E. Kno. I'faith, better than in meafure, I'll undertake.

Mat. Why, I pray you, fir, make use of my ftudy, it's at your service.

Step. I thank you, fir, I fhall be bold I warrant you; have you a ftool there, to be melancholy upon ? Mat. That I have, fir, and fome papers there of mine own doing, at idle hours, that you'll fay there's fome fparks of wit in 'em, when you fee them.

Wel. Would the fparks would kindle once, and be come a fire amongft 'em, I might fee felf-love burnt for her herefie.

Step. Coufin, is it well? am I melancholy enough? E. Kno. Oh I, excellent!

Wel. Captain Bobadill, why mufe you fo?

E. Kno. He is melancholy too.

Bob. Faith, fir, I was thinking of a moft honourable piece of fervice, was perform'd to-morrow, being St. Mark's day, fhall be fome ten years, now.

E. Kno. In what place, captain?

Bob. Why, at the beleag'ring of Strigonium 3, where, in less than two hours, feven hundred refolute gentlemen, as any were in Europe, loft their lives upon the breach. I'll tell you, gentlemen, it was the firft, but the best leaguer that ever I beheld with thefe eyes, except the taking in of-what do you call it, laft year,

3 Why, at the belcag'ring of Strigonium ;] Or, the city Graan in Hungary, which was retaken from the Turks in the year 1597. Bufbequius defcribes the fituation of it, in the following words: Sic deducor Strigonium; quo nomine Arx in colle fita, cujus pedem Danubius alluit, & oppidum vicinum quod in planitie jacet, defignatur." Epift. 1. It should be obferved, that the inroads, which the Turks made in the emperor's dominions, had made it fashionable to go a volunteering in his fervice; and we find that Thomas Lord Arundel of Wardour was created at this very time a count of the Empire, as a reward of his fignal valour; and be caufe in forcing the Water-tower near Strigonium, he took from the Turks their banner with his own hand.

by

by the Genoways, but that (of all other) was the most fatal and dangerous exploit that ever I was rang'd in, fince I first bore arms before the face of the enemy, as I am a gentleman and a foldier.

Step. So, I had as lief as an angel I could fwear as well as that gentleman.

E. Kno. Then, you were a fervitor at both, it feems; at Strigonium, and what do you call't?

Bob. O lord, fir, by St. George, I was the first man that entred the breach: and, had I not effected it with refolution, I had been flain if I had had a million of lives.

E. Kno. 'Twas pity you had not ten; a cat's and your own, i'faith. But, was it poffible?

Mat. (Pray you, mark this difcourfe, fir.
Step. So I do)

Bob. I affure you (upon my reputation) 'tis true, and your felf fhall confefs."

E. Kno. You must bring me to the rack, first.

Bob. Obferve me judicially, fweet fir; they had planted me three demi culverins juft in the mouth of the breach; now, fir, (as we were to give on) their mafter-gunner, (a man of no mean fkill and mark, you muft think) confronts me with his lin-ftock, ready to give fire; I fpying his intendment, difcharg'd my petrionel in his bofom, and with thefe fingle arms, my poor rapier, ran violen ly upon the Moors that guarded the ordinance, and put 'em pell-mell to the sword. Wel. To the fword? to the rapier, captain?

E. Kno. Oh, it was a good figure obferv'd, fir! but did you all this, captain, without hurting your blade?

Bob. Without any impeach' the earth; you fhall perceive, fir. It is the moft fortunate weapon that ever rid on poor gentleman's thigh; fhall I tell you,

VOL. I.

E

fir ?

fir? you talk of morglay, excalibur, durindana, or fo✦: Tut, I lend no credit to that is fabled of 'em, I know the vertue of mine own, and therefore I dare the boldlier maintain it.

Step. I mar'l whether it be a Toledo or no?

Bob. A moft perfect Toledo, I affure you, fir.

Step. I have a countryman of his here.

Mat. Pray you, let's fee, fir; yes faith, it is!
Bob. This a Toledo ? pish.

Step. Why do you pifh, captain?

Bob. A Fleming, by heav'n: I'll buy them for a guilder apiece, an' I would have a thousand of them. E. Kno. How fay you, coufin? I told you thus much.

