A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Xiv Part 120

Was't not kindled _ex voto_? Nay, I will have your cloak.

PAR. Take it; would 'twere Nessus's shirt, for you and your poet's sake.

[_Exit_ PARSON.

CAPT. What, does the rogue wish 'twere made of nettles?[280]

[CAPTAIN _puts on his cloak, and addresses himself to speak the epilogue, and is interrupted by_ LADY LOVEALL, _and_ FAITHFUL _her woman, who, in haste and full of anger, pull him by the cloak_.

LOVE. By your favour, sir, did you see any company pa.s.s this way?

CAPT. None but the three brides, and they are gone just before you. Hark! the music will guide you.

[_The music plays._

LOVE. Is it certain, then, they're married?

CAPT. Yes, lady; I saw the church's rites performed.

FAITH. Why does your ladyship lose time in talking with this fellow? don't you know him, madam? 'tis the rascally captain, hid in a black cloak. I know you, sirrah.

LOVE. She has reason; now I mark him better, I should know that false face too. See, Faithful, there are those treacherous eyes still.

CAPT. Alas! you mistake me, madam, I am Epilogue now. The captain's within, and as a friend, I counsel you not to incense the gentlemen against the poet, for he knows all your story, and if you anger him, he'll put it in a play; but if you'll do friendly offices, I'll undertake, instead of your pearl you lost, to help you to the jewel; the Scotch Dictionary will tell you the value of it. Let them go alone, and fret not at their loss. Stay, and take my counsel: it shall be worth three revenges.

LOVE. Well, what is't, sir?

CAPT. They say you have a great power over the parson: if you can prevail with him to express his anger in some satiric comedy (for the knave has wit, and they say his genius lies that way), tell him 'tis expected he should be revenged upon the illiterate courtier that made this play. If you can bring this business about, I may find a way, as Epilogue, to be thankful, though the captain abused you to-day. Think on't: Stephen[281] is as handsome, when the play is done, as Master Wild was in the scene.

LOVE. There's something of reason in what he says. [_Aside._]

But, my friend, how shall one believe you? you that were such a rascal to-day in buff, is it to be hoped you can be honest only with putting on a black cloak? Well, I'll venture once again; and if I have any power, he shall sting the malicious rascal, and I think he is fit for such a business. I'm sure he has the worst tongue, and a conscience that neither honour nor truth binds; and therefore 'tis to be believed, if he will rail in public, he may be even with your poet. I will clothe and feed him and his muse this seven years, but I will plague him. Secret tells me, 'twas your poet too that p.a.w.ned me to-day in the tavern.

CAPT. By my faith, did he; nay, 'twas he that told me of your friendship with Jolly.

LOVE. I wonder the parson has been so long silent; a man of his coat and parts to be beaten with a pen by one that speaks sense by rote, like parrots! one that knows not why sense is sense, but by the sound! one that can scarce read, nay, not his own hand!

Well, remember your promise.

CAPT. Leave it to me, he is yours; and if our plot take, you shall have all your shares in the mirth, but not the profit of the play; and the parson more than his t.i.the, a second day.

LOVE. We will discourse of this some other time. And pray despatch what 'tis you have to say to this n.o.ble company, that I may be gone; for those gentlemen will be in such fury if I stay, and think, because we are alone, G.o.d knows what.

CAPT. 'Tis no matter what they think; 'tis not them we are to study now, but these guests, to whom pray address yourself civilly, and beg that they would please to become fathers, and give those brides within. What say you, gentlemen, will you lend your hands to join them? The match, you see, is made. If you refuse, Stephen misses the wench, and then you cannot justly blame the poet; for, you know, they say that alone is enough to spoil the play.

FOOTNOTES: THE REBELLION

[1] [This play was reprinted in 1654, 4^o, but not again till it was included in the "Ancient British Drama," 1810, 3 vols. 8^o, with a curious mixture of old and modern spelling, a series of the most atrocious blunders, and without any attention to the punctuation; in fact, the text of 1810 is almost unintelligible.]

[2] [See further in Walpole's "Anecdotes," edit. 1862, pp. 400-1; but a comedy ent.i.tled "Tom Essence," printed in 1677, is there ascribed to his pen.]

[3] [He has commendatory verses to Chamberlain's "Jocabella,"

1640, and the same writer's "Swaggering Damsel," printed in that year.]

[4] [Respecting the Ducie family, see Lysons's "Environs of London," first edit., iv. 327; Walpole's "Anecdotes of Painting,"

edit. 1862, p. 401; and "Inedited Poetical Miscellanies," 1870.]

[5] [A well-known poet and playwright]

[6] [Probably Charles Gerbier, author of "Elogium Heronium,"

1651, and other works.]

[7] [The dramatist.]

[8] [It is difficult to appropriate these initials, unless they belong to Robert Wild.]

[9] [The author of "Nocturnal Lucubrations," 1637, the "Swaggering Damsel," 1640, &c.]

[10] [Thomas Jordan, the well-known poet and pageant-writer.]

[11] [John Gough, author of the "Strange Discovery," 1640.]

[12] [Possibly Edward Benlowes.]

[13] [The author of these wretched lines was the well-known pageant-writer.]

[14] [The writer of these lines does not seem to be otherwise known.]

[15] [This writer is not otherwise known.]

[16] [Editor of "A. B. D." printed (with old copy) _commandy the all_.]

[17] [Evadne alludes, of course, to the old nurse.]

[18] [The editor of the "A. B. D." printed _atticke_.]

[19] [Probably an intentional corruption (with old copy).]

[20] [Former edit., _confess_.]

[21] [_Her._--Old copy and "A. B. D."]

[22] [Former edit., _their_.]

[23] [He alludes to the helmets or casquets of Fulgentio, Alerzo, and Pandolpho, plumed with ostrich feathers.]

[24] [He evidently leaves the stage, yet his _Exit_ is not marked.]