[The reader does not probably require to be told that Chaucer has taken up the story of the “Wicked Judge Appius” in the “Doctor of Physic’s Tale,” and there is a drama by Webster on the same subject, written many years before it was published in 1654, and included in all the editions of that writer’s works.] THE PLAYERS’ NAMES.[150] VIRGINIUS. MATER. VIRGINA. HAPHAZARD. MANSIPULUS. MANSIPULA. SUBSERVUS. APPIUS. CONSCIENCE. JUSTICE. CLAUDIUS. RUMOUR. COMFORT. REWARD. DOCTRINA. MEMORY. MR COLLIER’S PREFACE. The “Tragical Comedy of Appius and Virginia” deserves especial notice, as probably [one of] our earliest extant dramatic productions publicly represented, the plot of which is derived from history. Sackville’s “Ferrex and Porrex” was acted before the Queen at Whitehall, and Edwards’ “Damon and Pithias” also at Court, while the interlude of “Thersites” merely adopts the name of a historical personage as an indication of character, without reference to any events in which he was concerned. “Appius and Virginia” is besides curious as holding a middle station between the old moralities and historical plays [while it still retains the allegorical character in some degree]. The performance was printed in 1575, but acted most likely as early as 1563. The initials R. B. on the title-page would apply to more than one writer about that date. It is a work of great rarity, the only known copy being in the British Museum. It would be singular therefore that it has hitherto almost escaped notice, were it not evident that there are so many plays in the Garrick Collection which have never been read by the editors of Shakespeare. Mr Malone makes one reference to “Appius and Virginia” in a note on “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” but he misquotes both the words and the date. There is internal evidence that it was publicly represented; and with reference to this point, we find in one place a curious instance of the ancient simplicity of the construction of an open stage, and of the directions to the actors: “Here let Virginius go about the scaffold.” This was the “scaffold hie” on which Herod, according to Chaucer [“Miller’s Tale”] was accustomed to rant. Hawkins [Orig. Engl. Dr. I. vii.] tells us that this temporary erection, in Parfre’s “Candlemas Day,” was called “the _Stage_,” but he erred from misquotation. In the following piece we are expressly informed that _Haphazard_ was the _Vice_, regarding which character see Douce’s “Illustr. of Shakesp.” ii., 304, &c.[151] [In the former edition nearly all the corruptions of the old copy, which was edited and printed with the grossest carelessness, were allowed to remain. A few still stand which baffle our ingenuity.] THE PROLOGUE.