University of Virginia Library

THE PROLOGVE FOR THE STAGE.

For your owne sakes, not his, he bad me say,
Would you were come to heare, not see a Play.
Though we his Actors must prouide for those,
Who are our guests, here, in the way of showes,
The maker hath not so; he'l haue you wise,
Much rather by your eares, then by your eyes:
And prayes you'll not preiudge his Play for ill,
Because you marke it not, and sit not still;
But haue a longing to salute, or talke
With such a female, and from her to walke
With your discourse, to what is done, and where,
How, and by whom, in all the towne; but here.
Alas! what is it to his Scene, to know
How many Coaches in Hide-parke did show
Last spring, what fare to day at Medleyes was,
If Dunstan, or the Phœnix best wine has?
They are things—But yet, the Stage might stand as wel,
If it did neither heare these things, nor tell.
Great noble wits, be good vnto your selues,
And make a difference 'twixt Poetique elues,
And Poets: All that dable in the inke,
And defile quills, are not those few, can thinke,
Conceiue, expresse, and steere the soules of men,
As with a rudder, round thus, with their pen.
He must be one that can instruct your youth,
And keepe your Acme in the state of truth,
Must enterprize this worke, marke but his wayes,
What flight he makes, how new; And then he sayes,
If that not like you, that he sends to night,
'Tis you haue left to iudge, not hee to write.