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Show IlX The ^Disappointment; 07\ But thou haft forc'd m e from m y Faith, and left M e hoodwink'd, blindly ftumbling upon Doubts Of thee, and all thy Sex: Therefore away, Leave m e ! be gone, thou W o m a n. Erm. Yes I will T o Death, or Banifhment •. But I have vow'd Never to quit this Hold, till you confent T o hear me. Lor. Hear you! Say I fhould confent; What can you fay ? nay. if you fhould fpeak Truth (Which certainly you wo'not) and confefs The Circumftances, h o w you learn'd the Trade, The Time and Place, the Clients you have had; Nay, and h o w often they have fee'd you too; Whit Comfort can this bring? Can this atone For that foul Mark of Shame, that Cuftom brands, For W o m c n s Sins, on their wrong'd Husbands Brows! Erm. Heav'n knows h o w I a m injur'd! Ler. And Heav'n knows H o w glad m y Heart would be to find you fo: -But laft Night.-Think of that. Etm. Alas! 1 do; M y Grief will keep it ever in m y Mind. But what? what of laft Nigh ? Lor. Was it well fpent? Erm. In Tears and Sorrow f o r -- Lor. The Difappointment Your lewd Adulterer, Alberto, met with. £rm. O Guard of Innocence! Lor. Nay, to deny it, With Curfes minted in the Mouth of Hell, May add to thy Damnation but not clear Thee from the living Proofs, thefe Eyes have given & Laft Night I faw him. Erm. H o w ? where? Lor. Like a Thief, I faw him fteal away from out your Howie j And had rewarded then bis Treachery, But confeientious Clara, {'coming round, And dreading the Event, ran in, and • The M O T H E R in Fajhion. u} lrm. What? / Has fhe been pratfifing m y R u m too? & fhe faid ? I fee; the Snares are fet, And Innocence is doom'd to fall a Prey To the mad Cenfure of licentious Tongues: Lt I dene the worft: What has fhe faid ? \or Who, Madam? trufty Clara? nothing fhe. irm. Then fend for her, and wrack her for the Trutiij She has a Woman's Weaknefs in her Soul, That cannot look upon the Face of Death, Without a Fear that will difcover all. Ur Ha! if Guilty, why fhould fhe invite This Tryai, that would make her Falihood plain ? Irm. If then you find m e foul; if fhe but hint A doubt ot Folly in m y Courfe of Life, Laft Night, or any time, the way you mean, By the fair Hope of m y eternal Soul, I'll bow me to the Juftice of your Sword; Think you the holy Prieft that offers up JMy Blood, tofatisfie m y injur^ Lord. Lor. I know not what to think. Irm. Alas, m y Lord! I know you have condemn'd m e in your Thoughts, And 1 muft own, The Circumftancc fhews guilty on m y Side. lor. His entring of your H o u f e - Irm, At Midnight too--• lor Muft come, no doubt, from fome Encouragement^ Irm. Alas, I only know m y Innocence! lor. Wei, I am fatisfy'd foul Play'sdefiga'd, And Clara deals the Cards to cheat us all. irm If that were prov'd-- lor, I ipeak not yet of Proof; Bat when fhe faw Albert} join'd with me, Shcftaited, with Confufion in her Looks, s faring a Difcovery. Srw. Indeed! lor. Let her not know wh^t I have utter'd to you, or much depends on that. G z Erm. |