwood) is now the greate&s;t Argument of my Friend|&s;hip to you that I can make you. I beg you would not. &mdash; Prithee do not beg (interrupted Sir Francis) thou ha&s;t &s;tirr'd all that was Woman in me, and now I mu&s;t know; thy very Endea|vours to conceal it makes me im|patient of this tormenting Silence. There's Mi&s;chief in it, let me know it. Mi&s;chief! I think there is (cry'd <HI>Mar|wood all in a Rage</HI>) Mi&s;chief, Ba&s;e, Treacherous Mi&s;cheif! Why then art thou &s;o long ere thou let'&s;t me know it? (&s;aid <HI>Ariadnes</HI> dear Brothe.r) Too &s;oon (&s;aid <HI>Marwood,</HI> &s;haking his &s;pite|ful head, and &s;hrugging up his Shoul|ders, you will know too &s;oon, the Lady your Si&s;ter <HI>Ariadne</HI> is Married. &mdash;
<PB N="101" REF="56">
Married! (&s;aid Sir <HI>Francis,</HI> keeping his Temper and his face.) Why, then God give her Joy! Can you then &s;o Tamely hear &s;uch ill News? (cry'd <HI>Marwood</HI>) that your Si&s;ter is Marri'd ba&s;ely, below her &s;elf to a Man of no Fortunes, or at lea&s;t of very &s;mall For|tunes, and tho&s;e too decaying! And without your Knowledge! With all my heart, let her Marry without my Knowledge (reply'd Sir <HI>Francis</HI>) But what ba&s;e Man is he, &s;he has made her Husband? Pray what is his name? Do I know him? yes, I think you have &s;een him (an&s;wered <HI>Marwood</HI>) and in my Company. Pox o' my Log|gerhead that ever I brought him near you! &mdash; Prithee (interrupted the good humour'd Gentleman) who is he without any more Harrangues, let me know his Name, if he has one, I be|&s;eech you. 'Tis <HI>Polydor,</HI> that Treach|erous Beggerly Villain! (cry'd <HI>Mar|wood,</HI> his Face all over glowing with Rage and Envy.) <HI>Polydor!</HI> (&s;aid Sir <HI>Francis</HI>) have a care <HI>Marwood</HI> what you &s;ay! He is a worthy Gentleman
<PB N="102" REF="57">
and of a good Family, be&s;ides he was your Friend. I am heartily glad 'tis &s;o well with her, after all the fears you put me in for her. So well (cry'd <HI>Marwoud.</HI> 'Tis true; &s;he might have Married a Hangman, a Cobler, or a Porter for all you I &s;ee; But I don't apprehend how otherwi&s;e &s;he could have done wor&s;e! The Extravagant Prodigal knows how to &s;pend her Fortunes, and his own too, were they both doubled. Is this all the care you take of your Si&s;ter! How now <HI>Marwoud!</HI> (&s;aid Sir <HI>Francis</HI> putting on a &s;erious Look) what do you mean by this Di&s;cour&s;e. Pray keep your Reprimands till they may be more &s;ea|&s;onable: will you in&s;truct my Care and Love to my Si&s;ter! If I have of|fended Sir, (an&s;wered <HI>Marwoud</HI>) 'tis through the exce&s;s of my Friend&s;hip, and Zeal to &s;erve you. I could not think &s;uch a Lo&s;t Fellow as <HI>Polydor,</HI> a fit Match, for the incomparable <HI>A|riadne.</HI></Q> It &s;eems <HI>(reply'd her Brother) Ariade thinks &s;o.</HI> <Q>And once more I give you Caution, that you treat him
<PB N="103" REF="57">
at your di&s;cour&s;e of him, as he is a Gentleman. If not for his own, and his Families &s;ake, yet at lea&s;t as he is my Si&s;ters Husband, and my Brother, &mdash; But how came this Wedding a|bout.</Q> <HI>Marwoud</HI> told him every Cir|cum&s;tance as <HI>Polydor</HI> had related to him, <Q>but <HI>(added he)</HI> I fear he has di&s;gui&s;ed the Truth, and that he &s;urpri&s;ed her, and forc'd her con&s;ent to Marry him. If &s;o <HI>(replyd Sir Francis)</HI> I &s;hall take an Honourable Revenge on him: Wee'l go down to Morrow, and learn the Truth. But I fear, <HI>Marwoud</HI> you love her, your &s;elf: I have long &s;u&s;|pected it, and 'tis Jealous hate that makes you judge &s;o ill of your happy Rival. I hope (reply'd <HI>Marwoud</HI> ready to bur&s;t with Anger, which he dur&s;t not vent there) I had not been altogether &s;o Contemptible and di&s;|proportionate a Match; had I been &s;o happy as <HI>Polydor.</HI> I grant your E&s;tate is proportionable (reply'd Sir <HI>Francis</HI>) but how unequal your Hu|mours may be, I know not. And (perhaps added he &s;harply) &s;he is as
<PB N="104" REF="58">
Happy as &s;he has di&s;po&s;ed of her &s;elf, as if &s;he had proceeded according to your deliberate In&s;tructions.</Q> 'Tis very po&s;&s;ible (reply'd <HI>Marwoud.</HI>)</P>
<P>The next Morning they came to <HI>Do|rotheas,</HI> where I fancy they were ex|pected, becau&s;e they were &s;o Civilly entertain'd. A&s;&s;oon as Sir <HI>Francis</HI> found his Si&s;ter in private, which you may, be confident was before <HI>Marwoud</HI> had the opportunity of conver&s;ing alone with her. He told her all that <HI>Mar|woud</HI> had related to him, all which &s;he own'd, who certainly gave her the greate&s;t animo&s;ity imaginable again&s;t a Gentleman of his Principles, and Circum&s;tances. 'Tis true &s;he was Re|veng'd and that by good Fortune, for (perhaps) <HI>Marwoud</HI> dur&s;t have fought any man on equal terms of Honour or Advantage. He was a Spark that could Love as heartily for intere&s;t as any man Breathing! He had a &s;trange Com|mand over him&s;elf in Conver&s;ation! And would &s;eldom &s;peak Truth, for, that is the rude&s;t thing imaginable, e&s;|pecially if a man always does &s;o. You
<PB N="105" REF="58">
are to know then, that a&s;&s;oon as her Brother had made this Di&s;cour&s;e to her, <HI>Ariadne</HI> &s;ingled out <HI>Marwoud,</HI> and led him into the Garden. <HI>Is it po&s;&s;ible</HI> (&s;aid &s;he) <HI>that a Gentleman and your friend, &s;hould impudently and fal&s;e|ly report to you, that I was Married to him! and is it not as &s;trange that you &s;hould give Credit to him on &s;o &s;light Circum|&s;tances, as the &s;ight of my Ring and Pur&s;e. Look here</HI> (continued &s;he, &s;hew|ing him the Letter <HI>Polydor</HI> had written to her, under the borrowed Name of <HI>Beaufort.) See now are you not finely abu&s;ed. But I perceive very faint ap|pearances will prevail on you, to believe the wor&s;t things imaginable of me. Ha!</HI> (interrupted <HI>Marwoud</HI> in a plea&s;ing &s;ur|pri&s;e) <HI>Are you not then Married to him? Why can't you yet give Credit to me!</HI> (&s;aid Ariadne.) <HI>Why then</HI> (cry'd Marwoud) <HI>do you &s;uffer him to wear tho&s;e things, which are much more precious in their having been worn by you, than an hun|dred times their Value could make them? <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ou &s;ee</HI> (an&s;wered &s;he) <HI>he entreates here <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">hat he might ki&s;s my hand; which by
<PB N="106" REF="59">
no means I would permit, but prevailed with Dorothea to per&s;onate me,</HI> when upon the fir&s;t &s;ight of her, he cry'd &s;he was not that <HI>Ariadne</HI> he looked for, and left her without returning any of 'em. <HI>By Heaven but he &s;hall return 'em Madam,</HI> (cry'd Marwood in a fierce tone) <HI>and that ere to Morrow this time. I would not</HI> (&s;aid Ariadne) <HI>Encourage you in any ill de&s;ign of Revenge upon my Ac|count; but truly I mu&s;t &s;ay, he de&s;erves to be puni&s;hed for his Indi&s;cretion.</HI></P>
<P>What a Devil did this Woman mean now, (&s;ome will &s;ay) to &s;et this Fel|low to Murther her Husband, Let them know &s;he was re&s;olved to try his Courage as well as his other Vir|tues; for undoubtedly &s;he was the mo&s;t humorous Creature Breathing. And I dare &s;ay, &s;he wi&s;h'd from her very Soul, that <HI>Polydor</HI> might come off Vic|torious, and Cha&s;tize <HI>Marwoud</HI> for his Tatling.</P>
<P>They &s;aid not much more on that Matter, becau&s;e they &s;aw Sir <HI>Francis</HI> leading <HI>Dorothea</HI> and <HI>Miranda</HI> to them <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> they joyned Di&s;cour&s;e pre&s;ently, o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">
<PB N="107" REF="59">
News, and things indifferent, which la&s;ted about an Hour: when they were told that Dinner waited them on the Table, they all went in, and tho&s;e could fed heartily; <HI>Marwoud's</HI> Stomack was full already, with his Re&s;olution of figh|ting <HI>Polydor,</HI> and I think he Eate but little, but drank the more. And a&s;&s;oon as Dinner was over, he took the op|portunity to leave the Knight and Ladys in a very hot Di&s;pute, concer|ning the Con&s;tancy of Men, and the Incon&s;tancy of Women, in affairs of Love.</P>
<P><HI>Marwoud</HI> had gotten on Hor&s;e-back ju&s;t as they were beginning to be warm in their Arguments, and ordered one of the Footmen to tell Sir <HI>Francis,</HI> if he &s;hould ask for him, that he was gone to make a Vi&s;it to a Drunken friend of his about 7 or 8 Miles thence; and that he &s;hould not wonder if he did not return to Night, for he doubted there might be hot Service.</P>
<P>Having left this Charge with the Ser|vant, he Rode for <HI>London,</HI> with all the Convenient &s;peed that might be; where
<PB N="108" REF="60">
he found him&s;elf about Nine a Clock. He was &s;o Impatient, that he hardly could give him&s;elf time to change his Boots for Shoos, ere he went to &s;ee for <HI>Polydor.</HI></P>
<P>By good fortune for him, he could not light on him that Night: But the next Morning early he took him in Bed. <HI>Polydor</HI> (&s;aid he) <HI>you mu&s;t ri&s;e I have Bu&s;ine&s;s with you.</HI> This he &s;poke in a Tone &s;o different, from that he u&s;ed to &s;alute his Friend in formerly, that <HI>Polydor</HI> almo&s;t gue&s;&s;ed what he intend|ed, which made him &s;ay Ri&s;ing, <Q>Cer|tainly your Bu&s;ine&s;s with me is very &s;trange and urgent, that you Vi&s;it me thus early, and with that unu&s;ual Roughne&s;s which you are not wont to acco&s;t me with. But (continued he) I am ready to give my Friends all manner of &s;atisfaction becoming a Gentleman. I know it <HI>Polydor</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Marwoud</HI>) el&s;e I had not given my &s;elf the trouble to call you to an Ac|count, for an Injury done to a Per&s;on of Quality, and my mo&s;t re&s;pected Acquaintance. I don't know what
<PB N="109" REF="60">
you mean (an&s;wer'd <HI>Polydor</HI>) but I'le give you the be&s;t account <HI>I</HI> can. You mu&s;t re&s;tore the Ring and Pur&s;e which you pretended was given you by <HI>Ari|adne.</HI> How! <HI>Marwoud</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor</HI>) pretended to be given me! &mdash; And mu&s;t Re&s;tore them. Prithee to whom? To me (reply'd <HI>Marwoud.</HI>) No <HI>Mar|woud</HI> (cry'd he) Not &s;o. Bring me to that <HI>Ariadne</HI> that gave me the Ring, and left the Pur&s;e with me; and you may prevent farther Mi&s;chief. Talk not of preventing (&s;aid <HI>Marwoud) I</HI> came to &s;eek it. On my word, reply'd <HI>Polydor,</HI> you are fonder on't than I am.</Q> <HI>However I will help you to as much as may &s;atisfie you, within this Hour; if you plea&s;e to let me &s;ee you behind Claren|den Hou&s;e. Well! Good Morrow</HI> (&s;aid Marwoud) <HI>I'le expect you there an hour hence.</HI></P>
<P>He went directly to the place ap|pointed, where <HI>Polydor</HI> after he was dre&s;&s;ed, according to a laudable Cu|&s;tom which he had always ob&s;erved; threw him&s;elf on his Knees, and recom|mended the Care of his Soul and Body
<PB N="110" REF="61">
to Heaven: And I believe, if with Ho|nour he might have avoided it, he wo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">d not have fought any man in cold Blood, much le&s;s one that had been his Friend. He could not yet imagine what obliged <HI>Marwoud</HI> to demand the Ring and Gold.</P>
<P>He went con&s;idering on the odne&s;s of that Mornings Encounter, till he came to the afore&s;aid place, where he found <HI>Marwoud</HI> ready to receive him, with all the Gallantry and Re&s;olution of a Ge|nerous Enemy Said <HI>Polydor, I could wi&s;h Marwoud, that this matter might be otherwi&s;e determin'd, than by the Sword. E&s;pecially between us two. 'Tis in vain</HI> (reply'd Marwoud drawing) <HI>The Sword alone mu&s;t end this Di&s;pute with one of our Lives. Forbid it Hea|ven</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor</HI> &s;tanding on his Guard) <HI>Marwoud</HI> was very Furious and Violent in his Pa&s;&s;es, which <HI>Polydor</HI> very calmly put by. But <HI>Marwoud</HI> continuing very eager, made one home Thru&s;t, and &s;lightly wounded <HI>Polydor</HI> in his left Arm; who immediately threw him|&s;elf into his enraged Enemy and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="3 letters">|arm'd
