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To show himself in town！
Sir Wil。 Wilt hold thy peace？
Con。 Yes； if you'll lesson me to hold my laughter！
Wildrake。
Wild。 Well？
Con。 Let me walk thee in the Park …
How they would stare at thee！
Sir Wil。 Wilt ne'er give o'er？
Wild。 Nay； let her have her wayI heed her not！
Though to more courteous welcome I have right；
Although I am neighbour Wildrake！ Reason is reason！
Con。 And right is right！ so welcome； neighbour Wildrake；
I am very； very； very glad to see you！
Come； for a quarter of an hour we'll e'en
Agree together！ How do your horses； neighbour？
Wild。 Pshaw！
Con。 And your dogs？
Wild。 Pshaw！
Con。 Whipper…in and huntsman？
Sir Wil。 Converse of things thou knowest to talk about！
Con。 And keep him silent； father； when I know
He cannot talk of any other things？
How does thy hunter？ What a sorry trick
He played thee t'other day； to balk his leap
And throw thee； neighbour！ Did he balk the leap？
Confess！ You sportsmen never are to blame！
Say you are fowlers； 'tis your dog's in fault！
Say you are anglers； 'tis your tackle's wrong；
Say you are hunters； why the honest horse
That bears your weight； must bear your blunders too！
Why； whither go you？
Wild。 Anywhere from thee。
Con。 With me you mean。
Wild。 I mean it not。
Con。 You do！
I'll give you fifty reasons for'tand first；
Where you go； neighbour； I'll go！
＇They go outWILDRAKE； pettishlyCONSTANCE laughing。＇
Sir Wil。 Do you mark？
Much love is there！
True。 Indeed； a heap； or none！
I'd wager on the heap！
Sir Wil。 Ay！Do you think
These discords； as in the musicians' art；
Are subtle servitors to harmony？
That all this war's for peace？ This wrangling but
A masquerade where love his roguish face
Conceals beneath an ugly visor！Well？
True。 Your guess and my conceit are not a mile
Apart。 Unlike to other common flowers；
The flower of love shews various in the bud；
'Twill look a thistle； and 'twill blow a rose！
And with your leave I'll put it to the test；
Affect myself； for thy fair daughter； love …
Make him my confidantdilate to him
Upon the graces of her heart and mind；
Feature and formthat well may comment bear …
Tilllike the practised connoisseur； who finds
A gem of heart out in a household picture
The unskilled owner held so cheap he grudged
Renewal of the chipped and tarnished frame；
But values now as pricelessI arouse him
Into a quick sense of the worth of that
Whose merit hitherto； from lack of skill；
Or dulling habit of acquaintanceship；
He has not been awake to。
Con。 ＇Without。＇ Neighbour Wildrake！
Sir Wil。 Hither they come。 I fancy well thy game！
O to be free to marry Widow Green！
I'll call her hence anonthen ply him well。
＇SIR WILLIAM goes out。＇
Wild。 ＇Without。＇ Nay； neighbour Constance！
True。 He is high in storm。
＇Enter WILDRAKE and CONSTANCE。＇
Wild。 To Lincolnshire； I tell thee。
Con。 Lincolnshire！
What； prithee； takes thee off to Lincolnshire？
Wild。 Too great delight in thy fair company。
True。 Nay； Master Wildrake； why away so soon？
You are scarce a day in town！Extremes like this；
And starts of purpose； are the signs of love。
Though immatured as yet。 ＇Aside。＇
Con。 He's long enough
In town！ What should he here？ He's lost in town：
No man is he for concerts； balls； or routs！
No game he knows at cards； save rare Pope Joan！
He ne'er could master dance beyond a jig；
And as for music； nothing to compare
To the melodious yelping of a hound；
Except the braying of his huntsman's horn！
Ask HIM to stay in town！
