fo that it must turn to your advantage one way or another.

LADY.

I think you argue very rightly. But where is the man? I would fain fee him. He must be a curiofity. VELLU M.

I have already difcours'd him, and he is to be with me, in my office, half an hour hence. He asks nothing pains, till he has done his work;-no cure, no

for his money.

LADY.

That circumftance, I must confefs, would make one believe there is more in his art than one would imagine. Pray, Vellum, go and fetch him hither immediately. VELLU M.

I am gone. He shall be forth-coming forthwith.

[Exeunt.

Enter BUTLER, COACHMAN, and

GARDINER.

BUTLER.

Rare news, my lads, rare news!

GARDINER.

What's the matter; haft thou got any more vales for

us.?

BUTLER.

No, 'tis better than that.

COACHMAN.

Is there another ftranger come to the house?
BUTLER.

Ay, fuch a ftranger as will make all our lives easy.
GARDINER.

What! is he a Lord?

BUTLER.

A Lord! no, nothing like it,-He's a Conjurer.

COACH

COACHMAN.

A Conjurer! what, is he come a wooing to my Lady?

BUTLER.

No, no, you fool, he's come on purpose to lay the Spirit.

COACHMAN.

Ay marry, that's good news indeed; but whereis he? BUTLER.

He's lock'd up with the Steward in his office, they are laying their heads together very clofe. I fancy they are cafting a figure.

GARDINER.

Pr'ythee, John, what fort of a creature is a Conjurer? BUTLER.

Why he's made much as other men are, if it was not for his long gray beard.

COACHMAN.

Look ye, Peter, it ftands with reafon, that a Conjurer hould have a long gray beard-for did ye ever know a witch that was not an old woman?

GARDINER.

Why! I remember a conjurer once at a fair, that to my thinking was a very fmock'd face man, and yet fpew'd out fifty yards of green ferret. I fancy, John, if thoud'ft get him into the pantry and give him a cup of ale, he'd fhew us a few tricks. Doft think we could not perfuade him to fwallow one of thy cafe-knives for his diverfion? he'll certainly bring it up again.

BUTLER.

Peter, thou art fuch a wifeacre! thou doft not know the difference between a Conjurer and a Jugler. This man must be a very great mafter of his trade. His beard is at leaft half a yard long, he's dreft in a ftrange dark cloke, as black as a coal. Your Conjurer always goes in mourning.

GAR

GARDINER

Is he a gentleman? had he a fword by his fide?
BUTLER.

No, no, he's too grave a man for that, a conjurer is as grave as a judge-but he had a long white wand in his hand.

COACHMAN.

You may be fure there's a good deal of virtue in that wand-I fancy 'tis made out of witch-elm..

GARDINER.

I warrant you if the ghoft appears, he'll whifk ye that wand before his eyes, and strike you the drumstic out of his hand. :

BUTLER.

No; the wand, look ye, is to make a circle, and if he once gets the ghoft in a circle, then he has him let him get out again if he can. A circle, you must know, is a conjurer's trap.

COACH MAN.

But what will he do with him when he has him there?
BUTLER.

Why then he'll overpower him with his learning.
GARDINER.

If he can once compass him, and get him in lob's pound, he'll make nothing of him, but speak a few hard words to him, and perhaps bind him over to his good behaviour for a thousand years.

COACHMAN.

Ay, ay, he'll fend him packing to his grave again with a flea in his ear, I warrant him.

BUTLER.

No, no, I would advise Madam to fpare no coft. If the conjurer be but well paid, he'll take pains upon the ghoft, and lay him, look ye, in the red-fea-and then he's laid for ever.

VOL. II.

COACH

COACHMAN.

Ay, marry, that would spoil his drum for him.
GARDINER.

Why John, there must be a power of fpirits in that fame red-fea-I warrant ye they are as plenty as fish. COACH MAN.

Well, I wish after all that he may not be too hard for the conjurer; I'm afraid he'll find a tough bit of work on't

GARDINER.

"

I wish the spirit may not carry a corner of the house off with him.

BUTLER.

As for that, Peter, you may be fure that the steward has made his bargain with the cunning-man beforehand, that he shall stand to all cofts and damages-but hark! yonder's Mrs. Abigal, we shall have her with us immediately, if we do not get off.

GARDINER.

Ay lads! if we could get Mrs. Abigal well laid too -we should lead merry lives.

For to a man like me that's flout and bold,

A ghoft is not fo dreadful as a scold.

ACT

ACT III. SCENE I.

SCENE opens, and discovers Sir George in Vellum's Office.

Wonder I don't hear of Vellum yet.

But I know

I

his wisdom will do nothing rafhly. The fellow has been fo used to form in business, that it has infected his whole converfation. But I must not find fault with that punctual and exact behaviour, which has been of fo much ufe to me; my eftate is the better for it.

Enter VELLUM.

Well, Vellum, I am impatient to hear your fuccefs. VELLU M.

First, let me lock the door.

Sir GEORGE.

Will your Lady admit me?

VELLU M.

If this lock is not mended foon, it will be quite fpoiled. Sir GEORGE.

Pr'ythee let the lock alone at present, and answer me VELLU M.

Delays in business are dangerous-I must fend for the fmith next week-and in the mean time will take a minute of it.

Sir GEORGE.

What says your Lady?

L 2

VEL