Selected quad for the lemma: majesty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
majesty_n	act_v	servant_n	theatre_n	2,674	5	12.8313	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55542	The imposture defeated, or, A trick to cheat the devil a comedy, as it was acted by His Majesties servants, at the Theatre in Drury-lane.	Powell, George, 1658?-1714.	1698 (1698)	Wing P3051; ESTC R23302	34,396	57

THE Imposture Defeated OR A Trick to Cheat the DEVIL A COMEDY As it was Acted by His MAJESTIES Servants AT THE THEATRE in Drury-lane LONDON Printed for Richard Wellington at the Lute in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCXCVIII ADVERTISEMENT ☞ There is newly published A new and easie Method to understand the Roman History With an Exact Chronology of the Reigns of the Emperors an Account of the most Eminent Anthors when they flourish'd and an Abridgment of the Roman Antiquities and Customs By way of Dialogue for the use of the Duke of Burgundy Done out of French with very Large Additions and Amendments by Tho. Brown Very use●ul and proper to be red in Schools The Innocent Mistress Next Week will be published a New Play called the Vnnatural Mother TO THE READER AS this triffle of a Comedy was only a slight piece of Scribble purely design'd for the Introduction of a little Musick being no more than a short weeks work to serve the wants of a thin Playhouse and Long Vacation under those little circumstances it needs no Apology for either the Plot or the Writing part of it It neither sets up for a Play nor the Author for a Poet Such as it is it has served a present Exigence and so gain'd the Point I have no Appeal therefore to the Mercy either of the Auditors or the Reader 'T is true I thrust it into the World for 't is the fashion to be in Print A Play that sees not three Days however shall meet with some kind Bookseller that in spight of the Paper Tax shall take the naked thing into Mercy and this hasty Brat is however a little longer liv'd had the Honour of keeping the Stage for five Days Reign and is not yet under the Fear of Abdication Yet as indifferent as I am to the merit of the Comedy and my Reader I suppose as indifferent it has one Capital Argument lyes against it for I stand impeacht at least the Publick Cry is loud upon that Subject that I have stolen a Character from a Comedy of Mrs. P t' s being the Humour of Bondi the pretended blind Man I would not willingly be thought so poor a Plagiary and am far from being guilty of this accusation For in the first place I had that hint from a Novel and that Play of her's that has such a Character I declare I never Read 'T is true such a one she brought into the House and made me a Solicitor to the Company to get it Acted which when I had obtain'd she very mannerly carry'd the Play to the other House and had I really taken the Character from her I had done her no more than a piece of Justice PROLOGUE Spoken by Mr. POWELL TO this poor Treat these Honour'd Guests t'i●vite I come my own Embassador to Night To tell the truth your Bill of Fare is small It is a little Humble Comedy that 's all For standard Sense mine is too course Allay Alas that Talent does not lie my way But though this Play in Wit be not so strong 'Thas that will do as well it trouls along With a whole train of Fiddles Dance and Song And tho to other heights my Pen can't rise What the Dish wants the Garna●ure supplies Then Gentlemen be kind for once at least And take the running Banquet for a Feast Besides ill nature now 's quite out of door The Bloody Flag shou'd now hang out no more Criticks their whole Hostilities shou'd cease 'T were hard to exclude the Stage out of the Peace But if your spight will needs my Fate decree And my poor Comedy and I both damn'd must be I shall not Cheat the Devil he 'll cheat me EPILOGUE Spoke by Mr. Mills ascending from under the Stage THis Scribbling Fop has given me no small trouble To think how he has made the Devil a bubble To be thus Cheated is some pain t is true But I 'm afraid to give the Devil his due He end his Devil both has cheated you Ay That 's all Hell indeed for if you are shamm'd We 're e'en in a fair way of being damn'd But ben't so cruel for this once for bear Your Damning hands and a poor sinner spare Besides consider for some small excuse To this poor-Off-spring of his starvling Muse It wanted Wine and Wit for Inspiration Being the Lean Brat of a poor long Vacation Let him for my sake some small Mercy find Yes Critick's my dear Brothers pray be kind Strain a small point of courtesie ay do And in my turn I 'll be as kind to you You 'll find the old black Gentleman so Civil You 'll fear no Sprights but the white charming Devil Drammatis Personae Duke of Venice Mr. Thomas Hernando Mr. Powell Gusman Senior Mr. Ben. Iohnson Gusman Iunior Mr. Evans Pedro Mr. Pinkethman Artan Mr. Mills Alonza Mr. Horden Bonde Mr. Cibber Delay Mr. Smeaton Peter Mr. Smith Senator Mr. Rogers WOMEN Marcella Mrs. Temple Serena Mrs. Andrews Lucy Mrs. Powel ACT. I. The Scene a very Pleasant Valley Enter Hernando and Pedro. Hernando A Very Pleasant place this Pedro. Ped. Ay Sir and a very Pleasant Journey you are undertaking never a Penny of Money in your Pocket and Heav'n knows how far you have to Travel Her Nay the Truth is I am like a single Man set a float in the bare hulk of a Vessel and have no other Pilot than Providence to Guide me Ped. 'T is a hopeful Condition indeed you have brought your self to a Plague of the Dice I say here have you cast away 500 l. a Year only for the foolish diversion of shaking your Elbow and putting your self out of Humour every Night Her What the Devil shall I do now Pedro Ped. Do hang your self For you have made Venice too hot to hold you I never knew you rise in a morning of late but your Levy was more crowded with Dunns than a rising Favourite's with Solicitors for Preferment Her I would very fain know now what Course I wou'd not undertake to Live by Robbing is quite out of Fashion for those that are worthy Money now travel with so little that the Imployment of a Thief here brings as small Gains as that of a Clipper does in England Artan a Spirit rises in the Habit of a Scholar Art Good Morrow Sir Her The like to you Sir What a Pox did he come here Invisible I 'm sure two minutes ago I saw no body within two Miles of me Ped. 'T is a Sign he 's no Creditor Sir If he were you wou'd have spy'd him sooner Art Pray Sir which way do you Travel Her To the Devil for ought I know Ped. Ay Sir If you 'l be pleas'd to bear his Charges he 's in the right road he needs no Guide Sir Her No Faith I 'm in as Direct a way as I cou'd wish for I have Poverty and Dispair to lead me to his Worship and in my Opinion they are as sufficient Guides as any man can desire Art Are