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Show Enter Beatrix- Alon. H o w now, Gentlewoman What, Are you going to relief hy "twas going on a very charitable Office, to help a Friend that was gra-vel'd in a very doubtful bufinefs-propound a queftion to him from a Lady. J L . I will have m y own Queftion firft rcfolvd. IM. O, Sir, "tisfrom a I ^ v - • - _ , iven D o n G Wn(d2ri) Come to me tomorrow, and you toll receive an anfwer_^ S£ SriMSe^it very unkindly if you fatisfie any other, and leave me in this perplexity. Bell. Sir, if m y knowledge were according- Alon. N o more of that, Sir, I befeech you. . • Bell. Perhaps I may know fomething by m y Art concerning it; but, tor your quiet, I wifh you would not prefs me. Alon. D o you think I a m not Mafter of m y Paffions Bell. Since vou will needs know what I would willingly have conceal d, the Perfon w h o has your Diamond, is he w h o m you faw laft in your Daughters -°S.nVou would fay 'tis Don Melchor de Guzman. Who, the Devil would havc-fiifpected him of fuch an Aftion ? But he is of a decay'd Family, and poverty, it feems, has enfore'd him to it: N o w I think on't better, he has e'en ftoln it for a Fee to bribe his Lawyer; to requite a Lye with a Theft ; I'll feek him out, and tell him part of m y Mind before I fleep. [£**' Alon. Bell. So, once more I a m at Liberty: But this Aftrology is fo troublefome a Science--would I were well rid on't. Enter Don Lopez and a Servant. Lop. Aftrology does he fay ? O Cavalier is it you; not finding you at home, I came on purpofe to feek you out: I have a fmall requeft to the Stars by your Mediation. Bell. Sir, for pity let'em fhine in quiet a little; for what for Ladies and their Servants, and younger Brothers, they fcarce get a Holiday in a Twelvemonth. Lop. Pray Pardonnie, if I a m a little curious of m y deftiny, fince all m y happinefs depends on your Anfwer. Bell. Well, Sir, what is it you expeft ? Lop. T o know whether m y Love to a Lady will be fuccefsfuh Bell. 'Tis Aurelia he means -(Afide) Sir, in one word, I anfwer you, that your Miftrefs loves another; one w h o is your Friend; but comfort your felf; the Dragon's Tail is between him and home, he fhall never enjoy her. Lop. But what hope for m e ? Bell. The Stars have partly affur'd m e you fhall be happy, if you acquaint her with your Paffion, and with the double-dealing of your Friend, w h o is falfe to her. Lop. You fpeak like an Oracle. But I have engag'd m y promife to that Friend to ferve him in his Paffion to m y Miftrefs. Bet. W e Englifh feldom make fuch fcruples: W o m e n are not compriz'd in our Laws of Friendfhip; they are Fera Natura, our common Game, like Hare and Partridge; every M a n has equal right to them, as he has to the Sun and Elements. Lop. Muft I then betray m y Friend ? Bell. In that cafe m y Friend is a Turk to me, if he will be fo barbarous as to retain two W o m e n to his private ufe ; I will be factious for all dirtrelfed D a m - fels; who would much rather have their Caufe try'd by a full Jury than a tingle Judge. ' b Lop. Well, Sir, Ijwilltake your Counfel; and if I err, the fault be on I ove and you [Exit l.oney. Bell. • • - • . . . . .. Or, cl be Mocf^Ajlrologer. 31 ; Bell. Were it not for Love, I would run out of the 'town, that's the fhort on't; for 1 have engag'd m y felf in fo many promifesfor the Sun and Moon, and thofe little mine'd-meats of 'em, that I muft hide before m y day of payment comes. In the mean time I forget 'Theodofia; but n o w I detie the Devi! u> hinder mc. As he is going out, he meets Aurelia, and almofl jufiles her down. With her Camilla enters. Aur. W h a t rudenefs is this i* Bell. M a d a m Amelia, is it you? Aur. Monlieur Bellamy ? Bell. Thefame, Madam. Aur. M y Unkle told m e he left you here; and indeed I came hitherto complain of you; for you have treated m e fo inhumanely, that I have fome reafon to refent it. Bell. What occafion can 1 have given you for a complaint? Aur. Don Melchor, as I a m inform'd by m y Unkle, is effectively at Madrid ; fo that it was not his Idea, but himfelf in Perfon w h o I faw; and fince you knew this, w h y did you conceal it from me? Bell. W h e n I fpoke with vou I knew it not; but I difcover'd it in the erecting of m y Figure. Yet if inftead of his Idea I conftrain'd himfelf to come, in fpight of hisreiblution to remain conceal'd, I think I have fhewn a greater effect of m y Art than what I promis'd. Aur. I render m y felf to fo convincing an argument; but by over-hearing a difcourfe )uft now, betwixt m y Couiin Theodofia and her Maid, I find that he has conceal'd himfelf upon her account, which has given m e jealoufie to the laft point; for to avow an inconteffable Truth, m y Coufin is furioufly handfome. Bell. Madam, Madam, truft not your Ears too far; fhe taJk'd on purpofe that you might hear her; but I affure you, the true caufe of D on Melchorh concealment, Was not love of her, but jealoufie of you ; he ftaid in private to obferve Actions,- build upon'tMadam, he is inviolably yours. Aur. 'then will he facrifice m y Couiin to m c r Bet. 'Tis furioufly true, Madam. Aur. O moft agreeable alfurance ! Cam. Alhricias, Madam, for m y good News; Don Melchor is coming this way ; I know him by his Voice; but he is in Company with another Perfon Aur. ft will not be convenient to give him any umbrage, by feeing m e with another Perfon ,- therefore I will go before ; do you ftay here and conduct him to m y Apartment- Good night, Sir. [Exit. Bell. I have promifed Don Lopez, he fhall poffefs her; and I have promis'd her file fhall poftefs Don Melchor; tis a little difficult, 1 confefs, as to the Matrimonial part of it; but if D on Melchor will be civil to her, and file be civil to D o n Lopez, m y credit is fafe without the benefit of m y Clergy. But all this is nothing to Theodofia. [Exit Bellamy. Enter Don Alonzo and Don Melchor. Cam. Don Melchor, a W o r d in private. Mel. Your pleafure, Lady; Sir, I will wait on you immediately. Cam. 1 a m fent to you from a fair Lady, w h o bears you no ill will. You may guefs w h o m I mean. Mel. Not by m y own merits, but by knowing w h o m you ferve ; but I confefs I wonder at her late ft range ufage when file fled from me. Cam. That was only a miftake; but I have now, by her command, been in a thoufand places in queftof you. Mel. You overjoy me. Cam. And where amongft die reft do you think I have been looking you ? Mel. Pray refrefli m y Memory. Cam. In that fame Street, by that fame Shop ; you know where, by a good token. Mel. By what token ? Cam. Juft by that Shop, whereoutof your Noblenefs, you promis'd m e anew- Silk Gown. Mel. O, n o w 1 underftand you. Cam. Not that 1 prefs you to a performance Mel. Take this, and pleafe your felf in the choice of i t- [Gives her Money. R r 2 Cam. |