Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 37.djvu/376

 matic force. 19. ‘The Witch,’ first printed in 1778 from a unique manuscript entitled ‘A Tragi-Coomodie called the Witch; long since acted by His Matie's Servants at the Black-friers,’ which passed from the actor Griffin (b. 1680) through several hands to Steevens and Malone, and is now in the Bodleian Library. Much of the incident is drawn from Machiavelli's ‘Florentine History,’ perhaps through the medium of Belleforest, ‘Histoires Tragiques,’ iv. 73. The play, which is gross without being effective, derives its whole interest from certain points of contact with ‘Macbeth.’ The same witch-motive is in both plays, and two songs, of which the first lines only are given in ‘Macbeth,’ are supplied at length in ‘The Witch.’ It has therefore been suggested either that Middleton was responsible for the witch scenes in ‘Macbeth’ and for the two songs alluded to in those scenes, or that Shakespeare was a plagiarist of Middleton. But these theories may safely be rejected. The absence of any marks of date in ‘The Witch’ renders the question difficult, but Middleton's tragic plots belong, with no certain exception, to a period later than ‘Macbeth,’ and in ‘The Witch’ he is doubtless, as he is frequently elsewhere, an imitator of Shakespeare. The use of semi-supernatural beings is altogether alien to his realistic manner; and though his witches are largely transformed to vulgar instruments of crime, the figure of Hecate is a significant remnant of a style not his own. As for the two songs in ‘The Witch’ (iii. 3 and v. 2), the first lines of which are quoted in ‘Macbeth’ (iii. 5 and iv. 1), the quoted lines, with parts of the continuations, might certainly be allowed to Shakespeare, but Middleton was not incapable of such efforts, and on the other hand, portions of the complete songs can only be his. The whole may fairly be assigned to Middleton, and were probably foisted by stage-managers into the acting edition of ‘Macbeth.’ 20. ‘Anything for a Quiet Life,’ 4to, 1662. A not very striking play of intrigue. Mr. Bullen suspects revision by Shirley. 21. ‘The Widdow, a Comedie, written by Ben. Johnson, John Fletcher, Tho. Middleton,’ 4to, 1652. In a copy possessed by Dyce was a manuscript note, in an old hand, ascribing the play to Middleton ‘alone.’ There are signs of Jonson, or of a follower of Jonson, in act iv., but the play is no doubt mainly by Middleton.

Of several of Middleton's plays only the titles are known. Such are: 1. ‘The Puritan Maid, Modest Wife, and Wanton Widow, by T. Middleton,’ entered on the Stationers' Registers, 9 Sept. 1653. 2. ‘The Chester Tragedy.’ Middleton had also, according to Henslowe, some share in Dekker's ‘Honest Whore,’ pt. i. 1604; but his share was doubtless slight. A share has also been claimed for him, on grounds of style solely, in ‘The Puritan,’ printed 1607, ‘by W. S.,’ and in ‘A Match at Midnight,’ printed 1633, ‘by W. R.’ ( and ).

II. .—1. ‘The Triumphs of Truth: a Solemnity,’ &c., celebrating the mayoralty of Sir Thomas Middleton; ‘Also his Lordship's Entertainment at the Opening of the New River,’ 4to, 1613; two editions. 2. ‘Civitatis Amor: an Entertainment,’ &c., at Whitehall, on the creation of the Prince of Wales, 4 Nov. 1616, 4to. 3. ‘The Tryumphs of Honor and Industry: a Solemnity,’ &c., on the mayoralty of George Bowles, 4to, 1617. 4. ‘The Inner Temple Masque, or Masque of Heroes, presented, as an Entertainment for many worthy Ladies, by Gentlemen of the same Ancient and Noble House,’ 4to, 1619, entered on the Stationers' Registers 10 July 1619, the masque being there dated 1618. 5. ‘The Triumphs of Love and Antiquity,’ for the mayoralty of Sir W. Cockayn, 4to, 1619. 6. ‘The World Tost at Tennis (a Courtly Masque, The Device called): As it hath been divers times Presented … by the Prince his Servants,’ 4to, 1620. By far the most elaborate and striking of Middleton's masques. Like Jonson's later masques it shows a marked approximation to the drama. 7. ‘The Sunne in Aries,’ for the mayoralty of Edward Barkham, 4to, 1621. 8. ‘An Invention performed for the Service of … E. Barkham, L. Mayor,’ at an entertainment at his house, Easter 1623[2], first printed by Bullen; manuscript in ‘State Papers, Domestic,’ vol. cxxix. 9. ‘The Triumphs of Honor and Virtue,’ for the mayoralty of Peter Proby, 4to, 1622. 10. ‘The Triumphs of Integrity,’ for the mayoralty of Martin Lumley, 4to, 1623. 11. ‘The Triumphs of Health and Prosperity,’ for the mayoralty of Cuthbert Hacket, 4to, 1626.

Middleton also wrote a lost masque: 12. ‘The Mask of Cupid,’ performed at Merchant Taylors' Hall, 4 Jan. 1614. He likewise contributed a speech of sixty lines (Zeal) to Dekker's ‘Entertainment to King James on his Passage through the City,’ 15 March 1604. Ten minor entertainments—some of which were not previously printed—were published in 1621 under the title, ‘Honorable Entertainments compos'de for the Seruice of this Noble Cittie. Some of which were fashion'd for the Entertainment of the Lords of his Maiesties most Honorable Privie Councell upon the Occasion of their