Enter FANNY.

Fanny. Are you any better, madam? Is the air of any service to you?

Vio. I am much relieved by it: the beauty of that place attracted my attention; and, if you please, we will walk further up the hill, to take a nearer view of it. [Exeunt.

Enter Part of the CREW.

Omnes. Huzza! huzza! huzza!

1 Sailor. Long life to your honour! welcome ashore, noble captain!

2 Sailor. Avast there, Jack! stand clear, and let his old honour pass; bless his heart, he looks cheerly, howsomever; let the world wag as it will, he'll never flinch.

3 Sailor. Not he! he's true English oak to the heart of him; and a fine old seaman-like figure he is.

Enter IRONSIDES and SKIFF.

Ironsides. Ah, messmates, we're all aground; I have been taking a parting cup with the Charming Sally-she's gone; but the stoutest bark must have an end; Master here, and I, did all we could to lighten her; we took leave of her in an officer-like

manner.

1 Sailor. Hang sorrow; we know the worst on't'tis only taking a fresh cruize; and, for my part, I'll sail with Captain Ironsides as far as there's water to carry me.

Omnes. So we will all!

Ironsides. Say ye so, my hearts; if the wind sits that way, hoist sail, say I; old George will make one amongst you, if that be all; I hate an idle life.-So, so-away to your work; to-morrow we'll make a day on't. [Exeunt SAILORS.

Ironsides. Skiff!

Skiff. Here, your honour.

Ironsides. I told you, Skiff, how 'twould be; if you had luff'd up in time, as I would have had you, and not made so free with the land, this mishap had never come to pass.

Skiff. Lord love you, Captain Ironsides, 'twas a barrel of beef to a biscuit, the wind had not shifted so direct contrary as it did; who could have thought it?

Ironsides. Why, I could have thought it; every body could have thought it: do you consider whereabouts you are, mun? Upon the coast of England, as I take it. Every thing here goes contrary, both by sea and land-Every thing whips, and chops, and changes about, like mad, in this country; and the people, I think, are as full of vagaries as the cli

mate.

Skiff. Well, I could have swore

Ironsides. Ay, so you could, Skiff, and so you did, pretty roundly too; but for the good you did by it, you might as well have puff'd a whiff of tobacco in the wind's face.

Skiff. Well, Captain, though we have lost our ship, we haven't lost our all: thank the fates, we've saved treasure enough to make all our fortunes, notwithstanding.

Ironsides. Fortunes, quotha? What have two such old weatherbeaten fellows, as thee and I are, to do with fortune? or, indeed, what has fortune to do with us? Flip and tobacco is the only luxury we have any relish for: had we fine houses, could we live in them? a greasy hammock has been our birth for these fifty years; fine horses, could we ride them? and as for the fair sex there, that my nephew makes such a pother about, I don't know what thou may'st think of the matter, Skiff; but, for my own part, I should not care if there were no such animals in the creation,

Enter BELFIELD JUNIOR.

Belf. jun. Uncle; what cheer, man?

Ironsides. Oh, Bob, is it thee? whither bound now, my dear boy?

Belf. jun. Why, how can you ask such a question? We have landed our treasure, saved all our friends, and set foot upon English ground; and what business, think you, can a young fellow like me have, but one?

Ironsides. Pshaw! you're a fool, Bob; these wenches will be the undoing of you; a plague of them altogether, say I! What are they good for, but to spoil company, and keep brave fellows from their duty? O' my conscience, they do more mischief to the king's navy, in one twelvemonth, than the French have done in ten; a pack of-but I ha' done with them; thank the stars, I ha' fairly washed my hands of them; I ha' nothing to say to none of them.

Skiff. Mercy be good unto us! that my wife could but hear your worship talk!

Belf. jun. Oh, my dear uncle

Ironsides. But I'll veer away no more good advice after you; so even drive as you will, under your petticoat-sails ;-black, brown, fair, or tawny, 'tis all fish that comes in your net: why, where's your reason, Bob, all this here while? Where's your religion, and be damned to you?

Belf. jun. Come, come, my dear uncle, a truce to your philosophy. Go, throw your dollars into yonder ocean, and bribe the tempest to be still; you shall as soon reverse the operations of nature, as wean my heart from my Sophia.

Ironsides. Hold, hold, take me right; if, by Sophia, you mean the daughter of Sir Benjamin Dove, I don't care if I make one with you: what say'st thou, boy shall it be so?

Belf. jun. So, then you think there may be one good woman, however?

Ironsides. Just as I think there may be one honest Dutchman, one sober German, or one righteous methodist. Lookye, Bob, so I do but keep single, I have no objection to other people's marrying; but, on those occasions, I would manage myself as I would my ship; not by running her into every odd creek and cranny, in the smuggling fashion, as if I had no good credentials to produce; but play fairly, and in sight, d'ye see; and, whenever a safe harbour opens, stand boldly in, boy, and lay her up snug, in a good birth, once for all.

Belf. jun. Come then, uncle, let us about it; and you may greatly favour my enterprise, since you can keep the father and mother in play, while I

Ironsides. Avast, young man, avast! the father, if you please, without the mother; Sir Benjamin's a passable good companion for a landman; but for my lady-I'll have nothing to say to my lady; she's his wife, thank the stars, and not mine.

Belf. jun. Be it as you will; I shall be glad of your company on any terms.

Ironsides. Say no more then. About ship; if you are bound for that port, I'm your mate: Master, look to the wreck; I'm for a fresh cruise,

[Exeunt

I

2

L

ACT THE SECOND.

SCENE I.

The Outside of SIR BENJAMIN Dove's House.

Enter BELFIELD SENIOR, and LUCY WATERS. Lucy. What, don't I know you? haven't you been to me of all mankind the basest?

Belf. Not yet, Lucy.

Lucy. Sure, Mr. Belfield, you won't pretend to deny it to my face!

Belf. To thy face, child, I will not pretend that I can deny any thing; you are much too handsome to be contradicted.

Lucy. Pish!

Belf. So, so!

Lucy. Haven't you, faithless as you are, promised me marriage, over and over again?

Belf. Repeatedly.

Lucy. And you have now engaged yourself to the daughter of Sir Benjamin Dove, have you not? Belf. Assuredly.

Lucy. Let me demand of you, then, Mr. Belfield, since you have no honourable designs towards me yourself, why you prevented those of an humbler lover, young Philip, the son of your late tenant, poor Goodwin?

Belf. For the very reasons you state in your question; because I had no honourable designs, and he had: you disappointed my hopes, and I was resolved to defeat his.