1st Knight. O, he's the best in England at untangling a flourish, madam.
Wid. And let not the seal be a jot bigger. Observe well the dash too, at the end of this name.
2nd Knight. I warrant you, madam.
Wid. Well, these and many other shifts, poor widows are put to sometimes; for everybody would be riding a widow, as they say, and breaking into her jointure. They think marrying a widow an easy business, like leaping the hedge where another has gone over before. A widow is a mere gap, a gap with them.
Enter Major Oldfox, with two Waiters. The Knights of the Post huddle up the writings.
What, he here! Go then, go my hearts, you have your instructions. [Exeunt Knights of the Post.
Old. Come, madam, to be plain with you, I'll be fobbed off no longer.—[Aside.] I'll bind her and gag her but she shall hear me.—[To the Waiters.] Look you, friends, there's the money I promised you; and now do you what you promised me: here my garters, and here's a gag.—[To the Widow.] You shall be acquainted with my parts, lady, you shall.
Wid. Acquainted with your parts! A rape! a rape!—what, will you ravish me? [The Waiters tie her to the chair, gag her, and exeunt.
Old. Yes, lady, I will ravish you: but it shall be through the ear, lady, the ear only, with my well-penned acrostics.