Toolbox



Textual Analysis

[ Go ]

Shakespeare on Stage
Folger Shakespeare Library, Twelfth Night. To Jun. 9, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Return to the Forbidden Planet. To Dec. 1, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, The Duchess of Malfi. To Jun. 15, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Love's Labour's Lost. To Jun. 15, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Twelfth Night. To Jun. 16, 2013.
More Performances…
‌

The Tragedy of Locrine (Third Folio, 1664)

Author: Anonymous
Not Peer Reviewed
The Tragedy of Locrine.
85
tain, quench the furious heat of the same. Alass, I am a
Gentleman of good fame, and name, majesticall, in ap-
350parell comely, in gate portly. Let not therefore your gen-
tle heart be so hard, as to despise a proper tall young
man of a handsome life, and by despising him, not only
but also to kill him. Thus expecting time and tide, I bid
you farewell. Your Servant, Signior Strumbo.
355 Oh wit, O pate, O memory, O hand, O Ink, O paper.
Well, now I will send it away. Trompart, Trompart,
what a Villain is this? Why sirrha, come when your
Master calls you. Trompart.
Trompart entering saith
360Anon, sir.
Strumbo. Thou knowest, my pretty Boy, what a good
Master I have been to thee ever since I took thee into my
service.
Trom. I, sir.
365Srum. And how I have cherished thee alwayes, as if
thou hadst been the fruit of my loynes, flesh of my flesh,
and bone of my bone.
Trom. I, sir.
Strum. Then shew thy self herein a trusty servant, and
370carry this Letter to Mistress Dorothy, and tell her.
Speaking in his eare.
Exit Trompart.
Strum. Nay, Masters, you shall see a Marriage by
and by. But here she comes. Now must I frame my a-
375morous passions.

Enter Dorothy and Trompart.
Doro. Signior Strumbo, well met, I received your
Letters by your man here, who told me a pittifull story
of your anguish, and so understanding your passions were
380so great, I came hither speedily.
Strum. Oh, my sweet and pigsney, the fecundity
of my ingenie is not so great, that may declare unto you
the sorrowfull sobs, and broken sleeps that I suffered for
your sake; and therefore I desire you to receive me into
385your familiarity.

For your Love doth lie,
As near and as nigh:
Unto my heart within,
As mine Eye to my Nose,
390 My Leg unto my Hose,
And my Flesh unto my Skin
.

Dor. Truly, M. Strumbo, you speak too learnedly
for me to understand the drift of your mind, and there-
fore tell your tale in plain termes, and leave off your dark
395riddles.
Strum. Alass, Mistresse Dorothy, this is my luck, that
when I most would, I cannot be understood: so that my
great learning is an inconvenience unto me. But to
speak in plain termes, I love you, Mistresse Dorothy, if
400you like to accept me into your familiarity.
Dor. If this be all I am content.
Turning to the people.
Strum. Say'st thou so, sweet wench, let me lick thy
Toes. Farewell, Mistresse. If any of you be in love,
405provide ye a Cap-case full of new coyn'd words, and
then shall you soon have the succado de labres, and some-
thing else.
Exeunt.
Scena Quarta.
410
Enter Locrine, Guendoline, Camber, Albanact, Cori-
neius, Assarachus, Debon, Thrasimachus
.
Locrine. Uncle and Princes of brave Britany,
Since that our noble Father is entomb'd,
As best beseem'd so brave a Prince as he,
415If so you please, this day my Love and I,
Within the Temple of Concordia,
Will solemnize our royall marriage.
Thra. Right noble Lord, your subjects every one,
Must needs obey your Highnesse at command,
420Especially in such a cause as this,
That much concerns your Highnesse great content.
Locr. Then frolick, Lordings, to fair Concords walls,
Where we will passe the day in Knightly sports,
The night in Dancing and in figured Maskes,
425And offer to God Risus all our sports.
Exeunt.
Actus Secundus. Scena Prima .
Enter Atey as before, after a little Lightning and Thun-
dring, let there come forth this show: Perseus and An-
430dromeda, hand in hand, and Cepheus also with Swords
and Targets. Then let there come out of another door
Phineus, all black in Armour, with Æthiopians
after him, driving in Perseus, and having taken a-
wayAndromeda, let them depart. Atey remaining,
435saying
.

Regit omnia numen.
When Perseus married fair Andromeda,
The onely Daughter of King Cepheus,
He thought he had establisht well his Crown,
440And that his Kingdome should for aye endure.
But loe proud Phineus with a band of men,
Contriv'd of sun-burnt Æthiopians,
By force of Armes the Bride he took from him,
And turn'd their joy into a flood of teares.
445So fares it with young Locrine and his Love,
He thinks this marriage tendeth to his weale,
But this foule day, this foule accursed day,
Is the beginning of his miseries.
Behold where Humber and his Scythians
450Approcheth nigh with all his warlike train,
I need not I, the sequel shall declare,
What tragick chances fell out in this Warre.
Exeunt.
Scena Secunda.
Enter, Humber, Hubba, Estrilo, Segar, and
455their Souldiers
.
Hum. At length the Snaile doth climbe the highest
Ascending up the stately Castle Walls,
[F3r]
A