Appendix VII. “Believe As You List”
This play was edited by Mr. T. Crofton Croker, with a short Preface, in the Percy Society's Publications, Vol. XXVII., 1849. The Tudor Society has published a photographic facsimile of the MS., now in the British Museum (Egerton MSS., 2828). Cf. B.M. Catalogue of Additions, 1907, p. 384. The MS. was purchased for the Museum at a sale on November 27, 1900, for £69. It is of paper. The original document, measuring 12-1/2 inches by 7-1/2 inches, comprises folios 5 to 29; folios 2 and 3 are the old vellum cover.
[pg 176]Mr. Croker's account of the MS. (Pref., p. ix) runs as follows:
“The MS., from its commencement to the termination of the licence, was written on forty-eight pages of foolscap paper, in a small hand, sometimes not easy to be read. Of the second leaf only an inconsiderable portion remains, and the top and bottom of the paper have been injured in some places by damp. In four additional pages after the licence, the Prologue, Epilogue, and property directions are preserved. The MS. is stitched up in a parchment cover, which appears to have been a cancelled ‘Indenture’ of Elizabeth's reign. On the outside page of this parchment, or back of the cancelled indenture, is written the title, in what I agree with Mr. Beltz in regarding as Massinger's autograph.”545
From the letter of Mr. S. Beltz, given by Mr. Crofton Croker, we learn that Gifford had more than once lamented to Mr. Croker the disappearance of this MS., which Colley Cibber had seen;546 and that the MS. had formerly been in David Garrick's hands. Mr. S. Beltz also says: “It is well known from other sources that the play was acted on May 7, 1631.”
The MS. had belonged to George Beltz, Lancaster Herald, and executor of Garrick's widow. His brother Samuel found it among “a mass of rubbish.” It was in the possession of J. O. Halliwell Phillips at one time. This well-known Shaksperian scholar inserted a note about it on p. 1, in which he says, inter alia: “This is one of the few play-house copies of any English plays before the suppression of theatres known to exist. I strongly suspect it has some corrections in Massinger's own autograph.”
[pg 177]Sir George F. Warner, in the Athenæum (January 19, 1901) discusses the MS. He believes it is in Massinger's own hand, as the alterations are made currente calamo. This fact can easily be verified from a perusal of the MS. Sir G. Warner, after comparing the MS. with the Henslowe document at Dulwich, arrived at the conviction that the writing was Massinger's. He considers that the title and marginal stage-directions are due to the manager, and that the Prologue and Epilogue are in a third hand. He points out that “Carthage” is written over “Venice” (Crofton Croker, p. 41), “Affricque” over “Europe” (p. 44), and “Berecinthius” over “Sampayo” (p. 79).547 He proceeds to explain the reason for these alterations, and then emends some of Mr. Croker's mistakes.
With all due deference to the great authority of Sir G. Warner, I do not feel certain that this hand is that of the appeal to Henslow. On the other hand, we must remember that seventeen years had elapsed, and that it is unlikely that a poor man like Massinger would have employed an amanuensis. Capital “I,” “s,” “f,” and “e” are alike in the two documents; but “ve” in “have ever” did not seem to me to be the same, nor did any of the “r's” at Dulwich resemble the hand in the play.548
[pg 178]There are few mistakes in the MS. beyond those which the writer has corrected himself. The corrections and additions all appear to be in the same hand. The simplest explanation of the MS. is to suppose that Massinger had before him the MS. of the play which had been condemned by the Censor, and that he copied it out again, making the necessary changes of name, etc. This would account for one or two mistakes which the writer has corrected.549 In other passages we can see his judgment at work, altering the phraseology,550 or expanding one line into two.551 Sometimes a word is repeated from a previous line and then cancelled,552 as if the writer had been tired, as he might well be. The writing combines German and Italian forms.
