SIR SAMP. Odd, madam, I love you. And if you would take my advice in a
husband—
ANG. Hold, hold, Sir Sampson. I asked your advice for a husband, and
you are giving me your consent. I was indeed thinking to propose
something like it in jest, to satisfy you about Valentine: for if a match
were seemingly carried on between you and me, it would oblige him to
throw off his disguise of madness, in apprehension of losing me: for you
know he has long pretended a passion for me.
SIR SAMP. Gadzooks, a most ingenious contrivance—if we were to go
through with it. But why must the match only be seemingly carried on?
Odd, let it be a real contract.
ANG. Oh, fie, Sir Sampson, what would the world say?
SIR SAMP. Say? They would say you were a wise woman and I a happy man.
Odd, madam, I’ll love you as long as I live, and leave you a good
jointure when I die.
ANG. Ay; but that is not in your power, Sir Sampson: for when Valentine
confesses himself in his senses, he must make over his inheritance to his
younger brother.
SIR SAMP. Odd, you’re cunning, a wary baggage! Faith and troth, I like
you the better. But, I warrant you, I have a proviso in the obligation
in favour of myself. Body o’ me, I have a trick to turn the settlement
upon the issue male of our two bodies begotten. Odsbud, let us find
children and I’ll find an estate!
ANG. Will you? Well, do you find the estate and leave t’other to me.
SIR SAMP. O rogue! But I’ll trust you. And will you consent? Is it a
match then?
ANG. Let me consult my lawyer concerning this obligation, and if I find
what you propose practicable, I’ll give you my answer.
SIR SAMP. With all my heart: come in with me, and I’ll lend you the
bond. You shall consult your lawyer, and I’ll consult a parson.
Odzooks, I’m a young man—odzooks, I’m a young man, and I’ll make it
appear,—odd, you’re devilish handsome. Faith and troth, you’re very
handsome, and I’m very young and very lusty. Odsbud, hussy, you know how
to choose, and so do I. Odd, I think we are very well met. Give me your
hand, odd, let me kiss it; ’tis as warm and as soft—as what? Odd, as
t’other hand—give me t’other hand, and I’ll mumble ’em and kiss ’em till
they melt in my mouth.
ANG. Hold, Sir Sampson. You’re profuse of your vigour before your time.
You’ll spend your estate before you come to it.
SIR SAMP. No, no, only give you a rent-roll of my possessions. Ah,
baggage, I warrant you for little Sampson. Odd, Sampson’s a very good
name for an able fellow: your Sampsons were strong dogs from the
beginning.
ANG. Have a care and don’t over-act your part. If you remember,
Sampson, the strongest of the name, pulled an old house over his head at
last.
SIR SAMP. Say you so, hussy? Come, let’s go then; odd, I long to be
pulling too; come away. Odso, here’s somebody coming.
SCENE III.
TATTLE, JEREMY.
TATT. Is not that she gone out just now?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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