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light being of some consequence to the poet's reputation, in a matter that has been objected to him, it is upon that account chiefly that this detail of his stage is entered into: naked as it was, and quite motionless; without scenes, or machinery, not so much as a trap-door for a ghost to rise out of; the spectator had nothing to aid him, or contribute to his deception : fancy pieced out all these defects, as well as it could; and its powers were called out upon,-to imagine the same unchangeable spot to be a hall, a chamber, a palace, a cottage, a ship, lawn, field of battle, &c. This call upon their auditors' fancy, to which the poets were driven by their stage's penuriousness, made them hardy to go a step farther, and bring things upon it that cannot be represented on any stage; not even upon the present, under all its improvements, or under any other that can be imagined: but they thought, and thought rightly,-that it was but a strain or two more, and the same active power in their audience that could make them see places and actions of which there was not even the shadow, could picture others out to them of greater difficulty; such as-Pompey's enter tainment on shipboard, and the monument scenes in this act,'

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THE MAID'S TRAGEDY.

The first edition we meet with of this Tragedy was printed in 1619. The Commendatory Verses by Howard, Stanley, Herrick, and Waller, speak of Fletcher as the sole Author of it; those by Earle, ascribe it to Beaumont; but it is generally believed to be their joint production. It always met with great applause till the reign of Charles II. who forbid its representation. Mr. Waller then wrote a new fifth act, rendering the catastrophe fortunate, which is printed in a volume of that gentleman's poems; and with which Langbaine, and all the dramatic historiographers since, assert it was again brought on the stage, and received as much applause as ever. But this revival is much doubted; because Mr. Fenton, in his notes on Waller, says, he had been assured by his friend Southerne, that in the latter end of Charles II.'s reign, he had seen this play acted at the Theatre-Royal, as it was originally written by Fletcher; but never with Waller's alterations.

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Enter Cleon, Strato, Lysippus, and
Diphilus.

Cleon. THE rest are making ready, Sir.
Lys. So let them; there's time

enough.
Diph. You are the brother to the king, my

lord; we'll take your word.

Lys. Strato, thou hast some skill in poetry, What think'st thou of the masque? will it be well?

Strat. As well as masque can be.

Lys. As masque can be?

Strat. Yes; they must commend their king, and speak in praise of the assembly; bless the bride and bridegroom, in person of some god: They're ty'd to rules of flattery.

Cle. See, good my lord, who is return'd!

Enter Melantius.

Lys. Noble Melantius! the land, by me,
Welcomes thy virtues home to Rhodes.
Thou, that with blood abroad buy'st us our
peace!

The breath of kings is like the breath of gods;
My brother wish'd thee here, and thou art here.
He will be too kind, and weary thee with
Often welcomes. But the time doth give thee
A welcome above his, or all the world's.

Mel. My lord, my thanks; but these
scratch'd limbs of inine

Have spoke my love and truth unto my friends,
More than my tongue c'er could. My mind's

the same

It ever was to you: Where I find worth,
I love the keeper till he let it go,

And then I follow it.

What think'st thou of a masque?] It should be, the masque. It was not then to be formed; nor does the prince mean to ask, whether it will be well to have one; but whether this, which is prepared, will be a good one. This Strato's answer and the sequel of the play plainly shew. Mr. Seward. VOL. I.

B

Deserve not scorn; for I was never proud,
When they were good.

[Exil.

Diph. Hail, worthy brother! He, that rejoices not at your return In safety, is mine enemy for ever.

Mel. I thank thee, Diphilus. But thou art faulty;

I sent for thee to exercise thine arms

With me at Patria: Thou cam'st not, Diphilus; "Twas ill.

Diph. My noble brother, my excuse

Is my king's straight command; which you, my lord,

Can witness with me.

Lys. 'Tis true, Melantius;

He might not come, till the solemnity
Of this great match was past.
Diph. Have you heard of it?

Mel. Yes, I have given cause to those, that
Envy my deeds abroad, to call me gamesome:
I have no other business here at Rhodes.
Lys. We have a masque to-night, and you
must tread

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Wonder not that I call a man so young my
friend:
[perate;

His worth is great; valiant he is, and tem-
And one that never thinks his life his own,
If his friend need it. When he was a boy,
As oft as I return'd (as, without boast, [me,
I brought home conquest) he would gaze upon
And view me round, to find in what one limb
The virtue lay to do those things he heard.
Then would he wish to see my sword, and feel
The quickness of the edge, and in his hand
Weigh it: He oft would make me smile at this.
His youth did promise much, and his ripe years
Will see it all perform'd.

Enter Aspatia, passing by.

Hail, maid and wife!

Thou fair Aspatia, may the holy knot
That thou hast ty'd to day, last till the hand
Of age undo it! may'st thou bring a race
Unto Amintor, that may fill the world
Successively with soldiers!

Asp. My hard fortunes

Mel. How's this?

Lys. You are mistaken,
For she is not married.

Mel. You said Amintor was.

Diph. 'Tis true; but―

Mel. Pardon me, I did receive
Letters at Patria from my Amintor
That he should marry her.