<PB N="111" REF="61">
him. <HI>Here Marwoud</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Poly|dor) take your Sword, I will not injure your Courage &s;o mu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters"> as to expect you &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="4 letters">d ask your Life. What damn'd mi&s;|fortunes this!</HI> (cry'd Marwoud receiv|ing his Sword, <HI>I thank thee</HI> Polydor; <HI>but I mu&s;t again employ it again&s;t thy Life! I mu&s;t be ungrateful</HI> (continued he) <HI>my unhappy Circum&s;tances oblige me to it!&mdash;That's &s;omewhat hard</HI> (reply'd Polydor) <HI>however I cannot fear to fight that man a &s;econd time, whom I have once di&s;arm'd. And now Sir</HI> (added he with a threatning Ge&s;ture.) <HI>This bout may be more fatal to you than the former. I'le take it as it comes</HI> (&s;aid Marwoud.)</P>
<P>They both made &s;everal Pa&s;&s;es, and <HI>Polydor</HI> was run quite through the right Thigh, but it was only a Fle&s;h-wound, having mi&s;t the Sinews. This vex'd him heartily, and he pre&s;t mo&s;t V<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">go|rou&s;ly on his Rival, in&s;omuch that he made him retreat about two yards of Ground, and pur&s;uing his Advan|tage ran him into the Sword Arm, al|mo&s;t as far as his Brea&s;t. There his Sword was &s;o engag'd, that he could
<PB N="112" REF="62">
not ea&s;ily get it out: mean while <HI>Mar|woud</HI> was &s;hifting his own Sword into his left hand, that he might &s;horten it, and run him into the Back, but <HI>Polydor</HI> prevented him by throwing him on the Ground, where he took from him both the Swords. <HI>Marwoud's</HI> he &s;tuck into the Earth, and broke it &s;hort almo&s;t to the Hilt. <HI>Now</HI> (&s;aid he) <HI>Marwoud thou ha&s;t the Reward of Ingratitude farewell, if thou can&s;t; I'le &s;end &s;omebody to help thee, a&s;&s;oon as I reach the Town. No, hold!</HI> (&s;aid Marwood) <HI>let me walk with you. I have my due, and I am &s;atisfied. And I thank Heaven that we have both &s;cap'd with Life. No thanks to you though Sir</HI> (&s;aid Polydor.)</P>
<P>They both made &s;hift to get to St. <HI>Jam&s;es,</HI> where they took Coach, and were both Carried to the &s;ame Chy|rurgeon, who a&s;&s;ur'd 'em there was no great danger on either &s;ide; but <HI>Mar|woud's</HI> was &s;omewhat the wor&s;e. When the Wounds were dre&s;&s;ed, they em|braced very kindly, and were as good friends &s;eemingly, as ever they had been formerly. I dare engage that <HI>Po|lydor</HI>
<PB N="113" REF="62">
was real, but for <HI>Marwoud,</HI> I can not &s;ay much, for he plaid him an ill trick after this.</P>
<P>They parted for the pre&s;ent and went to their &s;everal Lodgings. About twelve a Clock Sir <HI>Francis</HI> came in puffing ha&s;t to <HI>Marwouds,</HI> whom he found upon his Bed a&s;leep, and in a fine breathing Sweat. He was going to &s;teal away &s;oftly to leave him to his Repo&s;e, but (it &s;eems) he could not avoid making &s;o much Noi&s;e as waked <HI>Marwoud. Who's there</HI> (cry'd he.) <HI>Your Friend.</HI> (&s;aid Sir <HI>Francis) I'm glad to &s;ee you a|live. How is it with Polydor?</HI> Mar|woud was amaz'd to hear him ask &s;o pertinent a Que&s;tion, not apprehend|ing how he &s;hould know any thing of their la&s;t di&s;pute. <HI>I think Sir</HI> (&s;aid he) <HI>Polydor is as well, if not better than I am: I'm &s;ure his Fortune was. But in the name of wonder how came you ac|quainted with our Difference?</HI> Ariadne <HI>when you were gone, was fearful of what might en&s;ue on what &s;he had &s;aid to you,</HI> (reply'd Sir Francis) <HI>and could not re&s;t till &s;he had told me where you were gone,
<PB N="114" REF="63">
which brought us all to Town this Mor|ning by ten a Clock, in hopes to prevent what I &s;ee is already too &s;everely per|formed. Ay alas!</HI> (cry'd Marwoud) <HI>with too &s;evere Succe&s;s on his &s;ide; Cur&s;e on this weak Arm, that could not reach his Heart. I am heartily glad it did not</HI> (reply'd the Knight,) <HI>for I &s;hould cer|tainly have lo&s;t a dear Si&s;ter had it been &s;o, that either of you had fallen. O no!</HI> (interrupted Marwoud) <HI>had the wretched</HI> Marwoud <HI>falln as low as Hell, what had that concern'd the Adorable</HI> Ariadne! <HI>I mu&s;t confe&s;s</HI> (added he with a &s;cornful Smile:) <HI>if the mo&s;t Accompli&s;h'd, and thrice happy</HI> Polydor <HI>had Died; 'twere enough to have broken any Ladys heart. 'Twere enough indeed</HI> (an&s;wered Ariadnes Brother) <HI>to have broken my Si&s;ters heart, had you Kill'd her Husband on her Ac|count. How!</HI> (interrupted Marwoud in a great Con&s;ternation) <HI>is &s;he then re|ally Married to him after all this? after the Letter &s;he &s;hew'd me, to per&s;wade me of the Contrary! 'Tis e'en &s;o after all</HI> (reply'd Sir Francis.) <HI>And you ought not to be be troubled, if I de&s;ire you to
<PB N="115" REF="63">
receive him always as your friend. I may be Civil to him</HI> (an&s;wered Marwoud,) <HI>but I fear I &s;hall never really love him. In &s;hort</HI> (added he) <HI>I &s;hall hardly ever en|dure to &s;ee him again. Come! Come</HI> (&s;aid Sir Francis) <HI>this is not like a Man of Honour: I mu&s;t and will have you per|fectly Reconcil'd. That's as time &s;hall try</HI> (reply'd Marwoud,) <HI>but at pre&s;ent it appears to me as impo&s;&s;ible, as it is to recall Ye&s;terday. O!</HI> (cry'd Sir Francis) <HI>This is only the Effect of your late Animo&s;ity. But</HI> (pur&s;u'd he) <HI>pray make ha&s;t and recover, that you may re&s;tore my Friend again to my Arms. You may come to my Hou&s;e Conveniently enough in a Chair: but I would not have you be too ha&s;ty to leave your Chamber. I'le &s;end</HI> Ariadne <HI>to Vi|&s;it you in the Afternoon. In the mean time take care of your &s;elf.</HI> Saying &s;o he left him without expecting his An|&s;wer, and went home.</P>
<P><HI>Marwoud</HI> did not at all like the Com|plement his Friend made him, of bring|ing his Si&s;ter to Vi&s;it him: But he con&s;i|derd, he &s;hou'd at &s;ometime or other be forc'd to &s;ee her, unle&s;s he cou'd altoge|ther
<PB N="116" REF="64">
re&s;olve to forbear Conver&s;ing with her Brother, which made him put him|&s;elf into the be&s;t Po&s;ture he cou'd to re|ceive her that Afternoon.</P>
<P>Mean while <HI>Polydor</HI> far'd a great deal better for he cou'd make &s;hift to walk, with the help of a Cane, and the Wound in his left Arm was &s;carce of any pain to him. Yet he thought it not altogether nece&s;&s;ary to leave his Chamber for a day or two; which oblig'd him to &s;end for his three old Companions whom he u&s;ed &s;o con&s;tantly to meet at <HI>Lockets</HI> or one Gaming-hou&s;e or other. They came according to Summons; and expre&s;&s;ed &s;ome little kind of trouble for that un|happy Accident, which he told 'em was a fall from his Hor&s;e. To play they went as briskly as at the Groom-Porters: And <HI>Polydor</HI>'s Hand held in mo&s;t luckily! There was indeed &s;ome rea&s;on it &s;hould, for, he Treated 'em very largely and generou&s;ly with Wine and cold Meats.</P>
<P>While they were thus throwing away their Money and Time, <HI>Ariadne</HI> accom|panied only with <HI>Miranda,</HI> came to &s;ee her Maim'd Souldier <HI>Marwood.</HI> Which, I
<PB N="117" REF="64">
believe was no little &s;atisfaction to her, finding him no wor&s;e: For, &s;he conclu|ded her <HI>Polydor</HI>'s Ca&s;e was not &s;o dan|gerous; having heard as much from her Brother at Dinner. <Q>Madam, (<HI>&s;aid</HI> Marwoud <HI>to her</HI>) you do me too much Honour, and your &s;elf too great a trouble in this Vi&s;it; but, perhaps, 'tis a plea&s;ure to you to &s;ee me thus vanqui&s;h'd by the Man you had made your Husband, notwith&s;tanding the endeavours you u&s;ed to di&s;gui&s;e it to me. You mi&s;take Sir (<HI>reply'd</HI> Ari|adne) if it be any plea&s;ure to me to &s;ee you in this Condition: 'tis be|cau&s;e, I hope it is much wor&s;e with <HI>Polydor,</HI> for, I have already had time enough to repent my ha&s;ty Marriage with a Man of his mean Fortunes, and hateful Humours: And I come now to give you the opportunity of reven|ging your&s;elf and me too. But fir&s;t, pray give me a particular Relation of your Duel.</Q></P>
<P>He did &s;o, with much unea&s;ine&s;s; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">nd when he came to that part of the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">tory; <Q>How! (<HI>&s;aid</HI> Ariadne) Had
<PB N="118" REF="65">
you the ill fortune to be twice di&s;arm|ed by him! Yes <HI>(Madam, reply'd he vehemently)</HI> I had that damn'd con|founded ill fortune, for, I am certain it was not through my want of Re&s;o|lution that it &s;ucceeded &s;o well with him. I dont &s;u&s;pect it was <HI>(an&s;wer'd &s;he)</HI> But I come now to pour Bal&s;om into your Wounds; I mean tho&s;e of your mind; promi&s;e me but &s;ecrecy and truth! 'Tis neither Trea&s;on nor Murther I dare a&s;&s;ure you. Let me know it I be&s;eech you <HI>(&s;aid he gree|dily)</HI> I will attempt it; notwith&s;tand|ing I have been unfortunate on your behalf in this la&s;t Enterpri&s;e. Alas (<HI>&s;aid</HI> Ariadne) 'tis the ea&s;ie&s;t thing imaginable, there's not the lea&s;t &s;ha|dow of danger in it. But you pro|mi&s;e Fidelity, and Secrecy &s;o much as to my Brother? For Heavens &s;ake do not doubt me! <HI>(Madam, &s;aid he.)</HI> I will not (<HI>continu'd</HI> Ariadne) your Province then is to lay an Action o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> Ten Thou&s;and Pounds on <HI>Polydor,</HI> in any bodies name, under pretence tha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> the Debt was Contracted before
<PB N="119" REF="65">
Marry'd him, manage this as cunning|ly as Revenge can in&s;truct you; and <HI>I</HI> doubt not but to be rid of an Husband for &s;ome time, if not for ever! For, he not being us'd to a Pri&s;on may the &s;ooner take the infection of it and die; I have been told that there is no Pri|&s;on about Town but has a peculiar Di&s;temper belonging to it. Ha! (<HI>cry'd</HI> Marwou'd) This is pretty well de&s;ign'd! Let me alone <HI>(Madam)</HI> to Execute it. I'le about it the fir&s;t thing I do, a&s;&s;oon as <HI>I</HI> can go abroad, and I am per&s;uaded, it will not a little Contribute to the Cure of the wound he was plea&s;ed to be&s;tow on me.</Q></P>
<P><HI>Ariadne</HI> thanked him for the readi|ne&s;s with which he embrac'd her Propo|&s;itions; and after a little other di&s;cour&s;e of things not altogether material to their Circum&s;tances; &s;he took <HI>Miranda</HI> with her and left him to reflect on this Ble&s;&s;ed Opportunity &s;he had given him, of be|ing in &s;ome mea&s;ure revenged on a Man whom now he mortally hated.</P>
<P><PB N="120" REF="66">With great impatience, he lingred out a Week: And when he ventur d out o' Doors, the fir&s;t thing he did, be|fore he had returned any of tho&s;e Vi&s;its Sir <HI>Francis</HI> was plea&s;ed to make to him in his Chamber, was to enter an Action of Ten Thou&s;and Pounds again&s;t <HI>Poly|dor</HI> in <HI>Wood-&s;treet</HI> Compter, at the Suit of Sir <HI>Tenacious Heedy:</HI> The next was to learn when he went into the City, which he heard would be within two days. He made a Vi&s;it to him on the very day he was going, and offered him his Company into the City which was very kindly embraced by <HI>Polydor.</HI> Hea|vens! How Sollicitous and indu&s;trious is malice, to compa&s;s its devili&s;h ends! And how ea&s;ily is an hone&s;t man decei|ved!</P>
<P>The unwilling <HI>Polydor</HI> takes Coach immediately with his treacherous friend for the <HI>Sun-Tavern</HI> behind the <HI>Ex|change,</HI> where he had engaged to meet &s;ome Friends; but they were no &s;ooner gotten within <HI>Ludgate</HI> e're the Coach was &s;topped by half a dozen Officers be|longing to that Ble&s;&s;ed place I told you
<PB N="121" REF="66">
