PROLOGUE AND EPILOGUE TO THE SECOND PART OF THE CONQUEST OF GRANADA BY THE SPANIARDS. PROLOGUE. THEY who write Ill, and they who ne'r durst write, Turn Critiques out of meer Revenge and Spight: A Play-house gives 'em Fame; and up there starts, From a mean Fifth-rate Wit, a Man of Parts. (So Common Faces on the Stage appear; We take 'em in, and they turn Beauties here.) Our Authour fears those Critiques as his Fate; And those he Fears, by consequence, must Hate, For they the Trafficque of all Wit invade, As Scriv❜ners draw away the Bankers Trade. Howe're, the Poet's safe enough to day; 11 They cannot censure an unfinish'd Play. But, as when Vizard Masque appears in Pit, Straight every Man who thinks himself a Wit Perks up; and, managing his Comb with grace, With his white Wigg sets off his Nut-brown Face; That done, bears up to th' prize, and views each Limb, To know her by her Rigging and her Trimm; Then, the whole noise of Fops to wagers go, Pox on her, 't must be she; and Damm'ee no: Just so, I Prophecy, these Wits to-day 21 Will blindly guess at our imperfect Play: With what new Plots our Second Part is fill'd, Who must be kept alive, and who be kill'd. To soothe and tickle sweet Imagination; But when 'tis shown, that which does now delight you Will prove a Dowdy, with a Face to fright PROLOGUE. Spoken on the First Day of the Kings House acting after the Fire. So shipwrackt Passengers escape to Land, So look they, when on the bare Beach they stand, Dropping and cold, and their first fear scarce Expecting Famine on a Desart Shore. Whence ev'n the Natives, forc'd by hunger, Our Stage does humane Chance present to But ne'er before was seen so sadly true: And with our Ale-house scenes and Cloaths Can neither raise old Plays nor new adorn. Who with broad bloudy Bills call you each To laugh and break your Buttons at their Or see some serious Piece, which we presume Send Lacquies early to preserve your Place. PROLOGUE AFTER THE FIRE. Text from the Miscellanies of 1692. Variants from Covent Garden Drollery, 1672. 4 on] from 1672. 10 for] of 1672. You cherish'd it, and now its Fall you mourn, Which blind unmanner'd Zelots make their Who think that Fire a Judgment on the Which spar'd not Temples in its furious But as our new-built City rises higher, 20 But we with Golden Hopes are vainly Talk high, and entertain you in a shed: Will grace Old Theatres, and build up 30 PROLOGUE, for the Women, When they Acled at the Old Theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields. WERE none of you, Gallants, e'er driven so hard, As when the poor kind Soul was under guard, To take a Lodging, and in private meet? The Lovers old and wonted Rendezvous, Is stol'n in Garrets, on the humble Rugg, 10 And so the hot Burgundian on the Side Here are convenient upper Boxes too, All that keep Coaches must not sit below. And at dull Plays have something to admire : 19 We, who look up, can your Addresses mark, PROLOGUE AND EPILOGUE TO THE MAIDEN QUEEN, OR SECRET LOVE, PROLOGUE. When acted by the Women only. Spoken by MRS. BOUTELL, in man's clothes. WOMEN like us (passing for Men) you'l Presume too much upon your Secresie. Then make no words on't, Gallants, 'tis e'en We are condemn'd to look, and strut, like Since we thus freely our hard Fate confess, Will go as far, as formerly new Gowns; 10 PROLOGUE FOR THE WOMEN. Text from the same, except as noted. I Were] Where 1684: a misprint. 17 Coaches] Bell wrongly printed Couches PROLOGUE AND EPILOGUE TO MARRIAGE-A-LA-MODE. ordain ; In Wars abroad, they grinning Honour gain, And Mistresses, for all that stay, maintain. Now they are gone, 'tis dead Vacation here, For neither Friends nor Enemies appear. 21 Poor pensive Punk now peeps ere Plays begin, Sees the bare Bench, and dares not venture in; But manages her last Half-crown with care, And trudges to the Mall, on foot, for Air. Our City Friends so far will hardly roam, They can take up with Pleasures nearer home; And see gay Shows with gaudy Scenes else where: 28 For we presume they seldom come to hear. 16 Playhouse] Play house 1673. But they have now ta'n up a glorious Trade, And cutting Moorcraft struts in Masquerade. There's all our hope, for we shall show to day A Masquing Ball, to recommend our Play; Nay, to endear 'em more, and let 'em see We scorn to come behind in Courtesie, We'll follow the new Mode which they begin, And treat 'em with a Room, and Couch within : For that's one way, how e're the Play fall short, T'oblige the Town, the City, and the Court. EPILOGUE. Thus have my Spouse and I inform'd the Nation, And led you all the way to Reformation; Your Poets, of stiff Words and limber sense, PROLOGUE AND EPILOGUE TO THE ASSIGNATION, OR LOVE IN A NUNNERY. |