COMEDY. Ha, ha, ha! I laugh to hear thy folly; This is a trap for boys, not men, nor such, Especially desertful in their doings, Whose staid discretion rules their purposes. I and my faction do eschew those vices. But see, O see, the weary sun for rest Hath lain his golden compass to the west, Where he perpetual bide and ever shine, As David's offspring in his happy clime. Stoop, Envy, stoop, bow to the earth with me, Let's beg our pardons on our bended knee. [_They kneel_. ENVY. My power has lost her might; Envy's date's expired, Yon splendant majesty hath fell'd my sting, And I amazed am. [_Fall down and quake_. COMEDY. Glorious and wise Arch-Caesar on this earth, At whose appearance Envy's stroken dumb, And all bad things cease operation, Vouchsafe to pardon our unwilling error, So late presented to your gracious view, And we'll endeavour with excess of pain To please your senses in a choicer strain, Thus we commit you to the arms of night, Whose spangled carcase would (for your delight) Strive to excel the day. Be blessed then: Who other wishes, let him never speak. ENVY. Amen! To Fame and Honour we commend your rest; Live still more happy, every hour more blest. FINIS.] [199] To the edition printed in the Percy Society's Series. [200] The old spelling has now been abandoned. [201] For these I am indebted to the kindness of Mr J.P. Collier, who is now editing "Henslowe's Diary" for the Shakespeare Society. The portions of it which were published by Malone are very incorrectly given. [202] _Book_ in these entries means play. [203] This entry is struck through, the money having been repaid. [204] This entry is in Porter's own handwriting. [205] "Spec. of Engl. Dram. Poets," ii. 185, edit. 1835. [206] See Hazlitt's "Popular Poetry," iv, 38-40. [207] Second edit., _Welcome then_. [208] From the second edit. Not in first edit. [209] Prospects, views, scenes in sight; a meaning of the word which is found in much later writers. [210] So second edit. First edit. _he_. [211] Absolute, perfect, [or rather, perhaps, pure.] [212] Read, for the metre, _He will_. [213] So second edit. First edit., _to_. [214] The audience were to suppose that the stage now represented an orchard; for be it remembered that there was no movable painted scenery in the theatres at the time when this play was produced. [215] Second edit., _rubber_, but the other form is common in our old writers. [216] [So second edit.] Equivalent to be hanged. [217] Second edit., _woman_, which is probably right; see two passages farther on, in one of which both editions have _woman_. [218] Gold coins. The words give occasion to innumerable puns in our early dramas. [219] Read, for the metre, _here is_ [220] Second edit., _woman_: see note [217]. [221] A term of the game.