AND HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS,

BY

THOMAS HUNT,

AND THE AUTHORS OF THE REFLECTIONS UPON THE

PRETENDED PARALLEL IN THE PLAY CALLED

THE DUKE OF GUISE.

_Turno tempus erit magno cum optaverit emptum
Intactum Pallanta: et cum spolia ista, diemque
Oderit.--_

VINDICATION OF THE DUKE OF GUISE.

It was easy to foresee, that a play, which professed to be a
_broadside_ discharged at the whole popular party, would not long
remain uncensured. The satire being derived from a historical parallel
of some delicacy, offered certain facilities of attack to the critics.
It was only stretching the resemblance beyond the bounds to which
Dryden had limited it, and the comparison became odious, if not
dangerous. The whig writers did not neglect this obvious mode of
attack, now rendered more popular by the encroachment lately attempted
by the court upon the freedom of the city, whose magistrates had been
exposed to ridicule in the play.

Our readers cannot but remember, that, in order to break the spirit of
the city of London, a writ of _quo warranto_ was issued against the
incorporation, by which was instituted a vexatious and captious
inquiry into the validity of the charter of London. The purpose of
this process was to compel the city to resign their freedom and
immunities into the king's hands, and to receive a new grant of them,
so limited, as might be consistent with the views of the crown, or
otherwise to declare them forfeited. One Thomas Hunt, a lawyer of some
eminence, who had been solicitor for the Viscount Stafford when that
unfortunate nobleman was tried for high treason, and had written upon
the side of the tories, but had now altered his principles, stepped
forward upon this occasion as the champion of the immunities of the
city of London[1]. The ludicrous light in which the sheriffs are
placed, during the scene with Grillon in the third act, gave great
offence to this active partizan; and he gives vent to his displeasure
in the following attack upon the author, and the performance.

"They have already condemned the charter and city, and have executed
the magistrates in effigy upon the stage, in a play called "The Duke
of Guise," frequently acted and applauded; intended most certainly,
to provoke the rabble into tumults