New Way to pay Old Debts." Of his plays written in collaboration with other dramatists, the best are: "The Honest Man's Fortune," "Fatal Dowry," "Sir John Van Olden Barnavelt," and "The Virgin Martyr."]

Present: LADY ALLWORTH, WELLBORN, and others. Enter SIR GILES OVERREACH, with distracted looks, driving in MARRALL before him, with a box.

Cause, slave! why, I am angry,

And thou a subject only fit for beating,

And so to cool my choler. Look to the writing;

Let but the seal be broke upon the box

That has slept in my cabinet these three years,
I'll rack thy soul for't.

Marrall

I may yet cry quittance,

Though now I suffer, and dare not resist.

Overreach.

[Aside.

Lady, by your leave, did you see my daughter, lady?
And the lord her husband? are they in your house?
If they are, discover, that I may bid them joy;
And, as an entrance to her place of honor,

See your ladyship on her left hand, and make courtesies,
When she nods on you; which you must receive
As a special favor.

Lady Allworth

When I know, Sir Giles,

Her state requires such ceremony, I shall pay it;

But, in the mean time, as I am myself,

I give you to understand, I neither know

Nor care where her honor is.

Overreach

When you once see her

Supported, and led by the lord her husband,
You'll be taught better. - Nephew.

Why, what are you, sir, unless in your years,
At the best, more than myself?

Overreach

His fortune swells him:

'Tis rank, he's married.

Lady Allworth —

This is excellent!

Overreach

Sir, in calm language, though I seldom use it,
I am familiar with the cause that makes you

Bear up thus bravely; there's a certain buzz

[Aside.

Of a stolen marriage, do you hear? of a stolen marriage,
In which, 'tis said, there's somebody hath been cozened;
I name no parties.

Wellborn

Well, sir, and what follows?

Overreach

Marry, this; since you are peremptory. Remember,
Upon mere hope of your great match, I lent you

A thousand pounds: put me in good security,

And suddenly, by mortgage or by statute,

Of some of your new possessions, or I'll have you

Dragged in your lavender robes to the jail: you know me,
And therefore do not trifle.

Wellborn

Can you be

So cruel to your nephew, now he's in

The way to rise? was this the courtesy

You did me "in pure love, and no ends else?"

Overreach

End me no ends! engage the whole estate,

And force your spouse to sign it, you shall have

Three or four thousand more, to roar and swagger
And revel in bawdy taverns.

No, indeed you shall not,

Nor bond, nor bill, nor bare acknowledgment;

Your great looks fright not me.

With all his wrongs and injuries about him,
Armed with his cutthroat practices to guard him;
The right that I bring with me will defend me,
And punish his extortion.

For fighting, fear not, you shall have your hands full,
Upon the least incitement; and whereas

You charge me with a debt of a thousand pounds,

If there be law (howe'er you have no conscience),

Either restore my land, or I'll recover

A debt that's truly due to me from you,

In value ten times more than what you challenge.
Overreach

I in thy debt! O impudence! did I not purchase
The land left by thy father, that rich land,
That hath continuèd in Wellborn's name
Twenty descents; which, like a riotous fool,
Thou didst make sale of? Is not here, inclosed,
The deed that does confirm it mine?

I do acknowledge none; I ne'er passed over
Any such land: I grant, for a year or two
You had it in trust; which if you do discharge,
Surrendering the possession, you shall ease
Yourself and me of chargeable suits in law,
Which, if you prove not honest, as I doubt it,
Must of necessity follow.

Lady Allworth

In my judgment,

He does advise you well.

Good! good! conspire

With your new husband, lady; second him

In his dishonest practices; but when

This manor is extended to my use,

You'll speak in an humbler key, and sue for favor. Lady Allworth

Never do not hope it.

Yet, to shut up thy mouth, and make thee give
Thyself the lie, the loud lie, I draw out

The precious evidence; if thou canst forswear
Thy hand and seal, and make a forfeit of

[Opens the box and displays the bond
Thy ears to the pillory, see! here's that will make
My interest clear — ha !

Lady Allworth

A fair skin of parchment.

Wellborn

Indented, I confess, and labels too;

But neither wax nor words. How! thunderstruck?
Not a syllable to insult with? My wise uncle,
Is this your precious evidence, this that makes
Your interest clear?

I am o'erwhelmed with wonder!

What prodigy is this? what subtle devil
Hath razed out the inscription? the wax
Turned into dust! - the rest of my deeds whole

As when they were delivered, and this only