Lov.  Hitherto it goes well on my side.—­

Trice.  Now I deal:  How many do you take, Jack?  All.  Then I am gone:  What a rise is here!  Fourteen by aces, and a sixieme-major; I am gone, without looking into my cards.—­[Takes up an ace and bites it.] Ay, I thought so:  If ever man play’d with such cursed fortune, I’ll be hanged, and all for want of this damned ace—­there’s your ten pieces, with a pox to you, for a rooking beggarly rascal as you are.

LOVEBY enters.

Lov.  What occasion have I given you for these words, sir?  Rook and rascal!  I am no more rascal than yourself, sir.

Trice.  How’s this! how’s this!

Lov.  And though for this time I put up, because I am a winner—­ [Snatches the gold.

Trice.  What a devil do’st thou put up?  Not my gold, I hope, Jack?

Lov.  By your favour, but I do; and ’twas won fairly:  a sixieme, and fourteen by aces, by your own confession,—­What a pox, we don’t make childrens’ play, I hope?

Trice.  Well, remember this, Jack; from this hour I forswear playing with you when I am alone; what, will you bate me nothing on’t?

Lov.  Not a farthing, Justice; I’ll be judged by you; if I had lost, you would have taken every piece on’t:  What I win, I win—­and there’s an end.

Enter Servant.

Serv.  Sir, these people stay without, and will not be answered.

Trice.  Well, what’s their business?

Serv.  Nay, no great matter; only a fellow for getting a wench with child.

Trice.  No great matter, say’st thou?  ’Faith, but it is.  Is he a poor fellow, or a gentleman?

Serv.  A very poor fellow, sir.

Trice.  Hang him, rogue; make his mittimus immediately; must such as he presume to get children?

Lov.  Well considered:  A poor lousy rascal, to intrench upon the game of gentlemen!  He might have passed his time at nine-pins, or shovel-board; that had been fit sport for such as he:  Justice, have no mercy on him.

Trice.  No, by the sword of justice will I not.

Lov.  Swear’st thou, ungracious boy[A]?  That’s too much, on the other hand, for a gentleman.  I swear not, I drink not, I curse not, I cheat not; they are unnecessary vices:  I save so much out of those sins, and take it out in that one necessary vice of wenching.

[Footnote A:  Henry IV.  Part 1.  Act ii.  Scene 4.]

Enter LOVEBY’S Boy.

Boy.  Sir, the parties are without, according to your order.

Lov.  ’Tis well; bring ’em in, boy.

Enter Lady Du LAKE, and two or three Whores.

Justice, I recommend this ancient gentlewoman, with these virtuous ladies, to thy patronage; for her part, she is a person of exemplary life and behaviour; of singular conduct to break through, and patience to bear the assaults of fortune:  A general benefactress of mankind, and, in fine, a promoter of that great work of nature, love.