A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Xiv Part 83

THE PARSON'S WEDDING.

_EDITION._

_The Parson's Wedding, A Comedy. The Scene London. Written at Basil in Switzerland: by Thomas Killigrew. Dedicated to the Lady Vrsvla Bartv [Bertie] Widow. London: Printed by J. M.

for Henry Herringman...._ 1663.

This forms part of the collected edition of the works in folio, mentioned presently.

[PREFACE TO THE FORMER EDITION.]

THOMAS KILLIGREW, one of the sons of Sir Robert Killigrew, Chamberlain to the Queen, was born at Hanworth, in the county of Middles.e.x, in the month of February 1611.[184] Although his writings are not wanting in those requisites which confer reputation on an author, yet [we are permitted to conclude that it was chiefly to his conversational and social qualities, that Killigrew owed his ascendancy at Charles II.'s court--first abroad, and afterwards in England. Hence Sir John Denham was probably led to write those lines--

"Had Cowley ne'er spoke, Killigrew ne'er writ, Combin'd in one, they'd made a matchless wit."

But, as we know, for at least two generations the Killigrews were all men and women of genius, and were as remarkable, too, for their physical as for their intellectual graces. Killigrew] seems to have been early intended for the court; and to qualify him for rising there, every circ.u.mstance of his education appears to have been adapted. In the year 1635, while upon his travels, he chanced to be at London, and an eyewitness of the celebrated imposture of exorcising the devil out of several nuns belonging to a convent in that town. Of this transaction he wrote a very minute and accurate account,[185] still in MS. in the Pepysian Library at Magdalen College, Cambridge. He was appointed page-of-honour to King Charles I., and faithfully adhered to his cause until the death of his master, after which he attended his son in his exile, to whom he was highly acceptable, on account of his social and convivial qualifications. He married Mrs Cicilia Crofts, one of the maids-of-honour to Queen Henrietta. With this lady he had a dispute on the subject of jealousy, at which Thomas Carew was present, and wrote a poem, introduced into the masque of "Coelum Britannic.u.m," and afterwards a copy of verses on their nuptials, printed in his works.[186]

[It appears from the original doc.u.ments still preserved, that Killigrew was with Prince Charles at Paris in April 1647, and obtained from him a licence to travel, dated April 23. In 1649 he had a grant from James, Duke of York, of the office of Gentleman of the Bed-chamber; and from 1649 to 1652 he was engaged in diplomatic negotiations at Vienna and Florence. His papers, as well as those which he addressed to the Republic of Venice, are extant. Speaking of his mission to Venice], "Although," says Lord Clarendon,[187] "the king was much dissuaded from it, but afterwards his majesty was prevailed upon, only to gratify him (Killigrew) that in that capacity he might borrow money of English merchants for his own subsistence; which he did, and nothing to the honour of his master, but was at last compelled to leave the Republic for his vicious behaviour, of which the Venetian amba.s.sador complained to the king, when he came afterwards to Paris." On his return from Venice, Sir John Denham wrote a copy of verses, printed in his works,[188] bantering the foibles of his friend Killigrew who, from his account, was as little sensible to the inconveniences of exile as his royal master. [But the curious preface to Killigrew's Plays where, under the thin veil of levity, so strong a vein of seriousness seems to be perceptible, tells a different story, perhaps. He wishes the public as much leisure to read his plays as he had to write them--a banishment of twenty years. One of the doc.u.ments connected with the Killigrews which have come down to us, shows that in 1660 Thomas received the freedom of the city of Maastricht, in Holland. This was perhaps a parting compliment, when he prepared to return to England with his royal companion in exile. At the Restoration] he was appointed Groom of the Bedchamber, and became so great a favourite with his majesty, that he was admitted into his company on terms of the most unrestrained familiarity, and at times when audience was refused to the first ministers, and even on the most important occasions.

