Hillario.
DUKE.
Marcellus, you are welcome, I give you Joy.
VINCENTIO, CAMILLA.
Joy, Joy, my Lord.
MARCELLUS.
Pox! how foolish this makes a Man look now!—
You are mistaken Gentlemen, we only come to beg a
Favour of his Highness.
DUKE.
I'm glad you have put it in my Power to oblige you;
What is it?
MARCELLUS.
'Tis—Faith I can't speak it; may I never taste
Peace if the Words do not stick in my Throat: P'rythee
tell him Friend.
[To Hillario.
HILLARIO.
Well then, in short Sir, this Lord Marcellus, and this
Madam Florinda, having taken a very pious Resolution,
to plague one another as long as they both shall live,
humbly beg your Highness's Leave to marry, that they
may do it with the more Authority.
DUKE.
Ha! ha! ha! they have mine with all my Heart:
But here's a young Gentleman pretends to have a Sort of
-- 117 --
an Interest in the Lady: What say you Sir? Are you
willing to resign her to Lord Marcellus?
[To Camilla.
CAMILLA.
Are you willing to receive her?
[To Marcellus,
MARCELLUS.
Aye,—No,—I believe so:—Pox on't,
what am I going to do?
FLORINDA.
Hey day! I thought 'twou'd come to this, 'tis well I
secur'd the Evidence: Here Hillario, are not you Witness
to a Promise of Marriage made me by Lord Marcellus?
HILLARIO.
Aye, and am ready to swear it before any Magistrate
in the Country.
CAMILLA.
My Lord I assure you she deserves him; I beg you to
interpose your Authority.
[To the Duke.
DUKE.
Nay, then, take her, for I will have it a Match.
MARCELLUS.
Observe Gentlemen, 'tis none of my own seeking;
you hear the Duke say he will have it so, and 'tis not
my Fault, if I am oblig'd to obey him.—This is
some Excuse however.
[Aside
DUKE.
Well, well, we admit of your Excuse; we have one
Couple already, that you little think of; you shall make
a second, and we'll have you join'd immediately.
CAMILLA.
Now my Lord turn, and in that Lady know your
Niece Julia, whose Love for me has made her the Companion
of my ruin'd Fortunes.
-- 118 --
DUKE.
Pardon me fair Niece; but 'tis not now too late: I
give you Joy, and Welcome to such a Place, as I have to
entertain you in: Hereafter look on me as on your Father,
and if Love can make Amends for Grandeur, assure
yourself you shall lose nothing by the Change.
JULIA.
My Lord, I can thank you with nothing but my Duty;
much Happiness to your Highness.
[A Flourish of Trumpets.
DUKE.
How now! What mean those Trumpets?
John Carrington [1739], The modern receipt: or, A Cure for Love. A comedy. Altered from Shakespeare. With Original Poems, Letters &c. (Printed for the Author, London) [word count] [S35300].