on before; who pre&s;ently &s;eiz'd on both their Swords, and wou'd have hall'd <HI>Polydor</HI> out, had he not calmly ask'd 'em what they meant, and promi&s;ed to make no re&s;i&s;tance if they cou'd &s;hew any Authority for what they did. One of 'em told him, he had an Action a|gain&s;t him, and wou'd &s;hew him the Warrant, a&s;&s;oon as they came to any Tavern, that he &s;hou'd name; and withal, like the re&s;t of the wheedling treacherous Fraternity promis'd him all the Civility imaginable, provided he wou'd obey the Kings Law. Well (&s;aid he) let the Coach-man drive to <HI>Fowlers</HI> at the Half-Moon. The Ra&s;cals lik'd that well enough, and very obedi|ently trudg'd along by the Coach &s;ides till they came to the place afore|&s;aid.</P>
<P><HI>Marwoud</HI> all along &s;eem'd Amaz'd at this Accident, and appear'd as the mo&s;t Concern'd man of the two. <HI>Now</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor</HI> to one of the Officers) <HI>at who&s;e Suit am I a Pri&s;oner? At the Suit of one Sir</HI> Tenacious Heedy (reply'd the Ra&s;|cal) <HI>here's the Warrant Sir, you may read
<PB N="122" REF="67">
it if you plea&s;e. Certainly friend</HI> (&s;aid Polydor) <HI>you are mi&s;taken, though I con|fe&s;s I find my name here, but may there not be more of my name than my &s;elf think you? for upon my Reputation, I never &s;o much as heard of Sir</HI> Tenacious &mdash;<HI>De|vils name till this time! Pray what is he? A rich Merchant</HI> (an&s;wered one of the Furies) <HI>and belongs to the</HI> Ea&s;t-India <HI>Com|pany. Then be &s;atisfied</HI> (&s;aid Polydor,) <HI>I never had Trading with any of the Pro|fe&s;&s;ion in my Life. No Sir that may be</HI> (return'd one of the Goblins) <HI>for, I &s;up|po&s;e it is a Debt contracted by your Lady. O damn'd Impo&s;tor!</HI> (cry'd Marwoud on a &s;uddain, who had in&s;tructed this Rogue before.) <HI>It mu&s;t be &s;o I am confi|dent, if the Officers have not mi&s;taken you for another. 'Tis impo&s;&s;ible we &s;hould Sir,</HI> (&s;aid one of 'em.) <HI>This Adver&s;ary was with us when he took Coach at to ther end of the Town, and told us this Gentleman was the Debter. Dear</HI> Harpies (&s;aid Polydor Smiling,) <HI>How could you for|bear your Prey &s;o long! O Sir!</HI> (reply'd one.) <HI>you were out of our Territories till you came within</HI> Temple Bar, <HI>where yet
<PB N="123" REF="67">
we did not think our &s;elves &s;ecure enough of you, becau&s;e of the Templars, and &s;ome de&s;perate Blades that we might have met with in</HI> Fleet-&s;treet. <HI>You have rea&s;on Sir</HI> (&s;aid Polydor &s;miling) <HI>I think here within your Dominions 'tis a matter of Im|pri&s;onment, at lea&s;t for a Gentleman to draw his Sword in his own defence: It &s;cares your whining Zealots out of the little Sen&s;e they had. Be&s;ides they are al|ways apprehen&s;ive of their own Guilt, and fear the Puni&s;hment they might rea&s;onab|ly expect from the Sword, for their Rebel|lious, Seditious and mutinous Endeavours again&s;t the Royal Prerogative. I'le tell you</HI> (continued he all in a flame, not &s;o much for his own Circum&s;tances, as with Zeal for his Prince.) <Q>I will not be Pri|&s;oner within the&s;e wicked Walls, with|in this City, in who&s;e Great Streets and highe&s;t Places, the be&s;t of Kings. (O helli&s;h Riddle!) That Glorious Martyr for the Liberty of his People, was proclaim'd a Traitor! I &s;ay, I will not be confin'd to herd one Week to amend with 'em, le&s;t I get the In|fection; at lea&s;t if a Hundred pounds
<PB N="124" REF="68">
will remove me to the <HI>Kings-Bench</HI> I will not. &mdash; Why the Devil could not my Kt. Merchant Adver&s;ary have taken me at our end of the Town? Was there a Nece&s;&s;ity that I mu&s;t be brought hither to this Stage, where the factious Schi&s;maticks are playing the old Gaim again with &s;ome of the &s;ame Cards, only the Knaves are all Chang'd! where little Machiaville is playing his Pranks! A worthy Pu&s;s in|deed! &mdash; But there are Dogs that may Worry him at la&s;t.</Q> While he rav'd thus; and <HI>Marwoud</HI> walk'd frown|ing about the Room. The Officers you may be confident were not Idle, they had top'd off a matter of Seven or Eight Bottles of Canary, and devour'd the be&s;t part of two Neats-Tongues. At la&s;t one of them beg'd leave of his Gut, to &s;peak to <HI>Polydor. Well Sir</HI> (&s;aid he! <HI>What do you propo&s;e? will you &s;end for Bail? Send for a Whore Sir; I'le go to Pri&s;on,</HI> (cry'd Polydor) <HI>O fy!</HI> (&s;aid Marwoud) <HI>do not think on't! If I thought my Bail would be taken, I would offer you my Service. O by no means dear Friend!</HI>
<PB N="125" REF="68">
(replyed Polydor, Embracing the Snake) <HI>I am re&s;olved to &s;tand it out my &s;elf. Then</HI> (Interrupted one of the Trouble&s;ome Attendants,) <HI>Since your Wor&s;hip will go to Pri&s;on; yet, however you &s;hall not go into the Compter, but if you plea&s;e you may Lie at a Pri&s;on Hou&s;e over again&s;t it, till you have Compo&s;ed this Bu&s;ine&s;s. No Sir I'le go to the Compter upon my word,</HI> (reply'd Polydor.) <HI>Indeed you &s;hall not, nor mu&s;t not,</HI> (&s;aid Mar|woud,) who wi&s;hed nothing more in the World than that he might Ro<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> there.</P>
<P>What Exqui&s;ite Mi&s;cheif may be done with the face of Friend&s;hip! <HI>I am &s;orry</HI> (an&s;wered the true and faithful Polydor) <HI>I mu&s;t be ob&s;tinate, but I have &s;ome Rea&s;ons for it.</HI> Now (the Duce take me) If I know what Rea&s;on he cou'd have for it: Unle&s;s it were to avoid the Extortions of a Sponging Hou&s;e; which neverthele&s;s, had he been in the <HI>Compter</HI> &s;o often as I; he wou'd have endur'd, rather than have &s;een the in&s;ide on't. <Q>Indeed Sir, I wou'd not advi&s;e you to go into the <HI>Compter;</HI> you will
<PB N="126" REF="69">
find it very di&s;agreeable to your hu|mour: The Pri&s;oners there will be all ready to tear you in pieces for Guar|ni&s;h, (&s;aid one of the Officers.) I &s;hall prevent 'em (Sir) for I'le pay it (&s;aid <HI>Polydor.</HI>) Nay, if you plea&s;e to like it Sir; <HI>Reply'd one of 'em who&s;e Brother in Law kept a Sponging Hou&s;e</HI>) you may go into the Pri&s;on. But there's the Turnkeys Fee, and &s;even &s;hillings a Week for a dirty, dark hole, with Cobwebs about your Bed in&s;tead of Curtains. When if you wou'd be per&s;uaded (Sir) you may lie in as good a Bed as my Lord Mayor, and have what Meat and Drink you plea&s;e, and Dre&s;s'd how you plea&s;e, be&s;ides, the Liberty of walking down into the Dining Room. But I mu&s;t pay for it Sir (Interrupted <HI>Polydor</HI>) I &s;hall have there my Landlord, who (per|haps) Drinks like a <HI>Dane,</HI> Cringes like a <HI>French man,</HI> Grins like my Lady's Monkey, when he &s;ees Money coming; but if that be not ready, he looks as &s;urly as a Butchers Dog, or as the Butcher him&s;elf, who is the
<PB N="127" REF="69">
rude&s;t Bea&s;t of the two! His Com|pany I &s;hall never fail of, then one or two of your Wor&s;hips will come to Vi&s;it me, three or four times a day and make me as unea&s;y as this Sir <HI>Boo|by</HI> that Arre&s;ts me will be when he hears I'm gone over to the <HI>Kings-Bench;</HI> &mdash; No Sir; I am bound for the Compter; there I'le treat my fel|low Pri&s;oners, that want a Bottle of Wine and a lu&s;ty Joint of Meat! 'Twill be well be&s;tow'd.</Q></P>
<P><Q>How long is it &s;ince you have had &s;o good knowledge of the&s;e Hou&s;es you have de&s;crib'd? (&s;aid <HI>Marwoud</HI>) I hope you never were confin'd till now. I never was indeed (<HI>replyed</HI> Polydor.) But I have vi&s;ited &s;ome of my acquaintance in &s;uch like places &s;everal times. Well Sir &s;ince you are &s;o ob&s;tinate, and will not be pre|vail'd on for your own good; (&s;aid <HI>one of the Serjeants</HI>) you &s;hall e'en have your humour, but I fear you'l repent it. I &s;hall not however ac|quaint you with my Penitence if I do, (<HI>an&s;wer'd</HI> Polydor,) So, let's know
<PB N="128" REF="70">
what's to pay; that I may be gone to my Palace. Dear Friend (<HI>continued he, &s;peaking to</HI> Marwoud) oblige me &s;o far as to enquire into this bu&s;ine&s;s for me; and &s;ee what mu&s;t be done in't, and give your &s;elf a little farther trouble to &s;end <HI>Harry, Will,</HI> or <HI>Tom,</HI> any one of 'em or all of 'em together to me, by to Morrow Noon. I will not fail (<HI>replyed</HI> Marwoud) Can I do you any better Service? I am &s;orry at the Heart that I mu&s;t leave you: Yet if my Company may add any thing to your &s;atisfaction, command my &s;tay with you as long as you plea&s;e, and where you will; I'le put off all bu&s;i|ne&s;s &s;o I may any way contribute to the ea&s;ing of your Misfortunes. O by no means (<HI>an&s;wer'd</HI> Polydor <HI>again, Embracing his Evil Angel</HI>) I cannot &s;uffer it. I know you will be at no great ea&s;e in &s;uch a place, which will but encrea&s;e my trouble.</Q></P>
<P>As they had ended this Di&s;cour&s;e, the Drawer brought up a Bill of about eight and twenty Shillings which the&s;e Vermin had devour'd in le&s;s than three hours
<PB N="129" REF="70">
time, and yet the Dogs were &s;o greedy that they were craving &s;till; they were for Money for waiting! (with &s;o many Plagues to them as they drank Gla&s;&s;es of Wine!) <HI>Money for waiting!</HI> (cry d <HI>Polydor) yes; let them pay you that &s;et you awork.</HI> They look'd a little &s;ow|er; but &s;aid no more, becau&s;e they &s;aw their Pay-Ma&s;ter in the Room; who wou'd needs pay the Reckoning out of the extraordinary &s;atisfaction he re|ceiv'd in <HI>Polydor's</HI> Affliction: But <HI>Mar|woud</HI> pretended, it was for fear <HI>Polydor</HI> &s;hou'd have occa&s;ion for Money, in his ill Circum&s;tances.</P>
<P><HI>Polydor</HI> took leave of him to go to his Enchanted Ca&s;tle, with a Re&s;olution worthy an Hero who makes &s;uch de&s;pe|rate Adventures! He was attended only by four of the Giants Warders. The other two &s;tayd with <HI>Marwoud</HI> till they had &s;queezed three Guinneys out of him. He charged them when he was going to look &s;trictly to their Pri&s;oner and not to allow him any liberty, that they might lawfully deny him. They promi&s;ed to be very ob&s;ervant of his Com|mands,
<PB N="130" REF="71">
and left him to go homewards without his Companion; for my part, I wi&s;h <HI>Polydor</HI> had gone homeward with|out him, and had left him to keep his Bed warm in the Compter! But hang't! 'Tis ridiculous to wi&s;h Impo&s;&s;ibilities! Well! Let the Treacherous <HI>Marwou'd</HI> e'en trudge on! Wee'l return to my good friend <HI>Polydor;</HI> who by this time had enter'd the Fort and pay'd all Dutys belonging to it.</P>
<P>All the re&s;t of the poor Enchanted Souls look'd upon him, as the wretched Gho&s;ts in Hell did on <HI>Hercules</HI> and <HI>The|&s;eus</HI> whom they were in hopes came to deliver 'em; and truly if <HI>Polydor</HI> did not al|together enlarge their Bodies, yet he did much encrea&s;e their Commons, du|ring his &s;tay there. In&s;omuch, that they all e&s;teem'd him their Deliverer from a lingring &s;ort of Famin! For he dayly gave Alms to the meane&s;t: You may &s;ee Providence in this now! For had he not been &s;ent thither, many a poor Soul might have Peri&s;h'd of Hunger and Thir&s;t.</P>
<P><PB N="131" REF="71">His Charity to all, and his kind ea&s;y Conver&s;ation with the mo&s;t <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">nferiour and Mi&s;erable Creature there was &s;o &s;ignal, that the Keepers took particular notice of it, and told him, after he had been there two Days and &s;ome Hours, by way of Complement as I &s;uppo&s;e they inten|ded it; that, <Q>They &s;hou'd be mighty &s;orry to lo&s;e his Company; at lea&s;t <HI>(they added)</HI> the Pri&s;oners would have no &s;mall cau&s;e to Lament his Depar|ture, tho they ought to wi&s;h it for his &s;ake. He Smil'd, and told 'em, 'He thought he was oblig'd to it as he was a Man, if not as a Chri&s;tian and a Fellow Sufferer.</Q></P>
<P>They had more di&s;cour&s;e as they walk'd, at the end of which, a Jolly, Ho|ne&s;t Soul, (and &s;o you wou'd judge by the Ruddy Complexion of his Face) one who had no &s;mall Authority there, Invi|ted him into the Lodge; telling him, and that truly, that it was the &s;weeter place of the two. He Embrac'd his kind proffer; and to &s;hew he was not ungrateful for favours &s;ent for half a do|zen Bottles of good Clarret from <HI>Matt.