Lys. And so it stood

In all opinion long; but your arrival
Made me imagine you had heard the change.
Mel Who hath he taken then?

Lys. A lady, Sir,

That bears the light above her, and strikes dead
With flashes of her eye: the fair Evadne,
Your virtuous sister.

Mel. Peace of heart betwixt them!
But this is strange.

Lys. The king my brother did it
To honour you; and these solemnities
Are at his charge.

Mel. "Tis royal, like himself. But I am sad
My speech bears so unfortunate a sound
To beautiful Aspatia. There is rage
Hid in her father's breast, Calianax,
Bent long against me; and he should not think,
If I could call it back, that I would take
So base revenges, as to scorn the state
Of his neglected daughter. Holds he still
His greatness with the king?

Lys. Yes. But this lady

Walks discontented, with her watry eyes
Bent on the earth. The unfrequented woods
Are her delight; and when she sees a bank
Stuck full of flowers, she with a sigh will tell
Her servants what a pretty place it were
To bury lovers in; and make her maids
Pluck 'em, and strew her over like a corse.
She carries with her an infectious grief,
That strikes all her beholders; she will sing
The mournful'st things that ever ear hath heard,
And sigh and sing again; and when the rest
Of our young ladies, in their wanton blood,
Tell mirthful tales in course, that fill the room
With laughter, she will with so sad a look
Bring forth a story of the silent death
Of some forsaken virgin, which her grief
Will put in such a phrase, that, ere she end,
She'll send them weeping one by one away.
Mel. She has a brother under my com-
mand,

2 She has a brother, &c.] The critics in all ages, upon dramatic poems, have laid it down for a rule, that an incident should be prepared, but not prevented; that is, not foreseen, so as to take off the surprise: For then the whole pleasure of the incident is pall'd, and has no effect upon the audience or readers. These preparatives, therefore, must seem by chance to the spectators, though they are always designedly thrown in by the poet." In multis œconomia comicorum poetarum ità se habet, ut casu putet spectator venisse quod consilio scriptorum factum sit:" says Donatus upon Terence. This is the most artful preparation, that I remember in all Beaumont and Fletcher's plays, for an incident which is in no kind suspected. Melantius says, he has a brother of Aspatia under his command, most like her in the softness of face and feature. This brother never appears in any scene through the play: But when Aspatia comes in boys clothes to fight with Ainintor, to obtain her death from his hand, and tells him, "For

Like her; a face as womanish as hers;
But with a spirit that hath much out-grown
The number of his years.

Enter Amintor.

Cle. My lord, the bridegroom!

Mel. I might run fiercely, not more hastily,
Upon my foe. I love thee well, Amintor;'
My mouth is much too narrow for my heart;
I joy to look upon
those eyes of thine;

Thou art my friend, but my disorder'd speech
Cuts off my love.

Amin. Thou art Melantius;

All love is spoke in that. A sacrifice,
To thank the gods Melantius is return'd
In safety! Victory sits on his sword, [dwell;
As she was wont: May she build there and
And may thy armour be, as it hath been,
Only thy valour and thy innocence! [give,
What endless treasures would our enemies
That I might hold thee still thus!

Mel. I'm but poor

[mother

In words; but credit me, young man, thy
Could do no more but weep for joy to see thee
After long absence: All the wounds I have
Fetch'd not so much away, nor all the cries
Of widowed mothers. But this is peace,
And that was war.

Amin. Pardon, thou holy god

Of marriage-bed, and frown not, I am forc'd,
In answer of such noble tears as those,
To weep upon my wedding-day.

[hear
Mel. I fear thou'rt grown too fickle, for I
A lady mourns for thee; men say, to death;
Forsaken of thee; on what terms, I know not.

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Mess. My lord, the masquers rage for you.
Lys. We are gone. Cleon, Strato, Diphi-
lus-3
[trouble you

Amin. We'll all attend you. We shall
With our solemnities.

Mel, Not so, Amintor:

But if you laugh at my rude carriage
In peace, I'll do as much for you in war,
When you come thither. Yet I have a mistress
To bring to your delights; rough tho' I am,
I have a mistress, and she has a heart,
She says; but, trust me, it is stone, no better;
There is no place that I can challenge in't.5
But you stand still, and here my way lies.

Enter Calianax with Diagoras.

Cal. Diagoras, look to the doors better for shame; you let in all the world, and anon the king will rail at me-why, very well said— by Jove, the king will have the show i'th'

court.

Diag. Why do you swear so, my lord? You know he'll have it here.

[not. Cal. By this light, if he be wise, he will Diag. And if he will not be wise, you are forsworn.

"For till the chance of war mark'd this smooth face
With these few blemishes, people would call me
My sister's picture; and her, mine; in short,

I am the brother to the wrong'd Aspatia ;"

this fore-mention of the brother, here, makes the incident the more probable, and striking; as Amintor must have heard of such a brother, and could have no suspicion that he was going to draw his sword against Aspatia. The audience are equally amused with the fallacy.

3 Mr. Theobald's edition says here,

Exeunt Lysippus, Cleon, Strato, and Diphilus.

