66 poem, indeed, among the rest, which exhibits a groupe of imaginary personages, so beautifully. "drawn, that, in all probability, they contributed to direct, at least to stimulate, Spenser's imagi"nation in the construction of the like representations. Thus much may be truly said, that Sack“ville's Induction' approaches nearer to the Fairy Queen,' in the richness of allegoric description, "than any previous or succeeding poem." 2. The Complaynt of Henrye Duke of Buckingham, in the Mirror for Magistrates. 3. A Latin Letter to Dr Bartholomew Clerke, prefixed to his Translation of Balthazar Castilio, De Curiali sive Aulico, first printed at London about 1571. 4. Verses prefixed to Hobby's Translation of Castilio's Courtier, 4to, 1577, in commendation of the Work. 5. Letters in the Cabala, and one to the Earl of Sussex, in Howard's Collection, p. 297. Thomas Norton, who joined with Lord Buckhurst in writing this play, was, according to Wood, who gives him the title of a forward and busy Calvinist, a native of, or resident at, Sharpenhaule, otherwise Sharpenhoe, in the county of Bedford. He lived some time in the Temple, became a barrister at law, and solicitor for the city of London. He translated some of the psalms in Sternhold and Hopkin's version, and was the author and translator of several polemical and political works, which are enumerated in Wood's "Athena Oxonienses."5 ARGUMENT OF THE TRAGEDIE. Gorboduc, king of Brittaine, divided his realme, in his life-time, to his sonnes, Ferrex and Porrex. The sonnes fell to discention. The yonger killed the elder. The mother, that more dearly loved the elder, for revenge killed the yonger. The people moved with the crueltie of the fact, rose in rebellion, and slew both father and mother. The nobilitie assembled, and most terribly destroyed the rebels; and afterwards, for want of issue of the prince, whereby the succession of the Crowne became uncertaine, they fell to civil warre, in which both they and many of their issues were slain, and the land for a long time almost desolate and miserably wasted. THE P. (PRINTER) TO THE READER. WHERE this Tragedie was for furniture of part of the grand Christmasse in the Inner-Temple, first written, about nine yeares agoe, by the right honourable Thomas, now Lord Buckherst, and by T. Norton, and after shewed before her Majestie, and never intended by the authors thereof to be published; yet one W. G. getting a copy therof at some yong man's hand that lacked a little money, and much discretion, in the last great plage, an. 1565, about five years past, while the said Lord was out of England, and T. Norton farre out of London, and neither of them both made privie, put it forth excedingly corrupted, even as if by meanes of a broker for hire he should have entised into his house a faire maide and done her villanie, and after all so bescratched her face, torne her apparell, berayed and disfigured her, and then thrust her out of dores dishonested. In such plight, after long wandering, she came at length home to the sight of her frendes, who scant knew her, but by a few tokens and markes remayning. They, the authors I meane, though they were very much displeased that she ranne abroad without leave, whereby she caught her shame, as many wantons do; yet seeing the case, as it is, remedilesse, have, for common honestie and shamefastnesse, new apparelled, trimmed, and attired her in such a forme as she was Marbury's Book of Monarchy, as quoted by Oldys, in his MS. notes on Langbaine, 5 Pages 77, 155. before. In which better forme, since she hath come to me, I have harbored her for her frendes sake and her owne; and I do not dout her parentes, the authors, will not now be discontent that she goe abroad among you good readers, so it be in honest companie. For she is by my encouragement, and others, somewhat lesse ashamed of the dishonestie done to her, because it was by fraude and force. If she be welcome among you, and gently enterteined in favor of the house from whence she is descended, and of her owne nature courteously disposed to offend no man, her frendes will thanke you for it. If not, but that she shall be still reproched with her former misschap, or quarelled at by envious persons, she, poore gentlewoman, will surely play Lucrece's part, and of herself die for shame; and I shall wishe that she had taried still at home with me, where she was welcome: for she did never put me to more charge, but this one poore blacke gowne lined with white, that I have now geven her to goe abroad among you withall. AROSTUS, a counsellor to the king. PHILANDER, a counsellor assigned by the king to his youngest sonne Porrex. [Both being of the olde kinges counsell HERMON, a parasite remaining with Ferrex. arms. MARCELLA, a lady of the queenes privie-chamber. DORDAN, a counsellor assigned by the king to his CHORUS, foure auncient and sage men of Briteldest sonne Ferrex. taine. The ORDER of the Domme Shew before the First Act, and the SIGNIFICATION therof. First, the musicke of violenze began to play, during which came in upon the stage sixe wilde men, clothed in leaves. Of whom the first bare on his necke a fagot of small stickes, which they all, both severallye and together, assayed with all their strengthes to breake; but it could not be broken 6 This play, we are told by the printer of the second edition, was first acted at the Inner-Temple, and afterwards before Queen Elizabeth. Its first appearance was at a grand Christmas, celebrated with unusual magnificence, as may be seen by the description of it in Dugdale's " Origines Juridiciales," p. 150. It is here printed from the second edition; the third, of 1590, from which it was published, in 1736, by Mr Spence and by Mr Dodsley, appearing to be only a republication of the first imperfect copy complained of by the authors, as published in their absence, without their knowledge or consent. The testimony of Sir Philip