Platonicus, who, if Macbeth had then appeared on the stage, would probably have mentioned fome thing of it. It fhould be likewife remembered, that there fubfifted at that time, a fpirit of oppofition and rivalship between the regular players and the academicks of the two univerfities; the latter of whom frequently acted plays both in Latin and English, and seem to have piqued themselves on the fuperiority of their exhibitions to thofe of the eftablished theatres. Wifhing probably to manifeft this fuperiority to the royal pedant, it is not likely that they would choose for a collegiate interlude, (if this little performance deferves that name,) a fubject which had already appeared on the publick ftage, with all the embellishments that the magick hand of Shakspeare could beftow. In the following July (1606) the king of Denmark came to England on a vifit to his fifter, Queen Anne, and on the third of Auguft was inftalled a knight of the garter. "There is nothing to be heard at court," (fays Drummond of Hawthornden in a letter dated that day,)" but founding of trumpets, hautboys, mufick, revellings; and comedies." Perhaps during this vifit Macbeth was firft; exhibited. * Ab ejufdem collegii alumnis (qui & cothurno tragico & focco comico principes femper habebantur) Vertumnus, comedia faceta, ad principes exhilarandos exhibetur. Rex Platonicus, p. 78. Arcadiam reftauratam Ifiacorum Arcadum le&tiffimi cecine runt, unoque opere, principum omniumque fpectantium animos immenfa & ultra fidem affecerunt voluptate; fimulque patrios ludiones, etfi exercitatiffimos, quantum inter fit inter fcenam mercenarium & eruditam docuerunt. Ib. p. 228. See alfo The Return from Parnaffus, (A& IV. fc. iii.) which was acted publickly at St. John's college in Cambridge. 1 This tragedy contains an allufion to the union of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, under one fovereign, and also to the cure of the king's-evil by the royal touch. 3 A ritual for the healing of that diftemper was established carly in this reign; but in what year that pretended power was affumed by King James I. is uncertain. Macbeth was not entered in the Stationers' books, nor printed, till 1623. In The Tragedy of. Cæfar and Pompey, or Cæfar's Revenge, are thefe lines: .. Why, think you, lords, that 'tis ambition's spur "That pricketh Cæfar to thefe high attempts? If the author of that play, which was published in 1607, fhould be thought to have had Macbeth's foliloquy in view, (which is not unlikely,) this circumftance may add fome degree of probability to the fuppofition that this tragedy had appeared before that year : I have no fpur · "To prick the fides of my intent, but only At the time when Macbeth is fuppofed to have been written,, the fubject, it is probable, was confidered as a topick the most likely to conciliate the favour of the court. In the additions to Warner's Albion's England, which were first printed in 1606, the ftory of" The Three Fairies or Weird Elves, as he calls them, is fhortly told, and King James's defcent from Banquo carefully deduced. 3 Macbeth, A& IV. fc. i. ii. 4 Ben Jonson, a few years afterwards, paid his court to his majefty by his Mafque of Queens, prefented at Whitehall, Feb. 12, 1609; in which he has given a minute detail of all the magick rites that are recorded by King James in his book of Damonologie, or by any other author ancient or modern. Mr. Steevens has lately discovered a MS. play, entitled THE WITCH, written by Thomas Middleton, which renders it queftionable, whether Shak 4 Mr. Upton was of opinion that this mafque preceded Macbeth. But the only ground which he ftates for this conjecture, is, "that Jonfon's pride would not fuffer him to borrow from Shakfpeare, though he ftole from the ancients." 5 In an advertisement prefixed to an adition of A Mad World my Mafters, a comedy by Thomas Middleton, 1640, the printer fays, that the author was long fince dead. Middleton probably died foon after the year 1626. He was chronologer to the city of London, and it does not appear that any masque or pageant, in honour of the Lord Mayor, was fet forth by him after that * From the dates of his printed plays, and from the enfuing verfes on his laft performance, by Sir William Lower, we may conclude, that he was as early a writer, and at leaft as old, as Shakspeare: year. "Tom Middleton his numerous issue brings, And his white locks fhew mafter of his art. 1607. The following dramatick pieces by Middleton appear to have been published in his life-time. Your Five Gallants, no date. Blurt Mafter Conftable, or the Spaniard's Night-Walk, 1602. Michaelmas Term, 1607. The Phonix, The Family of Love, 1608.-A Trick to catch the Old One, 1608.— A mad World my Masters, 1608. The Roaring Girl, or Moll Cutpurfe, 1611.- Fair Quarrel, 1617. A Chafte Maid of Cheapfide, 1620. A Game at Cheffe, no date. - Moft of his - The Triumph of Health and Profperity at the Inauguration of the moft worthy Brother, the Right Hon. Cuthbert Hafket, draper; composed by Thomas Middleton, draper, 1626, 4to. VOL. II. N fpeare was not indebted to that author for the firft hint of the magick introduced in this tragedy. The reader will find an account of this fingular curiofity in the note. To the obfervations of Mr. Stee other plays were printed, about thirty years after his death, by Kirkman and other bookfellers, into whose hands his manufcripts fell. 6 In a former note on this tragedy, I have faid that the original edition contains only the two firft words of the fong in the 4th act, beginning-Black Spirits, &c; but have lately difcovered the entire ftanza in an unpublished dramatick piece, viz." A Tragi-Coomodie called THE WITCH: long fince acted by his Majefty's Servants at the Black Friers; written by Tho. Middleton. The fong is there called "A charmefong, about a veffell." The other fong omitted in the 5th fcene of the 3d act of Macbeth, together with the imperfect couplet there, may likewife be found, as follows, in Middleton's performance. The Hecate of Shakspeare fays: "I am for the air." &c. The Hecate of Middleton (who like the former is fummoned away by aerial fpirits) has the fame declaration in almost the fame words: "I am for aloft, &c. 66 Goral, Marcal, come away. } "Hec. I come, I come, I come, With all the fpeed I may, "With all the speed I may. "Wher's Stadin ? in the air. "Heere.] in the aire. away, make up you: the count. "Hec. I will but 'noynt, and then I mount. "A fpirit like a cat defcends. in the aire. vens I have only to add, that the fongs, beginning, Come away, &c. and Black fpirits, &c. being found "Hec. 66 Refufe, refufe. above. Now I am furnifh'd for the flight. "Fire.] Hark, hark, the catt fings a brave treble in her [owne language., Hec. going up.] Now I goe, now I flie, Malkin, my fweete fpirit, and I. "Oh what a daintie pleafure 'tis, To ride in the aire, "When the moone fhines faire, "And fing, and daunce, and toy and kiss! "Over fleepe towres and turrets, "We fly by night 'mongft troopes of fpiritts. No ring of bells to our eares founds, "No howles of woolves, no yelpes of hounds; No, not the noyfe of waters'-breache, "Or cannons' throat, our height can reache. "No ring of bells, &c.] above. muft Fire.] Well, mother, I thank your kindness: : you be gambolling i' th'aire, and leave me to walk here, like a foole and a mortal. Exit. Finis Abus Tercii." This Fire-ftone, who occafionally interpofes in the courfe of the dialogue, is called, in the lift of Perfons Represented,"The Clowne and Heccat's fon." Again, the Hecate of Shakspeare fays to her fifters: I'll charm the air to give a found, "While you perform your antique round," &c. [Mufick. The Witches dance and vanish. The Hecate of Middleton fays on a fimilar occafion : "" Come, my fweete fifters, let the aire ftrike our tune, "Whilft we fhew reverence to yond peeping moone." [Here they dance and Exeunt. |