THE LASCIVIOUS QUEEN. _EDITION._ _Lusts Dominion; or, The Lascivious Queen. A Tragedie. Written by Christofer Marloe, Gent. London, Printed for F. K., and are to be sold by Robert Pollard, at the sign of Ben Johnson's head, on the back-side of the Old-Exchange._ 1657. 12^{mo}. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. ELEAZAR, _the Moor, Prince of Fez and Barbary_. PHILIP, _King of Spain, father to Fernando, Philip, and Isabella_. FERNANDO, _King of Spain_, } } _sons to Philip_. PHILIP, _Prince of Spain_, } ALVERO, _a nobleman, and father-in-law to Eleazar, and father to Hortenzo and Maria_. MENDOZA, _the cardinal_. CHRISTOFERO, } } _two noblemen of Spain_. RODERIGO, } HORTENZO, _lover to Isabella, and son to Alvero_. ZARACK, } } _two Moors attending Eleazar_. BALTHAZAR, } COLE, } } _two friars_. CRAB, } EMMANUEL, _King of Portugal_. CAPTAIN, SOLDIERS, _cum aliis_. _Two Pages attending the queen._ THE QUEEN-MOTHER OF SPAIN, _and wife to King Philip_. ISABELLA, _the Infanta of Spain_. MARIA, _wife to Eleazar, and daughter to Alvero_. _The Scene, Spain._ PREFACE. [This play was printed in 12^o, 1657 and 1661, with the name of Christopher Marlowe on the title as the author, than which few things are more improbable. Yet Dilke, who printed the piece in his series (1816), believed it to be really by Marlowe, and considered it superior to his "Faustus." He observes:] "In particular passages, and some whole scenes, 'Faustus' has great beauties; but it must have been principally indebted for its success to the superstitious ignorance of the times; 'Lust's Dominion' is a much better play." Dilke continues, "It was altered by Mrs Behn, and performed at the Duke of York's Theatre in 1671, under the title of 'Abdelazar;' and probably furnished hints for the admirable tragedy of 'The Revenge.' But, notwithstanding the luxuriance of imagery in the first scenes, the exquisite delicacy of the language that is throughout given to Maria, and the great beauty of parts, 'it has too much of "King Cambyses'" vein--rape, and murder, and superlatives;' and if the stage be intended as a portraiture of real character, such representations tend only to excite a disgust and abhorrence of human nature: with the exception of the innocent Maria, the fiery Philip, Isabella, Alvero, and Hortenzo, there is not one with whom our feelings hold communion. The open representation of the Devil in 'Faustus' is less offensive than the introduction of him here in the garb of a Moor; but the philanthropy of our ancestors was not shocked at any representation of an African or an Israelite."