University of Virginia Library

The last Scene.

To them Theophilus and Bride.
Theo.
Humbly thus I beg
Theo. kneeles
Your pardon sir

Good.
Pray' aske your father blessing:
Y'have got one now.

Fat.
He hath sir, and shall keep him
His faire desert won my conversion;
And chang'd me from intents of punishing
To an indulgent favourer. This hath been
A villaine to his life, and to his fortunes;
Whetted by envy to such practises
As merrit death when you shall heare the passages.
A man that's guilty; that from foule intents
Proceeded to an act would flye for safety:
Instead of which Theophilus repair'd
To me, that then was laboring with revenge.
First offers restitution of my daughter;
Then passing on from declaration
To declaration, made to confident
By his sweet innocence, he satisfi'd
Mine anger, and gave peace unto my passions
Nor was I patient to defer their joyes
(Which likewise are myne own but got them married
This evening with a dispensation for it
Before we came to you. Where by the way
We met this Monsieur, and enforc't him back:
Whom straight his feares betrayd to a discovery
Of what he was; no gentleman, but Kick-shaw
In's wenching clothes.

Ser.
Monsieur Kick-shaw: we want plate Monsieur.

Kick.
Now me sall be hang agen.

Hor.
And I want Jewells Monsieur.

Kick.

Jewells! me have noting but two tree bable. Pray'
vat be dis?

Puls the things out of his pockets.
Hor.

A bable call you it? This gentlemen is the horne of an
Æthiopian Rhinoceros.

Kick.

An dis!

Hor.

The Taleon of a Birde in terra australi incognita, which
the inhabitants call their great god Ruc, that preyes upon Elephants,
and will not be gorged under two or three in a morning
This stone of a strange forme and colour was brought by the
learned traveller of Odcombe from the great Mogull.

M. Fe.
How sir! One of the great mogul's stones,

Fat.
Good sir forbeare a little. Now he's mine
I'le own him and the rather if you will
Disclaime all interest in him. For your kinsman
Some wise and powerfull authority
Must force truth from him.

M. Fe.
My husbands authority sir is both wise and powerfull

Rav.
'Tis not in all my stock of cunning now
To hold out longer. Shame will be the end
Of all my undertakings.

Good.
Cosin your looks are strange, and seeme as if
They would betray your thoughts. If you have guilt,
Let it not presse your conscience with a weight
Will sinck it into horror.

Rav.
I have much sir.
Nor will there need another testimony
For confirmation of what I shall utter.
He that with griefe doth publish his own shame,
Speakes from truths records.

Good.
What may this preface meane?

Rav.
You had a sonne, whose birth depriv'd his mother
Of life; and what bestow'd a joy upon you
Rob'd you of one.

Good.
Why dost review a griefe
Time had worne out? Indeed I had a sonne.

Rav.
And have him still: enjoy him in Theophilus.

The.
Was this the knowledge of my selfe he spake of,
That liv'd but in him selfe?

Good.
I feare his wound,
And a distraction.

Rav.
Heare me sir and then
You will have faith. The child you did dispose
To be nurst by my mother, I being then
An infant likewise. She knowing by law
That I was capable of your estate
Your heire being once remov'd, soone plots
To make the childe away; attemps, but fainting
In th'execution left it in the feilds;
A formall buriall strengthning the report
That it was dead. By providence directed
You found and bred it up, and this is he.
My dying mother did reveale it to me
With teares of penitence, and an injunction
I should discover it: which my avarice
And envy would not suffer me, but tempted
My soule to those black practices, which now
Cease with my shame and my repentance.

Good.
Joyes
Good, embraceth Theo. kneeling.
Have fill'd me to the danger of a surfet.
Welcome to life; I have a new begot thee.
How often have I wisht in these embraces
The thing I did embrace but knew it not.
Cosin I hope your sorrow is not feign'd
That it may merrit pardon, and preserve me
A loving Uncle.

The.
I forgive you Cosin,
You have at length in this discovery
Given large satisfaction.

Rav.
I'le remove
All cause of after jealousy.

Fat.
We by these
Good. and Fat. embrace.
Are reconciled for ever.

M. Fe.
But her's dilinquent must be punished.

Good.
He shall be pardon'd too upon condition
He will no more play the impostor thus,
To weare the habit of a gentleman
Having such vile conditions; o disgracing
His noble nation; making all suspected.
I'le likewise adde something unto your storehouse.
And though 'tis late lets have a wedding feast:
To which pray' welcome every loving guest.