A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Ix Part 65

Were Lelia here, I soon would knit the knot 'Twixt her and thee, that time could ne'er untie, Till fatal sisters victory had won, And that your gla.s.s of life were quite outrun.

WILL CRICKET.

Zounds, I think he be spurblind; why, Lelia stands hard by him.

LELIA.

And Lelia here falls prostrate on her knee, And craves a pardon for her late offence.

GRIPE.

What, Lelia my daughter? Stand up, wench: Why, now my joy is full; My heart is lighten'd of all sad annoy: Now fare well, grief, and welcome home, my joy.-- Here, Sophos, take thy Lelia's hand: Great G.o.d of heav'n your hearts combine, In virtue's lore to raise a happy line.

SOPHOS.

Now Phaeton hath check'd his fiery steeds, And quench'd his burning beams that late were wont To melt my waxen wings, when as I soar'd aloft; And lovely Venus smiles with fair aspect Upon the spring-time of our sacred love.

Thou great commander of the circled orbs, Grant that this league of lasting amity May lie recorded by eternity.

LELIA.

Then wish'd content knit up our nuptial right; And future joys our former griefs requite.

WILL CRICKET.

Nay, and you be good at that, I'll tell you what we'll do: Peg and I must be married to-morrow; and if you will, we'll go all to the church together, and so save Sir John a labour.

ALL.

Agreed.

FORTUNATUS.

Then march along, and let's be gone, To solemnise two marriages in one.

[_Exeunt omnes_.

FINIS.

LINGUA.

_EDITIONS_.

(1.) _Lingva: Or, The Combat of the Tongue, And the fiue Senses for Superiority. A pleasant Comoedie, At London Printed by G. Eld, for Simon Waterson_, 1607, 4to[165].

(2.) _Lingua: or, The Combat of the Tongue, and the five Senses, for Superiority. A pleasant Comoedie. London, Printed by N. Okes, for Simon Waterson_, [circa 1610], 4to.

(3.) _Lingua; or, The Combat of the Tongue, and the five Senses, for Superiority. A pleasant Comoedie. London, Printed by Nicholas Okes, for Simon Waterson_, 1617, 4to.

(4.) _Lingua: or, The Combat of the Tongue, and the five Sences, for Superiority. A pleasant Comedy. London, Printed by Nicholas Okes, for Simon Waterson_, 1622, 4to.

(5.) _Lingua: or, The Combat of the Tongue, and the five Sences, for Superioritie. A pleasant Comoedie. London, Printed by Augustine Matthewes, for Simon Waterson_, 1632, 4to.

(6.) _Lingua: or, The Combat of the Tongue, and the five Senses, for Superiority. A pleasant Comoedy. London, Printed for Simon Miller, at the Starre in St Paul's Churchyard_, 1657, 8vo.

INTRODUCTION

[Of the author of "Lingua" nothing is known. By some of our earlier bibliographers the play was ascribed, without the slightest authority, to Anthony Brewer.

In the former edition it was pointed out that Winstanley gave to the same writer (among other pieces which he probably did _not_ write) "Pathomachia; or, Love's Loadstone," published in 1630, upon which point Reed observes:--"Whoever was the real author of 'Lingua,' there is some plausibility in a.s.signing to him also 'Pathomachia; or, Love's Lodestone,' for they are certainly written upon the same plan, and very much in the same stile, although the former is considerably superior to the latter, both in design and execution. The first scene of 'Pathomachia' contains an allusion by Pride, one of the characters, to 'Lingua,' where it is said, 'Methinks it were fit now to renew the claim to our old t.i.tle of Affections, which we have lost, as sometimes Madame Lingua did to the t.i.tle of a Sense, for it is good fishing in troubled waters.'

"'Pathomachia' was not printed until 1630, and most likely was not written until some years after 'Lingua,' from the allusion it contains in act ii. to the stile of the stage, and the mention in act i. of Coriat, the traveller, who did not become notorious until after the publication of his 'Crudities' in 1611....

"The first edition of 'Lingua' is dated 1607, but from a pa.s.sage in act iv. sc. 7, it is evident that it was produced before the death of Elizabeth. The last edition, in 1657, is rendered curious by the circ.u.mstance that the bookseller, Simon Miller, a.s.serts that it was acted by Oliver Cromwell, the late usurper. This fact is not stated on the t.i.tle-page to the play, but in a list of works printed for the same stationer, placed at the end of Heath's 'New Book of Loyal Martyrs'

[12mo, 1663][166].... Winstanley adds that the late usurper Cromwell [when a young man] had therein the part of _Tactus_; and this mock ambition for the Crown is said to have swollen his ambition so high, that afterwards he contended for it in earnest...."

The present text is taken from the 4to of 1607.]

PROLOGUE

Our Muse describes no lover's pa.s.sion, No wretched father, no unthrifty son!

No craving, subtle wh.o.r.e or shameless bawd, Nor stubborn clown or daring parasite, No lying servant or bold sycophant.

We are not wanton or satirical.

These have their time and places fit, but we Sad hours and serious studies to reprieve, Have taught severe Philosophy to smile, The Senses' rash contentions we compose, And give displeas'd ambitious Tongue her due: Here's all; judicious friends, accept what is not ill.

Who are not such, let them do what they will.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE.

LINGUA, _Comoedus. Tragoedus_.

AUDITUS, _Comoedus. Tragoedus_.

MENDACIO, _Lingua's page_.

TACTUS, _Odor_.

OLFACTUS, _Tobacco_.

VISUS, _Lumen_, _Coelum_, _Terra_, _Heraldry_, _Colour_.

GUSTUS; _Bacchus, Ceres, Beer_.

APPEt.i.tUS, _a parasite_.

PHANTASTES.

HEURESIS, _Phantastes's page_.

c.r.a.pULA, _Gustus's follower_.

COMMUNIS SENSUS.