Like to thyself because a lovely king,

Come, lay thee down upon thy mistress' knee, And I will sing and talk of love to thee.

To talk with Rasni's paramour and love.

[Kisses him.

Thus would I sigh to see thee sweetly sleep,

O, be not coy! art thou not only fair?

Come, twine thine arms about this snow-white neck,

A love-nest for the great Assyrian king:
Blushing I tell thee, fair Cilician prince,
None but thyself can merit such a grace.

K. of Cil. Madam, I hope you mean not for to mock me.

Alv. No, king, fair king, my meaning is to yoke thee.

Hear me but sing of love, then by my sighs,
My tears, my glancing looks, my changed cheer,
Thou shalt perceive how I do hold thee dear.
K. of Cil. Sing, madam, if you please, but love
in jest.

Alv. Nay, I will love, and sigh at every rest.

K. of Cil. For all these vows, beshrew me, if I prove ye:*

My faith unto my king shall not be fals'd.

Alv. Good Lord, how men are coy when they are crav'd!

K. of Cil. Madam, behold our king approacheth nigh.

Alv. Thou art Endymion, then, no more: heighho, for him I die!

[Faints, while pointing at the KING OF CILICIA.

Enter RASNI, with his Kings, Lords, and Magi. Rasni. What ails the centre of my happiness, Whereon depends the heaven of my delight? Thine eyes the motors to command my world, Thy hands the axiert to maintain my world, Thy smiles the prime and spring-tide of my world, Thy frowns the winter to afflict my world, Thou queen of me, I king of all the world!

Alv. Ah feeble eyes, lift up, and look on him! [Rises as out of a trance. Is Rasni here? then droop no more, poor heart.— O, how I fainted when I wanted thee!

[Embraces him.

How fain am I, now I may look on thee! How glorious is my Rasni, how divine !Eunuchs, play hymns to praise his deity:

ate.

Alr. And wilt thou not, then, pity my estate?

K. of Cil. Ask love of them who pity may impart.

Rasni. Sun-bright as is the eye of summer's day Whenas he suits his pennons§ all in gold

To woo his Leda in a swan-like shape;
Seemly as Galatea|| for thy white;

heart.

K. of Cil. Your love is fixèd on a greater king.

Alv. Tut, women's love it is a fickle thing.

I love my Rasni for his † dignity,

I love Cilician king for his sweet eye;

I love my Rasni since he rules the world,
But more I love this kingly little world.

[Embraces him. How sweet he looks! O, were I Cynthia's fere,

*Fairer thou] "Should it be 'Fairest thou'?" Walker's Crit. Exam. of the text of Shakespeare, &c., i. 59. this] The 4tos. "my."

fere]. c. companion,-equal.

Be thou the labyrinth to tangle love,

Whilst I command the crown from Venus' crest,
And pull Orion's girdle from his loins,
Enchas'd with carbuncles and diamonds,
To beautify fair Alvida, my love.—

* ye] The 4tos. "you": but here a rhyme was intended.

taxier] i. e. axis.

my] The 4tos. "the."

§ his pennons] The correction of the Rev. J. Mitford, Gent. Mag. for March 1833, p. 216.-The 4tos. "Spenori." Galatea] The 4tos. "Galbocia." Orion's] The 4tos. "Onoris."

L

Play, eunuchs, sing in honour of her name;
Yet look not, slaves, upon her wooing eyne,
For she is fair Lucina to your king,
But fierce Medusa to your baser eye.

Rasni. What, am I threaten'd, then, amidst

my throne?

be?

Rasni. Within my bosom, nymph, not on my knee :

Sleep, like the smiling purity of heaven,
When mildest wind is loth to blend* the peace;
Meanwhile my+ balm shall from thy breath

arise;

And while these closures of thy lamps be shut,
My soul may have his peace from fancy's war.-
This is my Morn,§ and I her Cephalus :-
Wake not too soon, sweet nymph, my love is

Won.

Caitiffs, why stay your strains? why tempt you

me?

Enter the Priests of the Sun, with mitres on their heads, carrying fire in their hands.

First Priest. All hail unto th' Assyrian deity! Rasni. Priests, why presume you to disturb my peace? [peace.

First Priest. Rasni, the Destinies disturb thy Behold, amidst the adyts¶ of our gods, Our mighty gods, the patrons of our war, The ghosts** of dead men howling walk about, Crying "Va, væ, woe to this city, woe!" The statuest of our gods are thrown down,' And streams of blood our altars do distain. Alr. [starting up.] Alas, my lord, what tidings do I hear?

