THE EDITOR'S PREFACE.

THE Old Ballad of The King and Miller of Mans

field has a Second Part, in which The Miller, who had been knighted in the former part, is sent for to London by the King. On this our Author has built his Sequel to The King and The Miller of Mansfield, which he has intitled Sir John Cockle at Court. The idea is a good one, but the Author has not written it in the same happy manner as the first part. As far as relates to The King and The Miller is very well executed. "The circum"stance," (says Mr. Dibdin,)" of making a man of "plain integrity resist the corruption of a court is cer❝tainly a fair object for a dramatic pen." (Hist. of the Stage. Vol. V. p. 167.) The piece, however, required some humour, or more incident, and that of a pleasing kind, to enliven it; and here the author has failed. In the Ballad, Margery and Richard accompany Sir John, and contribute to the humour, though it is of a very low nature. This might have been elevated and somewhat polished, as the author has done in the first part: but such characters seemed to promise the fairest field for humour. Instead of them, he has introduced the daughter, Miss Kitty, and Sir Timothy Flash, who has a design upon her virtue, which is frustrated. The Author, aware, perhaps, of the deficiency, had introduced four Songs, one of which he had given to Sir Timothy, the other three to Miss Kitty; but two of these were decidedly objectionable, and the other two not worth preserving; the Editor has therefore rejected them altogether.

But, though the piece is thus acknowledged to be inferior to the First Part, yet the Editor thinks it well

worthy of being preserved, and even of being restored to the Stage. It might be performed on the same night with the First Part, after a very short piece, the green curtain being let down between the two parts, or on two following nights. It is superior to many afterpieces which are favourites. The effect would, of course, depend much upon the acting; but the characters of the King and Sir John are such as performers of great excellence need not scruple to undertake.

The alterations made in this piece are not very great. The copy used is one printed together with the former, and has been compared with the original, printed in

1738.

Clare Hall, Feb. 4, 1812.

PROLOGUE.

As some poor Orphan, at the friendly Gate
Where once reliev'd, again presumes to wait;
So, mov'd by former Kindness to him shewn,
Our honest MILLER Ventures up to town:
He greets you all. His hearty thanks I bear
To each kind friend. He hopes you're all so here.
Hopes the same favour you'll continue still

At court, which late you shew'd him at the mill.
Why should you not? If plain untutor'd sense
Should speak blunt truths, who here will take offence?
For common right he pleads, no party's slave;
A foe, on either side, to fool and knave.
Free, as at Mansfield, he at court appears,
Still uncorrupted by mean hopes and fears;
Plainly his mind does to his Prince impart,
Alone embolden'd by an honest heart.
These are his merits- on this plea I sue-
But humbly he refers his cause to you.

* Small faults, we hope, with candour you'll excuse,
"Nor harshly treat a self-convicted muse."
If, after tryal, he should mercy find,
He'll own that mercy with a grateful mind;
Or, by strict justice, if he's doom'd to death,
Will then, without appeal, resign his breath.

These two lines were added after the first night's performance. occasioned by some things which the audience very justly found fault with; and which, the second time, were left out, or altered as much as possible; and the Author takes this opportunity of thanking the town for so judiciously and favourably correcting him.