As though she had not thyther come, to leaue her lothsome lyfe, So pity pearst the headman's heart, that thrise aboute to smite The ninthe tragedy of Lucius Annæus Seneca, called Octauia; translated out of Latine into Englishe by Thomas] N[uce or Newce.]* Seneca, in character, having described the age of Saturn, &c. proceeds; "But now this age much worse then all the rest Stravige stoundes, or them assaults the which is worse. Which Justice hight, that guilty folke discries, Prebendary of Ely Cathedral, 1586. Ob. 1617. The The tenth tragedy of L. Annae. Seneca, entituled Hercules Octavs: translated out of Latin into Englishe by Iohn] S[tvdley.] The following lines are from the chorus to the third act. "Fyll true the dytty is that holy Orphevs sang, On Thracian harpe with sounde whereof the rocks of Rodop rang, That nothing is creat for euer to endure; Dame Nature's byrdes each on must stoupe; when death throwes out the lure. The head wyth crispen lockes, or goulden hayres full, In time hath borne an hoary bush, or bin a naked scull. And that which tract of time doth bring out of the grayne, to reape it downe agayne. Though Phoebvs ryse at morne, with glistring rayes full proude, Hee runnes his race, and ducketh downe at length in foggy clowde. To th' Gotans Orphevs sang such kinde of melody; And how the gods themselues were bouude to lawes of destiny. The shiuerynge sunne in heauen shall leese his fadyng lighte; The pallace of the frames of heavens shall runne to ruin quight. And all these blockish gods 'some kynd of death shall quell, And in confused chaos blynde they shall for euer dwell, And after ruin made of goblin, hegge, and elfe, Death shall bringe finall destenye at last vppon it selfe." Col. Imprinted at London in Flet streate neare vnto Sainct Dunstons church by Thomas Marshe. 1581. These short specimens are given as supplementary to the critical account of the volume inserted by Warton in the History of English Poetry, Vol. III. p. 382, That writer observes, "it is remarkable that Shakspeare has borrowed nothing from the English Seneca;" yet it seems probable a translation produced at the juncture when holy mysteries were fast declining in estimation, assisted other writers, and formed no mean extension of the rising freedom given to dramatic genius. George Gascoigne, whose pieces for public representation class among the earliest we now possess, has some lines in one of his miscellaneous poems descriptive of the characters that supported the extravagant buffoonery then displayed on the stage in the form of a pageant. "Thus is the stage slakt out, where all these partes be plaide, "If one at a solemne stage play, would take vpon him to pluck of the plaier's garments, whiles they were saying theyr partes & so discipher vnto the lokers on the true & natiue faces of eche of the players, shoulde hee not (trow yee) marre all the matter; and well deserue for a madman to be pelted out of the place with stones: yee shoulde sec yet straightwayes a new trans. mutation in thinges, that who before played the woman, should than appeare to be a man who seemed youth, should shew his hore heares: who counterfaited they should tourne to a rascall, and who played God Almighty, shoulde become a coller as he was before." The prayse of Follie, &c. Englished ly Sir Thomas Chaloner, Knight. 1577. Vaine Vaine tatling plaied the vice, well cladde in rich aray,* And poor Tom Troth is laught to skorn, wt, garments nothing gay Pride in her pocket playes bo-peepe, and bawdrie in her braine. Hir handmaides be deceipte, daunger, and dalliance, Riot and reuell follow hir, they be of hir alliance; Nexte these commes in Simme Swash, to see what sturre they keep, He says these iests can get no grotes, & al this geare goth wrong; The meane he mumbles out of tune, for lack of life and hart: Thus all in discords stands the cliffe, and beggrie sings the base. For euery player plaide the foole, till all be spent and gone." Conduit street. J. H. ART. XIV. On the modern Corruption of Sternhold's Version of the Psalms. TO THE EDITOR OF CENSURA LITERARIA. SIR, As some persons, I find, have doubted whether there are so many variations between the ancient editions of Sternhold's version and the modern ones, as I have ters. "Now Roscius pleades in the senate house; asses play vpon harpes; the stage is brought into the church; and vices make plaies of church inat-They shall put off their fooles coate, and leaue snapping of their wodden dagger, and betake themserues to a soberer kinde of reasoning, which will bee verie hard for such vices to do.. -Wearie of our stale mirth, that for a penie may haue farre better by oddes at the Theater and Curtaine, and any blind playing house euerie day. Like Wil. Sommers, when you knowe hot who bob'd you, strike him that first comes in your foolish head.” Martin's Month's minde, 1589. mentioned mentioned in my last, the following comparison between them will sufficiently convince them of the truth of the fact with respect to that short portion alone of the ninetieth Psalm. V. 3. V. 5. V. 7. V. S V. io. The earth and world abroad. And then thou sayest againe return, Againe ye sons of men. Thou unto them dost say again Return ye sons of men. All as a sleep and like the grass. Ev'n as a sleep or like the grass. If we see fourscore, surely then We count him wondrous old. V. 10. Is three score years and ten, But if we come to four score years, Our life is grievous then. V. 11. Yet of this time the strength and age, V. 11. V. 12. The which we count upon, Is nothing else but painfull grief. For of this time the strength and chief, We dote so much upon, Is nothing else but pain and grief. Who once doth know what strength is there, V. 12. |