The Persons NAMES.

MEN.

WOMEN.

[Servant], [Sorceress], [Dido], [Belinda], [Woman 2], [Aeneas], [Spirit], [Friend 1], [Friend 2], [Witches], [Maid], [Messenger], [Nereid 1], [Nereid 2], [Phoebus], [Venus], [Chorus], [Shepherd], [Eccho], [Shepherdess], [Shepherds], [Mars], [Peace]

The Duke of Savoy [Vincentio]	Mr. Arnold.
Angelo his Deputy Privately Marry'd to Mariana.	Mr. Betterton.
Escalus. Chief Minister under Angelo	Mr. Berry.
Claudio, A Young Nobleman, of an Ancient Family, but Decay'd Fortune; one that Behav'd himself well in the War, privately Marry'd to Julietta.	Mr. Verbrugen.
Lucio, a Courtier.	Mr. Baile.
Balthaza [Balthasar], a Courtier.	Mr. Pack.
Fryer Thomas.
Provost,	Mr. Freeman.
Isabella, Sister to Claudio, a Young Votary, design'd, for want of Fortune, to a Nunnery.	Mrs. Bracegirdle.
Julietta [Juliet], A Lady of Considerable Fortune; but left in the hands of a Covetous Uncle, who is a Hypocrite, and will give Consent to none, that he may not part with it,	Mrs. Bowman.
Mariana A Lady of no Fortune, secretly Marry'd to Angelo,	Mrs. Prince.

SCENE Turin.

To Nicholas Battersby, of the Inner-Temple, Esq;

SIR,

I will not so far Rail at my own Practice, as to Exclaim against Epistles of this Nature, to People of the First Quality, from Persons below 'em: However, I think, 'tis much more Reasonable, to Express our Gratitude to a private Friend in the best manner we can; than Court one, to be so, who values neither the Man, nor his Dedication, farther, than it Flatters his Vanity. The Author is not allways Guiltless of this Weakness; To shew that he is Acquainted with a Man of Note and Dignity, he shall Confess Favours he never Receiv'd; and, more often Petition for 'em, than he shall ever Succeed. 'Tis Pity, indeed, Men of Generous Education and Sentiments, shou'd be Expos'd to such Mean Things, as to have an Occasion to Complain, that there are in England (the Noblest Nation of Europe) a People, Wearing all the Marks of Grandeur and Magnificence, whose Souls wou'd, much better, Agree with the Good Husbandry of Amsterdam and Geneva. A People, Professing a Value for the Muses, and such as Belong to 'em; while, in the Little Care they take, to Incourage their Studies, we Discover their Concern for the Sisters and their Sons Consists in nothing more, than Promoting their Interest, and Humouring their own Conceit of Inspiration. Praise is ever Wellcome when it Costs Nothing: and if a Good Word, or a Fair Promise, will Engage a VVriter to Speak Well of one that wants it, the Bargain is Cheap enough, when it can be so easily Purchas'd. Tho' a Little VVarmer Assistance, wou'd, sometimes he necessary: Yet this is the Entertainment we have Generally found. And since the Patrons are of such Miserable Dispositions, I see no reason why we shou'd not Prefer the Friends we Converse with, and who are fond of Serving us, before such as Treat us, like their Domesticks, in every thing but Promoting us.

Experience tells me, there are many, whose Names are not so often repeated, nor their Liveries so much seen, who Deserve as well to be Remembred, as those who Affect to be Popular, only by having it in their Power to do Good, tho' it is never in their Natures. A Free, Easie Conversation, a Pleasant Temper, and a Readiness to Oblige a Friend, in Every Thing that a Man is able; are Qualities, which will Eternally Render such a one Happy Himself, and all those Happy who know him.