Shall I be slain?

Rasni. Who tempteth Alvida?

Go, break me up the brazen doors‡‡ of dreams,
And bind me cursèd Morpheus in a chain,
And fetter all the fancies of the night,
Because they do disturb my Alvida.

[A hand from out a cloud threatens with a
burning sword.

Or oppositions of the greater lights,

Or radiations* finding matter fit,
That in the starry sphere kindled be;t
Matters betokening dangers to thy foes,
But peace and honour to my lord the king.
Rasni. Then frolic, viceroys, kings, and poten-

Oseas. Woe to the trains of women's foolish lust, In wedlock-rites that yield but little trust, That vow to one, yet common be to all! Take warning, wantons; pride will have a fall. Woe to the land where warnings profit nought! Who say that nature God's decrees hath wrought; Who build on fate, and leave the corner-stone, The God of gods, sweet Christ, the only one. If such escapes, O London, reign in thee, Repent, for why‡ each sin shall punish'd be: Repent, amend, repent, the hour is nigh; Defer not time; who knows when he shall die?

Enter one clad in Devil's attire.

Dev. Longer lives a merry man than a sad; and because I mean to make myself pleasant this night, I have put myself into this attire, to make a clown afraid that passeth this way: for of late there have appeared many strange apparitions, to the great fear and terror of the citizens.-O, here my young master comes.

Enter ADAM and the Smith's Wife. Adam. Fear not, mistress, I'll bring you safe

sword from heaven,

Which by a threatening arm is brandishèd!

⚫ blend!] See note ‡, p. 124, first col.

+ my] The 4tos. "thy."

balm] The 4to. of 1598 "blame."

Morn] The 4tos. "Morane."

Caitiff's] The 4tos. "Catnies."

adyta) The 4tos. "addittes" and "addites" from the Latin, adytum, the innermost part of a temple. ghosts] The 4to. of 1598 "ghost."

t statues] The three first 4tos. "statutes."-In this line "thrown" would seem to be a dissyllable.

doors] The 4to. of 1598 "walles."

stare; and if all be not well then, why then tomorrow morn put out mine eyes clean with forty pound.

S. Wife. O, but, Adam, I am afraid to walk so late, because of the spirits that appear in the city. Adam. What, are you afraid of spirits? Armed

as I am, with ale and nutmegs, turn me loose to all the devils in hell.

S. Wife. Alas, Adam, Adam! the devil, the devil!

Adam. The devil, mistress! fly you for your safeguard; [Exit S. Wife.] let me alone; the devil and I will deal well enough, if he have any honesty at all in him: I'll either win him with a smooth tale, or else with a toast and a cup of ale. Dev. [singing.]

0, 0, 0, 0, fain would I be,

If that my kingdom fulfill'd I might see!
0, 0, 0, 0!

Adam. Surely, this is a merry devil, and I believe he is one of Lucifer's minstrels; hath a sweet voice; now surely, surely, he may sing to a pair of tongs and a bag-pipe.

Dev. O, thou art he that I seek for. Adam. Spritus santus !-Away from me, Satan! I have nothing to do with thee.

Dev. O villain, thou art mine! Adam. Nominus patrus !—I bless me from thee, and I conjure thee to tell me who thou art.

Dev. I am the spirit of the dead man that was slain in thy company when we were drunk toge. ther at the ale.†

Adam. By my troth, sir, I cry you mercy; your face is so changed that I had quite forgotten you well, master devil, we have tossed over many a pot of ale together.

[hell.

Dev. And therefore must thou go with me to Adam. [aside.] I have a policy to shift him, for I know he comes out of a hot place, and I know myself, the smith and the devil hath a dry tooth in his head: therefore will I leave him asleep, and run my way.

Dev. Come, art thou ready?

Adam. Faith, sir, my old friend, and now goodman devil, you know you and I have been tossing many a good cup of ale: your nose is grown very

* Adam] The 4tos. here, and throughout the rest of the scene "Clown": see note t, p. 119, sec. col.

↑ the ale] "Launce. If thou wilt go with me to the alehouse, so; if not, thou art an Hebrew, a Jew, and not worth the name of Christian.

Speed. Why?

Launce. Because thou hast not so much charity in thee as to go to the ale with a Christian."

It is plain that in the passage of our text, as well as in that just quoted from Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona (act ii. sc. 5.), "the ale" is put for the ale-house. Generally, however, in our early writers "the ale " means a festival where much ale was drunk: henco bride-ales, church-ales, clerk-ales, &c.

and I know myself, &c.] i.e. (if there be no corruption), "And I know by myself that both the smith and the devil hath," &c.

rich what say you, will you take a pot of ale now at my hands? Hell is like a smith's forge, full of water, and yet ever athirst.

