Ascham's pieces had not been collected, and were very rarely to be found. At length Toxophilus was procured, but-nothing was done. The interlude performed at Oxford in 1605, by the students of Saint John's college, was, for a while, so far my Toxophilus, as to excite my curiosity very strongly on the subject. Whether Shakspeare, in the composition of this noble tragedy, was at all indebted to any preceding performance, through the medium of translation, or in any other way, appeared to me well worth ascertaining. The British Museum was examined in vain. Mr. Warton very obligingly made a strict search at St. John's college, but no traces of this literary performance could there be found. At length chance threw into my hands the very verses that were spoken in 1605, by three young gentlemen of that college; and, being thus at last obtained, "that no man" (to use the words of Dr. Johnson) "may ever want them more," I will here transcribe them. There is some difficulty in reconciling the different accounts of this entertainment. The author of Rex Platonicus says, "Tres adolescentes concinno Sibyllarum habitu induti, è collegio [Divi Johannis] prodeuntes, et carmina lepida alternatim canentes, regi se tres esse Sibyllas profitentur, quæ Banchoni olim sobolis imperia prædixerant, &c. Deinde tribus principi. bus suaves felicitatum triplicitates triplicatis carminum vicibus succinentes,-principes ingeniosa fictiuncula delectatos dimit tunt." But in a manuscript account of the king's visit to Oxford in 1605, in the Museum, (MSS. Baker, 7044,) this interlude is thus described: "This being done, he [the king] rode on untill he came unto St. John's college, where coming against the gate, three young youths, in habit and attire like Nymphes, confronted him, representing England, Scotland, and Ireland; and talking dialogue-wise each to other of their state, at last concluded, yielding up themselves to his gracious government." With this A. Nixon's account, in The Oxford Triumph, quarto, 1605, in some measure agrees, though it differs in a very material point; for, if his relation is to be credited, these young men did not alternately recite verses, but pronounced three dis tinct orations: "This finished, his Majestie passed along till hee came before Saint John's college, when three little boyes, coming foorth of a castle made all of ivie, drest like three nymphes, (the conceipt whereof the king did very much ap. plaude,) delivered three orations, first in Latine to the king, then in English to the queene and young prince; which being ended, his majestie proceeded towards the east gate of the Mr. Theobald was certainly no diligent inquirer after ancient books, or was much out of luck, if, in the course of ten years, he could not procure the treatise he wanted, which was always sufficiently common. I have abundant reason to remember the foregoing circumstance, having often stood the push of my late coadjutor's merriment, on the same score; for he never heard me lament the scarcity of any old pamphlet, from which I expected to derive information, but he instantly roared out- Sir, remember Tib and his Toxophilus." Steevens. citie, where the townesmen againe delivered to him another speech in English." From these discordant accounts one might be led to suppose, that there were six actors on this occasion, three of whom personated the Sybills, or rather the Weird Sisters, and addressed the royal visitors in Latin, and that the other three represented England, Scotland, and Ireland, and spoke only in English. I believe, however, that there were but three young men employed; and after reciting the following Latin lines, (which prove that the wierd sisters and the representatives of England, Scotland, and Ireland, were the same persons) they might perhaps, have pronounced some English verses of a similar import, for the entertainment of the queen and the princes. To the Latin play of Vertumnus, written by Dr. Mathew Gwynne, which was acted before the king by some of the students of St. John's college on a subsequent day, we are indebted for the long-sought-for interlude, performed at St John's gate; for Dr. Gwynne, who was the author of this interlude also, has annexed it to his Vertumnus, printed in 4to. in 1607. "Ad regis introitum, e Joannensi Collegio extra portam urbis borealem sito, tres quasi Sibyllæ, sic (ut e sylva) salutarunt. 1. Fatidicas olim fama est cecinisse sorores Imperium sine fine tuæ, rex inclyte, stirpis. Banquonem agnovit generosa Loquabria Thanum; Nec tibi, Banquo, tuis sed sceptra nepotibus illæ Immortalibus immortalia vaticinatæ : In saltum, ut lateas, dum Banquo recedis ab aula. 2. Anglia cui, salve. 3. Cui servit Hibernia, salve. 2. Quem divisa prius colit una Britannia, salve. 3. Summe Monarcha Britannice, Hibernice, Gallice, salve 1. ANNA, parens regum, soror uxor, filia, salve. 