Again, at the end of the Difobedient Child, an interlude by Thomas Ingeland, bl. 1. no date :

• Here the rest of the players come in, and kneele downe all togyther, eche of them sayinge one of these verses :".

66 And last of all, to make an end,
"O God to the we most humblye praye,
" That to queen Elizabeth thou do fende

" Thy lyvely pathe, and perfect waye, &c. &c."
Again, at the conclusion of Tom Tyler and his Wife, 1598:
C. Which God preserve our noble queen,

“ From perilous chance which hath been seene; " And fend her subjects grace, say I,

" To serye her highness patiently!” Again, at the conclusion of a comedy called A Knack to know o Knave, 1594;

" And may her days of blisse never have end,

Upon whose lyfe so many lyves depend." Again, at the end of Apius and Virginia, 1575: “ Befeeching God, as duty is, our gracious queene to save, “ The nobles, and the commons eke, with prolprous life I crave."

Lastly, fir John Harrington's Metamorphosis of Ajax, 1596, finishes with these words : 6. But I will neither end with sermon nor prayer, lest some wags liken me to my L. ( ) players, who when they have ended a baudie comedy, as though that were a preparative to devotion, kneele downe folemnly, and pray all the companie to pray with them for their good lord and maister.”

Almost all the ancient interludes I have met with, conclude with some solemn prayer for the king or queen, house of conmons, &c. Hence perhaps the Vivant Rex and Regina, at the bottom of our modern play-bills. STEEVENS.

END OF VOLUME THE FIFTH.

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