ILF.  Honest-blessed-natural-friend, thou dealest with me like a brother, butler. [Exit BUTLER.] Sure, heaven hath reserved this man to wear grey hairs to do me good.  Now will I listen—­listen close to suck in her uncles’ words with a rejoicing ear.

THOM.  As we were saying, brother[413],
Where shall we find a husband for my niece?

ILF.  Marry, she shall find one here, though you little know’t.  Thanks, thanks, honest butler.

JOHN.  She is rich in money, plate, and jewels.

ILF.  Comfort, comfort to my soul.

THOM.  Hath all her manor-houses richly furnished.

ILF.  Good, good; I’ll find employment for them.

BUT. within.  Speak loud enough, that he may hear you.

JOHN.  I take her estate to be about a thousand pound a year.

ILF.  And that which my father hath left me will make it about fifteen hundred.  Admirable!

JOHN.  In debt to no man:  then must our natural care be,
As she is wealthy, to see her married well.

ILF.  And that she shall be as well as the priest can; he shall not leave a word out.

THOM.  I think she has—­

ILF.  What, a God’s name?

THOM.  About four thousand pound in her great chest.

ILF.  And I’ll find a vent for’t, I hope.

JOHN.  She is virtuous, and she is fair.

ILF.  And she were foul, being rich, I would be glad of her.

BUT.  Pish, pish!

JOHN.  Come, we’ll go visit her, but with this care,
That to no spendthrift we do marry her.

[Exeunt.

ILF.  You may chance be deceived, old greybeards; here’s he will spend some of it; thanks, thanks, honest butler!  Now do I see the happiness of my future estate.  I walk me as to-morrow, being the day after my marriage, with my fourteen men in livery-cloaks after me, and step to the wall in some chief streets of the city, though I have no occasion to use it, that the shopkeepers may take notice how many followers stand bare to me.  And yet in this latter age, the keeping of men being not in request, I will turn my aforesaid fourteen into two pages and two coaches.  I will get myself into grace at court, run headlong into debt, and then look scurvily upon the city.  I will walk you into the presence in the afternoon, having put on a richer suit than I wore in the morning, and call, boy or sirrah.  I will have the grace of some great lady, though I pay for’t, and at the next triumphs run a-tilt, that when I run my course, though I break not my lance, she may whisper to herself, looking upon my jewel:  well-run, my knight.  I will now keep great horses, scorning to have a queen to keep me; indeed I will practise all the gallantry in use; for by a wife comes all my happiness.

    Enter BUTLER.

BUT.  Now, sir, you have heard her uncles, and how do you like them?

ILF.  O butler, they have made good thy words, and I am ravished with them.