fingly perfwades the Lady Jane to take the Crown. From that I borrow'd all that I could, and inferted it in my own Third Act. But indeed the Manner and Turn of his Fable was fo different from mine, that I could not take above five and twenty or thirty Lines at the moft; and even in those I was oblig'd to make fome Alteration. I should have been very glad to have come into a Partnership of Reputation with fo fine a Writer as Mr Smith was; but intruth his Hints were fofbort and dark (many of them mark'd ev'n in Short-hand) that they were of little Ufe or Service to me. They might have ferv'd as Indexes to his own Memory, and he might have form'd a Play out of em'; but I dare fay, no Body else could. In one Part of his Defign he feem'd to differ from Mr. Banks, whofe Tale he generally defign'd to follow: fince I obferv'd in many of those sport. Sketches of Scenes, he had introduc'd Queen Mary. Ho feem'd to intend her Character Pitiful and inclining to Mercy, but urg'd on to Cruelty by the Rage and bloody Difpofitions of Bonner and Gardiner. This Hint I had likewife taken from the late Bishop of Salisbury's Hiftory of the Reformation; who lays, and I believe very justly, the horrible Cruelties that were atted at that Time, rather to the charge of that perfecuting Spirit by which the Clergy were then animated,than to the Queen's own Natural Difpofition.

Many People believ'd, or at least faid, that Mr. Smith left a Play very near entire behind him. All that I am forry for, is, that it was not fo

in fact; I should have made no fcruple of taking three, four, or even the whole five Acts from him; but then I hope I should have had the Honefty to let the World know they were his, and not take another Man's Reputation to my Self.

This is what Ithought necessary to say, as well on my own Account, as in Regard to the Memory of my Friend.

For the Play, fuch as it is, I leave it to profper as it can, I have refolv'd never to trouble the World with any Publick Apologies for my Writings of this kind, as much as I have been provok'd to it. I shall turn this my youngest Child out into the World, with no other Provifion than a Saying which I remember to have feen before one of Mrs. Behn's:

Va! mon Enfant prend ta Fortune.

PRO

Spoken by Mr. BOOTH.

To-night the Noblest Subject swell's our Scenes,

A Heroine, a Martyr, and a Queen.

And tho' the Poet dares not boaft his Art,.

The very Theme shall something Great impart,

To warm the generous Soul, and touch the tender Heart.
To you, Fair Judges, we the Caufe fubmit;
Tour Eyes fhall tell us how the Tale is writ.
If your foft Pity waits upon our Woe,
If filent Tears for fuff ring Virtue flow;
Tour Grief the Mufe's Labour shall confess,
The lively Paffions, and the juft Diftrefs.
Ob! cou'd our Author's Pencil justly paint,
Such as he was in Life, the Beauteous Saint;
Boldly your strict Attention might we claim,
And bid you mark, and copy out the Dame.
No wandring Glance one wanton Thought confefs'd,
No guilty Wish inflam'd her spotless Breaft:
The only Love that warm'd her blooming Youth,
Was Husband, England, Liberty, and Truth.
For thefe fhe fell; while, with too weak a Hand,
She strove to fave a blind ungrateful Land.

But thus the fecret Laws of Fate ordain;
WILLIAM's Great Hand was doom'd to break that Chain,
And end the Hopes of Rome's Tyrannick Reign,

For ever, as the circling Tears return,
Te grateful Britons! crown the Hero's Urn.
To bis just Care you ev'ry Blessing owe,
Which, or his own, or following Reigns beftow.
Tho' his hard Fate a Father's Name deny'd ;
To you a Father, he that Lofs fupply'd.

}

Then

Then while you view the Royal Lines increase,
And count the Pledges of your future Peace;
From this great Stock while ftill new Glories come,
Conqueft abroad, and Liberty at home;
While you bebold the Beautiful and Brave,
Bright Princeffes to grace you, Kings to fave,
Enjoy the Gift, but blefs the Hand that gave.

Dramatis Perfonæ.

Lords of the Council, Gentlemen, Guards,

Woman, and Attendants.

THE

THE

TRAGEDY

OF THE

Lady JANE GRAY.

ACT. I. SCENE I.

SCENE, The Court.

Enter the Duke of Northumberland, Duke of Suffolk, and Sir John Gates.

T

NORTHUMB.

IS all in vain; Heaven has requir'd

its Pledge,

And he muft die.

Suff. Is there an honeft Heart,

That loves our England, does not

mourn for Edward?

The Genius of our Isle is fhook with

He bows his venerable Head with Pain,
And labours with the Sicknefs of his Lord.
Religion melts in ev'ry Holy Eye,

[Sorrow>

All