A PROLOGUE SPOKEN BY Mrs. Bracegirdle, AT THE Entertainment of LOVE for LOVE.  
CUstom, which every where bears mighty Sway,  
Brings me to Act the Orator to Day:  
But Woman, you will say, are ill at Speeches,  
'Tis true, and therefore I appear in Breeches:  
Not for Example to you City-Wives,  
That by Prescription's settled for your Lives.  
Was it for Gain the Husband first consented?  

Making Horns with her Hands over her Head.  O yes, their Gains are mightily augmented:  

And yet, methinks, it must have cost some Strife:  
A Passive Husband, and an Active Wife!  
'Tis awkward, very awkward, by my Life.   

But to my Speech. Assemblies of all Nations  
Still are supposed to open with Orations:  
Mine shall begin, to show our Obligations.   
To you, our Benefactors, lowly Bowing,  
Whose Favours have prevented our Undoing;  
A long Egyptian Bondage we endured,  
Till Freedom, by your Justice, we procured:  

Our Taskmasters were grown such very Jews,  
We must at length have Played in Wooden Shoes,  
Had not your Bounty taught us to refuse.   
Freedom's of English Growth, I think, alone;  
What for lost English Freedom can atone?  
A Freeborn Player loathes to be compelled;  
Our Rulers Tyrannised, and We Rebelled.  
Freedom! the Wise Man's Wish, the Poor Man's Wealth?  
Which you, and I, and most of us enjoy by Stealth;  

The Soul of Pleasure, and the Sweet of Life,  
The Woman's Charter, Widow, Maid or Wife,  
This they'd have counselled, and thence grew the Strife.   
But you, perhaps, would have me here confess  
How we obtained the Favour;— Can't you guests?  
Why then I'll tell you, (for I hate a Lie)  
By Brib'ry, errand Brib'ry, let me die:  

I was their Agent, but by Jove I swear,  
No honourable Member had a share,  
Tho' young and able Members bid me Fair:   

I chose a wiser way to make you willing,  
Which has not cost the House a single Shilling;  
Now you suspect at least I went a Billing.   
You see I'm Young, and to that Air of Youth,  
Some will add Beauty, and a little Truth;  
These powerful Charms, improved by powerful Arts,  
Prevailed to captivate your opening Hearts.  
Thus furnished, I preferred my poor Petition,  
And bribed ye to commiserate our Condition:  
I laughed, and sighed, and sung, and leered upon ye,  
With roguish loving Looks, and that way won you:  
The Young Men kissed me, and the Old I kissed,  
And luringly I led them as I list.  
The Ladies in mere Pity took our Parts,  
Pity's the Darling Passion of their Hearts.  
Thus Bribing, or thus Bribed, fear no Disgraces;  
For thus you may take Bribes, and keep your Places.  
FINIS.