No, II. A NOTE* CONTAYNINGE THE OPINION OF ONE CHRISTOFER MARLYE, CONCERNYNGE HIS DAMNABLE OPINIONS AND JUDGMENT OF RELYGION AND SCORNE OF GODS WORDE. FROM MS. HARL. 6853, FOL. 320. [SEE Account of Marlowe and his Writings.-This paper was first printed by Ritson in his Observations on Warton's Hist. of E. P., p. 40. I have elsewhere expressed my conviction that the charge of irreligion, which we find so repeatedly brought against Marlowe, was not without foundation; and it seems but too certain that his habits of life were licentious. Still, I am far from thinking that this paper is to be received as a document of much authority. The accuser appears to have had a strong feeling of enmity towards Marlowe; and his veracity is rendered the more questionable by the fact, that he afterwards suffered the extreme penalty of the law at Tyburn. In a volume of Marlowe's collected pieces (now in the Bodleian Library) Malone has written what follows:"This Richard Bame or Banes was hanged at Tyburn on the 6th of Dec. 1594. See the Stationers' Register, Book B, p. 316. "It is obvious to remark upon this testimony, that it is not upon oath; that it contains some declarations which it is utterly incredible that Marlowe should have made (as that concerning his intention to coin, which he must have known to be penal); that Bame does not appear to have been confronted with the person accused, or crossexamined by him or any other person; and that the whole rests upon his single assertion. This paper, however, may derive some support from the verses quoted at the other side [of the page in Malone's book] from The Returne from Parnassus, which was written about 10 years after Marlowe's death." [It was written somewhat earlier: see my Account of Marlowe and his Writings.]] THAT the Indians and many Authors of Antiquitei have assuredly written of aboue 16 thowsande yeers agone, wher† Adam is proved to have leyved within 6 thowsande yeers. He affirmeth That Moyses was but a Juggler, and that one Heriots can do more then hee. That Moyses made the Jewes to travell fortie yeers in the wildernes (which iorny might have ben don in lesse then one yeer) er they came to the promised lande, to the intente that those whoe wer privei to most of his subtileteis might perish, and so an everlastinge supersticion remayne in the hartes of the people. That the firste beginnynge of Religion was only to keep men in awe. A note, &c.] This, the original title, is partly drawn through with a pen and altered as follows; A Note delivered on Whitson eve last of the most horreble blasphemes vtteryd by Christofer Marly who within iii dayes after came to a soden and fearfull end of his life.-Warton carelessly gives the title thus; "Account of the blasphemous and damnable opinions of Christ. Marley and 3 others who came to a sudden and fearfull end of this life." Hist. of E. P., iii. 437, ed. 4to. twher] i. e. whereas. He affirmeth] All the portions now printed in Italics, are in the original drawn through with a pen by the persou who altered the title. That all the Appostels wer fishermen and base fellowes, nether of witt nor worth, that Pawle only had witt, that he was a timerous fellow in biddinge men to be subiect to magistrates against his conscience. That he had as good right to coyne as the Queen of Englande, and that he was acquainted with one Poole, a prisoner in newgate, whoe hath great skill in mixture of mettalls, and, havinge learned some thinges of him, he ment, thorough help of a connynge stampe-maker, to coyne french crownes, pistolettes, and englishe shillinges. That, yf Christ had instituted the Sacramentes with more ceremonyall reverence, it wold have ben had in more admiracion, that it wolde have ben much better beinge administred in a Tobacco руре. That one Richard Cholmelei hath confessed That one Richard Cholmelei, &c.] On the margin, | that he was perswaded by Marloes reason to become an Athieste. Theis thinges, with many other, shall by good and honest men be proved to be his opinions and common speeches, and that this Marloe doth not only holde them himself, but almost in every company he commeth, perswadeth men to Athiesme, willinge them not to be afrayed of bugbeares and hobgoblins, and vtterly scornynge both God and his ministers, as I Richard Bome [sic] will justify both by my othe and the testimony of many honest men, and almost all men with whome he hath conversed any tyme will testefy the same: and, as I thincke, all men in christianitei ought to endevor that the mouth of so dangerous a member may be stopped. He sayeth moreover that he hath coated † a number of contrarieties out of the scriptures, which he hath geeven to some great men, whoe in convenient tyme shalbe named. When theis thinges shalbe called in question, the witnesses shalbe produced. RYCHARD BAME. (Endorsed) Copye of Marloes blasphemyes as sent to her Highness]. opposite this clause, is written in a different hand "he is layd for," which is equivalent to-means are taken to discover him. (Ritson, misreading the MS., printed "he is sayd for.") ↑ coated] i. e. quoted, noted down. No. III. PORTIONS OF GAGER'S DIDO. [SEE Account of Marlowe and his Writings.