Chapter XIII: Prologue (4)

[438] The lines printed in italics are taken from "The Spanish Tragedy," [v. 54.]

[439] [Not in Edits.]

[440] [Edits., _supplants_.]

[441] [Edits. unnecessarily repeat _fresh_, to the injury of the metre.]

[442] [He quotes Sir Oliver's own words against him. See p. 314.]

[443] [Edits., _our_.]

EPILOGUS.

Thus two hours have brought to end
What many tedious hours have penn'd:
He dares not glory nor distrust;
But he (as other writers must)
Submits the tensures[444] of his pains
To those, whose wit and nimble brains
Are able best to judge: and as for some
Who, filled with malice, hither come
To belch their poison on his labour,
Of them he doth entreat no favour;
But bids them hang or soon amend,
For worth shall still itself defend.
And for ourselves we do desire,
You'll breathe on us that glowing[445] fire,
By which in time we may obtain
Like favours which some others gain;
For be assur'd our loves shall tend
To equal theirs, if not transcend.

FOOTNOTES:

[444] [Exertions.]

[445] [Old copies, _growing_.]

THE SECOND MAIDEN'S TRAGEDY.