A KING AND NO KING. The Commendatory Verses by Howard and Herrick ascribe this Play to Fletcher; by Earle, to Beaumont. The first edition bears date 1619. Notwithstanding its prodigious merit, it has not been performed for many years past; nor do we find that it ever received any alterations. The sudden bursts, and quick transitions of passion, in the character of Arbaces, are, however, supposed to have given rise to a burlesque drama, or parody (by Tate) sometimes represented, under the title of " Duke and No Duke." PERSONS REPRESENTED. MEN. ARBACES, king of Iberia. TIGRANES, king of Armenia. WOMEN. ARANE, the queen mother. GOBRIAS,{ lord protector, and father of SPACONIA, a lady, daughter of Ligones. Arbaces. BACURIUS, another lord. MANDANE,{ a waiting-woman; and other attendants. SCENE, on the frontiers of ARMENIA; and, afterwards, in the metropolis of Iberia.2 Enter Mardonius and Bessus.3 ACT I. Mar. BESSUS, the king has made a fair hand on't; he has ended the wars at a blow. 'Would my sword had a close basket hilt, to hold wine, and the blade would make knives; for we shall have nothing but eating and drinking. Bes. We that are commanders shall do well enough. Mar. Faith, Bessus, such commanders as thou may: I had as lieve set thee perdue for a pudding i'th' dark, as Alexander the Great. Bes. I love these jests exceedingly. Mar. I think thou lov'st 'em better than quarrelling, Bessus; I'll say so much in thy 1 Arane, the queen's mother.] The trifling alteration we have here made is not only necessary, but warranted by different passages in the play. In the beginning of the third act we find, And the queen-mother and the princess wait. Scene, on the frontiers, &c.] For this information we are indebted to Mr. Theobald. 3 The character of Bessus, I think, must be allowed in general a fine copy from Shakespeare's inimitable Falstaffe. He is a coward, yet would fain set up for a hero; ostentatious, without any grain of merit to support his vain-glory; a liar throughout, to exalt his assumed qualifications; and lewd, without any countenance from the ladies to give him an umbrage for it. As to his wit and humour, the precedence must certainly be adjudged to Falstaffe, the great original. Mr. Theobald. To these remarks on the character of Bessus, it may not be improper to add, that it has a strong Bobadilian tincture, and that, in all probability, the Miles Gloriosus of Plautus, and Thrase of Terence, furnished both Jonson and our Authors with hints for the respective characters. Falstaffe is more an original. behalf. And yet thou'rt valiant enough upon a retreat: I think thou wouldst kill any man that stopp'd thee, if thou couldst. Bes. But was not this a brave combat, Mardonius? Mar. Why, didst thou see it? Bes. You stood wi' me. Mar. I did so; but methought thou wink'd'st every blow they struck. Bes. Well, I believe there are better soldiers than I, that never saw two princes fight in lists. Mar. By my troth, I think so too, Bessus; many a thousand: But, certainly, all that are worse than thou have seen as much. Bes. "Twas bravely done of our king. Mar. Yes, if he had not ended the wars. I'm glad thou dar'st talk of such dangerous businesses. Bes. To take a prince prisoner in the heart of his own country, in single combat. Mar. See, how thy blood curdles at this! I think thou couldst be contented to be beaten i' this passion. Bes. Shall I tell you truly? Bes. I could willingly venture for it. Mar. Hum! no venture neither, Bessus. Bes. Let me not live, if I do not think 'tis a braver piece of service than that I'm so fam'd for. Mar. Why, art thou fam'd for any valour? Mar. I'm e'en heartily glad on't: I have been with thee e'er since thou cam'st to the wars, and this is the first word that ever I heard on't. Prithee, who fames thee? Bes. The Christian world. Mar. 'Tis heathenishly done of 'em, in my conscience: Thou deserv'st it not. Bes. Yes, I ha' done good service. Mar. I do not know how thou may'st wait of a man in's chamber, or thy agility in shifting of a trencher; but otherwise no service, good Bessus. Bes. You saw me do the service yourself. Mar. Not so hasty, sweet Bessus! Where was it? is the place vanish'd? Bes. At Bessus' Desp'rate Redemption. Mar. At Bessus' Desp'rate Redemption! where's that? Bes. There, where I redeem'd the day; the place bears my name. Mar. Prithee, who christen'd it? Bes. The soldiers. Mar. If I were not a very merrily-disposed man, what would become of thee? One that had but a grain of choler in the whole composition of his body, would send thee on an errand to the worms, for putting thy name upon that field: Did not I beat thee there, i'th' head o'th' troops, with a truncheon, because thou wouldst needs run away with thy company, when we should charge the enemy? Bes. True; but I did not run. Mar. Right, Bessus: I beat thee out on't. Bes. But came I not up when the day was gone, and redeem'd all? Mar. Thou knowest, and so do I, thou meant'st to fly, and thy fear making thee mistake, thou ran'st upon the enemy; and a hot charge thou gav'st; as, I'll do thee right, thou art furious in running away; and, I think, we owe thy fear for our victory. If I were the king, and were sure thou wouldst mistake always, and run away upon th' enemy, thou shouldst be general, by this light. Bes. You'll never leave this, till I fall foul. Mar. No more such words, dear Bessus; for though I have ever known thee a coward, and therefore durst never strike thee, yet if thou proceed'st, I will allow thee valiant, and beat thee. Bes. Come, our king's a brave fellow. Mar. He is so, Bessus; I wonder how thou cam'st to know it. But, if thou wert a man of understanding, I would tell thee, he is vain-glorious and humble, and angry and patient, and merry and dull, and joyful and sorrowful, in extremity, in an hour. Do not think me thy friend for this; for if I car'd who knew it, thou shouldst not hear it, Bessus. Here he is, with his prey in his foot. Enter Arbaces, Tigranes, and two gentlemen. Arb. Thy sadness, brave Tigranes, takes away From my full victory: Am I