Young Grace Harkaway, by her uncle’s order, is commanded to marry Sir Harcourt Courtly, an elderly fop. She meets and falls in love with this gentleman’s son, Charles, who has been posing as a student, but is in reality a roysterer and one of the gayest young bloods in town. Young Courtly and his friend, Dazzle, plan with Lady Gay Spanker, a belle and noted huntsman, to draw out old Sir Harcourt, who has fallen in love with her, so that Grace may be freed to marry the man she loves. Sir Harcourt, believing that Lady Gay reciprocates the affection, plans to elope with her. Grace’s uncle overhears their conversation and indignantly changes his plans regarding Grace who is permitted to marry Charles. Sir Harcourt discovers that he has been made a fool of by Lady Gay Spanker, who returns to her husband with the combined thanks of the happy pair.