The hectors, or, The false challenge a comedy written in the year MDCLV, the scene, London.

SCENE III.

Enter Mrs. Pate in a Widows attire, and Iustice Quorum.

Iust.

Now Mrs. you have no more to doe, then to take out execu∣tion, for you have a judgment of 5310 pounds. — Believe mee, your adversary was like to have served you but a crafty Citizens trick of it, if I had not bestirred my self for you.

Pate.

He that doth command you to plead the cause of the Widow, Sir, I hope, will reward you. —

Iust.

But what was the reason, I pray Mrs. that your husband did intrust him with so great a sum?

Pate.

Sir, going to the late Warrs, and fearing what hazard hee might thereby runne, did thinke he might have relied upon this mans fidelity, (he being his very intimate friend) little imagining that hee would have proved such a wicked knave, as to have cozen'd me his poor wife. —

Shee Weeps.

Iust.

Peace, Mrs. for seeing the matter has succeded so well, you have little cause to weep.

Pate.

I Sir, 'Tis true: but whensoever I think of the good man, I cannot forbear, O! little did he think I should ever have been put to all this trouble and vexation.

Iust.

But the maine point now will be, whether this man be respon∣sible?

Pate.

O Sir, that is not to be questioned, for he is on•• you cannot look upon, but you must think of thousands, a fat, greasie Burgo-master, he commonly goeth in a ruffe, and a black pinked Satan doublet, you had as good doubt of my Lord Major, and all the Aldermen; the publick Faith would not take up so much upon the Exchange, as his word.

Iust.

'Tis well, if it be so. — But Mrs. where be those writings you sent for me to look upon?

Pate.

You shall see them presently Sir. —

Sue, bring me the little black Trunk in my Chamber. —.

Enter maid with a Trunke.

Here they be, Sir, some old writings of my husbands, I would bee glad to know what they meane. —

Su.

Forsooth, your brother is below with another Gent. they are newly come out of the Country.

Pate.

My brother!

Shee runs out hastily.

Iust.

But Hea••k you hither, sweet heart; do you remember what you promised me.

Su.

I▪ Sir, and if I durst, I could say somewhat.

Iust.

Durst? Why, what is the matter?

Su.

O Lord Sir, I am afraid she will be angry.

Iust.

Come, come, I'le warrant you: Here.

Gives her money.

Su.

O Sir, You are a Noble Gentleman, and for your sake, I will venture her displeasure. The truth of it is, Sir, (but I hope you will not say I said so.)

Iust.

No, no, do not fear.

Su.

Well, Sir, I dare swear shee loves you.

Iust.

Say you so? Stay, here is somewhat more for you.

Gives her more money.

Sue.

I, Sir, for shee doth nothing but talke what a grave, comely, old Gent. you are, and very like her first husband.

Iust.

Why, was her first husband an old man?

Sue.

O, I Sir▪ or else he never had had her, for I thinke there never was woman of so strange a humour as she is, in this world; for from her infancy, shee ever doted on old men; I have heard her say, that in these her late Law-troubles, it has been no small com∣fort to her, that still she hath been conversant with grave Counsellers & Sergeants, and what a happiness she has had to look somtimes an hour together upon the Judges. Shee will goe and walke a whole afternoone in Charter-house-Garden, on purpose to view the ancient Gentlemen there.

And if shee hear but of a man that is buried with as many old men following him, as he is years old, she wil go a mile to see it: There is an old beggar that uses to come hither somtimes that she wil talk with an

hour together: sometimes she will condole her self that she did not live before the floud, that she might have had one of those ancient Patriarks; the last year she was scarce perswaded, but that she would take a Journey into some of the far Northern Nations, where men do ordinarily live unto seven or eight score years of age. As we were coming by S. Dunstans not long ago, she spied the Picture of old Par, she needs would have the Coach stay until she had bought it, and since she has hung it up in her Closet, and will weep sometimes over it an hour together.

Iust.

Nay, if this be true, I cannot tell what to think of it.

Sue.

Sir, not long ago there was a young Gentleman here about the Town, who hearing of her Riches, and knowing this her humor, had almost got her, by counterfeiting himself to be an old man.

Iust.

I?

Sue.

O I shall never, I think, forget how he came in a white Perriwig and his false beard; I cannot almost but laugh, when I think how handsomely he carried the businesse, how he made as if his hands trembled, and his head shaked, how he seemed to be deaf, and have the Gou••, and twenty other Infirmities of age, insomuch that my Mi∣stris was extremely taken with him.

Iust.

And how came he to misse her?

Sue.

The strangeliest that ever you heard: for all things were a∣greed, the very Writings drawn, and when he came to seal them, be∣cause he set his name without using a pair of Spectacles, she would ne∣ver see him more.

Iust.

Nay, if she can love an old man so well.—

Sue.

But here she comes, Sir.

Exit Sue.

Enter Pate with Hadland and Slur.

Had.

Sister, I desire that you would entertain this Gentleman, Sir Thomas Cranfield, as my friend.

Slur.

Madam, I shall think it no small happinesse to be reckoned a∣mongst the number of your servants.

Pat.

Sir, for my brothers sake, I shall be glad of your farther ac∣quaintance.

Had.

Sister, I am loaden with a number of Services to you from your friends in the Country.

Pat.

How do they all, I pray? Sir Richard Howard, and my Lady Tanfield?—

But, Brother, have you brought up the money I wrote for, you know what occasions of expence I have had in this Law business.

Had.

I could not in so short a time, Sister, procure so much as you wrote for; but I have made a shift to get almost 200 l. though a∣mong your Tenants, the rest they will pay you when you come down, which your friends hope will not be long first; I promised them to bring you down with me.

Iust.

Ha! Tenants!

Aside.

Had.

But, Sister, I must speak a word to you in private.—

Slur.

Sir Iohn, I take my leave of you.

Had.

What are you going Sir Thomas? I will wait upon you anon at your Lodging.

Slur.

Madam, your most humble servant.

Exit.

Exeunt Hadland and Pate.

Iust.

Stay, what is here? A Mortgage of the Manor of Dove —

A Bond for seven hundred pounds —

A Bond in nine hundred pound to Iohn Tompkins of S. Clements Es∣quire. That was her husband sute.

Another Mortgage of Lands in Lincolneshire,—to him too. There is no end of her Wealth.—

And then the Land they talked of in the Country. —

Enter Sue

Iust.

How now, Sue? what newes now?

Sue.

What do you think?

Iust.

What, prethee?

Su.

Did not you see a gallant Gentleman come with my Mistris her brother?

Iust.

I, Sir Thomas, I think they called him: What of him?

Su.

I dare say, he comes to be a Suiter to my Mistris.— Some∣what I have over-heard —

If you will but step in here a little, I believe you may heare more.

Exeunt.