The text of the present volume was passed for press by Arnold Glover and
some progress had been made in his lifetime in the collection of the
material given in the Appendix. Mrs. Glover's help has again been most
valuable in the completion of the work.
_The Elder Brother_ is printed entirely in prose in the Second Folio, and
I have therefore printed in the Appendix the play in verse, as it appeared
in the First Quarto. The case is an interesting one, and readers will be
glad, I think, to have both forms in the same volume.
I have not concerned myself with passages in the Second Folio in prose
which have since been printed as verse. On the whole I agree with a recent
critic who characterises as 'vexatious' the 'later practice of printing
much manifest prose as verse, each post-seventeenth century editor
apparently making it a point of honour to discover metre where no one had
found it before, and where no one with an ear can find it now.'
I am glad to have had the opportunity of seeing the 1625 manuscript of
_Demetrius and Enanthe_, the play first printed in a somewhat mutilated
form in the First Folio of 1647, where it is called _The Humorous
Lieutenant_. It is stated in the _Dictionary of National Biography_ (Vol.
XIX, p. 306) that this MS. is preserved in the Dyce Library but the
statement is incorrect. The MS. has never been a part of the Dyce
collection. It was printed by Dyce in 1830 and after that date it rested
for many years in obscurity. To Mrs. Glover is due the credit for having
traced it to its present home. For help in this search our thanks are due
to Lord Stanley of Alderley, to W.R.M. Wynne, Esq., of Peniarth, Towyn,
Merioneth (whose father owned the MS. and left a note in his copy of
Dyce's reprint that he had given the MS. to his "old friend the late W.
Ormsby Gore, Esq., M.P. for North Shropshire") and to Lord Harlech, the
grandson of Mr. Ormsby Gore. Lord Harlech re-discovered the MS. in his
library at Brogyntyn, Oswestry, and he has very kindly permitted a
thorough examination of it. Dyce's 1830 publication is described as a
reprint "verbatim et literatim," but it has little claim to be so called.
The punctuation is altered throughout, the spelling is altered in scores
of words and though the actual verbal differences between the original MS.
and Dyce's reprint of it are not very many, yet these occur here and there
throughout the play. Later editors, therefore, relying upon Dyce, have
been led into recording as 'MS.' readings variations which do not occur in
the MS. A brief description of the MS. will be found in the Appendix, pp.
509-18, together with the passages omitted from the Folios and a complete
record of the verbal variations. The present collation omits readings
incorrectly given by Dyce.
The third volume of this text will be ready immediately and good progress
is being made with the remaining volumes. When the publication of the
entire text is completed it is intended to print, by way of a commentary
thereon, a companion volume containing a series of explanatory notes upon
the text, a glossary and whatsoever supplementary material may be deemed
to be of use to the student or to the general reader.
A.R. WALLER.
CAMBRIDGE,
30 _January_, 1906.
THE ELDER BROTHER,
A COMEDY.
Persons Represented in the Play.
Lewis, _a Lord_.
Miramont, _a Gentleman_.
Brisac, _a Justice, Brother to_ Miramont.
Charles, _a Scholar_, \ _Sons to_
Eustace, _a Courtier_, / Brisac.
Egremont, \ _two Courtiers, friends to_
Cowsy, / Eustace.
Andrew, _Servant to_ Charles.
Cook, \ _Servants to_
Butler, / Brisac.
Priest.
Notary.
Servants.
Officers.
Angellina, _Daughter to_ Lewis.
Sylvia, _her Woman_.
Lilly, _Wife to_ Andrew.
Ladies.
_LECTORI._
_Wouldst thou all Wit, all Comick Art survey?
Read here and wonder;_ Fletcher _writ the Play._
_ACTUS PRIMUS. SCENA PRIMA._
_Enter_ Lewis, Angellina, _and_ Sylvia.
_Lewis._ Nay, I must walk you farther.
_Ang._ I am tir'd, Sir, and ne'er shall foot it home.
_Lew._ 'Tis for your health; the want of exercise takes from your
Beauties, and sloth dries up your sweetness: That you are my only Daughter
and my Heir, is granted; and you in thankfulness must needs acknowledge,
you ever find me an indulgent Father, and open handed.
_Ang._ Nor can you tax me, Sir, I hope, for want of duty to deserve these
favours from you.
_Lew._ No, my _Angellina_, I love and cherish thy obedience to me, which
my care to advance thee shall confirm: all that I aim at, is, to win thee
from the practice of an idle foolish state, us'd by great Women, who think
any labour (though in the service of themselves) a blemish to their fair
fortunes.
_Ang._ Make me understand, Sir, what 'tis you point at.
_Lew._ At the custom, how Virgins of wealthy Families waste their youth;
after a long sleep, when you wake, your Woman presents your Breakfast,
then you sleep again, then rise, and being trimm'd up by other hands,
y'are led to Dinner, and that ended, either to Cards or to your Couch, (as
if you were born without motion) after this to Supper, and then to Bed:
and so your life runs round without variety or action, Daughter.
