damals bekannten Dramen unsers Dichters aufzählt, gestattet mit ziemlicher Sicherheit den Schluss, dass im Jahre 1598 dieses Lustspiel noch nicht vorhanden gewesen. Weniger sicher scheint der Beweis für dessen Exi-stenz im folgenden Jahre 1599 in einer Stelle des damals auf die Bühne gebrachten Dramas Every Man out of Humour von Ben Jonson zu liegen, die von manchen Commentatoren als eine satirische Anspielung auf das Shakspere'sche Stück gedeutet ist. Dort sagt der Kritiker, den der Dichter in den Zwischenacten redend einführt, von der Intrigue des aufgeführten Lustspiels: That the argument of his comedy might have been of some other nature, as of a duke to be in love of a countess, and that countess to be in love with the duke's son, and the son to love the lady's waitingmaid; some such cross wooing, with a clown to their serving-man, better than to be thus near and familiarly allied to the time. Wie man sieht, stimmt die von Ben Jonson so fingirte Intrigue nur entfernt und bei bedeutenden Abweichungen mit derjenigen überein, welche Shakspere in seinem Lustspiel entwickelt hat. Was nun die Quellen Shakspere's für sein Twelfth-Night betrifft, so fand er die Abenteuer der Viola und ihres Bruders Sebastian, die Liebe Orsino's und der Olivia, in verschiedenen Novellensammlungen, in der italienischen des Bandello, in der französischen des Belleforest, erzählt. Höchst wahrscheinlich benutzte er aber eine englische Bearbeitung in einer Sammlung von acht Novellen, welche zuerst im Jahre 1581 mit folgendem Titelblatt erschien: Riche his Farewell to Militarie profession: conteining verie pleasaunt discourses fit for a peaceable tyme. Gathered together for the onely delight of the courteous Gentlewomen bothe of England and Irelande, For whose onely pleasure thei were collected together, And unto whom they are directed and dedicated by Barnabe Riche, GentleDie zweite Novelle dieses Buches führt den Titel: Apolonius and Silla und giebt ihren Inhalt, seinen allgemeinen Umrissen nach, folgendem vorausgeschickten Argument an: man. in Apolonius Duke, havyng spent a yeres service in the warres against the Turke, returning homward with his companie by sea, was driven by force of weather to the Ile of Cypres, where he was well received by Pontus, gouvernour of the same ile, with whom Silla, daughter to Pontus, fell so straungely in love, that after Apolonius was departed to Constantinople, Silla, with one man, followed, and commyng to Constantinople, she served Apolonius in the habite of a manne, and after many prety accidentes falling out, she was knowne to Apolonius, who, in requitall of her love, maried her. Zur Vergleichung mag hier derjenige Theil der Erzählung einen Platz finden, welcher dem Shakspere'schen Drama am nächsten kommt, vom ersten Auftreten der Viola an (A. 1, Sc. 2) bis zur Begegnung der Olivia mit dem Sebastian (A. 4, Sc. 1): And now, to prevent a nomber of injuries that might bee proffered to a woman that was lefte in her case, she determined to leave her owne apparell, and to sort her self into some of those sutes, that, beyng taken for a man, she might passe through the countrie in the better safetie: and, as she changed her apparell, she thought it likewise convenient to change her name; wherefore, not readily happenyng of any other, she called her self Silvio, by the name of her owne brother, whom you have heard spoken of before. In this maner she travailed to Constantinople, where she inquired out the palace of the Duke Apolonius; and thinking herself now to be bothe fitte and able to plaie the servyngman, she presented herself to the Duke, cravyng his service. The Duke, verie willyng to give succour unto strangers, perceiryng him to bee a proper smogue yong man, gave hym entertainment. Silla thought her self now more then satisfied for all the casualties that had happened unto her in her journey, that she might at her pleasure take but the two of the Duke Apolonius, and above the reste of his servantes was verie diligent and attendaunt uppon hym; the whiche the Duke percevyng, beganne likewise to growe into good likyng with the diligence of his man, and therefore made hym one of his chamber: who but Silvio then was moste neare aboute hym, in helping of him to make hym readie in a mornyng, in the settyng of his ruffes, to the keeping of his chamber? Silvio pleased his maister so well, that above all the reste of his servantes aboute hym he had the greatest credite, and the Duke put him moste in trust. At this verie instaunt there was remainyng in the citie a noble Dame, a widowe, whose housebande was but lately deceased, one of the noblest men that were in the partes of Grecia, who left his lady and wife large possessions and greate livinges. This ladies name was called Julina, who, besides the aboundance of her wealth and the greatnesse of her revenues, had likewise