Stratford upon Avon Church.

Stratford upon Avon Church.

From a sepia drawing, obligingly communicated by J. S. J., the reader is presented with this [view] of a church, “hallowed by being the sepulchral enclosure of the remains of the immortal Shakspeare.” It exemplifies the two distinct styles, the early pointed and that of the fourteenth century. The tower is of the first construction; the windows of the transepts possess a preeminent and profuse display of the mullions and tracery characteristic of the latter period.[100]

This structure is spacious and handsome, and was formerly collegiate, and dedicated to the Holy Trinity. A row of limes trained so as to form an arched avenue form an approach to the great door. A representation of a portion of this pleasant entrance is in an engraving of the church in the “Gentleman’s Magazine” for 1807.

Another opportunity will occur for relating particulars respecting the venerable edifice, and the illustrious bard, whose birth and burial at Stratford upon Avon confer on the town imperishable fame.

[100] Mr. Carter, in the Gentleman’s Magazine, 1816.

Garrick Plays.
No. XII.

[From the “Brazen Age,” an Historical Play, by Thomas Heywood, 1613.]

Venus courts Adonis.

Venus. Why doth Adonis fly the Queen of Love,
And shun this ivory girdle of my arms?
To be thus scarf’d the dreadful God of War
Would give me conquer’d kingdoms. For a kiss,
But half like this, I could command the Sun
Rise ’fore his hour, to bed before his time;
And, being love-sick, change his golden beams,
And make his face pale as his sister Moon.
Look on me, Adon, with a stedfast eye,
That in these chrystal glasses I may see
My beauty that charms Gods, makes Men amazed
And stown’d with wonder. Doth this roseat pillow
Offend my Love?
With my white fingers will I clap thy cheek;
Whisper a thousand pleasures in thy ear.
Adonis. Madam, you are not modest. I affect
The unseen beauty that adorns the mind:
This looseness makes you foul in Adon’s eye.
If you will tempt me, let me in your face
Read blusfulness and fear; a modest fear
Would make your cheek seem much more beautiful.
Venus. ———wert thou made of stone,
I have heat to melt thee; I am Queen of Love.
There is no practive art of dalliance
Of which I am not mistress, and can use.
I have kisses that can murder unkind words,
And strangle hatred that the gall sends forth;
Touches to raise thee, were thy spirits half dead;
Words that can pour affection down thy ears.
Love me! thou can’st not chuse; thou shalt not chuse.
Adonis. Madam, you woo not well. Men covet not
These proffer’d pleasures, but love sweets denied.
These prostituted pleasures surfeit still;
Where’s fear, or doubt, men sue with best good will.
Venus. Thou canst instruct the Queen of Love in love.
Thou shalt not, Adon, take me by the hand;
Yet, if thou needs will force me, take my palm.
I’ll frown on him: alas! my brow’s so smooth,
It will not bear a wrinkle.—Hie thee hence
Unto the chace, and leave me; but not yet:
I’ll sleep this night upon Endymion’s bank,
On which the Swain was courted by the Moon.
Dare not to come; thou art in our disgrace:
Yet, if thou come, I can afford thee place!

Phœbus jeers Vulcan.

Vul. Good morrow, Phœbus; what’s the news abroad?—
For thou see’st all things in the world are done,
Men act by day-light, or the sight of sun.
Phœb. Sometime I cast my eye upon the sea,
To see the tumbling seal or porpoise play.
There see I merchants trading, and their sails
Big-bellied with the wind; sea fights sometimes
Rise with their smoke-thick clouds to dark my beams
Sometimes I fix my face upon the earth,
With my warm fervour to give metals, trees,
Herbs, plants and flowers, life. Here in gardens walk
Loose Ladies with their Lovers arm in arm.
Yonder the laboring Plowman drives his team.
Further I may behold main battles pitcht;
And whom I favour most (by the wind’s help)
I can assist with my transparent rays.
Here spy I cattle feeding; forests there
Stored with wild beasts; here shepherds with their lasses,
Piping beneath the trees while their flocks graze.
In cities I see trading, walking, bargaining,
Buying and selling, goodness, badness, all things—
And shine alike on all.
Vul. Thrice happy Phœbus,
That, whilst poor Vulcan is confin’d to Lemnos,
Hast every day these pleasures. What news else?
Phœb. No Emperor walks forth, but I see his state;
Nor sports, but I his pastimes can behold.
I see all coronations, funerals,
Marts, fairs, assemblies, pageants, sights and shows.
No hunting, but I better see the chace
Than they that rouse the game. What see I not?
There’s not a window, but my beams break in;
No chink or cranny, but my rays pierce through;
And there I see, O Vulcan, wondrous things:
Things that thyself, nor any God besides,
Would give belief to.
And, shall I tell thee, Vulcan, ’tother day
What I beheld?—I saw the great God Mars—
Vul. God Mars—
Phœb. As I was peeping through a cranny, a-bed—
Vul. Abed! with whom?—some pretty Wench, I warrant.
Phœb. She was a pretty Wench.
Vul. Tell me, good Phœbus,
That, when I meet him, I may flout God Mars;
Tell me, but tell me truly, on thy life.
Phœb. Not to dissemble, Vulcan, ’twas thy Wife!

