Dion. Then the same devil take the foremost too, and souse him for his breakfast! If they all prove cowards, my curses fly amongst them, and be speeding! May they have murrains rain to keep the gentlemen at home, unbound in easy frieze! May the moths branch their velvets, and their silks only be worn before sore eyes! May their false lights undo 'em, and discover presses, holes, stains, and oldness in their stuffs, and make them shop. rid! May they keep whores and horses, and break; and live mewed up with necks of beef and turnips! May they have many children, and none like the father! May they know no language but that gibberish they prattle to their parcels ;35 unless it be the 36 Gothic Latin they write in their bonds; and may they write that false, and lose their debts! Enter the King. King. Now the vengeance of all the gods confound them, how they swarm together! What a hum they raise! Devils choke your wild throats! If a man had need to use their valours, he must pay a brokage for it, and then bring 'em on, and they will fight like sheep. Tis Philaster, none but Philaster, must allay this heat: They will not hear me speak, but fling dirt at me, and call me tyrant. Oh, run, dear friend, and bring the lord Philaster: Speak him fair; call him prince; do him all the courtesy you can; commend me to him! Oh, my wits, my wits! [Exit Cle. Dion. Oh, my brave countrymen! as 1 live, I will not buy a pin out of your walls for this: Nay, you shall cozen me, and I'll thank you; and send you brawn and bacon, and soil you every long vacation a brace of foremen, that at Michaelmas shall come up fat and kicking. King. What they will do with this poor prince, the gods know, and I fear. Dion. Why, Sir, they'll flea him, and make church-buckets on's skin, to quench rebel lion; then clap a rivet in's sconce, and hang him up for a sign. Enter Cleremont and Philaster. King. Oh, worthy Sir, forgive me! Do not make Your miseries and my faults meet together, To bring a greater danger. Be yourself, [you, Still sound amongst diseases. I have wrong'd And though I find it last, and beaten to it, Let first your goodness know it. Calm the people, [love, And be what you were born to: Take your And with her my repentance, and my wishes, And all my pray'rs. By th' gods, my heart speaks this; And if the least fall from me not perform'd, May I be struck with thunder! Phi. Mighty Sir, I will not do your greatness so much wrong, As not to make your word truth. Free the princess, And the poor boy, and let me stand the shock Of this mad sea-breach; which I'll either turn, Or perish with it. King. Let your own word free them. Phi. Then thus 1 take my leave, kissing your hand, And hanging on your royal word. Be kingly, King. All the gods go with thee! [Exeunt. Cap. Come, my brave myrmidons, let's fall on! let our caps swarm, my boys, and your nunble tongues forget your mothers gibberish, of what do you lack, and set your mouths up, children, till your palates fall frighted, half a fathom past the cure of bay-salt and gross pepper. And then cry Philaster, brave Philaster! Let Philaster be deeper in request, my ding-dongs, my pairs of dear indentures, kings of clubs, than your cold water camlets, or your paintings spotted with copper. 37 Let 34 And cry, the devil take the hindmost. Occupet extremum scabies, says Horace: To which execration, no doubt, our authors had an eye. Mr. Theobald. We rather imagine, our Authors looked down to the mob, than up to Horace, for this long used vulgar phrase. 35 They prattle to their parcels.] Shakespeare sometimes uses the word parcels as a contemptuous mode of expressing companions, families, &c. It here refers to tradesmen talking to their goods. 36 Unless it be the goarish Latin] Thus the folio edition in 1679; but there is no such word in English, and, consequently, it is stark nonsense. The quarto of 1628 has it, goatish; but there is nothing wanton, or lascivious, in a bond; therefore, this reading is as unmeaning as the other. I dare warrant, that I have retrieved the authors' genuine text, in the word Gothic; i.e. barbarous: No greater barbarisms than in Law Latin. So, in Wit without Money, Mr. Theobald. 37 No more sense spoke, all things Goth and Vandal. or your paintings Spitted with copper.] This to me is quite unintelligible; I have ventured to substitute spotted, i.e. sprinkled with copper, as our painted papers for hangings are, to resemble gold, and look gaudy. Mr. Theobald. not your hasty silks, or your branch'd cloth of bodkin, or your tissues, dearly beloved of spice cake and custard, your Robinhoods, Scarlets and Johns, tie your affections in darkness to your shops. No, dainty duckers, up with your three-pil'd spirits, your wrought valours; and let your uncut choler make the king feel the measure of your mightiness. Philaster! cry, my rose-nobles, cry. All. Philaster! Philaster! Cap. How do you like this, my lord prince? These are mad boys, I tell you; these are things that will not strike their top-sails to a foist; and let a man of war, an argosy, 38 hull and cry cockles. Pha. Why, you rude slave, do you know what you do? Cap. My pretty prince of puppets, we do know; and give your greatness warning, that you talk no more such bug-words, or that sold red crown shall be scratch'd with a musquet. Dear prince Pippen, down with your noble blood; or, as I live, I'll have you coddled. Let him loose, my spirits! Make us a round ring with your bills, my Hectors, and let us see what this trim man dares do. Now, Sir, have at you! Here I lie, and with this swashing blow (do you sweat, prince?) I could hulk your grace, and hang you up crosslegg'd, like a hare at a poulter's, 9 and do this with this wiper. Pha. You will not see me murder'd, wicked villains? 