The Busie Body | Page 4

yearly shows himself in Speeches. Some snivling Cits, wou'd
have a Peace for spight, To starve those Warriours who so bravely fight.
Still of a Foe upon his Knees affraid; Whose well-hang'd Troops want
Money, Heart, and Bread. Old Beaux, who none not ev'n themselves
can please, Are busie still; for nothing--but 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 Personæ.
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