Unto the sacred temper of a king. It is absurd enough, to attribute the part which Cromwell took in the agitations of the times, to any occurrence of this sort, though the fact of his having performed in the play may not be improbable. The two objections urged in the review of Lingua, to this anecdote, may thus be obviated: the play was published first in 1607, whence it does not follow that it was only acted in that year we have had examples of the same play being performed twice, and it is natural to suppose that so excellent a play as this would have a second representation. The objection urged by its reviewer, "that as Oliver Cromwell belonged to Sidney College, and it was exhibited at Trinity College, a circumstance that alone controverts the fact," certainly does not controvert the fact, because, from consulting the names of the actors placed opposite their respective characters in the different manuscript Latin plays, we find performers from all Colleges. In the year 1616, Phillip Stubbe's comedy of Fraus Honesta was performed at Trinity, of which College he was a fellow. It was printed in 12mo. 1632. Trinity College Library has a manuscript copy, and the Emmanuel one has the actors' names placed opposite their characters. It bears the date of 1626, though, a few lines above, it bears the date of 1616; it is immaterial which year it was acted in, and, therefore, we assign it to the earlier date. It is a play of very little merit; it has no character which fixes the attention of the reader; but abounds, like a bad French comedy, with" Lepidi servi," "juvenes amasii,” "avari senes," and all the other paraphernalia of common-place intrigue. There are several parts in which indecency is made to supply the place of something better, and none which induce us to turn it over again for the purpose of analysis or quotation. Upon February the 28th, 1622, Bishop Hacket's play of Loiola was acted before King James, and again before him upon March the 12th, in the same year. It was printed in 1648, together with Stoicus Vapulans, Cancer, and Paria, all supposed to be represented at the same time: the two first probably were, but the latter was performed before King Charles, and will be noticed under his visit to the University. Loiola is a play, as may be supposed from the title, written in ridicule of the Jeusits and their founder. Much of the humour of it of course is lost to us; it is in a coarse and common-place vein of satire. It contains, however, some very curious and interesting passages. In one, Loiola introduces, in propriâ personâ, all the Jesuitical virtues "Caca Obedientia," "Pseudo-miraculum," "Regicidium," "Index Expurgatorius," "Equivocatio," "Arrogantia." We recommend this scene entire to the notice of young debutants on the Catholic question. In this play we find the introduction of the rhyming songs, which are to be met with in the Paria of very considerable merit, and in some other plays. At the conclusion of the third act, Loiola is threatened with immediate suspension to a tree, and a song is chaunted on the occasion. "Jo. Hem autem epicedium, nihil unquam scriptum est magis Titulus sic se habet; "Jodocus et seculares Monachi O vos Monachi et fratres, &c. p. 120. In Stoicus Vapulans, we have a substantial representation of the passions. Appetitus, Concupiscibilis, Irascibilis, Lætitia, Voluptas, and many others of the same family, successively are introduced whipping and scourging the Stoic in every variation of circumstance and metre. Like most other allegories, it is heavy and uninteresting, and disposes us to join heartily in the observation of the Epilogus ; "Spectatores, vidistis jam satis Stoicum Vapulantem." Of the Cancer we have nothing particular to say; and the attention of the reader has been already too long claimed for scenes which are now almost as completely forgotten as those of Brutus or the Apostate. Probably at the second visit of King James in March, 1622, the play of Labyrinthus was performed: a manuscript copy in the University Library ascribes it to Hawkesworth, a former fellow of Trinity College; this copy contains the actors' names, among which the author himself is one. The fable of the play is very obscure, and occasionally so decidedly contra bonos mores, that we may almost wish it were more so. There is, however, much talent displayed in the conduct of it, and parts of the dialogue would not disgrace writers of a far more classical age. The following auto-biographical sketch of Tiberius, the character played by the author himself, may serve as a specimen. Tib. "Sat est in vitâ ægritudinem, sola quæ advaniant ultro: Ne queras: Vitain æquam, certam, mediam, nec luxu obsitam Nec depressam sordibus, (hah) rem ego, Jupiter, quantivis duco pretii. Eris alieni nihil habeo, ne nummum: mei habeo (Dii illud sospitent) quantum sat est et mihi, Non ego me foro leviter crediderim. Res agi satius est, quam lite et querimoniâ. Sim exul; et sum: an propterea de somno, de risu quid dempserim? Ne tantillum. Hor.