The Busie Body | Page 4

to teize The Young, so busie to engage a Heart, The Mischief done, are busie most to part. Ungrateful Wretches, who still cross ones Will, When they more kindly might be busie still! One to a Husband, who ne'er dreamt of Horns, Shows how dear Spouse, with Friend his Brows adorns. Th' Officious Tell-tale Fool, (he shou'd repent it.) Parts three kind Souls that liv'd at Peace contented, Some with Law Quirks set Houses by the Ears; With Physick one what he wou'd heal impairs. Like that dark Mob'd up Fry, that neighb'ring Curse, Who to remove Love's Pain, bestow a worse. Since then this meddling Tribe infest the Age, Bear one a while, expos'd upon the Stage. Let none but _Busie-Bodies_ vent their Spight! And with good Humour, Pleasure crown the Night!_

Dramatis Person?.
Men.
Sir George Airy. A Gentleman of Four Thousand a Year in Love with Miranda. Acted by Mr. Wilks.
Sir Francis Gripe. Guardian to Miranda and Marplot, Father to Charles, in Love with Miranda. Mr. Estcourt.
Charles. Friend to Sir George, in Love with Isabinda. Mr. Mills.
Sir Jealous Traffick. A Merchant that had liv'd sometime in Spain, a great Admirer of the Spanish Customs, Father to Isabinda. Mr. Bullock.
Marplot. A sort of a silly Fellow, Cowardly, but very Inquisitive to know every Body's Business, generally spoils all he undertakes, yet without Design. Mr. Pack.
Whisper. Servant to Charles. Mr. Bullock jun.
Women.
Miranda. An Heiress, worth Thirty Thousand Pound, really in Love with Sir George, but pretends to be so with her Guardian Sir Francis. Mrs. Cross.
Isabinda. Daughter to Sir Jealous, in Love with Charles, but design'd for a Spanish Merchant by her Father, and kept up from the sight of all Men. Mrs. Rogers.
Patch. Her Woman. Mrs. Saunders.
Scentwell. Woman to Miranda. Mrs. Mills.
[Transcriber's Note: The scenes within each Act are not numbered. Their descriptions are listed here for convenience:
ACT I [scene i] The Park ACT II [scene i] [Sir Francis Gripe's house] [scene ii] Sir Jealous Traffick's House [scene iii] Charles's Lodging ACT III [scene i] [outside Sir Jealous Traffick's house] [scene ii] the Street [scene iii] Sir Francis Gripe's House [scene iv] a Tavern ACT IV [scene i] the Out-side of Sir Jealous Traffick's House [scene ii] Isabinda's Chamber [scene iii] a Garden Gate open [scene iv] the House [of Sir Jealous Traffick] ACT V [scene i] [Sir Francis Gripe's house] [scene ii] the Street before Sir _Jealous_'s Door [scene iii] Inside the House [of Sir Jealous Traffick] ]
THE BUSIE BODY.
ACT I. SCENE The Park.
Sir George Airy meeting Charles.
_Cha._ Ha! Sir _George Airy!_ A Birding thus early, what forbidden Game rouz'd you so soon? For no lawful Occasion cou'd invite a Person of your Figure abroad at such unfashionable Hours.
Sir _Geo._ There are some Men, Charles, whom Fortune has left free from Inquietudes, who are diligently Studious to find out Ways and Means to make themselves uneasie.
_Cha._ Is it possible that any thing in Nature can ruffle the Temper of a Man, whom the four Seasons of the Year compliment with as many Thousand Pounds, nay! and a Father at Rest with his Ancestors.
Sir _Geo._ Why there 'tis now! a Man that wants Money thinks none can be unhappy that has it; but my Affairs are in such a whimsical Posture, that it will require a Calculation of my Nativity to find if my Gold will relieve me or not.
_Cha._ Ha, ha, ha, never consult the Stars about that; Gold has a Power beyond them; Gold unlocks the Midnight Councils; Gold out-does the Wind, becalms the Ship, or fills her Sails; Gold is omnipotent below; it makes whole Armies fight, or fly; It buys even Souls, and bribes the Wretches to betray their Country: Then what can thy Business be, that Gold won't serve thee in?
Sir _Geo._ Why, I'm in Love.
_Cha._ In Love--Ha, ha, ha, ha; In Love, Ha, ha, ha, with what, prithee, a _Cherubin!_
Sir _Geo._ No, with a Woman.
_Cha._ A Woman, Good, Ha, ha, ha, and Gold not help thee?
Sir _Geo._ But suppose I'm in Love with two--
_Cha._ Ay, if thou'rt in Love with two hundred, Gold will fetch 'em, I warrant thee, Boy. But who are they? who are they? come.
Sir _Geo._ One is a Lady, whose Face I never saw, but Witty as an Angel; the other Beautiful as _Venus_--
_Cha._ And a Fool--
Sir _Geo._ For ought I know, for I never spoke to her, but you can inform me; I am charm'd by the Wit of One, and dye for the Beauty of the Other?
_Cha._ And pray, which are you in Quest of now?
Sir _Geo._ I prefer the Sensual Pleasure, I'm for her I've seen, who is thy Father's Ward Miranda.
_Cha._ Nay then, I pity you; for the Jew my Father will no more part with her, and 30000 Pound, than he wou'd with a Guinea to