Besides the Plays already mentioned, Sir _John_ left behind him Part of a Comedy, called _A Journey to London_, which has since been made an entire Play of by Mr. _Cibber_, and called _The Provoked Husband_, and was acted at the Theatre-Royal, in _Drury Lane_, in 1727, for twenty-eight Nights successively, with universal Applause. In 1703, he was appointed Clarencieux King of Arms, and in 1706 was commissioned by Queen _Anne_ to carry the Habit and Ensigns of the Order of the Garter to King _George_ the First, then at _Hanover_; he was likewise Comptroller-General of the Board of Works, and Surveyor of the Gardens and Waters. In the Year 1714, he received the Order of Knighthood; and in 1719 he married _Henrietta Maria_, Daughter of Colonel _Yarborough_, of _Haslington_, near _York_, by whom he had three Children; _Charles_ the eldest was killed at the Battle of _Fontenoy_, the other two died young. Sir _John_ died at his House in _Scotland-Yard_, the 26th of _March_, 1726, and is interred in the Family Vault, under the Church of _St. Stephen_'s, _Wallbrook_. [Illustration] THE RELAPSE: OR, VIRTUE in DANGER: A COMEDY. Being the Sequel of _The Fool in Fashion_. [Illustration] [Illustration] THE PREFACE. To go about to excuse half the Defects this abortive Brat is come into the World with, would be to provoke the Town with a long useless Preface, when it is, I doubt, sufficiently soured already by a tedious Play. I do therefore (with all the Humility of a repenting Sinner) confess, it wants every thing----but length; and in that, I hope, the severest Critick will be pleas'd to acknowledge I have not been wanting. But my Modesty will sure atone for every thing, when the World shall know it is so great, I am even to this Day insensible of those two shining Graces in the Play (which some part of the Town is pleas'd to compliment me with) Blasphemy and Bawdy. For my part, I cannot find them out: If there were any obscene Expressions upon the Stage, here they are in the Print; for I have dealt fairly, I have not sunk a Syllable, that cou'd (though by racking of Mysteries) be rang'd under that Head; and yet I believe with a steady Faith, there is not one Woman of a real Reputation in Town, but when she has read it impartially over in her Closet, will find it so innocent, she will think it no Affront to her Prayer-Book, to lay it upon the same Shelf. So to them (with all manner of Deference) I entirely refer my cause; and I am confident they will justify me against those Pretenders to Good-manners, who at the same time have so little Respect for the Ladies, they wou'd extract a bawdy Jest from an Ejaculation, to put them out of countenance. But I expect to have these well-bred Persons always my Enemies, since I am sure I shall never write any thing lewd enough to make them my Friends.