till the greater Part of the Company
being dispers'd, _Dangerfield_ begg'd Leave to attend us to our Coach,
and waiting us to the Door, the Gentleman, whom _Gonzago_ whisper'd,
advanc'd and offer'd his Service to hand _Maria_; she declin'd it, and
upon his urging, she turn'd to the other Side of _Dangerfield_, who, by
this Action of the Ladies finding himself intitled to her Protection,
'Sir, (said he) Favours from great Beauties, as from great Monarchs,
must flow Voluntarily, not by Constraint, and whosoever wou'd extort
from either, are liable to the great Severity of Punishment.' 'Oh! Sir,
(reply'd the _Venetian_ very arrogantly,) I understand not your
Monarchy, we live here under a free State; besides, Sir, where there is
no Punishment to be dreaded, the Law will prove of little Force; and so,
Sir, by your Leave,' offering to push him aside, and lay hold on the
Lady. _Dangerfield_ returned the Justle so vigorously, that the
_Venetian_ fell down the Descent of some Stairs at the Door, and broke
his Sword: _Dangerfield_ leap'd down after him, to prosecute his
Chastizement, but seeing his Sword broken, only whisper'd him, that if
he wou'd meet him next Morning at Six, at the Back-part of St. _Mark's_
Church, he wou'd satisfie him for the Loss of his Sword; upon which, the
_Venetian_ immediately went off, cursing his ill Fate, that prevented
his quarrelling with _Dangerfield_, to whom he had born a grudging Envy
ever since his Success in the late Engagement, and of whom, and his
Lodgings, he had given _Gonzago_ an Account, when he whisper'd him at
the Ball. _Dangerfield_ left us full of his Praises, and went home to
his Lodgings, where he found a Note directed to him to this Effect:

SIR,

_You declared Publickly at the Ball, you were my Rival in Love and
Honour: If you dare prove it by Maintaining it, I shall be to morrow
Morning at Six, at the Back-part of St. +Mark's+ Church, where I
shall be ready to fall a Sacrifice to both._

Gonzago.

_Dangerfield_, on the Perusal of this Challenge, began to reflect on
the Strangeness of that Evening's Adventure, which had engag'd him
in a Passion for two Mistresses, and involv'd him in two Duels;
and whether the Extravagance of his Passion, or the Oddness of his
Fighting-Appointments, were most remarkable, he found hard to Determine;
his Love was divided between the Beauty of one Lady, and Wit of another,
either of which he loved passionately, yet nothing cou'd s