Chapter XLVI: Prologue: to ROMULUS,

_Spoken by Mrs._ Butler.

_Written by Mrs._ Behn.

How we shall please ye now I cannot say;
But, Sirs, ‘Faith here is _News from Rome_ to day;
Yet know withal, we’ve no such PACKETS here,
As you read once a week from Monkey CARE.
But ‘stead of that Lewd Stuff (that cloys the Nation)
Plain Love and Honour; (tho quite out of Fashion;)
Ours is a Virgin ROME, long, long, before
Pious GENEVA Rhetorick call’d her Whore;
For be it known to their Eternal Shames,
Those Saints were always good at calling Names;
Of _Scarlet Whores_ let ‘em their Wills devise,
But let ‘em raise no other _Scarlet Lies_;
LIES that advance the _Good Old Cause_, and bring
Into Contempt the PRELATES with the KING.
Why shou’d the _Rebel Party_ be affraid?
They’re _Ratts_ and _Weazles_ gnaw the _Lyon’s_ Beard,
And then in IGNORAMUS Holes they think,
Like other Vermin, to lie close, and stink.
What have ye got, ye _Conscientious Knaves_,
With all your _Fancy’d Power_, and _Bully Braves_?
With all your standing to’t; your _Zealous Furies_;
Your _Lawless Tongues_, and _Arbitrary Juries_?
Your _Burlesque Oaths_, when one _Green-Ribbon-Brother_
In Conscience will be _Perjur’d for another_?
Your PLOTS, _Cabals_, your _Treats_, _Association_,
Ye shame, ye very Nusance of the Nation,
What have ye got but one poor Word? Such Tools
Were _Knaves_ before; to which you’ve added _Fools_.
Now I dare swear, some of you _Whigsters_ say,
_Come on, now for a swinging_ TORY PLAY.
But, Noble _Whigs_, pray let not those _Fears_ start ye,
Nor fright hence any of the _Sham Sheriff’s Party_;
For, if you’ll take my censure of the Story, }
It is as harmless as e’re came before ye, }
And writ before the times of _Whig_ and _Tory_. }