Cin.  I’m asham’d to appear before Elaria.

Char.  And I to Bellemante.

Scar.  Come, come, take Heart of Grace; pull your Hats down over your Eyes; put your Arms across; sigh and look scurvily; your simple Looks are ever a Token of Repentance:  come—­come along.

[Exeunt Omnes.

SCENE III. Changes to the Inside of the House.  The Front of the Scene is only a Curtain or Hangings, to be drawn up at Pleasure.

    Enter Elaria, Bellemante, Mopsophil, Florinda, and Ladies,
    dress’d in Masking Habits.

Ela.  I am extremely pleas’d with these Habits, Cousin.

Bell.  They are a la Gothic and Uncommune.

Flor.  Your Lovers have a very good Fancy, Cousin, I long to see ’em.

Ela.  And so do I. I wonder Scaramouch stays so, and what Success he has.

Bell.  You have no cause to doubt, you can so easily acquit your self; but I, what shall I do? who can no more imagine who shou’d write those Boremes, than who I shall love next, if I break off with Charmante.

Flor.  If he be a Man of Honour, Cousin, when a Maid protests her Innocence—­

Bell.  Ay, but he’s a Man of Wit too, Cousin, and knows when Women protest most, they likely lye most.

Ela.  Most commonly, for Truth needs no asseveration.

Bell.  That’s according to the Disposition of your Lover, for some believe you most, when you most abuse and cheat ’em; some are so obstinate, they wou’d damn a Woman with Protesting, before she can convince ’em.

Ela.  Such a one is not worth convincing, I wou’d not make the World wise at the expence of a Virtue.

Bell.  Nay, he shall e’en remain as Heaven made him for me, since there are Men enough for all uses.

    Enter Charmante and Cinthio, dress’d in their Gothic Habits,
    Scaramouch, Harlequin and Musick.  Charmante and Cinthio kneel.

Cin.  Can you forgive us?

[Elaria takes him up.

Bell.  That, Cinthio, you’re convinc’d, I do not wonder; but how Charmante is inspir’d, I know not.

[Takes him up.

Char.  Let it suffice, I’m satisfy’d, my Bellemante.

Ela.  Pray know my Cousin Florinda.

[They salute the Lady.

Bell.  Come, let us not lose time, since we are all Friends.

Char.  The best use we can make of it, is to talk of Love.

Bell.  Oh! we shall have time enough for that hereafter; besides, you may make Love in Dancing as well as in Sitting; you may gaze, sigh, and press the Hand, and now and then receive a Kiss, what wou’d you more?

Char.  Yes, wish a little more.