Sir Wil.—Ha! honest nurse, where were my eyes before?
I know thy faithfulness, and need no more;
Yet from the lab'rinth to lead out my mind,
Say, to expose her, who was so unkind?
[Sir William embraces Peggy and makes her sit by him.]
Yes surely thou'rt my niece; truth must prevail,
But no more words till Mause relates the tale."
Mause then relates how Peggy's life being threatened by a wicked aunt, who wished to take possession of her estate, she herself had stolen her away, in the dead of night, and travelled with her some fifty miles, and left her at Glaud's door; that she had taken a cottage in the vicinity, and had watched over the child ever since. All of course are delighted with this discovery. The betrothment of Patie and Peggy is sanctioned by Sir William; and even Bauldy
"the bewitch'd, has quite forgot
Fell Madge's taz, and pawky Madge's plot,"
and exclaims:
"I'm friends wi' Mause,—wi' very Madge I'm greed,
Although they skelpit[53] me when woodly flied:[54]
I'm now fu' blithe, an' frankly can forgive
To join and sing, 'Lang may Sir William live.'"
Sir William bestows upon "faithful Symon," and "kind Glaud," and upon their heirs, "in endless fee," their "mailens," or farms, and takes old Mause into his family, in peace
"to close her days,
With naught to do but sing her Maker's praise."
Glaud consents to give Jenny to Roger, who says;