tenced to make open confession of their faults-Cleremond, having been on the point of marriage with Leonora, had pressed her to wave the ceremonyshe resented this highly, and enjoined him as a penance to kill his best friend-he had fought with his best friend, Montrose, but was worsted-a report was raised that he had killed Montrose-Cleremond, when accused of the murder, pleads that Leonora is more guilty than himself-the sentence of the court is, that they should be married-that Cleremond should be beheaded, and that Leonora should be confined in a small prison to be built over his grave-Montrose who had been brought in upon a bier as dead, starts up alive, and claims the hand of Bellisant, who, supposing him to be dead, had acknowledged her love for him-Cleremond's punishment is remitted. -in many of our best old plays there are weak scenes, or superfluous charactersin this play there is nothing that does not contribute to the carrying on of the plot-that part of it which concerns Cleremond and Leonora has a striking resemblance to the serious part of Webster's Cure for a Cuckold-see Cure for a Cuckold, vol. 2 p. 90. = 7. Roman Actor-this T. was printed with the cast-Domitianus Cæsar J. Lowin: Paris J. Taylor: Elius Lamia T. Pollard: Junius Rusticus=Rob. Benfield: Palphurius Sura W. Patricke : Parthenius R. Sharpe: Aretinus E. Swanstone : Æsopus R. Robinson: Latinus C. Greville: Philargus A. Smith: Domitia J. Tompson: Domitilla = J. Hunnieman: Julia W. Trigge: Canis = = = = = = A. Gough-for the plot see L. I. F. June 13 1722. 8. Great Duke of Florence-Giovanni, the nephew and heir of the Duke, had been 3 years under the tuition of Charomonte-he had fallen in love with Lidia, Charomonte's daughter-she had fallen in love with him-in the 1st act, Contarino comes to Charomonte's villa with an order from the Duke for Giovanni to repair to Court-Contarino makes a report to the Duke of Lidia's great beauty and accomplishments-the Duke sends his favourite, Sanazarro, to Charomonte's to ascertain the truth of Contarino's report-Sanazarro falls in love with Lidiathis induces him to represent Lidia to the Duke in a manner very different from what she really is-Sanazarro prevails on Giovanni to join him in the imposition practised on the Duke-the Duke suspects the truth of what Sanazarro and Giovanni have said -he goes to Charomonte's himself - Lidia had been previously informed by Giovanni of the Duke's intention-she makes her woman, Petronella, present herself to the Duke as Lidia-the Duke detects the imposture he is very angry with Sanazarro and Giovanni-he orders them to be confined in sepa rate apartments—at the conclusion he is prevailed on to forgive them-Sanazarro marries the Dutchess of Urbin-Giovanni marries Lidia this piece was printed in 1636-it had been acted at the Phoenix in D. L.-it is on the whole a good play-the serious scenes are very well written-there are some poor comic characters, but they occupy only a small part of the play-the plot is founded on the story of Athelwold and Elfrida. Vol. 3. = 9. Maid of Honour-see D. L. Jan. 27 1785. 10. Picture-this Play was printed with the castLadislaus R. Benfield: Ferdinand R. Sharpe : Eubulus J. Lowin: Mathias J. Taylor: Ubaldo = T. Pollard Ricardo E. Swanstone: Julio Baptista W. Pen: Hilario J. Shancke: Honoria = J. Thomson Sophia = J. Hunnieman: Acanthe=A. Goffe: Corisca W. Trigge :-for the plot see C. G. Nov. 8 1783. = = 11. Emperor of the East- this play was printed in 1632-it had been acted at Black Friars and the Globe-Pulcheria is sister to Theodosius, and Protectress of the Empire-Athanais is the daughter of a pagan philosopher, who had been deprived of her patrimony by her brothers-she appeals to Pulcheria for redress-Pulcheria not only takes her under her care, but presents her to the Emperor-he falls in love with her, and marries her almost immediately --she is however previously baptized, and has the name of Eudocia given to her-in the 3d act, Theodosius has assumed the reins of government-he signs all petitions without reading them-Pulcheria, to cure him of his folly, presents a paper by which the Emperor gives her his wife as a slave-Theodosius signs it-and Pulcheria's stratagem has the desired effect thus far the plot proceeds well-the remainder of it is silly-a countryman presents Theodosius with a very fine apple-he sends it to Eudo cia-she sends it to Paulinus-he sends it to Theodosius-the Emperor asks Eudocia what she has done with the apple-she solemnly declares that she has eaten it-Theodosius produces the apple, and Eudocia is disgraced, the Emperor suspecting her of an improper intimacy with Paulinus-in the last act, Eudocia confesses her sins to Theodosius, who is disguised as a Friar, but protests that she had never been unchaste-Theodosius is reconciled to her, and Paulinus turns out to be an Eunuch-many parts of this play are very well written-particularly those in which Pulcheria is concerned-but the Emperor of the East is on the whole very inferiour to the generality of Massinger's plays-for the history on which it is founded see Gibbon ch. 32-he observes that the celebrated story of the apple is fit only for the Arabian Nights, where something not very unlike it may be found-Massinger represents Paulinus as an elderly man-eaten up with the gout-Gibbon says "the uncommon beauty of Paulinus encouraged "the secret rumour, that his guilt was that of a suc"cessful lover, but the Empress protested with her dying breath, that she had never transgressed the "bounds of innocence and friendship"In the 1st scene Paulinus says of Pulcheria "Hath made the court a kind of academy." Massinger seems to have pronounced the last word as it is pronounced in Greek and Latin, and as it ought to be in English--see Lee's Theodosius D. G. 1680. 12. Fatal Dowry-see Fair Penitent L. I. F. 1703. 13. New way to Pay Old Debts-see D. L. Oct. 19 1748. Vol. 4. 14. City Madam-see D. L. April 29 1783. 15. Guardian-this play was licensed by the Master of the Revels in 1633, but not printed till 1655 -Severino, having killed his wife's brother in a quarrel, is banished-he becomes the captain of some banditti-Iölante and Calista, his wife and daughter, continue at Naples-Calista makes love to Adorio— he acknowledges her deserts, but protests against marriage--Caldoro makes honourable love to Calista -she treats him with civility, but gives him no hopes --Durazzo, Caldoro's Guardian, is a merry old gentleman, who does every thing in his power to promote his ward's happiness-in the 2d act, Adorio becomes inclined to marry Calista-the time is fixed for her elopement with him-in the dark she elopes with Caldoro, mistaking him for Adorio-Adorio carries off Mirtilla, Calista's woman, mistaking her for Calista-Iölante falls in love with Laval-she prepares a banquet for him-Severino enters in disguise-he soon perceives that she expected a gallant-he binds her, and retires with the tapers to consider what vengeance he shall inflict on her-her confidant, Calipso places herself in Iölante's room-Severino returns in the dark-wounds Calipso in her arms, and cuts off her nose-he leaves her-Iölante resumes |