<PB N="132" REF="72">
Fowlers,</HI> and be&s;poke two good &s;ub|&s;tantial Di&s;hes of Meat for his Friend, his &s;elf and the Pri&s;oners.</P>
<P>As they were drinking a Gla&s;s or two before Dinner; in came tho&s;e two Offi|cers that &s;tay'd behind with <HI>Marwoud,</HI> who had heard of his Genero&s;ity to tho&s;e in the Hou&s;e, and of his Civility to every Body, and who perceiv'd he had Money enough; <Q>O (<HI>cry'd</HI> Polydor, <HI>looking on his Friend in Authority.</HI>) The&s;e are &s;ome of the Gentlemen that brought me hither to be acquainted with you. Sirs! Pray walk in and drink with us <HI>(continu'd he, to the Officers)</HI> They were ea&s;ily prevail'd on, and &s;ate 'em down:</Q></P>
<P>After a Gla&s;s or two had gone about; (&s;aid the Serjeant) <Q>I wonder, Sir, No body has been with you yet! Ay (<HI>&s;aid</HI> Polydor) 'tis &s;omething &s;trange! But I doubt not, my Friend whom you &s;aw with me t'other day, is bu&s;ie in getting my Liberty; and means I &s;up|po&s;e, to &s;urprize me with it; yet I admire he has not &s;ent &s;ome other Friends to me whom I expected to &s;ee
<PB N="133" REF="72">
here the next day after my Confine|ment. You have been very patient, Sir, <HI>(&s;aid the Officer)</HI> I don't hear that you have &s;ent to any Friend yet. No, no, I need not trouble my &s;elf, I'm &s;ure (<HI>reply'd</HI> Polydor) my Friend is labouring for my ea&s;e. You mean Squire <HI>Marwoud, (an&s;wer'd the Ser|jeant.)</HI> I do &s;o (<HI>&s;aid</HI> Polydor.) I can then a&s;&s;ure you <HI>(continu'd the Officers)</HI> that he is indeavouring, labouring all the ways imaginable to keep you in a Pri&s;on all the days of your Life. How Sir (<HI>Interrupted</HI> Polydor, <HI>&s;trangly Surpris'd!</HI>) what, do you know what you &s;ay! Ay, ay, Sir, <HI>(&s;aid the other Serjeant)</HI> and Il &s;wear it, Sir; and two Witne&s;&s;es are enough to ca&s;t a Suit at Common Law. That may be Sir, (<HI>an&s;wer'd</HI> Polydor) but a thou|&s;and Witne&s;&s;es will hardly make me &s;u&s;pect my Friend. But pray, what ground have you for what you &s;ay? Why, Sir <HI>(replyed one of 'em)</HI> &s;ince we have found you here among us a Civil, Obliging, and Charitable Per|&s;on; I'l tell you the whole truth, which
<PB N="134" REF="73">
I will Swear to, and &s;o will my Friend there. Be a&s;&s;ur'd then, that it was he who &s;et you for three days together, till the very day he &s;ecur'd you in the Coach where we took you. I dare &s;wear it before any Magi&s;trate in <HI>Eng|land, (Interrupted t'other Serjeant.)</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">t may be &s;o Sir, (<HI>replyed</HI> Polydor.) Be|&s;ides <HI>(pur&s;u'd the Serjeant)</HI> I'm &s;ure we had three Guinneys of him. If this be true; (<HI>cry'd</HI> Polydor) I am a very unfortunate Fellow, indeed! For, the lo&s;s of a Friend grieves me a thou&s;and times more than my Impri|&s;onment. But <HI>(continu'd he)</HI> did he &s;ay, I ow'd him any Money? No Sir <HI>(replyed the Serjeant)</HI> he told us, the Debt was real, and Contracted by a Lady whom you had lately Marry'd. This is all a Riddle to me! <HI>&s;aid</HI> Polydor, But I thank you Gentlemen for your Information. I find I am made the &s;port of Fortune of late. I was a hap|py Fellow and at Liberty once.&mdash;But now&mdash; Well! &mdash; Gentlemen, your Servant.&mdash;I thank you for this Liber|ty. &mdash; Why Sir, will you be going
<PB N="135" REF="73">
already, <HI>(&s;aid he who Invited him into the Lodge)</HI> Dinner is ju&s;t a coming I believe, by this time. Be pleas'd then Gentlemen (<HI>reply'd</HI> Polydor) to feed heartily when it do's come; and In|vite &s;ome of your Friends in the Hou&s;e to eat with you, that want it mo&s;t, at lea&s;t be plea&s;ed to &s;end 'em what you think fit, for my part, I care not for eating. I mu&s;t mind my own bu&s;ine&s;s I &s;ee. And pray let me entreat the favour of you, to let me have a care|ful Me&s;&s;enger &s;ent to me; and you &s;hall command me as much another time, if I ever am in a Capacity of &s;erving you. Ay Sir, wee'l be &s;ure to &s;end you a very hone&s;t Fellow <HI>(an|&s;wer'd one of 'em)</HI> but we are &s;orry you will not Dine, when you have al|ready given order for Meat. I thank you Sir (<HI>&s;aid</HI> Polydor) I have bu&s;i|ne&s;s of greater concern than Dining, once more your Servant.</Q></P>
<P>The Gate was &s;oon open'd to him, you may believe; and to his dark Apart|ment he went directly. Where after two or three hearty Sighs; he began.
<PB N="136" REF="74">
<Q>How &s;hou'd <HI>Marwoud</HI> come acquain|ted with my <HI>Ariadne!</HI> How came &s;he to employ him! And how dur&s;t he undertake &s;o ba&s;e a thing as to betray his Friend! Yet&mdash;what made him fight me for the Ring and the Gold! What Title had he to either of 'em. 'Tis a &s;trange My&s;tery, profound and dark! And I am lo&s;t in't. He mu&s;t know my Fal&s;e <HI>Ariadne,</HI> if he did really betray me to this place, that's certain, <HI>Ariadne</HI> did I call her? A very Improper Name it is (methinks) for her: For,&mdash;&s;he has led me into a La|byrinth! I &s;ee, all <HI>Ariadnes</HI> are not of the &s;ame humour. Her Name &s;ake bravely led her Lover forth, &s;pite of a Cruel Father! Ventur'd all, and lo&s;t her &s;elf at la&s;t for a fal&s;e Man! When I Di&s;arm'd and naked of deceit, have got into the Labyrinth, and met the Mon&s;ter. So much for Hone&s;ty! So much for Truth! But O! How much for ra&s;h Credulity! Had I been practic'd in the World's great Arts, Trea&s;on, Rebellion, and Hypocri&s;y. cou'd I have nos'd my Prince, and to
<PB N="137" REF="74">
his Teeth have told him that his Power was but painted; cou'd I have &s;worn a Maid into belief, of any feig|ned Love, and when I had enjoy'd, have thrown the Rifl'd, Broad, Blown Flow'r behind me; cou'd I, in my Dear Friends Bo&s;om lying, pierce it to reach his Heart; and after all, cheat Heaven with pretended Piety, &s;erve God with lift up Eyes and di&s;mal tone; but Heart of Marble, &s;inking down to Hell, then I had been a Glorious De|vil! Then, my Prince might ha' been pitty'd, the lo&s;t Maid have Fruitle&s;s Tears with my Friends unrevenged Bloud. They'd only &s;uffer'd.&mdash;O! No; I mi&s;take: They had been Ble&s;|&s;ed (perhaps) and with their Sighs have bla&s;ted all my hopes of future Bli&s;s, and blown me down to Hell; for Heaven &s;ees, and is not to be mock'd.</Q></P>
<P>He fetch'd another deep Sigh at the end of this long Sermon, and threw him|&s;elf on his Bed: Within a little after the Fellow came to him to know what Ser|vice he had to command him. He ro&s;e
<PB N="138" REF="75">
and di&s;patch'd him away to his three Gaming Friends; and being then &s;ome|what tir'd with Grief, and not having yet &s;lept well in his new Lodging, he fel into a &s;lumber for two or three hours.</P>
<P>About which time the Me&s;&s;enger re|turn'd with his three Friends. He was almo&s;t out o' Countenance when he &s;aw 'em; and hardly knew how to receive 'em. At la&s;t (<HI>&s;aid</HI> Will,) <Q>Why, how now <HI>Polydor!</HI> What brought thee hither? E'en my own Folly (<HI>replyed</HI> Polydor) you will not pitty me when you hear it. However, I mu&s;t di&s;|cour&s;e it to you, that you may give me your Advice; you mu&s;t know then, I'am Marry'd.&mdash;Marry'd <HI>(cry'd all three, in a &s;trange Surprize)</HI> Ay, Mar|ry'd (<HI>continu'd</HI> Polydor) and to one of the mo&s;t Beautiful Creatures breathing! One whom I wou'd not leave for the Empire of the World, were &s;he but really what &s;he &s;eem'd. You appear Amaz'd at what I &s;ay <HI>(pur|&s;u'd he)</HI> but &s;it ye down and I will relate you the whole Adventure; 'Tis pure Knight Errantry, that you mu&s;t take
<PB N="139" REF="75">
notice of before hand.</Q> Then he be|gan and told 'em every Circum&s;tance till the very Minute that they came to him. They heard it with a great deal of Pati|ence and Wonder, but with no little trouble for their Friends &s;ake. <Q>I'm &s;or|ry (<HI>&s;aid</HI> Will,) you are fallen into the hands of Sir <HI>Tenacious Heedy,</HI> I have heard he's a meer <HI>Jew</HI> to any Man that ows him Money. No, Pox on't! (<HI>cry'd</HI> Harry) Nothing troubles me but that he is Marry'd. And what's wor&s;e (<HI>added</HI> Tom,) that he &s;hou'd throw him&s;elf away without ever &s;o much as asking the advice of any of his Friends! You &s;ee Friend (<HI>&s;aid</HI> Harry) what comes of Weddings! Pox take me, if I can pitty you for the heart of me. Why were there not Wives enow in the Town of other Mens but you mu&s;t needs get one of your own! And (<HI>added</HI> Will,) to believe a little Ra&s;cally Lad in a matter of &s;uch moment! A likely piece of bu&s;ine&s;s indeed, (<HI>cry'd</HI> Harry) that a Lady of twelve hundred a Year and &s;ome thou&s;ands in Money and Jewels,
<PB N="140" REF="76">
&s;hou'd di&s;po&s;e of her &s;elf on &s;uch a Per&s;on as thine! There had been &s;ome rea&s;on; had &s;ome probability, that I might have had &s;uch Fortune: I might ju&s;tly expect it. Yes, from &s;uch a Lady as <HI>Sycorax</HI> in the Tempe&s;t, with a Dowry of Enchanted Lands (<HI>cry'd</HI> Tom) which you may take Po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of when you can di&s;cern 'em.&mdash;No, Faith, <HI>(continu'd he)</HI> to give the De|vil his due, <HI>Polydor</HI> has the advantage of us all, that way. Ay, (<HI>reply'd</HI> Harry) and to give the Devil his due, he's the &s;illy'&s;t Devil that ever I heard of! Come! You are Merry Gentle|men at my Co&s;t, (<HI>interrupted</HI> Polydor) but this is nothing to my Liberty, this is no Advice; tho 'tis what I did really expect from you. Advice, (<HI>cry'd</HI> Harry) why prithee &s;end for thy Wife <HI>Ariadne</HI> with her Clue, if thou know'&s;t whither. I believe &s;he's gone to my <HI>Sycorax,</HI> for their Lands lie very near together. No, no, (<HI>interrupted</HI> Tom) I rather imag n <HI>Bacchus</HI> has taken her up too, into Heaven; he's an old Dog at <HI>Ariadne</HI>'s! You &s;hall &s;ee he'l
<PB N="141" REF="76">
