SCENE, A Hall.
[6]GUBBINS, MARGERY, and CHORUS.
Gub.
What wretched Havock does this Dragon make!
He ſticks at nothing for his Belly's Sake:
Feeding but makes his Appetite the ſtronger,
He'll eat us all, if he 'bides here much longer!
CHORUS.
Houſes and Churches,
To Him are Geeſe and Turkies.
Marg.
O Father! Father! as our noble 'Squire
Was ſate at Breakfaſt by his Parlour Fire,
With Wife and Children, all in pleaſant Tattle,
The Table ſhook, the Cups began to rattle;
A diſmal Noiſe was heard within the Hall,
Away they flew, the Dragon ſcar'd them all:
He drank up all their Coffee at a Sup,
And next devour'd their Toaſt and Butter up.
[7]AIR.
But to hear the Children mutter,
When they'd loſt their Toaſt and Butter,
And to ſee my Lady moan,
Oh! 'twould melt a Heart of Stone.
Here the 'Squire with Servants wrangling;
There the Maids and Miſtreſs jangling,
And the pretty hungry Dears
All together by the Ears,
Scrambling for a Barley-Cake:
Oh! 'twould make one's Heart to ake. But to hear, &c.
Gub
This Dragon very modiſh, ſure, and nice is:
What ſhall we do in this diaſt'rous Criſis?
Marg.
A Thought, to quell him, comes into my Head;
No way more proper than to kill him dead.
Gub.
O Miracle of Wiſdom! rare Suggeſtion!
But how, or who to do it, that's the Queſtion.
Marg.
Not far from hence there lives a valiant Knight,
A Man of Proweſs great, and mickle Might:
He has done Deeds St. George himſelf might brag on;
Marg.
This very Man is he ſhall kill the Dragon.
[8]AIR.
He's a Man ev'ry Inch, I aſſure you,
Stout, vig'rous, active and tall;
There's none can from Danger ſecure you,
Like brave gallant Moore of Moore-Hall.
No Giant or Knight e'er quell'd him,
He fills all their Hearts with Alarms;
No Virgin yet ever beheld him,
But wiſh'd herſelf claſp'd in his Arms.
CHORUS.
Let's go to his Dwelling,
With Yelping and Yelling;
We'll move him to Pity,
And tell him, and tell him a ſorrowful Ditty.
[Exeunt.
SCENE, Moore-Hall.
Symphony.
MOORE and his Companions.
Moore.
Come, Friends, let's circulate the cheerful Glaſs;
Let each true Toper toaſt his favourite Laſs.
Sound all your Inſtruments of Joy, and play:
Let's drink and ſing, and paſs the Time away.
[9]AIR.
Zeno, Plato, Ariſtotle,
All were Lovers of the Bottle;
Poets, Painters and Muſicians,
Churchmen, Lawyers and Phyſicians,
All admire a pretty Laſs,
All require a cheerful Glaſs.
Ev'ry Pleaſure has its Seaſon,
Love and Drinking are no Treaſon.
[Zeno, &c.
Enter GUBBINS, MAUXALINDA, MAR⯑GERY, and others.
CHORUS.
O ſave us all!
Moore of Moore-Hall!
Or elſe this curſed Dragon
Will plunder our Houſes,
Our Daughters and Spouſes,
And leave us the Devil a Rag on.
[O ſave, &c.
Marg.
[10]AIR.
Gentle Knight! all Knights exceeding,
Pink of Proweſs, and good Breeding,
Let a Virgin's Tears inſpire thee;
Let a Maiden's Bluſhes fire thee.
Moore.
(aſide)
Her Looks ſhoot thro' my Soul, her Eyes ſtrike Fire;
I'm all a Conflagration of Deſire.
(To her)
Fair Maid, I grant whatever you can ask,
The Deed is done, when once you name the Task.
Marg.
The Dragon, Sir, the Dragon!
Moore.
Say no more,
You ſoon ſhall ſee him weltring in his Gore.
Marg.
Moſt mighty Moore! do but this Dra⯑gon kill,
All that we have is wholly at your Will.
Moore.
The only Bounty I require, is this,
That thou may'ſt fire me with an ardent Kiſs;
That thy ſoft Hands may 'noint me over Night,
And dreſs me in the Morning e'er I fight.
Marg.
[11]AIR.
If that's all you ask,
My Sweeteſt,
My Feateſt,
Compleateſt,
And Neateſt,
I'm proud of the Task.
Maux.
(overhearing.)
A forward Lady! ſhe grows fond apace,
But I ſhall catch her in a proper Place.
Moore.
Leave her with me; conclude the Dra⯑gon dead:
If I don't maul the Dog, I'll loſe my Head.
[All go off but Moore and Margery.
DUETTO.
Moore.
Let my Deareſt be near me;
Marg.
I'll ever be near thee.
Moore.
To warm me, to cheer me;
Marg.
To warm thee, to cheer thee.
Moore.
To fire me, inſpire me;
Marg.
To fire thee, inſpire thee
Both.
With Kiſſes and Ale.
Moore.
[12]Your Fears I'll aboliſh;
Marg.
This Dragon demoliſh.
Moore.
I'll work him;
Marg.
Ay, work him.
Moore.
I'll jerk him;
Marg.
Ay, jerk him
Both.
From Noſtril to Tail.
[Let my, &c.
MOORE leads off MARGERY; MAUXA⯑LINDA enters, and pulls him back by the Sleeve.
Maux.
O Villain! Monſter! Devil! Baſely baſe!
How can you dare to look me in the Face?
Did you not ſwear laſt Chriſtmas we ſhould marry?
Oh, 'tis enough to make a Maid miſcarry!
Witneſs this Piece of Six-pence, certain Token
Of my true Heart, and your falſe Promiſe broken.
Moore.
The Devil's in the Woman! What's the Matter?
Maux.
Now you inſult me; Time was, you cou'd flatter.
Moore.
Upon my Soul, I don't know what you mean!
Maux.
Don't you know Margery of Roth'ram-Green?
Moore.
[13]Not I, upon my Honour.
Maux.
That's a Lie.
What do you think I've neither Ear nor Eye.
Villain! I will believe my Eyes and Ears!
She whom you kiſs'd, and call'd ten thouſand Dears.
(Sings mocking)
Let my Deareſt be near me, &c.
Moore.
(aſide.)
By Jove! I'm blown. Zounds! how came this about?
However, I'm reſolv'd to ſtand it out.
To Maux.
I only out of Policy was civil;
But, 'faith, I hate her as I hate the Devil.
You're all I value, witneſs this cloſe Hug,
I'm yours, and only yours.
Maux.
Ah Coaxing Pug!
Moore.
My pretty Mauxy, prithee don't be jealous.
Maux.
Dear me! you Men are ſuch bewitching Fellows;
You ſteal into our Hearts by ſly Degrees,
Then make poor Girls believe juſt what you pleaſe.
Moore.
AIR.
By the Beer, as brown as Berry;
By the Cyder and the Perry,
Which ſo oft has made us merry,
With a Hy-down, Ho-down-derry,
Mauxalinda's I'll remain,
True Blue will never ſtain.
Maux.
[14]But do you really love me?
Moore.
By this Kiſs,
By Raptures paſt, and Hopes of future Bliſs.
DUETTO.
Pigs ſhall not be
So fond as we;
We will out-cooe the Turtle Dove.
Fondly toying,
Still enjoying,
Sporting Sparrows we'll out-love.
End of the Firſt ACT.