The play was remodelled from its original form by order of the Censor.553 Sir G. Warner has pointed out that it is derived from “the strangest adventure that ever happened, either in the ages passed or present: containing a discourse concerning the successe of the King of Portugal, Dom Sebastian. London: printed for Frances Henson, dwelling in the Blackfriers, 1601.”554
[pg 179]This book is the story of a claimant to the throne of Portugal. On p. 78 we have “the markes and signes which the King of Portugall Dom Sebastian beares naturally on his body.” Twenty-two in all are given. Among them are:
(2) The right arme longer than the left.
(5) The right legge is longer than the left.
(6) The right foote greater than the other.
Compare these statements with the words erased in the MS., folio 8.555
1 Marchant:
Cf. 2 Marchant:
Cf. 3 Marchant:
Cf. Berecinthius:
Compare the original reading in the play,560 “His nose! his German lippe!” Over German “very” has been written, and underneath is traceable the “A” of Austrian.
These passages leave no doubt as to the derivation of the earlier part of the story which Massinger dramatised.
On p. 45 of The Strangest Adventure we read that Dom Sebastian comes to Venice “very poorely, and robbed by five of his own servants, which he entertained in Cicilie.” This incident occurs in Believe as You List, Act I. At Venice he was persecuted by the “embassadour of Castile,” whose name is not given, but whose place in the play is taken by Flaminius. On p. 49 he is said to have been beaten by the Moors in Africa in 1578, and to be now (1600) a prisoner at Venice. In Believe as You List the period of twenty-two years is referred to as the interval during which Antiochus has been travelling about the world.561 On p. 50 Dom Sebastian arrives at Venice with “but one poor gazete.” In the play Antiochus, after being robbed by his servants, finds “a waste paper” lying near him, and speaks as follows:
On p. 67 Sebastian is set free, and on p. 86 he goes to Florence, on his way to Marseilles, with some talk of trying to establish his identity in Holland. But the narrative closes abruptly, and we know no more of the claimant to the Portuguese throne from The Strangest Adventure.
The ineffectiveness of the play may be partly due to the necessity of altering the original modern setting to an ancient [pg 181] one. It is hard, for example, to see how the monk Sampayo was metamorphosed into Berecinthius, the fat priest of Cybele.
Mr. Croker's reprint was the cause of a very pretty literary quarrel between the Shakespeare Society and the Percy Society. A writer who signed himself “A Member of both Societies” published a pamphlet animadverting on Mr. Croker's abilities as an editor,563 and Mr. Croker replied in no measured terms. The documents may be seen at the British Museum.
The anonymous writer, working on the many indications given in the marginal notes, reconstructed the cast of Believe as You List.564 “My cast,” he says, “has been a work of difficulty, and, in the case of some of the minor performers, a matter of considerable doubt, more especially as a few of them doubled or even trebled their parts; and as we here see (the only instance of the kind I am acquainted with), perhaps exchanged characters during the progress of the play.
“With regard to the three female parts, and another of a Moorish woman,566 we are left much in the dark, and I have placed names against them with considerable hesitation.
[pg 182]“The actors who doubled their parts were W. Penn, who was also a Jailor; Rowland, who was also King Prusias; Patrick, who was also a Captain; and Baxter, who was also an officer and a servant, besides, as well as we can judge, delivering a speech or two as Demetrius. Rowland must also have trebled his small parts. Besides these, we hear in the course of the play of W. Mago, Gascoine, Herbert, and Harry Wilson; the last was a singer.... It need hardly be added that the 'tragedy' was got up and acted by the Company called the King's Players, all the names being those of performers in that association in 1631.”
Appendix VIII. Collation Of Ms. Of “Believe As You List”
This play is accessible to the general public at present in Colonel Cunningham's edition of Massinger, and in Mr. Arthur Symons's edition in “The Mermaid Series.” An examination of the original MS., now in the British Museum, shows that Cunningham's text is not always correct. Though an exhaustive collation of the MS. is not necessary, several points of interest emerge from a study of the original document, which I have digested here. (C. = Cunningham's edition; MS. = Manuscript reading. Brackets signify Cunningham's conjectural additions, which he has not always taken the trouble to indicate.)
Page 595. There is no list of dramatis personae in MS.
I., 1.—C.: Enter Antiochus and a Stoic. The three servants enter after line 118.
