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ACT II.

SCENE, The View of an Indian Country.
Polly, in Boy's Clothes.

W

AIR XXII. La Villanella.

HY did you spare him,
O'er feas to bear him,

Far from his home, and constant bride ?

When papa 'peach'd him,
If death had reach'd him,

I then had only figh'd, wept, and dy'd!

If my directions are right I cannot be far from the village. With the habit, I must put on the courage and resolution of a man; for I am every where furrounded with dangers. By all I can learn of these pirates, my dear Macheath is not of the crew. Perhaps I may hear of him among the flaves of the next plantation. How fultry is the day! the cool of this shade will refresh me. I am jaded too with reflection. How restless is love! [Mufic, tawo or three bars of the dead march.] My imagination follows him every where, would my feet were as fwift; the world then could not hide him from me. [Tavo or three bars more.] Yet even thought is now bewilder'd in pursuing him. [Two or three bars more.] I'm tir'd, I'm faint. [The Symphony.

AIR XXIII. Dead March in Coriolanus.

Sleep, O fleep,

With thy rod of incantation,
Charm my imagination,

Then, only then, I cease to weep.

By thy power,
The virgin, by time o'ertaken,
For years forlorn, forsaken,
Enjoys the happy hour.
What's to fleep?
'Tis a vifionary bleffing;
A dream that's past expreffing,

Our utmost with poffeffing;

So may I always keep.

[Falls asleep.

Enter

Enter Capstern, Hacker, Culverin, Laguerre, and Cutlace. Polly asleep in a diftant part of the stage. Hacker. We shall find but a cool reception from Morano, if we return without either booty or intelligence. Culucrin. A man of invention hath always intelligence ready. I hope we are not exempted from the privilege of travellers.

Capftern. If we had got booty, you know we had refolved to agree in a lie. And, gentlemen, we will not have our diligence and duty called in question, for that which every common fervant has at his fingers ends for his justification.

Laguerre. Alack, gentlemen, we are not fuch bunglers in love or politics, but we must know that either to get favour or keep it, no man ever speaks what he thinks, but what is convenient.

AIR XXIV. Three Sheep-skins.

Cutlace. Of all the fins that are money-fupplying;
Confider the world, 'tis past all denying.
With all forts,

:

In towns or courts,

The richest fin is lying.

Culverin. Fatigue, gentlemen, should have refreshment. No man is required to do more than his duty. Let us repose ourselves a while. A fup or two of our cag would quicken invention. [They fit and drink. All. Agreed.

Hacker. I had always a genius for ambition. Birth and education cannot keep it under. Our profeffion is great, brothers. What can be more heroic than to have declared war with the whole world?

Culverin. 'Tis a pleasure to me to recollect times paft, and to observe by what steps a genius will push his fortune.

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Hacker. Now, as to me, brothers, mark you me. After I had rubbed through my youth with variety of adventures, I was preferred to be footman to an eminent gamester, where, after having improved myself by his manners and conversation, I left him, betook myself to

his politer profession, and cheated like a gentleman. For some time I kept a Pharaon-bank with success; but, unluckily, in a drunken bout, was stripped by a more expert brother of the trade. I was now, as 'tis common with us upon these occasions, forced to have recourse to the highway for a recruit to set me up; but making the experiment once too often, I was tried, and received sentence, but got off for transportation; which hath made me the man I am.

Laguerre. From a footman I grew to be a pimp to a man of quality. Confidering I was for some time in that employment, I look upon myself as particularly unlucky, that I then missed making my fortune. But, to give him his due, only his death could have prevented it. Upon this, I betook myself to another service, where my wages not being fufficient for my pleasures, I robbed my master, and retired to vifit foreign parts.

Capftern. Now, you must know, I was a drawer to one of the fashionable taverns; and, of confequence, was daily in the politest conversations. Tho' I say it, nobody was better bred. I often cheated my master; and, as a dutiful fervant, now and then cheated for him. I had always my gallantries with the ladies that the lords and gentlemen brought to our house. I was ambitious, too, of a gentleman's profeffion, and turned gamester. Tho' I had great skill, and no fcruples, my play would not fupport my extravagancies; so that, now and then, I was forced to rob with pistols too. So I also owe my rank in the world to transportation.

Culverin. Our chief, Morano, brothers, had never been the man he is, had he not been trained up in England. He has told me, that, from his infancy, he was the favourite page of a lady. He had a genius, too, above fervice, and, like us, ran into higher life. And, indeed, in manners and conversation, tho' he is black, nobody has more the air of a great man.

Hacker. He is too much attached to his pleasures. That mistress of his is a clog to his ambition. She is an arrant Cleopatra.

Laguerre. If it were not for her, the Indies would be

our own.

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Hacker. A man in love is no more to be depended on than a man in liquor; for he is out of himself.

AIR XXVI. Ton bumeur est Catharine.
Woman's like the flatt'ring ocean;
Who her pathless ways can find?
Every blast directs her motion;
Now she's angry, now he's kind.
What a fool's the vent'rous lover,
Whirl'd and tofs'd by ev'ry wind?
Can the bark the port recover,
When the filly pilot's blind?

Hacker. A good horse is never turned loose among mares, till all his good deeds are over. And really your heroes should be served the fame way; for after they take to women, they have no good deeds to come. That inveigling gypsey, brothers, must be haul'd from him by force; and then the kingdom of Mexico shall be mine. My lot shall be the kingdom of Mexico.

Capstern. Who talks of Mexico? [All rife.] I'll never give it up. If you outlive me, brother, and I die without heirs, I'll leave it to you for a legacy. I hope now you are fatisfied. I have set my heart upon it, and nobody shall dispute it with me.

Laguerre. The island of Cuba, methinks, brother, might fatisfy any reasonable man.

Culverin. That I had allotted for you. Mexico shall not be parted with, without any consent. no, to be fure, will chuse Peru; that's gold; and all your great men love gold.

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Captain Morathe country of Mexico hath only only filver, nothing but filver. Governor of Carthagena, brother, is a pretty snug employment. That I shall not difpute with you.

Capft. Death, Sir! I shall not part with Mexico so easily. Hacker. Nor I.

Culverin. Nor I.

Laguerre. Nor I.

Culverin. Nor I.

Hacker. Draw, then, and let the survivor take it.

[They fight.

Polly. Bless me! what noise was that? Clashang of swords and fighting! Which way shall I fly? How shall 1 escape?

Capftern. Hold, hold, gentlemen; let us decide our pretenfions fome other time. I fee booty. A prifoner. Let us seize him.

Culverin. From him we will extort both ransom and intelligence.

Polly. Spare my life, gentlemen. If you are the men I take you for, I fought you to share your fortunes. Hacker. Why, who do you take us for, friend? Polly. For those brave spirits, those Alexanders, that shall foon, by conquest, be in poffeffion of the Indies. Laguerre. A mettled young fellow.

Capstern. He speaks with respect, too, and gives us our titles.

Culverin. Have you heard of Captain Morano?
Polly. I came hither in mere ambition to serve under him..

AIR XXVII. Ye nymphs and fylvan gods.

I hate those coward tribes,
Who by mean sneaking bribes,
By tricks and disguise,
By flattery and lies,

To power and grandeur rife.

Like heroes of old,
You are greatly bold,
The sword your cause supports.

Untaught to fawn,

You ne'er were drawn
Your truth to pawn

Among the spawn

Who practise the frauds of courts.

I would

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