Or Pallas (sure) ingendred in his braine, This is the crittick that (of all the rest) And in some 12 monthes hence (or there about) That none shall understand him (I am sure)." Theobald, who altered the Dutchess of Malfy, says of him3: " He had a strong and impetuous genius, but withall a most wild and indigested one: he sometimes conceived nobly, but did not always express with clearness; and, if he now and then soars handsomely, he as often rises into the regions of bombast: his conceptions were so eccentric, that we are not to wonder why we cannot trace him. As for rules, he either knew them not, or thought them too servile a restraint. Hence it is, that he skips over years and kingdoms with an equal liberty. (It must be confessed, the unities were very sparingly observed at the time in which he wrote; however, when any poet travels so fast, that the imagination of his spectators cannot keep pace with him, probability is put quite out of breath.) Nor has he been less licentious in another respect: he makes mention of Galileo and Tasso, neither of whom were born till near half a century after the Dutchess of Malfy was murthered." Philip Frowde, Esq. in the Prologue to the same play, says: "The rude, old bard, if critick laws he knew, And scorning rule should his free soul confine, He was the Author of the following plays: (1.) "The White Devil; or, the Tragedy of Paulo Giordano Ursini Duke of Brachiano; with the Life and Death of Vittoria Corombona, the famous Venetian Curtizan. Acted by the Queen's Servants at the Phenix, Drury-Lane. 4to. 1612; 4to. 1631; 4to. 1665; 4to. 1672." (2.) The Tragedy of the Dutchesse of Malfy. As it was presented privatly at the BlackFriers, and publiquely at the Globe, by the King's Majesties Servants. The perfect and exact Coppy, with diverse things printed, that the length of the play would not beare in the presentment. 4to. 1623; 4to. 1640; 4to. 1678; 4to. 1708." (3.) "The Devil's Law-case; or, When Women goe to Law, the Devil is full of Businesse : A New Trage-comeedy. The true and perfect Copie from the Originall. As it was approved well acted by her Majesties Servants. 4to. 1623." (4.)" Appius and Virginia. A Tragedy, 4to. 1654; 4to. 1655." It was revived and printed in 1679, by Betterton, in 4to. and acted at the Duke's Theatre, under the title of The Roman Virgin, or Unjust Judge. (5.)" The Thracian Wonder. A Comical History, as it hath been several times acted with great applause. Written by John Webster and William Rowley; 4to. 1661. (6.) "A Cure for a Cuckold: A Pleasant Comedy. As it hath been several times acted with great applause. Written by John Webster and William Rowley; 4to. 1661.” He also wrote The Induction to The Male Content, by Marston, 1604. "A Monumental Columne, erected to the living Memory of the ever-glorious Henry, late Prince of Wales; 4to. 1613." "The Monument of Honour, at the confirmation of the right worthy brother John Goare in the high office of his Majesty's lieutenant over his royal chamber, at the charge and expence of the right worthy and worshipfull fraternity of eminent Merchant-Taylors. Invented and written by John Webster, Taylor; 4to. 1624." 3 Preface to The Fatal Secret, 12mo. 1735. 4 TO THE READER. IN publishing this Tragedy, I do but challenge to myself that liberty which other men have taken before me; not that I affect praise by it, for nos hæc novimus esse nihil: only, since it was acted in so open and black a theatre, that it wanted (that which is the only grace and setting-out of a tragedy) a full and understanding auditory; and that, since that time, I have noted most of the people that come to that play-house resemble those ignorant asses (who, visiting stationers' shops, their use is not to inquire for good books, but new books), I present it to the general view with this confidence: Nec rhoncos metues malignorum, Nec scombris tunicas dabis molestas. If it be objected this is no true dramatick poem, I shall easily confess it, non potes in nugas dicere plura meas, ipse ego quam dixi; willingly, and not ignorantly, have I faulted. For should a man present, to such an auditory, the most sententious tragedy that ever