THE INDVCTION; or, CHORUS. Boy Two Gentlemen entring upon the Stage. A Boy of the house, meets them. oy. What doe you lack, Gentlemen? what is't you lack ? any fine Phansies, Figures, Humors, Characters, Idaeas, Definitions of Lords, and Ladies? Waitingwomen, Parasites, Knights, Captaines, Courtiers, Lawyers? what do you lack? Pro. A pretty prompt Boy for the Poëtique Shop. Dam. And a bold! where's one o' your Masters, Sirrah, the Poet? Boy. Which of 'hem? Which of 'hem? Sir wee have divers that drive that trade, now: Poëts, Poet'accios, Poetasters, Poetito's 10 Dam. And all Haberdashers of fmall wit, I prefume: wee would speake with the Poët o' the day, Boy. Boy. Sir, hee is not here. But, I have the dominion of the Shop, for this time, under him, and can shew you 15 all the variety the Stage will afford for the present. Pro. Therein you will expresse your owne good parts, Boy. Two them.] The Stage. Enter Master Probee and Master Damplay, met by a Boy of the house. G 20 Dam. And tye us two, to you, for the gentle office. Pro. Wee are a paire of publique persons (this Gentleman, and my selfe) that are sent, thus coupled unto you upon state-bulines. Boy. It concernes but the state of the Stage I hope! Dam. O, you shall know that by degrees, Boy. No 25 man leaps into a busines of state, without fourding first the state of the bufines. 30 Pro. Wee are sent unto you, indeed from the people. Dam. The Venison side, if you know it, Boy. Boy. That's the left fide. I had rather they had beene the right. Pro. So they are. Not the Faces, or grounds of your people, that fit in the oblique caves and wedges of your house, your finfull fixe-penny Mechanicks— 35 Dam. But the better, and braver fort of your people! Plush and Velvet-outsides! that stick your house round like so many eminences 40 Boy. Of clothes, not understandings? They are at pawne. Well, I take these as a part of your people though; what bring you to me from these people ? Dam. You have heard, Boy, the ancient Poëts had it in their purpose, still to please this people. Pro. I, their chiefe aime was— Dam. Populo ut placerent: (if hee understands so 45 much.) Boy. Quas feciflent fabulas.) I understand that, fin' I learn'd Terence, i' the third forme at Westminster : go on Sir. Pro. Now, these people have imployed us to you, in 50 all their names, to intreat an excellent Play from you. Dam. For they have had very meane ones, from this shop of late, the Stage as you call it. Boy. Troth, Gentlemen, I have no wares, which I J dare thrust upon the people with praise. But this, such as it is, I will venter with your people, your gay gallant 55 people so as you, againe, will undertake for them, that they shall know a good Play when they heare it; and will have the conscience, and ingenuity befide, to confesse it. Prob. Wee'll passe our words for that: you shall have a brace of us to ingage our selves. Boy. You'l tender your names, Gentlemen, to our booke then? Dam. Yes, here's Mr. Probee; A man of most powerfull speech, and parts to perswade. 60 Pro. And Mr. Damplay, will make good all he under- 65 takes. Boy. Good Mг. Probee, and Mr. Damplay! I like your fecurities: whence doe you write your selves? Pro. Of London, Gentlemen: but Knights brothers, and Knights friends, I affure you. Dam. And Knights fellow's too. Every Poët writes Squire now. Boy. You are good names! very good men, both of you! I accept you. 70 Dam. And what is the Title of your Play, here? 75 The Magnetick Lady? Boy. Yes, Sir, an attractive title the Author has given it. Pro. A Magnete, I warrant you. Dam. O, no, from Magnus, Magna, Magnum. Boy. This Gentleman, hath found the true magnitude Dam. Of his portall, or entry to the worke, according to Vitruvius. 80 Boy. Sir all our worke is done without a Portall—or 85 Vitruvius. In Foro, as a true Comedy should bee. And what is conceald within, is brought out, and made present by report. B Dam. Wee see not that alwayes obferv'd, by your 90 Authors of these times or scarce any other. Boy. Where it is not at all knowne, how should it be obferv'd? The most of those your people call Authors, never dreamt of any Decorum, or what was proper in the Scene; but grope at it, i' the darke, and feele, or fumble 95 for it; I fpeake it, both with their leave, and the leave o' your people. Dam. But, why Humors reconcil'd? I would faine know? Boy. I can satisfie you there, too: if you will. But, 100 perhaps you defire not to be satisfied. anon. Dam. No? why should you conceive so, Boy? Boy. My conceit is not ripe, yet: Ile tell you that The Author, beginning his ftudies of this kind, with every man in his Humour; and after, every man out 105 of his Humour; and since, continuing in all his Playes, especially those of the Comick thred, whereof the New-Inne was the last, some recent humours still, or manners of men, that went along with the times, finding himselfe now neare the close, or shutting up of his Circle, hath phant'sied 110 to himselfe, in Idea, this Magnetick Miftris. A Lady a brave bountifull House-keeper, and a vertuous Widow: who having a young Neice, ripe for a man and marriageable, hee makes that his Center attractive, to draw thither a diversity of Guests, all persons of different 115 humours to make up his Perimiter. And this he hath call'd Humors reconcil'd. Pro. A bold undertaking! and farre greater, then the reconciliation of both Churches, the quarrell betweene humours having beene much the ancienter, and, 120 in my poore opinion, the root of all Schifme, and Faction, both in Church and Common-wealth. Boy. Such is the opinion of many wife men, that meet at this shop still; but how hee will speed in it, wee cannot |