Publii Terentii Carthaginiensis Afris poëtae lepidissimi comoediae sex Anglo-Latinae in usum ludi-discipulorum, quo Feliciùs venustatem linguae Latinae ad sermonem quotidianum exercendum assequantur / a Carolo Hoole ... = Six comedies of that excellent poet Publius Terentius, an African of Carthage, in English and Latine : for the use of young scholars, that they may the more readily attain the purity of the Latine tongue for common discourse / by Charles Hoole ...

Act II. Scen. II.

Davus, Charinus, Pamphilus.

D.

GOod God! what good news do I bring? but where shall I find Pamphilus, That I may now rid him of the fear he is in, and fill his heart with joy?

Ch.

He is merry, I know not for what.

P.

There is no cause, he hath not yet understood these mischiefs.

D.

Whom I verily believe, if he hath already heard that a match is provided for him.

Ch.

[line 5] Do you hear him, or no?

D.

That like a man distracted, he is seeking me all the town over: But where shall I seek him? whither shall I now go first?

Ch.

Do you forhear to speak to him.

D.

I am gone.

P.

Davus, come hither; tarry.

D.

What man is that, that calls me? O Pamphilus, You are the man I look for. O brave, O Charinus, both in good time! you are the men I desire to speak withall.

P.

Davus, I am undone.

D.

But hear me this.

P.

I am quite undone.

Ch.

[line 10] Truly my life is in danger.

D.

And I know too what you fear.

P.

A marriage is provided me.

D.

Although I know it.

P.

To day.

D.

You weary me with your words, though I understand it, You fear this, lest you should marry Philumena; and you, left you should not marry her.

Ch.

You hit the nail on the head.

P.

That same is it.

D.

But that same, it hath no danger in it, I warrant you.

P.

I pray you rid me poor man out of this fear as so on as may be.

D.

Look you, [line 15] I do rid you: Chremes will not now bestow a wise on you.

P.

How know you?

D.

I know. Your Father caught hold of me erewhile; he said he would help you to a wife To day, And many other things, whi••h it is now no time to talk of. I presently hasted, and ran quite to the market place, to tell you these things: When I could not find you, I got up there into an high place; [line 20] I look round about; you were nowhere to be seen. By chance I espied this mans servant Byrrhia: I asked him for you; he said he did not see you: This troubled me: I bethink me what to do. In the mean time, as I came back, I began to mistrust from the very matter; ho, A small provision; he himself is sad: a marriage all on a suddain! These things do not hang together.

P.

What of all this?

D.

I pre∣sently went to Chremes house. [line 25] When I came thither, there was no body about the door, I was now glad of that.

Ch.

You say well.

P.

Go on.

D.

I tarry there; in the mean time I see no body Go in, I see no body come forth; I see no elderly woman, in the house There was no decking it up; no rushing at all: I went neerer, and peeped in.

P.

I know This is a great sign.

D.

Do these things seem to agree with a marriage? [line 30] I think no, Davus.

D.

Do you say, I think? You mistake the matter: It is sure enough. Moreover as I was coming thence, I met Chreme's boy, Carrying pot-herbs, and a half penny-worth of small fish for the old∣mans supper.

Ch.

Davus, I am acquitted by your means to day.

D.

But never a jot.

Ch.

Why so? Surely Chremes will not give her at all to him.

D.

You Cox-comb: [line 35] As though it must needs follow, if he give her not to him, that you must marry her. Unless you look about you, unless you intreat the old mans friends, you go about the bush.

Ch.

You advise me well; I will go, though indeed this hope hath already failed me often; farewell.