to the verdict of your Tryers. CAIVS CILNIVS MECONAS pronounceth you, by this hand-writing, 430 Guiltie. CORNELIVS GALLVS, Guiltie. PANTILIVS TVCCA

Tvcc. Parcell-guiltie, I.

DEME. He meanes himselfe: for it was he indeed, Suborn'd vs to the calumnie.

435

[344] Tvcc. I, your whorfon cantharides? was't I? DEME. I appeale to your confcience, Captaine.

TIBV.

Then, you confesse it, now.

DEME. I doe, and craue the mercy of the court.

CRIS. O, the Captaine, the Captaine

HORA. My phyficke begins to worke with my

patient, I fee.

VIRG. Captaine; stand forth and answere.

440

Tvcc. Hold thy peace, Poet Prætor: I appeale 445 from thee, to CAESAR, I. Doe me right, royall CAESAR.

CAES. Mary, and I will, fir. Lictors, gag him :
And put a cafe of vizards o're his head,
That he may looke bi-fronted, as he fpeakes.

450

Tvcc. Gods, and fiends. CAESAR! thou wilt not, CAESAR? wilt thou? Away, you whorfon vultures; away. You thinke I am a dead corps now; because CAESAR is difpos'd to iest with a man of marke, or fo. Hold your hook't talons out of my flesh, you inhumane 455 Harpies. Goe to, do't. What? will the royall AVGVSTVS caft away a gent'man of worship, a Captaine, and a Commander; for a couple of condemn'd caitiue calumnious Cargo's?

429-433 Caius Cilnius Mecoenas pro- | nounceth you, by this handwriting, Guiltie. Corneli- | Tuc. Gallus, Guiltie. Pantilius Tuccaus Parcell Guiltie; I. | Q wasn't it? N

431 Pantillus N

436 was't I?] 448 gag him: doe 1640 gag him: do. 1692, 1716, 451 fiends] friends 1640, 1692, 1716 456 Harpies]

Gorboduckes. Q

457 gentleman G, N

CAES. Dispatch, Lictors.

TVCC. CAESAR.

CAES. Forward, TIBVLLVS.

460

VIRG. Demand, what caufe they had to maligne HORACE.

DEME. In troth, no great cause, not I; I must con- 465 feffe: but that hee kept better company (for the most part) then I and that better men lou'd him, then lou'd me: and that his writings thriu'd better then mine, and

were better lik't, and grac't: nothing else. ·

VIRG. Thus, enuious foules repine at others good. 470 HORA. If this be all; faith, I forgiue thee freely.

Enuy me ftill; fo long as VIRGIL loues me,
GALLVS, TIBVLLVS, and the best-best CAESAR,
My deare MECONAS: while these, with many more
(Whose names I wifely flip) fhall thinke me worthy
Their honour'd, and ador'd focietie,

475

And reade, and loue, proue, and applaud my poemes;
I would not wish but such as you should spight them.
CRIS. O-

HORA. A bafon, a bason, quickly; our phyfick works. Faint not, man.

CRIS. O retrograde reciprocall

CAES. What's that, HORACE?

-incubus.

480

485

490

VIRG. What are they?

HORA. Glibbery, lubricall, and defunct.

460-1 [The vizards are put upon him. G, N 486 Incubus] and

incubus G, N

reciprocall,] comma om. 1640, 1692, 1716, W

MECœ. Magnificate? that came vp fomewhat hard.
HORA. I. What cheere, CRISPINVS?

CRIS. O, I fhall caft vp my-fpurious-fnot

495

500

505

MECO. What's all that, HORACE?

HORA. Spurious fnotteries, chilblain'd, clumfie.
TIBV. O IVPITER!

GALL. Who would haue thought, there should ha'

beene fuch a deale of filth in a poet?

CRIS. O barmy froth

510

HORA. Barmy froth, puffy, inflate, turgidous, and 515

ventofitous are come vp.