It does not appear that he availed himself of his interest with the king, either to ama.s.s a fortune, or to advance himself in the state. We do not find that he obtained any other preferment than the post of Master of the Revels, which he held with that of Groom of the Bed-chamber. Oldys [very foolishly and absurdly]

says he was king's jester at the same time; but although he might, and certainly did entertain his majesty in that capacity, it can scarce be imagined to have been in consequence of any appointment of that kind. He died at Whitehall on the 19th of March 1682,[189] having in 1664 published a collected edition of his plays, viz.:--

1. The Prisoners: a Tragi-Comedy. Written at London, and acted at the Phoenix in Drury Lane.

2. Claracilla: a Tragi-Comedy. Written in Rome, and acted at the Phoenix in Drury Lane. [Dedicated to his dear sister, the Lady Shannon.][190]

3. The Princess; or, Love at First Sight: a Tragi-Comedy. Written in Naples. [Dedicated to his dear Niece, the Lady Anne Wentworth, wife to the Lord Lovelace.]

4. The Parson's Wedding.

5. The Pilgrim: a Tragedy. Written in Paris.

6. The First Part of Cicilia and Clorinda; or, Love in Arms: a Tragi-Comedy. Written in Turin.

7. The Second Part of Cicilia and Clorinda; or, Love in Arms: a Tragi-Comedy. Written in Florence.

8. Thomaso; or the Wanderer: a Comedy. Written in Madrid.

9. The Second Part of Thomaso; or, The Wanderer. Written in Madrid.

10. The First Part of Bellamira, her Dream; or, The Love of Shadows: a Tragi-Comedy. Written in Venice.

11. The Second Part of Bellamira, her Dream; or, The Love of Shadows: a Tragi-Comedy. Written in Venice.

Thomas Killigrew had two brothers, both dramatic writers, viz., Sir William Killigrew,[191] author of Ormasdes, Pandora, Selindra, and The Siege of Urbin;[192] and Dr Henry Killigrew, a clergyman, author of a play called The Conspiracy, printed in 4^o, 1638, and afterwards altered, and printed in folio, 1653, under the t.i.tle of Pallantus and Eudora.

Dr Henry Killigrew was father to Mrs Ann Killigrew, a young lady celebrated for her wit, beauty, and virtue, and who was the writer of several poems, very highly esteemed by Dryden.

_DRAMATIS PERSON?._

MASTER CARELESS, _a gentleman and a wit_.

MASTER WILD, _a gentleman, nephew to the Widow_.

MASTER JOLLY, _a humorous gentleman, and a courtier_.

CAPTAIN, _a leading wit, full of designs_.

PARSON, _a wit also, but overreached by the Captain and his Wanton_.

MASTER CONSTANT, } _two dull suitors to the lady Widow and_ MASTER SAD, } _Mistress Pleasant_.

CROP, _the Brownist, a scrivener_.

LADY WILD, _a rich (and somewhat youthful) widow_.

MISTRESS PLEASANT, _a handsome young gentlewoman, of a good fortune_.

MISTRESS SECRET, _her (indifferent honest) woman_.

LADY LOVEALL, _an old stallion-hunting widow_.

FAITHFUL, _her (errant honest) woman_.

MISTRESS WANTON, _the Captain's livery punk, married to the Parson by confederacy_.

_Bawds_, _Servants_, _Drawers_, _Fiddlers_.

THE PARSON'S WEDDING.[193]

ACT I., SCENE 1.

_Enter the_ CAPTAIN _in choler, and_ WANTON.

CAPT. No more; I'll sooner be reconciled to want or sickness than that rascal: a thing that my charity made sociable; one that when I smiled would fawn upon me, and wag his stern, like starved dogs; so nasty, the company cried foh! upon him, he stunk so of poverty, ale, and bawdry. So poor and despicable, when I relieved him, he could not avow his calling for want of a ca.s.sock, but stood at corners of streets and whispered gentlemen in the ear as they pa.s.sed, and so delivered his wants like a message; which being done, the rogue vanished, and would dive at Westminster like a dabchick, and rise again at Temple-gate. The ingenuity of the rascal, his wit being snuffed by want, burnt clear then, and furnished him with a bawdy jest or two, to take the company; but now the rogue shall find he has lost a patron.

WAN. As I live, if I had thought you would have been in such a fury, you should never have known it.

CAPT. Treacherous rogue! he has always railed against thee to me, as a danger his friendship ought to give me warning of, and nightly cried, Yet look back, and hunt not, with good-nature and the beauties of thy youth, that false woman; but hear thy friend, that speaks from sad experience.

WAN. Did he say this?

CAPT. Yes, and swears ye are as unsatiate as the sea, as covetous, and as ungrateful: that you have your tempests too, and calms more dangerous than it.