become Of so small faine, that any man should grieve When I o'ercome him? They that plac'd me here, Intended it an honour, large enough The way to victory. She was a pretty child; Tigr. Is't the course Of Iberia to use her prisoners thus? Had fortune thrown my name above Arbaces', I should not thus have talk'd, Sir: In Ar menia, We hold it base. You should have kept your temper Till you saw home again, where'tis the fashion, Perhaps, to brag. Arb. Be you my witness, earth, Within his whole realm, that I have not past, To teach the neighbour world humility, Mar. Indeed, this is none. [Aside. Arb. Tigranes, nay, did I but take delight To stretch my deeds as others do, on words, I could amaze my hearers. Mar. So you do. [desty, Arb. But he shall wrong his and my moThat thinks me apt to boast: After an act Fit for a god to do upon his foe, A little glory in a soldier's mouth Is well-becoming; be it far from vain. Mar. 'Tis pity that valour should be thus [Aside. drunk. Arb. I offer you my sister, and you answer, I do insult: A lady that no suit, Nor treasure, nor thy crown, could purchase thee, But that thou fought'st with me. Tigr. Though this be worse Than that you spake before, it strikes me not; But, that you think to over-grace me with The marriage of your sister, troubles me. I would give worlds for ransoms, were they Rather than have her. Arb. See, if I insult, [mine, That am the conqueror, and for a ransom It cannot be self-flattery to say, The daughters of your country, set by her, Would see their shaine, run home, and blush to death At their own foulness. Yet she is not fair, To print continual conquest on her cheeks, Could find a want, had she so tempting fair, Mar. I do, I'll be sworn. Thy valour and thy passions sever'd, would have made two excellent fellows in their kinds. I know not, whether I should be sorry thou art so valiant, or so passionate: 'Would one of 'em were away! [Aside. Tigr. Do I refuse her, that I doubt her Were she as virtuous as she would be thought; That she could wish it off, &c.] Thus say the copies prior to Mr. Theobald, who (without noticing it) alters the passage thus; Could find a want; Were she so tempting fair, &c. The deficiency of sense in the old copies, we apprehend, was occasioned by one of those errors which the press is most subject to, a transposition. -so tempting fair, That she could wish it off, for damning souls.] This passage is so obscure in the expres sion, that, I believe, it will want a short comment to the generality of readers. The Authors mean, Were she so temptingly fair, that she could wish to be less beauteous, for fear of ⚫ damning souls, in their coveting to enjoy her charms, &c.' So Shakespeare in his Othello; A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife, i. e. grown so uxorious through the attractions of her beauty, as to neglect all his duty towards Heaven, and consequently incur the danger of damnation. This sentiment is explained in another passage of that immortal author, in his Merchant of Venice. VEL. I. it is very mect The lord Bassanio live an upright life. In reason he should never come to Heav'n. Mr. Theobald. Arb. Is that all the cause? Think you, you can so knit yourself in love To any other, that her searching sight Cannot dissolve it? So, before you try'd, You thought yourself a match for me in fight: Trust me, Tigranes, she can do as much In peace, as fin war; she'll conquer too. You shall see, if you have the pow'r to stand The force of her swift looks. If you dislike I'll send you home with love, and name your ransom Some other way; but if she be your choice, Arb. Some do await him forth, and see him But let him freely send for whom he please, "Till he be free from me. Is full of wisdom, valour, all the graces Mar. And yet you conquer'd him. [in arms Hadst thou join'd with him, though thy name Be great. Must all men, that are virtuous, Think suddenly to match themselves with me? I conquer'd him, and bravely, did I not? Bes. An please your majesty, I was afraid at first Mar. When wert thou other? Bes. That you would not have spy'd your best advantages; for your majesty, in my opinion, lay too high; methinks, under favour, you should have lain thus. Mar. Like a taylor at a wake. Bes. And then, if't please your majesty to remember, at one time by my troth, I wish'd myself wi' you. Mar. By my troth thou wouldst ha' stunk 'em both out o'th' lists. if you have the power to stand a blow at your leg, which you, by doing thus, avoided; but, if you had whipp'd up your leg thus, and reach'd him on the ear, you had made the blood-royal run down his head. Mar. What country fence-school learn'dst that at? Arb. Pish! did not I take him nobly? Mar. Why, you did, and you have talk'd enough on't. Arb. Talk'd enough? [earth, Will you confine my words? By Heav'n and I were much better be a king of beasts Than such a people! If I had not patience Above a god, I should be call'd a tyrant, Throughout the world! They will offend to death Each minute: Let me hear thee speak again, And thou art earth again. Why, this is like Tigranes' speech, that needs would say I brag'd. Bessus, he said, I brag'd. Bes. Ha, ha, ha! Arb. Why dost thou laugh? By all the world, I'm grown ridiculous Vouchsafe to give me answer? Am I grown you mean I cannot be heard out; they cut me off, In woods, and talk to trees; they will allow me 1 Gent. May it please Arb. I mean not you; Did not I stop you once? But I am grown To talk? 7 But I defy-Let another speak. The force of her swift looks.] Both Mr. Seward and Mr. Sympson chuse to adopt the epithet sweet. I have not ventur'd to alter the text; because I think the word swift is more consonant to force, i. e. the power of her keen, pointed glances; as Arbaces speaks of her a little above; 7 She'll make you shrink, as I did, with a stroke, But I am grown Mr. Theobald. To balk, but I defie, let another speak.] So stands this passage in the elder editions. Mr. Seward makes this alteration, But I am grown To talk but idly; let another speak, and subjoins the following note: 'As |