The Different Humors of Men, Title page – Prologue 3
ΠΟΙΚΙΛΟΦΡΟΝΙΣΙΣ▪ OR, THE Different Humours OF MEN: Repreſented in an INTERLUDE At A Country-SCHOOL.
Dec. 15. 1691.
LONDON, Printed, for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapſide near Mercers Chappel. 1692.
The Epiſtle Dedicatory. To the much HONOURED
Sir John Shaw Baronet.
Sir John More Knight.
Chriſtopher Pack Eſquire.
Worthy Sirs,
WHen the Reflections of the Cenſorious bad Extorted from me, what the Importunity of the Friendly and Candid could not Eli…i… … A Conſent to make this Scholoſtick Interlude publick; I thought there was a great deal of Juſtice, that it ſhould be humbly preſented to the Principal Erectors of thoſe Walls, wherein it was contriv'd; as a Monument. …, and my Own Gratitude. May the publick Acknowledgment of the kind Aſſiſtance, that I receiv'd from you, and your generous Parents in Reviving a Free School out of its Ruines, … Encouragement to the Ingenious and Wealthy Gentlemen of the Age, to favour Learning and the good Education of You…h, and it will Effectually ſerve the Deſign of
Aſhby De-la-zouch Leiceſterſhire, Jun. penult. 1692. Your much Obliged and moſt humble Servant Sam. Shaw.
The Names of the Speakers
Sir. Francis Freeman, a good Landlord
Dr. Caſ…e, a caſuiſtical Divine
Dr. Helye, a Phyſician.
Mr. Speed, Sir Francis his Clark.
Simon Shorthoſe. a ſcrupulous Man.
Lawrence Large, a broad conſcienc'd Man.
Benjamin Brag, a confident …uff.
Harry Hart, a puſillanimous Man.
Mr. Spruce, a finnical Gentle man.
Goodman Gray, …clowniſh Countryman.
Anthony, Angier, a pettiſh teſty Man.
Lawrence …amb, a meek ſheepiſh Man.
Will, Wake, a hen-peckt Man.
Charles Catchit, a covetous Man.
Peter Peace, a contented Man.
Mr. Medler, a News-monger.
Mr. Slack, an Epicure.
Mr. Grindon, a ſnarling Carpet.
Frank Fawns, a Flatterer.
Stephen Sad, a Melancholiſt.
Moſes Merry, a caſt-away Care.
Keſter Killagrew, a vapouring Souldier.
Προλογος.
foreign
Prologus.
QUouſ que tandem, Auditores, Seneſcentis & caduci ora…ris facetias audire & videre flagitatis. Satis eſt, plus quàm ſatis eſt, quod praeceptor noſter jam ſeniculus & repueraſcens geniis veſtris hactenus indulſerit, …uum ipſius defraudaverit. Bene vertat quod multis ab▪ hinc annis vobis donaveri…: veſtrum eſt conſulere ne quid mali de futuro illi ſtruatis, pudet equidem, pudet illum,—capiti non poſſe pericula cano pellere: multo magis pudeat vos exigere, quae non eſt genii ejus vel aetatis praeſtare. Quod ad nos balbutientes (ne dicam vagientes) hiſtriones, non eſt quod veniam veſtram oremus, quod ipſi promptius impertiemini: Candidi enim hoc eſt ingenii, quod non poteſt laudare, ſaltem tolerare. Sinite ergo, ſinite, quaeſumus, in haec aetate ludicrâ, quae in aetate adoleſcentiori forſitan f…rent non tam ridenda quàm corrigenda. Queri…ur, & non injuriâ queritur Magiſter noſter de quorundam (vel quarundam dicam?) malevolentia victum, vitam & v…ae viam ſibi invidentium. Sed incaſſum queritur; foreign: ſibi ipſi ſapit, ſibi ipſi placet; & rumpatur quiſquis rumpitur invidiâ. Male agitur cum m…ſeris paedagogis, ſi ad libitum & nutum cujus cujus homunculi vani & ſibi male temperantis, os eorum obſtruatur, & conſtringantur manus. Sed …d vos redeo, benevoli auditores; Conveniſtis huc ho…lie ſpecta…um, & ut ſpectemini. Nihil noſt…a intereſt, an vigiletis, an dormia…is; an audiatis▪ an ſolum ſpectetis; an intelligatis quid volumus, an approbetis quod intelligitis. Silete vel plaudite, laeti ſitis, vel ſitis tetrici, candidi vel …ynici, eodemres redit. Sciatis vero veli…, hodierni colloquii finem eſſe & propoſitum vos ſapientiores magis quàm hilariores efficere: Cavete vobis de aegritudinibus animi, quas nos proponimus ſolum ut ſanemus. Boni conſulite ſeniles lucubrationes & geſticulationes pueriles. His legibus ſalvete omnes.
Prologue,
WEllcome kind Auditors, and all ye who are either ſo curious as to come to ſee, or ſo fine or ſo pretty, as to come to be ſeen. The truth is, it is not worth your while to attend upon either what old age caninvent, or child-hood can repreſent. Nay, poſſibly you will ſay, —Meritò ſuſpecta libido eſt, quae venerem affectat ſine viribus.
—He's a Fool that would make ſport,
And has not Wit ſufficient for't.
To which I might ſubjoin,
And he's a Clown that looks for Wit;
Nor Age nor Time affording it.
Gentlemen, If you find nothing to entertain your more exalted fancies, I will adminiſter this conſolation to you, that if you be ſet on gigg, you may ſtill laugh at your own ſimplicity, when you find your ſelve… diſappointed. I know no body that is endebted to you a treat, nor that has promis'd you any thing, but your ſelves. Therefore if you cannot laugh that we have made our ſelves fools for you, yet finding your ſelves diſappointed, you cannot but laugh to ſee how we have made fools of you. But indeed, good people, we are in good earneſt, a little to repreſent to you the extreams, that men commonly run into, that ye may avoid 'em, and the enormity of other mens paſſions, that you may the better ſuppreſs your own. We will not purpoſely reflect upon any perſon in the World: And yet we would have every perſon that hears us, make application too. To mingle good ſenſe with well deviſed fables, facetious expreſſions or comical actions, was of old eſteemed a good way of recommending vertue and expoſing vice: And if we could poſſibly both delight you and edifie you, we would dare to call it an entertainment. But (alas) we cannot pretend to the one or the other: The one we cannot do, the other perhaps you will not ſuffer. For I muſt tell you, there are but few people in the world ſo ingenuous or good natur'd, as to ſuffer themſelves to be edify'd. Man is a male-pert creature, and will much ſooner fall out and ſwagger, than either fall down ro ſtagger at any reprehenſion. However Gentlemen, put on your holyday humour, and be as good natur'd as you can: And if it be above us to receive your thanks, or below you to give 'em, yet at leaſt let us have your pardon: which if we cannot obtain, we will take heed not to offend another year. But we are not ſollicitous about either the one or the other, knowing that when we have ſaid all we can,—
Plays muſt run their different fates,
According to the hearers Pates.