1275]

L

POETASTER.

After the fecond founding.

Envie.

Arifing in the midft of the ftage.

Ight, I falute thee, but with wounded nerues:
Wishing thy golden fplendor, pitchy dark-
neffe.

What's here? Th'Arraignment? I: This, this is it,

That our funke eyes haue wak't for, all this while :
Here will be fubiect for my fnakes, and me.
Cling to my necke, and wrifts, my louing wormes,
And caft you round, in foft, and amorous foulds,
Till I doe bid, vncurle: Then, breake your knots,
Shoot out your felues at length, as your forc't ftings
Would hide themfelues within his malic't fides,
To whom I fhall apply you. Stay! the fhine
Of this affembly here offends my fight,
I'le darken that firft, and out-face their grace.
Wonder not, if I ftare: thefe fifteene weekes
(So long as fince the plot was but an embrion)
Haue I, with burning lights, mixt vigilant thoughts,
In expectation of this hated play :

To which (at laft) I am arriu'd as Prologue.
Nor would I, you fhould looke for other lookes,
Gefture, or complement from me, then what

After... founding.] om. Q Envie.] LIVOR. Q
om. Q Envy arises in the midst of the stage G, N
N (uniformly)

20 compliment W+ than 1640+

S. D.] 3 I] ay G,

Th'infected bulke of Envie can afford:
For I am riffe here with a couetous hope,
To blaft your pleafures, and deftroy your fports,
With wreftings, comments, applications,

[276] Spie-like fuggeftions, priuie whifperings,
And thoufand fuch promooting fleights as thefe.
Marke, how I will begin: The Scene is, ha!
Rome? Rome? and Rome? Cracke ey-ftrings, and
your balles

Drop into earth; let me be euer blind.

I am preuented; all my hopes are croft,

Checkt, and abated; fie, a freezing fweate

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Flowes forth at all my pores, my entrailes burne:

What fhould I doe? Rome? Rome? O my vext foule

How might I force this to the prefent ftate?

Are there no players here? no poet-apes,

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That come with bafiliskes eyes, whofe forked tongues

Are fteept in venome, as their hearts in gall?

Eyther of thefe would helpe me; they could wreft,

Peruert, and poyfon all they heare, or fee,

With fenfeleffe gloffes, and allufions.

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Now if you be good deuils, flye me not.

You know what deare, and ample faculties

I haue indow'd you with: Ile lend you more.

Here, take my fnakes among you, come, and eate,

And while the fqueez'd juice flowes in your blacke

jawes,

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Helpe me to damne the Authour. Spit it foorth

Vpon his lines, and fhew your ruftie teeth.

At euerie word, or accent: or elfe choofe
Out of my longeft vipers, to fticke downe

In your deep throats; and let the heads come forth
At your ranke mouthes; that he may fee you arm'd
With triple malice, to hiffe, fting, and teare
His worke, and him; to forge, and then declame,

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Traduce, corrupt, apply, enforme, fuggeft:

O, thefe are gifts wherein your foules are bleft.
What? doe you hide your felues? will none appeare?
None anfwere? what, doth this calme troupe affright
you?

Nay, then I doe defpaire: downe, finke againe.

This trauaile is all loft with my dead hopes.

If in fuch bofomes, fpight haue left to dwell,

Enuie is not on earth, nor fcarfe in hell.

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60

S

The third founding.

PROLOGVE.

