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The liberal Sir Edward Fortune has two daughters, Katherine and Camelia, and numerous would-be sons- in-law; he is concerned that the girls should marry their own choice of husband. Katherine is pursued by the usurer Mammon, who criticizes Sir Edward for excessive generosity, and by Master Puff, but she © prefers Pasquil. Camelia loves Ned Brabant, but others, including the foolish John Ellis and the lustful ~ - Frenchman Monsieur John fo’ de King are interested in her. Witnessing an early-morning encounter between Pasquil and Katherine, Mammon engages _ ===== PAGE 217 ===== 1600 Monsieur John to murder Pasquil, but Pasquil pays him more to report the deed done without actually committing it. On hearing the rumours that Pasquil is dead, Katherine disappears. Camelia’s waiting-woman Winifred has been bribed to promote John Ellis’s suit, and Camelia duly transfers her affections to Ellis, jilting Ned Brabant. Outraged, Brabant’s friend Planet bribes Winifred to change her recommendation. Camelia changes her mind just as Ellis and her father are about to agree a marriage contract, and wants Planet instead. She sends a love- gift to Planet, but he rejects her, thereby avenging her treatment of Brabant. But Brabant does not know what Planet is up to, and becomes murderously jealous when he sees the offer of Camelia’s favour. He sends his page to shoot Planet, then takes Planet’s hat and coat in order to pose as him for an assignation with Camelia. Wer behaviour makes Planet’s intentions clear to him, and he attempts to stab himself in remorse, but is prevented by Sir Edward. It turns out that Planet is alive: the page disobeyed his murderous orders. Monsieur John and Jack Drum drunkenly pursue Winifred, who makes assignations with them both. She arranges for Jack Drum to be smuggled into her room in.a sack, then has the sack given to Monsieur John, on the understanding that she herself is inside; thus she disposes of both would-be lovers. Monsieur John continues his quest for an Englishwoman’s sexual favours, and Ned Brabant’s elder brother plays a joke on him: Monsieur John is introduced to Brabant Senior’s wife, and told that she is a prostitute. But the prank backfires, and Brabant Senior is cuckolded by Monsieur John. Wishing to join Pasquil in the afterlife, Katherine attempts to stab herself, but Pasquil stops her. Mammon finds her and she decisively rejects his advances; so he decides that nobody shall have her, and uses a poison to disfigure her face.…