EPILOGUETOHENRYSIDDONS'FARCE,"TIME'SATELL-TALE"

epiloguetohenrysiddons'farce,"time'satell-tale"

(1807)

boundfortheportofmatrimonialbliss,

ereihoistsail,iholditnotamiss,

(sinceprosp'rousendsaskprudentintroductions)

totakeaslightpeepatmywritteninstructions.

there'snothinglikedeterminingintime

allquestionsmaritalormaritime.

inallseas,straits,gulphs,ports,havens,lands,creeks.

oh!hereitbegins.

"season,spring,windstandingatpointdesire—

thegoodshipmatrimony—commander.blanford,esq.

art.i.

"thecaptainthathasthecommandofher,

orinhisabsence,theactingofficer,

toseeherplanksaresound,hertimberstight."—

thatactingofficeridon'trelishquite,

no,asihopetotackanotherverseon,

i'lldothosedutiesinmyproperperson.

art.ii.

"allmutiniestobesuppress'datfirst."

that'sagoodcautiontopreventtheworst.

art.iii.

"thatshebeproperlyvictual'd,mann'dandstor'd,

toseenoforeignersaregotaboard."

that'sratherdifficult.dowhatwecan,

avesselsometimesmaymistakeherman.

thesafestwayinsuchaparlousdoubt,

issteadywatchandkeepasharplookout.

art.iv.

"whereastheirlordscommissioners(thechurch)

dostrictlyauthorisetherightofsearch:

asalwayspractis'd—you'retounderstand

bythesewhatarticlesarecontraband;

guns,mortars,pistols,halberts,swords,pikes,lances,

ball,powder,shot,andtheappurtenances.

videlicet—whatevercanbesent

togivetheenemyencouragement.

oglesaresmallshot(sotheinstructionruns),

toucheshandgrenades,andsqueezesrifleguns."

art.v.

"thatnofree-bottom'dneutralwaitingmaid

presumetoexercisethecarryingtrade:

theprohibitionherecontainedextends

toallcommercecover'dbythenameoffriends.

heavenspeedthegoodshipwell"—andsoitends.

ohwithsuchwholesomejealousiesasthese

mayalbioncherishhisoldspousetheseas;

keepoverherahusband'sfirmcommand,

notwithtoorigidnortoolaxahand.