f. whofe Virtue and Merits have renmder'd dear to his Country, and exceeding valuable to all honest Men. As to the Papers themselves, they come to me fo well attefted, that I have no manner of reafon to fufpect but that they are in Reality the Poftbumous Works of Mr. Samuel Butler, Author of Hudibras. Indeed I muft own I obtain'd them from feveral Perfons, but then they had all Authentick Vouchers, and were most of 'em writ in Mr. Butler's own Hand, as will appear by their Originals now in the Cuftody of the Printer. The Poem, Entitled Dunstable Downs; or, The Inchanted Cave, and the Tale of the Cobler and the Vicar of Bray, were given me by a Gentleman whofe Father was an Intimate of Mr. Butler's at the Time he was Clerk to Sir Samuel Luke. He affures me that the Facts of both were were true, and that Mr. Butler, who was then very young, writ 'em whilst he was with Sir Samuel, and when he left his Service gave his Father the Copies. The reft, except that Entitled, A Coffin for the Good Old Caufe, which is generally fuppos'd to be Sir Samuel's own, and Publifh'd juft before the Expiration of the Kump, were collected from the Papers of Sir Roger L' Eftrange, Dr. Midgley, Mr. Charles Booth, Amanuenfis to the late Duke of Buckingham, Lord Rochefter, &c. and Captain Julian the famous Satyr-monger of that Time. But, My Lord, I prefume the Papers will speak fo well in their own Vindication, that it would be too affuming in me, that am only their Editor, to offer any thing further in their Defence: I must confefs indeed that I believe the Author never intended they fhould be made Publick: Publick: But, if that be a Fault, I muft beg leave to affure Tour Lord hip, it ought not to be charged to my Account. I wifh, My Lord, I could produce as good Authority for this Prefumption, as I can for the Publication of the Papers; that I most humbly acknowledge I have no Excufe for, but to befeech Tour Lordfhip to believe I have no other View but to fhew a fmall Mark of that Duty and Gratitude I owe to Tour Illuftrious Family, and to lay hold of the first Opportunity to fignify how Ambitious I am of the Honour of being, My Lord, Your Lordship's moft Obedient Servant An and Laft VOLUME of Mr. A Appeal not allow'd in fome Cafes, Pag. 55 Afhley, the first of the prick-ear'd Race,208 Butcher's Requeft, B Buzzard prov'd to be no Fowl, Betterton, the Player, 7 67 92 Curfe laid on them that marry, 132 Charles Stuart, D Cobler's Name odd among a Lift of Martyrs,169 Dun, a memorable Thief, D'Urfey, noted for Songs and Madrigals, 113 199 2 Horns put on a King's Head, Pag. 190 202 205 I 22 135 H 76 Holy Cheat, Hindmarsh, a Bookfeller, Husband next Relation to a Fool, How, the unpity'd Object of his Wife Hudibras's Elegy, 114 120 120 178 231 Hudibras's Epitaph, King's Reply to the Knight's Interpretation, ib. Knight and Squire purge both ways, |