Now, Hazard, let's enjoy our selves: I am never in my Element, but when I am adventuring about an Intriguo, or Masquerading about business. Now you shall see me shew my parts.

Do. Sir Samuel, you are excellent at these things.

Nay, if any man outdoes me about this business. Well, no more to be said. Is not mine a very pretty Disguise? Ha!

An admirable one—

I have forty of 'em upon Intriguo's and b•…sinesses. But now to work. Do you know me?

No: yet me-thinks you look through your disguise like a foolish Fellow I have seen.

A foolish Fellow—Hey poop! you were never so much in the wrong in your life, as gad mend me—

I do not think so; a Mask might cover deformity, but not folly. You have the very Meen of a Coxcomb; all the motions of your body declare the weakness of your mind.

Pish! what you are upon the high Ropes now. Whip st•…ch, Your nose in my breech. Pish! I▪ll talk no more with her.

Do you know me?

No; I neither know ye, nor care to know ye.

They who have so little curiosity, have less pleasure.

I ghess your inside to be no better than your outside.

Try 'em both, and you'l be of another opinion.

The Conviction's not worth the Trial.

I wonder which is Haz•…rd. But my business is not with him.

These are very angry Ladies, Hazard. Just now we met •…wo were very kind to us. Pretty Rogues. They had delicate hands, arms and necks—and they were Women of Quality, I'm sure by their Linnen▪—

That's no rule—for Whores wear as good Linnen as honest Women: fine Clothes and good Linnen are the Work∣ing-Tools of their Trade.

But I know by their Wit and Repertees they were fine persons. I am confident my Woman knowes me, and has a kind∣ness for me.

Me-thought they seem'd to be rank Strumpets—

Prethee hold thy peace. T•…ce is Latine for a Candle. I am us'd to these Intregues and Businesses—

Longv. and Br•…ce! let's watch them, and see where they'l direct themselves.

Like right-bred men o'th'Town; I warrant upon the next they light on.

'Ods my life, I ha' lost my Lac'd Handkercher—

'Death! I ha•… 'lost mine too. Heart! all my money's gone—

Ha! Money! what a pox, mine's all flown too. Whip, slap-dash—

Whip, slap-dash! a pox o'your Women of Quality, they are flown too. Whip, slap-dash—But you have been us'd to such Intriguo's and Businesses—

I durst ha'sworn I could not be deceiv'd. Though I ha▪ been often serv'd so by Vizard Masques in the Pit, they are mightily given to't; we men of adventure must bear this▪ Come, no more to be said. Come, 'tis well it's no worse. Come!

This is a fine civil Assembly •…ruly. The Knight has great conveniences of Coaches and Retiring-Rooms.

It is a very rank Ball; there's like to be very much Fornication committed to night.

A M•…squerade's good for nothing else, but to hide blushes, and bring bashful people together, who are asham'd to sin bare-fac'd. There's a Lady hovering about you, and longs to pickeer with you.

O that it were Cl•…rinda in a good mind.

I wish it be not Miranda in a bad one; her shape's like hers—

Come, Fidles, be ready—Shall I wait on you in a D•…nce about business—

The Bor•…—

A Corant.

May I no•… have the honour to know who yo•… ar•…▪

'Tis sufficient to tell you, I am one you have no ill wishes to, and would not tell you this but in Masque.

She's finely shap'd, and by her Jewels a Woman of some condition. Come, off with this Cloud to a good face, and Ornament •…o a bad one.

No: but if you will withdraw into another Room, I'll let yo•… know more of my mind, though not of my face.

The temptation is too strong to be resisted. Let's steal off.

Very fine, I swear very fine—

Where the Devil's this •…iranda? I cannot find her out for my life—

Did you not see Bruce steal off with a Lady?

Yes, and cannot bear it. I am so foolish, I wou'd I were not.

But hold. Who held my Sword while I danced? 'Twas a French Sword, cost me fifteen Pistols: a curse on him, he▪s rubb'd off with—But Come, 'tis well its no worse yet—

This Bruce stayes somewhat long, I like it not. If I cou'd find out either Clarinda or Miranda here, I shou'd be out of doubt—Let me see, who are you?

What authority have you to examine me?—

What have we here, a Poppet?

Such a Poppet as you'l be glad to change for the Player you keep—

You are mistaken, I love the Stage too well to keep any of their women to make 'em proud and insolent, and de∣spise that Calling, to take up a worse.