was written, observing all the critical laws, as height of stile, and gravity of person, iurich it with the sententious chorus, and, as it were, enliven death, in the passionate and weighty Nuntius; yet, after all this divine rapture, O dura messorum Ilia, the breath that comes from the uncapable multitude is able to poison it; and, ere it be acted, let the author resolve to fix to every scene this of Horace : -Hæc hodie porcis comedenda relinques. To those, who report I was a long time in finishing this tragedy, I confess, I do not write with a goose-quill wing'd with two feathers; and, if they will needs make it my fault, I must answer them with that of Euripides to Alcestides, a tragick writer: Alcestides objecting that Euripides hid only, in three days, composed three verses, whereas himself had written three hundred: Thou tell'st truth (quoth he); but here's the difference, thine shall only be read for three days, whereas mine shall continue three ages. Detraction is the sworn friend to ignorance: for mine own part, I have ever truly cherished my good opinion of other men's worthy labours, especially of that full and heightened stile of mister Chapman, the laboured and understanding works of master Jonson, the no less worthy composures of the both worthily excellent master Beaumont and master Fletcher; and lastly (without wrong last to be named), the right happy and copious industry of master Shakespeare, master Decker, and master Heywood, wishing what I write may be read by their light; protesting that, in the strength of mine own judgment, I know them so worthy, that though I rest silent in my own work, yet to most of theirs I dare (without flattery) fix that of Martial: -non norunt hæc monumenta mori. DRAMATIS PERSONE. MONTICELSO, a Cardinal; afterwards Pope BRACHIANO, otherwise PAULO GIORDANO UR- CHIANO. CORNELIA, Mother to VITTORIA, FLAMINT and MARCELLO. ANTONELLI, his Friends, and Dependents of ZANCHE, a Moor, Servant to VITTORIA. GASPARO, S the Duke of Florence. CAMILLO, Husband to VITTORIA. HORTENSIO, one of BRACHIANO's Officers. MARCELLO, an Attendant of the Duke of Florence, and Brother to VITTORIA. Ambassadors, Courtiers, Lawyers, Office ants. SCENE-ITALY. In mentem Authoris. Scire velis quid sit mulier? quo percitet astro? En tibi, si sapias, cum sale, mille sales. 4 Black a theatre.-I think we should read blank, i. e. vacant, unsupplied with articles necessar toward theatrical representation. S. THE WHITE DEVIL; OR, VITTORIA COROMBONA. A LADY OF VENICE. ACT I. Enter Count LODOVICO, ANTONELLI, and GASPARO. Lod. Banish'd! Ant. It griev'd me much to hear the sentence. Lod. Ha, ha, O Democritus, thy gods That govern the whole world! courtly reward And punishment. Fortune's a right whore; If she give out, she deals it in small parcels, That she may take away all at one 5 swoop. This 'tis to have great enemies; God quit them. Your wolf no longer seems to be a wolf Than when she's hungry. Gas. You term those enemies, Are men of princely rank. Lod. Oh, I pray for them, The violent thunder is ador'd by those Are dash'd in pieces by it. Ant. Come, iny lord, You're justly doom'd; look but a little back Into your former life: : you have in three years Ruin'd the noblest earldom. Gas. Your followers Have swallowed you like mummy, and being sick With such unnatural and horrid physick, Vomit you up i'th' kennel. 5 Swoop-The technical term for the descent of a hawk on its prey. So, in Macbeth : "Oh fell kite, all? At one swoop." See Note on that passage, Vol. IV. of Shakspeare, p. 565, edit. 1778. S. 6 Mummy. See Note 3 to The Bird in a Cage, Vol. I. p. 226. 7 Cariare. See Note 19 to The Ordinary, postea, This gentle penance may both end your crimes, Lod. So, but I wonder then some great men This banishment: there's Paulo Giordano Ursini, Ant. Have a full man within you:" We see that trees bear no such pleasant fruit The fair Vittoria, my happy sister, Flam. Can it be otherwise? Brach. We are happy above thought, because Flam. 