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Show ! n0 ' Secret-Love: Or, Flor. Any thing. Fla, M y Maidenhead to yours. Nor. That's a good one, who (hall take the forfeit ? Fla I'll go and write a Letter as from tliefe two Siftets, to fummon him immediately ; it fhall be deliver'd before you. I warrant you fee a ftrange Combat betwixt the Flefh and the Spirit: if he leaves you to go to them, you'll grant he loves them better ? , ; . • M Flor. Not a jot the more : a Bee may pick of many Flowers, and yet like fome one better than all the reft. Fla. But then your Bee muft not leave his Sting behind him. Flor. Well; make the experiment however: I hear him coming, and a whole noife of Fidlers at his heels. Hey-day, what a Mad Husband fhall I have ? Enter Celadon. Flav. And what a Mad Wife will he have ? Well I muft go a little way, but I'll return immediately and write it: You'll keep him in difcourfe the while ? [Exit Fla. Cel. Where are you, Madam ? What do you mean to run away thus ? pray ftand to't, that we may difpatch this bufinefs. Flor. I think vou mean to watch me as they do Witches, to make mc I love you. Lord, wdiat a buftle have you kept this Afternoon ? What with eating, finging and dancing, lam fo wearied, that I fhall not be in cafe to hear any more Love this Fortnight. Cel. Nay, if you forfeit on't before Tryal, Lord have mercy upon you when I have Married you. Flor. But what Kings Revenue do you think will maintain this extravagant expence ? Cel. I have a damnable Father, a rich old Rogue, if he would once die! Lord, how long does he mean to make it e'er he dies ! Flor. As long as ever he can, Fll pafs m y word for him. Cel. I think then we had beft confider him as an obftinate old Fellow that is deaf to the news of a better World • and ne'er ftay for him. Flor. But e'en Marry ; and get him Grandchildren in abundance, and great Grandchildren upon them, and foinch him, and fhovehim out of the World by the very force of new Generations : • If that be the way you muft excufe me. Cel. But doft thou know what it is to be an old Maid ? Flor. No, nor I hope I fha'n't thefe Twenty Years. Cel. But when that time comes, in the firft place thou wilt be condemn'd to tell ftorics, how many Men thou mightft have had; and none believe thee : Then thou groweft froward, and impudently wearieft all thy Friends to follicite M a n for thee. Flor. Away with your old Commonplace-wit: I am refolved to grow fat, and look young till forty, and dien flip out of the World with the firft wrinkle, and the reputation of five and twenty. Cel. Well, what think you now of a reckoning betwixt us ? Flor. H o w do you mean ? Cel. To difcount for fo many days of m y Years Service, as I have paid in fince Morning. Flor. With all m y heart. Cel. Inprimis, For a Treat. Item. For my Glafs-Coach. Item. For fitting bare and wagging your Fann. And laftly, and principally, for m y Fidelity to you this long hour and half. Flor. For this I bate you three Wreeks of your Service; now hear your Bill of Faults; for your comfort 'tis a fhort one. Cel. I know it. Flor. Inprimis, Item, and Sum total, for keeping Company with Meliffa's Daughters. JJ Cel. H o w the Pox came you to know of that: Gad I believe The Devil plays booty againft himfelf, and tells you of m y fins. [Afide. Flor The offence being fo fmall the punifhraent fhall be but proportionable, tatItth aw eCytirhe l?ialls n f tYrhehaoutetunre y'de or'rus emW bdonha foaYctnket eua nordbcnsuool t nyby fe othefhuaioel ortf neoaa alkIbd el Yc emePo ae:mtr er .fi wotarhor c efbhonesm g tcehot ueC lnSodo ud nfoslii navy eno dful oMDtneahgtiu nhgekuhn tfoweauerlg sehf n h?atH lo,l m ctahoramrtFye Il ty oomorguu.ef t The Maiden-Queen. 171 ' " ' • ' * i • .. Flor. Here's an impudent Lover, he complains of me without ever offering to excufe himfelf; Item, a Fortnight more for that. *•; Cel. So there's another puff in m y Voyage has blown me back to the North of Scotland. Flo. All this is nothins^to your excufe for the two Sifters. Cel. 'Faith if ever I did more than kits 'em, and that but once Flo. What could you have done more to me ? Cel. An hundred times more; as thou fhalt know, dear Rogue, at time convenient. Flo. You talk, you talk; Could you kits'em, though But once, and ne'er think of me ? Crl. Nay if I had thought of thee, I had kifs'd 'em over a thoufand times, with the very force of imagination. Flo. The Gallants are mightily beholding to you, you have found 'em out a new way to kits their Miftreffes, upon other Womens Lips. Cel. What would you have? You are m y Sultana Queen, the reft are but in the nature of your Slaves; I may make fome flight excurfion into the Enemies Country for forage or fo, but I ever return to m y head Quarters. Enter one with a Letter. Cel. To me ? ^ii', '.'",,,. Meff. If your name be Celadon. [Celad. reads foftly; Flo. He's fwallowing the Pill; prefently we fhall fee the operation. Cel to the Page.] Child, come hither Child ; here's money for thee : So, be gone quickly good Child, before any Body examins thee: Thou art in a dangerous place, Child. [Thrufts him out. Very good, the Sifters fend me word rhey will have the Fiddles this Afternoon, and invite me to fop there ! • Now cannot I forbear and I fhould be damn'd, though I have fcap'd a feouring fo lately for it Yet I love Florimel better than both of 'em together; • there's the Riddle on't:' but only for the fweet fake of variety. [Afide. Well, we muft all Sin, and w e muft all repent, and there's an end on't. Flo. What is it that makes you fidg up and dowm fo ? Cel. 'Faith I am fent for by a very dear Friend, and 'tis upon a bufinefs of Lite and Death. Flo. On m y Life fome W o m a n ? Cel. On m y honour fome M a n ; Do you think I would ne to you < Flo. But you ingag'd to fup with me ! Cel. But I confider it may be feandalous to ftay late in your Lodgings. Adieu, Dear Mifs, if ever I am falfe to thee again. [Exit Cel. Flo. See what conftant Metal you Men are made of! He begins to vex me in good earneft. Hang him, let him go and take enough of'em: and yet methinks I can't endure he fhould neither. Lord, that fuch a Mad-Cap as I fhould ever live to be jealous! I muft after him. Some Ladies would difcard him now, but I A fitter way for my revenge will find, «UK-,J I'll marry him, and ferve him in his kind. LExtt Hohmeh ACT IV. SCENE,^ Walks. Meliffa, after her Olinda and Sabina. MitT, T Muft take this bufinefs up in time: this wild Fellow begins to haunt Meliffa. r M u f t^this hu P ^ ^ ^ ^ as eaf b ^ my nomc agcui , Fifteen, to make it tame up a young L y o n , J ^ * * * » $ £ th^youngMan £ handfome, rich and for an Husband's Bed. Not but mat tne J ° ™ B fc ^ ,cm |