the soveraigntie of all the dames of Constantinople for her beautie. To this Ladie Julina Apolonius became an earnest suter; and, according to the maner of woers, besides faire woordes, sorrowfull sighes, and piteous countenances, there must bee sendyng of lovyng letters, chaines, bracelettes, brouches, rynges, tablets, gemmes, juels, and presentes, I knowe not what. So Duke, who in the tyme that he remained in the Ile of Cypres had no skill at all in the arte of love, although it were more then half proffered unto hym, was now become a scholler in love's schoole, and had alreadie learned his first lesson; that is, to speake pitifully, to looke ruthfully, to promise largely, to serve diligently, and to please carefully: now he was learnyng his seconde lesson; that is, to reward liberally, to give bountifully, to present willyngly, and to write lovyngly. Thus Apolonius was so busied in his newe studie, that I warrant you there was no man that could chalenge kym for plaiyng the truant, he followed his profession with so good a will: and who must bee the messenger to carrie the tokens and love letters to the my Ladie Julina, but Silvio, his manne: in hym the Duke reposed his onely confidence to goe betweene hym and his ladie. Now, gentilwomen, doe you thinke there could have been a greater torment devised, wherewith to afflicte the harte of Silla, then her self to bee made the instrumente to woorke her owne mishapp, and to plaie the atturney in a cause that made so muche againste her self? But Silla, altogether desirous to please her maister, cared nothing at all to offende herself, followed his businesse with so good a will, as if it had been in her owne preferment. Julina, now havyng many tymes taken the gaze of this yong youth, Silvio, perceivyng hym to bee of suche excellente perfecte grace, was so intangeled with the often sight of this sweete temptation, that she fell into as greate a likyng with the man as the maister was with herself; and on a tyme, Silvio beyng sent from his maister with a message to the Ladie Julina, as he beganne very earnestly to solicit in his maister's behalfe, Julina, interruptyng hym in his tale, saied: Silvio, it is enough that you have saied for your maister; from henceforthe, either speake for your self, or saie nothing at all. Silla, abashed to heare these wordes, began in her minde to accuse the blindnesse of Love, that Julina, neglectyng the good will of so noble a Duke, would preferre her love unto suche a one, as nature it self had denaied to recompense her likyng. And now, for a tyme leavyng matters dependyng as you have heard, it fell out that the right Silvio indeede (whom you have heard spoken of before, the brother of Silla) was come to his father's courte into the Ile of Cypres; where, understanding that his sister was departed in maner as you have heard, conjectured that the very occasion did proceade of some liking had betwene Pedro her man (that was missyng with her) and herself: but Silvio, who loved his sister as dearly as his owne life, and the rather for that, as she was his naturall sister, bothe by father and mother, so the one of theim was so like the other in countenaunce and favour, that there was no man able to descerne the one from the other by their faces, savyng by their aparell, the one beyng a man, the other a woman. Silvio, therefore, vowed to his father, not onely to seeke out his sister Silla, but also to revenge the villanie whiche he conceived in Pedro for the carriyng awaie of his sister; and thus departyng, havyng travailed through many cities and tounes, without hearyng any maner of newes of those he wente to seeke for, at the laste he arrived at Constantinople, where as he was walking in an evenyng for his owne recreation, on a pleasaunte greene yarde, without the walles of the citie, he fortuned to meete with the Ladie Julina, who likewise had been abroad to take the aire; and as she sodainly caste her eyes uppon Silvio, thinkyng hym to bee her olde acquaintaunce, by reason thei were so like one another, as you have heard before, saied unto hym, Sir Silvio, if your haste be not the greater, I praie you, let me have a little talke with you, seyng I have so luckely mette you in this place. Silvio, wonderyng to heare hym self so rightlie named, beyng but a straunger, not of above twoo daies continuance in the citie, verie courteouslie came towardes her, desirous to heare what she would saie. Julina, commaunding her traine somthing to stande backe, saied as followeth: Seyng my good will and frendly love hath been the onely cause to make me so prodigall to offer that I see is so lightly rejected, it maketh me to thinke that men bee of this condition, rather to desire those thynges whiche thei can not come by, then to esteeme or value of that whiche bothe largely and liberallie is offered unto theim: but if the