Gripely thought it convenient her Daughter shou'd rise Allowing two hours for Dressing an hour for Dining and about as much for their journey for the Park So Philandra call'd for fresh Linnen and up she got Her thoughts were so wholly intent on the Adventure she was like to have that Afternoon that she quite forgot the Letter which she had fasten'd to her Shift and after Dinner took Coach without it For this Damn'd Maid Woman Whore I was going to say taking the Shift to lay it aside prick'd her Finger with the Pin that held it there Which when she had taken out the Letter fell on the Ground before her She immediately took it up and gave it to Slouch who came presently after he had Din'd to Sir Beetlehead's as was his Custom And withal made him a repetition of what she had overheard in Discourse between the Mother and Daughter soon afterwards she was call'd to wait on her Lady to the Park There were only those four who went in that Coach the Lady Gripely Philandra and Mariana I warrant you think that I can't count four as I shou'd do but you may be pleas'd to take notice that Mariana was with Child of a Slouch and more than half gone Well to the Park they got just as the Guards were reliev'd and in some few Minutes after Sir Blunder arriv'd there in his own Hackney Coach for he was too miserable to keep one Tho' he was as Proud as any Beggerly upstart-Citizen in Christendom when he was got through the Horse-Guards which no doubt he curs'd in his Heart because they were King James's and the Lord Dover's Troop too that were then upon Duty He took the Walk on the Left Hand by the Bird-Cage which as it happen'd was the right way to meet the Ladys who were gotten by this time about the middle of the Mall just over against St. James's House when they met the Lord Bellamant and the Lady his Sister Attended only by her Women and two Footmen After the first Salutation Bellamant addressed himself to the Mother Telling he that that Part of the World did bretter suit with Ladys of so Great Beauty and Gallantry than the Dull Precise and unmannerly City which they only made happy and valuable by their Residence in it more than it's Wealth and Traffick in the World To which the Lady Gripely reply'd that it was therefore the most advantagious place for them to live in since there their want of Breeding and Humour was the less observable I never thought Madam return'd the Lord Bellamant that I cou'd have been so unhappy as not to subscribe to ev'ry particular Opinion of your Ladyship 's till this unlucky Moment But Madam continued he applying himself to Philandra I am yet more unfortunately mistaken if you don't think this Air more agreeable to the Sweetness of your Complexions than the Smoaky Climat of that still unsatisfy'd and unhallow'd tho' pretended Sanctify'd Place And I fear Madam added he that your apprehensions of such a retreat from the Gay World threw you into a Melancholly which might have been no less fatal to me and all the admiring World than to your Ladyship had not Heaven preserv'd the nearest Copy of it self in you to be ador'd by all Mankind My Lord said Philandra I did really Arm my self against all Modesty e're I came abroad expecting indeed to receive such Volleys of your Wit and Gallantry She had gone on still had not Stopwell approaching 'em with Mr. Worthygrace and his Equipage prevented her My most Honour'd Lady cry'd he out aloud and my Divine Mistress Philandra How happy am I to see your Ladyship so well recover'd in your Health and Beauty as to adorn this Walk with what it so long has wanted in your absence Madam interrupted Worthygrace Mr. Stopwell wrongs the Court-Ladies some of which are really Great Beauties who frequently do bless this Park But pardon me Madam I beseech you if I think you have done 'em the greater injury in appearing hâ—â—e so much to their disadvantage ' Sdeath what Spark's this crys Bellamant to himself with a jealous frown and an angry blush but straight recalling himself said he to Worthygrace aloud Sir the Lady is out o'danger of being Flatter'd and you may go on at the same rate if you please But interrupted Philandra you may assure your self my Lord it will not altogether please me And I cou'd wish the Gentleman would spare himself the trouble of a second thought At this they both bow'd very humbly and were silent And then said the Lady Gripely taking up the Discourse but in the name of Wonder Mr. Stopwell how came you to find us here Madam reply'd the Coupé Marchant heaving that my Divine Mistress was taken Sick upon her return to Town I thought it my indispensible Duty to pay my Respects to her in enquiring of her Health if I might not have been permitted the Honour and Happiness of seeing her and this Afternoon I had the good Fortune to learn from Sir Beetlehead then at home that your Ladyships were gone towards the Park whereupon as I was going to call a Coach this worthy Gentleman my