fetch Sir <HI>Francis</HI>'s Si&s;ter and all, &s;hort|ly. Enough, enough of this! (<HI>cry'd</HI> Will, <HI>very &s;oberly</HI>) Let's think what's to be done. Why; I'l tell you my opinion (<HI>reply'd</HI> Harry) I know a rich old Widow about three-&s;core, I'l &s;end her to him, if he'l Marry her; &s;o as Marrying brought him in, let it e'en fetch him out. Very &s;ea&s;onable and whol&s;om Advice i' gad! (<HI>cry'd</HI> Tom) And then, 'tis but leaving her a&s;&s;oon as he gets out, as <HI>Ariadne</HI> has left him, and he may thus be quitts with Fortune. Y' are very pretty Fel|lows truly (<HI>&s;aid</HI> Polydor) But&mdash;It may fall to my &s;hare to laugh at you, yet e'r I die. Ay, if your Spou&s;e &s;hou'd prove a right Diamond and no Coun|terfeit, (<HI>replyed</HI> Harry) you might laugh at us for laughing at you. In the mean time ca&s;e your Sp<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">en the other way, if you can, 'twill become you better. Come dear heart (<HI>&s;aid</HI> Will <HI>to</HI> Polydor) Take no notice of the&s;e two Ra&s;cals!&mdash;I'l do what lies in my Power to &s;erve thee, upon my Soul! <HI>Polydor</HI> than<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">'d him very obli|gingly.</Q>
<PB N="142" REF="77">
<Q>Hark O! what Gravity! (<HI>cry'd</HI> Harry) As if it were not po&s;&s;ible that we might be as ready to &s;erve him with our Lives and Fortunes as your Wor&s;hip; becau&s;e you talk and look &s;o &s;uperciliou&s;ly, and we &s;o freely! Well &s;aid <HI>Harry! (cry'd</HI> Tom) What Do's the Rogue affront us! Away, ye Brace of Coxcombs! (<HI>replyed</HI> Will.) I don't accu&s;e ye of any Aver&s;ne&s;s to his Service. But, methinks, you &s;hou'd have pleas'd your &s;elves &s;uffici|ently with your raillery on him, by this time. Prithee, let's now be &s;eri|ous. Nay, for my part (<HI>an&s;wer'd</HI> Harry) I can be as &s;erious as a Pick-Pocket at his bu&s;ine&s;s in a Church. And I (<HI>&s;aid</HI> Tom) can be as &s;erious as the Per&s;on! Well! And what's to be done now? I think it the be&s;t way (<HI>repl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">d</HI> Will,) to remove him to the <HI>Fl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters"></HI> No (<HI>interrupted</HI> Polydor) I'le rather remove to the <HI>Kings-<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ench,</HI> I have &s;ome acquaintance there already, be&s;ides I have drank &s;ome Bottles with the Mar&s;hal, who, I am confident, will give <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> all the Liberty <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> may
<PB N="143" REF="77">
with &s;afety. I'l be &s;ure to Vi&s;it you every day in Term time at lea&s;t. And wee'l make thee as welcom as we can, (<HI>cry'd</HI> Harry;) that is, thou &s;halt ne|ver go over the Water &s;ober. Hang your <HI>Dutch</HI> Entertainments! (<HI>&s;aid</HI> Polydor) I'm out of conceit of 'em. A Ble&s;&s;ed Reformation, if it hold! (<HI>&s;aid</HI> Tom.) It &s;hall Sir (<HI>replyed</HI> Po|lydor.)</Q></P>
<P>They had &s;ome farther di&s;cour&s;e con|cerning the means of getting him over, which la&s;ted about a quarter of an hour more, then they &s;ent for half a dozen Bottles of Clarret to the old Hou&s;e, and a di&s;h of cold Chickens. By that time <HI>Polydor's</HI> Stomach was come to him. For, if ever you were a Pri&s;oner, you may be &s;en&s;ible the &s;ight of a Friend or two there, revives a Man &s;trangely! He eat as heartily as he did on his Wedding day: And drank off his three Bumpers as he u&s;ed to do, to the King, the Queen, and the Duke.</P>
<P><PB N="144" REF="78">They &s;tay'd with him till the Fatal Bell was rung, which commands every Pri&s;oner clo&s;e to his Chamber, and all others abroad to their bu&s;ine&s;s. Here you might &s;ee one lugging two Guns (as they call 'em) which in plain <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> are two Pottle-Pots of Ale and Beer, a|nother following him with &s;ome <HI>Tobac|co,</HI> a Candle and Pipes. There a poor Soul with two or three Bottles of the Sheriffs Wine, <HI>Anglic&egrave;</HI> Fair Water; begging of another to fill his dirty Pipe with &s;tinking Mundungus.</P>
<P>I &s;uppo&s;e, the mi&s;erable Wretch was one of the Common-&s;ide. You may believe me, for I have lay'n in the Hou&s;e &s;ome Nights my &s;elf to my Sorrow; Nor is it any great matter of wonder, for a Man of my Circum&s;tances to have been a Pri&s;oner: You know we are ge|nerally &s;pecial Poor. Well! There were a great many other Objects of Pit|ty be&s;ides this Man, that a Curious Per&s;on wou'd have taken notice on. But <HI>Polydor</HI>'s Friends were none of that &s;ort, for they went out a&s;&s;oon as they cou'd per&s;uade the Turnkey to open
<PB N="145" REF="78">
the Door. <HI>Polydor</HI> return'd to his Cham|ber, and very contentedly went to Bed, where he &s;lept &s;oundly; for he had drank his &s;hare with his Friends.</P>
<P>Next Morning, he found him&s;elf in very good temper, and withal &s;ome|thing inclinable to Rhiming. Where|upon he &s;et Pen to Paper and made,</P>
<Q><TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<HEAD>An Attempt, in <HI>Pindarique,</HI> On the Ble&s;&s;ings of <HI>Adver&s;ity.</HI></HEAD>
<LG N="1">
<HEAD>I.</HEAD>
<L>THE Ju&s;t and Brave unmov'd appear,</L>
<L>In Storms where meaner Souls do &s;hrink,</L>
<L>And <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">v'n beneath them&s;elves do &s;ink;</L>
<L>&V;nable Mi&s;eries lea&s;t weight to bear!</L>
<L><PB N="146" REF="79">Or, if with Wealth and Honour Crown'd,</L>
<L>No room within their narrow Heart is found,</L>
<L>To entertain the Blu&s;t'ring Gue&s;t;</L>
<L>But &s;welling with the Bubble &s;traight they bur&s;t!</L>
<L>They in Adver&s;e or Pro&s;p'rous Fate alike are Curs'd!</L>
<L>When, the great Soul does &s;carce admit</L>
<L>The Fawning Para&s;ite:</L>
<L>Or, if he does; 'tis lock'd within his Brea&s;t:</L>
<L>Nor &s;uffers him to play his part,</L>
<L>Within the Cabinet of his Heart,</L>
<L>But &s;lighted, in the Ante-Chamber let's him &s;it.</L>
<L>An equal mind in different Fates he bears:</L>
<L>The one he neither Courts, nor t'other fears;</L>
<L>Nor is with this puff'd up, nor that depre&s;s'd:</L>
<L>But in him&s;elf alone is ever Ble&s;s'd.</L>
</LG>
<LG N="2">
<PB N="147" REF="79">
<HEAD>II.</HEAD>
<L>Ambition, Anger, Avarice and Lu&s;t,</L>
<L>With other Pa&s;&s;ions of the Mind,</L>
<L>The Gen'rous Soul in Rea&s;ons Chain does bind;</L>
<L>And as his Captives at his Feet does thru&s;t,</L>
<L>Tho Fierce and Great to Slavery do's bring;</L>
<L>Here <HI>Nero</HI>'s Tyrant li's and <HI>Alexander's</HI> King!</L>
<L>When the ba&s;e Wretch is his Slaves, Slave;</L>
<L>Which, like a Conqu'ring Prince, do's brave</L>
<L>The rea&s;on Heaven to defend him gave:</L>
<L>It's Throne &V;&s;urps, and do's affect to Raign,</L>
<L>Lord of the &s;tronge&s;t Ca&s;tles, both the Heart and Brain!</L>
<L>And now grows In&s;olent and Lewd:</L>
<L>Revels, and mingles with the pure&s;t of his Bloud!</L>
<L>Do's his be&s;t Faculties controul;</L>
<L>And wou'd debauch his cha&s;ter Soul!</L>
<L><PB N="148" REF="80">At lea&s;t mi&s;leads it for a Space;</L>
<L>Then leaves it naked to di&s;grace!</L>
<L>The Man who thus is by his Pa&s;&s;ions &s;way'd,</L>
<L>O'r Bea&s;ts &s;hou'd wi&s;h to Rule, never to be obey'd!</L>
</LG>
<LG N="3">
<HEAD>III.</HEAD>
<L>Ble&s;s'd is the Man whom Heaven do's not try,</L>
<L>With guilded Apples of Pro&s;perity;</L>
<L>Sweet to the Ta&s;t and Beauteous to the Eye,</L>
<L>But Rotten at the Coar and Poy&s;on to the Heart!</L>
<L>But thrice ble&s;s'd he who can reject</L>
<L>The proffer'd Plea&s;ure of the Bait;</L>
<L>Who &s;ees the future dire effect,</L>
<L>If overcome by the Deceit.</L>
<L>Lo&s;ing the Plea&s;ure he avoids the deadly Smart!</L>
<L>But thrice and four times Ble&s;s'd is he</L>
<L>Whom Heaven try's with Mi&s;ery,</L>
<L>And hardly Cloaths with Rags of Po|verty!</L>
<L><PB N="149" REF="80">Who &s;ilently do's bear his Fate</L>
<L>And is contented in his lowe&s;t State.</L>
<L>Inur'd to Grief and &s;ad Mi&s;chance,</L>
<L>Surely, tho &s;low tow'rd Heav'n he do's advance</L>
<L>Treading on Thorns the way to Bli&s;s!</L>
<L>Adver&s;ity the greate&s;t Ble&s;&s;ing is!</L>
<L>And nothing than Pro&s;perity is wor&s;e!</L>
<L>Pro&s;perity ill-us'd, the greate&s;t Cur&s;e.</L>
</LG>
<LG N="4">
<HEAD>IV.</HEAD>
<L><HI>Job</HI>'s Tempter, &s;ure, mi&s;took the way,</L>
<L><HI>Job</HI>'s Virtue to betray!</L>
<L>Or, rather, the <HI>All-Merciful</HI> deny'd</L>
<L>That his Beloved Servant &s;hould be try'd</L>
<L>By heaping Riches, &s;o to teach him Pride.</L>
<L>Hard'ned in Grief and Plagues his Vir|tue grew;</L>
<L>Steel'd it became, Temptation-Proof it was!</L>
<L>The deadlye&s;t Darts which on him <HI>Satan</HI> threw,</L>
<L>His Body pierced, but could no farther pa&s;s.</L>
<L><PB N="150" REF="81">His Patience to his Tempter gave more Pain,</L>
<L>Than all <HI>Job</HI> did &s;u&s;tein!</L>
<L>And he was Plagu'd, and he was &s;hot in vain!</L>
<L>When (Lo!) Th' Almighty from Above,</L>
<L>With Eyes with Pitty flowing and with Love,</L>
<L>Beheld the Afflicted Man, as weak he lay,</L>
<L>Buryed in A&s;hes on the Ground:</L>
<L>Vouch'd&s;afe to Parley with this thing of Clay!</L>
<L>Taught him to know him&s;elf and made him &s;ound.</L>
<L>And for the Mi&s;eries which he had &s;har'd,</L>
<L>Gave him a Seven-fold Reward.</L>
<L>Teach me then, Heaven, to with|&s;tand</L>
<L>The heavie&s;t &s;troke of Sorrows hand!</L>
<L>That, to my &s;elf brought home, I may</L>
<L>The Obedience which I owe thee ever pay!</L>
</LG>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT></Q>
<P><PB N="151" REF="81">He had &s;carce made an end before an under-Officer of the Hou&s;e came to tell him there was a Gentleman and a Lady below that would &s;peak with him. He was not a little Surprized at it, not ima|gining what Lady &s;hould come to give him a Vi&s;it in &s;uch a place, unle&s;s it were his own Si&s;ter. However he bid the Fellow lead them up. He did &s;o. And <HI>Polydor</HI> then was much more amazed than before, when he &s;aw his own fal&s;e <HI>Ariadne,</HI> as he thought her, led in by <HI>Marwoud</HI> the Treacherous. They &s;tood &s;taring on one another a pretty while, e'r either of 'em could &s;peak. But <HI>Poly|dor</HI> was in a &s;trange Perplexity! You would have thought he had been in a Feaver by his Face; he would fain have been angry and have rail'd at her, but when he beheld her Beauty, he was no more able to do't, than I am to fight a Whale in the water! And that is not very probable; for I can Swim no more than a Mill-&s;tone:</P>
