GRIPE. Thou welcome, Sophos--thrice more welcome now, Than any man on earth--to me or mine: It is not now with me as late it was; I low'r'd at learning, and at virtue spurn'd: But now my heart and mind, and all, is turn'd. Were Lelia here, I soon would knit the knot 'Twixt her and thee, that time could ne'er untie, Till fatal sisters victory had won, And that your glass of life were quite outrun. WILL CRICKET. Zounds, I think he be spurblind; why, Lelia stands hard by him. LELIA. And Lelia here falls prostrate on her knee, And craves a pardon for her late offence. GRIPE. What, Lelia my daughter? Stand up, wench: Why, now my joy is full; My heart is lighten'd of all sad annoy: Now fare well, grief, and welcome home, my joy.-- Here, Sophos, take thy Lelia's hand: Great God of heav'n your hearts combine, In virtue's lore to raise a happy line. SOPHOS. Now Phaeton hath check'd his fiery steeds, And quench'd his burning beams that late were wont To melt my waxen wings, when as I soar'd aloft; And lovely Venus smiles with fair aspect Upon the spring-time of our sacred love. Thou great commander of the circled orbs, Grant that this league of lasting amity May lie recorded by eternity. LELIA. Then wish'd content knit up our nuptial right; And future joys our former griefs requite. WILL CRICKET. Nay, and you be good at that, I'll tell you what we'll do: Peg and I must be married to-morrow; and if you will, we'll go all to the church together, and so save Sir John a labour. ALL. Agreed. FORTUNATUS. Then march along, and let's be gone, To solemnise two marriages in one. [_Exeunt omnes_. FINIS. LINGUA. _EDITIONS_. (1.) _Lingva: Or, The Combat of the Tongue, And the fiue Senses for Superiority. A pleasant Comoedie, At London Printed by G. Eld, for Simon Waterson_, 1607, 4to[165]. (2.) _Lingua: or, The Combat of the Tongue, and the five Senses, for Superiority. A pleasant Comoedie. London, Printed by N. Okes, for Simon Waterson_, [circâ 1610], 4to. (3.) _Lingua; or, The Combat of the Tongue, and the five Senses, for Superiority. A pleasant Comoedie. London, Printed by Nicholas Okes, for Simon Waterson_, 1617, 4to. (4.) _Lingua: or, The Combat of the Tongue, and the five Sences, for Superiority. A pleasant Comedy. London, Printed by Nicholas Okes, for Simon Waterson_, 1622, 4to. (5.) _Lingua: or, The Combat of the Tongue, and the five Sences, for Superioritie. A pleasant Comoedie. London, Printed by Augustine Matthewes, for Simon Waterson_, 1632, 4to. (6.) _Lingua: or, The Combat of the Tongue, and the five Senses, for Superiority. A pleasant Comoedy. London, Printed for Simon Miller, at the Starre in St Paul's Churchyard_, 1657, 8vo. INTRODUCTION [Of the author of "Lingua" nothing is known. By some of our earlier bibliographers the play was ascribed, without the slightest authority, to Anthony Brewer.