Honour'd Friend prevented me by taking me into his own Coach he designing for a Walk in this place While they were thus discoursing Worthygrace happen'd to fix his Eye on the Lady Arabella where perhaps he discover'd as much Beauty and Goodness as ever was confin'd to one Person And no doubt he had thought so had he not been prepossess'd with a Passion for Philandra however at the same time he cou'd not but be somewhat touch'd with Arabella and was not a little surpriz'd to see two Persons so exactly alike as the Lady Bellamant and Arabella Mean while on t'other side Bellamant taking Philandra's hand and walking some few paces from the Company ask'd her if she knew that Gentleman she answer'd that this was the second time she had ever seen him giving him an account withal of what had pass'd between 'em at their first sight the day before she came to Town Indeed Madam said my Lord he makes a very Graceful Figure and speaks well Pray Heav'n and you Madam it prove not to my disadvantage No no my Lord said Philandra your Lordship does not conquer by halves I fear I have said too much added she with a blush but make the best and kindest use on 't you can for both our Interests Ah Madam reply'd he in a transport you have almost taken away from me the power to thank you for this mighty Blessing and to assure you that I can have no Interest but what must Centre in yours But I don't like this same Dancing-Master I fancy he helps to play the Game against me No matter my Lord said she since I deal you are safe But come let us joyn Company for the Lady your Sister is at a loss for us Alas my Memory cry'd Bellamant I had forgot till now to tell you Madam that she came
me to the base practices of that Eternal Booby Slouch O most unfortunate accident cry'd the Mother another Letter faln into his hands Madam said Mariana about to justifie her self Be dumb be dumb for ever here on Earth interrupted Philandra or if thou needs must yell howl out inevitable Damnation to Despairing Souls Oh! It were Charity to what th' hast done what Sacrific'd a second time to that Slave's Interest 'T were merciless I 'm sure in Humanity to act thus but Heaven I hope has kinder ends in it Ah! Madam pursu'd she how shall we meet my jealous Father who is byass'd in every thing by that hated Fiend No doubt return'd the Mother the Greeting will be very extraordinary Fools that we were pursued she not to perceive 'till now that this sly Minks is a meer tool of his his Creature foisted upon us to serve his hated ends All this while the plaguy Gypsy sate sobbing and blubbering and staining with her Crocodile tears her Handkerchief which before was as white as innocence At last with much difficulty she sputter'd out Madam if your Ladyship thinks that I have designedly injur'd you in this I humbly beg your Ladyship to dismiss me your Service for I had rather be robb'd of that Happiness and Honour than live under your Ladyship's Displeasure and Suspicion Ah! wou'd to Heaven cry'd Philandra you had propos'd this some weeks ago it might perhaps for ever have establish'd my Peace and Quiet which now I fear is utterly ruin'd However continu'd she your Request tho' much with the latest is very grateful to me and you may be confident you shall not be long without your wish if my honour'd Mother has no further Commands for you Little did she think that this dismission would be as wellcome to Mariana as it was obliging to her But I can assure you it had been of equal advantage to all three had it not been for a slippery Trick that Fortune play'd this unluckie Damsel No no return'd the Lady Gripely my last Command to her is that she continue in the Resolution of leaving us and that by to morrow this time At these words they found themselves just at their own door which the Mother and Daughter enter'd but with aking hearts fore-boding but a sorrowful reception which was reserv'd it seems by the two ill-natur'd Blockheads agreement to a more convenient time For Slouch immediately upon his leaving the Park came and found Gripeley at home and took him to the Coffee-House where he recounted to him all the Discourse between the Mother and Daughter as he had learn'd it from Mariana shewing Bellamant's Letter to Philandra and withall gave him an account of the Honourable Company he had seen with them in the Mall He chose rather to take him to a Coffee-House there to distract him with this Relation than his own House fearing the Ladies might return and surprize him as he was doing 'em that signal piece of Knight's Service The Ladies had just time to quit themselves of that part of their Dress which was unnecessary in the House when Old Gripely and Slouch came to 'em the last of which as it was contriv'd between 'em over a Cup of the Devil's Communion-Wine after having paid his Respects to the Ladies came up closer to Philandra and taking the Letter out of his Pocket convey'd it into her hand as it