Belphegor, or, The marriage of the Devil a tragi-comedy, lately acted at the Queen's Theatre in Dorset-garden / by Mr. Wilson.

The Argument.

IT having been observ'd in Hell, that the Souls of such as came thither, generally complain'd, That their Wives sent them; it was at last resolv'd, that some one of themselves (as by Lot it fell) should for the better discovery of the Truth thereof, repair to the Earth, take upon him some Humane Figure, and for his better Encouragement, carry with him a round Summ of Money in his Pocket; subjected nevertheless to all the Condi∣tions of Humanity, and, in the first place, to Marry a Wife, and live with her Ten Years (if possible) and after that, to re∣turn, and make them a true Account, upon his own Expe∣rience.

This Lot fell to Belphegor, their old General, who assuming a brisk young Figure, settles in Florence, under the Name of Roderigo, and Quality of a Merchant, newly come from the

Indies; and Marries a Lady, of greater Blood, than Fortune, whom he so loves in earnest, that she finds it, and seeks all occa∣sions of squandring his Estate; which yet, he as readily complies with, because it pleases his Wife: However, the Trade of a Mer∣chant goes forward, and his Adventures at Sea, fall nothing short of her Extravagance at Home.

This, and other Accidents, make him incurr Debts; and, as other Men in like Cases, he takes up Money to support his Credit; till at last, his Ships at Sea being all lost, what with his Creditors pressing him on the one hand, and his Wife's Vneasiness on the other, he fairly Breaks.

And now, being subjected to all the Conditions of Humanity, like those other Men, he flies, and takes Sanctuary with one Ma∣theo (a Neighbouring Vineyard-Keeper) tells him his Con∣dition; and that if he'll shelter him from the Bailiffs, that are in close pursuit of him, he'll make him a Man for ever: In short, Matheo does it; and expecting the performance of his Promise, Roderigo tells him, that he is not what he appears to be (a Man) but a very Devil; and gives him some pregnant instances of it: However, to shew him what a Gentleman of a Devil he had met in him, further tells him, that as soon as he parted from him, he would instantly possess such a Great Lady, and that nothing should remove him; till he came, and there∣fore bad him be assur'd, and make his terms; and so, leaves him.

Nor was he worse than his Word; but immediately possess'd the said Lady, and suffer'd himself to be dislodg'd from her by Matheo; as also of a second; with this Caution nevertheless, that if he put him to't a third time, he should find him his mortal Enemy.

On this Belphegor makes a trip into France, and possesses that King's Daughter, but not sooner than the Report of the Two former Ladies had reach'd that Court. Whereupon, the King sends several Messages, with large Promises of Reward to Ma∣theo, to come and dispossess his Daughter, which he as often shifts; till at last, the King having gotten him into his Hands, tells him, that unless he dispossess her, he will certainly hang him. To be

short, Matheo puts on a bold Face, and accosts Belphegor; but, finding all to no purpose, throws himself upon the King's Mercy, in favourably accepting his Endeavours; and demands a large Stage, with all sorts of Musick, and Pomp imaginable; and that the Lady be brought upon it: to be sure withal, that when he threw up his Cap, that they all strike up together, with a gene∣ral Shout: And this (said he) with some other Ingredients he had, would, he doubted not, but deliver the Lady.

In fine, all things being accordingly prepared, and ready, the Lady is brought upon the Stage, and from one thing to another, they at last, quarrel, and Matheo throws up his Cap; which is seconded with a full shout; at which the possess'd Lady starting, and demanding the meaning of all that noise; Matheo tells the Devil in her, his Wife had found him out, and was just coming up Stairs; on which the Lady gives a Spring at him, and drops; and Belphegor leaves her.

Thus far Matchiavel, whom I have chiefly follow'd; saving, that where he runs his Fable from one Country, to another, I found my self necessitated (for preserving the uni∣ty of Time, and Place, as much as it would bear) to fix the Scene, in some one place; and accordingly, chang'd it from his Florence, &c. to Genoa; and this, the rather; partly, in that the Women of Genoa, have a greater liberty, than in other parts of Italy; and partly, that the Dukedom of Genoa being elective, from two Years, to two Years, I might make way for a cross Walk of Vertue, and thereby divert the tediousness of a single Walk. A Path (I must confess) not so generally trodden, yet even in that, the less subject to Sloughs, or Dust.

To this purpose, I fancy, Imperia the Wife of Belphegor had a Sister Portia (of as high Vertue, as herself was void of it) married to Montalto, a noble Genoese, who had sunk his For∣tune, in serving the Republick; which yet (unknown to him) had been generously restor'd, by another Nobleman his Friend; and thence, endeavour some short Characters of Friendship, and Gratitude—Of a Woman, that sweetens her Husband, on all occasions of discontent; One, whom no accident of Fortune can move,

nor Injury how design'd soever, provoke to an Indecency: And of a Man in him, that weathers his Troubles with an evenness of Mind; One, whom his Country's Ingratitude cannot tempt to a Revenge, and so little affecting his own Grandeur, that when the Senate had at last elected him Duke, he modestly refus'd it.

And having wrought altogether the best I could, I absolve the whole: Of which yet, because I may not be so compe∣tent a Judge my self, I here give it, as I wrote it, and leave it to my unbiass'd Reader to determine, whether it might not have expected as much Justice from the House, as it found from the Actors.