Don Sebastian, King of Portugal A Tragedy Acted at the Theatre Royal |
PROLOGUE TO DON SEBASTIAN King of Portugal.
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 | Don Sebastian, King of Portugal |  |
PROLOGUE TO DON SEBASTIAN King of Portugal.
Spoken by a Woman.
The
Judge remov'd, tho he's no more My Lord,
May plead at Bar, or at the Council-Board:
So may cast Poets write; there's no Pretension,
To argue loss of Wit from loss of Pension.
Your looks are cheerful; and in all this place
I see not one, that wears a damning face.
The British Nation, is too brave to show,
Ignoble vengeance, on a vanquish'd foe,
At least be civil to the Wretch imploring;
And lay your Paws upon him, without roaring:
Suppose our Poet was your foe before;
Yet now, the bus'ness of the Field is o'er;
'Tis time to let your Civil Wars alone,
When Troops are into Winter-quarters gone.
Jove was alike to Latian and to Phrygian;
And you well know, a Play's of no Religion.
Take good advice, and please your selves this day;
No matter from what hands you have the Play.
Among good Fellows ev'ry health will pass,
That serves to carry round another glass:
When, with full bowls of Burgundy you dine,
Tho at the Mighty Monarch you repine,
You grant him still most Christian, in his Wine.
May plead at Bar, or at the Council-Board:
So may cast Poets write; there's no Pretension,
To argue loss of Wit from loss of Pension.
Your looks are cheerful; and in all this place
I see not one, that wears a damning face.
The British Nation, is too brave to show,
Ignoble vengeance, on a vanquish'd foe,
At least be civil to the Wretch imploring;
And lay your Paws upon him, without roaring:
Suppose our Poet was your foe before;
Yet now, the bus'ness of the Field is o'er;
'Tis time to let your Civil Wars alone,
When Troops are into Winter-quarters gone.
Jove was alike to Latian and to Phrygian;
And you well know, a Play's of no Religion.
Take good advice, and please your selves this day;
No matter from what hands you have the Play.
Among good Fellows ev'ry health will pass,
That serves to carry round another glass:
When, with full bowls of Burgundy you dine,
Tho at the Mighty Monarch you repine,
You grant him still most Christian, in his Wine.
Thus far the Poet, but his brains grow Addle;
And all the rest is purely from this Noddle.
You've seen young Ladies at the Senate door,
Prefer Petitions, and your grace implore;
How ever grave the Legislators were.
Their Cause went ne'er the worse for being fair,
Reasons as weak as theirs, perhaps I bring;
But I cou'd bribe you, with as good a thing.
I heard him make advances of good Nature;
That he for once, wou'd sheath his cutting Satyr:
Sign but his Peace, he vows he'll ne'er again
The sacred Names of Fops and Beaús profane.
Strike up the Bargain quickly; for I swear,
As Times go now, he offers very fair.
Be not too hard on him, with Statutes neither,
Be kind; and do not set your Teeth together,
To stretch the Laws, as Coblers do their Leather.
Horses, by Papists are not to be ridden;
But sure the Muses Horse was ne'er forbidden.
For in no Rate-Book, it was ever found
That Pegasus was valued at Five-pound:
Fine him to daily Drudging and Inditing;
And let him pay his Taxes out, in Writing.
And all the rest is purely from this Noddle.
You've seen young Ladies at the Senate door,
Prefer Petitions, and your grace implore;
How ever grave the Legislators were.
Reasons as weak as theirs, perhaps I bring;
But I cou'd bribe you, with as good a thing.
I heard him make advances of good Nature;
That he for once, wou'd sheath his cutting Satyr:
Sign but his Peace, he vows he'll ne'er again
The sacred Names of Fops and Beaús profane.
Strike up the Bargain quickly; for I swear,
As Times go now, he offers very fair.
Be not too hard on him, with Statutes neither,
Be kind; and do not set your Teeth together,
To stretch the Laws, as Coblers do their Leather.
Horses, by Papists are not to be ridden;
But sure the Muses Horse was ne'er forbidden.
For in no Rate-Book, it was ever found
That Pegasus was valued at Five-pound:
Fine him to daily Drudging and Inditing;
And let him pay his Taxes out, in Writing.
| Don Sebastian, King of Portugal | |