Tay, Monfter, ere thou finke, thus on thy head
Set we our bolder foot; with which we tread
Thy malice into earth: So fpight fhould die,
[277] Defpis'd and fcorn'd by noble induftrie.
If any mufe why I falute the ftage,

An armed Prologue; know, 't is a dangerous age:
Wherein, who writes, had need prefent his Scenes
Fortie fold-proofe againft the coniuring meanes
Of bafe detractors, and illiterate apes,
That fill vp roomes in faire and formall fhapes.
'Gainft thefe, haue we put on this forc't defence:
Whereof the allegorie and hid fence
Is, that a well erefled confidence

Can fright their pride, and laugh their folly hence.
Here now, put cafe our Authour fhould, once more,
Sweare that his play were good; he doth implore,
You would not argue him of arrogance:
How ere that common fpawne of ignorance,

54 enforce 1640, 1692, 1716, W
The... founding.] om. Q

61 Descends slowly. G, N PROLOGVE.] PROLOGVSQ As

she disappears, enter Prologue hastily, in armour. G Enter Prologue hastily. N

Our frie of writers, may beflime his fame,

And giue his action that adulterate name.
Such ful-blowne vanitie he more doth lothe,
Then bafe deiection: There's a meane 'twixt both.
Which with a conflant firmeneffe he purfues,

As one, that knowes the ftrength of his owne mufe.
And this he hopes all free foules will allow,
Others, that take it with a rugged brow,
Their moods he rather pitties, then enuies:
His mind it is aboue their iniuries.

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OVID, Lvscvs.

Hen, when this bodie falls in funerall fire,

Th

My name fhall liue, and my best part afpire.
It fhall goe fo.

5

Lvsc. Young mafter, mafler Ovid, doe you heare? gods a mee! away with your /ongs, and /onnets; and on with your gowne and cappe, quickly: here, here, your father will be a man of this roome prefently. Come, nay, nay, nay, nay, be briefe. Thefe verfes too, a poyfon on 'hem, I cannot abide 'hem, they make mee readie to caft, by the bankes of helicon. Nay looke, 1o what a rafcally vntoward thing this poetrie is; I could teare 'hem now.

Ovid. Giue me, how neere's my father?

Lvsc. Hart a'man: get a law-booke in your hand,

I will not anfwere you elfe. Why fo: now there's 15

ACTVS PRIMVS. SCENA PRIMA. Q

Act . . . Lvscvs.]

Scene draws, and discovers Ovid in his study. G Ovid discovered in his study. N 3 Enter LUSCUS with a gown and 5 Gods a'me N (regularly) 9 'hem 'em them G 15 elfe] [Ovid puts on

1 Ovid. 1716+ cap. G Enter LUSCUS. N 'hem] 'em 'em 1692, 1716, W his cap and gown,] G

fome formalitie in you. By love, and three or foure of the gods more, I am right of mine olde mafters humour for that; this villanous poetrie will vndoe you, by the welkin.

[278] Ovid. What, haft thou buskins on, Lvscvs, that thou fwear'ft fo tragically, and high?

Lvsc. No, but I haue bootes on, fir, and fo ha's your father too by this time: for he call'd for 'hem, ere I came from the lodging.

Ovid. Why? was he no readier?

Lvsc. O no; and there was the madde skeldring captaine, with the veluet armes, readie to lay hold on him as hee comes downe: he that preffes euerie man he meets, with an oath, to lend him money, and cries; (Thou muft doo't, old boy, as thou art a man, a man of worfhip.)

Ovid. Who? Pantilivs Tvcca?

Lvsc. I, hee: and I met little mafter Lvpvs, the Tribune, going thither too.

Ovid. Nay, and he be vnder their arreft, I may (with fafetie inough) reade ouer my elegie, before he

come.

Lvsc. Gods a mee! What'll you doe? why, young mafter, you are not caftalian mad, lunatike, frantike, defperate? ha?

OVID. What aileft thou, Lvscvs?

Lvsc. God be with you, fir, I'le leaue you to your poeticall fancies, and furies. I'le not be guiltie, I. Ovid. Be not, good ignorance: I'm glad th'art

gone:

For thus alone, our eare fhall better judge

The haftie errours of our morning mufe.

30-1 () om., words italicized, Q larly) an G, N, (uniformly) Moning 1692

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35 and] an' 1716, W (regu43 [Exit. G, N 46 morning]