APPENDIX

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GARRICK COLLECTION.

SINCE my first examination of the Garrick Collection, the following articles have occurred, as worthy of remark.

Among the scarce old Plays which Garrick possessed, the one hereafter described is one of the most curious and valuable.

"Two LAMENTABLE TRAGEDIES.

The one, of the Murther of Maister Beech, a Chaundler, in Thames Street, and his Boye. Done by Thomas Merry.

The other, of a Young Childe, murthered in a Wood by two Ruffins, with the Consent of his Uncle.

By Rob. Yarrington.

London. Printed for Mathew Lawe, and are to be solde at his Shop in Paules Church Yarde, neere unto S. Augustines Gate, at the Signe of the Foxe. 1601."

This play is in quarto, and not paged. The running title is "Two Tragedies in One." No Dramatis Personæ are prefixed. A remnant of the old moralities is to be observed. The piece

opens

opens with a Soliloquy by Homicide, personified. To him enters Avarice, and afterwards Truth, who, by way of Prologue, briefly relates the substance of the two tragedies.

The persons of the Drama are numerous.

In this singular production, many passages, which are really poetical, occur. The whole is in Blank Verse, with some heroic rhymes intermixed.

Some compound words are here to be found, which seem to merit preservation from their force and beauty.

Homicide says,

I cannot glut my blood-delighted eye.

Truth thus begins her prologue:

Gentles prepare your tear-bedecked eyes.

We meet also with Grim Death, as in Drummond and Milton.

The night conceals all in her pitchie cloake.

I tell you plaine I would not have him dye,
Might I enjoy the Soldans emperie.

Ide rather choose to feede on carefulnesse.

Homicide says to Avarice,

I like thy temper, that canst change a heart
From yielding flesh to flinte and adamant.

Compare

Compare Rich. 2d. Act 5.

Blood-sucking Avarice.

Grim-visadged destine.

Consult Mr. Todd's Notes on Milton's Comus, ver. 694. To Mr. Todd I am much indebted for hints in this and various parts of this work, and am happy in acknowledging my great esteem for his amiable manners and various accomplish

ments.

Truth says,

Yee glorious beames of that bright-shining lampe
That lights the starre-bespangled firmament,

And dimmes the glimmering shadowes of the night,
Why doost thou lend assistance to this wretch?

Of the boy.

This maister piece

Which nature lent the world to wonder at.

Leave of these bootlesse protestations,

And use no ruth-entising arguments.

Deepe-mouthed hounds.

The circling wayes

Of this erroneous winding wildernesse.

The Duke says to the 2d Murtherer,

Speake then, thou sad anatomy of death,
Who were the agents of your wofulnesse ?

That life-bereaving fatall instrument.

Thou

Thou ugly monster, grim imperious Death.
I have bestowd a watrie funerall

On the halfe bodie of my butchered friend.

Those that smother griefe too secretly,
May waste themselves in silent anguishment,
And bring their bodies to so low an ebbe,
That all the world can never make it flowe
Unto the happy hight of former health.

Close eare-dropping fallacies.

That harsh night-raven sound.

Sorrow-speaking lookes.

Griefe-decyphering tongue.

The carefull charge

Of some wealth bringing rich and fleecy flocke.
Untimely murtherer, happy was that griefe
Which hath abridged whole numbers numberlesse.

The following is Alonso's Prayer:

And thou, great God, which art omnipotent,
Powerfull enough for to redeeme our soules,
Even from the verie gates of gaping Hell,
Forgive our sins, and wash away our faultes
In the sweet river of that precious blood,
Which thy deare Sonne did shed in Golgotha,
For the remission of all contrite soules.

In this drama there is a fling at the Puritans, when Merry is found to be the murtherer.

First Watchman says,

Of all the men that live in London Walles,

I would have thought that Merry had bin free.

8

2d

2d Watchman.

Is this the fruites of saint like Puritans?
I never like such damn'd hipocrisie.

3d Watchman.

He would not loase a sermon for a pound;

An oath he thought would rend his jawes in twaine;
An idle word did whet God's vengeance on;

And yet two murthers were not scrupulous.

The following compliment to Queen Elizabeth may also be mentioned:

Truth says to Homicide and Avarice,

Hence stigmaticks you shall not harbour heare,
To practice execrable butcheries.

Myselfe will bring your close designes to light,
And overthrowe your wilde conspiracies.
No hart shall intertaine a murtherous thought,
Within the sea embracing continent,

Where faire Eliza, Prince of Pietic,

Doth weare the peace-adorned diadem.

Homicide and Avarice are, in the course of the drama, occasionally denominated Murder and Covetousnesse.

This drama is not divided, either into acts or scenęs, but the latter distinction may be drawn from the various erits or exeunts. Truth seems to perform the part of a Chorus, by relating, in different parts of the drama, that which is to follow.

The