Seriously, methinks it is as curious
Pictures, which although they make a pleafing
Shew, yet, for the most part are drawn on coarfe
And ordinary matter. I needs must say,
He has this happiness, that if he excel
In aught, it is in things of that familiar
Nature, that each place and company
He comes in, afford him opportunity
To fhew it and this certainly is the
Only thing that makes him make a greater
Blaze than fome of far more worth; whofe eminence
Lying in that which is more choice, cannot
So frequently discover itself; nor
Is their value prostituted unto
Every eye; but they, as great bells, who
Are not eafily, nor on all flight occafions,
Raised, yet being up, will far out-found
Any of these tinckling ting-tang blades.
For as when fome common metals will ferve
For good fubftantial use, yet if you ftrive
To force them to more curious fhapes, they only
Such rude draughts will take, as will render them
More deformed: fo this gentleman, had
His coarfer foul but had the luck to have
Acted in fome downright way, to have manag'd
Some plodding trade, he might by long experience
Have understood himself within his fphere;
Nay, have had wit enough to have got a
Good eftate, and through the repute of that,
Have been look'd upon by the world as wife:
But this by his father's industry being
Left to his hand; the common courfe of the
World, unhappily doth fling him upon
Things fit only for more refined minds;
Which although he cannot mafter, yet fome
Odd grudges and imperfect ftamps have
Transformed him from what he was, nor can
He be what he would.
253.256.2 U A R R EL.
Of entrance to a quarrel: But being in,
Bear it, that the oppofed may beware of thee.
Shakespear's Hamlet.
But yesterday, thou waft the common fecond
Of all that only know thee; thou hadst bills
Set up on ev'ry poft, to give thee notice
Where any diff'rence was, and who were parties;
And as to fave the charges of the law
Poor men feek arbitrators, thou wert chofen
By fuch as knew thee not, to compound quarrels:
But thou wert fo delighted with the fport,
That if there were no juft caufe, thou wouldst make one,
Or be engag'd thyfelf: This goodly calling
Thou haft follow'd five and twenty years, and study'd
The criticisms of contentions, and art thou
In fo few hours transform'd?
Beaumont and Fletcher's Little French Lawyer.
There's a mischief greater than all these ;
A bafe and fordid provocation,
Us'd among gentlemen they cannot quarrel
About a glass of wine, but out flies ftraight
Son of a whore: dead mothers must be torn
Out of their graves, or living, have their names
Poifon'd by a prodigious breath: It were
A brave and noble law to make this tongue
Be cut for't; it would fave much blood i'th'year,
That might be spent more honourably.
See the fate of traytors!
How wonderfully heav'n does bring about
Their punishment, that like to canibals,
The one doth eat the other!
Tatham's Diftra&ted State.
Of the winds got him; his cradle was a drum,
And he was nurs'd upon a belfry.
He hath more rage and noise than a winter-storm:
Only his virtue is, he will not out-last it.
Sir W. Davenant's News from Plymouth.
QUEEN.
A dow'r, my lords! difgrace not fo your king,
That he should be fo abject, bafe and poor,
To chufe for wealth, and not for perfect love.
Henry is able to inrich his queen;
And not to feek a queen, to make him rich:
So worthless peasants bargain for their wives,
As market-men for oxen, fheep or horse:
But marriage is a matter of more worth,
Than to be dealt in by attorneyfhip:
Not whom we will, but whom his grace affects,
Must be companion of his nuptial-bed.
And therefore, lords, fince he affects her moft,
It most of all these reafons bindeth us,
In our opinions fhe fhould be preferr❜d:
For what is wedlock forced, but a hell,
An age of difcord, and continual ftrife?
Whereas the contrary bringeth forth blifs,
And is a pattern of celestial peace.
Whom should we match with Henry, b'ing a king,
But Margret, that is daughter to a king?
Her peerless feature, joined with her birth,
Approves her fit for none, but for a king.
Her valiant courage, and undaunted fpirit,
More than in woman commonly is feen,
Answer our hope in iffue of a king:
For, Henry, fon unto a conqueror,
Is likely to beget more conquerors,
If with a lady of fo high refolve,
As is fair Margret, he be link'd in love.
Shakespear's First Part of King Henry VI.
When you are made my confort,
All the prerogatives of my high birth cancell'd,
I'll practice the obedience of a wife,
And freely pay it. Queens themselves, if they
Make choice of their inferiors, only aiming
To feed their fenfual appetites, and to reign
Over their husbands, in some kind commit
Authoriz'd whoredom.
Malinger's Maid of Honour. 255.258.2 U ESTION S
She now with jealous queftions, utter'd faft,
Fills Orgo's ear, which there unmark'd are gone,
As throngs through guarded gates, when all make hafte,
Not giving warders time t'examine one.
Sir W. Davenant's Gondibert.
OUR brother did with vicious loosenefs,
Corrupt the chafte ftreams of my spotless virtues,
And left me foiled like a long-pluck'd rofe,
Whofe leaves diffever'd, have foregone their sweetness.
Chapman's Revenge for Honour.
Woman's forced use,
Like unripe fruits, no fooner got, but wafte;
They have proportion, colour, but no taste.
Marfion's Sophonisba.
If he, from heav'n that filch'd that living fire,
Condemn'd by Jove to endless torment be;
1 greatly marvel how you ftill go free,
That far beyond Prometheus did aspire:
The fire he ftole, although of heav'nly kind,
Which from above he craftily did take
Of lifeless clods, us living men to make,
He did bestow in temper of the mind:
But you broke into heav'n's immortal store,
Where virtue, honour, wit, and beauty lay;
Which taking thence, you have efcap'd away,
Yet ftand as free as e'er you did before :
Yet old Prometheus punish'd for his rape :
Thus poor thieves fuffer, when the greater 'fcape.
-She longs to be ravish'd :
Some have no pleasure but in violence;
To be torn in pieces is their paradife :
"Tis ordinary in our country, fir, to ravish all;
They will not give a penny for their sport
Unless they be put to it, and terribly;
And then they fwear they'll hang the man comes near 'em,
And fwear it on his lips too.
Beaumont and Fletcher's Maid in the Mill, 1. How like a hill of fnow fhe fits, and melts Before the unchafte fire of others luft?
What heart can fee her paffion, and not break?
2. Take comfort, gentle madam, you know well
Ev'n actual fins committed without will,
Are neither fins nor fhame, much more compell'd;
Your honour's no whit lefs, your chastity
No whit impair'd, for fair Merione
Is more a virgin yet than all her sex :
Alas 'tis done! why burn these tapers now?
Wicked and frantick creatures joy in night.
Imagine fair Merione had dream'd
She had been ravish'd, would she fit thus then
Excruciate? Fie, fie, how fond is this?
What reafon for this furfeit of remorse?
How many that have done ill and proceed,
Women that take degrees in wantonness,
Commence, and rife in rudiments of luft,
That feel no fcruple of this tenderness ?
2. Wherefore fits
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