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was his nose discharged against me; he stands there, like a mortar-piece, to blow us. There was a haberdasher's wife of small wit near him, that railed upon me till her pinked porringer fell off her head, for kindling such a combustion in the state. I missed the meteor once, and hit that woman; who cried out 'Clubs!' when I might see from far some forty truncheoners draw to her succour, which were the hope o' the Strand, where she was quartered. They fell on; I made good my place: at length they came to the broomstaff to me; I defied 'em still: when suddenly a file of boys behind 'em, loose shot, delivered such a shower of pebbles, that I was fain to draw mine 60 honour in, and let 'em win the work: the devil was amongst 'em, I think, surely.

Port. These are the youths that thunder at a playhouse, and fight for bitten apples; that no audience, but the tribulation of Tower-hill, or the limbs of Limehouse, their dear brothers, are able to endure. I have some of 'em in Limbo Patrum,

and there they are like to dance these three days; besides the running banquet of two beadles that is to come.

Enter LORD CHAMBERLAIN.

Cham. Mercy o' me, what a multitude are here! They grow still too; from all parts they are coming, As if we kept a fair here ! Where are these

porters,

These lazy knaves? Ye have made a fine hand, fellows:

There's a trim rabble let in are all these

Your faithful friends o' the suburbs? We shall

have

Great store of room, no doubt, left for the ladies,
When they pass back from the christening.
Port.
An't please your honour,
We are but men; and what so many may do,
Not being torn a-pieces, we have done :
An army cannot rule 'em.

If the king blame me for 't, I'll lay ye all

By the heels, and suddenly; and on your heads
Clap round fines for neglect: ye are lazy knaves;
And here ye lie baiting of bombards, when
Ye should do service. Hark! the trumpets sound;
They're come already from the christening:

69. running banquet; cf. i. 4. 12; here, of a whipping, probably as a 'dessert' to crown the feast of durance in limbo.

74. made a fine hand, played a pretty game.

82. lay by the heels, put in the stocks.

85. baiting of bombards, drinking deep. Bombards were long leather vessels of liquor.

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80

The meaning of 'bait' is not altogether certain. The phrase suggests that it is transitive verb equivalent to 'set abroach'; but this sense of 'bait,' though a very natural one, cannot be paralleled. It is safer then to fall back on the common sense, 'feeding, 'drinking.' [Perhaps 'crowding round for drinks, like dogs about a bear.' L.]

Go, break among the press, and find a way out
To let the troop pass fairly; or I'll find
A Marshalsea shall hold ye play these two months.
Port. Make way there for the princess.
Man.
You great fellow,
Stand close up, or I'll make your head ache.
Port. You i' the camlet, get up o' the rail;
I'll peck you o'er the pales else.

[Exeunt.

The palace.

SCENE V.

Enter trumpets, sounding; then two Aldermen, LORD MAYOR, Garter, Cranmer, Duke of NORFOLK with his marshal's staff, DUKE OF SUFFOLK, two Noblemen bearing great standing-bowls for the christening-gifts; then four Noblemen bearing a canopy, under which the DUCHESS OF NORFOLK, godmother, bearing the child richly habited in a mantle, etc., train borne by a Lady; then follows the MARCHIONESS DORSET, the other godmother, and Ladies.

The troop pass once about the stage, and GARTER speaks.

Gart. Heaven, from thy endless goodness, send prosperous life, long, and ever happy, to the high and mighty princess of England, Elizabeth!

Flourish. Enter KING and Guard. Cran. [Kneeling] And to your royal grace, and the good queen,

90. Marshalsea, the prison in Southwark.

93. camlet, a light woollen stuff

94. peck, pitch.

Sc. 5. By FLETCHER (Sp.). Standing-bowls, bowls supported on feet.

My noble partners, and myself, thus pray:
All comfort, joy, in this most gracious lady,
Heaven ever laid up to make parents happy,
May hourly fall upon ye!

King.

Thank you, good lord archbishop:

What is her name?

Cran.

King.

[The King kisses the child.

With this kiss take my blessing: God protect thee! Into whose hand I give thy life.

Cran.

Amen.

King. My noble gossips, ye have been too prodigal :

I thank ye heartily; so shall this lady,

When she has so much English.

Let me speak, sir,

Cran.
For heaven now bids me; and the words I utter
Let none think flattery, for they'll find 'em truth.
This royal infant-heaven still move about her!-
Though in her cradle, yet now promises
Upon this land a thousand thousand blessings,
Which time shall bring to ripeness: she shall be
But few now living can behold that goodness-
A pattern to all princes living with her,
And all that shall succeed: Saba was never
More covetous of wisdom and fair virtue
Than this pure soul shall be: all princely graces,
That mould up such a mighty piece as this is,
With all the virtues that attend the good,
Shall still be doubled on her truth shall nurse her,
Holy and heavenly thoughts still counsel her:

13. gossips, sponsors.

24. Saba, the queen of Sheba. Saba is the Vulgate form pre

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30

served in the older English translations.

27. piece, creation, -'mighty' in virtue of her destiny.

She shall be loved and fear'd: her own shall

bless her;

Her foes shake like a field of beaten corn,

And hang their heads with sorrow: good grows
with her:

In her days every man shall eat in safety,
Under his own vine, what he plants; and sing
The merry songs of peace to all his neighbours:
God shall be truly known; and those about her
From her shall read the perfect ways of honour,
And by those claim their greatness, not by blood.
Nor shall this peace sleep with her: but as when
The bird of wonder dies, the maiden phoenix,
Her ashes new create another heir,

As great in admiration as herself;

So shall she leave her blessedness to one,

When heaven shall call her from this cloud of darkness,

Who from the sacred ashes of her honour

Shall star-like rise, as great in fame as she was,
And so stand fix'd: peace, plenty, love, truth,

terror,

That were the servants to this chosen infant,
Shall then be his, and like a vine grow to him:
Wherever the bright sun of heaven shall shine,
His honour and the greatness of his name
Shall be, and make new nations: he shall flourish,
And, like a mountain cedar, reach his branches
To all the plains about him: our children's children
Shall see this, and bless heaven.

King.
Thou speakest wonders.
Cran. She shall be, to the happiness of England,

41. maiden, i.e. mateless. 53. make new nations; an allusion probably to the settlement of Virginia in 1607. The

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colony had received a constitution in 1612, but the allusion cannot be definitely referred to this.