The City Bride (1696) Part 5

[_Exeunt._

SCENE II.

_Enter two Boys, one with a Child in his Arms._ Compa.s.s _on the other side._

_1 Boy._ _Jack_, Who's this?

_2 Boy._ O _Jeminy_! I'll be hang'd if it ben't Goodman _Compa.s.s_, that they said was dead three Years ago.

_1 Boy._ Od's Life, and so it is!

_Comp._ O _London_! sweet _London_! Do I live to see thee once again? My Eyes are full of Brine for Joy. And if my dear _Peggy_ be but living still, I shall cry 'em out.

_1 Boy._ Goodman _Compa.s.s_, I am glad to see you; You are welcome home.

_Comp._ Thank you, good Lad: Honest _Jack_ here too? Why, thou art grown a little Man since I saw thee last: What, is that thy own, heh?

_2 Boy._ I am fain to keep it, you see, whoever got it; it may be other Mens Cases as well as mine.

_Comp._ Thou say'st true _Jack_: But whose pretty Knave is it?

_2 Boy._ My Dame's where I live.

_Comp._ And not thy Master's?

_2 Boy._ Nay, nay, I can't tell that neither: My Master loves it as well as if it were his own, and for ought I see better than my Dame.

_Comp._ A very good Lad by my Troth!

_2 Boy._ But, Goodman _Compa.s.s_, I can tell you News, Your Wife has a brave Boy too of her own, not above a Quarter old, as big as two of this.

_Comp._ Ha! say'st thou so, _Jack_? Ha, ha, ha, by my Troth I am heartily glad to hear it: I'll give thee a dozen of Ale, and thy News be true, Boy.

_1 Boy._ I a.s.sure you 'tis very true: All your Neighbours can tell you the same.

_Comp._ Ha, ha, ha! But a Quarter old, and so l.u.s.ty, say you? What plaguy thundering Boys are got now-a-days: I Gad, I shall split my Sides with Laughing; Ha, ha, ha.--But _Jack_, I have been loth to ask thee all this while, for fear of ill News, how does my Wife?

_2 Boy._ O never better, nor ever so l.u.s.ty and handsome--And truly she wears better Clothes than she was wont, especially on Holy-days: she has Silk-Gowns, and Lac'd-Petticoats, and fine _Holland_-Smocks too, they say, that have seen 'em: And some of our Neighbours say, they were taken up in _Cheap_.

_Comp._ Like enough, _Jack_; and there they must be paid for--Well, good Lads, go and tell my Wife the joyful Tidings of my Return.

_2 Boy._ That I will with all my Heart, for she heard you were dead long ago.

_1 Boy._ Nay, I'll go along with you _Jack_.

_2 Boy._ Come then.

[_Exeunt 2 Boys._

_Comp._ Well, _Peggy_, if I am one of the Livery, I thank thee for it: The Cuckolds are the greatest Company in all the City: And we have more Aldermen among us, than all the other put them together.

_Enter_ Peg, Compa.s.s_'s Wife._

_Peg._ O my dear sweet Honey-suckle! Art thou alive? I am glad to see thee with all my Heart and Soul, so I am.

[_Runs and kisses him._]

_Comp._ O, ho! good Spouse, give me leave to shed a few pearly Tears; the Fountain of Love will have its Course: And tho I cannot Sing at first sight, yet I can Cry you see. I am as it were new come into the World; and Children Cry before they Laugh, a long time you know.

_Peg._ Yes; and so thou art new born indeed to me, my _Numpy_; for I was told you were dead long since, and never thought to see this dear sweet Face of thine again: I heard thou wert div'd to the bottom of the Sea, and that you never did intend to see poor _Peggy_ more.

_Comp._ He, he, he, I was going down, as you say _Peg_, but I thought better on't, and turn'd back: I heard an ill Report of my Neighbours there; the devouring Sharks, and other Sea-Monsters, whose Company, to tell you the Truth, I did not like; and therefore resolv'd to come home and bide with thee my Girl--Come kiss thy poor Hubby, kiss me I say, for Sorrow begins to ebb apace.

_Peg._ A thousand, thousand Welcomes home dear _Numpy_!

_Comp._ An Ocean of Thanks, kind _Peggy_: Well, and how goes all at Home? What Lank still, poor _Peg_? Wil't ne're be full Sea at our Wharf?

_Peg._ Alas, Husband, what do you mean?

_Comp._ A La.s.s, is it, or a Lad, Wench? I shou'd be glad of both; I look'd for a pair of Compa.s.ses long afore now.

_Peg._ What, and you from home, Love?

_Comp._ I from home? Why tho I was from home, and other of our Neighbours from home, does that follow that every body else is from home?

_Peg._ I am pleased you are so merry, Husband.

_Comp._ Merry, nay I'll be merrier yet; why shou'd I be sorry? I hope my Boy's well, is he not? Od's fish, I look for another by this Time.

_Peg._ Boy, what Boy, Deary?

_Comp._ What Boy! why the Boy I got when I came home in the c.o.c.k-boat one Night, about a Year ago; You have not forgotten it, I hope, I think I left behind me for a Boy, and a Boy I look for.

_Peg._ I find he knows all--What shall I do? [_Aside._]

O dear Husband, pray pardon me. [_Kneels._]

_Comp._ Pardon thee; why I hope thou hast not made away with my Boy, hast thou? Od's death I'll hang thee, if there were never a Wh.o.r.e more in _London_, if thou hast.

_Peg._ O no; but your long Absence, and the Rumour of your Death, [_Cries._] made me think I might venture.

_Comp._ Venture, quoth a, I can't blame thee, _Peg_; for _Wapping_, if it were twice _Wapping_, can't hold out always, no more than _Redriff_, _Limehouse_ or _Shadwel_, nay or the strongest Suburbs about _London_; and when it comes to that, wo be to the City too, Girl.

_Peg._ Consider, Husband, I'm but a Woman, neither the first or last that have done the same, and truly I won't deny but I have a Child.

_Comp._ Have you so? And what by Consequence must I have then, I pray?

_Peg._ If you'l forgive me this Time, it shall be so no more, indeed and indeed, now.