MS.: Antiochus Stoic in philosopher's habits; Chrysalus with a writing, Syrus, Geta, bondmen.
I., 1, 26.—C.: Stoic.
MS.: Stoic: Hermit (cancelled).
[pg 183]I., 1, 56.—C.:
MS.: The line is much damaged, being the last on the page. A mention of the old after the young (lines 52 to 55) seems to be required.
I read it thus: Olde men with sil ... in vain. There is no trace of 57, but it is required by the sense.
I., 1, 60.—MS.: The soldiers' greedy lusts. “Greedy” deleted.
I., 1, 85.—C.: A prey so precious and so dearly purchased.
MS.: A prey so precious and dearly purchased.
“Precious” is scanned as a trisyllable.
I., 1, 117.—C.:
MS.: “Of my” is not in MS. The last word of 118 is “Swollen.” The word “Marvell” can be seen at the end of a line after 118.
Here comes a hiatus of two pages. No doubt Antiochus had a fairly long soliloquy. It is impossible to tell how many lines are lost here, as the characters seem to be conducting a rapid dialogue, in which it is not necessary to suppose that a whole line was assigned to each speaker at a time.
I., 1, 119.—C.:
MS.: Ore my head. A verb is wanted. (?) Sail-stretch'd flies o'er my head.
I., 1, 121.—MS.: ... ius furnished me. The line begins with a name to which there is no clue, probably introduced in the part now lost.
I., 1, 122.—C.: (And) make my first appearance like myself.
I., 1, 123.—C.: (Have these) disloyal villains ravished from me. Addition required by sense.
I., 1, 124.—C.: (Wret)ch that I was.
MS.: “ch” at end of a word which has disappeared. “Wretch” gives the sense.
[pg 184]I., 1, 125.—C.: (With) such a purchase.
MS.: Such a purchase. The first word in the line has disappeared.
I., 1, 126.—C.: Without (the) gold to fee an advocate.
MS.: Without gold to fee an advocate. The first word in the line has disappeared. (?) And.
I., 1, 127.—C.: (To) plead my royal title, nourish hope.
MS.: Plead my royal title, nourish hope. The first word in the line has disappeared. “To” is required.
I., 1, 129.—C.: Wanting the outer gloss.
MS.: Wanting the outward gloss.
I., 1, 153.—C.:
I., 1, 155.—C.:
MS. has: To make me live or die less than a king!—i.e., “that” in 156 is the demonstrative, not the relative.
I., 2, 2.—C.: Keeps us at such (a) distance.
MS.: Keeps us off at such distance.
I., 2, 20.—C.: Sans doubt, he's bent on mischief.
MS.: Sans doubt he's bent to mischief.
I., 2, 24.—C.:
MS.: Chant, and aloud too.
I., 2, 53.—C.: 'T had perfected thy life.
MS.: It had.
I., 2, 66.—C.: (to task). Not in MS. Traces of a word in the beginning of a line now lost at the foot of 66.
[pg 185]I., 2, 67.—C.:
“You'll find and feel” cancelled in line 68—i.e., the author changed his mind as he wrote.
I., 2, 72.—C.: These Asiatic merchants whom you look on.
MS.: These Asiatic merchants whom you look upon.
“Merchants” added afterwards above the line, and the first syllable of “upon” deleted.
I., 2, 90.—C.: To it again.
MS.: To it again now.
I., 2, 139.—C.: Yet you repine and rather choose to pay.
MS.: Yet you repined and rather chose to pay.
I., 2, 151.—C.: And this is my last caution.
MS.: Since this is my last caution.
I., 2, 161.—C.: (On) which.
MS.: Mutilated at beginning. “On” makes sense.
I., 2, 186.—C.: His nose, his very lip.
MS.: His nose, his German lip. “German” scratched out, and underneath appears a word beginning with “A,” Asian or Austrian?567 “Very” is written above “German.”
I., 2, 187.—C.:
“His own” down to “the right” is cancelled in MS.
[pg 186]I., 2, 191.—C:
MS.:
In line 192 “his” has been altered to “the chirurgeon's” to the detriment of the metre.
