Pleasant dialogues and dramma's selected out of Lucian, Erasmus, Textor, Ovid, &c. ... By Tho. Heywood |
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 | Pleasant dialogues and dramma's |  |
A young witty Lad playing the part of Richard the third: at the Red Bull: the Author because hee was interessed in the Play to incourage him, wrot him this Prologue and Epilogue.
The Boy the Speaker.
If any wonder by what magick charme,Richard the third is shrunke up like his arme:
And where in fulnesse you expected him,
You see me onely crawling, like a limme
Or piece of that knowne fabrick, and no more,
(When he so often hath beene view'd before.)
Let all such know: a Rundlet ne're so small
Is call'd a vessell: being a Tunne; that's all.
Hee's tearm'd a man, that showes a dwarfish thing,
No more's the Guard, or Porter to the King.
So Pictures in small compasse I have seene
Drawne to the life, as neare, as those have beene
Ten times their bignesse: Christenmas loaves are bread,
So's your least Manchet: have you never read
Large folio Sheets which Printers over-looke,
And cast in small, to make a pocket booke?
So Richard is transform'd: if this disguise
Show me so small a letter for your eyes,
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Hee'l next appeare, in texted hand againe.
The Epilogue.
Great I confesse your patience hath now beene,
To see a little Richard: who can win,
Or praise, or credit? eye, or thinke to excell,
By doing after what was done so well?
It was not my ambition to compare,
No envie, or detraction: such things are
In men of more growne livers, greater spleene,
But in such lads as I am, seldome seene.
To see a little Richard: who can win,
Or praise, or credit? eye, or thinke to excell,
By doing after what was done so well?
It was not my ambition to compare,
No envie, or detraction: such things are
In men of more growne livers, greater spleene,
But in such lads as I am, seldome seene.
I doe, but like a child, who sees one swim,
And (glad to learne) will venter after him
Though he be soundly duckt for't, or to tell
My mind more plainely, one that faine would spell,
In hope to read more perfect: all the gaines
I expect for these unprofitable paines,
Is, that you would at parting from this place
Doe but unto my littlenesse that grace
To spie my worth, as I have seene dimme eyes
To looke through spectacles, or perspectives,
That in your gracious view I may appeare,
Of small, more great; of coming far off, neare.
And (glad to learne) will venter after him
Though he be soundly duckt for't, or to tell
My mind more plainely, one that faine would spell,
In hope to read more perfect: all the gaines
I expect for these unprofitable paines,
Is, that you would at parting from this place
Doe but unto my littlenesse that grace
To spie my worth, as I have seene dimme eyes
To looke through spectacles, or perspectives,
That in your gracious view I may appeare,
Of small, more great; of coming far off, neare.
| Pleasant dialogues and dramma's | |