Enter SAINTLY.

Saint. In sadness, gentleman, I can hold no longer:  I will not keep your wicked counsel, how you were locked up in the chest; for it lies heavy upon my conscience, and out it must, and shall.

Wood. You may tell, but who will believe you? where’s your witness?

Saint. Verily, heaven is my witness.

Wood. That’s your witness too, that you would have allured me to lewdness, have seduced a hopeful young man, as I am; you would have enticed youth:  Mark that, beldam.

Saint. I care not; my single evidence is enough to Mr Limberham; he will believe me, that thou burnest in unlawful lust to his beloved:  So thou shalt be an outcast from my family.

Wood. Then will I go to the elders of thy church, and lay thee open before them, that thou didst feloniously unlock that chest, with wicked intentions of purloining:  So thou shalt be excommunicated from the congregation, thou Jezebel, and delivered over to Satan.

Saint. Verily, our teacher will not excommunicate me, for taking the spoils of the ungodly, to clothe him; for it is a judged case amongst us, that a married woman may steal from her husband, to relieve a brother.  But yet them mayest atone this difference betwixt us; verily, thou mayest.

Wood. Now thou art tempting me again.  Well, if I had not the gift of continency, what might become of me?

Saint. The means have been offered thee, and thou hast kicked with the heel.  I will go immediately to the tabernacle of Mr Limberham, and discover thee, O thou serpent, in thy crooked paths. [Going.

Wood. Hold, good landlady, not so fast; let me have time to consider on’t; I may mollify, for flesh is frail.  An hour or two hence we will confer together upon the premises.

Saint. Oh, on the sudden, I feel myself exceeding sick!  Oh! oh!

Wood. Get you quickly to your closet, and fall to your mirabilis; this is no place for sick people.  Begone, begone!

Saint. Verily, I can go no farther.

Wood. But you shall, verily.  I will thrust you down, out of pure pity.

Saint. Oh, my eyes grow dim! my heart quops, and my back acheth!
here I will lay me down, and rest me.
                         [Throws herself suddenly down upon the Bed;
                          TRICKSY shrieks, and rises; Mrs BRAIN.
                          rises from under the Bed in a fright.

Wood. So! here’s a fine business! my whole seraglio up in arms!

Saint. So, so; if Providence had not sent me hither, what folly had been this day committed!

Trick. Oh the old woman in the oven! we both overheard your pious documents:  Did we not, Mrs Brainsick?

Mrs Brain. Yes, we did overhear her; and we will both testify against her.