Sir Wil。 ＇Without。＇ Hoa； Constance！
Con。 Sir！ …
Neighbour； a pleasant ride to Lincolnshire！
Good…bye！
Sir Wil。 ＇Without。＇ Why； Constance！
Con。 Coming； sir。 Shake hands！
Neighbour； good…bye！ Don't look so woe…begone；
'Tis but a two…days' ride； and thou wilt see
Rover； and Spot； and Nettle； and the rest
Of thy dear country friends！
Sir Wil。 ＇Without。＇ Constance！ I say。
Con。 Anon！Commend me to the gentle souls；
And pat them for me！Will you； neighbour Wildrake？
Sir Wil。 ＇Without。＇ Why； Constance！ Constance！
Con。 In a moment； sir！
Good…bye！I'd cry； dear neighbourif I could！
Good…bye！A pleasant day when next you hunt！
And； prithee； mind thy horse don't balk his leap！
Good…bye！and； after dinner； drink my health！
〃A bumper； sirs； to neighbour Constance！〃Do！ …
And give it with a speech； wherein unfold
My many graces； more accomplishments；
And virtues topping eitherin a word；
How I'm the fairest； kindest； best of neighbours！
＇They go out severally。TRUEWORTH trying to pacify WILDRAKE
CONSTANCE laughing。＇
ACT II。
SCENE I。A Room in Sir William's House。
＇Enter TRUEWORTH and WILDRAKE。＇
Wild。 Nay； Master Trueworth； I must needs be gone！
She treats me worse and worse！ I am a stock；
That words have none to pay her。 For her sake
I quit the town to…day。 I like a jest；
But hers are jests past bearing。 I am her butt；
She nothing does but practise on！ A plague！ …
Fly her shafts ever your way？
True。 Would they did！
Wild。 Art mad？or wishest she should drive thee so？
True。 Thou knowest her not。
Wild。 I know not neighbour Constance？
Then know I not myself； or anything
Which as myself I know！
True。 Heigh ho！
Wild。 Heigh ho！
Why what a burden that for a man's song！
Would fit a maiden that was sick for love。
Heigh ho！ Come ride with me to Lincolnshire；
And turn thy 〃Heigh ho！〃 into 〃hilly ho！〃
True。 Nay； rather tarry thou in town with me。
Men sometimes find a friend's hand of avail；
When useless proves their own。 Wilt lend me thine？
Wild。 Or may my horse break down in a steeple…chase！
True。 A steeple…chase。 What made thee think of that？
I'm for the steeplenot to ride a race；
Only to get there！nor alone； in sooth；
But in fair company。
Wild。 Thou'rt not in love！
True。 Heigh ho！
Wild。 Thou wouldst not marry！
True。 With your help。
Wild。 And whom； I prithee？
True。 Gentle Mistress Constance！
Wild。 What！neighbour Constance？Never did I dream
That mortal man would fall in love with her。 ＇Aside。＇
In love with neighbour Constance！I feel strange
At thought that she should marry！＇Aside。＇ Go to church
With neighbour Constance！ That's a steeple…chase
I never thought of。 I feel very strange！
What seest in neighbour Constance？
True。 Lovers' eyes
See with a vision proper to themselves；
Yet thousand eyes will vouch what mine affirm。
First； then； I see in her the mould express
Of womanstature； feature； body； limb …
Breathing the gentle sex we value most；
When most 'tis at antipodes with ours！
Wild。 You mean that neighbour Constance is a woman。
Why； yes； she is a woman； certainly。
True。 So much for person。 Now for her complexion。
What shall we liken to her dainty skin？
Her arm； for instance？ …
Wild。 Snow will match it。
True。 Snow！
It is her arm without the smoothness on't；
Then is not snow transparent。 'Twill not do。
Wild。 A pearl's transparent！
True。 So it is； but yet
Yields not elastic to the thrilled touch！
I know not what to liken to her arm
Except her beauteous fellow！ Oh！ to be
The chosen friend of two such neighbours！