be remembred, has never once given any Countenance to the Play-House by
Her Royal Presence, since Her happy Accession to the Throne.

The abominable obscene Expressions which so frequently occur in our
Plays, as if the principal Design of them was to gratifie the lewd and
vicious part of the Audience, and to corrupt the virtuously dispos'd,
are in this black Collection wholly omitted; lest thereby fresh Poison
should be administred instead of an Antidote.

_After the Endeavours used by Sir Richard Blackmore, Mr. Collier, and
others, to Correct and Reform the _Scandalous Disorders and Abuses of
the Stage_ were found too unsuccessful; in the Year _1699_, several of
the _Players_ were prosecuted in the Court of _Common-Pleas_, upon the
Statute of _3 Jac. 1._ for prophanely using the Name of GOD upon the
_Stage_, and Verdicts were obtained against them._

_And in _Easter-Term, 1701_, the _Players_ of one House were Indicted at
the _King's-Bench-Bar_, before the Right Honourable the Lord Chief
Justice _Holt_, for using these following Expressions, and were thereof
Convicted._


_In the Play call'd, _The Provok'd Wife.__

'But more than all that, you must know I was afraid of being damn'd in
those Days; for I kept sneaking, cowardly Company, Fellows that went to
Church, and said Grace to their Meat, and had not the least Tincture of
Quality about em.

'Damn 'em both, with all my Heart, and every thing else that daggles a