THIS popular old play, reprinted here from the earliest known edition (with the exception of that of 1598) was doubtless in existence before Shakespeare joined a theatrical company. On some occasion when

it was to be revived, possibly at Court, he was required, as we may believe, to add to it, in order to give it novelty and attraction. The earlier impression is without what we take to be Shakespeare's contribution, which applied, as far as we can now ascertain, to the opening of a scene near the middle of the performance, where he introduced the King of Valencia, Anselmo his old Councillor, and other lords and attendants in search of the lost Prince Mucedorus. The difference here in the style of composition is obvious. It has been stated, for about two centuries, that our great dramatist lent his assistance to the drama; and we mainly rely upon the sudden improvement of the language to confirm that position; but it may also be noted, that here a particular and a striking word is employed, "extolment", which also occurs in Hamlet, and as far as our dictionaries and glossaries go, is met with in no other author, ancient or modern. Our copy of Mucedorus, dated in 1609, contains that scene; but no part of it is met with in the Mucedorus of 1598; the inference is that the addition by Shakespeare was made between those dates. All other portions of the drama are clearly by an inferior hand, and in a much humbler, and comparatively barbarous, style; and we adduce the scene we have particularised in support of the old assertion that Shakespeare had a hand in the performance; probably when Mucedorus was represented for the amusement of King James: it may, however, have been earlier. On this account only we now reprint it, bearing in mind that, in its original state, the drama probably belongs to the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth. The whole of the conclusion is of the reign of James I, but not by Shakespeare.

2 It may be exactly paralleled by the word "insultment", which is found only in Cymbeline, act iii, sc. 5, p. 76.

THE PROLOGUE.3

MOST sacred Majesty, whose great desires*

Thy subject England, nay, the world admires ;

Which heaven grant may still increase, O, may your praise,
Multiplying with your hours, your fame still raise !
Embrace your Council, Love with Faith them guide,
That both, as one, bench by each other's side:
So may your life pass on, and run so even,
That your firm zeal plant you a throne in heaven,
Where smiling angels shall your guardians be
From blemish'd traitors, stain'd with perjury:
And as the night 's inferior to the day,
So be all earthly regions to your sway.

Be as the sun to day, the day to night,

For from your beams Europe shall borrow light:
Mirth drown your bosom, fair delight your mind,
And may our pastime your contentment find.

[Exit.

The Prologue.] Evidently spoken before James I: the ninth and tenth lines refer, of course, to the Gunpowder Plot. The edition of 1598 is without prologue: the play was at that date performed before Queen Elizabeth, and what Shakespeare contributed may have been then first inserted.

• —whose great DESIRES] In the old copies deserts is misprinted for "desires": the rhyme detects the error; but, possibly, the word was "deserts" in the first line, and asserts in the second.

MUCED OR US,

THE KING'S SON OF VALENCIA.5

Enter COMEDY, joyfully, with a garland of bays on her head.

Com. WHY, so; thus do I hope to please: Music revives, and mirth is tolerable.

Comedy, play thy part with ease :6

Make merry them that come to joy with thee.

Joy, then, good gentles: I hope to make you laugh.
Sound forth Bellona's silver-tuned strings:

Time fits us well; the day and place are ours.

Enter ENVY, his arms naked, besmeared with blood.

Env. Stay, stay, minion! there lies a block.
What! all on mirth? I'll interrupt your tale,
And mix your music with a tragic end.

Com. What monstrous, ugly hag is this,
That dares control the pleasures of our will?
'Vant! churlish cur, besmear'd with gory blood,
That seem'st to check the blossom of delight,
And still the sound of sweet Bellona's breath.
Blush, monster, blush, and post away with shame,
That seck'st disturbance of a goddess' deeds.

5

" Meaning, of course, the son of the king of Valencia.

6

—WITH EASE :] “and please” is repeated in the old copies.

' And STILL the sound] "Still" is stiffe in the old copies.

Env. Post hence thyself, thou counterchecking trull.

I will possess this habit, spite of thee,

And gain the glory of thy wished port:

I'll thunder music shall appall the Nymphes,
And make them shiver their clattering strings,
Flying for succour to their dankish caves.8

[Sound drums within, and cry Stab, stab!

Harken thou shalt hear a noise

Shall fill the air with a shrilling sound,
And thunder music to the gods above.
Mars shall himself breathe down

A peerless crown upon brave Envy's head,
And raise his cheval with a lasting fame.
In this brave music Envy takes delight,
Where I may see them wallow in their blood,
To spurn at arms and legs quite shivered off,
And hear the cries of many thousands slain.
How lik'st thou this, my trull? 'tis sport alone for me.
Com. 'Vant, bloody cur, nurs'd up with tiger's sap!
That so doth seek to quail a woman's mind.
Comedy is mild, gentle, willing for to please,
And seeks to gain the love of all estates,
Delighting in mirth mix'd all with lovely tales,
And bringeth things with treble joy to pass :
Thou, bloody envious disdainer of men's joys,
Whose name is fraught with bloody stratagems,
Delight'st in nothing but in spoil and death,
Where thou mayst trample on their lukewarm blood,
And grasp their hearts within thy cursed paws;

8 -DANKISH caves.] Misprinted “Danish caves" in the old copies.

Yet vail thy mind; revenge thee not on me :
A silly woman begs it at thy hands.

Give me the leave to utter out my play :

Forbear this place: I humbly crave thee, hence,
And mix not death 'mongst pleasing comedies,
That treat nought else but pleasure and delight.
If any spark of human rest in thee,

Forbear; begone, tender the suit of me.

Env. Why, so I will: forbearance shall be such,
As treble death shall cross thee with despite,
And make thee mourn where most thou joyest,
Turning thy mirth into a deadly dole ;
Whirling thy pleasures with a peal of death,
And drench thy methods in a sea of blood.
This will I do: thus shall I bear with thee.
And more to vex thee with a deeper spite,
I will with threats of blood begin thy play,
Favouring thee with envy and with hate.

Com. Then, ugly monster, do thy worst.
I will defend them in despite of thee:
And though thou thinkest with tragic fumes,
To 'prave my play unto my deep disgrace,
I force thee not: I scorn what thou canst do.

I'll grace it so thyself shall it confess
From tragic stuff to be a pleasant Comedy.

Env. Why then, Comedy, send thy actors forth, And I will cross the first steps of their tread,

Making them fear the very dart of Death.

Com. And I'll defend them, maugre all thy spite.

So, ugly fiend, farewell, till time shall serve
That we may meet and parle for the best.