Chief Characters

Lady Henrietta (Martha)
Nancy
Lionel
Plunket
Sir Tristan

THE scene is laid in Richmond, in the time of Queen Anne, whose charming young maid-of-honour, Lady Henrietta, is so tired of Court life, and so heartily sick of her many insipid admirers, that she has retired to the country to refresh herself. Growing dull, she decides to attend the statute fair at Richmond; and, ripe for a good frolic, she attires herself and her maid, Nancy, in rustic garments, and sets off to the fair, attended by her foppish old cousin, Sir Tristan — another admirer whom she terms a bore — who also, much against his will, has decked himself in humble garments. Arrived at the fair, the spoilt beauty deftly manages to lose her escort, and then, thinking to enjoy a good joke, she stands amongst the lines of serving-wenches waiting to be hired, with the merry Nancy at her side. Amongst the hirers are two young farmers, Lionel and Plunket, who are looking for a couple of likely wenches to do the work of their house for them; and being at once struck by the beauty and charm of the two masqueraders, they at once proceed to hire them, Lady Henrietta giving her name as “ Martha.” The girls, entering delightedly into the joke, accept the earnest-money given by the young men; but they are soon filled with dismay on discovering that, as they have taken the earnest-money, they are legally bound to their new masters for a year. Sir Tristan, who comes up at this moment, tries to pass the matter off with bluster, though not daring to reveal the identity of his cousin, for fear of the scandal reaching the Court; but the two young farmers soon thrust him on one side, and carry off their maids in triumph.
   In Act 2 the two girls are in the house of the young farmers, having just arrived; and in a very short time their personal attractions appeal so strongly to their new masters that a mutual interest and admiration, rapidly deepen­ing into love, is developed between Lionel and the supposed Martha and Plunket and the gay Nancy. Henrietta feels that Lionel is some one of higher station than he appears; and this is the truth — the young man being an orphan who was left with Plunket’s parents in early childhood, the facts of his parentage not being known. He now falls desperately in love with his new maid, and Martha, on being set to work at the spinning-wheel, further delights him by singing to him in a most delightful manner. Meanwhile Plunket has been vainly endeavouring to initiate the lively Nancy into the household duties he intends her to perform; but saucy Nancy will not soil her fingers, and leads him such a dance with her breakages and pretended tantrums, that he is glad to let the work go, and to enjoy her pretty coquetries instead. Finally, the new maids are told to go to bed, but on arriving in their chamber they succeed in making their escape through the window, with the aid of Sir Tristan, who has discovered their whereabouts, and come secretly to escort them home. The young farmers are filled with anger and dismay at the loss of their fair maids, and Lionel’s grief is so great that he falls into a melancholy state. Wandering out into the forest of Richmond one day, he meets a royal hunting-party, amongst whom is the Lady Henrietta, and, recognising her at once as the object of his affection, he hurries to her side, and passionately declares his love for her. She repulses him roughly, and upon Lionel now reminding her of her contract to serve him for a year, she declares to the company that the young man is mad, and Sir Tristan supporting her declaration, the intruder is thrust into prison. Lionel has always cherished a ring which he has a hazy recollection was given him by his father, who told him that if he was ever in trouble he was to send the ring to the Queen, when it would quickly alter his fortunes for him; and when Plunket visits him, he begs his friend to take it at once to their royal mistress. Plunket, therefore, visits the Court, where he sees Lady Henrietta, who has by this time repented of her conduct to Lionel, for whom she has conceived a real passion; and she at once presents the ring to the Queen, who recognises it as having belonged to one of her nobles, who had been banished from Court for some suspected offence, but whose innocence had afterwards been proved. Lionel is now declared to be the Earl of Derby, and is restored to his proper estate; but the harassing circumstances through which he has just passed have so unhinged the young man’s mind that he is almost distraught, and refuses even to accept the love which Henrietta now would bestow upon him. Henrietta is at first in despair, but presently she thinks out a plan of restoring her lover’s reason. She causes a mock fair to be held in her grounds, and she and Nancy once more dress themselves up as country wenches; then when Plunket brings Lionel into the make-believe fair, and calls his attention to the two pretty serving-maids, the mist clears away from the young Earl’s mind, and he is restored completely to his normal state. He then gladly greets Henrietta, and the pair plight their troth with great joy; and at the same time Plunket and the gay Nancy do likewise.