Cutter of Coleman-street/Act 4 Scene 4

by Abraham Cowley

Scene 4.

Enter Jolly, Truman Senior.

Joll.He's there, Sir, pray let him now resolve you positively what he means to do.

Trum. s.What he means to do, Colonel? that were fine
'Ifaith; if he be my son he shall mean nothing;
Boys must not have their meanings, Colonel:
Let him mean what I mean with a Wennion.

Trum. j.I shall be prest, I see, by 'em, upon the hateful Subject of a Marriage;
And to fill up the measure of Affliction,
Now I have lost that which I lov'd, compell'd
To take that which I hate.

Trum. s.I wil not be troubled, Colonel, with his meanings, if he do not marry her this very evening (for I'le ha' none of his Flim-flams and his May-be's) I'l send for my son Tom from St. John's College (he's a pretty Scholar I can tell you, Colonel, I have heard him syllogize it with Mr. Soaker in Mood and Figure) and settle my Estate upon him with her; if he have his Meanings too, and his Sympathies, I'l disinherit 'em both, and marry the Maid my self, if she can like me, I have one Tooth yet left, Colonel, and that's a Colt's one.

Trum. j.Did I submit to lose the sight of Lucia
Onely to save my unfortunate Inheritance,
And can there be impos'd a harder Article
For me to boggle at?
Would I had been born some wretched Peasants son,
And never known what Love or Riches were.
Ha——— I'l marry her——— why should I not? if I
Must marry some body,
And hold my Estate by such a slavish Tenure,
Why not her as well as any else?
All Women are alike I see by Lucia,
'Tis but resolving to be miserable,
And that is resolv'd for me by my Destiny.

Joll.Well, try him pray, but do it kindly, Sir,
And artificially.

Trum. s.I warrant you; Dick, I'l ha' you marry Mrs. Aurelia to night.

Trum. j.To night? the warning's short, Sir, and it may be—

Trum. s.Why look you, Colonel, he's at's old lock, he's at's May-bees again.

Trum. j.I know not, Sir———

Trum. s.I, and his Know-nots, you shall have him at his Wo' nots presently; Sirra——— I will have you know, Sir———

Joll.Nay, good Mr. Truman——— you know not yet what answer he intends to make you.

Trum. j.Be pleas'd, Sir, to consider———

Trum. s.Look you, Sir, I must consider now, he upbraids his father with the want of consideration, like a Varlet as he is.

Trum. j.What shall I do? why should not I do any thing,
Since all things are indifferent?

Joll.I beseech you, Mr. Truman, have but a little patience——— Your father, Sir, desires to know———

Trum. s.I do not desire him, Colonel, nor never will desire him, I command him upon the duty of a Child———

Joll.Whether you can dispose your self to love and marry my daughter Aurelia, and if you can, for several reasons we desire it may be presently consummated.

Trum. j.Out with it, stubborn Tongue;
I shall obey my father, Sir, in all things.

Trum. s.Ha! what dee' you say, Sir?

Joll.This old testy Fool is angry, I think, to have no more occasion given him of being so.

Trum. j.I shall obey you, Sir.

Joll.You speak, Sir, like a vertuous Gentleman, the same obedience and resignation, to a father's will, I found in my Aurelia, and where two such persons meet, the issue cannot chuse but be successful.

Trum. s.Ah Dick, my son Dick, he was always the best natur'd Boy——— he was like his father in that— he makes me weep with tenderness, like an old fool as I am— Thou shalt have all my Estate, Dick, I'l put my self to a pension rather than thou shalt want——— go spruse up thy self a little presently, thou art not merry 'Ifaith, Dick, prethee be merry, Dick, and fetch fine Mrs. Aurelia presently to the little Church behind the Colonel's Garden, Mr. Soaker shall be there immediately and wait for you at the Porch (we'l have it instantly, Colonel, done, lest the young fool should relapse) come, dear Dick, let's go cheerily on with the business.

Trum. j.What have I said? what am I doing? the best is, it is no matter what I say or do.

Joll.I'l see Aurelia shall be ready, and all things on my part within this half hour.

[Exeunt.Trum. s.Good, honest, noble Colonel, let me shake you by the hand. Come, dear Dick, we lose time.