University of Virginia Library

The EPILOGUE Spoken by Actors brought in by Bayes.

The Epilogue is a Trialogue, and spoken by three Figures, in Poetical Dresses; the one Representing the Sun, the second Pluvia, or Rain, and the third Boreas, or the North Wind; who now, as in a fit of Raillery, expose worldly Humours, and mimick a subtle Money-Game, or Trick, play'd in City Management; where People of all Degrees, who expected the Benefit of wonderful Rise of Stock, are disappointed. The Comical Names they now take, are Mississippi, Directius, and Bubble. Mississippi begins.
Mississ.
I like the Sun,
Bright Beams put on;
And with Scotch Sense,
Got golden Pence
From forward Fools that would believe me.
I spread my Rays,
Dazled their Eyes,
And tho' some gaz'd
To hear my Lyes,
I did the Rich and Poor surprize,
And no Plot-Juggler rose to grieve me.

Direct.
Near the Exchange, where Traders gain,
I fluently began to rain,
And making full round Drops appear,
Sprinkled both Whig and Tory there,
I would not let Scotch Wit out-do me.
The Men at Court, tho' proud and great,
Were bubbled by my Money Cheat;
The grave Law-makers too with Pain
Went dangling in my growing Rain,
I made 'em think they all should gain
Vast Heaps if they'd pursue me.

Bubble.
To make this City Chouce to grow,
And trick the Globe, as Time did shew;
I, like North Gust, did slily blow;
Sword Blades and Copper I'd maintain
I mingled with the Sun and Rain,
And strove by Law to make things plain;
York-Buildings, Fishing, many a Bubble
I manag'd well, and gain'd each Day, without much Pain or Trouble.

Mississ.
But oh! the Drowth of sultry Days.

Direct.
But oh! the Floods when Rain essays.

Bubble.
But oh! the Blasts when Boreas sways.

Mississ.
I with my Radiance lull'd the P---s,
I Dissipated all their Fears;
Made French Crowns pass, tho' wanting Weight,
Made Plots t'involve the K---g and State,
And grew my self confounded great.

Direct.
I found ye soon,
Ye bonny Loon,
And knew our Change Fools were in Tune;
To manage Matters in your way,
If Money Cheats could come in play,
I therefore study'd the S--- Sea:
Brought Fops in first for three Pound ten,
That did not dare to pass for Men;
Soon after ten Pound, or a Score,
Which doubled Weekly as much more;
'Till the Increase did so command,
I drain'd up all the Money in the Land.
This by my Showers and Rain was done,
Which gain'd me still a vast Renown.

Bubble.
When Sun did glare, and Rain did flow,
Then backward I began to blow;
The Coffee-houses cram'd were seen,
With Bubbles of all Sorts brought in;
So great was still, so mighty then their Avarice and Folly.
The common Ideots slighted were,
The Brokers were employ'd so far,
The Garter and the blazing Star
Made posting haste to crowd Change-Alley.

Mississ.
But late with spreading such warm Beams,
And getting Gold by vile Extremes;
Tho' I regal'd the Regency,
And made the K--- as blind as he;
Some Rabble would explode the Case
To know what Mississippi was,
And whether having paid their Money,
That five Years hence they should have any.
This cursed boggle broke my State,
'Twas first call'd Trick, and then a Cheat;
The Mob began to gather Stones,
And I to save my harrass'd Bones,
Finding the Persecution hard,
Got leave at Court to have a Guard;
And in the Palace shone once more,
But not so dazzling as before.

Direct.
You've now, dear Father of the Skies,
Related my Calamities;
For as your Mississippi's gone,
So S--- Sea Stock no more comes on:
I wisely flow'd, and gently rain'd,
Nine hundred once my Mart maintain'd;
But when a Thousand I would force
The Gray Mare prov'd the better Horse:
The Money-trick no more would do,
And down it fell to one or two,
And made more busy Ideots mad
Than ever Moor-Fields Bedlam had.
You say at Court your State you hide,
I there must too my Person guide;
Lest some in pieces hew my Pate
Whom I have chous'd of an Estate;
Some Bubbles great turn'd out of Doors,
That in our Stock, have spent their Stores,
Have all resolv'd to launch my Pores.
Five Millions have been dipt, they cry,
Tho' some o'th' Wise say that's a Lye;
For seven there scarce is in the Nation,
So that's th'effect of Reprobation:
But when the S---te sits, if those
That bear my Title are prov'd Foes,
And for nought had, if they should take
The Humour to call Bullion back,
Best way to save our being undone
Is to consider where to run;
For the Stock's heat is now so cool,
Who scap'd is Wise, who's dipt a ---

Bubble.
I'm glad, by Heaven, since 'tis so,
That we were snubb'd so long ago;
My Breezings now can't please a Friend,
I fizzle such small puffs of Wind:
I cannot bring my Tricks to pass,
Of Chalk, or Horn, or crimson Glass;
Our modern Plots are open laid,
We've chous'd the P---s, and ruin'd Trade.
Search all the Cheats of foreign Nations
That have been prone to cause Vexations,
If ever one was so notorious,
I'll give ye leave to hang up Boreas;
So I'll sneak off this very Hour
Before the C---s shew the Power.

Mississ.
Sol too, no more shall dazzle gay,
Nor shine the Mississippi way;
I'll make no Wheedles pass for Beams,
Nor scorch the Grandees of St. James;
Nor shew my Effigies with grace,
As, Brother, yours at Guilford was.

Direct.
'Tis true, with vile Subscriptions ty'd
My Shape was late there dignify'd,
And, on my Soul, had I my Due,
And Cullies would Revenge pursue,
My Corps would be suspended too:
Therefore, dear Friends, away I'll go,
In some Land foreign rain and flow,
I've Heaps of Gold—got you know how.

Bubble.
The K---g's expected every Day,
But I'll not for a Pardon stay,
For I've deserv'd as much as they;
And tho' we qualify'd our Case,
They know our Cheat's too rank to pass,
And for our Rout an Order was.

Mississ.
And now to th'Mississippi Sphere,
I'll post to France, no more shine here,
Lest Wilson's dreadful Ghost appear.

Bubble.
Since bubble Trifles sink so low
My Blasts shall here no longer blow:

Direct.
Nor shall my fruitful Showers of Rain
Change-Alley cheer, my Case is plain;
The S---te sits, my Tribe must run,
And here the Trialogue is done
'Twixt Pluvia, Boreas, and the Sun.