That you Possess these, every body, of your Acquaintance, must Confess; tho' no Man has had more Temptation than you to Accuse his Stars, and consequently to be allwayes out of Humour, and Help to make your Friends as uneasie as Himself; as I have known some Persons, with whom the VVorld, being with Justice disgusted, endeavour to make those they Converse with, as wretched as themselves, in their perpetual Spleen and Vexation. The Persecution of a Father is sufficient to give a Man an Ill Opinion of Mankind in General; but, as yours is no more your Relation, than the Law of Nations has made him, you have Learn't to Treat him with the same Indifference his Ill Practices have acquir'd from the rest of the VVorld. A Man must have a great deal of Good Nature, that can stand out against the Injustice and Oppression of those, who, in Duty, are bound to Protect him. But there are some Men, so Awkard in their VVicked Actions, that they make themselves Ridiculous, when they aim at being Dreadful; and, like the Person you deal with, provoke Pity rather than Terror. Folly being generally its own punishment: and those that aim at Ruining another, seldom fail of destroying themselves. I would not say so much of this in so open a place, but that I believe there are many Labouring under the same Inconvenience, who have not heart to Disingage themselves so well as you, from the Troubles of a Marry'd Life and a Family; and, to appear as Gay, in the midst of Disappointments, as if you were the Master of your Vows and Fortune. I beg you to accept this Present, as a Hearty Return for the many Civilities I have Receiv'd from you: and, since 'tis much more Shakespears than Mine to make it a part of your Diversion, in the Long Retirement of a Vacation.

I am, Sir,
Your Humble Servant.

THE PROLOGUE, By Mr. OLDMIXON. Spoken by Mr. Betterton.

To please this Winter, we all Meanes have us'd;
Old Playes have been Reviv'd, and New Produc'd.
But you, it seems, by Us, wou'd not be Serv'd;
And others Thrive, while we were almost Starv'd.
Our House you daily shun'd, yet Theirs you Cram'd,
And Flock'd to see the very Plays you Damn'd.
In vain you Prais'd our Action, and our Wit;
The best Applause is in a Crowded Pit.
In vain you said, you did their Farce despise;
Wit won the Bays, but Farce the Golden Prize.
But that next Year, we may with them, be ev'n,
We these Instructions to our Bards have giv'n.
First bid Defyance to all Sense and Rules;
We Live not by the Criticks, but the Fools.
Let Noise for Wit, and VVhim for Humour pass,
And rise an Actor from some New Grimace.
No more let Labour'd Scenes, with Pain, be VVrought,
VVhat least is wanting in a Play, is Thought.
Let neither Dance, nor Musick be forgot,
Nor Scenes, no matter for the Sense, or Plot.
Such things we own in Shakespears days might do;
But then his Audience did not Judge like you.
Good Sense was well receiv'd from Honest Ben;
VVhile none wou'd suffer Flecknoes Irish Pen.
Yet, in his Son, Sleeping Monarch Reigns,
And dreadful VVar, with VVit and Sense, Maintains.
Study the Smithfield-Bards, and him, with care;
Like those VVrite Non-sense, and, like these, you'll fare.
By this you may, the Towns Resentment sooth;
Or, you must Starve, and we shut up our Booth. [Going, Comes Back:

  Hold; I forgot the Business of the Day;
  No more than this, VVe, for our Selves, need Say,
  'Tis Purcels Musick, and 'tis Shakespears Play.

The Epilogue. Shakespeares GHOST, Spoken by Mr. Verbruggen, By the Same.
Enough 'your Cruelty Alive I knew;
And must I Dead be Persecuted too?
Injur'd so much of late upon the Stage,
My Ghost can bear no more; but comes to Rage.
My Plays, by Scriblers, Mangl'd I have seen;
By Lifeless Actors Murder'd on the Scene.
Fat Falstaff here, with Pleasure, I beheld,
Toss off his Bottle, and his Truncheon weild:
Such as I meant him, such the Knight appear'd;
He Bragg'd like Falstaff, and, like Falstaff, fear'd.
But when, on yonder Stage, the Knave was shewn
Ev'n by my Self, the Picture scarce was known.
Themselves, and not the Man I drew, they Play'd;
And Five Dull Sots, of One poor Coxcomb, made.
Hell! that on you such Tricks as these shou'd pass,
Or I be made the Burden of an Ass!
Oh! if Machbeth, or Hamlet ever pleas'd,
Or Desdemona e'r your Passions rais'd;
If Brutus, or the Bleeding Cæsar e'r
Inspir'd your Pity, or provok'd your Fear,
Let me no more endure such Mighty VVrongs,
By Scriblers Folly, or by Actors Lungs.
So, late may Betterton forsake the Stage,
And long may Barry Live to Charm the Age.
May a New Otway Rise, and Learn to Move
The Men with Terror, and the Fair with Love!
Again, may Congreve, try the Commic Strain;
And Wycherly Revive his Ancient Vein:
Else may your Pleasure prove your greatest Curse;
And those who now Write dully, still Write worse.

Measure for Measure, &c.

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