University of Virginia Library

SCENE VIII.

—Mrs Yule's House near the Cathedral.
Enter Strang of Balcaskie, Captain Strang, Mrs Strang, Beatrice Strang, Seaton of Kingsmuir, and Gordonsha.
CAPTAIN STRANG.
I'm so rejoiced, I scarce can bear the load
Of gladsomeness that overfreights me so,
Seeing my best friends all encircling me
For gratulation and sweet shake of hand.
My swelling heart seems gushing from my breast,
And 'scapes in tears, God help me, from my eyes!

STRANG OF BALCASKIE.
Mine honest Captain, weep your fill of joy;
Th'occasion justifies the sweet excess;
Our tragic plot has terminated well
You see, for you, our country, and us all.
One part, however, rests unfinish'd yet,
Requiring your assent to be perform'd,
That two dear persons, whose betrothed hearts
Together chime in Love's blithe unison,
Yet patiently have waited this glad hour,
May be conjoin'd in bliss connubial.
There is a daughter, fair as summer-dawn,
Sweet as the musk of zephyr, pure as heaven,
A little angel, in whose pretty bosom
Are lodged religion and divinity,
Her father's very darling and delight;
She has a lover, faithful, honourable,
Fond to a fault, if it can be a fault
To love too much a faultless little witch;
You know them both—

CAPTAIN STRANG.
I know, I see them both;
I do rejoice, Balcaskie, to fulfil
In this, your pleasure, which has long been mine;
I do transfer my sweet dear kindly girl
Into your hands, for all; as thou'rt her kinsman,
Dispose of her thyself to this her lover;
The gift, all dear and precious as it is,
Gets double value, coming from the hands
Of one I so respect and venerate.

MRS STRANG.
A mother's sanction and a mother's blessing
Attend this union too, to prosper it,
And make it rich of earthly happiness!

STRANG OF BALCASKIE.
My pretty Beatrice, permit me then,
Having the power thus to me delegated,
To make you over, in your father's name,
And in your mother's, to the man you love.—
Accept, dear Seaton, the angelic prize
You next to heaven so long have coveted.
I join your hands, precursor to the priest,
Who shall with due solemnities confirm
And formalize this union—we shall have
The ceremony done with banquetting,
And harmless revel at Balcaskie-house.
There is a faithful vicar whom I know,
A conscientious priest, and honest man,
Who does his duties holily at church,
And yet is harmless happy at the board;
We'll have him up—He will rejoice to come,
To bless our banquet, and to knit this pair
Into a happiness indissoluble.

CAPTAIN STRANG.
I know the man, you'll find no better vicar
In Fife, in Scotland, nay, in Christendom;
I've known him long at pulpit and at board,
And he at both is apostolic stuff;
Get him, for God's sake! we can't do without him.

SEATON.
Accept, dear friends, collectively, in few,
For this perfection my imperfect thanks;
My spirit labours with its joy too much
To let my tongue go picking straggled words
Wherewith to thank you each respectively
As each deserves, for this the goldenest
Of earthly benefits, this my Beatrice,
My pretty blesser, my beatitude,
Whom I'll hold fast for ever.

BEATRICE.
Nought becomes
A duteous daughter like submissiveness;
And 'tis a double bliss when heart accords,
As it does here, so happily with duty.

CAPTAIN STRANG.
Come, my preserver, thou, whose cudgel's swing
Jump'd in so pat with lucky intervention,
To fracture to the death my hangman's pate,
And saved me to enjoy this happy day,
Which in its worth outweighs a thousand others;
Thou must go with us—I'll not let thee off
From sharing in our marriage-merriment:
There will be room for thee too at Balcaskie;
'Tis a large house, and well I know its owner
Has a large heart.

STRANG OF BALCASKIE.
Come, honest fellow, come;
Be sure there will be set a cup for thee,
None of the smallest.

GORDONSHA.
An' I houp, guid Laird,
There will be routh o'liquor in the samin;
For, be't brown yill, or be't red-cheekit wine,
Or punch of brandy, gin, or usquebaugh,
Be certain, I sall hae nae mercy on't;
For mickle do I long to drink the health
O'this discreet young woman, guid an' fair,
An' wish her happy wi' her canty joe!

STRANG OF BALCASKIE.
Hence let us then, all downward to the coast,
To meet again at fair Balcaskie-house!

[Exeunt omnes.