The sun of dust; and though your sin did breed If, then, in bodies where the souls do dwell, Boast we of knowledge, you are more than we, Let him dispute against that dares deny Thus, perfect creatures, if detraction rise sent So subtle and so strong an argument, Will teach the stoic his affections too, And call the cynic from his tub to woo. RICHARD CORBET. [Born, 1582. Died, 1635.] THE anecdotes of this facetious bishop, quoted by Headley from the Aubrey MSS. would fill several pages of a jest-book. It is more to his honour to be told, that though entirely hostile in his principles to the Puritans, he frequently softened, with his humane and characteristic plea santry, the furious orders against them which Laud enjoined him to execute. On the whole he does credit to the literary patronage of James, who made him dean of Christ's Church, and successively bishop of Oxford and Norwich. DR. CORBET'S JOURNEY INTO FRANCE. But I to Paris rode along, Much like John Dory in the song, I on an ambling nag did jet, And to St. Denis fast we came, Her breast, her milk, her very gown Yet all the world knows that's a fable, No carpenter could by his trade Gain so much coin as to have made A gown of so rich stuff; Yet they, poor souls, think for their credit, That they believe old Joseph did it, 'Cause he deserv'd enough. There is one of the cross's nails, There is a lantern which the Jews, There's one saint there hath lost his nose, His elbow and his thumb; But when that we had seen the rags, We came to Paris, on the Seine, How strong it is I need not tell it, There many strange things are to see, The Place Royal doth excel, The New Bridge, and the statues there, At Notre Dame St. Q. Pater, The steeple bears the bell. For learning the University, The Bastile and St. Denis street, But if you'll see the prettiest thing, He is, of all his dukes and peers, A bird that can but kill a fly, Or prate, doth please his majesty, "Tis known to every one; The Duke of Guise gave him a parrot, And he had twenty cannons for it, O that I e'er might have the hap I'd give it him, and hope to be Birds round about his chamber stand, And he them feeds with his own hand, "Tis his humility; And if they do want any thing, But now, then, for these parts he must He hath besides a pretty quirk, Which puts a doubt in every one, But let them all say what they will, The people too dislike the youth, His queen, a pretty little wench, For her incestuous house could not Nor why should Lewis, being so just, And suffer his little pretty queen, "Twere charity for to be known Who, men thought, did the same. THE FAIRIES' FAREWELL. FAREWELL, rewards and Fairies! Good housewives now you may say; For now foul sluts in dairies, Do fare as well as they : And though they sweep their hearths no less Yet who of late for cleanliness Lament, lament, old abbeys, They did but change priests' babies, Who live as changelings ever since, At morning and at evening both When Tom came home from labour, Then merrily went their tabor, [* Anne of Austria.-C.] THOMAS MIDDLETON. [Born, 1570. Buried, 4th July, 1627?] THE dates of this author's birth and death are both unknown, though his living reputation, as the literary associate of Jonson, Fletcher, Massinger, Dekker, and Rowley, must have been considerable. If Oldys be correct, he was alive after November, 1627. Middleton was appointed chronologer to the city of London† in 1620, and in 1624 was cited before the privy-council, as author of The Game of Chess. The verses of Sir W. Lower, quoted by Oldys, allude to the poet's white locks, so that he was probably born as early as the middle of the sixteenth century.‡ His tragicomedy, "The Witch," according to Mr. Malone, was written anterior to Macbeth, and suggested to Shakspeare the witchcraft scenery in LEANTIO APPROACHING HIS HOME. How near I am now to a happiness Is like a banqueting house built in a garden, Able to draw men's envies upon man; LEANTIO'S AGONY FOR THE DESERTION OF HIS WIFE. FROM THE SAME. Leantio, a man of humble fortune, has married a beautiful wife, who is basely seduced by the Duke of Florence. The duke, with refined cruelty, invites them both to a feast, where he lavishes his undisguised admiration on his mistress. The scene displays the feelings of Leantio, restrained by ceremony and fear, under the insulting hospitality, at the conclusion of which he is left alone with Livia, a lady of the court, who has fallen in love with him, and wishes to attach his affections. Leantio. (Without noticing Livia.) O HAST thou left me then, Bianca, utterly? O Bianca, now I miss thee! Oh! return, *MS. notes on Langbaine. [† Or city poet. Jonson and Quarles filled the office after Middleton, which expired with Elkanah Settle, 1723-4.-C.] [ The verses in question I believe to be a forgery of Chetwood.-DYCE's Middleton, vol. i. p. xiii.-C.] the latter play. The songs beginning "Come away," &c., and "Black Spirits," &c., of which only the first two words are printed in Macbeth, are found in the Witch. Independent of having afforded a hint to Shakspeare, Middleton's reputation cannot be rated highly for the pieces to which his name is exclusively attached. His principal efforts were in comedy, where he deals profusely in grossness and buffoonery. The cheats and debaucheries of the town are his favourite sources of comic intrigue. With a singular effort at the union of the sublime and familiar, he introduces, in one of his coarse drafts of London vice, an infernal spirit prompting a country gentleman to the seduction of a citizen's wife.