were unperceiv'd of the Old Gentleman who began to wellcome home his Lady Wife with all the Sugar-plum-words he us'd to feed her with at his first Courtship This was surprizing and kind and I am apt to believe it was one of their last Honey-Nights but for a fortnight after Philandra was under a severer restraint than ever During all which time she could not receive one Billet-Doux from either my Lord or Worthygrace tho' they both had endeavour'd to supply her a hundred times and a hundred ways with those Paper-Refections especially the Lord Bellamant Who meeting Stepwell one Day about Noon desir'd him to â—ake one Bottle with him at the Rose in Covent-Garden So to Long 's they came where after a Glass or two Bellamant enquir'd of Worthygrace's health and drank to the continuance of it Then he proceeded to ask Stepwell when he had been at Mr. Beetlehead and how Matters went with Philandra since they last saw her in the Park Of which Stepwell could give him no further account than that he understood she was now more strictly confin'd than ever My Lord then taking him by the hand presented him with Fifty Guineas and told him withall that he must thence forward beg his Friendship at the same time assuring him of his and that he wou'd use his interest at Court or any where else to serve him at any time To which he very obediently reply'd That his Life and all his Circumstances both Present and Future were and shou'd be always at his Lordship's Devotion except his Reputation which he was confident my Lord wou'd never engage him to hazzard Mr. Stepwell said the Lord Bellamant had I thought that you had not had a true value for that I shou'd not have ask'd your Friendship and to shew you that the favour I wou'd entreat of you is Just and Honourable I only desire you to endeavour to deliver this Letter to the hands of the Charming Philandra My Lord return'd he that I will endeavour it I do engage my Reputation to your Lordship and that within these two hours for I am just going to Sir Beetleheads to propose a Business that will be of no little advantage to him but that I shall succeed to your Lordships and my own Wishes I dare not promise Your Endeavours are all I ask Sir reply'd Bellamant only this further I could wish That you would let me know by to morrow this time what success you have had Your Lordship shall find me most punctually and sacredly Obedient in what you have Commanded me said Stepwell I cannot doubt it Sir return'd my Lord tho' I am sensible that Honourable Friend of yours has justly a greater interest in you than my self However at the same time I am assur'd you will oblige me in this if he has not already engaged you to the contrary Be confident my Lord he has not reply'd t'other only I beseech your Lordship to let me know if I may entrust this Paper to any Person who I am certain may and will present it to my Divine Mistress her self By all means use your own discretion in that answer'd my Lord for I wholly rely on your mannagement in this matter Thus after having again consecrated their Glasses with the Fair and Divine Lady's Health and Stepwell being well satisfied with the Fifty Guineas as Bellamant was of his Integrity in this Affair they parted my Lord to the Court and Stepwell to the Den of a Thief I don't mean to Ch tho' for all that for he had had no business that way of a long season but to Gripeley's he went
might ha' done you that piece of service had you been Marry'd But since your Worship is a Batchelor I suppose she has been Flawg'd as they call it for putting the Saddle on the wrong Horse's back Ay my Lord return'd Slouch the Wench did afterwards confess it was my Apprentice for which as your Lordship says she was Flawg'd in good faith At which they all laugh'd aloud And said the Lady Gpipely this is as happy and full a discovery as any Criminal cou'd make of himself You 're in the right my Lady-Wife reply'd Old Gripely 't was a silly Wench a silly Wench But no more of that if you please No said Bellamant I must remind my self of my Friend's business about which I now come to sollicit you There is a Friend of mine continu'd he that wants five thousand Guineas now I can't spare him above two thousand wherefore if you will oblige him Sir with that Sum I will Engage or Mortgage some port of my Estate for his payment of it Why look you my Lord cry'd Gripely this Engaging must be Mortgaging and I don 't like any of your Church-Lands Hark you Sir Beetlehead cry'd Bellamant I fancy that among all your Mortgages you have one or more of our Church-Lands that is of Papists Church-Lands as you stile 'em and yet I find there is no great danger of their infecting you with Popery But I mean some of those Lands that my Lawful Father and Mother left to me for perhaps she was an Heiress those will I dip unto thee This requires farther thought my Lord said he and you shall have your answer to morrow this time Nay reply'd