liberalitie of my proffer hath made to seme lesse the value of the thing that I ment to present, it is but in your owne conceipt, considering how many noble men there hath been here before, and be yet at this present, whiche hath bothe served, sued, and moste humbly intreated, to attaine to that, whiche to you of myself I have freely offred, and I perceive is despised, or at the least verie lightly regarded. Silvio, wonderyng at these woordes, but more amazed that she could so rightlie call hym by his name, could not tell what to make of her speeches, assuring hym self that she was deceived and did mistake hym, did thinke, notwithstandyng, it had been a poincte of greate simplicite, if he should forsake that whiche Fortune had so favourably proffered unto hym, perceiryng by her traine that she was some ladie of greate honour, and vewyng the perfection of her beautie and the excellencie of her grace and countenaunce, did thinke it unpossible that she should be despised, and therefore answered thus: Madame, if before this tyme I have seemed to forgett my self, in neglecting your courtesie whiche so liberally you have ment unto me, please it you to pardon what is paste, and from this daie forewardes Silvio remaineth readie preste to make suche reasonable amendes as his abilitie may any waies permit, or as it shall please you to commaunde. Die Novelle schliesst: Julina, seyng Silvio in place, did know very well that he was the father of her childe, and was so ravished with joye, that she knewe not whether she were awake, or in some dreame. Silvio, imbracyng her in his armes, craving forgivenesse of all that was past, concluded with her the marriage daie, which was presently accomplished with greate joye and contentation to all parties. And thus, Silvio havyng attained a noble wife, and Silla, his sister, her desired housband, thei passed the residue of their daies with suche delight as those that have accomplished the perfection of their felicities. Abgesehen von dieser Novelle, soll Shakspere nach der Meinung einiger Kritiker auch zwei Italienische Lustspiele für sein Twelfth-Night möglicherweise benutzt haben: die Inganni, auf welche schon Manningham in der oben angeführten Tagebuchsnotiz hinweist, und ein andres fast gleichnamiges, die Ingannati. Nach den Umrissen und Auszügen indess, welche Collier und Hunter von diesen beiden Stücken mittheilen, ergeben sich zwischen ihnen und dem Shakspere'schen Lustspiel keine Aehnlichkeiten, die sich nicht in viel frappanterer Weise auch in der Erzählung von Barnaby Riche fänden. Für die übrigen Figuren von TwelfthNight, Sir Andrew, Sir Toby, Malvolio u. s. w., hat sich vollends weder bei Riche noch sonst irgendwo ein Vorbild nachweisen lassen; sie scheinen ganz und gar aus der Erfindung unseres Dichters zu stammen. Zu A. 1, Sc. 3: Wherefore are these things hid? wherefore have these gifts a curtain before them? Are they like to take dust like mistress Mall's picture? entlehnen wir aus Staunton's Ausgabe Folgendes: The picture in question is supposed to be a portrait of one Mary Frith, commonly known as Mall Cut-purse, an Amazonian bona roba, to whom allusions innumerable are made by the dramatic and satirical writers of the period. She is said to have been born in Barbican, and to have attained to such disreputable celebrity, that about 1610 a book was published, entitled “The Madde Prancks of mery Mall of the Banckside, with her walkes in man's apparell and to what purpose, written by John Day." In the following year she was made the heroine of a comedy by Middleton and Decker, called "The Roaring Girle, or Moll Cutpurse, as it hath lately beene Acted on the Fortune-stage by the Prince his Players," on the title-page of which she is represented in her male habiliments, and smoking tobacco. About the same time she did penance at St. Paul's Cross, of which ceremony the following account is preserved in a letter from Iohn Chamberlain to Sir Dudley Carleton, dated February 12, 1611-12:-" This last Sunday Moll Cutpurse, a notorious baggage that used to go in man's apparel, and challenged the field of diverse gallants, was brought to the same place, where she wept bitterly, and seemed very penitent; but it is since doubted she was maudlin drunk, being discovered to have tippel'd of three quarts of sack before she came to her penance." She died in 1659, and is stated to have left twenty pounds by her will for the Fleet-street conduit to run with wine when King Charles the Second returned, which happened soon after. Zu A. 2, Sc. 3. Das Lied, das Sir Toby und der Narr wechselsweise singen, findet sich unter dem Titel Corydon's Farewell to Phillis in Percy's Reliques of Ancient Poetry, und lautet vollständig: Farewell, dear love; since thou wilt needs be gone, Farewell, farewell; since this I find is true Shall I bid her goe? what and if I doe? |