'Bove merit! we may now talk freely: 'bove merit! what is't you doubt? her coyness! that's but the superficies of lust most women have; yet why should ladies blush to hear that nam'd, which they do not fear to handle? O they are politick; they know our desire is increased by the difficulty of enjoying; whereas satiety is a blunt, weary, and drowsy passion. If the buttery-hatch at court stood continually open, there would be nothing so passionate crowding, nor hot suit after the beverage. Bruch. O but her jealous husband Flam. Hang him; a gilder that hath his brains perish'd with quick-silver is not more cold in the liver. The great barriers moulted not more feathers, than he hath shed hairs, by the confession of his doctor. 9 An Irish gamester that will play himself naked, and then wage all downwards, at hazard, is not more venturous. unable to please a woman, that, like a Dutch doublet, all his back is shrunk into his breeches. Shrowd you within this closet, good my lord; Some trick now must be thought on to divide My brother-in-law from his fair bed-fellow. Brach. O should she fail to come. So Flam. I must not have your lordship thus unwisely amorous: I myself have loved a lady, and pursued her with a great deal of under-age protestation, whom some three or four gallants that have enjoyed would with all their hearts have been glad to have been rid of: 'tis just like a summer bird-cage in a garden, the birds that are without despair to get in, and the birds that are within despair, and are in a consumption, for fear they shall never get out. Away, away, my lord. Enter CAMILLO. See here he comes. This fellow by his apparel 8 The great barriers moulted not more feathers,-i. e. more feathers were not dislodged from the helmets of the combatants at the great tilting match. S. 9 An Irish gamester will play himself naked.-Barnaby Rich, in his New Description of Ireland, 1610, p. 38, says, "there is (i. e. in Ireland) a certaine brotherhood, called by the name of Karrowes, and these be common gamsters, that do only exercise playing at cards, and they will play away their mantels, and their shirts from their backs, and when they have nothing left them, they will trusse themselves in straw; this is the life they lead, and from this they will not be reclaimed.” More northerly, in a far colder clime; Flam. Strange you should lose your count. Cam. We never lay together, but ere morning There grew a "flaw between us. Flam. 'Thad been your part To have made up that flaw. Cam. True, but she loaths I should be seen in't. Flam. Why, sir, what's the matter? Cam. The duke your master visits me, I thank him; And I perceive how, like an earnest bowler, Flam. I hope you do not think Cam. That nobleman bowl booty? 12 faith, his cheek Hath a most excellent bias, it would fain jump with my mistress. Flam. Will you be an ass, Which shews you under what a smiling planet Cam. Pew wew, sir; tell not me Of planets nor of Ephemerides: A man may be made a cuckold in the day-time, When the stars eyes are out. Flam. Let her not go to church, but 14 like a hound In Leon, at your heels. Cam. 'Twere for her honour. Flam. And so you should be certain in one fortnight, Despight her chastity or innocence, f Flam. Wear it o'th' old fashion; let your large ears come through, it will be more easy. Nay, I will be bitter; bar your wife of her entertainment. Women are more willingly and more gloriously chaste, when they are least restrained of their liberty. It seems you would be a fine capricious mathematically jealous coxcomb; take the height of your own horns with a Jacob's staff, afore they are up. These politick inclosures for paltry mutton, make more rebellion in the flesh, than all the provocative electuaries doctors have uttered since the last jubilee. Cam. This doth not physic me. 10 In's foot cloth-i. e. in his housings, his accoutrements. See Note to King Richard III. A. S. S. 4. S. "Flaw.-Flaw anciently signified a gust, or blast. It here means a quarrel. So, in Pericles, A. 2 : 13 God refuse me.-See Note 1 to The Match at Midnight, Vol. II. p. 459. In Leon, at your heels.—I know not that the custom of being followed by a dog is peculiar to this city in Spain, but rather believe we should read, like a hound in leam, i. e. a leash, a string. See Note on King Lear, A. 3. S. 6. Shakspeare, Vol. IX. p. 482. S. |