p. 555
When(584) thou sighst, thou sighst not wind, but sighst my soule away When thou weepst unkindly kind, my lifes blud doth decay It cannot bee That thou lovest mee as thou saiest, if in thine my life thou wast, Thou art the best of mee.(585) In some high mynded Ladies grace to stand Ever provided that her liberall hand 30 Pay for the Vertues they bestow upon her And soe long shees the miracle and the honor Of her whole s.e.x, and has forsooth more worth Then was in any Sparta ere brought forth But when the Bounty failes a change is neare And shees not then what once shee did appeare For the new Giver shee dead must inherit What was by purchase gott and not by merit Lett them write well that doo this and in grace I would not for a pension or A place 40
Part soe wth myne owne Candor, lett me rather p. 556 Live poorely on those toyes I would not father Not knowne beyond A Player or A Man That does pursue the course that I have ran Ere soe grow famous: yet wth any paine Or honest industry could I obteyne A n.o.ble Favorer, I might write and doo Like others of more name and gett one too Or els my Genius is false. I know That Johnson much of what he has does owe 50 To you and to your familie, and is never Slow to professe it, nor had Fletcher ever Such Reputation, and credit nonne But by his honord Patron, Huntington Unimitable Spencer nere had been Soe famous for his matchlesse Fairie Queene Had he not found a Spencer Sydney to preferr [_sic_]
His plaine way in his Shepheards Calender Nay Virgills selfe (or Martiall does lye) Could hardly frame a poore Gnatts Elegie 60 Before Mecnas cherisht him; and then He streight conceivd neas and the men That found out Italic Those are Presidents(586) I cite wth reverence: my lowe intents Looke not soe high, yet some worke I might frame That should nor wrong my duty nor your Name. p. 557 Were but your Lopp pleasd to cast an eye Of favour on my trodd downe povertie How ever I confesse myselfe to be Ever most bound for your best charitie 70 To others that feed on it, and will pay My prayers wth theirs that as yu doe yu may Live long, belovd and honord doubtles then Soe cleere a life will find a worthier Penn.
For me I rest a.s.surd besides the glory Twold make a Poet but to write your story. 76
Phill: Messinger.
p. 557
II
A New yeares Guift presented to my Lady and M:rs the then Lady Katherine Stanhop now Countesse of Chesterfield.
By Phill: Messinger.
Madame
Before I owd to you the name Of Servant, to your birth, your worth your fame I was soe, and twas fitt since all stand bound To honour Vertue in meane persons found Much more in you, that as borne great, are good Wch is more then to come of n.o.ble blood Or be A Hastings; it being too well knowne
p. 558
An Empresse cannot challenge as her oune Her Grandsires glories; And too many staine Wth their bad Actions the n.o.ble straine 10 From whence they come. But as in you to be A branch to add fresh honor to the tree By vertue planted, and adorne it new Is graunted unto none or very few To speake you further would appeare in me Presumption or a servants flattery But there may be a tyme when I shall dare To tell the world and boldly what yu are Nor sleight it Madame, since what some in me Esteeme a blemish, is a guift as free 20 As their best fortunes, this tooke from the grave Penelopies chast.i.tie, and to it gave Still living Honors; this made Aiax strong Ulisses wise: such power lies in a Song Wch Phaebus smiles on, wch can find noe Urne While the Sea his course, or starrs observe their turne Yet tis not in the power of tinckling Rime That(587) takes rash iudgments and deceive the tyme Wth Mountebanke showes a worke that shold indure Must have a genius in it, strong, as pure 30 But you beginne to smile, as wondring why I should write thus much to yu now since I Have heretofore been silent may yu please To know
To know the course it is noe new disease p. 559 Groune in my iudgment, nor am I of those That thinke good wishes cannot thrive in prose As well as Verse: but that this New yeares day All in their loves and duties, what they may Present unto you; though perhaps some burne Wth expectation of a glad returne 40 Of what they venture for. But such I leave To their deceiptfull guifts given to deceive What I give I am rich in, and can spare Nor part for hope wth ought deserves my care He that hath little and gives nought at all To them that have is truly liberall. 46
APPENDIX XVIII. ALLITERATION IN Ma.s.sINGER
The art with which Ma.s.singer employs alliteration escapes all but the most careful perusal; but once noticed, it attracts attention as one of his favourite expedients. Perhaps the best way to exemplify its use is to give a complete collection of instances from one of the plays: I take for this purpose _The Unnatural Combat_.
I., 1, 150: Impartial judges, and not swayd with spleen.
" 158: Not l.u.s.tful fires, but fair and lawful flames.
" 189: Our goods made prize, our sailors sold for slaves.
" 217: He that leaves To follow as you lead, will lose himself.
" 286: Their lives, their liberties.
" 308: Both what and when to do, but makes against you.
" 309: For had your care and courage been the same.
" 342: He may have leave and liberty to decide it.
II., 1, 14: With my best curiousness and care observed him.
" 23: A sudden flash of fury did dry up.
" 94: But dare and do, as they derive their courage.
" 143: In a moment razd and ruind.
" 157: In one short syllable yield satisfaction.
" 170: With scorn on death and danger.
" 177: But what is weak and womanish, thine own.
" 183: As a serpent swolln with poison.
" 226: Ma.r.s.eilles owes the freedom of her fears.
" 241: That will vouchsafe not one sad sigh or tear.
" 267: And with all circ.u.mstance and ceremony.
II., 3, 67: Nor should you with more curiousness and care.
III., 1, 10: It being a serious and solemn meeting.
" 17: Ill undertake to stand at push of pike.
" 21: When the dresser, the cooks drum, thunders, Come on!
III., 1, 23: As tall a trencher-man.
" 32: The only drilling is to eat devoutly And to be ever drinking.
" 57: Delay is dangerous.
" 88: Continue constant To this one suit.
" 90: Every cast commander.
" 100: And so by consequence grow contemptible.
" 117: For his own sake, shift a shirt!
III., 2, 46: The colonels, commissioners, and captains.