A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 10
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 10
English drama
Ritson also assigns to Markham a translation of Solomon's Song, in
the same year, but it has only the initials L.M. on the title-page.
In 1597, he printed a translation from the French, called "Devoreux,
Vertues Tears for the Loss of the Most Christian King Henry III." In
1608 appeared a translation of Ariosto's "Satires," with his name on
the title-page, but the work was subsequently claimed by Robert Tofte.
The blame belonged, perhaps, to some knavish bookseller who, having
obtained the MS., availed himself of Markham's popularity. [Barnaby
Rich's "Alarm to England," was reprinted in 1625 under the title of
"Vox Militis," with a poem by Markham prefixed, and without any mention
of the true writer.] He continued to write various works, some on
agriculture and farriery, [during the reign of James I.[126]] His only
other dramatic performance was a tragedy called "Herod and Antipater,"
which was printed in 1622, and in the composition of which he was
joined by W. Sampson.
Of Lewis Machin merely the name has come down to us in connection with
Markham and William Barkstead. The latter in 1607 printed "Mirrha, the
Mother of Adonis," and at the end of it were placed "three Eglogs" by
Lewis Machin. The first of "Menalcas and Daphnis," and the two others
of "Apollo and Hyacinth." It is impossible now to ascertain what share
he had in "The Dumb Knight," which appears to have been a successful
play, although its merits are by no means conspicuous. It is mentioned
in the following terms in Shirley's "Example," 1637, sig. A 4:--
"VAINMAN. You will give me leave to answer you,
If you should ask me anything?
"JACINTHA. Not a syllable,
Though I desir'd to know what o'clock 'tis;
There's your obedience: at six months' end
I may reward your silence.
"PUMICE-STONE. She'll make him the Dumb Knight.
"JACINTHA. I will not engage you to be a mute so long."
"The Dumb Knight" was entered on the stationers' books on the 6th
October 1608, in which year it was first printed. It was reprinted
in 1633, perhaps on its revival at one of the theatres, which led
Shirley to allude to it in 1637. The edition of 1633 is a copy of
that of 1608, with all the original errors, and the addition of some
others. It sometimes happens that an obscure reading is explained or
a misprint corrected in later copies, even if the mistakes generally
are multiplied; but this is not the case with "The Dumb Knight." Mr
Reed seems to have used the edition of 1633, and therefore included
most of the errors of both of the old copies. He also introduced
several conjectural alterations of his own, and in a manner not easily
justified, since he gave no intimation of the liberty he had taken with
the author. The play has now been carefully collated, and the more
important variations pointed out in the notes.[127]
TO THE UNDERSTANDING READER.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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