SIR WILFULL WITWOUD _in a riding dress_, MRS. MARWOOD, PETULANT, WITWOUD,
FOOTMAN.
WIT. In the name of Bartlemew and his Fair, what have we here?
MRS. MAR. ’Tis your brother, I fancy. Don’t you know him?
WIT. Not I:—yes, I think it is he. I’ve almost forgot him; I have not
seen him since the revolution.
FOOT. Sir, my lady’s dressing. Here’s company, if you please to walk
in, in the meantime.
SIR WIL. Dressing! What, it’s but morning here, I warrant, with you in
London; we should count it towards afternoon in our parts down in
Shropshire:—why, then, belike my aunt han’t dined yet. Ha, friend?
FOOT. Your aunt, sir?
SIR WIL. My aunt, sir? Yes my aunt, sir, and your lady, sir; your lady
is my aunt, sir. Why, what dost thou not know me, friend? Why, then,
send somebody hither that does. How long hast thou lived with thy lady,
fellow, ha?
FOOT. A week, sir; longer than anybody in the house, except my lady’s
woman.
SIR WIL. Why, then, belike thou dost not know thy lady, if thou seest
her. Ha, friend?
FOOT. Why, truly, sir, I cannot safely swear to her face in a morning,
before she is dressed. ’Tis like I may give a shrewd guess at her by
this time.
SIR WIL. Well, prithee try what thou canst do; if thou canst not guess,
enquire her out, dost hear, fellow? And tell her her nephew, Sir Wilfull
Witwoud, is in the house.
FOOT. I shall, sir.
SIR WIL. Hold ye, hear me, friend, a word with you in your ear: prithee
who are these gallants?
FOOT. Really, sir, I can’t tell; here come so many here, ’tis hard to
know ’em all.