Jac. Gentlewoman, I pray you let me feel I am an infidel, if she don't weep! A handsome gracious fellow amongst women, Tomorrow by break of day. If you love me, Be asham'd of. If this be a mock, [Kisses. Jac. It's true; I had forgot it, and should This twelvemonth: 'Pray you rise. Frederick, Fred. Oh, do not think of such a thing. I thank you, sir. Fab. Dost thou perceive the reason Fred. He gives good counsel. funkindly; [nadoing Jac. I apprehend you, sir; 53 Lined.] In act iii. scene 6, of this play, Piso describes Jacomo as one that wore his forehead in a velvet scabbard; and Clora here says his face is worth forty shillings to pawn upon account of its velvet lining. If lin'd be not a Latinism here, we must have the lining not on the inside as usual, but on the out. What we may further remark from hence is, the difference of patches in the Poet's days and in ours. The heroes of the blade then would have nothing less than velvet, whereas plain silk is thought good enough by those now. Sympson. Lined is, we believe, used in the same sense to this day by artisans, &c. The actors, in particular, call marking their features for old characters lining the fuce; though that may, indeed, bear another sense. And I you.] The occasion should seem to require us to read,' As I you.' Father. There is No starting now, son; if you offer it, Piso. So I may have the means, I do not much care what the woman is: Come, my sweetheart! as long as I shall find Thy kisses sweet, and thy means plentiful, Let people talk their tongues out. Lelia. They may talk Of what is pass'd; but all that is to come Shall be without occasions. Julio. Shall we not make Piso and Lodovic friends? Jac. Hang 'em, they dare not Be enemies; or, if they be, the danger Enter Frederick. Fred. First, joy unto you all! And next, I think we shall have wars. Jac. Give me some wine! Jac. Not a whit, wench; I'll teach thee presently to be a soldier. Jac. Bring me four glasses then! Ang. You shall not drink 'em here. It is [stir And from my house ho creature here shall These three days; mirth shall flow as well as wine. Father. Content. Within, I'll tell you more at large [you, How much I am bound to all, but most to Whose undeserved liberality Must not escape thus unrequited. Jac. 'Tis happiness to me, I did so well: Of every noble action, the intent Is to give Worth reward, Vice punishment. [Exeunt. EPILOGUE. IF you mislike (as you shall ever be Your own free judges) this play utterly, For your own nobleness yet do not hiss! But, as you go by, say it was amiss, And we will mcnd: Chide us, but let it be Never in cold blood! O' my honesty, (If I have any) this I'll say for all; Our meaning was to please you still, and shall. A TRAGICAL HISTORY. The Commendatory Verses by Gardiner and Hills ascribe this Play solely to Fletcher. It was first printed in the folio of 1647. Mr. Seward, on the authority of Laugbaine, says, it was revived by Dryden: But in this particular, we apprehend, they are both mistaken; as Downes, the prompter, in his Roscius Anglicanus, positively assigns the revival of it, and the alterations and additions made to it, to Betterton. The piece, thus altered, after the manner of an Opera, was represented at the Queen's Theatre, and printed in quarto, 1690. Purcell composed the musick, and Priest the dances: It appears to have been revived at a considerable expence, and has within a few years been performed at Covent Garden Theatre. Out of your wonted goodness to give credit.] Sympson thinks it would be better to rend, ――to give ear to't?' I see a truth would break out: Be not fear Niger. I say, this Aper, and his damn'd ambition, [fortunes: Cut off your brother's hopes, his life, and The honour'd Numerianus fell by him, Fell basely, most untimely, and most treach'rously; For in his litter, as he bore him company, [men; [ther, Aur. Oh, most pernicious, Most bloody, and most base! Alas, dear broArt thou accus'd, and after death thy memory Loaden with shames and lies? those pious [nument, Thou daily shower'dst upon my father's mo(When in the Persian expedition tears He fell unfortunately by a stroke of thunder) Made thy defame and