King. Thofe who can make a jeft of what ought to be fhocking to humanity, furely deferve not the name of great or noble men. Dick. What do you think of it, Sir? if you belong to the court, you perhaps may know fomething of the king's temper. King. Why, if I can judge of his temper at all, I think he would not fuffer the greatest nobleman in his court to do an injuftice to the meaneft fubje&t in his kingdom. But, pray, who is the nobleman that is capable of fuch actions as thefe? Dick. Do you know My Lord Lurewell ? Dick. That's the man. King. Well, I would have you put your defign in ex-ecution. 'Tis my opinion the king will not only hear your complaint, but redress your injuries. Mil. I wish it may prove fo. Enter the Keepers, leading in Lord Lurewell and Courtiers. 1 Keep. Hola! Cockle! where are ye? why, man, we have nabb'd a pack of rogues here just in the fact. King. Ha, ha, ha! What, turn'd highwaymen, my lords! or deer-ftealers! Lure. I am very glad to find your Majesty in health and fafety. 6 2 Cour. We have run through a great many perils and dangers to-night! but the joy of finding your Majesty fo unexpectedly, will make us forget all we have fuf'fered.' Mil. and Dick. What is this the King? King. I am very glad to fee you, my Lords, I confefs; and particularly you, my Lord Lurewell. Lure. Your Majefty does me honour. King. Yes, my lord, and I will do you juftice too! your honour has been highly wrong'd by this young man. Lure. Wrong'd, my liege? King. I hope fo, my lord; for I would fain believe you can't be guilty of bafenefs and treachery. Lure. I hope your Majefty will find me fo. What dares this villain say? Dick. I'm not to be frighted, my Lord. I dare speak truth at any time. Lure. Whatever ftains my honour must be false. King. I know it muft, my lord: yet has this man, not knowing who I was, prefumed to charge your Lordship, not only with great injuftice to himself, but also with ruining an innocent virgin whom he lov'd, and who was to have been his wife; which, if true, were base and treacherous: but I know 'tis falfe, and therefore leave it to your Lordship to fay what punishment I fhall inflict upon him for the injury done to your honour. Lure. I thank your Majefty. I will not be fevere; he fhall only afk my pardon, and to-morrow morning be oblig'd to marry the creature he has traduced me with. King. This is mild. Well, you hear your fentence. Dick. May I not have leave to speak before your Majefty? -King. What canft thou say? Dick. If I had your Majesty's permiffion, I believe I have certain witneffes which will undeniably prove the truth of all I have accus'd his Lordship of. King. Produce them. Dick. Peggy! Enter Peggy. King. Do you know this woman, my lord? Lure. I know her, please your Majefty, by fight; she is a tenant's daughter. Peggy. (afide.) Majefty! what, is this the king? King. Have you no particular acquaintance with her? Lure. Hum-I have not feen her thefe feveral months. Dick. True, my lord; and that is part of your accufation; for, I believe, I have fome letters which will prove your lordship once had a more particular acquaintance with her. Here is one of the first his lordship wrote to her, full of the tenderest and most folemn protestations of love and conftancy; here is another, which will inform your Majefty of the pains he took to ruin her; there is an abfolute promife of marriage before he could accomplish it. King. What fay you, my lord? are thefe your hand Lure. Lure. I believe, please your Majefty, I might have a little affair of gallantry with the girl fome time ago. King. It was a little affair, my lord; a mean affair; and what you call gallantry, I call infamy. Do you think, my lord, that greatnefs gives a fanction to wickednefs? or that it is the prerogative of lords to be unjust and inhuman? You remember the fentence which yourself pronounced upon this innocent man; you cannot think it hard that it should pafs on you who are guilty. Lure. I hope your Majesty will confider my rank, and not oblige me to marry her. King. Your rank, my lord! Greatnefs that ftoops to actions base and low, deserts its rank, and pulls its honours down. What makes your Lordship great? Is it your gilded equipage and drefs? then put it on your meanest flave, and he's as great as you. Is it your riches or estate ? the villain that should plunder you of all, would then be as great as you. No, my lord, he that acts greatly, is the true great man. I therefore think you ought, in justice, to marry her you have thus wrong'd Peggy. Let my tears thank your Majefty. But, alas! I am afraid to marry this young lord: that would only give him power to ufe me worfe, and ftill increase my mifery I therefore beg your Majefty will not command him to do it. King. Rife then, and hear me. My lord, you fee how low the greatest noblemen may be reduced by ungenerous actions. Here is, under your own hand, an abfolute promise of marriage to this young woman, which, from a thorough knowledge of your unworthinefs, fhe has prudently declined to make you fulfil. I fhall therefore not infiit upon it; but I command you, upon pain of my difpleasure, immediately to fettle on her three hundred pounds a year. Peggy. May heaven reward your Majefty's goodness. 'Tis too much for me; but if your Majefty thinks fit, let it be fettled upon this much-injur'd man, to make fome fatisfaction for the wrongs which have been done him. As to myself, I only fought to clear the innocence of him I lov'd and wrong'd, then to hide me from the world, and die forgiven. Dick. This act of generous virtue cancels all past failings; come to my arms,, and be as dear as ever. Peggy. You cannot, fure, forgive me! Dick. I can, I do, and ftill will make you mine. Peggy. O! why did ever I wrong fuch generous love Dick. Talk no more of it. Here let us kneel, and thank the goodness which has made us bleft. King. May you be happy. Mil. (kneels.) After I have feen fo much of your Majefty's goodness, I cannot defpair of pardon, even for the rough ufage your Majefty receiv'd from me. [The King draws his fword; the Miller is frighted, and rifes up, thinking he was going to kill him. What have I done that I fhould lofe my life. King. Kneel without fear. No, my good hoft; so far are you from having any thing to pardon, that I am much. your debtor. I cannot think but fo good and honeft a man will make a worthy and honourable knight: So rife up, Sir John Cockle; and, to fupport your fate, and in fomé fort requite the pleasure you have done us, a thou fand merks a-year fhall be your revenue. Mil. Your Majefty's bounty I receive with thankfulnefs; I have been guilty of no meannefs to obtain it, and I hope I fhall not be obliged to keep it upon bafe conditions; for though I am willing to be a faithful subject, I am refolv'd to be a free and an honeft man. King. I rely upon your being fo; and to gain the friendship of fuch a one, I fhall always think an addition to my happiness, though a king. Worth, in whatever ftate, is fure a prize, VOL. III. M THE SCENE, A Garden belonging to DoN DIEGO's House. DON DIEGO enters, mufing. THOUGHTS TO Council-let me fee Hum- to be or not to be A husband, is the question. A cuckold! muft that follow ? Say what men will, Wedlock's a pill Bitter to fwallow, And hard of digeftion. But fear makes the danger feem double. My |
