Stave goes out, and re-enters. Stave. The fteward hath perfuaded him to join their hands in the parlour within-but he faith he will not, and cannot in confcience, confent to expofe his character before neighbouring gentlemen; neither will he enter into your worship's hall; for he calleth it a stage pro tempare. Sir Humph. Very likely; the good man may have reafon. Juftice Stat. In troth we must in fome fort comply with the fcrupulous tender-confcienc'd Doctor. may Sir Rog. Why, what's a play without a marriage? and what's a marriage, if one fees nothing of it? Let him have his humour-but fet the doors wide open, that we fee how all goes on. [Exit Stave [Sir Roger at the door pointing. So natural! D'ye fee now, neighbours? the ring, i'faith -To have and to hold! right again-Well play'd, doctor; well play'd, fon Thomas; Come, come, I'm fatisfy'dnow for the fiddles and dances. Enter Steward, Squire Thomas, Kitty, Stave, &c. So comes a reck❜ning when the banquet's o'er, The dreadful reck'ning; and men fmile no more. I wish you joy of your play, and of your daughter. I had no way but this to repair the injury your fon had done my child-She shall study to deserve your favour. [Prefenting Kitty to Sir Roger. Sir Rog. Married! how married? Can the marriage of Filbert and Carrot have any thing to do with my fon? Stew. But the marriage of Thomas and Catherine may, Sir Roger. Sir Rog. What a plague! am I trick'd then? I must have a ftage-play, with a pox! Sir Humph. If this fpeech be in the play, remember the tankard, Sir Roger. Squire Tho. Zooks! thefe ftage-plays are plaguy dan-gerous things-but I am no fuch fool neither, but I' know this was all your contrivance. Justice Stat. Ay, Sir Roger, you told us it was you gave him the hint. that Sir Rog. Why, blockhead! puppy! had you no more E 3. wit wit than to fay the ceremony? he should only have married you in rhime, fool. Squire Tho. Why, what did I know, ha? but fo it is-and fince murder will out, as the faying is, look ye, father, I was under fome fort of a promise too, d'ye fee -fo much for that-If I be a husband, I be a husband, there's an end on't.-Sure I must have been married fome time or other. [Sir Roger walks up and down fretting, and goes out in a paffion. Sir Humph. In troth it was in fome fort my opinion before; it is good in law. Juftice Stat. Good in law, good in law-But hold, we muft not lofe the dance. A DANCE. EPILOGUE. Stave. Our ftage-play has a moral-and, no doubt, THE DRAGON OF WANTLEY, A BURLESQUE OPERA. - Br H. C A RE Y, Esq. Set to Music by MR JOHN-FREDERICK LAMPE DRAMATIS PERSON.. MEN. The Dragon, with Margery, Edinburgh, 17767 Mr Hallion. Moore of Moorehall, a valiant knight, in love? Mr Brown. Gaffar Gubbins, father to Margery, Mr. Inchbald, WOMEN.. Margery, in love with Moore, Mauxalinda, his caft-off mistress, Mrs Webb. Mrs Barre. Chorus of Nymphs and Srains. DEDICATION. TO MR JOHN-FREDERICK LAMPE. Dear JACK, whom should I dedicate this opera but to you; for whole intereft it was calculated, and at whofe requeft it was completed: Many joyous hours have we shared during its compofition, chopping and changing, looping, eking out, and coining of words, fyllables, and jingle, to display in English the beauty of nonfenfe, fa prevailing in the Italian operas. ་ This pleasure has been fince tranfmitted to the gay, the good-natured, and jocular part of mankind, who have tafted the joke and enjoyed the laugh; while the morofe, the fupercilious, and afirine, have been fairly taken in, so far as to be downright angry; they say 'tis low, very low; now (begging their worships pardon) I affirm it to be fublime, very fublime. It is a burlefque opera: And burlefque cannot be too low. Lownefs (figuratively fpeaking) is the fublimity of burlefque: If fo, this opera is, confequently, the tip-top fablime of its kind. Your mufic, on the other hand, is as grand and pompous as poffible; by which means the contraft is the ftronger, and has fucceeded accordingly. The following prediction made by my coufin Harry in the year 1726, is now, I think, amply verified in your. favour :: Call not my Lampe obfcure, because unknown;. He fhines in fecret now, to friends alone: Light him but up, let him in public blaze, He will delight not only, but amaze. Carey's Poems in 4to, p. 1155We must both confefs ourselves obliged to the perform-ers, particularly to Mr Salway and the two Mifs Youngs, not forgetting Signor Laguerrini and Mynheer Reinhold, who have given life and fpirit to our compofitions, and pleasure to the public; but, in a more fingular fenfe, we ftand indebted to Mr Rich, who received our poor difconfolate Dragon with pleasure, after it had lain feveral years dormant in the repofitory, and under the inspection, of the most wife, moft learned, and judicious, Squire What d'ye call him, mafter of Drury Lane Playhouse.. I am, your affectionate friend and fellow-ftudent, Pall Mall, Jan. 3. 1738.. ⚫ CARINI THE ARGUMENT. ANTLEY in Yorkshire, and the adjacent places, being infefted by a huge and monstrous dragon, the the inhabitants, with Margery Gubbins at their head, apply to Moore of Moorehall, a valiant knight, for relief; he falls violently in love with Margery, and for her fake undertakes the task; at which Maxalinda, a cast-off mistress of his, is fo enraged, that fhe attempts to kill Margery, but is prevented by Moore, who reconciles the contending rivals, kills the dragon, and has Margery for his reward. N. B. For farther particulars the reader is referred to the following old ballad, from whence this opera was taken. An excellent Ballad of a moft dreadful combat, fought be tween Moore of Mooreball and the Dragon of Wantley. To a pleafant tune much in request. OLD LD ftories tell how Hercules With feven heads and fourteen eyes, To fee and well difcern-a: But he had a club this dragon to drub, Or he had ne'er don't, I warrant ye; ; With a fting in his tail as long as a flail, Which made him bolder and bolder: He had long claws, and in his jaws Which did him round environ. All forts of cattle this dragon did eat, And |