The Peers of Greece go in quest of Hercules, and find him in woman’s weeds, spinning with Omphale.

Jason. Our business was to Theban Hercules.
’Twas told us, he remain’d with Omphale,
The Theban Queen.
Telamon. Speak, which is Omphale? or which Alcides?
Pollux. Lady, our purpose was to Hercules;
Shew us the man.
Omphale. Behold him here.
Atreus. Where?
Omphale. There, at his task.
Jason. Alas, this Hercules!
This is some base effeminate Groom, not he
That with his puissance frighted all the earth.
Hercules. Hath Jason, Nestor, Castor, Telamon,
Atreus, Pollux, all forgot their friend?
We are the man.
Jason. Woman, we know thee not:
We came to seek the Jove-born Hercules,
That in his cradle strangled Juno’s snakes,
And triumph’d in the brave Olympic games.
He that the Cleonean lion slew.
Th’ Erimanthian boar, the bull of Marathon.
The Lernean hydra, and the winged hart.
Telamon. We would see the Theban
That Cacus slew, Busiris sacrificed,
And to his horses hurl’d stern Diomed
To be devoured.
Pollux. That freed Hesione
From the sea whale, and after ransack’d Troy,
And with his own hand slew Laomedon.
Nestor. He by whom Dercilus and Albion fell;
He that Œcalia and Betricia won.
Atreus. That monstrous Geryon with his three heads vanquisht,
With Linus, Lichas that usurpt in Thebes,
And captived there his beauteous Megara.
Pollux. That Hercules by whom the Centaurs fell,
Great Achelous, the Stymphalides,
And the Cremona giants: where is he?
Telamon. That trait’rous Nessus with a shaft transfixt.
Strangled Antheus, purged Augeus’ stalls,
Won the bright apples of th’ Hesperides.
Jason. He that the Amazonian baldrick won;
That Achelous with his club subdued,
And won from him the Pride of Caledon,
Fair Deianeira, that now mourns in Thebes
For absence of the noble Hercules!
Atreus. To him we came; but, since he lives not here,
Come, Lords; we will return these presents back
Unto the constant Lady, whence they came.
Hercules. Stay, Lords—
Jason. ’Mongst women?—
Hercules. For that Theban’s sake,
Whom you profess to love, and came to seek,
Abide awhile; and by my love to Greece,
I’ll bring before you that lost Hercules,
For whom you came to enquire.
Telamon. It works, it works—
Hercules. How have I lost myself!
Did we all this? Where is that spirit become,
That was in us? no marvel, Hercules,
That thou be’st strange to them, that thus disguised
Art to thyself unknown!—hence with this distaff,
And base effeminate chares; hence, womanish tires;
And let me once more be myself again.
Your pardon, Omphale!

I cannot take leave of this Drama without noticing a touch of the truest pathos, which the writer has put into the mouth of Meleager, as he is wasting away by the operation of the fatal brand, administered to him by his wretched Mother.

My flame encreaseth still—Oh father Œneus;
And you Althea, whom I would call Mother,
But that my genius prompts me thou’rt unkind:
And yet farewell!

What is the boasted “Forgive me, but forgive me!” of the dying wife of Shore in Rowe, compared with these three little words?

C. L.