And thus much I tell you before, you shall not be able to wage against me in the charges growing upon this action, especially if the worshipful company of the Inner-Temple gentlemen patronize my cause, as undoubtedly they will, yea, and rather plead partially for me, than let my cause miscarry, because themselves are parties. The tragedy was by them most pithily framed, and no less curiously acted in view of her Majesty, by whom it was then as princely accepted, as of the whole honourable audience notably applauded: yea, and of all men generally desired, as a work, either in stateliness of shew, depth of conceit, or true ornaments of poetical art, inferior to none of the best in that kind : no, were the Roman Seneca the censurer. The brave youths that then (to their high praises) so feelingly performed the same in action, did shortly after lay up the book unregarded, or perhaps let it run abroad (as many parents do their children once past dandling) not respecting so much what hard fortune might befall it being out of their fingers, as how their heroical wits might again be quickly conceived with new inventions of like worthiness, whereof they have been ever since wonderful fertile. But this orphan of theirs (for he wand'reth as it were fatherless) hath notwithstanding, by the rare and beautiful perfections appearing in him, hitherto never wanted great favourers and loving preservers. Among whom I cannot sufficiently commend your charitable zeal, and scholarly compassion towards him, that have not only rescued and defended him from the devouring jaws of oblivion, but vouchsafed also to apparel him in a new suit at your own charges, wherein he may again more boldly come abroad, and by your permission return to his old parents, cloathed perhaps not in richer or more costly furniture than it went from them, but in handsomeness and fashion more answerable to these times, wherein fashions are so often altered. Let one word suffice for your encouragement herein; namely, that your commendable pains in disrobing him of his antique curiosity, and adorning him with the approved guise of our stateliest

1

English terms (not diminishing, but more augmenting his artificial colours of absolute poesy, derived from his first parents) cannot but be grateful to most men's appetites, who upon our experience we know highly to esteem such lofty measures of sententiously composed tragedies.

How much you shall make me, and the rest of your private friends beholden to you, 1 list not to discourse: and therefore grounding upon these alledged reasons, that the suppressing of this tragedy, so worthy for the press, were no other thing than wilfully to defraud yourself of an universal thank, your friends of their expectations, and sweet Gismund of a famous eternity. I will cease to doubt of any other pretence to cloak your bashfulness, hoping to read it in print (which lately lay neglected amongst your papers) at our next appointed meeting.

I bid you heartily farewel. From Pyrgo in Essex, August the eighth, 1591.

Tuus fide & facultate

GUIL. WEBBEo.

2 William Webbe was the Author of "A Discourse of English Poetrie together with the Authors Judgment, touching the "reformation of our English Verse." B. L. 4to. 1586.

To the Worshipful and Learned Society, the GENtleMEN STUDENTS of the Inner Temple, with the rest of his good Friends, the GENTLEMEN of the Middle Temple, and to all other courteous Readers, R. W. wisheth increase of all health, worship, and learning, with the immortal glory of the graces adorning the

same.

YE may perceive (right Worshipful) in perusing the former Epistle sent to me, how sore I am beset with the importunities of my friends, to publish this Pamphlet: truly I am and have been (if there be in me any soundness of judgement) of this opinion, that whatsoever is committed to the press is commended to eternity, and it shall stand a lively witness with our conscience, to our comfort or confusion, in the reckoning of that great day.

Advisedly therefore was that Proverb used of our elder Philosophers, Manum a Tabula: with-hold thy hand from the paper, and thy papers from the print or light of the world: for a lewd word escaped is irrevocable, but a bad or base discourse published in print is intolerable.

Hereupon I have indured some conflicts between reason and judgement, whether it were convenient for the commonwealth, with the indecorum of my calling (as some think it) that the memory of Tancred's Tragedy should be again by my means revived, which the oftner I read over, and the more I considered thereon, the sooner I was won to consent thereunto: calling to mind that neither the thrice reverend and learned father, M. Beza, was ashamed in his younger years to send abroad, in his own name, his Tragedy of Abraham, nor that rare Scot (the scholar of our age) Buchanan, his most pathetical Jephtha.

Indeed I must willingly confess this work simple, and not worth comparison to any of theirs: for the writers of them were grave men; of this, young heads: In them is shewn the perfection of their studies; in this, the imperfection of their wits. Nevertheless

herein they all agree, commending virtue, detesting vice, and lively deciphering their overthrow that suppress not their unruly affections. These things noted herein, how simple soever the verse be, I hope the matter will be acceptable to the wise.

Wherefore I am now bold to present Gismund to your sights, and unto yours only, for therefore have I conjured her, by the love that hath been these twenty-four years betwixt us, that she wax not so proud of her fresh painting, to straggle in her plumes abroad, but to contain herself within the walls of your house; so am I sure she shall be safe from the Tragedian Tyrants of our time, who are not ashamed to affirm that there can no amorous poem savour of any sharpness of wit, unless it be seasoned with scurrilous words.

But leaving them to their lewdness, I hope you, and all discreet readers will thankfully receive my pains, the fruits of my first harvest: the rather, perceiving that my purpose in this Tragedy tendeth only to the exaltation of virtue, and suppression of vice, with pleasure to profit and help all men, but to offend or hurt no man. As for such as have neither the grace, nor the good gift, to do well themselves, nor the common honesty to speak well of others, I must (as I may) hear and bear their baitings with patience.

Yours devoted in his ability,

R. WILMOT.

A PREFACE

ΤΟ

THE QUEEN'S MAIDS OF HONOUR.

FLOWERS of prime, pearls couched all in gold,
Light of our days, that glads the fainting hearts
Of them that shall your shinning gleams behold,
Salve of each sore, recure of inward smarts,
In whom virtue and beauty striveth so
As neither yields: behold here, for your gain,
Gismund's unlucky love, her fault, her woe,
And death; at last her cruel father slain
Through his mishap; and though you do not see,
Yet read and rue their woful tragedy.

So Jove, as your high virtues done deserve,

Grant

3

you such pheers as may your virtues serve With like virtues; and blissful Venus send Unto your happy loves an happy end.

ANOTHER TO THE SAME.

GISMUND, that whilome liv'd her father's joy
And died his death, now dead, doth (as she may)
By us pray you to pity her annoy.

And, to requite the same, doth humbly pray,
Heavens to forefend your loves from like decay.

3 pheers,] Pheers signifies a husband, a friend, or a companion, and in all these senses it is used in our ancient writers. It here "If he be means a husband. So, in Lyly's Euphues, 1581, p. 29: young, he is the more fitter to be thy pheere. If he bee olde, the "lyker to thine aged father."

Again, A. 2. S. 3. and A. 4. S. 3.

4 forefend] Prevent, or forbid. So, in Euphues and his England, 1582, p. 40: "For never shall it be said that Iffida was false to Thirsus, “though Thirsus be faithlesse (which the Gods forefend) "unto Iffida."