LE

NEW YORK

PROLOGUE,

Y

Spoken by a Shabby Poet.

E Gods! what Crime had my poor Father done,
That you should make a Poet of his Son?

Or is't for fome great Services of his,

Y'are pleas'd to compliment his Boy

with this?

[Shewing his Crown of Laurel,

The Honour, I muft needs confefs, is great,

If, with his Crown, you'd tell him where to eat.
Tis well-But I have more Complaints—look here!

[Shewing his ragged Coat.

Hark ye;
·D'ye think this Suit good Winter Wear?
In a cold Morning; whu- -at a Lord's Gate,
How you have let the Porter let me wait!
You'll fay, perhaps, you knew I'd get no harm,
You'd given me Fire enough to keep me warm.
Ab-

A World of Blefings to that Fire we owe;
Without it I'd ne'er made this Princely Show.
I have a Brother too, now in my fight,

[Looking behind the Scenes. A bufy Man among ft us here to-night:

Your Fire has made him play a thousand Pranks,
For which, no doubt, you've had his daily Thanks ;
He'as thank'd you, firft, for all his decent Plays,
Where he jo nick'a it, when he writ for Praife.
Next for his meddling with fame Folks in black,
And bringing
Soufe- -a Prieft upon
bis Back;
For building Houfes here t'oblige the Peers,
And fetching all their Houfe about his Ears;
For a new Play, he'as now thought fit to write,
To footh the Town which they

will damn to-night.

Thefe Benefits are fuch, no Man can doubt

But he'll go on, and jet your Fancy out,
A 3

Till

Till for Reward of all his noble Deeds,
At laft, like other jprightly Folks, he Speeds:
Has this great Recompence fix'd on his Brow
As fam'd Parnaffus; has your leave to bow
And walk about the Streets-Equipp'd-

— as I am now.

Dramatis Perfonæ.

Gripe,
Moneytrap,

MEN.

Two rich Money-Scri- 5 Mr. Leigh.

veners.

Dick, a Gamefter, Son to Mrs. Amlet. Mr. Booth.

Brafs, his Companion, paffes for his

Valet de Chambre.

Clip, a Goldsmith.

Jamin, Foot-boy to Clariffa.

Mr. Dogget.

} Mr. Pack.

Mr. Mimes.

WOME N.

Clarifa, Wife to Gripe, an expen

five luxurious Woman, a great Mrs. Barry. Admirer of Quality.

Araminta, Wife to Moneytrap, very

intimate with Clariffa, of the fame Mrs. Porter. Humour.

Corinna, Daughter to Gripe by a former Wife, a good Fortune, young, and kept very close by her Father. Flippanta, Clariffa's Maid.

Mrs. Setor of Sorts of }

private Affairs to the Ladies. Mrs. Cloggit, her Neighbour.

Mrs. Bradshaw.

Mrs. Bracegirdle.

Mrs. Willis,

Mrs. Baker.

THE