Sir _Cred._ Ah Lord! they are come with the Warrant.
[Peeps out of the Basket.
_Lod._ Only Books, Madam, offer’d me to buy, but they do not please me.
L. _Kno._ Books! nay then set down the Basket, Fellows, and let me
peruse ‘em; who are their Authors, and what their Language?
Sir _Cred._ A pox of all Learning, I say,--’tis my Mother-in-law.
[Porters going to set down the Basket.
_Lod._ Hold, hold, Madam, they are only _English_ and some Law-_French_.
L. _Kno._ Oh, faugh, how I hate that vile sort of Reading! up with ‘em
again, Fellows, and away.
[The Porters take up and go out.
_Lod._ God-a-mercy, Law-_French_. [Aside.
L. _Kno._ Law-_French_! out upon’t, I cou’d find in my heart to have the
Porters bring it back, and have it burnt for a Heresy to Learning.
_Lod._ Or thrown into the _Thames_, that it may float back to
_Normandy_, to have the Language new modell’d.
L. _Kno._ You say well; but what’s all this _ad Iphicli bonis_, where’s
Sir _Credulous_ all this while? his Affairs expect him.
_Lod._ So does _Leander_ your Ladyship within.
L. _Kno._ _Leander!_ _Hymen, Hymenæ_, I’ll wait on him, _Lodwick_; I am
resolv’d you shall marry _Isabella_ too; I have a design in my head that
cannot fail to give you the possession of her within this two or three
hours.
_Lod._ Such an Indulgence will make me the happiest of Men, and I have
something to say to your Ladyship that will oblige you to hasten the
design.
L. _Kno._ Come in, and let me know it.
[Exeunt.
SCENE II. _A Chamber in Sir _Patient Fancy’s_ House. A Table and
Chairs._
Enter Lady _Fancy_ in a Morning-dress, _Maundy_ with Pen, Ink and
Paper.
L. _Fan._ _Wittmore_ in the Garden, sayst thou, with _Isabella_! Oh
perjur’d Man! it was by his contrivance then I was betray’d last night.
_Maun._ I thought so too at first, Madam, till going to conduct Mr.
_Knowell_ through the Garden, he finding Mr. _Wittmore_ there with
_Isabella_ drew on him, and they both fought out of the Garden: what
mischief’s done I know not.--But, Madam, I hope Mr. _Knowell_ was not
uncivil to your Ladyship. I had no time to ask what pass’d between you.
L. _Fan._ Oh, name it not: I gave him all I had reserv’d for _Wittmore_.
I was so possess’d with the thoughts of that dear false one, I had no
sense free to perceive the cheat:--but I will be reveng’d.--Come let me
end my Letter, we are safe from interruption.
_Maun._ Yes, Madam, Sir _Patient_ is not yet up, the Doctors have been
with him, and tell him he is not so bad as we persuaded him.
L. _Fan._ And was he soft and kind?--By all that’s good, she loves him,
and they contriv’d this meeting.--My Pen and Ink--I am impatient to
unload my Soul of this great weight of Jealousy.--
[Sits down, and writes.
Enter Sir _Patient_, looking over her Shoulder a tip-toe.
_Maun._ Heaven! here’s Sir _Patient_, Madam.
L. _Fan._ Hah,--and ‘tis too late to hide the Paper; I was just going to
subscribe my Name.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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