I., 2, 196.—C.: We'll pay for our distrust.
MS.: We sin in our distrust.
II., ad initium.—Stage-manager's note in left-hand margin, “Long.”
II., 1, 6.—C: I will exact
MS.: 'Twill exact.
II., 1, 47.—MS.:
“Honour” in 47 deleted.
II., 1, 51.—MS.: In the shape of King Antiochus. Under King can be seen “Don Sebastian.”
II., 2, 45.—C: With due invitation, and remember.
MS.: With a due invitation and remember.
II., 2, 49.—C.:
II., 2, 52.—MS.:
“At sea superior” deleted. A clear case of the author's alteration as he went.
II., 2, 56.—C.:
“How often” in line 56. and the first “they brake” deleted. Author's alterations again.
II., 2, 59.—C.: If so we find it.
MS. If so, as we find it.
II., 2, 67.—MS.: By yielding up a man.
Written over something of which the first words are “in a,” the last word “king.”
II., 2, 98.—MS.: By the conquered Asiatics this impost in their hopes.
“This impost” deleted. “This impostor” occurs just above in line 97.
II., 2, 108.—C.: By her.
MS.: By his.
II., 2, 138.—C.: He bears him like a king.
MS.: He bears himself like a king.
II., 2, 142.—MS.: Ceutha deleted before Afric.
II., 2, 165.—C.: Cannot near you.
MS.: Cannot hear you.
II., 2, 205.—C.: Filled.
MS.: Filed.
II., 2, 209.—MS.: And hath keeps a whore in Corinth.
“Hath” deleted.
II., 2, 217.—MS.: In the royal monument of Hib the Asian kings.
(?) The author started to write “Hiberian kings.”
[pg 188]II., 2, 240.—MS.: Rebellion delivery or restoring.
“Rebellion” deleted; it occurred in the previous line.
II., 2, 253.—C.:
“Setting aside” and “thy place” deleted.
II., 2, 255.—C.: By being ...
II., 2, 256.—C.: I (bow to) your goddess.
MS.: Thank your goddess.
“Thy” deleted under “your.”
II., 2, 285.—MS.:
“That might” down to “opposition” inserted in same hand above the line.
II., 2, 289.—C.: For my confed'rates.
MS.: For my confederates.
Required by metre.
II., 2, 328.—MS.: Word deleted before Antiochus. Sebastian would scan.
II., 2, 335.—MS.: With your accustomed clemency wisdom you'll perceive.
“Clemency” deleted.
II., 2, 346.—MS.: Such depositions as they pleased knew would make.
“Pleased” deleted.
II., 2, 368.—MS.: Word deleted under “Carthage.” (?) Venice.
III., 1, 20.—MS.: “Europe” deleted under “Afric.”
III., 1, 22.—MS.: “To the good king Hiero” deleted under “To the pro-consul Marcellus.”
III., 1, 47.—C.: You'll find there that they.
MS.: You shall find there that.
(A nominative is wanted; unless for “there” we read “them”)
[pg 189]III., 1, 62.—C.: To my (aid).
MS.: To my wish.
III., 1, 91.—MS.: There's thy reward.
Underneath “there's,” “take” deleted.
III., 1, 103.—C.:
“Sans ceremonie” deleted, and “formality ... useless” added at the end of the line. The author omitted to cancel “I take my leave.”
III., 2, 31.—C.: Thou thin gut!
MS.: You thin gut!
III., 2, 35.—MS.: Cancels from “Jove! if thou art” to 38, “They come.”
III., 2, 36.—C.: Change not Jove's purpose.
MS.: Change not you Jove's purpose.
III., 2, 106.—MS.:
Cancelled in MS.
III., 3, 132.—C.: Will but—I spare comparisons.
(?) Punctuate: Will—but I spare comparisons.
III., 3, 150.—MS.: Of such such as are.
Second “such” deleted.
III., 3, 151.—MS.: Bithynia covered with our knights armies.
“Knights” deleted.
III., 3, 166.—MS.: And more than my his caution to you; but now peace or war.
“And more than my” deleted. The previous line had begun with these words. Was the author copying a former draft of the scene?