TIBV. O, terrible, windie wordes!

GALL. A figne of a windie braine.

CRIS. O -oblatrant

ftrenuous

-furibund

-fatuate

HORA. Here's a deale: oblatrant, furibund, fatuate, firenuous.

CAES. Now, all's come vp, I trow. What a tumult hee had in his belly!

494-5 Gal. O, they come up. Odupter N

511 "ba-my froth" N

516 Ventosity Q, N

cate Furibund Q

cate, Furibund Q

-Oh! N

520

508 IVPITER] 514 Ventosity Q, N

519 oblatrant-furibund] Oblatrant-Obcae521 oblatrant, furibund] Oblatrant, Obcae523 tumult] tumble N

HORA. No: there's the often confcious dampe 525 behind, ftill.

CRIS. O confcious- -dampe.

HORA. It's come vp, thankes to APOLLO, and ESCVLAPIVS: Yet, there's another; you were best take a pill more?

HORA. Force your felfe then, a little with your

finger.

CRIS. OÔ-prorumped.

530

TIBV. Prorumped? What a noise it made! as if 535 his spirit would haue prorumpt with it.

CRIS. O- -ô- -ô.

VIRG. Helpe him: it ftickes ftrangely, what euer

it is.

CRIS. O clutcht.

540

HORA.

Now it's come: clutcht.

CAES. Clutcht? It's well, that's come vp! It had

but a narrow passage.

[346] CRIS. O

VIRG. Againe, hold him: hold his head there.

545

CRIS. Snarling gufts-quaking custard.

HORA.

How now, CRISPINVS?

CRIS. O obftupefact.

TIBV. Nay: that are all we, I affure you.

HORA. How doe you feele your felfe?

550

CRIS. Pretty, and well, I thanke you.

VIRG. Thefe pills can but restore him for a time;

Not cure him quite of such a maladie,

Caught by so many surfets; which haue fill'd

His bloud, and braine, thus full of crudities:

555

'Tis neceffary, therefore, he obferue

A ftri&t and holsome dyet. Looke, you take
Each morning, of old CATOES principles

A good draught, next your heart; that walke vpon,
Till it be well digefted: Then come home,
And taste a piece of TERENCE, fucke his phrase
In ftead of lycorice; and, at any hand,

560

Shun PLAVTVS, and old ENNIVS, they are meates
Too harsh for a weake stomacke. Vse to reade
(But not without a tutor) the best Greekes:
AS ORPHEVS, MVSAEVS, PINDARVS,
HESIOD, CALLIMACHVS, and THEOCRITE,
High HOMER, but beware of LYCOPHRON :
He is too darke, and dangerous a dish.

565

You must not hunt for wild, out-landish termes,
To ftuffe out a peculiar dialect;

570

But let your matter runne before your words:
And if, at any time, you chaunce to meet
Some Gallo-belgick phrase, you shall not straight
Racke your poore verse to giue it entertainement;
But let it paffe: and doe not thinke your felfe
Much damnified, if you doe leaue it out;
When, nor your vnderstanding, nor the fenfe
Could well receiue it. This faire abftinence,
In time, will render you more found, and cleere;
And this haue I prescrib'd to you, in place
Of a strict sentence: which till he performe,
Attire him in that robe. And hence-forth, learne
To beare your felfe more humbly; not to fwell,
Or breathe your infolent, and idle spight,
On him, whose laughter, can your worst affright.

575

580

585

TIBV.

CAESAR.

Take him away. CRIS. IVPITER guard

VIRG. And, for a weeke, or two, fee him lockt vp

[347] In fome darke place, remoou'd from companie: 590

He will talke idly else after his phyficke.

559 that walke vpon] and walk upon't 1640, 1692, 1716

563 old] om. N

570 not] om. N

581 pre

562 Liquorish 1692, 1716, W liquorice G, N 565 ()] G, N without] with N

fcrib'd] described N