[Enter] WELLBORN [in tattered apparel], TAPWELL, and FROTH.

Well. No bouse? 2 nor no tobacco ?
Tap.

Not a suck, sir;
Nor the remainder of a single can
Left by a drunken porter, all night pall'd too.
Froth. Not the dropping of the tap for your
morning's draught, sir.

'Tis verity, I assure you.

Well. Verity, you brach !4 5 The devil turn'd precisian! Rogue, what am I?

Tap. Troth, durst I trust you with a lookingglass,

To let you see your trim shape, you would quit

To quench your thirst; and sure, for othe liquor,

As mighty ale, or beer, they are things, I take it,

You must no more remember; not in a dream, sir.

Well. Why, thou unthankful villain, dar'st thou talk thus!

Is not thy house, and all thou hast, my gift? Tap. I find it not in chalk; and Timothy Tap well

Does keep no other register.
Well.

28

Am not I he Whose riots fed and cloth'd thee? Wert thou not

Born on my father's land, and proud to be
A drudge in his house?

29

Tap. What I was, sir, it skills 7 not; What you are, is apparent. Now, for a farewell, Since you talk of father, in my hope it will

torment you,

I'll briefly tell your story. Your dead father, My quondam master, was a man of worship, Old Sir John Wellborn, justice of peace and quorum,8

And stood fair to be custos rotulorum; 9
Bore the whole sway of the shire, kept a great

house,

Reliev'd the poor, and so forth; but he dying And the twelve hundred a year coming to you, Late Master Francis, but now forlorn Well

born

Well. Slave, stop! or I shall lose myself. Froth.

You cannot out of your way.

Rascal! slave!

No rage, sir.

Tap.

7 Matters.

Tap. At his own peril. Do not put yourself In too much heat, there being no water near

Very hardly;"

But to my story

8 A select number of the more learned justices, whose presence was necessary to constitute the bench.

2 Booze, drink. 5 Puritan.

• Cudgel.

• Keeper of the county records.

I confess it; 154 I must tell you as a friend, and freely, That, where impossibilities are apparent, 'Tis indiscretion to nourish hopes. Canst thou imagine (let not self-love blind thee) That Sir Giles Overreach, that, to make her great

159

In swelling titles, without touch of conscience Will cut his neighbour's throat, and I hope his own too,

Will e'er consent to make her thine? Give o'er,
And think of some course suitable to thy rank,
And prosper in it.
All.
You have well advis'd me. 164
But in the meantime you that are so studious
Of my affairs wholly neglect your own.
Remember yourself, and in what plight you are.
Well. No matter, no matter.

All. You know my fortune and my means; yet something

Yes, 't is much material.

I can spare from myself to help your wants.

Well.

1 Freed.

How's this? 170

2 Where servants used to be punished.

3 Slipper.

our.

He did command me, pardon my presumption,
As his unworthy deputy, to kiss
Your ladyship's fair hands.

L. All.
I am honour'd in
His favour to me. Does he hold his purpose
For the Low Countries?
All.

Constantly, good madam;

But he will in person first present his service.
L. All. And how approve you of his course!
You are yet

Like virgin parchment, capable of any
Inscription, vicious or honourable.

I will not force your will, but leave you free &
To your own election.

All. Any form you please I will put on; but, might I make my choice, With humble emulation I would follow The path my lord marks to me. L. All.

'Tis well answer'd,
And I commend your spirit. You had a father,
Blest be his memory! that some few hours
Before the will of Heaven took him from me,
Who did commend you, by the dearest ties
Of perfect love between us, to my charge;
And, therefore, what I speak you are bound to
hear

With such respect as if he liv'd in me.
He was my husband, and howe'er you are not
Son of my womb, you may be of my love,
Provided you deserve it.
All.
I have found you,
Most honour'd madam, the best mother to me;
And, with my utmost strengths of care and ser

vice,

Will labour that you never may repent Your bounties shower'd upon me.

L. All.

I much hope it.

These were your father's words: "If e'er my

son

Follow the war, tell him it is a school
Where all the principles tending to honour
Are taught, if truly followed: but for such
As repair thither as a place in which
They do presume they may with license practise
Their lusts and riots, they shall never merit