§ Canst thou forget Lean. (Without noticing her.) The dear pains my love took? how it has watch'd Whole nights together, in all weathers, for thee, Yet stood in heart more merry than the tempest That sung about mine ears,like dangerous flatterers, That can set all their mischiefs to sweet tunes, And then received thee from thy father's window, Into these arms, at midnight; when we embraced As if we had been statues only made for't, To show art's life, so silent were our comforts; And kiss'd as if our lips had grown together. Liv. This makes me madder to enjoy him now. Lean. (Without noticing her.) Canst thou forget all this, and better joys That we met after this, which then new kisses Took pride to praise ? Liv. I shall grow madder yet:-Sir! Lean. (Without noticing her.) This cannot be but of some close bawd's working :Cry mercy, lady! What would you say to me? My sorrow makes me so unmannerly, So comfort bless me, I had quite forgot you. Liv. Nothing, but e'en in pity to that passion Would give your grief good counsel. Lean. Marry, and welcome, lady, It never could come better. Liv. Then first, sir, To make away all your good thoughts at once of her, Know, most assuredly, she is a strumpet. [? Middleton's dramatic works, since this was written, have been collected by Rev. A. Dyce, whose contributions to English literary history are frequently quoted in this volume.-G.] " Lean. Ha! most assuredly? Speak not a thing A sin which I too lately found and wept for. Lir. Ay, with wet eyes. Lean. Oh, perjurious friendship! Liv. You miss'd your fortunes when you met with her, sir. Young gentlemen, that only love for beauty, It brings on want, and want's the key of whoredom. [sir, Liv. Alas, poor gentleman! what mean'st thou, Quite to undo thyself with thine own kind heart? Thou art too good and pitiful to woman: Marry, sir, thank thy stars for this bless'd fortune, That rids the summer of thy youth so well From many beggars, that had lain a sunning In thy beams only else, till thou hadst wasted The whole days of thy life in heat and labour. What would you say now to a creature found As pitiful to you, and as it were E'en sent on purpose from the whole sex general, To requite all that kindness you have shown to't? Lean. What's that, madam? Liv. Nay, a gentlewoman, and one able To reward good things; ay, and bears a conscience to't: Couldst thou love such a one,that (blow all fortunes) Nay more, maintain thee to thine enemy's envy, Lean. Oh, my life's wealth, Bianca! [out? Liv. Still with her name? will nothing wear it Where's my discretion now, my skill,my judgment? As a fair woman's body from his palace. SCENE FROM "THE ROARING GIRL." Mrs. Gallipot, the apothecary's wife, having received a letter from her friend Laxton that he is in want of money, thus bethinks her how to raise it. ALAS, poor gentleman! troth, I pity him. I know his 3's too well. My childbed linen, Mrs. G. Oh! he-he's born to be my undoer! This hand, which thou call'st thine,to himwas given; To him was I made sure i' the sight of heaven. Mr. G. I never heard this-thunder! Mrs. G. Yes, yes-before I was to thee contracted, to him I swore. Since last I saw him twelve months three times old Mrs. G. So black a day, poor wretch, went o'er thee never. Mr. G. If thou shouldst wrestle with him at the law, Thou'rt sure to fall; no odd slight, no prevention. I'll tell him th' art with child. Mrs. G. Umph. Mr. G. Or give out, that one of my men was ta'en abed with thee. Mrs. G. Worse and worse still; You embrace a mischief to prevent an ill. Mr. G. I'll buy thee of him-stop his mouth with goldThink'st thou 'twill do? Mrs. G. Oh me! heavens grant it would! Yet now my senses are set more in tune; He writ, as I remember in his letter, That he, in riding up and down, had spent, Ere he could find me, thirty pound.-Send that; Stand not on thirty with him. Mr. G. Forty, Prue-say thou the word 'tis done. We venture lives for wealth, but must do more To keep our wives.-Thirty or forty, Prue? Mrs. G. Thirty, good sweet! Of an ill bargain let's save what we can; FATHERS COMPARING SONS. BENEFIT OF IMPRISONMENT TO A WILD YOUTH. FROM THE SAME. Persons.-SIR DAVY DAPPER, SIR ALEX. WENGRAVE, and SIR ADAM APPLETON. Sir Dav. My son Jack Dapper, then, shall run All in one pasture. [with him, Sir Alex. Proves your son bad too, sir? [tian Sir Dav. As villany can make him: your SebasDotes but on one drab, mine on a thousand. A noise of fiddlers, tobacco, wine, and a A mercer, that will let him take up moreDice, and a water-spaniel with a duck.—Oh, Bring him a bed with these when his purse gingles Roaring boys follow at his tail, fencers and ningles, (Beasts Adam ne'er gave name to ;) these horseleeches suck My son, till he being drawn dry, they all live on Sir Dav. Right sir; but I have in my brain That's set to catch this woodcock in-An action, [him? Sir Dav. Think you the Counter cannot break Sir Alex. Break him? yes, and break his heart too, if he lie there long. Sir Dav. I'll make him sing a counter-tenor, sure. Sir Alex. No way to tame him like it: there shall he learn What money is indeed, and how to spend it. Sir Dav. He's bridled there. Sir Alex. Ay, yet knows not how to mend it. Bedlam cures not more madmen in a year Than one of the Counters does. Men pay more dear There for their wit than anywhere. A Counter! Why, 'tis an university.-Who not sees? As scholars there, so here men take degrees, And follow the same studies, all alike. Scholars learn first logic and rhetoric, So does a prisoner; with fine honied speech At his first coming in, he doth persuade, beseech He may be lodged-. .... To lie in a clean chamber. . . . To make the keepers trust him. Sir Adam. Say they do. Sir Alex. Then he's a graduate. Sir Alex. Then is he held a freshman and a sot, |