sins? those wept-out Then to my mother (to assure him nearer) He made him husband. Niger. And withal ambitions; [sir, For when he trod so nigh, his false feet itch'd, To step into the state. Aur. If you believe, brother, Aper a bloody knave, as 'tis apparent, [ble. Let's leave disputing, and do something noChar. Sister, be rul'd. I am not yet so pow'rful To meet him in the field: I' has under him The flower of all the empire, and the strength, The Britain and the German cohorts; 'pray you be patient. Niger, how stands the soldier to him? Niger. In fear more, sir, Than love or honour: He has lost their fair affections, By his most covetous and greedy griping. Are you desirous to do something on him, And do it safely too, without an army? Niger. Then send out a proscription, [it, Send suddenly; and to that man that executes (I mean that brings his head) add a fair payment, [not, No common sum: Then you shall see, I fear Ev'n from his own camp, from those men that follow him, Follow and flatter him, we shall find one, And, if he miss, one hundred, that will venture it. [brother, Aur. For his reward, (it shall be so, dear So far I'll honour him that kills the villain; For so far runs my love to my dead brother) Let him be what he will, base, old, or crooked, He shall have me: Nay, which is more, I'll love him. My sister, and half partner in the empire; And I will keep my word. Aur. Now you do bravely. Niger. And, tho' it cost my life, I'll see Char. Away then, for the business, You shall have all dispatch'd to-night. Aur. And let the villain fall. Niger. Fear nothing, madam, [Exeunt. SCENE II, Enter Delphia and Drusilla. Drus. 'Tis true, that Diocles is courteous, And of a pleasant nature, sweet and tempe rate; His cousin Maximinian, proud and bloody." Altho' he seem to love thee, and affect, Drus. You know all my affection, How dull and heavily he looks upon me! Altho' I wooe him sometimes beyond modesty, [me! Beyond a virgin's care, how still he slights And puts me still off with your prophecy, And the performance of your late prediction, That when he's emp'ror, then he'll marry me! Alas, what hope of that? Delph. Peace, and be patient ; For tho' he be now a man most miserable, Of no rank, nor no badge of honour on him, Bred low and poor, no eye of favour shining; 'When I am Cæsar, then I will be liberal:' Thou shalt be emperor, oh, Diocles, As giving credit to my words, he has em- But yet not lighted on the fatal one, [niece; him: For by this time, I guess, he comes from Drus. The gods give good, aunt! Excunt. SCENE III. Enter Diocles, Maximinian, and Geta with a bour. Dio. Lay down the boar. Geta. With all my heart; I'm weary on't: Or allied to a seemly family of souse-wives. Dio. Come, leave your fooling, sirrah, emperor. ass, sir, And bear it swimmingly. I'm not the first thou hope to be a senator? Geta. Thou being the son of a tanner, But yet the bold and virtuous~~ Geta. You're right, master, Right as a gun! For we, the virtuous, We, the discreet and bold-And yet, now I We tilers may deserve to be senators, Dio. I like thee well; And, when I come to execute my office, Mari. What? Geta. An officer in fury, An officer as he ought to be. Do you laugh at it? first hour of it! [rence? Is a senator, in hope, worth no more reve- Geta. Then will I [publick) (For wise men must be had to prop the re- This whole speech is almost a translation from Vopiscus. Sympson. I could wish this splendidus pannus, this Latin piece of patch-work, was not to be found in the oldest edition: It might very well have been spared, and the Author's learning have suffered no detriment. Sympson. Never was a more injudicious censure, than this of Mr. Sympson upon the above Latin line; it being absolutely necessary, to preserve the pun (for so it must be called) upon the name of Aper, for the prediction to be delivered in that language: But perhaps Mr. Symp sou would have had the traitor's name Anglicised, and have cailed hun Volutius Evar. Thou hast a good mind.] Betterton, in his alteration of this play, reads, Thou hast as good a mind as I have,' &c. Sympson follows him, but claims the merit of the variation. VOL. II. 2 Z |