University of Virginia Library

PROLOGUE, Intended to be spoken, Written by the Author.

Tis said, when the Renown'd Augustus Reign'd,
That all the World in Peace and Wealth Remain'd,
And though the School of Action, War was o're,
Arms, Arts, and Letters then increas'd the more.
All these sprung from our Royal Virgins Bays,
And flourish'd better than in Cæsar's Dayes;
And only in her time at once was seen
So brave a Soldier, States-man, and a Queen.

Essex and Burleigh.

Her Reign may be compar'd to that above,
As the best Poet, Cæsar's did to Jove:
For as great Julius built the mighty'st Throne,
And left Rome's first large Empire to his Son,
Under whose weight, till her, we all did groan;
So her great Father was the first that struck
Rome's Triple Crown; but she threw off the Yoak:
Straight at her Birth new Light the Heav'ns adorn'd,
Which more than Fifteen hundred years had mourn'd.—
But hold, I'm bid to let you understand,
That when our Poet took this work in Hand,
He trembl'd straight like Prophets in a Dream,
Her awful Genius stood, and threaten'd him;
Her modest Beauties only he has shown,
And has her Character so nicely drawn,
That if her self in purest Robes of Light,
Shou'd come from Heav'n, and bless us with her sight,
She wou'd not blush to hear what he has Writ.
Therefore—
To all the shining Sex this Play's addrest,
But more the Court, the Plannets of the rest;
You who on Earth are Man's best, softest Fate,
So that when Heav'n with some ruff Peace has met,
It sends him you to mould, and new Create.
Strange wayes to Virtue, some may think to prove,
But yet the best, and surest Path is Love;
Love like the Ermine, is so nice a Guest,
It never enters in a vitious Breast—
If you are pleas'd, we will be bold to say,
This modest Poem is the Ladies Play.