_Syl._ Here's a learned Lecture!
_Lew._ Fro[m] this idleness, Diseases, both in body and in mind, grow
strong upon you; where a stirring nature, with wholesome exercise, guards
both from danger: I'd have thee rise with the Sun, walk, dance, or hunt,
visit the Groves and Springs, and learn the vertue of Plants and Simples:
Do this moderately, and thou shalt not, with eating Chalk, or Coles,
Leather and Oatmeal, and such other trash, fall into the Green-sickness.
_Syl._ With your pardon (were you but pleas'd to minister it) I could
prescribe a Remedy for my Lady's health, and her delight too, far
transcending those your Lordship but now mention'd.
_Lew._ What is it, _Sylvia_?
_Syl._ What is't! a noble Husband; in that word, a noble Husband, all
content of Woman is wholly comprehended; He will rouse her, as you say,
with the Sun; and so pipe to her, as she will dance, ne'er doubt it; and
hunt with her, upon occasion, until both be weary; and then the knowledge
of your Plants and Simples, as I take it, were superfluous. A loving, and,
but add to it, a gamesome Bedfellow, being the sure Physician.
_Lew_. Well said, Wench.
_Ang_. And who gave you Commission to deliver your Verdict, Minion?
_Syl_. I deserve a Fee, and not a frown, dear Madam: I but speak her
thoughts, my Lord, and what her modesty refuses to give voice to. Shew no
mercy to a Maidenhead of fourteen, but off with't: let her lose no time,
Sir; Fathers that deny their Daughters lawful pleasures, when ripe for
them, in some kinds edge their appetites to taste of the fruit that is
forbidden.
_Lew_. 'Tis well urg'd, and I approve it: No more blushing, Girl, thy
Woman hath spoke truth, and so prevented what I meant to move to thee.
There dwells near us a Gentleman of bloud, Monsieur _Brisac_, of a fair
Estate, six thousand Crowns _per annum_, the happy Father of two hopeful
Sons, of different breeding; the Elder, a meer Scholar; the younger, a
quaint Courtier.
_Ang_. Sir, I know them by publick fame, though yet I never saw them; and
that oppos'd antipathy between their various dispositions, renders them
the general discourse and argument; one part inclining to the Scholar
_Charles_, the other side preferring _Eustace_, as a man compleat in
Courtship.
_Lew_. And which way (if of these two you were to chuse a Husband) doth
your affection sway you?
_Ang_. To be plain Sir, (since you will teach me boldness) as they are
simply themselves, to neither: let a Courtier be never so exact, let him
be bless'd with all parts that yield him to a Virgin gracious; if he
depend on others, and stand not on his own bottoms, though he have the
means to bring his Mistris to a Masque, or by conveyance from some great
ones lips, to taste such favour from the King: or grant he purchase
precedency in the Court, to be sworn a servant Extraordinary to the Queen;
nay, though he live in expectation of some huge preferment in reversion;
if he want a present fortune, at the best those are but glorious dreams,
and only yield him a happiness in _posse_, not in _esse_; nor can they
fetch him Silks from the Mercer, nor discharge a Tailors Bill, nor in full
plenty (which still preserves a quiet Bed at home) maintain a Family.
_Lew_. Aptly consider'd, and to my wish: But what's thy censure of the
Scholar?
_Ang._ Troth (if he be nothing else) as of the Courtier, all his Songs and
Sonnets, his Anagrams, Acrosticks, Epigrams, his deep and Philosophical
Discourse of Nature's hidden Secrets, makes not up a perfect Husband; he
can hardly borrow the Stars of the Celestial Crown to make me a Tire for
my Head, nor _Charles's Wain_ for a Coach, nor _Ganymede_ for a Page, nor
a rich Gown from _Juno's_ Wardrobe, nor would I lie in (for I despair not
once to be a Mother) under Heaven's spangled Canopy, or Banquet my Guests
and Gossips with imagin'd Nectar; pure _Orleans_ would do better: No, no,
Father, though I could be well pleas'd to have my Husband a Courtier, and
a Scholar, young, and valiant; these are but gawdy nothings, if there be
not something to make a substance.
_Lew._ And what is that?
_Ang._ A full Estate, and that said, I've said all; and get me such a one
with these Additions, farwel Virginity, and welcome Wedlock.
_Lew._ But where is such a one to be met with, Daughter? A black Swan is
more common; you may wear grey Tresses e're we find him.
_Ang._ I am not so punctual in all Ceremonies, I will 'bate two or three
of these good parts, before I'le dwell too long upon the choice.
_Syl._ Only, my Lord, remember, that he be rich and active, for without
these, the others yield no relish, but these perfect. You must bear with
small faults, Madam.
_Lew._ Merry Wench, and it becomes you well; I'le to _Brisac_, and try
what may be done; i'th' mean time home, and feast thy thoughts with
th'pleasures of a Bride.
_Syl._ Thoughts are but airy food, Sir, let her taste them.