<P><PB N="152" REF="82"><HI>Heavens!</HI> (cry'd <HI>Polydor,</HI> pulling his Hat over his Eyes, and walking from her in a great deal of ha&s;t) <HI>Art thou come now thy &s;elf to torment me! Barba|rous Woman! Go! Take that Treache|rous Man into thy deceitful Bo&s;om, make as much of him as your fal&s;e Heart will give you leave. And thou</HI> Marwou'd, <HI>Faithle&s;s Man! Embrace, Embrace the</HI> Syren! <HI>Go together! And betray one another into a groundle&s;s and vain Opini|on of each others mutual Affection! Shame|le&s;s Man</HI> (continued he, looking fiercely on <HI>Marwoud) what unheard of Impudence has brought thee into my &s;ight, after thou ha&s;t thus betrayed me! But what ill things dare not he do, that dur&s;t betray his Friend!</HI> <Q>Why, this is very &s;trange (<HI>Interrupted</HI> Marwoud) what do you mean, <HI>Polydor?</HI></Q> <HI>I mean to Cudgel thee</HI> (replyed <HI>Polydor,</HI> all in a Rage) <HI>for thou art not worthy of my Sword!</HI> <Q>O! fy! (<HI>interrupted</HI> Ariadne) Is it thus you Treat your Friends.</Q> <HI>Peace,</HI> Sy|ren! Hypocrite! Fair Devil! Peace! (cryed <HI>Polydor) Thy Breath and Looks are Infectious!</HI> <Q>Good Heaven! (<HI>&s;aid</HI>
<PB N="153" REF="82">
Ariadne <HI>weeping</HI>) How have I de&s;er|ved this!</Q> <HI>Ah Crocodile!</HI> (cryed <HI>Polydor,</HI> with an angry Smile) <HI>I confe&s;s thou ha&s;t not de&s;erved that I &s;hould &s;peak to thee! But&mdash;admire now the &s;weetne&s;s of my Temper! That I can vouch&s;afe to tell thee I am angry with thee: And that I have much rea&s;on to hate thee: O! Would I could! On what Errant has Hell &s;ent thee to me now? Or, rather what greater Af|fliction is Heaven yet plea&s;ed to try me with!&mdash;Come! I'le be tame. And gen|tly will confe&s;s thy Power to thee. Wert thou but half &s;o Virtuous as Fair; and I a thou&s;and times more Rich and Happy, than now I am mi&s;erable: I'd kneel to get one Smile of thee. But &mdash;thou art</HI>&mdash; <Q>Hold! (<HI>interrupted</HI> Ariadne) And hear my Bu&s;ine&s;s fir&s;t; e're you pro|ceed to Judgment of me! I come to offer you all that I have; and were it Twenty Thou&s;and times more, I would lay it all at your Feet; I have brought this Gentleman, my Friend; who (it &s;eems) has been long your Friend, however you are willing to mi&s;take him now; him I have engag'd
<PB N="154" REF="83">
to Compound the Debt with Sir <HI>Tena|cious,</HI> and if he will not accept of our Propo&s;itions; he has procur'd another Gentleman his Friend to Bail you with him. She tells you truth <HI>Polydor (&s;aid</HI> Marwoud) tho your Pa&s;&s;ion blinds, and will not let you &s;ee our kind In|tentions to &s;erve you.</Q> <HI>And is it really true?</HI> (cry'd <HI>Polydor</HI>) 'Mo&s;t certain, (<HI>replyed</HI> Ariadne.) <HI>Then Dam yee, Dam yee both,</HI> (cryed <HI>Polydor,</HI> furiou&s;ly) <HI>What! Purcha&s;e my Liberty with the Pro&s;titution of your Body! I tell yee, tho you both con&s;ulted to get me into this place; yet I'l make a &s;hift to get out on't, without your Aid, Advice, or Money. And for thy part</HI> Marwoud (continued he) <HI>ex|pect I will thank thee mo&s;t ju&s;tly for thy In|du&s;try in delivering me into the hands of the&s;e People; who yet have u&s;ed me more civilly than thou de&s;ired'&s;t I &s;hould have been.</HI></P>
<P>He then told him what he had heard from the Officers; while the other la|boured with all the Cunning he had, to per&s;wade him, that he was abu&s;ed by them, in that Di&s;cour&s;e: But all to no
<PB N="155" REF="83">
purpo&s;e. <HI>Nay</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor) 'tis in vain to hope I &s;hould believe thee true to me now; when thy very acquaintance with this Woman Lowdly Proclaims thy Guilt.</HI></P>
<P>While they were arguing thus very hotly; <HI>Ariadne</HI> took up the Ver&s;es and &s;lipt 'em into her Pocket. At la&s;t they grew lowd; and then <HI>Polydor</HI> taking <HI>A|riadne</HI> by the hand, led her civilly out of the Room; but <HI>Marwoud</HI> he almo&s;t threw down Stairs; and immediately &s;hut the Door to him.</P>
<P><HI>Ariadne</HI> beg'd of him with all the earne&s;tne&s;s that might be, to open the Door to her; urging that &s;he had &s;ome|thing to di&s;cover to him that concerned the whole Quiet of his Life; but all in vain! He bid her be gone and come no more near him. She &s;till pre&s;t to come in, and I believe would have made up all Differences had &s;he prevail'd; for &s;he was really very &s;en&s;ible that &s;he had been to blame, in treating him thus &s;o long. But being &s;till denyed entrance, &s;he went away with a Re&s;olution to play him yet one other Trick e're &s;he undeceived him.</P>
<P><PB N="156" REF="84"><HI>Marwoud</HI> was much out of humour, and in a great heat with <HI>Polydor,</HI> for folling him &s;o ba&s;ely before his Mi&s;tre&s;s; but he con&s;idered, there was no Sword to be drawn there; and be&s;ides, his hap|py Rival was then Naked whi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">h &s;top'd the effects of his Indignation, for a time: Yet he could not forbear threatning him with Revenge, and that in the hearing of <HI>Ariadne.</HI> Who told him, he need &s;tudy no greater Revenge than what he had already; or at lea&s;t, than what he was like to have by her means.</P>
<P>This pretty well appea&s;ed the affront|ed Squire; and he waited on her home without &s;o much as ever threatning <HI>Poly|dor</HI> again.</P>
<P><HI>Polydor,</HI> was a little di&s;turbed at this un&s;ea&s;onable Vi&s;it; becau&s;e (perhaps) &s;ince the Fit had ju&s;t &s;eiz'd him, he de|&s;igned to have gone on Rhiming, which their unexpected and unwi&s;hed for Company prevented. Being therefore &s;omewhat di&s;compo&s;ed, he went to his Friend in the Lodge and de&s;ired to drink a Gla&s;s of Wine with him; which was pre&s;ently permitted him; and they Di|ned
<PB N="157" REF="84">
together very plentifully and chear|fully.</P>
<P>About 5. a Clock, as he was Drink|ing a Grace Cup, he was told that there was a Lady in a Coach at the Gate who asked for him, and the officious Me&s;&s;en|ger had hardly &s;aid the word, e're he &s;aw <HI>Dorothea</HI> come in, whom he had all along mi&s;taken for Sir <HI>Francis</HI>'s Si&s;ter <HI>Ariadne.</HI> She was attended by two Footmen, one of which was <HI>Polydor</HI>'s fel|low-Travellor, to St. <HI>Alban</HI>'s.</P>
<P>He was mightily &s;urpriz'd at the &s;ight of her; and could not but conclude now, that &s;he was in earne&s;t, and had a real Pa&s;&s;ion for him.</P>
<P>He led her up to his da k&s;om Appart|ment, where he began to expre&s;s the &s;en&s;e he had of the Hou&s;e, and Obligati|on &s;he then did him in that Vi&s;it. She told him he mi&s;took, for the kindne&s;s was to her &s;elf only, and that &s;he was come with a full firm Re&s;olution to know what he refu&s;ed to tell her, &s;ome Days pa&s;t.</P>
<P><PB N="158" REF="85"><HI>But (Madam,</HI> interrupted he.) <HI>Fir&s;t, I be&s;eech you let me know how you found me out here.</HI> Marwoud, <HI>with much en|treaty inform'd me</HI> (&s;aid &s;he.) <HI>But had he known that I intended you a Vi&s;it, and upon what account, I dare believe a hun|dred Guinneys wou'd not have tempted him to the Di&s;covery. For, in &s;hort (I'l be free with you, tho you are &s;o unju&s;tly &s;trange to me) he loves me; at lea&s;t I am confident he has a great Pa&s;&s;ion for my Money and E&s;tate. The Devil's in him for</HI> Ariadnes! (interrupted <HI>Polydor.</HI>) She &s;eem'd to take no notice of what he &s;aid but went on. <HI>Yet let his Pretences</HI> (con|tinu'd &s;he) <HI>be never &s;o generous or &s;o &s;elf-Intere&s;s'd I cou'd never love him, much le&s;s &s;ince I have had the misfortune to &s;ee you, who &s;o ob&s;tinately deny me the lea&s;t place in your kind thoughts. Madam,</HI> (replyed <HI>Polydor) I beg of you for Mer|cy's &s;ake do not do me &s;o great an Inju&s;tice, as to believe what you have &s;aid. Heaven knows, if it were po&s;&s;ible; I wou'd Sacri|fice my Heart and all to the Service of Sir</HI> Francis Heartwel<HI>'s Si&s;ter. This is meer Eva&s;ion</HI> (cry'd <HI>Dorothea,) I cannot ap|prehend
<PB N="159" REF="85">
what &s;hou'd hinder but your own Inclination, and unle&s;s you will let me know the Ob&s;tacle, I &s;hall die in that Opi|nion.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Since then, Madam</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor.) you pre&s;s me &s;o clo&s;ely to it, I dare not deny you that &s;atisfaction; but I mu&s;t conjure you by what&s;oever has the dearest Influence on you, that you will be &s;ecret: I promi&s;e it,</HI> (cry'd &s;he) <HI>as I hope for any Happi|ne&s;s in your Love.</HI></P>
<P>He ki&s;s'd her Hand upon it: And told her of his Marriage with <HI>Ariadne,</HI> the Circum&s;tances and all the Misfor|tunes that were Con&s;equences of it.</P>
<P>She all the time &s;eem'd the mo&s;t trou|bled Creature that ever was: Some|times &s;he Sigh'd, then held her Handker|chief to her Eyes, till &s;he had made 'em look as if they had been &s;o red with Weeping; then &s;he would turn them Amorou&s;ly on his, and there hold 'em for a con&s;iderable time; then at la&s;t, with another pittous Sigh fetch'd from the very bottom of her Lungs, &s;hee'd fix 'em Langui&s;hingly on the Ground. And twenty other little Arts &s;he practic'd,
<PB N="160" REF="86">
(which you know, pretty Ladies are very expert in,) to make him believe how much concern'd &s;he was at the lo&s;s of him.</P>
<P>I will not &s;ay po&s;itively, that &s;he did really Weep; but I am apt to think &s;he might: For, Women (they &s;ay) have an excellent Talent that way! Now for my part, I wonder at it! Since, I &s;wear to you, I can't &s;hed a Tear an I were to Hang for want of a Tear, unle&s;s I cut Onions (which is a thing I &s;eldom do) or take fine <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Snu&s;h; and that brings the Rheum partly thro my Eyes, (which truly I like as well as Sneezing, every whit. It clears my Head and do's me as much kindne&s;s as I expect from it, but the&s;e means you'l &s;ay, are too vi|&s;ible to be mi&s;taken for the effects of any Pa&s;&s;ion. But after all, if I were to cry for my Life; I would go to hear a Co|medy or two, that I know.</P>
<P>The Doleful Tale being over at la&s;t; after &s;ome little &s;ilence on both &s;ides; <HI>Dorothea</HI> began to lament afre&s;h the lo&s;s of the only Man whom, as &s;he preten|ded, &s;he could Love; and the more to
<PB N="161" REF="86">