Sidney, concerning this play, is as follows:-" Gorboduc is full of stately speeches, and well sounding phrases, climbing to the heighth of Seneca his style, and as full of notable morality; which it doth most delightfully teach, and thereby obtain the very end of poetry." And Mr Pope was of opinion," that the writers of the succeeding age might have improved as much in other respects, by copying from him a propriety in the sentiments, an unaffected perspicuity of style, and in an easy flow in the numbers. In a word, that chastity, correctness, and gravity of style, which are so essential to tragedy, and which all the tragic poets who followed, not excepting Shakespeare himself, either little understood, or perpetually neglected." by them. At the length, one of them plucked out one of the sticks, and brake it; and the rest plucking out all the other stickes, one after another, did easely breake the same, being seve red; which, being conjoyned, they had before attempted in vaine. After they had this done, they departed the stage, and the musicke ceased. Hereby was signified, that a state, knit in unitie, doth continue strong against all force; but being divided, is easily destroyed, as befel upon King Gorboduc dividing his lande to his two sonnes, which he before held in monarchie, and upon the discention of the brethren, to whom it was divided. ACTUS PRIMUS. SCENA PRIMA: VIDENA, FERREX. Vid. THE silent night, that bringes the quiet pawse, From painefull travailes of the wearie day, Prolonges my careful thoughtes, and makes me blame The slowe Aurora, that so for love or shame Fer. My gracious lady, and my mother deare, Vid. So great a wrong, and so unjust despite, Without all cause against all course of kindeFer. Such causelesse wrong, and so unjust despite, May have redresse, or, at the least, revenge. Vid. Yes; mine for thine, my sonne. A father? no: In kinde a father, not in kindliness.? Fer. My father? why, I know nothing at all, Wherein I have misdone unto his grace. Vid. Therefore, the more unkinde to thee and mee. For knowing well, my sonne, the tender love Vid. Even to Porrex, his yonger sonne, me: 7 In kinde a father, not in kindliness-kind is nature. Hamlet has almost the same sentiment: "A little more than kin, and less than kind." In several other places of this play, the same word, in the like sense, occurs. Again, in Julius Cæsar, act i, scene 3.: "But if you would consider the true cause, Why birds and beasts from quality and kind, To monstrous quality." Titus Andronicus, act ii. scene 1.: "The forest walks are wide and spacious, And many unfrequented plots there are Antony and Cleopatra, act v. scene 2.:-" You must think this, look you, that the worm will do his kind." For these instances, I am indebted to a writer in the Saint James's Chronicle, November 5, 1774. See also Mr Steevens's note on Hamlet, act i. scene 2. 2 Just hath my father bene to every wight, Fer. Their ancestors, from race to race, have borne True fayth to my forefathers; and their seede, Fer. Mother, content you, you shall see the end. SCENA SECUNDA. GORBODUC, AROSTUS, PHILANDER, Eubulus. Gorb. My lords, whose grave advise and faithfull aide Have long upheld my honour and my realme, With honour they may leave unto their seede: Arost. Your good acceptance so, most noble king, Of suche our faithfulnessc, as heretofore Gorb. My lordes, I thanke you all. This is the case. Erst-formerly, heretofore. "Allowe―i. e. approve. So, in King Lear, act ii. scene 4. ; "If your sweet sway Allow obedience." See Mr Steevens's note thereon. And thinke it good for me, for them, for you, As ye thinke meete to be both knowne and kept: Arost. And this is much, and asketh great advise: But for my part, my soveraigne lord and kyng, This do I thinke:-Your majestie doth know, How under you, in justice and in peace, Great wealth and honour longe we have enjoyed, So as we cannot seeme with gredie mindes To wishe for change of prince or governaunce; But if we lyke your purpose and devise, Our lyking must be deemed to proceede Of rightfull reason, and of heedefull care, Not for ourselves, but for our common state : Sithe our owne state doth neede no better change. I thinke in all, as erst your grace hath saide : Firste, when you shall unlode your aged mynde Of hevye care and troubles manifolde, And laye the same upon my lordes your sonnes, Whose growing yeres may beare the burden long, And long I pray the goddes to graunt it so: And in your life while you shall so beholde Their rule, their vertues, and their noble deedes, Suche as their kinde behighteth' to us all, Great be the profites that shall growe thereof; Your age in quiet shall the longer last, Your lasting age shall be their longer stay. For cares of kynges, that rule as you have ruled, For publique wealth, and not for private joye, Do waste mannes lyfe, and hasten crooked age, With furrowed face, and with enfeebled lymmes, To draw on creepyng death a swifter pace. They two yet yong shall beare the parted reigne With greater ease than one, now olde, alone Can welde the whole, for whom much harder is With lessened strength the doubled weight to beare. Your eye, your counsell, and the grave regarde Of father, yea of such a father's name, Now at beginning of their sondred reigne, When is the hazarde of their whole successe, Phil. In part I thinke as hath ben saide before: 10 Behighteth-i. c. promiseth. So Spenser, in his Fairy Queen, b. iv. c. 11. s. 6.: "And for his paines a whistle him behight, That of a fishe's shell was wrought with rare delight." 11 Randon-to go without any restraint. Randonner, Fr. 12 In ure-ure is an old word, signifying habit, practice. It is used by Spenser and others. So, in Edward Third, act i. scene 1.: "Ned, thou must begin Now to forget thy study and thy books, And ure thy shoulders to an armour's weight." Ascham's Toxophilus, p. 87, Bennet's edition: "What thing a man in tender age hath most in ure, |