-Lepidum senem !" In this, as in many other of the plays, we are amused by a curious jumble of dialects and dates. We find, in the dramatis persona for instance, after Tiberius, Lepidus, Cassander, Horatius, and many other gentlemen of undisputed classical lineage, "Don Piedro Paches d' Alcantara," who, we suspect, would find considerable difficulty in making out a title to his place. In 1630, the festivities at Christmas entirely ceased: a broadside printed this year, and issued by order of the vicechancellor, commands that "Nemo in festivitate natalitiâ cum lychnis aut larvis, neve cum tubis aut tympanis exeat è Collegio suo." January 7th, 1630; that no one shall go out of his College upon the festal of the nativity with torches or masks, or with trumpets and drums. This was the first blow the annual spectacles received: in a few years after this period, the more polished exhibition of comedies was fated to cease likewise. Senile Odium was acted between 1630 and 1633 it has a copy of Latin verses prefixed, written by Milton's friend, Mr. Edward King of Christ's College, which places it after or in the former year, and it was printed in the latter year. The title is, Senile Odium, comadia Cantabrigia publicè Academicis recitata in Collegio Reginali ab ejusdem Collegii juventute. Autore P. Hausted. Lusimus innocui. Cantabrigia: ex Academia celeberrimæ typographiâ 1633, 12mo. After Mr. King's commendatory verses, come some written by Kemp, and Rogers, both of Queen's College, where it was acted: from the former set, we learn it was the author's first production. The scene lies at Frankfort the time is twenty-four hours. Peter Hausted was born at Oundle, in Northamptonshire, and educated at Queen's College, Cambridge. He was a violent loyalist, and adhered to the royal party in all their engagements until his death. He was chap lain to Spencer, Earl of Northampton, and was with him in the Castle of Banbury, in Oxfordshire, at the time when it made so vigorous a defence against the parliamentary army. At this place he died, and is supposed to be buried either within its precincts, or else in the church belonging to Banbury.* Cambridge, formerly more fortunate than within the last century in receiving royal visits, entertained, in March 1631, King Charles and his Queen Henrietta. The particulars of what passed during their stay, no printed or manuscript state-papers disclose : at least, a most diligent search on our part has not brought them to light. In their absence, our readers must be content with the very scanty materials we possess. Two comedies were certainly acted before them; the one, Peter Hausted's Rival Friends; the other, Thomas Randolph'st Jealous Lovers. The first play was printed in 1632,‡ and bears testimony to the author's uneasiness under censure. He states, that it was "acted before the King and Queen's majesties, when, out of their princely favour, they were pleased to visit the University on the 19th day of March, 1631. Cried down by boys, faction, envy, and confident ignorance; approved by the judicious, and exposed to the public censure by the author." His dedication is in the same style, being a copy of verses inscribed to "the Right Honourable, Right Reverend, Right Worshipful, or whatsoever he be, or shall be, whom I hereafter may call patron." Though it appears from this, that he had been roughly criticised, yet it is commended by a copy of Latin and two copies of English verses. The other play, the Jealous Lovers, was printed. in 1632, 1634, 1668, and in all the subsequent editions of Randolph's works. The title page sets forth, that it was presented, before their majesties, by the students of Trinity College. It is commended by four copies of English, and five. copies of Latin verses; the last, written by Thomas Vincent, author of Paria, alludes, in the following lines, to its favourable reception before King Charles : See Wood's Fasti Oxonienses, p. ii. p. 50. + See Biograph. Dramatica, v. iii. pp. 209, 210. It was during this visit, that what Oldys relates, passed between Randolph and Queen Henrietta Maria: she upon some occasion pleasantly objected to Randolph, Pauper ubique jacet ; to which he wittily replied, In thalamis, Regina, tuis hac nocte jacerem, Si verum hoc esset, Pauper ubique jacet! I felix, oculos dudum prædatus, et aures, Non est cur metuat displicuisse rudi. It is esteemed the best of Randolph's works,-but it is useless to draw comparisons between his writings, all of which are deserving the highest praise for their knowledge of human nature, and for their poetry. He is ingeniously supposed, by Mr. Douce, to be the author of Cornelianum Dolium. As we know not when it was acted, this will be the fittest place to notice that comedy. It is "inter rarissimos," and our book-collecting readers may congratulate themselves upon the possession of a copy. The title-page is, Cornelianum Dolium, comadia lepidissima, optimorum judiciis approbata, et Theatrali Corypho, nec immeritò, donata, palma chorali apprimè digna. Auctore, T. R. ingeniosissimo hujus avi Heliconio. Ludunt dum juvenes, lasciviunt Senes, Senescunt juvenes, juvenescunt Senes. Lond. 1638, 12mo. A neatly engraved frontispiece, by Marshall, represents Cornelius in the sweating-tub, undergoing rigorous discipline for his irregularities.* Adjoining the tub, stand his three female acquaintances; to whom he utters a most sincere farewell, "Valete O Veneres Cupidinesque, Sedeo in Veneris Solio, in Dolio doleo." The cure of Cornelius's complaint was formerly effected by guaiacum, or mercurial unctions: and in both cases the patient was kept up very warm and close. In England, they used a tub for this purpose; on the continent, a cave, or oven, or dungeon. And, as for the unction, it was sometimes continued for thirty-seven days; and during this time, three was, necessarily, an extraordinary abstinence required. Hence Shakspeare says, Be a whore still! they love thee not that use thee; Timon of Athens, Act iv. Scene 3. Some account of the sweating-tub, with a cut of it, may be seen in Ambrose Parrey's Works, by Johnson, p. 48. The inquisitive reader will learn more, upon consulting the notes to the above passage from Shakspeare, in the best edition of his works, vol. xiii. pp. 371, 372. |