You Baggage! you Hussy! you inconsiderate Jade! had you been hang'd, it 
would not have vex'd me, for that might have been your Misfortune; but to 
do such a mad thing by Choice! The Wench is married, Husband.
  PEACHUM. Married! the Captain is a bold Man, and will risk anything for 
Money; to be sure he believes her a Fortune. Do you think your Mother and I 
should have liv'd comfortably so long together, if ever we had been 
married? Baggage!
  MRS. PEACHUM. I knew she was always a proud Slut; and now the Wench hath 
play'd the Fool and Married, because forsooth she would do like the Gentry. 
Can you support the Expence of a Husband, Hussy, in Gaming, Drinking and 
Whoring? Have you Money enough to carry on the daily Quarrels of Man and 
Wife about who shall squander most? There are not many Husbands and Wives, 
who can bear the Charges of plaguing one another in a handsome way. If you 
must be married, could you introduce no body into our Family but a 
Highwayman? Why, thou foolish Jade, thou wilt be as ill-used, and as much 
neglected, as if thou hadst married a Lord!
  PEACHUM. Let not your Anger, my Dear, break through the Rules of Decency, 
for the Captain looks upon himself in the Military Capacity, as a Gentleman 
by his Profession. Besides what he hath already, I know he is in a fair way 
of getting, or of dying; and both these ways, let me tell you, are most 
excellent Chances for a Wife. Tell me, Hussy, are you ruin'd or no?
  MRS. PEACHUM. With Polly's Fortune, she might very well have gone off to 
a Person of Distinction. Yes, that you might, you pouting Slut!
  PEACHUM. What is the Wench dumb? Speak, or I'll make you plead by 
squeezing out an Answer from you. Are really bound Wife to him, or are you 
only upon liking?                                            [Pinches her.
  POLLY. Oh!                                                   [Screaming.
  MRS. PEACHUM. How the Mother is to be pitied who has handsome Daughters! 
Lock, Bolts, Bars, and Lectures of Morality are nothing to them: They break 
through them all. They have as much Pleasure in cheating a Father and 
Mother, as in cheating at Cards.
  PEACHUM. Why, Polly, I shall soon know if you are married, by Macheath's 
keeping form our House.
 
                  Air VIII.--Grim King of the Ghosts, &c.
 
                                   POLLY.
                 Can Love be control'd by Advice?
                   Will Cupid our Mothers obey?
                 Though my Heart were as frozen as Ice,
                   At his Flame 'twould have melted away.
 
                 When he kist me so closely he prest,
                   'Twas so sweet that I must have comply'd;
                 So I thought it both safest and best
                   To marry, for fear you should chide.
 
  MRS. PEACHUM. Then all the Hopes of our Family are gone for ever and ever!
  PEACHUM. And Macheath may hang his Father and Mother-in-law, in hope to 
get into their Daughter's Fortune.
  POLLY. I did not marry him (as 'tis the Fashion) coolly and deliberately 
for Honour or Money. But, I love him.
  MRS. PEACHUM. Love him! worse and worse! I thought the Girl had been 
better bred. Oh, Husband, Husband! her Folly makes me mad! my Head swims! 
I'm distracted! I can't support myself---Oh!                          [faints.
  PEACHUM. See, Wench, to what a Condition you have reduc'd your poor 
Mother! a glass of Cordial, this instant. How the poor Woman takes it to 
heart!                                   [Polly goes out, and returns with it.
Ah, Hussy, this is now the only Comfort your Mother has left!
  POLLY. Give her another Glass, Sir! my Mama drinks double the Quantity 
whenever she is out of Order. This, you see, fetches her.
  MRS. PEACHUM. The Girl shows such a Readiness, and so much Concern, that 
I could almost find it in my Heart to forgive her.
  
              Air IX.--O Jenny, O Jenny where hast thou been.
 
              O Polly, you might have toy'd and kist.
              By keeping Men off, you keep them on.
 
                                   POLLY.
                   But he so teaz'd me,
                   And he so pleas'd me,
                 What I did, you must have done.
 
  MRS. PEACHUM. Not with a Highwayman.----You sorry Slut!
  PEACHUM. A Word with you, Wife. 'Tis no new thing for a Wench to take a
Man without Consent of Parents. You know 'tis the Frailty of Woman, my Dear.
  MRS. PEACHUM. Yes, indeed, the Sex is frail. But the first time a Woman 
is frail, she should be somewhat nice methinks, for then or never is the 
time to make her Fortune. After that, she hath nothing to do but to guard 
herself from being found out, and she may do what she pleases.
  PEACHUM. Make yourself a little easy; I have a Thought shall soon set all 
MAtters again to rights. Why so melancholy, Polly? since what is done 
cannot be undone, we must all endeavour to make the best of it.
  MRS. PEACHUM. Well, Polly; as far as one Woman can forgive another, I 
forgive thee.---Your Father is too fond of you, Hussy.
  POLLY. Then all my Sorrows are at an end.
  MRS. PEACHUM. A mighty likely Speech in troth, for a Wench who is just 
married!
 
                       Air X.---Thomas, I cannot, &c.
 
                                   POLLY.
                   I. like a Ship in Storms, was tost;
                   Yet afraid to put in to Land:
                   For seiz'd in the Port the Vessel's lost,
                   Whose Treasure is contreband.
                     The Waves are laid,
                     My Duty's paid.