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Show 34 The R E H E A R S A L . in choler, rouze upon the Stage, juft as the other went off- Mull a M a n be eternally telling you of thefe things ? Johnf Sure this muft be fome very notable Matter that he's fo angry at. Smith. I a m not of your Opinion. Bayes. Pifh ! C o m e let's hear your Part, Sir. Pret. Bring in m y Father : why d'ye keep him from m e ? Altiio' a Fifherman, he is m y Father : W a s ever Son yet brought to this Diftrefs, T o be, for being a Son, made fatherlefs ? A h ! you juft Gods, rob m e not of a Father : The Being of a Son take from m e rather. [Exit. Smith. Well, Ned, what think you now ? Johnf A Devil, this is worft of all: Mr. Bayes, pray what's the meaning of this Scene ? Bayes. O cry you mercy, Sir : I proteft I had forgot to tell you. W h y , Sir, you muft know, that long before the Beginning of this Play, this Prince was taken by a Fifherman. Smith. H o w , Sir, taken Prifoner ? Bayes. Taken Prifoner ! O Lord, what a Queftion's there! Did ever any M a n ask fuch a Queftion ? Gadzookers, he has put the Plot quite out of m y Head with this damn'd Queftion ! What was I going to fay ? ^ Johnf Nay, the Lord knows: I cannot imagine. Bayes. Stay, let m e fee : taken ! O 'tis true. Why, Sir, as I was going to fay, his Highnefs here, the Prince, was taken in a Cradle by a Fifherman, and brought up as his Child ? Smith. Indeed ! Bayes. N a y prithee hold thy peace. And fo, Sir, this Murder being committed by the River-fide, theFiflierman, upon Sufpicion, was (eiz'd, and thereupon die Prince grew angry. Smith. So, fo; now 'tis very plain. Johnf. But, M r . Bayes, is not this fome Difparagement to a Prince, to pafs fora Filherman's Son ? Have a care of that, I pray. . Bayes. N o , no, not at all; for 'tis but for a while: 1 fhall fetch him off again prefently, you fhall fee. him The R E H E A R S A L . 35 Enter Pretty-man and Thimble. Pret. By all the Gods, I'll fet the World on fire, Rather thai let 'em ravifh hence m y Sire. Thim. Brave Pretty-man, it is at length raveaPd, That he is not thy Sire who thee conceal'd. Bayes. Lb' you now, there he's off again. Johnf. Admirablv done, i'faith ! Bayes. Ay, now the Plot thickens very much upon us. Pret. What Oracle this Darknefs can evince ! Sometimes aFiQier's Son, fometimes a Prince. It is a Secret, great as is the World ; In which I, like the Soul, a m tofs'dandhurl'd. 'flie blackeft Ink of Fate fure was m y Lot,^ And when fhe writ m y Name, (he made a Blot. [Exit. Bayes. 'There's a bluftering Verfe for you now. Smith. Yes, Sir : but why is he fo mightily troubled to find he is not a Fiftherman's Son. Bayes. Phoo ! that is not becaufe he has a mind to be his Son, but for fear he fhould be thought to be no body's Son at all. Smith. Nay, that wou'd trouble a M a n indeed. Bans. So, let m e fee. SCENE V. Enter Prince Volfcius, going cut of Town. Smith. T Thought he had been gone to Piccadilly. J. Bayes. Yes, he gave it out fo ; but that was only to cover his Defign. Johnf What Defign? Bayes. W h y , to head the Army, that lies conceal'd for him at Knights-bridge. Johnf I fee here's a great deal of Plot, Mr. Bayes. Bayes, Yes, now it begins to break : but w e fhall have a workl of more bufinefs anon. Enter Prince Volfcius, Chloris, Amaryllis, and Harry, with a Riding-Cloak and Boats. Ama. Sir, you are cruel thus to leave the T o w n, And to retire to Country Solitude. Ck. V/ehop'd this Summer that we fhould at leaft Have held the honour of your Company. B 6 Bates. |