Read Ebook: A Collection of Old English Plays Volume 3 by Bullen A H Arthur Henry Editor

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: Preface Sir Gyles Goosecappe The Wisdome of Dr. Dodypoll The Distracted Emperor The Tryall of Chevalry Footnotes

PREFACE

"And you shall find that the desire of glory Was the last frailty wise men ere putt of,"

I wrote

"That last infirmity of noble minds,"

INTRODUCTION TO SIR GYLES GOOSECAPPE.

Chapman's influence is again apparent in the eloquent but somewhat strained language of such a passage as the following:--

"of such vinegar aspect That they'll not show their teeth in way of smile, Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable."

To the Worshipfull RICHARD YOUNG of Woolleyfarme in the County of Berks, Esquire.

WORTHY SIR,

Your Worships bounden Servant,

HVGH PERRY.

A Comedy presented by the Chil. of the Chappell.

SCAENA PRIMA.

Verbe, stand as far a sunder, as if they were perfect strangers one to another, and you shall hardly find them out; but then learne to Conster, and perse them, and you shall find them prepared and acquainted, and agree together in Case, gender, and number.

SCAENA TERTIA.

, if you knew the plaine song.

See heere comes the Ladies; make an Aprill day on't, deare love, and bee sodainly cheerefull. God save you, more then faire Ladies, I am glad your come, for my busines will have me gone presently.

SCAENA PRIMA.

How now sweet Captaine, dost feele any ease in thy paine yet?

The Letter.

force to those impressions, That now have caru'd her phantasie with love, I have invited her to supper heere. And told her thou art most extreamly sick, Which thou shalt counterfeit with all thy skill.

re not me, dame.

I, my Lord.

Is there in the whole Greek Anthology anything more absolutely flawless?

As to the authorship of "Dr. Dodypoll" I am unable to form a conjecture. We learn from Henslowe's Diary that a play called the "French Doctor" was popular in 1594; but we are not justified in identifying this piece with "Dr. Dodypoll." Steevens states that the present play was composed before 1596, but he gives no authority for the statement. The song on p. 102, "What thing is love"? is found in William Drummond's MS. extracts from Peele's "Hunting of Cupid" .

The Wisdome of Doctor Dodypoll.

The Wisdome of Doctor Dodypoll.

Now by this kisse, th'admirer of thy skill, Thou art well worthie th'onor thou hast given to thy eye-ravishing Art, Of which my beauties can deserve no part.

Wink, wink, deare people, and you be wise, And shut, O shut, your weeping eyes.

THE SONG.

is homely cates?

striketh him; No doubt the furie will away againe.

Doctor; that I see. Ile no such tub-hunters use my house. Therefore be gone, our marriage feast is dasht.

THE SONG.

merchant? shee's too poore for you!

limmes!

It is due to Mr. Fleay that I should mention his solution of the difficulty. Taking the mysterious letters on the last page, "Nella la B," he says: "La B. is the contraction for La Buffa, one of the characters in the play; and the enigmatic letters, simply substituting the names for the letters themselves, read thus,' Nella fi-delt? fi-ni-ro la buffa,' which is good enough Italian for an anagram, meaning 'I will end trifling in fidelity.' But 'Nella fedelit? finiro la B.' transposed, gives us 'Il Fabro Natanielli Field,' i.e., 'Nathaniel Field the author'" . Far be it from me to deny the ingenuity of this explanation, but when Mr. Fleay, not having seen the complete play, proceeds to say that the extracts I gave "are quite consistent with the supposition that it is one of Field's lost works," I must take leave to dissent. Field is the author of two comedies, "A Woman is a Weathercock" and "Amends for Ladies," and he assisted Massinger in the "Fatal Dowry." His comedies are well-constructed, bright, and airy. There is no slovenliness in the workmanship, and success is attained by honest, straightforward endeavour. It seems to me quite incredible that the author of those two admirable comedies should be responsible for the gloomy, ponderous tragi-comedy here presented to the reader. What share Field had in the "Fatal Dowry" I do not intend to discuss minutely. The chief figure in that play, Charolois, I take to be a study in Massinger's gravest manner; but if we allow that Field should be credited with more than the comic scenes in the "Fatal Dowry," his claim to the present play is not at all strengthened. Perhaps, after all, no author's name is concealed under the enigmatic letters. In any case, Field's is the last name that could be put forward with any show of likelihood.

THE DISTRACTED EMPEROR.

The Distracted Emperor.

... ... ... ... ...

humor in the kynge.

... ... ... ... ... Though certaynlie desyer's the onlye thynge Of strengthe about hym, and that strength is hys With a conceyt that putts desyers in act.

And will lay downe my life for you to treade on.

--Does thys offend you?

Thys letter sente me by my dearest frende Like spells and witchcraft dothe amaze my brayne. He urdges me to love where a dothe knowe I can by no meanes fancye; yet tys so, Our safties doe compell it, & to that I must of force bowe, teachinge my harde harte To seme most softe when tys most hardned.

... ... Tys daungerous for your shynns; take heede of my. Favorytts are not without their steccados, imbrocados & pun-reversos. No more but so: you have no honor, no offyce, littill land, lesse money, least wytt. Y'are a pore man & I pyttie you. When next you see me tys in the emperours bossome.

Good sweete lorde, Give my free speche suer passadge. ... ... ... ... ...

... ... ... ... ... And I could chyde my love that pytties you. He dothe dissemble with you; you are lost. Of myne owne knowlege he hathe layd suche baytts You cannot live twoe howers. Goe where you will, He hathe a plott that haunts you. If you can Fynde for your selfe any preventyon, Use it with quycke indevor; for I knowe The thunder speaks that presentlye will splytt you.

And see, he comes. My Lord--

The cause of thys?

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