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Show The Recruiting Officer. 61 Scale. Did not the Contents of your Warrant direct you what fort of M e n to take up ? Conft. I can't tell, an' pleafe ye, I can't read. Ser. A very pretty Conftable truly I find w e have no bufinefs here. Kite. M a y it pleafe the Worfhipful Bench , I defire to be heard in this cafe, as being Counlel for the Queen. Ball. Come, Serjeant, you fhall be heard, fince no body elfe will fpeak, w e won't come here for nothing. Kite. This M a n is but one M a n , the Country may fparc him, and the A r m y wants him ; befides, he's cut out by N a ture for a Granadeer; he's five Foot ten Inches high; he (hall box, wreftle, or dance the ChefJnre Round with any M a n in the Country ; he gets drunk every Sabbath-Day, and he beats his Wife. Wife. You lie, Sirrah, you lie, an' pleafe your Worfhip, he's the beft patur'dft, pains-taking'ft M a n in the Parilh, witnefs m y five poor Children. Ser. A Wife! and five Children! You Conftable, you Rogue, how durft you imprels a M a n that has a Wife and five Children ? Scale. Difcharge him, difcharge him. Ball. Hold, Gentlemen Heark'e, Friend, how do you maintain your Wife and five Children ? Plume. They live upon Wild-Fowl and Venifon, Sir; me Husband keeps a Gun, and kills all the Hares and Partridge within five Mile round. Ball. A Gun ! nay, if he be fo good at Gunning, he fhall have enough on't He may be of ufe againft the French, for he fhoots flying, to be fure. Ser. But his Wife and Children, Mr. Ballance! Wife. Ay, ay, that's the reafon you wou'd fend him away ; you k n o w l have a Child every Year, and you are afraid they fhou'd come upon the Parilh at laft. Plume. Look'e there, Gentlemen, the honeft W o m a n has fpoke it at once , the Parifh had better maintain five Children this Year, than fix or feven the next: That Fellow, upon his high Feeding, m a y get you two or three Beggars at a Birth. Wife. Look'e, Mr. Captain, the Parifh fhall get nothing by fending him away, for I wo'n't lofe m y Teeming-time, if there be a M a n left in the Parifh. Ball. Send that W o m a n to the Houfe of Correction anKdi tthee. MIalln take car•e o'him, if you pleafe. [Takes hiSme adlo*w n. |
