ARGUMENT OF THE TRAGEDY.

TANCRED, the Prince of Salerne, over loves
His only daughter (wonder of that age)
Gismund, who loves the County Palurin
Guishard, who quits their likings with his love:
A letter in a cane describes the means
Of their two meetings in a secret cave.
Unconstant fortune leadeth forth the king
To this unhappy sight, wherewith in rage
The gentle Earl he doometh to his death,
And greets his daughter with her lover's heart.
Gismunda fills the goblet with her tears,
And drinks a poison which she had distill'd,
Whereof she dies, whose deadly countenance
So grieves her father, that he slew himself.

ANOTHER OF THE SAME, MORE AT LARGE, IN PROSE.

Tancred, King of Naples and Prince of Salerne, gave his only daughter Gismund (whom he most dearly loved) in marriage to a foreign prince, after whose death she returned home to her father, who having felt great grief of her absence whilst her husband lived, immeasurably esteeming her, determined never to suffer any second marriage to bereave him of her. She, on the other side, waxing weary of that her father's purpose, bent her mind to the secret love of the County Palurin: to whom (he being likewise inflamed with love of her) by a letter subtilly enclosed in a cloven cane, she gave to understand a convenient way for their desired meetings, through an old ruinous vault, whose mouth opened

6 County] The County Palurin, a few lines lower is called Earl. Mr. Tyrwhitt says, that County signified Noblemen in general; and the examples which might be quoted from this Play would sufficiently prove the truth of the observation. See Shakspeare, vol. X. p. 39.

directly under her chamber floor. Into this vault when she was one day descended (for the conveyance of her lover), her father in the mean season (whose only joy was in his daughter) came to her chamber, and not finding her there, supposing her to have been walked abroad for disport, he threw him down on her bed, and covered his head with a curtain, minding to abide and rest there till her return. She nothing suspecting this her father's unseasonable coming, brought up her lover out of the cave into her chamber, where her father espied their secret love: and he (not espied of them) was upon this sight stricken with marvellous grief; but either for that the sudden despight had amazed him, and taken from him all use of speech or for that he resolved himself to a more convenient revenge, he then spake nothing, but noted their return into the vault, and secretly departed. Afterward, bewailing his mishap, he commanded the Earl to be attached, imprisoned, strangled, unbowelled, and his heart in a cup of gold to be presented to his daughter: she thankfully receiveth the present, filling the cup (wherein the heart was) with her tears, with a venomous potion (by her distilled for that purpose) she drank to her Earl. Which her father hearing of, came too late to comfort his dying daughter, who for her last request besought him, that her lover and herself might in one tomb be together buried for a perpetual memory of their faithful loves; which request he granted, adding to the burial, himself slain with his own hands, to his own reproach, and the terror of all other hard-hearted fathers.

TANCRED AND GISMUNDA'.

АСТ. І. SCEN. I.

CUPID cometh out of the heavens in a cradle of flowers, drawing forth upon the stage, in a blue twist of silk, from his left hand, Vain Hope, Brittle Joy: And with a carnation twist of silk from his right hand, Fair Resemblauce, Late Repentance.

Cupid. There rest my chariot, on the mountain tops. I, that in shape appear unto your sight

A naked boy, not cloath'd but with my wings,
Am that great God of Love, who with his might
Ruleth the vast wide world, and living things.
This left hand bears vain Hope, short joyful state,
With fair Resemblance, lovers to allure:
This right hand holds Repentance all too late,

7 The story of this Tragedy is taken from Boccace's Decameron, Day 4th, Novel first. It hath also been versified according to Mr. Warton (History of English Poetry, vol. II. p. 238.) by William Walter, a retainer to Sir Henry Marney, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. This versification he supposes to have been printed. by Wynkyn de Worde. It was afterwards reprinted in the year 1597, under the title of "The Statelie Tragedy of Guisthard and Sismond, in two Bookes." Amongst other Poems in a Volume, entitled "Certaine Worthye Manuscript Poems of great Antiquitie re"served long in the Studye of a Northfolke Gent. and now first published by J. S." Mr. Dryden also versified it a second time. See his Works, vol. III. 8vo. Edition, p. 245. Oldys, in his MS. Notes on Langbaine, says the same story is in Painter's Palace of Pleasure, vol. I. and a French Novel called Guichard and Sigismonde fils de Tancredies Prince de Salerne mis en Latin, par Leon Arretin, et traduit in vers François, par Jean Fleury, 4to. Paris, Let. Gothiques.

War, fire, blood, and pains without recure.
On sweet Ambrosia is not my food,
Nectar is not my drink: as to the rest,
"Of all the gods, I drink the lover's blood,
"And feed upon the heart within his breast."

Well hath my power in heaven and earth been try'd,
And deepest hell my piercing force hath known.
The marble seas my wonders hath descry'd,
Which elder age throughout the world hath blown.
To me, the king of gods and men doth yield,
As witness can the Greekish maid9, whom I
Made like a cow go glowing through the field,
Lest jealous Juno should the 'scape espy.
The doubled night, the sun's restrained course,
His secret stealths, the slander to eschew,
In shape transform'd 10, we list not to discourse.
All that and more we forced him to do.
The warlike Mars hath not subdu'd our might,
We fear'd him not, his fury nor disdain,
That can the gods record, before whose sight
He lay fast wrapt in Vulcan's subtle chain.
He that on earth yet hath not felt our power,
Let him behold the fall and cruel spoil
Of thee, fair Troy, of Asia the flower,
So foul defac'd, and level'd with the soil.
Who forc'd Leander with his naked breast
So many nights to cut the frothy waves,
But Hero's love, that lay inclos'd in Sest?
The stoutest hearts to me shall yield them slaves.
Who could have match'd the huge "Alcides' strength?

8 fire] This word seems anciently to have been pronounced as two syllables. See Cornelia, A. 4. Chorus.

* The marble seas.] An epithet adopted from Virgil's Æneid, lib.

Great 12 Macedon, what force might have subdu'd?
Wise Scipio, who overcame at length,

But we, that are with greater force endu'd?
Who could have conquered the golden fleece
But Jason, aided by Medea's art?

Who durst have stoln fair Helen out of Greece
But I, with love that boldned Paris' heart?
What bond of nature, what restraint avails
Against our power? I vouch to witness truth.
The myrrh tree 13, that with shamefac'd tears bewails
Her father's love, still weepeth yet for ruth 14,
But now,
this world not seeing in these days
Such present proofs of our all daring power,
Disdains our name, and seeketh sundry ways
To scorn and scoff, and shame us every hour.
A brat, a bastard, and an idle boy,
A rod, a staff, a whip to beat him out,
And to be sick of love, a childish toy :

These are mine honours now the world about,
My name disgrac'd. To raise again therefore,
And in this age, mine ancient renown

By mighty acts intending to restore,

Down to the earth in wrath now am I come;
And in this place such wonders shall ye hear,
As these your stubborn and disdainful hearts,
In melting tears, and humble yielding fear,
Shall soon relent by sight of others smarts.
This princely palace will I enter in,

12 Alexander.

13 Myrrha.

14

still weepeth yet for ruth.] i. e. for pity. So, A. 2. S. 2: "As easily befalls that age which asketh ruth.”

A. 5. S. 1:

66 that hath the tyrant king

"Withouten ruth commanded us to do." Milton's Lycidas, l. 163:

"Look homeward angel now and melt with ruth;
And, O ye Dolphins, waft the hapless youth."

Churchyard's Worthiness of Wales, 1587:

"Great ruth, to let so trim a seate goe downe,
"The countries strength, and beautie of the towne."