Dev. No ale, villain; spirits cannot drink: come, get upon my back, that I may carry thee.

Adam. You know I am a smith, sir: let me look whether you be well shod or no; for if you want a shoe, a remove, or the clinching of a nail, I am at your command.

Dev. Thou hast never a shoe fit for me.

Adam. Why, sir, we shoe horned beasts, as well as you.-[Aside.] O good Lord! let me sit down and laugh; hath never a cloven foot: a devil, quoth he! I'll use Spritus santus nor Nominus patrus no more to him, I warrant you; I'll do more good upon him with my cudgel: now will I sit me down, and become justice of peace to the devil.

Dev. Come, art thou ready?

Adam. I am ready; and with this cudgel I will conjure thee. [Beats him. Dev. O, hold thy hand! thou killest me, thou killest me! [Exit.

Adam. Then may I count myself, I think, a tall* man, that am able to kill a devil: now who dare deal with me in the parish or what wench in Nineveh will not love me, when they say, "There goes he that beat the devil "? [Exit.

Enter THRASYBULUS.

Thras. Loath'd is the life that now enforc'd I lead;

But since necessity will have it so,
(Necessity it doth command the gods,)
Through every coast and corner now I pry,
To pilfer what I can to buy me meat.
Here have I got a cloak, not over old,
Which will afford some little sustenance:
Now will I to the broking Usurer,
To make exchange of ware for ready coin.

Enter ALCON, SAMIA, and CLESIPHON. Alc. Wife, bid the trumpets sound, a prize, a prize mark the posy: I cut this from a newmarried wife by the help of a horn-thumb‡ and a knife,-six shillings, four pence.

Sam. The better luck ours: but what have we here, cast apparel? Come away, man, the Usurer is near this is dead ware, let it not bide on our hands.

tall] i. e. bold, brave.

+ it] Qy. "that" (the MS. having had "yr")? horn-thumb] An implement used by cut-purses; a case of horn, put on the thumb, to receive the edge of the knife, during their operations.

Thras. [aside.] Here are my partners in my

poverty,

Enforc'd to seek their fortunes as I do :

Alas, that few men should possess the wealth,
And many souls be forc'd to beg or steal !-
Alcon, well met.

Alc. Fellow beggar, whither now?

Thras. To the Usurer, to get gold on commodity.

Alc. And I to the same place, to get a vent for my villany. See where the old crust comes: let us salute him.

Enter Usurer.

God speed, sir: may a man abuse your patience upon a pawn?

Usurer. Friend, let me see it.

Alc. Ecce signum a fair doublet and hose, new-bought out of the pilferer's shop, [and] a handsome cloak.

Usurer. How were they gotten?

Thras. How catch the fishermen fish? Master, take them as you think them worth all to your conscience.

we leave

Usurer. Honest men, toward men, good men, my friends, like to prove good members, use me, command me; I will maintain your credits. There's money: now spend not your time in idleness; bring me commodity; I have crowns for you there is two shillings for thee, and six shillings for thee. [Gives money.

Alc. A bargain.-Now, Samia, have at it for a new smock-Come, let us to the spring of the best liquor: whilst this lasts, trillill!

Usurer. Good fellows, proper fellows, my companions, farewell: I have a pot for you.

Sam. [aside]. If he could spare it.

Enter JONAS.

Jonas. Repent, ye men of Nineveh, repent! The day of horror and of torment* comes; When greedy hearts shall glutted be with fire, Whenas corruptions veil'd shall be unmask'd, When briberies shall be repaid with bane, When whoredoms shall be recompens'd in hell, When riot shall with rigour be rewarded, Whenas neglect of truth, contempt of God, Disdain of poor men, fatherless, and sick, Shall be rewarded with a bitter plague. Repent, ye men of Nineveh, repent! The Lord hath spoke, and I do cry it out; There are as yet but forty days remaining, And then shall Nineveh be overthrown:

⚫ horror and of torment] The 4to. of 1598 "judgment."

Thras. My conscience cries, that I have done amiss. [Exit.

Alc. O God of heaven, 'gainst thee have I offended!

Sam. Asham'd of my misdeeds, where shall I hide me?

Cles. Father, methinks this word "repent" is good:

He that [doth] punish disobedience
Doth hold a scourge for every privy fault.