aggravate his Mi&s;ery; She told him her de&s;ign in coming then to him, was ab&s;o|lutely to know his la&s;t Determination, whether he could Love her as a Wife or no? And to have paid his Debt within a Weeks time, if he had Marry'd her; nay, farther, her extravagant Pa&s;&s;ion carry'd her! She offer'd yet to make him her Husband, and to retire with him to any other part of the Chri&s;tian World. He could not forbear ki&s;&s;ing her Hand again and again, for &s;o prodigious a kind Propo&s;ition: But he declin'd it as mode&s;tly as 'twas po&s;&s;ible any Man &s;hould. He let her &s;ee how de&s;tructive it would be to her Reputation, how fatal to her Quiet, after a few Months when the Exce&s;s of her Pa&s;&s;ion was allay'd. Nay, and added very hone&s;tly, that it was not improbable that he &s;hould grow &s;ick of a Wife that had &s;o far lo&s;t all that was valuable in this World; and then they would both prove mo&s;t mi&s;e|rable.</P>
<P><HI>But Madam</HI> (continued he) <HI>I am very Confident that this is but a tryal of my Humour, and if I had accepted your offer,
<PB N="162" REF="87">
you would only have mock'd my ea&s;ine&s;s in believing your Virtue &s;o weak and un|guarded. You may think</HI> (&s;aid &s;he) <HI>as advantageou&s;ly of me and my Virtue as you plea&s;e; but a&s;&s;ure your &s;elf, I doubt my Love would Sacrifice all to you. But &mdash;In the name of good Fortune</HI> (pur&s;u'd &s;he) <HI>what happine&s;s can you propo&s;e to your &s;elf with your</HI> Ariadne! <HI>The grea|te&s;t I could wi&s;h</HI> (replyed he) <HI>were &s;he yet but Virtuous. But</HI> (perhaps, &s;aid <HI>Dorothea) in that you &s;uppo&s;e Impo&s;&s;ibi|lities. However Madam</HI> (an&s;wered <HI>Polydor) I'l hope the be&s;t. Well!</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Dorothea) I &s;ee you are deaf to the news of a better Life, and &s;o I leave you: But with all the di&s;content imaginable, on my part:</HI> Saying &s;o, &s;he aro&s;e from her Seat.</P>
<P><HI>Polydor</HI> who had forgotten it all this while, now at la&s;t bethought him, that (happily) &s;he might have talked her &s;elf thir&s;ty; beg'd of her to accept of one Gla&s;s of Wine, and left her in ha&s;t without expecting her an&s;wer, to &s;end for it. Mean while &s;he took a Paper
<PB N="163" REF="87">
out of her Pocket, which &s;he convey'd under his Gloves:</P>
<P>When he returned, &s;he told him, &s;he neither could nor would &s;tay to drink with him, for whom &s;he had lo&s;t her &s;elf; and in a &s;eeming kind of a Pet, flung out of the Room: He followed her, and taking her hand led her to the Gate, all the way begging her to con&s;i|der it as it was, his Misfortune, not his Fault. She &s;aid no more, than 'twas in his Power yet to make his Fortune good or bad, and therefore &s;he conclu|ded it was his fault. He took his leave very &s;ubmi&s;&s;ively of her at the inmo&s;t Gate, looking on her with a very Peni|tential Face, which (may be) he put on, meerly to plea&s;e her.</P>
<P>When &s;he was gone, he went to his Melancholy Retreat. Where he refle|cted on the &s;trange Perver&s;ne&s;s of his Fortune; to cheat him thus with a fal&s;e Counterfeit <HI>Ariadne</HI> of a true one; for it was pa&s;t all doubt with him, that the Lady who ju&s;t left him was Sir <HI>Francis Heartwel</HI>'s Si&s;ter and the Real <HI>Ariadne:</HI> So many Circum&s;tances there were to
<PB N="164" REF="88">
confirm him in that Opinion, there was the Livery and the Coach which was near enough to be known to him for Sir <HI>Francis</HI>'s, and what was greater than all that! He was certain that one of 'em was really Footman to the Knight.</P>
<P>The&s;e and &s;uch like Thoughts kept him in his Chamber for about half an Hour: When, taking up his Gloves to walk down to give his Fellow-Sufferers a Vi&s;it; he &s;aw the Paper <HI>Dorothea</HI> had left there.</P>
<P>'Twas Super&s;cribed, <HI>to</HI> Polydor <HI>the Credulous.</HI> By way of Imitation of his <HI>Ble&s;&s;ings of Adver&s;ity.</HI></P>
<Q><L>THE Fool and Ea&s;y &s;oon are lo&s;t</L>
<L>In Snares which careful Men avoid,</L>
<L>Or, which their Arts have &s;oon de|&s;troy'd;</L>
<L>Too &s;ubtile to be made the Coz'ners Boa&s;t!</L>
<L>Tho Love, or Money be the Bait,</L>
<L>Their Heart excludes the guilded, gay deceit;</L>
<L><PB N="165" REF="88">No room is for the Shadow found:</L>
<L>But &s;afe in their own Policies they re&s;t.</L>
<L>They in a Pro&s;p'rous World, or Adver&s;e Fate are Ble&s;t;</L>
<L>When the kind Soul do's &s;trait admit,</L>
<L>Each fawing Para&s;ite!</L>
<L>Takes him into his Bo&s;om from the ground</L>
<L>Nay, &s;uffers him to play his part,</L>
<L>Even in the inmo&s;t of his Heart;</L>
<L>And in the highe&s;t Throne Triumphing lets him &s;it!</L>
<L>A Faith like wax to every one he lends,</L>
<L>Which a &s;oft Word &s;oon melts or a Smile bends,</L>
<L>Takes the Impre&s;&s;ion of a <HI>Judas</HI>-Ki&s;s,</L>
<L>As deep, as the kind &s;tamp of Faith|fulne&s;s!</L></Q>
<P>I think there was a Mock to every Stanza; but on my Word I have for|gotten 'em. <HI>Polydor</HI> was amaz'd at the Reading 'em, nor could he imagin how <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">hey came there. 'Twas a Womans Hand he concluded, but 'twas a Hand <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">oo he had never been acquainted with! <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">he had traced him in his &s;erious &s;tuff &s;o
<PB N="166" REF="89">
exactly, that he could not but Laugh heartily at it!</P>
<P>He put them up very carefully and went on with his Charitable De&s;ign of Vi&s;iting &s;ome poor Gentlemen in the Hou&s;e that had wanted him for &s;ome hours, he was very plea&s;ant with them till Bed time. When he went to &s;leep till about Six the next Morning. I don't hear that he complained much of his misfortune that Night.</P>
<P>In the Morning about Eleven a Clock, came <HI>Harry</HI> and <HI>Tom</HI> to &s;ee him: And brought him news that on the Morrow in the Afternoon, his <HI>Habeas Corpus</HI> would be ready, and he might hope to &s;ee St. <HI>George</HI>'s Church before Night.</P>
<P>He was well enough plea&s;ed with their diligence in his bu&s;ine&s;s, but he wanted his third Friend <HI>Will. O</HI> (cry'd <HI>Harry) hee'l be here time enough to rob us of the be&s;t part of our Dinner. We have be&s;poke three Di&s;hes at</HI> Fowlers, <HI>a|gain&s;t two a Clock, and the Wine I &s;uppo&s;e will be here within a quarter of an hour.</HI> He had &s;carce &s;poken e'r it was brought. They got once more the freedom of the
<PB N="167" REF="89">
Lodge for their Impri&s;oned Friend; where they Dined a&s;&s;oon as <HI>Will</HI> came; which was preci&s;ely at two, as near as I can remember. They were mighty plea&s;ant all the time and &s;o we will leave 'em; to hear what was done all this while at Sir <HI>Francis</HI>'s.</P>
<P>There had been (it &s;eems) a &s;trange Cata&s;trophe, for <HI>Dorothea</HI> and <HI>Miranda</HI> had now at la&s;t prevail'd on <HI>Ariadne</HI> to leave off Tormenting her <HI>Polydor</HI> and re&s;t &s;atisfyed with his good qualities af|ter &s;o many cruel Experiments &s;he had made on him. What mo&s;t invited her to be at la&s;t Civill to him, was the decla|ration of his Love for her which he made to <HI>Dorothea,</HI> &s;uppo&s;ing, &s;he might not have quite lo&s;t her Virtue.</P>
<P><HI>Well!</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Ariadne) I con&s;ent to un|deceive my Enchanted Squire, on Condi|tion you'l &s;uffer me to di&s;cover your Incli|nations; your's</HI> Miranda <HI>fir&s;t to my Bro|ther, and yours</HI> Dorothea <HI>to</HI> Marwoud: <HI>Think not</HI> (pur&s;ued &s;he not permitting them to reply) <HI>that I ask this of ye as a favour too, no I have already re&s;olv'd on it; and as Good Fortune will have it, &s;ee
<PB N="168" REF="90">
here they both come.&mdash;Come Brother</HI> (con|tinued &s;he) <HI>pray &s;it and Oblige Mr.</HI> Mar|woud <HI>to &s;it with us: We mu&s;t Con&s;ult, here is much bu&s;ine&s;s to be done, and that very &s;uddainly. Nay; if I can &s;erve you Madam;</HI> (replyed <HI>Marwoud) you need but in&s;truct me, and conclude affir|matively of my ab&s;olute Obedience. You promi&s;e largely and nobly</HI> (replyed <HI>Ari|adne) but I fear you will repent of your Obligation: Tho in my Opinion you have rather cau&s;e to be &s;atisfyed with it. And, not to hold you any longer in &s;u&s;pence, know 'twas with my con&s;ent and the be&s;t of my Affections and Endeavours that I Marry'd</HI> Polydor; <HI>and you have only been my In&s;trument in trying his humour, which otherwi&s;e I could not have been &s;o well acquainted with. Now, there|fore</HI> (continued &s;he) <HI>the Reque&s;t or Com|mand (which you plea&s;e to call it) that I have to you; is to lay a&s;ide all Animo&s;ities to him and Preten&s;ions to his Wife: Not that I mean to rob you of one Mi&s;tre&s;s and leave you ab&s;olutely de&s;titute of an Object of Love; no; I &s;hall rather make you too ample &s;atisfaction for &s;o incon&s;ide|rable
<PB N="169" REF="90">
a lo&s;s, when I dare promi&s;e you and offer you now the Heart of my Dear</HI> Do|rothea, <HI>I expect no denyal after the pro|mi&s;e you have given me: 'tis partly an ac|knowledgment you ought to make me, for the opportunities I have &s;hewn you of gra|tifying your Revenge on your Friend and my Husband. In &s;hort, I de&s;ign you &s;hall be happy with her the &s;ame day that I am &s;o with</HI> Polydor. <HI>Madam</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Marwoud) &s;ince you do really Love</HI> Poly|dor, <HI>and that there is now no longer any hope for me from your Circum&s;tances, I can't propo&s;e greater felicity to my &s;elf than</HI> Dorothea's <HI>Love, if I cou'd be a&s;&s;ured on't. I will engage for it</HI> (an&s;wered <HI>Ariadne) Pray make your Addre&s;&s;es.</HI></P>
<P>They then fell into Cabals, <HI>Ariadne</HI> di&s;cour&s;ing her Brother and <HI>Miranda.</HI> There &s;he did <HI>Miranda</HI> the violence to di&s;cover the Pa&s;&s;ion &s;he &s;o long had en|tertain'd for Sir <HI>Francis,</HI> who was mo&s;t plea&s;antly &s;urpri&s;ed with the Relation, and blam'd his Si&s;ter that &s;he had not re|vealed it before, that he might ha' Mar|ry'd a&s;&s;oon as &s;he. Something &s;he &s;aid to excu&s;e it; but that is not very Mate|rial here.</P>
<P><PB N="170" REF="91"><HI>Marwoud</HI> was very well plea&s;ed with the Per&s;on and Humour of his new Mi|&s;tre&s;s, but &s;till he had a Reluctance or unea&s;ine&s;s in his thoughts for the lo&s;s of <HI>Ariadne</HI>'s Fortunes: <HI>Dorothea</HI> was very well contented with his Humour, Per&s;on and Fortunes; for to &s;ay truth, &s;he had lov'd him long, and could have accepted him with half his E&s;tate.</P>
