The Shepherd and his Wife. It was near a thicky shade, She tuned voice unto his lay. And, or you might her housewife know, He was young, his coat was green, That breast and bosom in did wrap, To shroud him from the wet aloft: For though his 'parel was but plain, Nor Menalcas, whom they call With drops of blood to make the white, In ambush for some wanton prize; Nor was Phillis, that fair May, She wore a chaplet on her head; Philador, seeing this couple sitting thus lovingly, noted the concord of country amity, and began to conjecture with himself, what a sweet kind of life those men use, who were by their birth too low for dignity, and by their fortunes too simple for envy; well, he thought to fall in prattle with them, had not the shepherd taken his pipe in hand, and begun to play, and bis wife to sing out, this roundelay: Ah! what is love? It is a pretty thing, And sweeter too: For kings have cares that wait upon a crown: If country loves such sweet desires gain, What lady would not love a shepherd swain? His flocks are folded; he comes home at night And merrier too: For kings bethink them what the state require, If country loves such sweet desires gain, 1 Alder, of all; alderleefest, or alderlevest, dearest of all. He kisseth first, then sits as blithe to eat For kings have often fears when they sup, If country loves such sweet desires gain, Upon his couch of straw he sleeps as sound For cares cause kings full oft their sleep to spill, If country loves such sweet desires gain, Thus with his wife he spends the year as blithe And blither too : for kings have wars and broils to take in hand; If country ves such sweet desires gain, THOMAS LODGE. · THOMAS LODGE is usually classed among the precursors of Shakspeare; he was a poor dramatist. He wrote one tragedy, The Wounds of Civil War, lively set forth in the True Tragedies of Marius and Sylla,' 1591. This is in blank verse, but without modulation, and the play is heavy and uninteresting. The 'mystery-play,' A Looking-glass for London and England,' written by Lodge and Greene, is directed to the defence of the stage. It applies the scriptural story of Nineveh to the City of London, and amidst drunken buffoonery and clownish mirth, contains some powerful satirical writing. CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE. The greatest of Shakspeare's precursors in the drama was CRISTOPHER MARLOWE-a fiery imaginative spirit, who first imparted consistent character and energy to the stage, in connection with a high. sounding and varied blank verse. Marlowe was born at Canterbury, and baptised on the 26th of February 1563-4. He was the son of a shoemaker, but through the aid of some local patron-supposed to be Sir Roger Manwood, chief baron of the Exchequer, on whom he wrote a Latin epitaph-he was admitted into the King's School of Canterbury, founded for the education of fifty scholars, who received each a stipend of £4 per annum, and retained their scholarships for five years. From this institution Marlowe was enabled to proceed, in 1581, to Bennet College, Cambridge, where he took the degree of B A. in 1583, and that of M.A. in 1587. Previous to this, he is sup 1 Syth, or sithe, Sax. time. posed to have written his tragedy of 'Tamburlaine the Great,' which was successfully brought out on the stage, and long continued a favourite. Shakespeare makes ancient Pistol quote, in ridicule, part of this play: Holla, ye pampered jades of Asia, &c. But, amidst the rant and fustian of Tamburlaine,' there are passages of great beauty and wild grandeur, and the versification justifies the compliment afterwards paid by Ben Jonson, in the words, 'Marlowe's mighty line.' His lofty blank verse is one of his most characteristic features. His second play, the 'Life and Death of Dr. Faustus,' exhibits a far wider range of dramatic power than his first tragedy. The hero studies necromancy, and makes a solemn disposal of his soul to Lucifer, on condition of having a familiar spirit at his command, and unlimited enjoyment for twenty-four years; during which period Faustus visits different countries, calls up spirits from the vasty deep,' and revels in luxury and splendour. At length the time expires, the bond becomes due, and a party of evil spirits enter, amidst thunder and lightning, to claim his forfeited life and person. Such a plot afforded scope for deep passion and variety of adventure, and Marlowe has constructed from it a powerful though irregular play. Scenes and passages of terrific grandeur and the most thrilling agony, are intermixed with low humour and preternatural machinery, often ludicrous and grotesque. The ambition of Faustus is a sensual, not a lofty ambition. A feeling of curiosity and wonder is excited by his necromancy and his strange compact with Lucifer; but we do not fairly sympathise with him till all his disguises are