TRYGUST

Now, Gentlemen, what censure you of our Protasis, or first Act? A fine piece of Logic! Do you look, Mr. Damplay, for con clusions in a Protesis? I thought the Law of Comedy had reserved to the Catastrophe: and that the Epitasis, (as we are taught) and the Catastasis, had been intervening parts, to have been expected. But you would have all come together it seems: The Clock should strike five, at once, with the Acts. Yes, if the nature of a Clock were to speak, not strike. So, if a Child could be born, in a Play, and grow up to a man, i'the first Scene, before he went off the Stage: and then after to come forth a Squire, and be made a Knight: and that Knight to travel between the Acts, and do wonders i'the holy land or else where; kill Painims wild Boors, Don Cows, and other Monsters; beget him a reputation, and marry and Emperors Daughter: for his Mrs. Convert her Father's Con trey; and at last come home, lame and all to be laden with miracles. Do they think this Pen can juggle? I would we had Hokos pokos for them then; your People, or Travitanto Tudesko. Another Juggler, with a long name. Or that your expectors would be gone hence, now, at the first Act; or expect no more hereaf ter, then they understand. My name is John, indeed— Because, who expect what is impossi ble, or beyond nature, defraud themselves. And therefore, Mr. Damplay, unless Like a solemn Justice of wit, you will damn our Play, unheard, or unexamined; I shall entreat your Mrs. Madam Expectation, if she be among these Ladies, to have patience ence, but a pissing while: give our Springs leave to open a little, by de grees: A Source of ridiculous matter may break forth anon, that shall steep their temples, and bath their brains in laughter, to the fomenting of Stupidity it self, and the awaking any velvet Lethargy in the House. And may do in better, if it please the King (his Master) to say Amen to it, and allow it, to whom he acknowledgeth all. But his clothes shall never be the best thing about him, though; he will have somewhat beside, either of humane letters, or severe honesty, shall speak him a man though he went naked. Himself hath done that, already, against Envy. John Try-gust my name: A Cornish youth, and the Poets Servant. Or rather saucy: to find out your palate, Mr. Damplay, Faith we do call a Spade, a Spade, in Cornwall. If you dare damn our Play, i'the wrong place, we shall take heart to tell you so. You might as well ask me, what Alderman, or Alderman's Mate, he meant by Sir Moath Interest? or what eminent Lawyer, by the ridi culous Mr. Practice? who hath rather his name invented for laughter, then any offence, or injury it can stick on the reverend Professors of the Law: And so the wise ones will think. Yes, he would: And inquire of Martial, or any other Epigram matist, whom he meant by Titius, or Seius (the common John à Noke, or John à Style ) under whom they note all vices, and errors taxable to the Times? As if there could not be a name for a Folly fitted to the Stage, but there must be a person in nature, found out to own it. And, in not publishing him, you do no man and injury. But if you will utter your own ill meaning on that person, under the Authors words, you make a Libel of his Comedy. If you do the same reprehensible ill things, still the same repre hension will serve you, though you herd it afore: They are his own words. I can invent no better, nor he. They are no other but narrow, and shrunk nature's; shriveld up, poor things, that cannot think well of themselves, who dare to de tract others. That Signature is upon them, and it will last. A half-witted Barbarism! which no Barbers art, or his bals, will ever expunge or take out. Oh, yes; say what you will: so it be to purpose, and in place. Your two shilling worth is allowed you: but you will take your ten, shilling worth, your twenty shilling worth, and more: And teach others (about you) to do the Like, that follow your leading face; as if you were to cry up or down every Scene, by confederacy, be it right or wrong. If your own science can not do it, or the love of Modesty, and Truth; all other entreaties, or attempts—are vain. You are fitter Spe ctators for the Bears, then us, or the Puppets. This is a popular ignorance indeed, somewhat better appareled in you, then the People: but a hard han dead, and stiff ignorance, worthy a Trewel, or a Hammer-man; and not only fit to be scorned, but to be triumphed over. No particular, but the general neglect, and silence. Good Ma ster Damplay, be your self still, without a second: Few here are of your opinion to day, I hope; to morrow, I am sure there will be none, when they have ruminated this. With whose borrowed ears, have you herd, Sir, all this while, that you can mistake the current of our Scene so? The stream of the Argument, threatened her being with child from the very beginning, for it presented her in the first of the second Act, with some apparent note of infirmity, or defect: from knowledge of which, the Auditory were rightly to be suspended by the Author, till the quarrel, which was but the accidental cause, hastened on the discovery of it, in occasioning her affright; which made her fallen into her throws presently, and within that compass of time allowed to the Comedy, wherein the Poet expressed his prime Artifice, rather then any error, that the detection of her being with child, should determine the quarrel, which had produced it. Even to license, and absurdity. Let your nail run smooth then, and not scratch: lest the Author be bold to pare it to the quick, and make it smart: you'll find him as see vere as your self. Like enough, nor is it in your office to be troubled or perplexed with it, but to fit still, and expect. The more your imagination busies it self, the more it is entangled, especially if (as I told, in the beginning) you happen on the wrong end. That conjecture is a kind of Figure-flinging, or throwing the Dice, for a meaning was never in the Poets purpose perhaps. Stay, and see his last Act, his Catastrophe, how he will perplex that, or spring some fresh cheat, to entertain the Spectators, with a convenient delight, till some unexpected, and new encounter break out to rectify all, and make good the Conclusion.