2. Salve, HENRICE hæres, princeps pulcherrime, salve. Ille Deo charum et curam, prope prætereuntem Perge, tuo aspectu sit læta Academia, perge." Malone: As that singular curiosity, The Witch, printed by Mr. Reed, and distributed only among his friends, cannot fall in the way of every curious and inquisitive reader of Shakspeare, I am induced to subjoin such portions of it (though some of them are already glanced at) as might have suggested the idea on which our author founded his unrivalled scene of enchantment, in the fourth Act of the present tragedy. Let it not be supposed, however, that such coincidences ought any way to diminish the fame of Shakspeare, whose additions and adoptions have, in every instance, manifested the richness of his own fancy, and the power of his own judgment. Steevens. ACT I. SCENE II. Enter HECCAT; and other Witches (with Properties, and Hec. Titty, and Tiffin, Suckin And Pidgen, Liard, and Robin! White spiritts, black spiritts, gray spiritts, redd speritts; Stad. Here, sweating at the vessel. Hec. Boyle it well. Hop. It gallops now. Hec. Are the flames blew enough! Or shall I use a little seeten more? Stad. The nipps of Fayries upon maides white hipps, Are not more perfect azure. Hec. Tend it carefully. Send Stadlin to me with a brazen dish, That I may fall to work upon theis serpents, Why, when? Stad. Heere's Stadlin, and the dish. Hec. There take this un-baptized brat: Boile it well: preserve the fat: You know 'tis pretious to transfer Our 'noynted flesh into the aire, In moone-light nights, ore steeple-topps, Mountains, and pine-trees, that like pricks, or stopps, Seeme to our height: high towres, and roofes of princes, Like wrinckles in the earth: whole provinces Appeare to our sight then, ev'n leeke A russet-moale upon some ladies cheeke. When hundred leagues in aire we feast and sing, What yong-man can we wish to pleasure us Thou know'st it Stadlin? Stad. Usually that's don. Hec. Last night thou got'st the Maior of Whelplies son, I thinck thou hast spoild the youth: hee's but seaventeene Goe feed the vessell for the second howre. Stad. Where be the magicall herbes? Hec. They're downe his throate. His mouth cramb'd full; his eares, and nosthrills stufft. Aconitum, frondes populeus, and soote, You may see that, he looks so black i'th' mouth: Dentaphillon, the blood of a flitter-mowse, Stad. Then ther's all Heccat? Stuck full of magique needles? Hec. And is the Farmer's picture, and his wives, Stad. They are a roasting both too. Hec. Good; Then their marrowes are a melting subtelly, Goose-greaze and tar, when I nere hurt their churnings, Of the last litter, nine ducklyngs, thirteene goselings and a hog And mark how their sheepe prosper; or what soupe Each milch-kine gives to th' paile: I'll send these snakes Shall milke 'em all before hand: the dew'd-skirted dayrie wenches Shall stroak dry duggs for this, and goe home curssing: I'll mar their sillabubs, and swathie feastings Under cowes bellies, with the parish-youthes: Enter FIRESTONE. Wher's Firestone? our son Firestone. Fire. Here am I mother. Hec. Take in this brazen dish full of deere ware, Thou shalt have all when I die, and that wil be Ev'n just at twelve a clock at night come three yere. Fire. And may you not have one a-clock in to th' doze (Mother?) Hec. Noh. Fire. Your spirits are then more unconscionable then bakers; You'll have liv'd then (Mother) six-score yeare to the hundred; and me-thincks after six-score yeares the devili might give you a cast; for he's a fruiterer too, and has byn from the beginning: the first apple that ere was eaten, came through his fingers: The Costermongers then I hold to be the auncientest trade, though some would have the Tailor prick'd downe before him. Hec. Goe and take heed you shed not by the way: The howre must have her portion, 'tis deere sirrop. Each charmed drop is able to confound A famely consisting of nineteene, Or one and twentie feeders. Fire. Mary, heere's stuff indeed! Deere surrup call you it? a little thing would make me give you a dram on't in a possett, and cutt you three yeares shorter. Hec. Thou'rt now about some villany. Fire. Not I (forsooth) Truly the devil's in her I thinck. How one villanie smells out an other straight: Ther's no knavery but is nosde like a dog, and can smell out a doggs meaning. (Mother) I pray give me leave to ramble a-broad to-night with the mightmare, for I have a great mind to over-lay a fat parson's daughter. Hec. And who shall lye with me then? Fire. The great cat for one night (Mother). "Tis but a night: make shift with him for once. Hec. You're a kind son: But 'tis the nature of you all, I see that: You had rather hunt after strange women still, Then lye with your owne mother: Gett thee gon; And thou shalt play at mid-night: the night-mare Fire. Thancks most sweet Mother. Enter SEBASTIAN. [Exit. Hec. Urchins, Elves, Haggs, Satires, Pans, Fawnes, silence. Kitt with the candlestick; Tritons, Centaures, Dwarfes, Imps, the Spoone, the Mare, the Man i'th'oake; the Hell-waine, the Fire-drake, the Puckle. A. Ab. Hur. Hus. Seb. Heaven knowes with what unwillingnes and hate I enter this dambd place: but such extreemes Of wrongs in love, fight 'gainst religion's knowledge, As numberles as creatures that must die, I could not shun the way: I know what 'tis Of woman's making, and her faithles vowes: |