Humfrey, Duke of Gloucester A Tragedy |
PROLOGUE; WRITTEN BY Mr. Bartholomew Paman, Of the Middle-Temple. Spoken by Mr. BOOTH.
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 | Humfrey, Duke of Gloucester |  |
PROLOGUE; WRITTEN BY Mr. Bartholomew Paman, Of the Middle-Temple. Spoken by Mr. BOOTH.
As
Education moulds the tender Brain,
Or free, or slavish, Doctrines We maintain.
Where Asia's Lord, with Power despotick, reigns,
Whole Nations boast the Privilege of Chains:
Worship some Plant, or Reptile, as a GOD;
And dye with Rapture, at their Tyrant's Nod.
Where never-erring Rome usurps a Sway,
To go by Reason, is to go a-stray.
Freedom of Thought, we Britons justly prize;
Parent of Liberty, and Scourge of Vice.
In vain, Tradition pleads the Force of Years;
At Reason's Touch, the base Alloy appears.
In foreign Climes, let Monkish Tales preside;
Truth is a Briton's never-failing Guide.
Or free, or slavish, Doctrines We maintain.
Where Asia's Lord, with Power despotick, reigns,
Whole Nations boast the Privilege of Chains:
Worship some Plant, or Reptile, as a GOD;
And dye with Rapture, at their Tyrant's Nod.
Where never-erring Rome usurps a Sway,
To go by Reason, is to go a-stray.
Freedom of Thought, we Britons justly prize;
Parent of Liberty, and Scourge of Vice.
In vain, Tradition pleads the Force of Years;
At Reason's Touch, the base Alloy appears.
In foreign Climes, let Monkish Tales preside;
Truth is a Briton's never-failing Guide.
Our free-born Bard a free-born Heroe draws:
Humfrey; the Patron of Learn'd Wickliff's Cause.
View here, the Force of Bigottry in Kings;
View here, the Woes, that Superstition brings.
Behold a Statesman, upright, wise, and good;
Who bravely for his Countrey's Welfare stood:
But, sure Destruction is the Patriot's Doom,
When Kings are Only Ministers of Rome.
Humfrey; the Patron of Learn'd Wickliff's Cause.
View here, the Force of Bigottry in Kings;
View here, the Woes, that Superstition brings.
Behold a Statesman, upright, wise, and good;
Who bravely for his Countrey's Welfare stood:
But, sure Destruction is the Patriot's Doom,
When Kings are Only Ministers of Rome.
In these short Scenes, our Authour has, with Pain,
Sketch'd out the Years of Henry's troubled Reign;
Shewn by What Springs vile Politicians move;
How, Blood and Cruelty, Rome's Prelates love!
Awkward in Plots, They little Cunning show;
Murder's the deepest Policy they know.
Sketch'd out the Years of Henry's troubled Reign;
Shewn by What Springs vile Politicians move;
How, Blood and Cruelty, Rome's Prelates love!
Awkward in Plots, They little Cunning show;
Murder's the deepest Policy they know.
Britons, collect this Moral from our Tale:
Should, once again, the Papal Power prevail;
Again, Religious Fires would dreadful shine;
And Inquisitions prove their Right Divine.
Should, once again, the Papal Power prevail;
Again, Religious Fires would dreadful shine;
And Inquisitions prove their Right Divine.
| Humfrey, Duke of Gloucester | |