III., 3, 229.—C.: To cross your purpose.
MS.: To cross your purposes.
III., 3, 234.—MS.: The warrant and authority of a wife your queen.
“A wife” deleted.
[pg 190]III., 3, 244.—C.: These (eyes) pull'd out.
MS.: These pulled out.
“Eyes” is required by the sense, and “these” and “eyes” are much alike in this hand.
Ibid.—C.: Do then.
MS.: Do you then.
III., 3, 248.—C.: Born deaf.
MS.: Born dumb.
Act IV.—Stage-manager's note in left-hand margin of 186, “Long.” Cf. Act II.
IV., 1.—C.: A street in Callipolis.
Not in MS.
MS.: Sempronius a Capturion—i.e., “captain” altered to “centurion.”
IV., 1, 2.—MS.: I heard such.
“Such” deleted. It begins the next line.
IV., 1, 5.—MS.: He promised me a visit, if his designs as I desire they may.
“He” deleted and “who by his letters” written above it.
For similar expansion of one line into two, cf. II., 2, 285.
IV., 1, 7.—MS.: Till he arrive you behold him.
“He arrive” deleted.
IV., 1, 23.—MS.: “My” deleted before “yourself.”
IV., 1, 29.—C.: Lips.
MS.: Lip.
IV., 1, 34.—C.: Tacks on “he” to this line.
MS.: “He” begins line 35.
IV., 1, 45.—Enter Flaminius.
(?) “Ferdinand” deleted below.
IV., 1, 90.—C.: And may prove fortunate.
MS.: And it may prove fortunate.
IV., 2, 5.—C.: (Why), the sufferings of this miserable man.
MS.: No trace of “why.”
IV., 2, 11.—C.: Tacks on “to” at the end.
MS.: It begins line 12.
[pg 191]IV., 2, 29.—C.: And know that not the reverence that waits.
MS.: And though I know the reverence that waits.
IV., 2, 33.—C.: Or iron.
MS.: Or fire.
IV., 2, 58.—C.: They aim at.
MS.: They aimed at.
IV., 2, 60.—C.: A few more hours.
MS.: A few hours more.
IV., 2, 66.—MS.: For the pretty tempting friend I brought; my life on't.
Under “tempting,” “beauty” (?) deleted.
IV., 2, 87.—MS.: Crack not with the weight of deer, and far-fetched dainties.
“Not” spoils the metre and the sense; it occurs in line 88. “Dispute not with heaven's bounties.”
IV., 2, 90.—C.: Homely cakes.
MS.: Homely cates.
Scratched out at top of 20b, and inserted at foot of 20a.
IV., 2, 127.—C.: Pray, what are you?
MS.: Pray you, what are you?
IV., 2, 147.—C.: That, (sir), is.
MS.: “Sir” not visible owing to mutilation. (?) Sir, that is.
IV., 2, 158.—MS.: And met your wishes.
“And met” deleted before “and met.”
IV., 2, 226.—MS.: To pluck your eyes out.
Last half of line deleted. Last word (?) “thoughtes.”
IV., 2, 228.—MS.: Add a deleted line:
Dieted with gourd water.568 Oh! the furies!
C.: leaves out.
[pg 192]IV., 3, 1.—MS.: Officers leading in Berecinthius.
“Sampayo” deleted under “Berecinthius.”
C.: Place of execution at Callipolis.
MS.: Does not mention Callipolis.
IV., 3, 28.—MS.: My bark you see wants stowage.
“Balance” deleted before “stowage.”
IV., 3, 29.—C.: But give me half a dozen hens.
MS.: But give me half a dozen of hens.
IV., 3, 39.—MS.: “Helped me” bis. The first one deleted.
IV., 3, 44.—MS.: To make three sops for his three heads; may serve for a breakfast.
“that” inserted after “heads,” and “something more than an ordinary” after “serve for.” One line converted into two, as above, IV., 1, 5.
IV., 3, 46.—MS.: The cur is vengeance devilish hungry.
“Vengeance” deleted.
IV., 3, 48.—C.: Provided for my frame.
