IR JOHN SUCKLING was the fon of fir John Suckling of Witham in Middlefex, comptroller to king Charles the first. He was born in 1613, and had so remarkable an ease in learning languages, that he is faid to have spoke Latin at five years old, and to have wrote it at nine. Mufick and Poetry were afterwards his favourite ftudies ; he was a general scholar, but rather a polite than a deep one. After his travels, he was cenfur'd by the gravity of that age, as having brought home too much of the light French air, but it was rather a natural freedom and gaiety than acquir'd, and proceeded from the great fprightliners and vivacity of his temper. In his travels he made a campaign under the Great Guftavus Adolphus, and in fix months time was in three battles and five fieges. He was allowed to be one of the finest gentlemen in England, having the peculiar quality of making whatever he did become him. He was fo loyal to his mafter, as to be at the expence of . 1200 in raifing a troop of horse against the Scots. He died on the 7th of May, 1641, in the 28th year of his age, univerfally lamented, having gained the love and efteem of all who converfed with him.

His works are printed in one small volume, confifting of "Poems and letters on feveral occafions ;" " Aglaura, a "tragi-comedy;" "The Sad One, a tragedy" unfinish'd; and The tragedy of Brenoralt," which was firft printed under the title of "The Difcontented Colonel," and was wrote about the time of the Scotch rebellion in 1639, as appears from the continual fatire on rebels, under the name of Lithuanians.

PROLOGUE.

WIT in a prologue, poets juftly may
Stile a new impofition on a play.

When Shakespear, Beaumont, Fletcher rul'd the stage,
There fcarce were ten good palates in the age;
More curious cooks than guests; for men would eat
Moft heartily of any kind of meat ;

And then what ftrange variety! each play

A feaft for Epicures! and that, each day.
But mark how oddly it is come about,
And how unluckily it now falls out:

The palates are grown high, number increas'd,

And there wants that which should make up the feaft;
And yet y'are fo unconscionable, you'd have

For footh of late, that which they never gave ;

Banquets before, and after.

Now pox on him that firft good prologue writ,
He left a kind of rent-charge upon wit;
Which if fucceeding poets fail to pay,

They forfeit all their worth; and that's their play:
Y'ave ladies humours, and y'are grown to that,
You will not like the man, 'lefs boots and hat *
Be right; no play, unless the prologue be
And ep'logue writ to curiofity.

Well (genteels) 'tis the grievance of the place,
And pray confider't, for here's just the cafe ;
The richness of the ground is gone and spent,
Men's brains grow barren, and you raife the rent.

lefs boots and bat.] From the following paffage in Fabian Philipps's Antiquity, Legality, Reafon, Duty, and Neceffity of Pre-emption, and Pourveyance for the King. 4to. 1663. p. 384, we learn how univerfally the fashion of wearing boots once prevailed in England.

66

" Boots

are not fo frequently worn as they were in the latter end of king "James his Raign (when the Spanish embassador, the Conde of Gondomar, could pleafantly relate, when he went home into Spain, that all "the citizens of London were booted, and ready, as he thought, to go "out of town) and that for many years fince all the men of the nation,

as low as the plowmen and meaneft artizans, which walked in their boots, are now with the fashion returned again, as formerly, to fhooes and stockings,

DRAMA.

DRAMATIS PERSONE.

PRINCE, in love with Sabrina.

ORSABRIN, brother to the Prince, yet unknown.
SAMORAT, belov'd of Sabrina.

PHILATEL,

TORCULAR, {Brothers to Sabrina.

NASSURAT, Cavaliers, friends to Samorat.

PELLEGRIN,

TAMOREN, king of the thieves, disguised in devil's habit.
PERIDOR, ambitious of Reginella, difguifed in devil's habit:
STRAMADOR, a courtier, fervant to the prince.
ARDELLAN, formerly Servants to Orsabrin's father.

PIRAMONT,

PHONTREL, Servant to Philatel.

SABRINA, belov'd by Samorat.
REGINELLA, in love with Orfabrin.
PHEMILIA, Sabrina's maid.

Captain and Soldiers.

Two Judges.

Two Lawyers.

Two Serjeants.

Gaoler.

Conflable.

Taylor.

Two Drawers.

Fidlers.

Clowns and Wenches.

Thieves difguifed in devils habits, living under ground by

Guard. Attendants.

the woods.

The Scene FRANCELIA

THE

GOBLIN S.

ACT I.

SCENE I.

Enter as to a duel, Samorat, Philatel, Torcular

BUT, my lords,

Samorat.

May not this harsh business yet be left undone?

Must you hate me, because I love your sister ?

And can you hate at no less rate than death?

No, at no lefs:

Philatel.

Thou art the blafter of our fortunes;

The envious cloud that darkens all our day.
While the thus prodigally and fondly throws away
Her love on thee, fhe has not wherewithal

To pay a debt unto the prince.

Samorat.

Is this all?

Torcular.

Torcular.

Faith, what if in short, we do not think you Worthy of her?

Samorat.

I fwear that fhall not make a quarrel.

I think fo too: have urg'd it often to myself:
Against myself have fworn't as oft to her,
Pray, let this fatisfy.

Philatel.

Sure, Torcular, he thinks we come to talk.
Look you, fir [Draws.] And, brother, fince his friend
Has fail'd him, do you retire.

Excufe me Philatel,

Torcular,

I have an equal intereft in this,
And fortune fhall decide it.

Philatel.

It will not need; he's come.

Enter Orfabrin.

Orfabrin.

Mercury protect me! what are these?

The brothers of the highway!

Philatel.

And by his looks a gentleman.

Sir, will you make one? We want a fourth.

Orfabrin.

I fhall be robb'd with a trick now!

Samorat.

My lords, excufe me; this is not civil, In what concerns myself, none but myself Muft fuffer.

A duel, by this light!

Orfabrin.

Now has his modefty, and t'other's forwardness

Warm'd