Such deep intrigues you're welcome to this day: But blame yourselves, not him who writ the play;

Though his plot's dull, as can be well defired, Wit ftiff as any you have e'er admired :

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He's bound to please, not to write well; and knows,

There is a mode in plays as well as clothes;
Therefore, kind judges

A SECOND PROLOGUE ENTERS.

2. Hold; would you admit

For judges all you fee within the pit?

1. Whom would he then except, or on what

fcore?

2. All, who (like him) have writ ill plays be

fore;

For they, like thieves condemn'd, are hangmen

made,

5

To execute the members of their trade.
All that are writing now he would disown,
But then he must except-even all the town;
All cholerick, lofing gamefters, who, in fpite,
Will damn to day, because they loft last
night;

All fervants, whom their mistress' scorn up

braids ;

All maudlin lovers, and all flighted maids;
All, who are out of humour, or severe;
All, that want wit, or hope to find it here.

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PROLOGUE

TO THE

INDIAN QUEEN.

As the mufic plays a soft air, the curtain rifes flowly, and difcovers an Indian boy and girl fleeping under two plantain-trees; and, when the curtain is almost up, the music turns into a tune expreffing an alarm, at which the boy awakes, and speaks:

BOY. WAKE, wake, Quevira! our soft reft must cease,

And fly together with our country's peace!
No more must we fleep under plantain shade,
Which neither heat could pierce, nor cold in-

vade;

5

Where bounteous nature never feels decay, And opening buds drive falling fruits away. QUE. Why should men quarrel here, where all poffefs

As much as they can hope for by fuccefs? None can have moft, where nature is fo kind, As to exceed man's ufe, though not his mind.

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Boy. By ancient prophecies we have been told, Our world fhall be fubdued by one more old ;And, fee, that world already's hither come.

QUE. If these be they, we welcome then our doom!

Their looks are fuch, that mercy flows from thence,

More gentle than our native innocence.

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Boy. Why should we then fear these, our

enemies,

That rather feem to us like deities?

QUE. By their protection, let us beg to live; They came not here to conquer, but forgive.If fo, your goodness may your power express, And we shall judge both best by our fuccefs.

EPILOGUE

TO THE

INDIAN QUEEN.

SPOKEN BY MONTEZUMA.

YOU fee what fhifts we are enforc'd to try, To help out wit with fome variety;

Shows may be found that never yet were feen,

"Tis hard to find fuch wit as ne'er has been:
You have feen all that this old world can do, 5
We, therefore, try the fortune of the new,
And hope it is below your aim to hit
At untaught nature with your practis'd wit:
Our naked Indians, then, when wits appear,
Would as foon choose to have the Spaniards here.
'Tis true, you have marks enough, the plot, the

fhow,

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The poet's scenes, nay, more, the painter's too; If all this fail, confidering the cost,

"Tis a true voyage to the Indies loft:

But if you fmile on all, then these designs, 15
Like the imperfect treasure of our minds,
Will pafs for current wherefoe'er they go,
When to your bounteous hands their ftamps
they owe.