O R, A PLOT Difcover'd. A TRAGEDY. Written by Mr. THOMAS OTWAY. LONDON: Printed for C.BATHURST and T. Low NDS, Fleet-ftreet. MDCCLXVI. M. adds, 107. e. 29 To HER GRACE the DUTCHESS of Portsmouth. MADAM, W ERE it poffible for me to let the World know, how intirely Your Grace's Goodnefs has devoted a poor Man to your Service. Where there Words enough in Speech to exprefs the mighty Senfe I have of your great Bounty towards me; furely I fhould write and talk of it for ever: But your Grace has given me fo large a Theme, and laid fo very vaft a Foundation, that Imagination wants Stock to build upon it; I am as one dumb when I would speak of it; and when I ftrive to write, I want a Scale of Thought fufficient to comprehend the Height of it. Forgive me then, Madam, if (as a poor Peasant once A 2 made made a Present of an Apple to an Emperor) I bring this small Tribute, the humble Growth of my little Garden, and lay it at your Feet. Believe it is paid you with the utmoft Gratitude: Believe, that, fo long as I have Thought to remember how very much I owe your generous Nature, I will ever have a Heart that fhall be grateful for it too. Your Grace, next Heaven, deserves it amply from me: That gave me Life, but on a hard Condition; till your extended Favour taught me to prize the Gift, and took the heavy Burden it was clogged with from me, I mean, hard Fortune. When I had Enemies, that with malicious Power kept back and fhaded me from thofe royal Beams, whofe Warmth is all I have, or hope to live by; Your noble pity and Compaffion found me, where I was caft backward from my Bleffing, down in the Rear of Fortune, called me up, placed me in the Shine, and I have felt its Comfort. You have in that restored me to my native Right, for a fteady Faith and Loyalty to my prince was all the Inheritance my Father left me; and however hardly my ill Fortune deal with. me, 'tis what I prize fo well, that I never pawn'd it yet, and hope I fhall never part with it. Nature and Fortune were certainly in League, when You were born; and as the first took Care to give you Beauty enough enough to enslave the Hearts of all the World; fo the other refolv'd to do its Merit Justice, that none but a Monarch fit to rule the World fhould e'er poffefs it; and in it he had an Empire. The young Prince You have given him, by his blooming Virtues early declares the mighty Stock he came from: And as you have taken all the pious Care of a dear Mother, and a prudent Guardian, to give him a noble and generous Education; may it fucceed according to his Merits and Your Wishes: May he grow up to be a Bulwark to his illuftrious Father, and a Patron to his loyal Subjects; with Wisdom and Learning to affift him, whenever call'd to his Councils; to defend his Right against the Incroach ments of Republicans in his Senates; to cherish fuch Men as fhall be able to vindicate the Royal Caufe; that good and fit Servants to the Crown may never be loft for want of a Protector. May he have Courage and Conduct fit to fight his Battles Abroad, and terrify his Rebels at Home: And, that all these may be yet more fure, may he never, during the Spring-time of his Years, when thofe growing Virtues ought with Care to be cherish'd in order to their Ripening; may he never meet with vicious Natures, or the Tongues of faithlefs, fordid, infipid Flatterers, to blaft 'em. To |