SIR TUNBELLY CLUMSY. A precious rogue this to come a-wooing! _Re-enter_ SERVANT. SERVANT. There are some gentlefolks below to wait upon Lord Foppington. [_Exit._] COLONEL TOWNLY. ’Sdeath, Tom, what will you do now? [_Aside to_ TOM FASHION.] LORD FOPPINGTON. Now, Sir Tunbelly, here are witnesses who I believe are not corrupted. SIR TUNBELLY CLUMSY. Peace, fellow!—Would your lordship choose to have your guests shown here, or shall they wait till we come to ’em? TOM FASHION. I believe, Sir Tunbelly, we had better not have these visitors here yet.—[_Aside_.] Egad, all must out. LOVELESS. Confess, confess; we’ll stand by you. [_Aside to_ TOM FASHION.] LORD FOPPINGTON. Nay, Sir Tunbelly, I insist on your calling evidence on both sides—and if I do not prove that fellow an impostor— TOM FASHION. Brother, I will save you the trouble, by now confessing that I am not what I have passed myself for.—Sir Tunbelly, I am a gentleman, and I flatter myself a man of character; but’tis with great pride I assure you I am not Lord Foppington. SIR TUNBELLY CLUMSY. Ouns!—what’s this?—an impostor?—a cheat?—fire and faggots, sir, if you are not Lord Foppington, who the devil are you? TOM FASHION. Sir, the best of my condition is, I am your son-in-law; and the worst of it is, I am brother to that noble peer. LORD FOPPINGTON. Impudent to the last, Gad dem me! SIR TUNBELLY CLUMSY. My son-in-law! not yet, I hope. TOM FASHION. Pardon me, sir; thanks to the goodness of your chaplain, and the kind offices of this gentlewoman. LORY. ’Tis true indeed, sir; I gave your daughter away, and Mrs. Nurse, here, was clerk. SIR TUNBELLY CLUMSY. Knock that rascal down!—But speak, Jezebel, how’s this? NURSE. Alas! your honour, forgive me; I have been overreached in this business as well as you. Your worship knows, if the wedding-dinner had been ready, you would have given her away with your own hands. SIR TUNBELLY CLUMSY. But how durst you do this without acquainting me? NURSE. Alas! if your worship had seen how the poor thing begged and prayed, and clung and twined about me like ivy round an old wall, you would say, I who had nursed it, and reared it, must have had a heart like stone to refuse it. SIR TUNBELLY CLUMSY. Ouns! I shall go mad! Unloose my lord there, you scoundrels! LORD FOPPINGTON. Why, when these gentlemen are at leisure, I should be glad to congratulate you on your son-in-law, with a little more freedom of address. MISS HOYDEN. Egad, though, I don’t see which is to be my husband after all. LOVELESS. Come, come, Sir Tunbelly, a man of your understanding must perceive that an affair of this kind is not to be mended by anger and reproaches. COLONEL TOWNLY. Take my word for it, Sir Tunbelly, you are only tricked into a son-in-law you may be proud of: my friend Tom Fashion is as honest a fellow as ever breathed. LOVELESS. That he is, depend on’t; and will hunt or drink with you most affectionately: be generous, old boy, and forgive them—