Then you are none of the Fops I •…ook you for.

I can never rest till I know who has oblig'd me.

Since you are so importunate, I'll give you a Note will discover it, if you'll give me your Honour not to open it •…ill the Masquerade be done.

Upon my Honour I will not.

Now shew your self a man of Hono•…r.

Gad I think I have already—

Yonder's Sir Formal. You have your Cue, Be•…ty.

I warrant you, Madam.

You see I am as good as my word.

'Tis she by her Bracelet and Pendants. Madam, had not some disaster intervened, I had sooner kiss'd your hands. But of that, more anon.

Now for the rest of my Plot. I shall disappoint these young Sluts, or make mischief enough.

Did not you see Longvil steal out with a woman?

Too well Our •…overs are well match'd.

In sadness I think Bedlam's broke loose and come hi∣ther. VVhat a company of Antick Puppies are here? Pox on '•…m all. But where is this Figgup? by the Mass I'll not suffer her to go to these Schools of Bawdery; in sadness she'll be too ap•… a Scholar I am afraid.

Hey Snarl! What, do you come to a Masquerade bare-fac'd?

Yes, that I do, nor am I asham'd of my face, as Rogues and VVhores are. VVhose Fool are you?

Sir, will you please to dance?

No indeed won't I. I thank God I am not such a Coxcomb yet in sadness.—VVhat do you find in my face to think me such an Owl?

VVhat do you come for then?

VVhy to find one that should be wiser than to be here, by the Mass.

He means me, I shall be undone.

VVhom do you mean? she that was in the Wood hole?

She that was discover'd in Germin-street.

Ounds! I shall be a By-word all over the Town, in sadness.

My Uncle here?

Is it she you look for?

What pert-snivelling, squeaking-Bagg•…ges are you? here's a squealing with you, with a pox to you.

To him, Sir Samuel.

Sir, let me ask you one civil question.

What civil question would you ask now?

Were not you with a Lady in Germin-•…treet pull'd out by the heels to day?

Ounds! What Rogue art thou? I could find in my heart to beat thee most exorbitantly.

Your Land-lady in Germin-street is a School-mistris, is she not, Sir?

O my shame comes upon me! In sadness you are all a company of squealing Coxcombs; wou'd you were all Eunuchs by the Mass, that you might alwayes keep your Treble Voi∣ces.

What, was this virtuous Gentleman taken with a Whore?

Sir, do you very much delight in Birch?

Yes, for mortification-sake. He's a great doer of Pennance.

A fine old Gentleman, with gray hairs, to be over-ta∣ken.

Truly I am sorry a person of your gravity shou'd so expose your discretion.

What damn'd antick Rascal's this?

As gad mend me it was uncivil. But, Madam, we will retire, if you please.

What a Devil, shall I be over-set with Rogues and Fools here—

Damn Rogues and Fools.

So I say, in sadness. The Men are all Rogues and Fools, and the Women all Strumpets, by the Mass, or which are ten times worse, scandalous honest Women. In sadness it is a shame such Bawdy doings should be suffered in a civil Nation; my heart bleeds for't, by the Mass. It was not so in the last Age. Why, what do I talk with a company of Owls for? I come to find one whom I'll never seek again; if she will not ap∣pear now—

O Buddy, I am here; but I was afraid you'd be an an∣ger'd.

In sadness I wonder you are not asham'd •…o come to these vicious scandalous bawdy places. Come away for shame—

I never yet knew one so free of her body, and so nice of her face before. Shall I know no more of you?

Since you will have it so—there's a Note will inform you more: But upon your Honour you must not open it till the Masquerade be over.

I will not.

My Dear, I wonder'd I cou'd not see you before.

O Hazard, have I found thee? this is good luck, my Dear.

O infamous damn'd Woman!

It makes me break my Spleen almost to think, what an Ass we made of Sir Nicholas to day.

Ay, so it does mine. Ha-ha-ha—A curse on Woman-kind!

He, poor Fool, believes •…s all this while to be as innocent. Now shall you have free liberty to come home to me.

Shall he so, Madam?

What's here? one offering violence to a Lady!

Who, this my Lady Gimcrack?

It is my Husband! for Heaven's sake keep him here, till I run home.

Villain! how dare you abuse a Lady?

It's no matter for that, I shall not discover my self.