-These portions of Gager's Dido, which was acted at Christ-Church, Oxford, before Prince Alasco in June, 1583, are given from a MS. volume in the author's hand-writing (which contains no more of the play). "This night," says Holinshed, "and the night insuing, after sumptuous suppers in his lodging, he [Prince Alasco] personaly was present with his traine in the hall [of Christ-Church]; first at the plaieng of a pleasant comedie intituled Riuales; then at the setting out of a verie statelie tragedie named Dido, wherein the queenes banket (with Eneas narration of the destruction of Troie) was liuelie described in a march paine patterne; there was also a goodlie sight of hunters with full crie of a kennell of hounds, Mercurie and Iris descending and ascending from and to an high place, the tempest, wherein it hailed small confects, rained rosewater, and snew an artificiall kind of snow, all strange, maruellous, and abundant.-Most of the actors were of the same house [Christ-Church]; six or seauen of them were of saint Johns, and three or foure of other colleges and hals." Chron. iii. 1855, ed. 1587. Among the Latin dramas of Frischlin is a tragedy called Dido, which, according to Niceron (Mem. xix. 206), was first printed in 1581. Frischlin puts into the mouth of the Chorus the very same parts of Virgil which Gager (p. 394, sec. col., p. 396, sec. col.) has used for his Chorus: but it does not therefore necessarily follow that Frischlin's tragedy was known to Gager.] PROLOGUS IN DIDONEM TRAGEDIAM. ARGUMENTUM. Huic Dido clarum fabulæ nomen facit; Gerit ille morem: deperit Elisa hospitem ; ACTUS SECUNDUS. DIDO, ENEAS, ASCANIUS FALSUS. Non lingua nostri pectoris sensum explicet, Opemque nostris rebus ærumnis datam? Quis apparatus regios digne efferat Luxusque tantos? ista meditantem tua Promerita si me cogites, lætum putes. Dido. Non ista tanti agnosco quæ memoras bona: Equidem esse cupio, fateor, et spero assequi Ut non Elisa pigeat Æneam hospitis. Sed cur Iülus tristior spectat dapes? Asc. Urbs ista Trojæ præbuit speciem mihi, Animumque misero subiit aspectu dolor: Hac Simois ibat fluvius; hic densis sita est Turmas in aciem ducere; hic Priami lares, Hic patris; illic steterat Anchisæ domus ; Hic, parte muri diruta, insidiis equi Ingens in urbem panditur mediam via; Hic cæpta cædes. Plura quid fari queam? Post multa tandem funera et strages ducum, Sic est Sinonis fraude, sic Danaûm face Incensa, sic est in leves cineres data. Dido. O quam stupendi specimen ingenii datum ! O te beatum prole generosa patrem, Et te parente filium tali editum ! Divinam, Iüle, sequere naturæ indolem; Laudes parentis bellicas opto tibi, Senemque precor ætate transcendas avum : Et hoc amoris osculum pignus cape. Asc. Quin oscularis filium, genitor, tuum? Quas tibi dicam celebremve laudes? Quo mihi fas est resonare plectro? Quod decet tanto memorare carmen Principe dignum? Splendor heroum, patriæque lumen Inclytum, salve, generisque prisci ! Non tua nostras tetigit carina Gratior oras. Sis licet tantus, superesque nostri Pectoris captum, tamen est Elisa Major, O hospes, nimium beate Hospite Elisa! Est minor nemo nisi comparatus, Cynthia qualis nitor inter astra Talis in terris decor est Elisee: Ecce, cui gratus patria relicta Veneris hospes ! Proximas illi tamen occupasti Vinciant pictæ cyathos coronæ, Nobili Bacchus statuatur auro, Maximi fiant strepitus per aulam, Jussit Elisa. Hospes illustris, tibi gratulamur; Jam juvat longos geminare plausus; En, tibi lætæ volitant per ampla Atria voces ! HYMNUS IÖPÆ. Quod tibi nomen tribuam deorum? Sive te Martem, Lyciumve Phoebum, Herculem seu te Jove procreatum, Dicere fas est; Sive digneris titulo minore, Teque mortalem placeat vocari; At deûm certe poteris videri Sanguine cretus. DIDO, ENEAS. Dido. Dux magne Teucrûm, quæ tibi placeant dapes? En. Nec hæ nec illæ, sed placent cunctæ mihi : |