The comical romance, or, A facetious history of a company of stage-players interwoven with divers choice novels, rare adventures, and amorous intrigues / written originally in French by the renowned Scarron ; and now turned into English by J.B.

CHAP. XVI.

The opening of a Theater, or Acting of a Play, with other things of no lesse Consequence.

THe next day the Comedians met together, in one of those Chambers they had at the Inn, to rehearse the Comedy they were to Act that afternoon. RANCOƲR, to whom ROGOTIN had already discover∣ed the secret of his Serenade, which he seemingly made some difficulty to believe, told his Companions, that the little fellow would not fail to be there suddenly to receive their thanks and applause, for his so refi∣ned a peece of Courtship, and maliciously

intreated them, that when ever he hinted it, they would take no notice of it, but put him off with some other discourse. RAGOTIN came into the Room at the same instant, and having saluted the Com∣pany in general, began to mention some∣what of the Serenade to Madam STAR, who proved at that time a meer wandring Star to her poor Love; still removing from place to place while ••he talked, but giv∣ing no answer to the many questions he propounded about the time of her going to bed, and the manner how she had passed over the last night. This made him leave her, and addresse himself to Madam AN∣GELICA, who instead of replying to him, repeated the Part she had to Act in the Play. He goes to CAVE next, but she would not afford him so much as one look. After this it came to the mens tune, who, every one of them, exactly obser∣ved what RANCOƲR injoyned, and either answered nothing to his dull que∣stions; or shot as wide from the Marke as if he had talked quite of another thing. At length being impatient to proclaim his vanity, he thus spake aloud to them all. Will you give me leave to confesse a great truth to you. You may do what you please, replyed one: VVhy, then, said he, you must know it was I that gave you the last nights Serenade. What, do they

give Serenades with Organs in the Coun∣try, said DESTINY? and to whom did you intend it? Was it not, pursued he, to the fair Lady that set the Dogs together by the Ears. No doubt, said OLIVE; for those quarrelsome Puppies would never have disturbed such Harmonious Musicians, had they not been Monsieur RAGOTINS jealous Rivals. Another of the Company would needs have a fling at him too, and said without doubt he is highly in his La∣dies favour, and means nothing but what is fair and honest, since he Courts in the open streets, nor can he chuse but succeed, when his Voices and Instrument are a de∣gree above howling. In fine, every one had a saying, except RANCOƲR who spared him, being his Confident; and it is likely the Raillery had continued; if the Poet who was as Vain and Ridiculous an Asse as RAGOTIN, had not taken them off, by telling them; Now you speak of Serenades, I remember that when I was Married, I had one bestowed upon me, that lasted a fortnight together, it con∣sisted of a hundred several sorts of Instru∣ments, and ranged all over the Marets; The Greatest Gallants and Ladies of the Place Royal adopted it: Divers persons of Quality assumed the Honour of it, nay and a Great Man, that shall be nameless now, took such a fit of jealousie upon it, that he

made his Servants set upon those that did it onely for my sake. But they met with their Match; For these were all my own Country-men, as brave Fellows as ever piss'd against a Wall; and the most of them had been Officers of a Regiment I raised, in the last Rebellion of the Com∣mons. RANCOƲR, who had bridled his biting Tongue in favour of RAGO∣TIN, could not possibly forbear the Po∣et, whom he perpetually plagued; Where∣fore he took up the Cudgels against this Darling of the Muses, and told him, that the Description he had made of this Fiction, sounded more of Bedlam or the proces∣sion of Rams-Horns, then any thing of Gallantry, and so probably importuned the Person of Quality rather to drive a∣way the horrid noise of disturbing him then any thing else. And that which confirms this opinion, is the considera∣tion of your Bride, who Expired of mee•• Age, within six Months after this Hyme∣neal Serenade was over, as you term it, and therefore judge you Gentlemen of the Rarity of the story. Nay but she dyed of a fit of the Mother, said the Poet. It was rather a fit of the Great Great Grand-mother, replied RAN∣COƲR: For in the beginning of Har∣ry the Fourth's Raign, she had Grand-Children enough to have made up the

Regiment you mentioned, and therefore surely there could be no spice of the mo∣ther left in her Thirty Years after, when she became your Superanvated Spouse: and to let you know, that I am better acquainted with her antiquity then you imagine, though you tell us such won∣ders daily, I shall now relate some parti∣culars of her story, wherewith you were never yet acquainted. In the Court of Queeen MARGRET. This beginning of a History drew all the Company in a ring about RANCOƲR, they knowing him to be furnished with Memories choicer then all the world beside. But the Poet who dreaded him extreamly, interrupted him, saying, I will wager a hundred Pistols on the contrary: which abrupt defiance, set all the company a laughing. Yet this was his constant custome, having no o∣ther shift but such like wagers to main∣tain his daily Hyperboles, which amoun∣ted to the weakly summ of a Thousand or Twelve Hundred impertinencies, be∣sides the innumerable down-right lyes he vented into the bargain. Now RAN∣COƲR was the Controuler-General as well of his Words as Actions, and the ascendent he had over him, was so great, that I dare compare it to the Genius of AƲGƲSTƲS over ANTHONY'S, that is to say, like to like, not com∣paring

the persons of a Brace of Coun∣try Commedians, with two such Famous Romans. RANCOƲR, having thus be∣gan his History, and being interrupted by the Poet, as I related, was earnest∣ly intreated by every one to proceed. But he excused himself for that time, promising a fitter season to give them a faithfull account of the Poets whole life, wherein his Wives should be likewise ap∣prehended. It was now high time, to reherse their parts, of a Play, which was to be Acted that same day in a Neigh∣bouring Tennis-Court, nothing worth ob∣servation hapned at the Rehearsal. Af∣ter Dinner they Acted for good and all, and came off with applause. Madam STAR Charmed the Audience with her Beauty, ANGELICA had her Partisans too, and both of them gave the World a great deal of satisfaction in what they undertook. Destiny and his Comrades did wonderfully well, insomuch, that many who had seen the Kings Players, attested they could hard∣ly have Acted it better. Ragotin in his heart and mind, ratified the donative he had made of his Body and Soul to Madam Star, in presence of Rancour, who engaged he would bring him in favour with his Mistris: Without this promise, Dispair had soon made of this little Pittifull Advocate, the subject of some great Tragical Event.

I cannot tell whether the Women pleased the Ladies of the Town in their Acting, so much as the Men pleased their own Sex: But if I did know the truth of it, I should hardly discover it: And since the wisest Man, is not alwayes able to bridle his own tongue; I shall conclude this present Chap∣ter, to avoid all occasions of further tempta∣tion on this subject.