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BAYES. There they both whisper.

[Exeunt Whispering. Now, Gentlemen, pray tell me true, and without flattery, is not this a very odd beginning of a Play?

JOHNS. In troth, I think it is, Sir. But why two Kings of the fame place?

/ BAYES. Why? because it's new; and that's it I aim at. I despise your Fohnson, and Beaumont, that borrow'd all they writ from Nature: I am for fetching it purely out of my own fancie, I.

SMI. But what think you of Sir John Suckling, Sir? BAYES. By gad, I am a better Poet than he.

SMI. Well, Sir; but pray why all this whispering? BAYES. Why, Sir, (befides that it is new, as I told you before) because they are fuppos'd to be Polititians; and matters of State ought not to be divulg’d. SмI. But then, Sir, why

BAYES. Sir, if you'l but refpite your curiofity till the end of the fifth Act, you'l find it a piece of patience not ill recompenc'd. [Goes to the door. JOHNS. How doft thou like this, Frank? Is it not juft as I told thee?

SMI. Why, I did never, before this, see any thing in Nature, and all that, (as Mr. Bayes fays) fo foolish, but I could give some ghefs at what mov'd the Fop to do it; but this, I confefs, does go beyond my reach.

JOHNS. Why, 'tis all alike: Mr. Winterfhull1 has inform'd me of this Play before. And I'l tell thee, Frank, thou shalt not fee one Scene here, that either properly ought to come in, or is like any thing thou canft imagine has ever been the practice of the World. And then, when he comes to what he calls good language, it is, as I told thee, very fantastical, most abominably dull, and not one word to the purpose.

SMI. It does furprise me, I am fure, very much.

JOHNS. I, but it won't do fo long: by that time thou haft seen a Play or two, that I'l fhew thee, thou wilt be pretty well acquainted with this new kind of Foppery.

BAYES.

SCENA II.

Enter the two Kings, hand in hand.

Hefe are the two Kings of Brent-
ford; take notice of their stile:
'twas never yet upon the Stage;
but, if
you like it, I could make
a fhift, perhaps, to fhew you a

whole Play, written all juft fo.

I King. Did you observe their whisper, brother King? 2 King. I did; and heard befides a grave Bird fing, That they intend, sweet-heart, to play us pranks.

BAYES. This, now, is familiar, because they are both perfons of the fame Qualitie.

SMI. 'Sdeath, this would make a man spew.
I King. If that defign appears,
I'l lug 'em by the ears

Until I make 'em crack.

2 King. And fo will I, i'fack.

1 King. You must begin, Mon foy. 2 King. Sweet Sir, Pardonnes moy.

BAYES. Mark that: I Makes 'em both speak French, to fhew their breeding.

JOHNS. O, 'tis extraordinary fine.

2 King. Then, fpite of Fate, we'l thus combined

ftand;

And, like true brothers, walk still hand in

hand.

[Exeunt Reges.

JOHNS. This is a very Majestick Scene indeed. BAYES. Ay, 'tis a crust, a lasting cruft for your Rogue Critiques, I gad: I would fain fee the proudeft of 'em all but dare to nibble at this; I gad, if they do, this shall rub their gums for 'em, I promise you. It was I, you must know, writ the Play I told you of, in this very Stile: and fhall I tell you a very good jeft? I gad, the Players would not act it: ha, ha, ha.

The Key 1704 refers Prince Pretty-man's falling asleep in making love, to the play entitled The Loft Lady [by Sir W. BERKELEY] London. fol. 1639. In the fifth edition of The Rehearsal, however there is the following addition to the text.

So; now Prince Prettyman comes in, falls asleep, making Love to his Mistress, which you know, was a grand Intrigue in a late Play, written by a very honest Gentleman: a Knight.

Bp Percy states that this addition alludes to Querer pro folo querer (To Love only for Love Sake): a Dramatick romance, written in Spanish by Don ANTONIO HURTADO DE MENDOZA in 1623, and paraphrased in English, in 1654, by Sir R. FANSHAWE, 'during his Confinement to Tankerfly Park in York-fhire, by Oliver, after the Battail of Worcester, in which he was taken Prisoner, ferving His Majefty (whom God preserve) as Secretary of State.' Printed London 1671. 4to.

Bp. Percy thinks the paffage had in view is this, in Act i. p. 20. Felisbravo, the young King of Perfia, travelling in search of Zelidaura, Queen of Tartaria (whom, it seems, he had never seen) retires into a wood to fhun the noon-tide heat, and taking out his mistress's picture, thus rants.

Fel. If fleep invade me strongly, That may sever

My life fome minutes from me, my love never.
But 'tis impoffible to fleep (we know)

Extended on the Rack: If that be so,

Takes out the Picture.

Dumb Larum, come thou forth: Eloquent Mute,
For whom high Heav'n and Earth commence a Suit :
Of Angel-woman, fair Hermaphrodite!

The Moon's extinguisher! the Moon-days night!
How could so small a Sphear hold fo much day?

O fleep! now, now, thou conquer'ft, I'l not own for mine.
Tempest I seek, not calm: If the days thine,
Thou quell'ft my body, my Love still is whole :
I give thee all of that which is not Soul.

And, fince in Lodgings from the Street Love lies,
Do thou (and fpare not) quarter in my Eyes
A while; I harb'ring fo unwelcome Quest
(As men obey thy Brother Death's arreft)
Not as a Lover, but a MORTAL-

He falls afleep with the Picture in his hand.
Rif. He's faln a fleep, fo foon? What frailty is?
More like a Husband, then a Lover, this.

If Lovers take fuch fleeps, what shall I take,

Whom pangs of Love, nor Honour's Trumpets, 'wake?

Rifaloro falls asleep.

SMI. That's impoffible.

BAYES. I gad, they would not, Sir: ha, ha, ha. They refus'd it, I gad, the filly Rogues: ha, ha, ha. JOHNS. Fie, that was rude.

BAYES. Rude! I gad, they are the rudeft, uncivileft perfons, and all that, in the whole world: I gad, there's no living with 'em. I have written, Mr. Johnfon, I do verily believe, a whole cart-load of things, every whit as good as this, and yet, I vow to gad, thefe infolent Raskals have turn'd 'em all back upon my hands again.

JOHNS. Strange fellows indeed.

SмI. But pray, Mr. Bayes, how came these two Kings to know of this whisper? for, as I remember, they were not prefent at it.

BAYES. No, but that's the Actors fault, and not mine; for the Kings should (a pox take 'em) have pop'd both their heads in at the door, juft as the other went off. SMI. That, indeed, would ha' done it.

BAYES. Done it! Ay, I gad, these fellows are able to spoil the best things in Chriftendom. I'l tell you, Mr. Johnfon, I vow to gad, I have been fo highly difoblig'd, by the peremptoriness of these fellows, that I am refolv'd, hereafter, to bend all my thoughts for the fervice of the Nurfery, and mump your proud Players, I gad.'

Pret.

SCENA III.

Enter Prince Pretty-man.

Ow ftrange a captive am I grown

[graphic]

of late!

Shall I accufe my Love, or blame

my Fate?

My Love, I cannot; that is too

Divine:

And against Fate what mortal dares repine?

But here fhe comes.

Enter Cloris.

Sure 'tis fome blazing Comet, is it not? [Lyes down.

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