stripped off, and his meretricious splendour is succeeded by horror and despair. Then, when he stands on the brink of everlasting ruin, waiting for the fatal moment, imploring, yet distrusting repentance, a scene of enchaining interest, fervid passion, and overwhelming pathos, carries captive the sternest heart, and proclaims the full triumph of the tragic poet. Scenes from Marlowe's Faustus. FAUSTUS-WAGNER, his Servant. FAUSTUS. Say, Wagner, thou hast perused my will. How dost thou like it? WAGNER. Sir, so wondrous well, As in all humble duty I do yield My life and lasting service for your love. Three Scholars Enter. FAUST. Gramercy, Wagner. Welcome, gentlemen. FIRST SCHOLAR. Now, worthy Faustus, methinks your looks are changed. SECOND SCHOLAR. What ails Faustus? [Exit. FAUST. Ah, my sweet chamber-fellow, had I lived with thee, then had I lived still, but now must die eternally. Look, sirs, comes he not? comes he not?. FIRST SCH. O my dear Faustus, what imports this fear? SEC. SCH. Is all our pleasure turned to melancholy? THIRD SCHOLAR. He is not well with being over-solitary. SEC. SCH. If it be so, we will have physicians, and Faustus shall be cured. FAUST. A surfeit of a deadly sin, that hath damned both body and soul. SEC. SCH. Yet, Faustus, look up to heaven, and remember mercy is infinite. FAUST. But Faustus's offence can ne'er be pardoned. The serpent that tempted Eve may be saved, but not Faustus. O gentlemen, hear me with patience, and tremble not at my speeches. Though my heart pant and quiver to remember that I have been a student here these thirty years, oh, would I had ne'er seen Wirtemberg, never read book! and what wonders have I done, all Germany can witness, yea, all the world: for which Faustus hath lost both Germany and the world; yea, heaven itself-heaven the seat of God, the throne of the blessed, the kingdom of joy-and must remain in hell for ever. Hell, O hell, for ever. Sweet friends, what shall become of Faustus being in hell for ever? SEC. SCH. Yet, Faustus, call on God. FAUST. On God, whom Faustus hath abjured? on God, whom Faustus hath blasphemed? O my God, I would weep, but the devil draws in my tears. Gush forth blood instead of tears, yea, life and soul! Oh, he stays my tongue: I would lift up my hands, but see, they hold 'em, they hold 'em! SCHOLARS. Who, Faustus? FAUST. Why, Lucifer and Mephistophilis. O gentlemen, I gave them my soul for my cunning. SCHOLARS. O God forbid! FAUST. God forbid it indeed, but Faustus hath done it; for the vain pleasure of four-and-twenty years hath Faustus lost eternal joy and felicity. I writ them a bill with mine own blood; the date is expired: this is the time, and he will fetch me. FIRST SCH. Why did not Faustus tell of this before, that divines might have prayed for thee? FAUST. Oft have I thought to have done so; but the devil threatened to tear me in pieces if I named God; to fetch me body and soul if I once gave ear to divinity; and now it is too late. Gentlemen, away, lest you perish with me. SEC. SCH. Oh, what may we do to save Faustus! FAUST. Talk not of me, but save yourselves, and depart. FIRST SCH. Tempt not God, sweet friend, but let us into the next room and pray for him. FAUST. Ay, pray for me, pray for me; and what noise soever you hear, come not unto me, for nothing can rescue me. SEC. SCH. Pray thou, and we will pray, that God may have mercy upon thee. FAUST. Gentlemen, farewell; if I live till morning, I'll visit you; if not, Faustus is gone to hell. SCHOLARS. Faustus, farewell. FAUSTUS, alone.-The Clock strikes Eleven. FAUST. O Faustus, Now hast thou but one bare hour to ive, A year, a month, a week, a natural day, O lente lente currite, noctis equi. The stars move still, time runs, the clock will strike, Rend not my heart for naming of my Christ. And see a threatening arm and angry brow, The Watch strikes. Oh, half the hour is past: 'twill all be past anon. A hundred thousand, and at the last be saved; Why wert thou not a creature wanting soul? Oh, Pythagoras' metempsychosis, were that true, All beasts are happy, for when they die, It strikes, it strikes; now, body, turn to air, Thunder, and enter the Devils.; O soul, be changed into small water-drops, I'll burn my books: O Mephistophilis ! Enter Scholars. FIRST SCH. Come, gentlemen, let us go visit Faustus, For such a dreadful night was never seen Since first the world's creation did begin; Such fearful shrieks and cries were never heard; Pray Heaven the Doctor have escaped the danger. SEC. SCH. O help us, heavens! see, here are Faustus' limbs, All torn asunder by the hand of death. [Exeunt. THIRD SCH. The devil whom Faustus served hath torn him thus: For 'twixt the hours of twelve and one, inethought I heard him shriek and call aloud for help; At which same time the house seemed all on fire With dreadful horror of these damned fiends. |