Page:The Plays of William Shakspeare (1778).djvu/334

[ 318 ] year they obtained a licence for their exhibitions from king James; and from that time they bore the more honourable appellation of his majety’s servants. There can, therefore, be little doubt, that the Troilus and CreSS undefinedida which is here entered, as acted at Shakpeare’s theatre, was his play, and was, if not repreented, intended to have been repreented there.

Perhaps the two dicordant accounts, relative to this piece, may be thus reconciled. It might have been performed in 1602 at court, by the lord chamberlain’s ervants, (as many plays at that time were) and yet not have been exhibited on the publick tage till ome years afterwards. The editor in 1609 only ays, “ it had never been taled with the tage, never clapperclaw’d with the palms of the vulgar.”

As a further proof: of the early appearance of Troilus and CreSS undefinedida it may be oberved, that an incident in it eems to be burlequed in a comedy entitled Hitriomatix, which, though not printed till 1610, mut have been written before the death of queen Elizabeth, who, in the lat act of the piece, is hadowed under the character of Atræa, and is poken of as then living.

In our author’s play, when Troilus and CreSS undefinedida part, he gives her his leeve, and he, in return, preents, him with her glove.

To this circumtance thee lines in Hitriomatix eem to refer. They are poken by Troilus and CreSS undefinedida, who are introduced in an interlude:

Troi. “ Come CreSS undefinedida, my creSS undefinedet light, Thy face doth hine both day and night. Behold, behold, thy garter blue Thy knight his valiant elbow weares, That, when he hakes his furious peare, The foe in hivering fearful fort May lay him down in death to nort. CreSS undefined., O knight, with valour in thy face, Here take my kreene, weare it for grace; Within thy helmet put the ame, Therewith to make thy enemies lame.”