It is Sir Nicholas; now you may lock him up, and be re∣veng'd of him——

No more to be said. Hey! who waits there? Take this Fellow and lock him up, till I talk with him about busi∣ness.

'Death! What will become of me?

I have fix'd upon almost every Woman of the Mas∣querade, and cannot find which is either Clarinda or Miranda.

Ounds you lie.—

Take that, Rascal.

These damn'd Bully Rogues have spoil'd my Intrigue; a pox o•…'em all, the Ladies are gone. But I'll find a way •…o be convey'd into Miranda's Chamber to night yet

Is not Sir Nicholas within?

No: but my Lady and the two Ladies are come; my La∣dy is gone up to my Master's Closet, and the young Ladies are in the Garden.

We come to tell Sir Nicholas, we've wholly quell'd the Mutiny, and seen the Offenders committed.

He will be within presently—

I do not see the Ladies here: but this was a very strange adventure at the M•…squerade.

The Circumstances are so like, had I not seen two se∣veral habits, I shou'd believe 'twas the same VVoman I have a Note to, and receiv'd the same injunction not to open it.

Let me read your Note, and you shall read mine; the Moon-light will serve for that.

By that means I may discover something.

Agreed. I may perhaps make a discovery.

You see I dare not own my kindness, but when I h•…d some∣thing to •…ide •…y blushes. I hope you'l use the Conquest like a Gentleman. Clarinda.

How! this is to the same effect, subscrib'd by Miranda. There needs no further argument of your treachery, and such as I did not think a Gentleman could be guilty of.

'Death! Do you accuse me of Treachery, who are your self so great a Traitor? Draw—

Are you so •…imble? Have at you—

Hold! hold! hold! for Heaven's sake hold!

Hold! hold! hold! for Heaven's sake hold!

What means this madness in this place?

I suppose you ghess at the meaning.

If not, Miranda can inform you.

This is absolute distraction, Gentlemen.

You let Lo•…gvil know mo•…e of your mind▪ 〈◊〉, in a private Room at the Masquerade to night.

If she did not, this Lady was kind enough to you there.

What madness is this! I spoke ne'r a word to either of you there.

Nor I, Heav'n knows! but we saw each of you steal away with a Lady—

Do you know that hand, Madam?

Or you this, Madam?

My na•…e subscrib'd!

And here is mine.

This mischief is too evident. This is my Aunts hand.

And this is her Character too. This malice is beyond example, and your baseness, so soo•… to entertain such thoughts of u•….

That sensless vanity, that makes them think so well of themselves, made 'e•… think so ill of us.

Oh Heaven! what have we done! I beg a thousand pardons for my fault.

Hear but my acknowledgment, on my knees I beg forgiveness for my ill thoughts of so excelle•…t a Lady.

Be gone, unworthy Men, •…nd never see us more.

I'll ne'r forgive the Man that thus dare injure me.

This damn'd Lady ha•… put her self upon us for two Women. Let's not leave 'e•…, till we have satisfied them of the occasion of our jealousie.

Let's follow at a distance—

They are gone into that Arbour: Let's do an▪ unge∣nerous thing for once, and listen.

Agreed; we then perhaps may hear what thei•… resent∣ments are.

I see we must carry our selves with more reservedness, since Men of Wit and Pleasure are so apt to think ill of our Sex.

For all this, I love Longvil •…o that height, I cannot be •…eserved to him, I can forgive him any thing.

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 •…oo al•…ost to distraction, and could venture any thing but honour for him.

〈◊〉 lose 〈◊〉 Life and Love a thousand times before my Virtue. But our cross Love can never meet.

The breach was great enough before: but this falshood and malice of my Lady has made it wider. But hold, we are over-heard.

O Heaven! here are Longvil and Bruce—

Our case is plain, we have no hopes of succeeding in our inten•…ed Loves; or if I had, I wou'd not have the Body without the Mind.

A man enjoyes as much by a Rape as that way. But I am so pleas'd to find Miranda loves me, that I'd not change for any but C•…arinda.

I have the same opinion of Clarinda's love; and could you be contented, I would willingly change. Gratitude to her will move my heart, more than Miranda's charms with her aversion can.

Since our affections will not thrive in the soil we had plac'd them in, we must trasplant them.

Love, like the Sun-beams, will not warm much, un∣less reflected back agai•…. It is resolv'd it shall be so.

Let's follow them now; and while the Metall's hot, 'twill take a Bent the easier.