Th'infected bulke of ENVIE can afford: Drop into earth; let me be euer blind. I am preuented; all my hopes are croft, 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 fnakes among you, come, and eate, And while the squeez'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 In your deep throats; and let the heads come forth 50 Traduce, corrupt, apply, enforme, suggest: O, these are gifts wherein your foules are blest. Nay, then I doe despaire: downe, finke againe. This trauaile is all loft with my dead hopes. If in fuch bosomes, spight haue left to dwell, Enuie is not on earth, nor scarse in hell. 55 60 The third founding. PROLOGVE. Tay, Monster, ere thou finke, thus on thy head Set we our bolder foot; with which we tread An armed Prologue; know, 't is a dangerous age: Can fright their pride, and laugh their folly hence. 54 enforce 1640, 1692, 1716, W 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 beЛlime his fame, And giue his action that adulterate name. As one, that knowes the strength of his owne mufe. 20 25 Hen, when this bodie falls in funerall fire, TH My name shall liue, and my best part afpire. Lvsc. Young master, master OVID, doe you heare? gods a mee! away with your fongs, and fonnets; and on with your gowne and cappe, quickly: here, here, your father will be a man of this roome presently. Come, nay, nay, nay, nay, be briefe. These verses too, a poyson on 'hem, I cannot abide 'hem, they make mee readie to caft, by the bankes of helicon. Nay looke, 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, 5 ΙΟ I will not anfwere you elfe. Why fo: now there's 15 ACTVS PRIMVS. SCENA PRIMA. Q study. N Act... Lvscvs.] Scene draws, and discovers OVID in his study. G OVID discovered in his 1 Ovid. 1716+ 3 Enter LUSCUS with a gown and cap. G Enter Luscus. N 'hem] 'em 'em 1692, 1716, W his cap and gown.] G 5 Gods a'me N (regularly) 'em them G 9 'hem 15 elfe] [Ovid puts on some 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 swear'st so 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 must doo't, old boy, as thou art a man, a man of worship.) 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 master, you are not castalian mad, lunatike, frantike, desperate? 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 shall better judge The hastie errours of our morning muse. 30-1 () om., words italicized, Q larly) an G, N, (uniformly) Moning 1692 20 25 30 35 40 45 35 and] an' 1716, W (regu43 [Exit. G, N 46 morning] E Ouid. Lib. 1. Amo. Ele. 15. Nuie, why twit' ft thou me, my time's fpent ill? And call' ft my verfe, fruits of an idle quill? Wars duftie honours I purfue not young? 50 Or that I ftudie not the tedious lawes; And prostitute my voyce in euerie caufe? Thy fcope is mortall; mine eternall fame: Which through the world fhall euer chaunt my name. 55 Or, to the fea, fleet SIMOIS doth flide: And fo fhall HESIOD too, while vines doe beare, 60 Whil'ft harlots flatter, shall MENANDER flourish. 65 Of VARRO's name, what eare shall not be told? Whil'ft ROME of all the conquer'd world is head. Kings fhall give place to it, and kingly showes, 70 75 |