Bellamant if my my business or my Friend 's be not done by Six in the Morning we shall have no further occasion of yours or any other assistance Six a Clock is early return'd the Old one but I 'll see what may be done my Lord after I have discours'd this Honourable Gentleman So my Lord I beg your Pardon continu'd he taking Worthygrace out o' th' Room with him to contrive the hastening his Match with Philandra 'T was then Bellamant began to shew the violence of his Love in his Jealousie Ah Madam said he approaching her while the Coupé-Merchant and the Booby Knight diverted the Lady-Mother 't is now high time for me to despair since here I found my happy Rival seated next to you and feasting on your Eyes happy he is in every Circumstance in his Person in his Sence in his Estate and no doubt happy in your Love By your Father's approbation encourag'd receiv'd by you with a just opinion of his extraordinary Qualifications how long Heaven knows I 'm sure I know not This he spoke somewhat low however that they might not hear him which they perceiving were so civil as to entertain each other with their own impertinence Nay my Lord said Philandra rising I find you are hot we must walk I thank you Madam return'd he that you seem at least to take as much care of me as my Grooms do of my Beasts tho' they never ran such hot Courses as I do in pursuit of you You flye me Madam now continued he you have shunn'd me these fourteen or fifteen unaccountable days for so they have been to me since in all that time I have not once been blest with the sight of you 'till this hour O Heavens Madam pursu'd he raving where are all your vows where are all your tender expressions of Love to me Some indeed I wear about me under your Hand and Seal and all of 'em where you have fix'd 'em in my heart Whence not you your self can remove'em unless you bid me despair and dye This is all wondrous fine indeed my Lord reply'd she and since I find you love me even to Jealousie I 'm resolv'd to give your Lordship farther occasions of that passion And look you my Lord she continu'd I suppose I wear about me some of your Lordships tender expressions of Love in this Paper which I receiv'd from your happy Rival as you think him This he deliver'd to me un-open'd I dare believe Unopen'd as it is interrupted he now by all my hopes on Earth which terminate in you Madam my Love is not more sacredly inviolate than is this Paper I know the Seal and find 't is not abus'd Oh! this is more dreadful to me than his pretensions to you Madam And did he give it thus without a scoff Just as you see it my Lord and with respect answer'd Philandra Ah wou'd h 'had soften'd the hard faithful wax and ravish'd wide the innocent Contents I then might justly have return'd the wrong and from his breast have torn a Villain 's heart teeming with Sacriledge against you But now now it appears so Gloriously adorn'd with your Bright Form in ev'ry corner of it that I must fear to touch it Oh that Love shou'd rob me of so generous a Friend I mean whom I cou'd wish mine Make him so return'd she I shall not hinder such a happy union Nothing but you on Earth cou'd do it Madam reply'd Bellamant Assure your self I will not said she Here my Lord take your Letter I beseech you and own the obligation he design'd you 't will be a good beginning of your Friendship Now did this fair Devil desire nothing less No Madam replied he I will not rob you of what He presented to you Besides if ever you had any regard of my Passion I cou'd wish you wou'd keep it For I fear it is the last you will ever be troubled with from me Troubled I wou'd have you Madam when you read it to think how faithful and how Passionate a Lover you have thrown away It seems my Lord Return'd Philandra you are at length grown weary of feigning a Passion and wou'd now perswade me that I am displeas'd with your pretended services But assure your self my Lord Be it real or counterfeit it has already given me a very pretty entertainment You will e're long I doubt not Madam be judge of its truth or falshood In the mean time Madam enjoy your self with the Thoughts of your new Lover perhaps they will prove your only satisfaction Philandra did not know what to make of this last part of his discourse and was about to beg his Lordship to explain himself just as her Father re-entred with Worthygrace The chatt then was continu'd among 'em for upwards of an hour the Rivals plying their Mistress very warmly who return'd their Volleys with equal heat In which she took accasion to tell Worthygrace that she must have better proofs of his Love and Service than a bare Tongue-Devotion And in order to that he shou'd wave the advantage he had in her Father's opinion and pay her no more Visits than he wou'd to an old doating Relation of his who liv'd most remote to him in Town if any such he had To which Worthygrace reply'd that he wou'd obey her tho' to the hazard of his Life and