University of Virginia Library

PROLOGUE Written by Mr. D'Urfey, and Spoke by Mr. Horden

But that 'twou'd baulk us in our Hopes to day,
I wou'd my self have try'd to spoil this Play,
And damn our Country Scriblers first Essay;
For letting Comick Characters pass free,
That swarm, like Bees, there under every Tree,
And plague his Brains to write a Tragedy.
I was in hopes t'have had some Merry Joke,
How Farmer Hodge, a Freehold Heart of Oak,
And Collin, fell together by the Ears,
About their choosing of their Knights of Shires,
If't had not pleas'd the Commons,—'twou'd the Peers:
Or else how Master Justice, and his Spouse,
Rated their Eldest Daughter, splay foot Blowse,
With Mutton Fist, broad Face, and sorrel Hair,
And chuffy Cheeks, red-streak'd like Kath'rine Pear,
For letting John the Butler late prevail
O'er Maiden Honour for a Tost and Ale—
A Scene like that had took it cou'd not fail.
Or how the Red-nos'd Elder us'd to Cackle,
In a Canting Tone.
With holy Vigour and spiritual Tackle,
Got Babe of Grace in Porch of Tabernacle.
This now had brought a Harvest to us Players,
Certain to please you—that ne'er go to Prayers.
Or did the Play expose some Rattling Squire,
That with his Fox-Hounds flounders thro' the Mire.
And, after daily teizing of his Life,
At Night with stubble Beard halts home and scrubs his Wife,
Who thus Caress'd by her rough bristl'd Dear,
Dreams of a Hedge-Hog, and turns off for fear.
Nay, had the Fool but search'd the Hundred thorow,
And found some clumsie Burgess of a Borrough,
Some Hob-nail'd Dealer of the Booby's Riches,
Some Representative in Leathern Breeches;
The Character, I'm sure, Applause had got,
And strangely took, digested in a Plot:
But, a plague on't, he Writes a Tragedy,
A Tale of loving Fools to make ye Cry.
Therefore for my part, I'll speak nought to day,
Either t'excuse the Poet or the Play—
Yet, Faith, 'tis well enough some People say:
If you are kind, I thus my Thoughts impart,
And in the old Country Phrase say, without Art,—
Zooks, 'tis your Goodness more than his Desert.