THE PROLOGUE To the last new Play A Duke and no Duke.
Spoken by Mr. Jevon.
Gallants,
WHo Would have thought to have seen so many here,
At such a Rambling season of the Year;
And what's more strange? all Well and Sound to the Eye,
Pray Gentlemen forgive me if I Lye.
I thought this Season to have turn'd
Physician,
But now I see small hopes in that condition:
Yet how if I should hire a Black Flower'd
Jump,
And plye at
Islington, Doctor to
Sadlers Pump.
But first let me Consult old
Erra Pater,
And see what he advises in the Matter.
Let's see—
Venus and
Mars, I find in
Aries are,
In the Ninth
House. a Damn'd dry Bobbing Year.
The price of
Mutton, will run high 'tis thought,
And Vizard
Masks will fall to ten a Groat.
The
Moon's in
Scorpio's
House or
Capricorns,
Friends of the City govern well your
Hornes:
Your Wives will have a mighty Trade this Quarter,
I find they'll never leave their Natural
Charter.
For once take my Advice as a true Friend,
When they a Walk to the new
Wells pretend,
If youl avoid your Sail, quick hasten after,
They use more wayes to Cool, than Drinking
Water.
THE EPILOGUE,
Spoken by Mr. Haines.
TRapolin, suppos'd a
Duke, in this place shows
Strange matters may depend on meer suppose.
One may suppose
Masks chast lov'd Nonsense Witty,
No Flattery at
Court, nor
Whig i'th'
City
[...] am by one i'th' World supposed Pretty.
Fantasie digested unto Storms supposes,
Whereas you see no
Lillies grow nor
Roses,
[...]o
Masks for Beauty pass that want their
Noses.
The Reverend
Cityzen, Sixty and above,
That by poor inch of
Candle buys his Love,
[Page] Supposes that his Son and Heir he Got,
But Wife could tell that she supposes not.
The Trees by
Rosamonds Pond, her Sins have known,
And tell-Tale Leaves, still stick upon the Gown:
Whil'st the dull Sot, whilst he's a
Cuckold made,
Supposes she's at
Church Praying for Trade.
The Country Squire newly come to Town,
By Parents doom'd to a Lawyers daggl'd Gown.
supposes some Bright
Angel he has gotten
In our Lewd Gallary, till proving Rotten:
His Study soon he leaves for Sweating Tubs,
And
Cook and
Littlton, for Doctor
Hobs.
Nor had Dull
Cit sent Spouse to Drink the
Waters,
So found her helping to us Sons and Daughters.
Had he suppos'd when e're her Belly Swells,
There must be something in't besides the
Wells.
Ther's no Man there had Married I'me afraid,
Had he not first suppos'd his Wife a Maid:
For 'tis Opinion must our Peace secure,
For no Experiment can do't I'me sure.
In Paths of Love no Foot-steps e're were Trac'd,
All we can do is to suppose her Chast;
For Women are of that deep subtile kind,
The more we dive to Know, the less we find.
Ah Ladies! what strange Fate still Rules us Men?
For whil'st we Wisely would escape the
Gin,
A kind suppose still draws the
Wedlock in:
In all Affairs 'tis so, the Lawyers Baul,
And with damn'd Noise and Nonsense fill the
Hall.
Supposing after Seven Years being a Drudge,
'Twill be his Fortune to be made a Judge.
The Parson too that Prays against ill Weathers
That thumps the Cushion till he leaves no
Feathers.
wou'd let his Flock I fear grow very Lean,
Without suppose at least of being a
Dean.
All things are helpt out by suppose, but Wit
That we cannot now suppose to get.
Unless a kind suppose your Minds possess,
For on that Charm depends our Play's Success.
Then tho you like it not, Sirs don't Disclose it,
But if you think it Bad, pray Good suppose it.
London, Printed by Geo. Croom, in Th [...]mes-street, over against Baynard 's Castle, 1684.