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Show 7± 'The Rival Ladies. 1 (hall return, I hope, with better news; In the mean time Ihe prays, you'll not difturb The Company. Rod. This troubles me exceedingly. Man. A Note put privately into m y hand By Jngrllino's W o m a n ? She's m y Creature : There's fomething in't; I'll read it m y felf Rod. Brother, what Paper's that? Man. Some begging Verfes Deliver'd me this Morning on m y Wedding. Rod. Pray let m e fee 'em : Matt. I have many Copies, Pleafe you to entertain your felf with thefe. Sir, My Lady feigns this ficknefs to delude you : Her Brother hates you (till; and the Plot is, That he fly allmarry firft your Sifter, And then deny you his Poftfeript. Stnce I writ this, lhavefo wrought upon her (Who of her felf is timerous enough) 1 hat fhe believes her Brother will betray her Or elfe be fore'd to give her up to you ; Tberefoft, unknown to him, fie means toflie : Come to the Garden Door at Sevenths Evening f**™trtJOH may fur prober ; mean time I II ill keep her ignorant of all things, that Her fear may ftill Increafe. D , TT Enter Leonora again. Hod. H o w now? H o w does your Lady ? Leo». So ill fhe cannot poffibly wait on you. Man Kind Heav'n give m e her Sickoefi. Rod. Thofe are Wifiies: What's to be done? Man. W e muft defer our Marriages. Rod. Leonora, now! Leon. M y Lady, Sir, has abfolutely charged Her Brother's fhould go forward. Rod. Abfolutely/ Leon. Exprefly Sir, becaufe /he. fays there are So many honourable Perfons here, Vv horn to defraud of their intended Mirth, And of each others Company, where rude: So hoping your excufe. Rod. That privilege of Pow'r which Brothers have Mv'wm n?vcr r: T,herefore fub™ M y Will to hers, but with m u c h forrow, Sir- ^Jojnuch^good Manners, Brother? g^tol^uT?^ Provoke our eafie Souls to carelefs M r t h ' For L Urfdn,unken Reve,s were defierfd' to noyofwhatft^fufters? lgnd Rod. 'Twill be over In a few Days. [Exit Leonora, [Afidt, [Gives him another Papn. [Manuel Reads, [Tours Leonora'- [AfiiU to her, [Exit Leonora. Man. 'The Rival Ladies. Rod' ™ e y muft; or I fha?think you mean not fairly? Rod. Explain your felf. Mxn. That you would Marry firft And afterwards refute m e AneetUna Rod Think fo. Man. You are Rod. Speak foftly*. Man. A foul Villain. Rod. Then Man. Speak foftly. j^^^^^y^yriu^^ Ladies, you wonder at our Whifpers, But more will wonder when you know the caufe • The Beauteous Angelica is fall'n ill; And fince fhe cannot with her pretence Grace This Days Solemnity, the Noble Rodorick Thinks fit it be deterr'd, till fhe recover; F J ^b°t h h oPetohave your Companies. £ J v on£ her H e a l t h > w e ^ e our leaves. Rod. YourSifteryetwillMarryme. Man She will not: C o m e hither Julia. Jul. W h a t ftrange afflicting N e w s is this you tell us t P Jr n * Vs a11 this faIfe Man's PIot> that when he had roheityou hemightCheat meofhisSifter. Jul. Is this true, Roderick? Alas, his fi fence JL*>es but too much confefs it: H o w I blufh T o own that Love I cannot yet take from thee.' Yet for m y fake be Friends. Man. Tis now too late: lam by honour hinder'd. Rod. I by hate. Jul. What fhall I do? Ti^fc L e a v e m m > andcomeaway; T h y Virtue bids thee. Jul. But Love bids m e ftay. T h f R ; ^ e r > L S V £ fo.likcmy own, that I fhould blame I ne Brother's Paffion in the Sifter's Flame. Rodorick w e fhall meet He little thinks * a m as P fure this Night olAngellina, As he of Julia. Rod Madam, T o what an Extafie of Joy If our Goodnefs raifes m e ! This was an Act Ut kindnefs which no Service e'er can pay. TU Uk Ies' Rodoriek, 'tis in your Pow'r to quit Ihe Debt you owe me. ^ Bod. D o but N a m e the way. Ac i f T£enbrieflythus, 'tis to be juft to me As l have been to you. Rod. You cannot doubt it. A %Lu°? k* n ° W l have adve"tur'd for your fake. A Brother's Anger, and the World's Opinion: * value neither; for a fetled virtue Makes it felf Judge, and fatisfy'd within, armies at that c o m m o n Enemy, the World 1 a m no more afraid of flying Cenfures, ] ™ e R a v ' n ?f b.eing fir'd with mounting Sparkles. Hod But wherein muft m y Gratitude confift ? Jul. Anfwer your felf, by thinking what is fit tor m e to do. Rod. B y Marriage to confirm1 ACO aunJhrfua tltm .rut ethIduon augf olrNa uLtanoejmfvuueefl t. M Raaogrdaroiinrafitgc ekm, Iy w hBirloet htehro ?u entertain'ft 75 [To the Company! [Exeunt Company. [Afide.] [Exit Manuel. RU |