THE TRAGEDY OF BONDUCA. This Tragedy was first printed in the folio edition of 1647. In the year 1696, a friend of George Powell the player, but whose name is now unknown, made many alterations in it, and particularly in the first two acts. It was then acted at the Theatre-Royal, and printed in quarto in the same year. Since that time, two other plays on the same subject have been brought on the stage; one by Charles Hopkins, at the Theatre-Royal in Lincoln's Inn, in the succeeding year 1697; and the other by Richard Glover, Esq. at DruryLane Theatre, in the year 1753, under the title of Boadicea. 'Bonduca, Queen of the Iceni, a brane cirago, by Prosutagus. Her two daughters.] Thus runs the folio of 1679, from which the editor of the octavo inconsiderately copied. The reader will see by the course of the play, that the alteration made here is undoubtedly what the drawer-up of the Dramatis Persona intended. Sympson. And hardy valour are the twins of honour, Car. No, Bonduca ; So what we say exceed not what we do. You call the Romans fearful, fleeing Romans, [sures:' "And Roman girls, the lees of tainted pleaDoes this become a doer? are they such? Bond. They are no more. Car. Where is your conquest then? Why are your altars crown'd with wreaths of flowers? The beasts with gilt horns waiting for the fire? A candle burns too bright a sacrifice, A glow-worm's tail too full of flame. Oh, Nennius, Thou hadst a noble uncle knew a Roman, And how to speak him, how to give him weight In both his fortunes. And made it doubtful whether that or I Were the more stubborn metal)have I wrought thro', [night And all to try these Romans. Ten times aI've swam the rivers, when the stars of Rome Shot at me as I floated, and the billows Tumbled their watry ruins on my shoulders, Charging my batter'd sides with troops of agues; And still to try these Romans, whom I found (And, if I lie, my wounds be henceforth backward, And be you witness, gods, and all my dangers) ours, Ay, and as subtle, lady. Tis dishonour, And, follow'd, will be impudence, Bonduca, And grow to no belief, to taint these Romans. Have not I seen the Britons Bond. What? Cur. Dishearten'd, [swifter; Run, run, Bonduca! not the quick rack' The virgin from the hated ravisher Not half so fearful; not a flight drawn home, A round stone from a sling, a lover's wish, E'er made that haste that they have. By the gods, I've seen these Britons, that you magnify, Run as they would have out-run time, and roaring, Basely for mercy roaring; the light shadows, That in a thought scuro'er the fields of corn, Halted on crutches to 'em. Bond. Oh, ye powers, What scandals do I suffer! Cur. Yes, Bonduca, I've seen thee run too; and thee, Nennius; But not so fast; your jewel had been lost then, 2 When the stars of Rome.] Mr. Theobald in his margin gives us shafts or durts, as thinking the place corrupted. I have not, however, ventured to disturb the text; as thinking the passage right as it stands. Sympson. We think Theobald's conjecture very plausible. 3 The quick rack.] i. e. the clouds. 4 Not a flight] here means urrow. scene 1, makes Beatrice say, So Shakespeare, in Much Ado about Nothing, act i, 'He (Benedick) challeng'd Cupid at the flight. Sympson. 5 He trasht me, Nennius.] The more natural as well as usual word in this place, should hare Took him, and,with my tough belt, to my back prow And let me meet thee once again in arms; Then if thou stand'st, thou'rt mine. I took his offer, And here I am to honour him. Bond. Oh, cousin, [me! From what a flight of honour hast thou check'd Car. See, lady, The noble use of others in our losses. [this, Rail'd on our base condition, hooted at us, shew us Nothing but sea could stop our flights, de- And held it equal whether banqueting Bond. Let me think we conquer'd. And where we have found virtue, tho' in those have been trac'd, i. e. 'followed;' and probably the line ran so in the Authors' MSS. for, if I remember right, trash absolutely taken is not to be met with in the sense here rcquired. Sympson. To trash a hound' is a term of hunting still used in the north, and perhaps not uncommon in other parts, of England: It is, to correct, to rate.