<P><HI>Ariadne</HI> having brought things to &s;o good a Period at home, propos'd the day following, to undeceive the poor de|&s;ponding <HI>Polydor.</HI> In order to which, Sir <HI>Francis</HI> and <HI>Miranda, Marwo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">d</HI> and <HI>Dorothea</HI> accompany'd her to him. <HI>Ariadne</HI> de&s;ir'd to &s;peak with him, and one of the Servants went to acquaint him that the Lady was at the Gate that came to vi&s;it Him with a Gentlewoman, three or four days pa&s;t.</P>
<P><HI>Polydor</HI> bid the Fellow &s;ay <HI>he was bu&s;y,</HI> as indeed he was, for there were his three Friends who had brought his <HI>Habeas Corpus</HI> to remove him. The Me&s;|&s;&s;enger return'd for all that, and told him th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">dy was to Impo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters"> that to b<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">|ny'd,
<PB N="171" REF="91">
that &s;he mu&s;t &s;peak with him. Tell her &s;he may <HI>(&s;aid Polydor)</HI> If &s;he will take the pains to meet me three or four hours hence at the <HI>Golden Lyon</HI> in <HI>Southwark.</HI> He did &s;o, and return'd once more to let <HI>Polydor</HI> know that Sir <HI>Francis Heartwell</HI> would &s;ee him if he plea&s;ed. Sir <HI>Francis Heartwell!</HI> (cry'd <HI>Polydor</HI> in a great &s;urpri&s;e!) <HI>Thou mi&s;|take&s;t &s;ure. No Sir</HI> (reply'd the Servant) <HI>&s;o he call'd him&s;elf, I am certain. D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters"> him, let him come in</HI> (&s;aid Harry) <HI>If he do</HI>'s <HI>affront thee, I &s;hall find a time to cut his throat. I cannot blame thy zeal for thy friend</HI> (replyed <HI>Polydor) tho it be mi&s;taken. He is a man of too much honour to offer any Rudene&s;s.</HI> Saying &s;o, he went as far as he might to wait on Sir <HI>Francis,</HI> who was ju&s;t coming into the Hou&s;e with his Si&s;ter, <HI>Marwoud</HI> leading <HI>Miranda</HI> and <HI>Dorothea.</HI></P>
<P>After having &s;aluted each other, Sir <HI>Francis</HI> de&s;ir'd <HI>Polydor</HI> to leave his friends to entertain one other for a quar|ter of an hour, that he might di&s;cour&s;e him a little privately. <HI>Polydor</HI> &s;poke to 'em of it, and went into another
<PB N="172" REF="92">
Room with the two Gentlemen and the Ladys. <HI>Sir,</HI> (&s;aid the Knight, lifting up his Si&s;ter's hood, which till then cover'd her face) <HI>Do you not know this Lady? Too well Sir</HI> (Reply'd <HI>Polydor) you had not found me here, Sir, otherwi&s;e. Have you any pretentions to her?</HI> (&s;aid Sir <HI>Fran|cis.) Pretentions, Sir</HI> (an&s;wer'd <HI>Polydor) no, no; and I wou'd &s;he never had had any for me! What's the meaning of this?</HI> (&s;aid the Knight;) <HI>To my knowledge &s;he loves you. Do you know who &s;he is? Yes, and what &s;he is too,</HI> (reply'd <HI>Polydor;) &s;he call's her &s;elf</HI> Ariadne; <HI>but the pretty Impo&s;ture will not pa&s;s for &s;uch in this Lady's Company.</HI> At the&s;e words, he took <HI>Dorothea</HI>'s hand. <HI>'Tis well</HI> (con|tinued he) <HI>they are both come together. I hope my</HI> Ariadne <HI>will not any longer pretend to the blood of the</HI> Heartwells <HI>before you, Sir. Your</HI> Ariadne! (&s;aid Sir <HI>Francis) why, are you Marry'd to either of 'em; Yes, yes, Sir</HI> Francis (cry'd he in a great Pa&s;&s;ion) <HI>To my eternal &s;hame I am marri'd to this fal&s;e Beautifull crea|ture; yes I am &s;ped with her. Well Sir,</HI> (an&s;wer'd <HI>Ariadnes</HI> Brother) <HI>And
<PB N="173" REF="92">
Heaven give you joy with my Si&s;ter! Ah Sir</HI> (&s;ays <HI>Polydor) Do not triumph in the misfortunes of an unhappy Gentle|man! I know you do but Impo&s;e now; for that Lady's your Si&s;ter,</HI> (&s;aid he bowing to <HI>Dorothea.) If you plea&s;e Sir, (an&s;wer'd</HI> Marwoud) <HI>That Lady &s;hall be my Wife before Noon yet, as late as 'tis. It &s;hall onely trouble me</HI> (replyed <HI>Polidor) for the Lady</HI>'s <HI>&s;ake. Come, come,</HI> Polydor, (&s;aid his kind b<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">other in Law) <HI>pen your Eyes, view her well! Is not your</HI> Ariadne <HI>more like me than my Cou&s;in</HI> Dorothea? <HI>for &s;o is that Lady call'd who has hitherto only per&s;onated my Si&s;ter, the more to perplex you. Ah</HI> Polydor cry'd <HI>Ariadne) I bring thee now thy True and Faithfull</HI> Ariadne. <HI>Let me embrace you together (&s;aid</HI> Sir <HI>Francis.) And now</HI> Polydor (cryd <HI>Marwoud</HI> taking him by the hand) <HI>Let here all Picques and Feuds cea&s;e. I wi&s;h thee, and will not envy thee, all tho&s;e joys thou art like to po&s;&s;e&s;s in that Lady; To who&s;e Embraces and care&s;&s;es I will at pre&s;ent leave you, to withdraw the Action that is again&s;t you; which I prote&s;t I do, with much more content than
<PB N="174" REF="93">
I lay'd it on. Ha!</HI> (cryed <HI>Polydor) This is too much happine&s;s for me in one day! To find my dear</HI> Ariadne <HI>true, to be reconcil'd to my friend whom I thought pa&s;t it, and to be &s;o nearly ally'd to one whom I have always been ambi|tious of &s;erving.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Marwoud</HI> went out and di&s;charg'd him of the Action and fees of the Hou&s;e, while the other two Ladys complemen|ted him; and began to confe&s;s how they had all contributed to his &s;eeming misfortunes. <HI>Heaven (cry'd</HI> Polydor) <HI>that I &s;hould not know that face again and that &s;hape out of Breeches. But I am now awake. Yet</HI> (continued he) <HI>I mu&s;t beg you would permit me to di&s;tru&s;t your kindne&s;s to me before my friends, in t' other Room: Be it as your humour Commands</HI> (an&s;wer'd <HI>Ari|adne) But don't let the counterfit la&s;t long.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Marwou'd</HI> now return'd and brought news of <HI>Polydors</HI> Libertie: who &s;trait led 'um to his other Friend. After Com|plements had pa&s;&s;'d, he call'd his three Friends a&s;ide, and told 'um how things had &s;ucceeded, but withall added, that he dur&s;t not yet tru&s;t their Kindne&s;s, where
<PB N="175" REF="93">
fore he intreated they wou'd ac<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ompany him to Sir <HI>Francis</HI>'s, where he was go|ing, and that he wou'd plant 'em &s;o near, that upon the lea&s;t call they might come to his a&s;&s;i&s;tance if occa&s;ion were. They all promi&s;ed to hazard their Lives and Fortunes in his Service.</P>
<P><HI>Polydor</HI> then taking &s;ome Money out of his Pocket to be&s;tow on the poor wretches that wanted it, at the &s;ame time pull'd out the mock to his Pinda|rique; and &s;hew'd it to <HI>Dorothea,</HI> asking <HI>if &s;he knew the hand.</HI> She an&s;wer'd, yes, <HI>'twas her Con&s;in</HI> Ariadnes; who &s;miling, confe&s;s'd that &s;he had &s;tolen his melan|choly &s;tuff with de&s;ign to abu&s;e it. He was not a little pleas'd with this Con|fe&s;&s;ion.</P>
<P>As &s;oon as every one had Di&s;tributed their Charities, they left the di&s;mal place, and <HI>Polydor</HI> took Coach with Sir <HI>Francis, Ariadne, Miranda, Mar|wou'd</HI> and <HI>Dorothea:</HI> But <HI>Harry, Will</HI> and <HI>Tom</HI> were forc'd to walk into <HI>Cheap|&s;ide,</HI> where they likewi&s;e took a Hackny Coach, following Sir <HI>Francis</HI>'s Coach, as clo&s;e as they could. They came in
<PB N="176" REF="94">
time to their Journey's end: Where <HI>Polidor</HI> di&s;pos'd of his three merry Boys in a very convenient Room, leaving 'em Wine enough to &s;upply 'em till he had di&s;patch'd his affairs in the next Room. Where as &s;oon as he came, he was amaz'd to &s;ee the Tables already &s;pread, and all things in as much order as if it had been de&s;ign'd a week before! But this was not all the occa&s;ion of his &s;urprize, for when his Brother in Law, and his dear <HI>Ariadne,</HI> led him into an Inner Room, he was there pre&s;ented with all the Writings of her E&s;tate, and a glorious &s;ight of Rich Jewells, and of Gold and Silver, &s;ome in Bags and &s;ome loo&s;ly &s;catter'd about the Che&s;t. This &s;ight was not altogether ungrateful to <HI>Polydor,</HI> tho he did not ab&s;olutely do at on Riches.</P>
<P>Immediately after the &s;hew was over, Sir <HI>Francis</HI> was for calling for the Per&s;on whom he had provided to &s;peak &s;ome fatal words, (as &s;trong as any Witches Charm, I'm &s;ure) to him and <HI>Marwou'd,</HI> and the other two Ladys. But <HI>Polydor</HI> beg'd his three
<PB N="177" REF="94">
Friends might fir&s;t be admitted; to which they agreed: and he gave the &s;ign immediately for them to come in. Who no &s;ooner heard it, but with all the Violence and Re&s;olution imagi|nable, they ru&s;h'd in with their Swords drawn. <HI>Ha!</HI> (cry'd <HI>Polydor) whence is this Rudene&s;s! what do you mean Gentlemen! How now</HI> Polydor (&s;aid <HI>Harry) Have you forgot we came to your Re&s;cue? Ra|ther to Divorce me from the greate&s;t hap|pine&s;s imaginable</HI> (reply'd he drawing his Sword, which Sir <HI>Francis</HI> and <HI>Marwou'd</HI> did likewi&s;e) <HI>This is &s;trange</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Will.) It is indeed</HI> (an&s;wer'd <HI>Polydor) very &s;trange; that a man &s;hould betray him&s;elf into twelve hundred a year be&s;ides thou|&s;ands in Money and Jewels, and throw him&s;elf away on &s;o Beautifull a Creature as</HI> Ariadne. <HI>You</HI> (Harry) <HI>I confe&s;s might have expected it? but for &s;uch a per&s;on as mine. Death we are fool'd then</HI> (cry d <HI>Tom) well we &s;hall find a time</HI> (continu'd he offering to go.) <HI>Hold Gentlemen, pray be'nt angry</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Polydor) you mu&s;t not go yet, till you have din'd with us, and been Witne&s;&s;es to a little
<PB N="178" REF="95">
Bu&s;ine&s;s that the&s;e two Gentlemen and Ladies have to di&s;patch, Come, Put up! Put up! We are all friends. Ay, Gen|tlemen</HI> (&s;aid Sir <HI>Francis) we mu&s;t intreat your Company to day. Nay</HI> (added <HI>Marwou'd) ye mu&s;t be our Gue&s;s.</HI> Upon this they all put up; and were as good as &s;o many Certificates to <HI>Miranda</HI> and <HI>Dorothea;</HI> that Ceremony ended, they eat and drank plentifully, had the Fid|dles, Danc'd, and were wondrous Plea|&s;ant, &s;o wee'l leave 'em till night, when I &s;uppo&s;e the three Hero's went to Bed with their Ladys; where wee'l leave 'em to be more Happy, than I dare tell you they were.</P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
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</DIV1>
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</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
