This is not the place to enumerate all the differences between _A Cure for a Cuckold_ and _The City Bride_; indeed the reader may prefer making the comparisons for himself. Harris's alterations follow the general pattern of Restoration adaptations from the earlier drama, it is true. On the other hand, a relatively small number of such plays allow us to see the professional actor feeling his way through the emotions and actions of the scenes. To compare a play like _The City Bride_ with its source is like visiting the rehearsals of an acting company of the time. Such a play has an immediacy and liveness that strongly appeals to those who delight to image forth the past. _The City Bride_ has never been reprinted. The present edition reproduces, with permission, the copy in the Henry E. Huntington Library, omitting Harris's signed dedication to Sir John Walter, Bart., on A2^r-A3^r (A1^v in the original is blank). The top line on page 44, which is partly cut away, reads: _Cla._ Who (if thou ever lov'dst me ... Vinton A. Dearing University of California Los Angeles THE CITY BRIDE: OR, The Merry Cuckold. A COMEDY, Acted at the New Theatre, in _Little Lincolns Inn-Fields._ BY His Majesty's Servants. _First Edition._ _Spero Meliora._ LONDON: Printed for _A. Roper_ and _E. Wilkinson_ at the _Black-Boy_, and R. _Clavel_ at the _Peacock_, in _Fleet-street_. 1696. PROLOGUE: _Spoke by Mr._ THURMOND. _Three Ways there are, and all accounted fair, To gain your Favour: Begging, Borrowing, Prayer. If as a Beggar, I your Alms implore } Methinks your Charity shou'd aid the Poor; } Besides, I never beg'd of you before. } If I address by Prayer, and loud Complaints I then oblige yee, for I make you Saints; And sure none here can think it Superstition, To pray to Saints that are of no Religion! If Invocation will not do my Work, A Man may borrow of a_ Jew _or_ Turk; _Pray lend me Gentlemen your Applause and Praise, I'll take it for as good as Currant Bays; And if I ne're repay it, 'tis no more, Than many of you Sparks have done before: With this distinction, that you ran indebt For want of Money, we for want of Wit. In vain I plead! a Man as soon may get Mill'd Silver, as one favour from the Pit. ----Hold then----now I think on't, I'll e'en turn Thief, and steal your kind Affection, And when I've got your Hearts, claim your protection: You can't convict me sure for such a crime, Since neither Mare nor Lap-dog, I purloin: While you Rob Ladies Bosoms every day, } And filch their pretious Maiden-heads away; } I'll plead good nature for this Brat the Play: } A Play that plagues no more the thread-bare Theme Of powder'd Beaux, or tricks o'th' Godly Dame, But in your humours let's ye all alone, And not so much as Fools themselves runs down.