1 Cit. Yes, indeed, will we, Sir: We have not seen one foe a great while.4° Cap. He would have weapons, would he? Give him a broadside, my brave boys, with your pikes; branch me his skin in flowers like a satin, and between every flower a mortal cut. Your royalty shall ravel! Jag him, gentlemen: I'll have him eut to the kell, then down the seams! Oh! for a whip to make him galloon-laces! I'll have a coach-whip. Pha. Oh, spare me, gentlemen! Cap. Hold, hold; the man begins to fear, and know himself; he shall for this time only be seel'd up, with a feather through his nose,41 that he may only see Heaven, and think whither he is going. Nay, my beyond-sea Sir, we will proclaim you: You would be king! Thou tender heir apparent to a church-ale, thou slight prince of single sarcenet; thou royal ring-tail, fit to fly at nothing but poor mens' poultry, and have every boy beat thee from that too with his bread and butter! +2 Pha. Gods keep me from these hellhounds! 2 Cit. Shall's geld him, captain? Cap. No, you shall spare his dowcets, my dear donsels; as you respect the ladies, let them flourish: The curses of a longing woman kill as speedy as a plague, boys. 1 Cit. I'll have a leg, that's certain. 3 Cit. I'll have his nose, and at mine own charge build a college, and clap it upon the gate. 4 Cit. I'll have his little gut to string a kit with; for, certainly, a royal gut will sound like silver. Pha. 'Would they were in thy belly, and past my pain once! 5 Cit. Good captain, let me have his liver to feed ferrets. Cap. Who will have parcels else? speak. Pha. Good gods, consider me! I shall be tortur'd. 1 Cit. Captain, I'll give you the trimming of your two-hand sword, and let me have his skin to make false scabbards. 2 Cit. He has no horns, Sir, has he? 43 Cap. No, Sir, he's a pollard. would'st thou do with horns? What 2 Cit. Oh, if he had, I would have made rare hafts and whistles of 'em; but his shinbones, if they be sound, shall serve me. 38 An argosy hull and cry cockles.] Any large vessel, so called from Jason's large ship Argo. A vessel is said to hull, when she floats, or rides idle to and fro upon the water. Mr.Theobald. A foist is an old word for a smaller vessel. So, in Ben Jonson's Silent Woman, When the galley foist is afloat to Westminster.' 39 Like a hare at a poulter's.] We now say poulterer: however, there is a company in the city of London, which still retains its old name of Poulters. 40 Yes, indeed, will we, Sir; we have not seen one foe a great while.] This is a typographical error, which, however, makes nonsense of the passage. Foe is mistakenly put for so. Mr. Sympson. We apprehend the old reading, foe, to be right; and that this passage is meant to express their not having for a long time been engaged in war. 41 He shall for this time only be seal'd up, with a feather through the nose.] There is a difference, which the printers did not know, betwixt seal'd and seel'd; the latter is a term in falconry. When a hawk is first taken, a thread is run through its eyelids, so that she may sze very little, to make her the better endure the hood. Mr. Theobald. 42 Thou royal ring-tail.] A ring-tail is a sort of a kite, with a whitish tail. Mr. Theobald. 43 He had no horns, Sir, had he?] We have made a small alteration here, which, from the other parts of the dialogue, secms absolutely necessary. 44 No, Sir, he's a pollard.] A pollard, among gardeners, is an old tree, which has been often lopped: but, among hunters, a stag, or male deer, which has cast its head, or horns. Mr. Theobald. 45 Kin their gum'd go Gels, in old English authors, means kards, or poses. Gam'd we apprehend to be form'd from the substantive gum; and the whole passage to signify, Do the nobility kiss their hands in token of civility, and say, “We are your servants?" Mr. Theobald reads, kiss the gum gol. Perpetual prisonment, cold, hunger, sickness, All dangers of all sorts, and all together. In this manner Mr. Seward alters these lines; and, indeed, we think his alteration preferable to the old reading, in our text. The same gentleman complains of there being great difficulties in the latter part of this speech. It is very probable, Mr. Seward conceived our Authors to have had a deeper meaning in it than they really had; otherwise, we know not where the difficulty lies. We apprehend the Poets intended Pharamond simply to declare, that he had rather suffer any thing, than to be thus baited any longer by the mob. 47 Sir, all is quiet as this dead of night.] There is no hint of the scene being at midnight; we must