* * * * * * * * *
NOW, LEAST SUCH FRIGHTFULL SHOWES OF FORTUNE'S FALL AND BLOUDY TYRANTS' RAGE SHOULD CHANCE APALL THE DEAD-STROKE AUDIENCE, MIDST THE SILENT ROUT COMES LEAPING IN A SELFE-MISFORMED LOUT, AND LAUGHES, AND GRINS, AND FRAMES HIS MIMIK FACE, AND IUSTLES STRAIGHT INTO THE PRINCE'S PLACE: THEN DOTH THE THEATRE ECCHO ALL ALOUD WITH GLADSOME NOYSE OF THAT APPLAUDING CROWD: A GOODLY HOCH-POCH, WHEN VILE RUSSETTINGS ARE MATCH['D] WITH MONARCHS AND WITH MIGHTIE KINGS!"(e)
But Hall's taste was more refined and classical than that of his age; and the success of TAMBURLAINE, in which the celebrated Alleyn represented the hero,(f) was adequate to the most sanguine expectations which its author could have formed.
(a) "A ballad entituled the storye of Tamburlayne the greate," &c. (founded, I suppose, on Marlowe's play) was entered in the Stationers' Books, 5th Nov. 1594.
(b) P. 4 of the present volume.
(c) In Italy, at the commencement of the 18th century (and probably much later), it was not unusual to introduce "the Doctor," "Harlequin," "Pantalone," and "Coviello," into deep tragedies. "I have seen," says Addison, "a translation of THE CID acted at Bolonia, which would never have taken, had they not found a place in it for these buffoons." REMARKS ON SEVERAL PARTS OF ITALY, &C. IN THE YEARS 1701, 1702, 1703, p. 68, ed. 1745.
(d) Perhaps I ought to add, that Marlowe was dead when (in 1597) the satire, from which these lines are quoted, was first given to the press.
(e) Hall's VIRGID. Lib. I. Sat. iii., ed. 1602.
(f) See Heywood's Prol. to our author's JEW OF MALTA, p. 142 of the present volume. ")
(4) censures] i.e. judgments, opinions.
(5) Afric] So the 8vo.--The 4to "Affrica."
(6) their] Old eds. "his."
(7) through] So the 4to.--The 8vo "thorough."
(8) incivil] i.e. barbarous.--So the 8vo.--The 4to "vnciuill."
(9) incontinent] i.e. forthwith, immediately.
(10) chiefest] So the 8vo.--The 4to "chiefe."
(11) rout] i.e. crew.
(12) press] So the 8vo.--The 4to "prease."
(13) you] So the 8vo.--0mitted in the 4to.
(14) all] So the 4to.--0mitted in the 8vo.
(15) mated] i.e. confounded.
(16) pass not] i.e. care not.
(17) regiment] i.e. rule, government.
(18) resolve] i.e. dissolve.--So the 8vo.--The 4to "dissolue."
(19) ships] So the 4to.--The 8vo "shippe."
(20) Pass] So the 8vo.--The 4to "Hast."
(21) you] So the 8vo.--The 4to "they."
(22) Ceneus] Here both the old eds. "Conerus."
(23) states] i.e. noblemen, persons of rank.
(24) their] So the 8vo.--The 4to "the."
(25) and Persia] So the 8vo.--The 4to "and OF Persia."
(26) ever-raging] So the 8vo.--The 4to "RIUER raging."
(27) ALL] So the 4to.--Omitted in the 8vo.
(28) And Jove may, &c.] i.e. And may Jove, &c. This collocation of words is sometimes found in later writers: so in the Prologue to Fletcher's WOMAN'S PRIZE,--"WHICH this may PROVE!"
(29) knew] So the 8vo.--The 4to "knowe."
(30) lords] So the 4to.--The 8vo "Lord."
(31) injury] This verb frequently occurs in our early writers. "Then haue you INIURIED manie." Lyly's ALEXANDER AND CAMPASPE, sig. D 4, ed. 1591. It would seem to have fallen into disuse soon after the commencement of the 17th century: in Heywood's WOMAN KILLED WITH KINDNESS, 1607, we find,
"You INJURY that good man, and wrong me too." Sig. F 2.
but in ed. 1617 "injury" is altered to "iniure."
(32) ALL] So the 4to.--0mitted in the 8vo.
(33) Who, travelling, &c.] The halting metre shews that there is some corruption in this and the next line.
(34) thorough] So the 8vo.--The 4to "through."
(35) unvalued] i.e. not to be valued, or estimated.
(36) conceit] i.e. fancy, imagination.
(37) Rhodope] Old eds. "Rhodolfe."
(38) valurous] i.e.