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 fayinge one of thefe verfes :" And last of all, to make an end, "O God to the we moft humblye praye, "That to queen Elizabeth thou do fende "Thy lyvely pathe, and perfect waye, &c. &c." Again, at the conclufion of Tom Tyler and his Wife, 1598; Which God preferve our noble queen, "From perilous chance which hath been seene; "And fend her subjects grace, fay I, "To ferye her highness patiently!" Again, at the conclufion of a comedy called A Knack to know Knave, 1594: "And may her days of bliffe never have end, Again, at the end of Apius and Virginia, 1575: "Befeeching God, as duty is, our gracious queene to fave, "The nobles, and the commons eke, with profprous life I crave." Laftly, fir John Harrington's Metamorphofis of Ajax, 1596, finishes with thefe words: "But I will neither end with fermon nor prayer, left fome 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 maifter." Almost all the ancient interludes I have met with, conclude with fome folemn prayer for the king or queen, houfe of commons, &c. Hence perhaps the Vivant Rex and Regina, at the bottom of our modern play-bills. STEEVENS. |