The "Spanish Friar" appears to have been brought out shortly after Mr Thynne's murder, which is alluded to in the Prologue, probably early in 1681-2. The whimsical caricature, which it presented to the public, in Father Dominic, was received with rapture by the prejudiced spectators, who thought nothing could be exaggerated in the character of a Roman Catholic priest. Yet, the satire was still more severe in the first edition, and afterwards considerably softened[6]. It was, as Dryden himself calls it, a Protestant play; and certainly, as Jeremy Collier somewhere says, was rare Protestant diversion, and much for the credit of the Reformation. Accordingly, the "Spanish Friar" was the only play prohibited by James II. after his accession; an interdict, which may be easily believed no way disagreeable to the author, now a convert to the Roman church. It is very remarkable, that, after the Revolution, it was the first play represented by order of queen Mary, and honoured with her presence; a choice, of which she had abundant reason to repent, as the serious part of the piece gave as much scope for malicious application against herself, as the comic against the religion of her father[7]. Footnotes: 1. Collier remarks the injustice of punishing the agent of Lorenzo's vice, while he was himself brought off with flying colours. He observes, "'Tis not the fault which is corrected, but the priest. The author's discipline is seldom without a bias. He commonly gives the laity the pleasure of an ill action, and the clergy the punishment." _View of the Immorality and Profaneness of the Stage_, p. 100. 2. To satire next thy talent was addressed, Fell foul on all thy friends among the rest; Nay, even thy royal patron was not spared, But an obscene, a sauntering wretch declared. Thy loyal libel we can still produce, Beyond example, and beyond excuse. O strange return, to a forgiving king, (But the warmed viper wears the greatest sting,) For pension lost, and justly without doubt; When servants snarl we ought to kick them out. They that disdain their benefactor's bread. No longer ought by bounty to be fed. That lost, the visor changed, you turn about, And straight a true-blue protestant crept out. The Friar now was writ, and some will say, They smell a malcontent through all the play. The papist too was damned, unfit for trust, Called treacherous, shameless, profligate, unjust, And kingly power thought arbitrary lust. This lasted till thou didst thy pension gain, And that changed both thy morals and thy strain. _The Laureat, 24th October, 1678._