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DRAMATIS PERSONE.

With some short Characterism of the chief Actors.

GOODSTOCK,

the host, (play'd well,) alias the lord FRAMPUL. He pretends to be a gentleman and a scholar, neglected by the times, turns host, and keeps an inn, the sign of the Light-Heart in Barnet: is supposed to have one only son, but is found to have none, but two daughters, Frances and Lætitia, who was lost young, &c.

LOVEL,

a complete gentleman, a soldier and a scholar, is a melancholy guest in the Inn: first quarrell'd, after much honoured and beloved by the host. He is known to have been page to the old lord Beaufort, follow'd him in the French wars, after a companion of his studies, and left guardian to his son. He is assisted in his love to the lady Frampul, by the host and the chambermaid Prudence. He was one that acted well too.

FERRET,

who is called STOTE and VERMIN, is Lovel's servant, a fellow of a quick, nimble wit, knows the manners and affections of people, and can make profitable and timely discoveries of them.

FRANK,

supposed a boy, and the host's son, borrowed to be drest for a lady, and set up as a stale by Prudence, to catch Beaufort or Latimer, proves to be Lætitia, sister to Frances, and lord Frampul's younger daughter, stolen by a beggar-woman, shorn, put into boy's apparel, sold to the host, and brought up by him as his son.

Nurse,

a poor chare-woman in the Inn, with one eye, that tends the boy, is thought the Irish beggar that sold him, but is truly the lady Frampul, who left her home melancholic, and jealous that her lord loved her not, because she brought him none but daughters; and lives unknown to her husband, as he to her.

FRANCES,

supposed the lady Frampul, being reputed his sole daughter and heir, the barony descending upon her, is a lady of great fortune, and beauty, but phantastical: thinks nothing a felicity, but to have a multitude of servants, and be call'd mistress by them, comes to the Inn to be merry, with a chambermaid only, and her servants her guests, &c.

PRUDENCE,

the chambermaid, is elected sovereign of the sports in the Inn, governs all, commands, and so orders, as the lord Latimer is exceedingly taken with her, and takes her to his wife, in conclusion.

Lord LATIMER and Lord BEAUFORT,

are a pair of young lords, servants and guests to the lady Frampul; but as Latimer falls enamour'd of Prudence, so doth Beaufort on the boy, the host's son, set up for Lætitia, the younger sister, which she proves to be indeed.

Sir GLORIOUS TIPTO,

a knight, and colonel, hath the luck to think well of himself, without a rival, talks gloriously of any thing, but very seldom is in the right. He is the lady's guest, and her servant too; but this day utterly neglects his service, or that him. For he is so enamour'd on the Fly of the Inn, and the militia below stairs, with Hodge Huffle and Bat Burst, guests that come in, and Trundle, Barnaby, &c., as no other society relisheth with him.

FLY,

is the parasite of the Inn, visitor general of the house, one that had been a strolling gypsy, but now is reclaim'd, to be inflamer of the reckonings.

PIERCE,

the drawer, knighted by the colonel, styled sir Pierce, and young Anon, one of the chief of the infantry.

JORDAN,

the chamberlain, another of the militia, and an officer, commands the tertia of the beds.

JUG, the tapster, a thoroughfare of news.

PECK, the hostler.

BAT BURST, a broken citizen, an in-and-in man.

6 An in-and-in man.] In-and-in was a game played by two or three persons, with four dice: it was the usual diversion at ordinaries, and places of the like resort. WHAL.

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THE PROLOGUE.

OU are welcome, welcome all to the New Inn: Though the old house, we hope our cheer will win

Your acceptation: we have the same cook
Still, and the fat, who says, you shall not look
Long for your bill of fare, but every dish
Be serv'd in i the time, and to your wish:
If any thing be set to a wrong taste,

'Tis not the meat there, but the mouth's displaced,
Remove but that sick palate, all is well.
For this the secure dresser bade me tell,
Nothing more hurts just meetings, than a crowd;
Or, when the expectation's grown too loud:
That the nice stomach would have this or that,
And being ask'd, or urged, it knows not what:
When sharp or sweet, have been too much a feast,
And both outlived the palate of the guest.
Beware to bring such appetites to the stage,
They do confess a weak, sick, queasy age;
And a shrewd grudging too of ignorance,
When clothes and faces 'bove the men advance :
Hear for your health, then, but at any hand,
Before you judge, vouchsafe to understand,
Concoct, digest: if then, it do not hit,
Some are in a consumption of wit,

Deep, he dares say, he will not think, that all-
For hectics are not epidemical.

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AM not pleased, indeed, you are in the right;

Nor is my house pleased, if my sign could speak,

The sign of the LIGHT HEART. There you may read it;

So may your master too, if he look on it.

A heart weigh'd with a feather, and outweigh'd too :
A brain-child of my own, and I am proud on't!
And if his worship think, here, to be melancholy,
In spite of me or my wit, he is deceived;
I will maintain the rebus against all humours,
And all complexions in the body of man,
That is my word, or in the isle of Britain!
Fer. You have reason, good mine host.
Host. Sir, I have rhyme too.

Whether it be by chance or art,
A heavy purse makes a light heart.

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