[Exit with ALCON and SAMIA. Oseas. Look, London, look; with inward eyes behold

What lessons the events do here unfold.
Sin grown to pride, to misery is thrall:
The warning-bell is rung, beware to fall.
Ye worldly men, whom wealth doth lift on high,
Beware and fear, for worldly men must die.
The time shall come, where least suspect* remains,
The sword shall light upon the wisest brains;
The head that deems to overtop the sky,
Shall perish in his human policy.

Lo, I have said, when I have said the truth,
When will is law, when folly guideth youth,
When show of zeal is prank'd in robes of zeal,
When ministers powlt the pride of common-weal,
When law is made a labyrinth of strife,
When honour yields him friend to wicked life,
When princes hear by others' ears their folly,
When usury is most accounted holy,

If these shall hap, as would to God they might not,

The plague is near: I speak, although I write not. Enter the Angel.

Angel. Oseas.

Oseas. Lord?

For God is just as he is merciful,

And doubtless plagues all such as scorn repent. Thou shalt not see the desolation

That falls unto these cursèd Ninevites,

But shalt return to great Jerusalem,
And preach unto the people of thy God
What mighty plagues are incident to sin,
Unless repentance mitigate his ire:

Rapt in the spirit, as thou wert hither brought,
I'll seat thee in Judæa's provinces.
Fear not, Oseas, then to preach the word.

Oseas. The will of the Lord be done!

[OSEAS is taken away by the Angel.

Enter RASNI with his Kings, Magi, Lords, and Attendants; ALVIDA and her Ladies; to a banquet.

Rasni. So, viceroys, you have pleas'd me passing
well;

These curious cates are gracious in mine eye,
But these borachios of the richest wine
Make me to think how blithesome we will be.—
Seat thee, fair Juno, in the royal throne,
And I will serve thee to see* thy face,
That, feeding on the beauty of thy looks,
My stomach and mine eyes may both be fill'd.—
Come, lordings, seat you, fellow-mates at feast,
And frolic, wags; this is a day of glee:
This banquet is for brightsome Alvida. [wine,
I'll have them skinkt my standing-bowls with‡
And no man drink but quaff§ a whole carouse
Unto the health of beauteous Alvida :
For whoso riseth from this feast not drunk,
As I am Rasni, Nineveh's great king,
Shall die the death as traitor to myself,
For that he scorns the health of Alvida.

K. of Cil. That will I never do, my lord, Therefore with favour, fortune to your grace, Carouse unto the health of Alvida. [pledge:Rasni. Gramercy, lording, here I take thy And, Crete, to thee a bowl of Greekish wine, Here to the health of Alvida. T

K. of Crete. Let come, my lord.—Jack skinker,

fill it full;

Let none that is in Rasni's royal court Go this night safe and sober to his bed.*

Enter ADAM.

Adam. This way he is, and here will I speak with him.

First Lord. Fellow, whither pressest thou? Adam. I press nobody, sir; I am going to speak with a friend of mine.

First Lord. Why, slave, here is none but the king, and his viceroys.

Adam. The king! marry, sir, he is the man I would speak withal.

First Lord. Why, callest him a friend of thine? Adam. Ay, marry do I, sir; for if he be not my friend, I'll make him my friend, ere he and I pass.

First Lord. Away, vassal, be gone! thou speak unto the king!

Adam. Ay, marry, will I, sir; an if he were a king of velvet, I will talk to him.

Rasni. What is the matter there? what noise

is that?

Adam. A boon, my liege, a boon, my liege! Rasni. What is it that great Rasni will not grant,

This day, unto the meanest of his land,
In honour of his beauteous Alvida?
Come hither, swain; what is it that thou cravest?
Adam. Faith, sir, nothing, but to speak a few
sentences to your worship.

Rasni. Say, what is it?

Adam. I am sure, sir, you have heard of the spirits that walk in the city here.

Rasni. Ay, what of that?

Adam. Truly, sir, I have an oration to tell you of one of them; and this it is.

Alv. Why goest not forward with thy tale?

Adam. Faith, mistress, I feel an imperfection in my voice, a disease that often troubles me; but, alas, easily mended; a cup of ale or a cup of

wine will serve the turn.

Alv. Fill him a bowl, and let him want no

drink.

Adam. O, what a precious word was that, "And let him want no drink" [Drink given to

* Let none that is in Rasni's royal court

Go this night safe and sober to his bed.] A recollection of Fielding's Tom Thumb is here forced upon us; "King. To-day it is our pleasure to be drunk,

And this our queen shall be as drunk as we." Act i. sc. 2. ADAM] The 4tos. throughout the scene "Clown": see note †, p. 119, sec. col.