therefore read the dead of night. Mr. Seward. My lord Philaster Brings on the prince himself. King. Kind gentlemen!] It is plain, that the king is speaking here of the kindness of Philaster in appeasing the people, and redeeming Pharamond; and not of the kindness of Dion, and the others present, who only informed him of it. We must therefore read gentleman. Mr. Sevard. King. My son! Blest be the time, that I have leave to call That I have wrong'd thee, and as much of joy Phi. Sir, it is blotted from my memory, Past and forgotten. For you, Prince of Spain, Whom I have thus redeem'd, you have full To make an honourable voyage home. [leave realm And if you would go furnish'd to your Meg. Sir, he likes it well; you company: For he hath tried it, and found it worth Meg. You must get another ship, [him Meg. Others took me, and I took her and At that all women may be ta'en some time. Ship us all four, my lord; we can endure Weather and wind alike. [for father. King. Clear thou thyself, or know not me Are. This earth, how false it is! What means is left For me to clear myself? It lies in your belief. My lords, believe me; and let all things else Struggle together to dishonour me. Bel. Oh, stop your ears, great king, that I may speak. As freedom would; then I will call this lady As base as be her actions! Hear me, Sir: Believe your heated blood when it rebels Against your reason, sooner than this lady. Meg. By this good light, he bears it handsomely. [wind Phi. This lady? I will sooner trust the King. Forget her, Sir, since all is knit To what you promise. 49 Phi. By the pow'rs above, Let it not be the death of her or him, King. Bear away that boy To torture: I will have her clear'd or buried. Phi. Oh, let me call my words back, worthy Sir! Ask something else! Bury my life and right In one poor grave; but do not take away My life and fame at once. [cable. King Away with him! It stands irrevoPhi. Turn all your eyes on me: Here stands try your constancy. Bel. Oh, kill me, gentlemen! Dion. No! Help, Sirs. Bel. Will you torture me? King. Haste there! why stay you? Bel. Then I shall not break my vow, You know, just gods, though I discover all. King. How's that? will he confess? Dion. Sir, so he says. King. Speak then. Bel. Great king, if you command This lord to talk with me alone, my tongue, King. Walk aside with him. Bel. Have you not seen it, nor the like? Dion. Yes, I have seen the like, but readily I know not where. Bel. I have been often told In court of one Euphrasia, a lady, And daughter to you; betwixt whom and me They, that would flatter my bad face, would swear [two Who now doth spend the spring-time of her Dion. But thou speak'st As like Euphrasia, as thou dost look. and will sadly be denied.] i. e. shall be very sorry to be denied. Mr. Theobald. Enter Philaster. All. Long live Philaster, the brave Prince Philaster! [are these Phi. I thank you, gentlemen. But why Rude weapons brought abroad, to teach your Uncivil trades? [hands Cap. My royal Rosiclear, We are thy myrmidons, thy guard, thy roarers! men, Phi Hold, and be satisfied: I am myself; Free as my thoughts are: By the gods, am. Cap. Art thou the dainty darling of the king? Is the court navigable, and the presence stuck Phi. I am what I do desire to be, your friend; Pha. Sir, there is some humanity in you; ness, age. To be as many creatures as a woman, [fears; Phi. I do pity you. Friends, discharge your Deliver me the prince: I'll warrant you, 3 Cit. Good Sir, take heed he does not hurt He's a fierce man, I can tell you, Sir. [you: Cap. Prince, by your leave, I'll have a surcingle, and mail you like a hawk. [He stirs. And by me have your pardons, and my love; To give you more thanks, were to flatter you. Enter King, Arethusa, Galatea, Megra, Clere- 45 Kiss their gum'd gols.] Golls, in old English authors, means hands, or paws. Gum'd we apprehend to be form'd from the substantive gum; and the whole passage to signify, Do the nobility kiss their hands in token of civility, and say, "We are your servants?" Mr. Theobald reads, kiss the gum gols. 46 Perpetual prisonment, cold, hunger, sickness, All dangers of all sorts, and all together,] In this manner Mr. Seward alters these lines; and, indeed, we think his alteration preferable to the old reading, in our text. The same gentleman complains of there being great difficulties in the latter part of this speech. It is very probable, Mr. Seward conceived our Authors to have had a deeper meaning in it than they really had; otherwise, we know not where the difficulty lies. We apprehend the Poets intended Pharamond simply to declare, that he had rather suffer any thing, than to be thus baited any longer by the mob. 47 Sir, all is quiet as this dead of night.] There is no hint of the scene being at midnight; we must therefore read the dead of night. Mr. Seward. 45 My lord Philaster Brings on the prince himself. King. Kind gentlemen!] It is plain, that the king is speaking here of the kindness of Philaster in appeasing the people, and redeeming Pharamond; and not of the kindness of Dion, and the others present, who only informed him of it. We must therefore read gentleman. Mr. Seward. |