DRAMATIS PERSONE.

PALADOR, Prince of Cyprus.

AMETHUS, Cousin to the Prince.

MELEANDER, an old Lord.

SOPHRONOS, Brother to MELEANDER.

MENAPHON, Son of SOPHRONOS.

ARETUS, Tutor to the Prince.

CORAX, a Physician.

PELIAS,

CUCULUS,

Two foolish Courtiers.

RHETIAS, (a reduced Courtier,) Servant to EROClea,

TROLLIO, servant to MELEANder.

GRILLA, a Page of CUCULUS, in Woman's dress,

THAMASTA, Sister of AMETHUS, and Cousin to the Prince.

EROCLEA, (as PARTHENOPHILL,) Daughters of

CLEOPHILA,

SMELEANDER,

KALA, Waiting-Maid to THAMASTA,

Officers, Attendants, &c.

THE SCENE-Famagosta in Cyprus.

For this list, see Massinger, vol. ii. p. 230. where references to several of the more celebrated names will be found.

(7)

PROLOGUE.

To tell you, gentlemen, in what true sense,

The writer, actors, or the audience

Should mould their judgments for a play, might draw
Truth into rules; but we have no such law.
Our writer, for himself, would have you know,
That, in his following scenes, he doth not owe
To others' fancies, nor hath lain in wait
For any stol'n invention, from whose height
He might commend his own, more than the right
A scholar claims, may warrant for delight.'
It is art's scorn, that some of late have made

The noble use of poetry a trade.

For your parts, gentlemen, to quit his pains,
You yet will please, that as you meet with strains
Of lighter mixture, but to cast your eye

Rather upon the main, than on the bye,
His hopes stand firm, and, we shall find it true,
The LOVER'S MELANCHOLY Cur'd by you.

more than the right A scholar claims, &c.]

Ford appears anxious, in this place, to anticipate the objections. that might be raised against his plagiarisms. That he has borrowed largely there can be no doubt; but he has, certainly, no where abused the right of a scholar: had he been more familiar with the press, he would, perhaps, have scarcely thought that his freedom with his predecessors required much apology. The confession, however, was not unwise; for Burton (to whom, among others, he alludes) was in every one's hand; and Strada's charming apologue was scarcely less familiar.

THE LOVER'S MELANCHOLY.

ACT I. SCENE I.

A Room in the Palace.

Enter MENAPHON and PELIAS.

Men. DANGERS! how mean you dangers? that so courtly

You gratulate my safe return from dangers?
Pel. From travels, noble sir.

Men. These are delights;

If my experience hath not, truant-like,
Mispent the time, which I have strove to use
For bettering my mind with observation.

Pel. As I am modest, I protest 'tis strange!
But is it possible?

Men. What?

Pel. To bestride

The frothy foams of Neptune's surging waves,
When blustering Boreas tosseth up the deep,
And thumps a thunder bounce!

Men. Sweet sir, 'tis nothing:

Straight comes a dolphin, playing near your ship, Heaving his crooked back

up, and presents