THE FIRST ACT OF A COMEDYCharactersPopgunMariaCharlesPistollettaPostilionHostessChorus of ploughboysCookandandStrephonChloeSCENE—ANINNEnterHostess, Charles, Maria, and Cook.Hostess to MariaIf the gentry in the Lion should want beds, shew them number 9.MariaYes Mistress.—exitMariaHostess to CookIf their Honours in the Moon ask for the bill of fare, give it them.CookI will, I will.exitCook.Hostess to CharlesIf their Ladyships in the Sun ring their Bell—answer it.CharlesYes Madam.exeuntSeverally.SCENE CHANGES TO THEMOON, and discovers Popgun and Pistoletta.PistolettaPray papa how far is it to London?PopgunMy Girl, my Darling, my favourite of all my Children, who art the picture of thy poor Mother who died two months ago, with whom I am going to Town to marry to Strephon, and to whom I mean to bequeath my whole Estate, it wants seven Miles.SCENE CHANGES TO THESUN—EnterChloe and a chorus of ploughboys.ChloeWhere am I? At Hounslow.—Where go I? To London—. What to do? To be married—. Unto whom? Unto Strephon. Who is he? A Youth. Then I will sing a song.SONGI go to TownAnd when I come down,I shall be married to Streephon.*And that to me will be fun.[* Note the two e’s]ChorusBe fun, be fun, be fun,And that to me will be fun.EnterCook—CookHere is the bill of fare.Chloe reads2 Ducks, a leg of beef, a stinking partridge, and a tart.—I will have the leg of beef and the partridge.ExitCook.And now I will sing another song.SONGI am going to have my dinner,After which I shan’t be thinner,I wish I had here StrephonFor he would carve the partridge if it should be a tough one.ChorusTough one, tough one, tough oneFor he would carve the partridge if itShould be a tough one.ExitChloe and Chorus.—SCENE CHANGES TO THE INSIDE OF THELION.EnterStrephon and Postilion.Streph:)You drove me from Staines to this place, from whence I mean to go to Town to marry Chloe. How much is your due?Post:Eighteen pence.Streph:Alas, my freind, I have but a bad guinea with which I mean to support myself in Town. But I will pawn to you an undirected Letter that I received from Chloe.Post:Sir, I accept your offer.END OF THE FIRSTACT.
Characters
SCENE—ANINN
EnterHostess, Charles, Maria, and Cook.
Hostess to MariaIf the gentry in the Lion should want beds, shew them number 9.
MariaYes Mistress.—exitMaria
Hostess to CookIf their Honours in the Moon ask for the bill of fare, give it them.
CookI will, I will.exitCook.
Hostess to CharlesIf their Ladyships in the Sun ring their Bell—answer it.
CharlesYes Madam.exeuntSeverally.
SCENE CHANGES TO THEMOON, and discovers Popgun and Pistoletta.
PistolettaPray papa how far is it to London?
PopgunMy Girl, my Darling, my favourite of all my Children, who art the picture of thy poor Mother who died two months ago, with whom I am going to Town to marry to Strephon, and to whom I mean to bequeath my whole Estate, it wants seven Miles.
SCENE CHANGES TO THESUN—
EnterChloe and a chorus of ploughboys.
ChloeWhere am I? At Hounslow.—Where go I? To London—. What to do? To be married—. Unto whom? Unto Strephon. Who is he? A Youth. Then I will sing a song.
SONG
I go to TownAnd when I come down,I shall be married to Streephon.*And that to me will be fun.
[* Note the two e’s]
Chorus
Be fun, be fun, be fun,And that to me will be fun.
EnterCook—
CookHere is the bill of fare.
Chloe reads2 Ducks, a leg of beef, a stinking partridge, and a tart.—I will have the leg of beef and the partridge.
ExitCook.
And now I will sing another song.
SONG
I am going to have my dinner,After which I shan’t be thinner,I wish I had here StrephonFor he would carve the partridge if it should be a tough one.
Chorus
Tough one, tough one, tough oneFor he would carve the partridge if itShould be a tough one.
ExitChloe and Chorus.—
SCENE CHANGES TO THE INSIDE OF THELION.
EnterStrephon and Postilion.
Streph:)You drove me from Staines to this place, from whence I mean to go to Town to marry Chloe. How much is your due?
Post:Eighteen pence.
Streph:Alas, my freind, I have but a bad guinea with which I mean to support myself in Town. But I will pawn to you an undirected Letter that I received from Chloe.
Post:Sir, I accept your offer.
END OF THE FIRSTACT.