The excommunicated prince, or, The false relique a tragedy, as it was acted by His Holiness's servants, being the Popish plot in a play / by Capt. William Bedloe.

TO HIS GRACE GEORGE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, &c.

May it please your Grace,

IF Art, Wit, and Ingenuity, be Accomplish∣ments no less than Illustrious, even in the meanest Pedant, advancing him to the em∣braces of Men of Dignity in the world; then how much more do these Oriental Gemms send forth their luster when rightly set within the highest Nobility? Such splendid men cannot be sup∣posed to cultivate barren Nature by unwearied industry to make it bloom and bear such honourable Endow∣ments only (if at all) to make a Trade of Art and Wit, or to use Ingenuity upon a Principle of meer necessi∣ty, thereby to advance a Livelyhood. 'Tis not a little crediting to those whose Birth hath placed them among the most ignoble and mean, to bestow their Time and Life upon the good use and wise improvement of the intellectual and reasoning faculty, if so be their design

tend to the lawful Pleasure, or necessary Profit of Mankind; but certainly, Art, Wit, and Ingenuity, can never be more magnificent, than where they are the off-spring of pure choice, and where there is enough of the world to tempt the Owner to other Divertisements, and such as much more gratifie or humour the Animal Life, that which Sense and the lower appetite doth much more incline unto. I am confident that these Excellen∣cies which I have been magnifying, are truly the Cha∣racter of your Grace, and here I doubt not to obtain the Votes of all experienced and impartial men to the truth of what I affirm. It's true, that in some other ca∣ses. your Grace hath sometimes been bespattered by evil tongues, and confronted by malign endeavours; but here it hath been your Glory to be vindicated by the Justice of the Nation, which by a small inspection into these mens Lives and Actions, hath placed them in the number of the most treacherous and vile, and so hath brought your Glory and Innocence from under the obscuring Cloud, without your own seeking: This hath tended much to your Greatning in the esteem of all those whose sobriety and consideration hath made them valuable.

Let it be also observed, That your Grace hath well demonstrated your Religious Principles to be hearty and devout towards the Church of England, and therein with great zeal displaid your Loyalty towards His Majesty, by your constant encouraging the dis∣covery of this late Damnable Popish Plot, which designed to cut off our Soveraign, and so our Church at one stroke. These things laid together, must needs

render your Grace the most fit Judg and best Patron of what may in the least pretend to Art, Wit, or In∣genuity, of what also refers to an abused Prince under all his Dangers and Sufferings; and in the last place, of what belongs to the Intrigues and Malignity of cun∣ning and desperate Plotters. I do therefore most hum∣bly present what ensues, to your Graces perusal and acceptance, begging leave to be ever,

Your Grace's most humble, most obliged, and most obedient Servant, WILLIAM BEDLOE.