The Gallery in Lady Bountiful's House.
Enter Archer and Scrub singing, and hugging one another, the latter with a tankard in his hand Gipsy listening at a distance.
Scrub. Tall, all, dall!—Come, my dear boy, let 's have that song once more.
Arch. No, no, we shall disturb the family.—But will you be sure to keep the secret?
Scrub. Pho! upon my honour, as I'm a gentleman.
Arch. 'Tis enough. You must know, then, that my master is the Lord Viscount Aimwell; he fought a duel t' other day in London, wounded his man so dangerously, that he thinks fit to withdraw till he hears whether the gentleman's wounds be mortal or not He never was in this part of England before, so he chose to retire to this place, that's all. [12]
Gip. And that's enough for me. [Exit.
Scrub. And where were you when your master fought?
Arch. We never know of our masters' quarrels.
Scrub. No! if our masters in the country here receive a challenge, the first thing they do is to tell their wives; the wife tells the servants, the servants alarm the tenants, and in half an hour you shall have the whole county in arms. [21]