their agreeable succession are always sure to inspire into my heart."

Thus closes a Preface which may certainly be registered among the curiosities of literature. In a future Number part of the poem shall appear.

T. P.

ART. VI. Rex Platonicus; sive de potentissimi Principis Jacobi Britanniarum Regis ad illustrissimam Academiam Oxoniensem adventu, Aug. 27, Anno 1605 Narratio ab Isaaco Wake.

Anno 1663. 12mo.

Editio sexta.

Isaac Wake, the author of this curious little volume, was the public orator of the University. One of the most curious passages it contains is that which relates to the little spectacle exhibited at St. John's College, when James entered the University from Woodstock; and it is the more remarkable, as it is supposed to have given rise to the Macbeth of SHAKSPEARE, which did not appear till a year after. The passage may be found at page 29, and is as follows.

"Quorum primos jam ordines dum Principes contemplantur, primisque congratulantium acclamationibus delectantur, Collegium D. Johannis, nomine literarum domicilium (quod Dominus Th. Whitus Prætor olim Londinensis, opimis reditibus locupletarat,) faciles eorum oculos speciosæ structuræ adblanditione invitat; moxque & oculos & aures detinet ingeniosa, nec injucunda, lusiuncula, qua clarissimis Præscs cum quinquaginta, quos alit Collegium, studiosis, magnaque Studentium conviventium caterva prodiens, Principes in transitu salutandos censuit.

Tabulæ

Tabulæ ansam dedit antiqua de Regia prosapia historiola apud Scoto-Britannos celebrata, quæ narrat tres olim SIBYLLAS occurrisse duobus Scotia proceribus MACBETHO & BANCHONI, & illum præduxisse Regem futurum, sed Regem nullum geniturum, hunc Regem non futurum sed Reges geniturum multos. Vaticinii veritatem rerum eventus comprobavit. Banchonis enim é stirpe Potentissimus JACOBUS oriundus. Tres adolescentes concinno Sibyllarum habitu induti, e Collegio prodeuntes, & carmina lepida alternatim canentes, Regi se tres esse illas Sibyllas profitentur, qua BANCHONI olim sobolis imperia prædixerant, jamque iterum comparere, ut eadem vaticinii veritate prædicerent JACOBо se jam et diu regem futurum Britannia felicissimum et multorum Regum parentem, ut ex BANCHONIS stirpe nunquam sit hæres Britannico diademati defuturus, Deinde tribus Principibus suaves felicitatum triplicitates triplicatis terminum vicibus succinentes, veniamque precantes, quod alumni adium Divi Johannis (qui præcursor Christi) alumnos Ædis Christi (quo tum Rex tendebat) præcursoria hac salutatione antevertissent, Principes ingeniosa fictiuncula delectatos dimittunt; quos inde universa ostantium multitudo, felici prædictionum successui suffragans votis precibusque ad portam usque invitatis Borealem prosequitur.

E.

ART.

ART. VII. The False Favourite Disgraced; and the Reward of Loyalty. A Tragi-Comedy. Never acted. Penned by George Gerbier D'Ouvilly, Esq. London: printed for Robert Crofts, and are to be sold at his shop, at the Crown in Chancery Lane, under Sergeants Inn. 1657. Duod. pp. 112.

This is a very scarce play, which it is apparent, that neither Langbaine nor Baker had ever seen, by the imperfect manner in which they mention it*.

The play itself is by no means deficient in merit. The scene is placed at Florence, from whose history at the time of the Medicis the story is drawn. There is nothing uncommon in the plot, which turns on the treachery of Hippolito, the False Favourite, by whose untrue accusations and perfidious intrigues, Pausanio is banished, the mutual attachment between Duke Cosmo and Lucebella, the daughter of Pausanio, nearly defeated, with a view to the favourite's obtainment of her, and Martiano, her brother, driven into rebellion. These artifices are at last discovered, and all ends well:-even Hippolito is forgiven.

The play is dedicated "to Aubrey de Vere, Earl of Oxford, Lord of Bulbec, Samford, Badelsmere, and Scales; to William Lord Craven, Baron of Hamsteed

* This curious, and perhaps nearly unique, book was given the Editor by Edm. Lodge, Esq. Lord Orford, partly misled by Victor in his Playhouse Companion, has strangely erred in attributing this play to Sir Balthazar Gerbier. See Anec. of Painting, 4th edition, Vol. II. p. 99. Perhaps the dramatic writer was brother to Sir Balthazar, as Ld. O. calls him Sir B..lthazar Gerbier D'Ouvilly; and he was employed by Lord Craven, who was the patron of George, in re-building his seat at Hemsted-Marshall.

Marshal,

Marshal, my noble Lord and Colonel; and to John
Lord Bellasis, Baron of Worlaby," and is dated Sept.
I, 1657
Then follow several commendatory verses.
The first copy is by James Howel, a well-known au-
thor," to his Honoured Friend George Gerbier D'Ou-
ville, Esq. on the Scene, and the Ingenuous Com-
posure of this Florantine Tragi-Comedy," as fol-
lows:

Florence, 'mong cities bears the name of Fair,
For streets and stately structures, sight and air,
A city, as a late historian says,

Fit only to be seen on holidays.

She breeds great wits for high attempts, and trust,
But often bent on black revenge and lust:

We know the purest streams have ouse, and slime,
So vices mix with virtue in this clime;
And there are stores of stories in this kind,
Which as I write, come crowding to my mind;
But this of yours will serve for all, which is
Compil'd with so much art, that doubtful 'tis,
Whether the Tuscan actors shew'd more wit
In plotting, as you did in penning it.

The next copy is signed E. Aldrick. The third "to Captain Geo. Gerbier D'Ouvilly," is by Tho. Revel; the fourth to Squier Gerbier D'Ouvilly," is by A. Prissoe and the last, by J. Cole.

I will give one specimen of the play. Towards the close of the fifth act, when Pausanio is marching back from his exile, the Duke, Julia, Lucebella, Rosania, Dianetta, appear above as on the walls.

"Duke. Whom do my glad eyes look upon,

sanio? Lucebel. Father!

Pau

Pausanio.

Pausanio. I am that wrong'd Pausanio, whose

soft heart,

Joyful to see my persecutor, melts

Itself to womanish profuseness.

Duke. We'll haste to thy embraces. [They descend.] Lucebel. Dear father, make me happy in your blessing!

Pausan. Best comfort to my age, arise! And Heaven

Look favourably on thee! Thou retain'st,

My girl, thy wonted sweetness

In despite of grief.

Luceb. Next to good heaven,

The thanks belong unto the Princess.

Pausan. Oh let me kiss that bounteous hand! my heart

Was never proud but when it did you service.

Duke. My nature's not to do thus, but in answer Of such deserving drops mine eyes rain tears. Oh, my Pausanio, be kind, and pardon The error of my blinded judgment; heaven Can witness with me, that my will's untainted. Pausan. I must believe it; I had a legal trial, And by suborned witness was condemn'd To undeserved death; but then your mercy Stepped between, and sav'd me: whereas had Desir'd my end, I had unjustly died, And yet 't had appear'd justice. I am still Your loyal humble subject.

you

[Kneels.

Duke. Rather the better half of my dear soul, rise! But where's our loving kinsman? He is wrong'd too. Pausan. I left him here; since have not heard of

him,