Matt. The fellow with a brown coat with a narrow gold binding, I am told, is never without money. Mach. What do you mean, Matt?-Sure you will not think of meddling with him!-He's a good honeft kind of a fellow, and one of us. Ben. To be fure, fir, we will put ourfelves under your direction. Mach. Have an eye upon the money lenders.-A rouleau, or two, would prove a pretty fort of an expedition. I hate extortion. Matt. Thofe rouleaus are very pretty things.-[ hate your bank-bills-there is fuch a hazard in putting them off. Mach. There is a certain man of distinction, who in his time hath nick'd me out of a great deal of the ready. He is in my cah, Ben ;-I'll point him out to you this evening, and you fhail draw upon him for the debt. -The company are met; I hear the dice-box in the other room. So, gentlemen, your fervant. You'll meet me at Marybone. SCENE IV. Peachum's Lock. A Table with Wine, Brandy, Pipes and Tho.. Peachum, Lockit. Lock. The coronation account, brother Peachum, is of fo intricate a nature, that I believe it will never be fettled. Peach. It confifts indeed of a great variety of artis cles. It was worth to our people, in fees of different kinds, above ten inftalments.-This is part of the account, brother, that lies open before us. Lock. A lady's tale of rich brocade--that, I fee, is difpos'd of. Peach. To Mrs. Diana Trapes, the tally-woman, and she will make a good hand on't in fhoes and flippers, to trick out young ladies, upon their going into keeping. Lock. But I don't fee any article of the jewels. Peach. Thofe are fo well known, that they must be fent abroad-you'll find them enter'd under the article of of exportation.As for the fnuff-boxes, watches, fwords, &c.-I thought it beft to enter them under their feveral heads. Lock. Seven and twenty women's pockets complete, with the feveral things therein contain'd; all feal'd, number'd, and enter'd. Peach. But, brother, it is impoffible for us now to enter upon this affair.-We should have the whole day before us. Befides, the account of the laft half year's plate is in a book by itself, which lies at the other office. Lock. Bring us then more liquor.-To-day fhall be for pleasure to-morrow for business.-Ah, brother, thofe daughters of ours are two flippery huflies-keep a watchful eye upon Polly, and Macheath in a day or two shall be our own again. AIR XLV. Down in the North Country. Ev'ry woman's easy prey: The bird that hath been trapt, Peach. But what fignifies catching the bird, if your daughter Lucy will fet open the door of the cage? Lock. If men were anfwerable for the follies and frailties of their wives and daughters, no friends could keep a good correfpondence together for two days. This is unkind of you, brother; for, among good friends, what they fay or do goes for nothing. --Enter a Servant. Serv. Sir, here's Mrs. Diana Trapes wants to speak with you. Peach. Shall we admit her, brother Lockit? Lock. By all means—— -fhe's a good cuftomer, and à fine fpoken woman-and a woman who drinks and talks fo freely will enliven the converfation. Peach. Defire her to walk in. F 4 [Exit Servant. SCENE SCENE V. Enter Mrs. Trapes. -one may Peach. Dear Mrs. Dye, your fervantknow by your kifs, that your gin is excellent. Trapes. I was always very curious in my liquors. Lock. There is no perfum'd breath like it- -I have been long acquainted with the flavour of those lips- -han't I, Mrs. Dye! Trapes. Fill it upliquor, as I did of love. either. I take as large draughts of I hate a flincher in AIR XLVI. A fhepherd kept sheep, &c. In the days of my youth I could bill like a dove, fa, la, la, &C. Like afparrow at all times was ready for love, fa, la, la, &c. The life of all mortals in kiffing bould pass, A Lip to lip while we're young, then the lip to the glass, fa, la, &c. But now, Mr. Peachum, to our business. If you have blacks of any kind, brought in of late; mantoes— velvet fcarfs-petticoats-let it be what it will-I am your chap for all my ladies are very fond of Mourning. Peach. Why, look ye, Mrs. Dye-you deal fo hard with us, that we can afford to give the gentlemen, who venture their lives for the goods, little or nothing. Trapes. The hard times oblige me to go very near in my dealing- To be fure, of late years I have been a great fufferer by the parliament.Three thousand pounds would hardly make me amends. The act for deftroying the Mint was a fevere cut upon our bufinefs -till then, if a customer stept out of the way we knew where to have her no doubt you know Mrs. Coaxer-there's a wench now (tilbtoday) with a good fuit of cloaths of mine upon her back, and I could never fet eyes upon her for three months together. Since that too against imprisonment for fmall fums, my lois there too hath been very confiderable, and it uit de fo, when a lady can borrow a handsome petticoat, or a clean gown, and I not have the the least hank upon her: And, o'my confcience, nowa-days moft ladies take a delight in cheating, when they can do it with fafety. Peach. Madam, you had a handfome gold watch of us t'other day for feven guineas-Confidering we must have our profit-to a gentleman upon the road, a gold watch will be fcarce worth the taking. Trapes. Confider, Mr. Peachum, that watch was remarkable, and not of very safe fale. -If y f you have any black velvet fcarfs-they are a handfome winter wear; and take with most gentlemen who deal with my cuftomers.'Tis I that put the ladies upon a good foot. 'Tis not youth or beauty that fixes their price. The gentlemen always pay according to their drefs, from half a crown to two guineas; and yet those huffies make nothing of bilking of me-Then too, allowing for accidents.- -I have eleven fine customers now down under the furgeon's hand,-what with fees and other expences, there are great goings-out, and no comings-in, and not a farthing to pay for at leaft a month's cloathing. We run great rifques-great rifques indeed. Peach. As I remember, you faid fomething just now of Mrs. Coaxer. Trapes. Yes, fir.-To be fure I ftript her of a fuit of my own cloaths about two hours ago; and have left her as the fhould be, in her shift, with a lover of her's at my house. She call'd him up stairs, as he was going to Marybene in a hackney-coach. And I hope, for her own fake and mine, the will perfuade the captain to redeem her, for the captain is very generous to the ladies. Lock. What captain? Trapes. He thought I did not know him.-An intimate acquaintance of yours, Mr. Peachum-only captain Macheath as fine as a lord. Peach. To-morrow, dear Mrs. Dye, you fhall fet your own price upon any of the goods you likewe have at least half a dozen velvet fcarfs, and all at your fervice. Will you give me leave to make you a prefent of this fuit of night-cloaths for your own wearing?But are you fure it is captain Macheath? F. 5 Trapes. Trapes. Though he thinks I have forgot him; no body knows him better. I have taken a great deal of the captain's money in my time, at fecond-hand, for he always loved to have his ladies well dreft. Peach. Mr. Lockit and I have a little business with the captain;- -you understand me—and we will fatisfy you for Mrs. Coaxer's debt. Lock. Depend upon it-we will deal like men of honour. Trapes. I don't enquire after your affairs-fo whatever happens, I wash my hands on't. It hath always been my maxim, that one friend fhould affift another.- -But if you pleafe- I'll take one of the fcarfs home with me, 'tis always good to have fomething in hand. SCENE VI. Lucy. Newgate. Jealoufy, rage, love, and fear, are at once tearing me to pieces. How I am weather-beaten and shatter'd with diftreffes? AIR XLVII. One evening having loft my way. I'm like a fkiff on the ocean toft, Now high, now low, with each billow born, While thus I lie rolling and toffing all night, Revenge, revenge, revenge, I have the rats-bane ready. I run no rifque; for I can Enter |