Wel. Where bought you it, mafter Stephen?

Step. Of a fcurvy rogue foldier (a hundred of lice go with him) he fwore it was a Toledo.

Bob. A poor provant rapier, no better.

Mat. Mafs, I think it be indeed, now I look on't better.

E. Kno. Nay the longer you look on't, the worse. Put it up, put it up.

Step. Well, I will put it up; but by-(I ha' forgot the captain's oath, I thought to ha' fworn by it) an' e'er I meet him

Wel. O, it is past help now, fir, you must have patience.

4 You talk of MORGLAY, EXCALIBUR, DURINDANA, or so.] Thefe blades make a figure in romance: Morglay was the fword of Bevis of Southampton; Durindana was the fword of Orlando. See Don Quixot, vol. III. chap. 26. Excalibur was the fword of the renowned king Arthur. It may not be impertinent to obferve here, that Mr. Congreve, who was a great admirer and imitator of Jonfon, has formed the character of Bluff in the Old Batchelor, upon this of Bobadill, as will eafily appear by comparing them together.

Step.

Step. Horfon! cunny-catching rafkal! I could eat the very hilt for anger.

E. Kno. A fign of good digeftion; you have an oftrich ftomach, coufin.

Step. A ftomach? would I had him here, you should fee an' I had a stomach.

Wel. It's better as 'tis ; come gentlemen, fhall we go?

SCENE II.

E. Kno'well, Brain-worm, Stephen, Well-bred, Bobadill, Matthew.

E. Kno. A miracle, coufin, look here! look here! Step. Oh gods lid, by your leave, do you know me, fir ?

Brai. I, fir, I know you by fight.

Step. You fold me a rapier, did you not?

Brai. Yes mary did I, fir.

Step. You faid it was a Toledo, ha?

Brai. True, I did fo.

Step. But it is none.

Brai. No, fir, I confefs it, it is none.

Step. Do you confefs it? Gentlemen bear witnefs, he has confeft it by God's will an' you had not confest

it

E. Kno. Oh coufin, forbear, forbear.

Step. Nay, I have done, coufin.

Wel. Why, you have done like a gentleman; he has confeft it, what would you more?

Step. Yet, by his leave, he is a raskal, under his favour, do you fee.

E. Kno. I, by his leave, he is, and under favour ; a pretty piece of civility! Sirrah, how doft thou like him?

Wel. Oh its a most precious fool, make much on him I can compare him to nothing more happily, E 2

than

than a drum; for every one may play upon him. E. Kno. No, no, a child's whistle were far the fitter. Brai. Sir, fhall I intreat a word with you?

E. Kno. With me, fir? you have not another Toledo to fell, ha' you?

Brai. You are conceited, fir; your name is mafter Kno'well, as I take it?

E. Kno. You are i' the right; you mean not to proceed in the catechifm, do you?

Brai. No, fir, I am none of that coat.

E. Kno. Of as bare a coat, though; well, fay fir. Brai. Faith fir, I am but fervant to the drum extraordinary, and indeed (this fmoky varnish being wafht off, and three or four patches remov'd) I appear your w rfhip's in reverfion, after the deceafe of your good father, Brain worm.

E. Kno. Brain-worm! 'Slight, what breath of a conjurer hath blown thee hither in this fhape?

Brai. The breath o' your letter, fir, this morning; the fame that blew you to the Wind-inill, and your father after you.

E. Kno. My father!

Brai. Nay, never flart, 'tis true; he has follow'd you over the fields by the foot, as you would do a hare i'the fnow.

E. Kno. Sirrah Well-bred, what fhall we do, firrah? my father is come over after me.

Wel. Thy father, where is he?

Brai. At juftice Clement's houfe, in Coleman- ftreet, where he but ftays my return; and then

Wel. Who's this? Brain-worm ?

Brai. The fame, fir.

Wel. Why how, in the name of wit, com'ft thou tranfmuted thus ?

Brai. Faith, a device, a device; nay, for the love of reafon, gentlemen, and avoiding the danger, ftand not here; withdraw and I'll tell you all.

Wel.