_The door is broken open; enter_ Mrs. CROSSBITE, _and her_ Landlord, _and his_ 'Prentice, _in aprons._ _Mrs. Cros._ What, murder my daughter, villain! _Lucy._ I wish he had murdered me.--Oh! oh! _Mrs. Cros._ What has he done? _Lucy._ Why would you go out, and leave me alone? unfortunate woman that I am! _Gripe._ How now, what will this end in? [_Aside._ _Mrs. Cros._ Who brought him in? _Lucy._ That witch, that treacherous false woman, my godmother, who has betrayed me, sold me to his lust.--Oh! oh!-- _Mrs. Cros._ Have you ravished my daughter, then, you old goat? ravished my daughter!--ravished my daughter! speak, villain. _Gripe._ By yea and by nay, no such matter. _Mrs. Cros._ A canting rogue, too! Take notice, landlord, he has ravished my daughter, you see her all in tears and distraction; and see there the wicked engine of the filthy execution.--[_Pointing to the chair._]--Jeremy, call up the neighbours, and the constable,--False villain! thou shalt die for it. _Gripe._ Hold! hold!--[_Aside._]--Nay, I am caught. _Mrs. Cros._ Go, go, make haste-- _Lucy._ Oh! oh!-- _Mrs. Cros._ Poor wretch!--Go quickly. _Gripe._ Hold! hold!--Thou young spawn of the old serpent! wicked, as I thought thee innocent! wilt thou say I would have ravished thee? _Lucy._ I will swear you did ravish me. _Gripe._ I thought so, treacherous Eve!--then I am gone, I must shift as well as I can. _Lucy._ Oh! oh!-- _Mrs. Cros._ Will none of you call up the neighbours, and the authority of the alley? _Gripe._ Hold, I'll give you twenty mark[44] among you to let me go. _Mrs. Cros._ Villain! nothing shall buy thy life. _Land._ But stay, Mrs. Crossbite, let me talk with you. _Lucy._ Oh! oh!-- _Land._ Come, sir, I am your friend:--in a word, I have appeased her, and she shall be contented with a little sum. _Gripe._ What is it? what is it? _Land._ But five hundred pounds. _Gripe._ But five hundred pounds!--hang me then, hang me rather. _Land._ You will say I have been your friend. _Pren._ The constable and neighbours are a-coming. _Gripe._ How, how; will you not take a hundred? pray use conscience in your ways. [_Kneels to_ Mrs. CROSSBITE. _Mrs. Cros._ I scorn your money! I will not take a thousand. _Gripe._ [_Aside._] My enemies are many, and I shall be a scandal to the faithful, as a laughing-stock to the wicked.--[_Aloud._] Go, prepare your engines for my persecution; I'll give you the best security I can. _Land._ The instruments are drawing in the other room, if you please to go thither. _Mrs. Cros._ Indeed, now I consider, a portion will do my daughter more good than his death. That would but publish her shame; money will cover it--_probatum est_, as they say. Let me tell you, sir, 'tis a charitable thing to give a young maid a portion. [_Exeunt._ SCENE IV.--LYDIA'S _Lodging._ _Enter_ LYDIA _and_ Lady FLIPPANT, _attended by_ LEONORE.