MS.: Provided for my fame.
IV., 3, 53.—MS.: That no covetous Roman, after I am dead.
“Needie” deleted under “covetous.”
IV., 4, 13.—C: His faults are inscribed.
MS.: His fault's inscribed.
IV., 4, 22.—C.: But in one thing most remarkable.
MS.: But one thing most remarkable.
IV., 4, 45.—MS.: Of kings deposed, and some in triumph led.
“Read” deleted before “led.” It is the last word of line 44.
IV., 4, 48.—C: Is of worse condition, and Rome.
MS.: Is of a worse condition, and Rome.
V., 1, 28.—MS.: “rows” deleted before “is chained.”
V., 1, 98.—C: In the world.
MS.: Of the world.
V., 1, 102.—C: Since I am term'd a soldier.
MS.: Since I am turn'd soldier.
V., 1, 116.—C: Grant you like (opportunity, but why),
MS.: Grant you like;
C.'s addition required by the sense.
[pg 193]V., 1, 137.—C.: In which, my lord being a suitor with (me).
MS.: In which, my lord being a suitor with. Addition required.
V., 1, 143.—C.: And though it needs not, for further proof.
MS.: And though it needs it not, for further proof.
V., 1, 157.—C.: They find.
MS.: May find.
“May” required by the sense.
V., 1, 172.—MS.: Swim down the torrent stream but to oppose the torrent.
“Torrent” before “stream” deleted.
V., 2, 14.—C.: I will make this good.
MS.: I will mock this good.
V., 2, 30.—C.: That noble Roman. By h(im you are sent for).
MS.: That noble Roman. By h.... Addition required.
V., 2, 33.—C.: Though I grand him.
MS.: Though I grac'd him.
V., 2, 46.—C.: Antonius. Forbear.
MS.: Marcellus. Forbear.
V.,2, 59.—MS.: “Marcell” deleted before “King Antiochus.”
V., 2, 124.—C.: (The armlet).
Koeppel points out that in Cayet it is a ring.569
V., 2, 125.—C.: Which you wear on your sl(eeve).
MS.: Which you wear on your——slight traces of “sl.”
V., 2, 125.—C.: I ack(nowledge).
MS.: I ack ...
V., 2, 155.—C.:
V., 2, 166-7.—MS.: As far as “faithfully” in one line, but all written at the same time.
V., 2, 173.—C.: The violence of your passion.
MS.: .... l .. ce of your passion.
[pg 194]V., 2, 174.—C.: Cornelia. (Do) but (expre)ss.
MS.: Cornelia has a line which has disappeared; towards the end are traces of “but” and “ss.”
V., 2, 175.—C.: Your thankfulness for his so m(any favours).
MS.: Your thankfulness for his so m ...
V., 2, 176.—C.: And labour that the senate may restore h(im).
MS.: And labour that the senate may restore h ... Addition required.
V., 2, 212.—C.: Yield an account without appeal for wha(t).
MS.: Yield an account without appeal for wha ...
V., 2, 213.—C.: You have already done. You may p(eru)se. (Does it.)
MS.: You have already done. You may p ... se.
No need for “Does it.”
V., 2, 214.—C.: Do you f(i)nd I ha(ve).
MS.: Do you f ... nd e I ha ... Addition required.
V., 2, 215.—C.: (The warran)t. (C)all in the Asian merchants.
MS.: ... all in the Asian marchants.
(?) “The document” would scan better.
V., 2, 216.—C.: 2 Merchant. Now to be hanged.
MS. has space above 216 for half a line to be said by someone else.
V., 2, 217.—C.: 3 Merchant. Him that pities thee.
MS. gives no clue to the speaker.
Ibid.—C.: Flaminius. Accusers.
MS.: ... sers. It is the last word of line 217?
V., 2, 218.—C.: ... die, and will prove that you took bribes.
I suggest as restoration of lines 215-218:
V., 2, 232.—C.: ('Tis) a Roman.
MS.: A Roman.
(C.'s addition required by the sense.)
Prologue—1.—C.: (So far our) author.
MS.: ... author.