[273]

ΤΟ

THE VERTVOVS,

AND MY VVORTHY

FRIEND,

Mr. Richard Martin.

IR, A thankefull man owes a courtefie euer: the

vnthankefull, but when he needes it. To make

mine owne marke appeare, and fhew by which of thefe feales I am known, I fend you this peece of what may liue of mine; for whofe innocence, as for the Authors, you were once a noble and timely vndertaker, to the greatest Iuftice of this kingdome. Enioy now the delight of your goodneffe; which is to fee that profper, you preferu'd: and pofteritie to owe the reading of that, without offence, to your name; which fo much ignorance, and malice of the times, then confpir'd to haue supprest.

Your true louer,

BEN. IONSON.

THE PERSONS THAT ACT Q Dramatis Personæ 1716+

Q bears on this page an address 'Ad Lectorem' (Martial, 7. 12. 9-12.), and omits THE SCENE. ROME.

1640 subjoins the list of come

dians as printed on p. (354), folio 1616.

W, G, N, interpolate 'Luscus' after 'Tucca'; G, N, add 'Aesop' and 'Equites'. TREBATIVS] om. Q

[275]

L

POËTASTER.

After the fecond founding.

ENVIE.

Arifing in the midst 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 wrists, 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 shine
Of this affembly here offends my fight,
I'le darken that first, and out-face their grace.
Wonder not, if I ftare: these 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 should looke for other lookes,
Gesture, or complement from me, then what

After... founding.] om. Q om. Q

ENVIE.] LIVOR. Q
ENVY arises in the midst of the stage G, N

N (uniformly)

20 compliment W+ than 1640+

5

ΙΟ

15

20

S. D.] 3 I] ay G,

Th'infected bulke of ENVIE can afford:
For I am riffe here with a couetous hope,
To blast your pleasures, and destroy your sports,
With wreftings, comments, applications,

[276] Spie-like fuggestions, priuie whisperings,
And thousand such promooting fleights as these.
Marke, how I will begin: The Scene is, ha!
ROME? ROME? and ROME? Cracke ey-strings, and
your balles

Drop into earth; let me be euer blind.

I am preuented; all my hopes are crost,

Checkt, and abated; fie, a freezing sweate

25

30

Flowes forth at all my pores, my entrailes burne:

What should I doe? ROME? ROME? O my vext foule

How might I force this to the present state?

Are there no players here? no poet-apes,

35

That come with bafiliskes eyes, whose forked tongues

Are steept in venome, as their hearts in gall?

Eyther of these would helpe me; they could wrest,

Peruert, and poyfon all they heare, or fee,

With fenfeleffe gloffes, and allufions.

40

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 snakes among you, come, and eate,

And while the fqueez'd juice flowes in your blacke

jawes,

45

Helpe me to damne the Authour. Spit it foorth

Vpon his lines, and fhew your rustie teeth

At euerie word, or accent: or else choose

Out of my longest vipers, to sticke 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,

50

Traduce, corrupt, apply, enforme, suggest:

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

55

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

60

This trauaile is all loft with my dead hopes.

If in fuch bofomes, spight haue left to dwell,

Enuie is not on earth, nor scarse in hell.

ST

The third founding.

PROLOGVE.

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

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

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

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

5

ΙΟ

15

61 Descends slowly. G, N PROLOGVE.] PROLOGVS Q As

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