Mr. Theobald.

but as we find no authority for this note of direction, we have not ventured to insert it, though we believe our Authors intended those persons to depart at this place.

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+ We'll all attend you. We shall, &c.] An explanation of this and Melantius's speech seems requisite. News being brought that the masquers wait, Lysippus is calling on the company, and Amintor says, We'll all attend you." They depart, and Amintor, turning to Melantius, continues, "We shall trouble you with [beg you to partake of] our solemnities." "No," replies Melantius; "though you may laugh at my being so uncourtly, you must excuse me: But I have a mistress to bring to your diversions." He then enters into a digression about this mistress; till recollecting that it was necessary for Amintor to attend the exhibition, and for him to fetch the lady, he interrupts himself with "But I detain you, and neglect my own engagement."

5 There is no place that I can challenge, gentlemen.] Thus the first edition reads; Mr. Theobald's,

There's no place I can challenge gentle in't;

All the intermediate copies exhibit the reading of the present text.

"At the end of this scene, the old editions say, exit; that of 1711, exeunt; Mr. Theobald's, excunt severally; which, we apprehend, is the proper reading.

Cal. One may swear out his heart with swearing, and get thanks on no side. I'll be gone-look to't, who will.

Diag. My lord, I shall never keep them out. Pray, stay; your looks will terrify them. Cal. My looks terrify them, you coxcombly ass, you! I'll be judg'd by all the company, whether thou hast not a worse face than I. Diag. I mean, because they know you and your office.

Cal. Office! I would I could put it off: I am sure I sweat quite through my office. I might have made room at my daughter's wedding: they have near kill'd her amongst them; and now I must do service for him that hath forsaken her. Serve, that will.

[Exit.

Diag. He's so humorous since his daughter was forsaken.-Hark, hark! there, there! so, so! Codes, Codes! [Knock within.] What now?

Mel. [within] Open the door.

Diag. Who's there?

Mel. [within] Melantius.

Diag. I hope your lordship brings no troop with you; for, if you do, I must return them.

Enter Melantius and a Lady.

Mel. None but this lady, Sir. Diag. The ladies are all plac'd above, save those that come in the king's troop: The best of Rhodes sit there, and there's room.

Mel. I thank you, Sir. When I have seen you plac'd, madam, I must attend the king; but, the masque done, I'll wait on you again.

Diag. Stand back there-room for my lord Melantius pray, bear back-this is no place for such youths and their trulls-let the doors shut again.-No!-do your heads itch? I'll scratch them for you-So, now thrust and hang.-Again! who is't now?—I cannot blame my lord Calianax for going away: 'Would he were here! he would run raging among them, and break a dozen wiser heads than his own, in the twinkling of an eye.— What's the news now?

Within.] I pray you, can you help me to the speech of the master-cook?

Diag. If I open the door, I'll cook some of your calves-heads. Peace, rogues!-Again! who is't?

Mel. [within.] Melantius.

Enter Calianax.

Cal. Let him not in.

Diag. O, my lord, I must.

there for my lord.

Enter Melantius.

Is your lady plac'd? Mel. Yes, Sir,

Make room

[To Mel.

I thank you. My lord Calianax, well met. Your causeless hate to me, I hope, is buried.

Cal. Yes, I do service for your sister here, That brings my own poor child to timeless death:

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your age,

And place, to be thus womanish. Forbear! What you have spoke, I am content to think The palsy shook your tongue to.

Cal. Why, 'tis well if I stand here to place mens' wenches. [safety, Mel. I shall forget this place, thy age, my And thorough all, cut that poor sickly week, Thou hast to live, away from thee. [whore.

Cal. Nay, I know you can fight for your Mel. Bate the king, and be he flesh and blood,

He lyes, that says it! Thy mother at fifteen
Was black and sinful to her.
Diag. Good- -my lord!

Mel. Some god pluck threescore years from that fond man,

[nour. That I may kill him, and not stain mine hoIt is the curse of soldiers, that in peace They shall be brav'd by such ignoble men, As, if the land were troubled, would with tears And knees beg succour from 'em. 'Would, that blood,

That sea of blood, that I have lost in fight, Were running in thy veins, that it might make Apt to say less, or able to maintain, [thee Should'st thou say more! This Rhodes, I see,

is nought

But a place privileg'd to do men wrong. Cal. Ay, you may say your pleasure.

Enter Amintor.

Amin. What vile injury

Has stirr'd my worthy friend, who is as slow To fight with words as he is quick of hand?

Mel. That heap of age, which I should reIf it were temperate; but testy years [verence Are most contemptible.

Amin. Good Sir, forbear.

Cal. There is just such another as yourself. Amin. He will wrong you, or me, or any And talk as if he had no life to lose, [man, Since this our match. The king is coming in: I would not for more wealth than I enjoy, He should perceive you raging. He did hear You were at difference now, which hast'ned Cal. Make room there!

[him. [Hautboys play within.

Enter King, Evadne, Aspatia, lords and ladies.

King. Melantius, thou art welcome, and my love

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