-Caratach says, 'It is very true, Nennius, that I fled from the Romans. But recollect, I did not run so fast as you pretend: I soon stood still, to defend your favourite youth Hengo: He stopped my flight, and I saved his life.' In this passage, where trush properly signifies check, the commentators substitute trace; a correction which entirely destroys the force of the context, and the spirit of the reply. Warton. see, lady, 6 The noble use of others in our losses.] i. e. Observe the noble behaviour of the Romans when they conquer. 7 And shall we burn their mentions.] The variation in the text, proposed by Sympson. Ends our swords.] The sense seems to labour here: what I have offer'd [hands for ends] is clear and absolute. 'Let us use the peace of honour, but not tamely and submissively desire it: No, let us seek it with our swords in our hands, as though we could carve it out for ourselves, if the conditions offered are not honourable.' Sympson. Ends here means purposes: 'We may deal honourably, but our end must be war.' This is the sum of the whole speech; and the propriety of this interpretation is confirmed by Bonduca afterwards saying, "The Romans shall have worthy wars.' That hopes to graft himself into my stock, Must first begin his kindred under-ground, And be allied in ashes. Bond. Caratach, As thou hast nobly spoken, shall be done; Cur. They shall : Hengo. And what then, uncle? Cur. Then you must kill, sir, the next valiant Roman That calls you knave. Hengo. And must I kill but one? Car. That is a noble boy! Come, worthy Let's to our several charges, and henceforth Allow an enemy both weight and worth. SCENE II. Enter Junius and Petillius. [Exeunt. Jun. You tire me. Pet. Come, it is drink; I know 'tis drink. Jun. "Tis no drink. Pet. I say, 'tis drink; for what affliction Can light so heavy on a soldier, To dry him up as thou art, but no drink? Thou shalt have drink. Jun. 'Prithee, Petillius――― Pet. And, by mine honour, much drink, Never tell me, thou shalt have drink. I sec, Altho' your modesty would fain conceal it, Jun. What do you see? [drink. Pet. I see as fair as day 9, that thou want'st Did I not find thee gaping like an oyster For a new tide? Thy very thoughts lie bare, Like a low ebb; thy soul, that rid in sack, Lies moor'd for want of liquor. Do but see Into thyself; for, by the gods, I do; For all thy body's chap'd and crack'd like timber, come, meecher, Thou shalt have both; a pretty valiant fellow, Die for a little lap and lechery? No, it shall ne'er be said in our country, Thou diedst o' th' chin-cough. Hear, thou noble Roman, The son of her that loves a soldier, Which is society and lechery; These two beget commanders: Fear not, lady; Thy son shall lead. Jun. 'Tis a strange thing, Petillius, That so ridiculous and loose a mirth Can master your affections. Pet. Any mirth, And any way, of any subject, Junius, The general has new wine, new come over. Pet. None, I thank you?' A short and touchy answer! You do not scorn it, do you? Jun. Gods defend, sir! I owe him still more honour. None, I thank Pet. None, I thank you?' No company, no drink, no wench, You shall be worse entreated, sir. Jun. Petillius, As thou art honest, leave me! Fet. None, I thank you?' [you?' A modest and a decent resolution, You are an ass, and all the camp shall know it; A peevish idle boy, your dame shall know it; A wronger of my care, yourself shall know it. Enter Judas and four Soldiers. 1 Sold. Fight like hogs for acorns? rotten 3 Sold. If this hold, we're starv'd. 4 Sold. I'll fight no more. [tlemen, [cals, Pet. Whereby hangs your valour? Judas. Good bits afford good blows. Pet. A good position: [mouth, How long is't since thou eat'st last? Wipe thy And then tell truth. Judas. I have not eat to th' purposePet. Tó th' purpose?' what's that? half a cow, and garlick? [not; Ye rogues, my company eat turf, and taik Timber they can digest, and fight upon't; Old mats, and mud with spoons, rare meats. Your shoes, slaves; Dare ye cry out for hunger, and those extant? Suck your sword hilts, ye slaves; if ye be valiant, 12 Flesh and bones left.] This is really a merry description of a man bunger-starved; he was reduced to flesh and bones! Why what would he be at? Would he be more than so? Modes of speech are strangely altered, if we should not read and the Poets have wrote, Skin and bones.' Sympson, It is meant to be a merry description, as the rest of the scene proves. 13 Chibbals.] A sort of onions. So Ben Jonson, in his Gipsies Metamorphosed. Where the cacklers, but no grunters, |