Haz. Well, and what will come of this?
Friend. Why, thou art young and handsome, she young and desiring; ’twere easy to make her love thee; and if the old Gentleman chance to die, you guess the rest, you are no Fool.
Haz. Ay, but if he shou’d return—
Friend. If—Why, if she love you, that other will be but a slender Bar to thy Happiness; for if thou canst not marry her, thou mayst lie with her: and, Gad, a younger Brother may pick out a pretty Livelihood here that way, as well as in England. Or if this [fail, thou] wilt find a perpetual Visiter, the Widow Ranter, a Woman bought from the ship by old Colonel Ranter; she served him half a Year, and then he marry’d her, and dying in a Year more, left her worth fifty thousand Pounds Sterling, besides Plate and Jewels: She’s a great Gallant, but assuming the humour of the Country Gentry, her Extravagancy is very pleasant, she retains something of her primitive Quality still, but is good-natur’d and generous.
Haz. I like all this well.
Friend. But I have a further End in this matter; you must know there is in the same House a young Heiress, one Colonel Downright’s Daughter, whom I love, I think not in vain: her Father indeed has an implacable Hatred to me, for which reason I can but seldom visit her, and in this Affair I have need of a Friend in that House.
Haz. Me you’re sure of.
Friend. And thus you’ll have an opportunity to manage both our Amours: Here you will find occasion to shew your Courage, as well as express your Love; for at this time the Indians, by our ill Management of Trade, whom we have armed against our selves, very frequently make War upon us with our own Weapons; though often coming by the worst, they are forced to make Peace with us again, but so, as upon every turn they fall to massacring us [wherever] we lie exposed to them.
Haz. I heard the News of this in England, which hastens the new Governour’s arrival here, who brings you fresh Supplies.
Friend. Would he were landed, we hear he is a noble Gentleman.