Friend to Carlos, in love with Clara, but promis'd to Isabella, Mr. Wiltshire Francisco, old and rich, Husband to Julia, and Father to Isabella, Mr. Nokes.

If to make People laugh the business be, | You Sparks better Comedians are than we; | You every day out-fool ev'n Nokes and Lee.

Sir Feeble Fainwou'd, an old Alderman to be married Mr. Leigh. to Leticia, Sir Cautious Fulbank, an old Banker married to Julia, Mr. Nokes.

He is no more to me than Nokes or Pinkethman.

It is a plain case, whereon I mooted in our Temple, and that was this: put case, there be three brethren, John a Nokes, John a Nash, and John a Stile.

John a Nokes the elder, John a Nash the younger, and John a Stile the youngest of all.

Whether shall his lands ascend to John a Nokes the elder, or descend to John a Stile the youngest of all?

Mr. Bullock succeeds Nokes in the part of Bubble, and, in my opinion, is not much below him, for he does excellently that kind of folly we call absurdity, which is the very contrary of wit; but next to that is, of all things, properest to excite mirth.

First, let's behold the merriest man alive Against his careless genius vainly strive; Quit his dear ease, some deep design to lay, 'Gainst a set time, and then forget the day: Yet he will laugh at his best friends, and be Just as good company as Nokes and Lee.

[Footnote 58: 'Nokes and Lee:' two celebrated comedians in Charles II.'s reign.]

The hearers may for want of Nokes repine; But rest secure, the readers will be thine.

Well, it's young Mr. Fisher, of Nokes, Fisher and Co.

"Much in the same manner, John of Nokes, and John of Styles, become John a Nokes, and John a Styles: and one of the clock, or rather on the clock, is written one o'clock, but pronounced one a clock.

"Much in the same manner, John of Nokes, and John of Styles, become John a Nokes, and John a Styles: and one of the clock, or rather on the clock, is written one o'clock, but pronounced one a clock.

"From Stiles's pocket into Nokes's" [pocket].

"JOHN-A-NOKES, n. s.

"JOHN-A-NOKES, n.

It was attended with the most complete success, being played four times at court, and above thirty times at the theatre in Lincoln's-Inn Fields; a run chiefly attributed to the excellent performance of Nokes, who represented Sir Martin.

ED.] Cibber, with his usual vivacity, thus describes the comic powers of Nokes in this admired character: "In the ludicrous distresses, which, by the laws of comedy, folly is often involved in, he sunk into such a mixture of piteous pusillanimity, and a consternation so ruefully ridiculous and inconsolable, that when he had shook you to a fatigue of laughter, it became a moot point, whether you ought not to have pity'd him.

or what buskin hero, standing under the load of them, could have more effectually moved his spectators by the most pathetic speech, than poor miserable Nokes did by this silent eloquence, and piteous plight of his features?"CIBBER'S Apology, p. 86.

"When it became necessary therefore to lessen the charge, a resolution was taken to begin with the salaries of the actors; and what seem'd to make this resolution more necessary at this time was the loss of Nokes, Montfort and Leigh, who all dy'd about the same year.

I am a near Kinsman to John a Styles and John a Nokes; and they, I am told, came in with the Conquerour.