A Digital Anthology of Early Modern English Drama emed.folger.edu Discover over four hundred early modern English plays that were professionally performed in London between 1576 and 1642. Browse plays written by Shakespeare’s contemporaries; explore the repertoires of London’s professional companies; and download plays for reading and research. This documentary edition has been edited to provide an accurate and transparent transcription of a single copy of the earliest surviving print edition of this play. Further material, including editorial policy and XML files of the play, is available on the EMED website. EMED texts are edited and encoded by Meaghan Brown, Michael Poston, and Elizabeth Williamson, and build on work done by the EEBO-TCP and the Shakespeare His Contemporaries project. This project is funded by a Humanities Collections and Reference Resources grant from the NEH’s Division of Preservation and Access. Plays distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. img: 1­a ismigg: :[ N1­/bA] sig: A1r ln 0001 THE ln 0002 CHANGELING: ln 0003 As it was Acted (with great Applause) ln 0004 at the Private house in DRURY LANE, ln 0005 and Salisbury Court. ln 0006 Written by THOMAS MIDDLETON, ln 0007 and ln 0008 WILLIAM ROWLEY. Gentlemen. ln 0009 Never Printed before. ln 0010 LONDON, ln 0011 Printed for HUMPHREY MOSELEY, and are to ln 0012 be sold at his shop at the sign of the Prince’s Arms ln 0013 in St. Paul’s Churchyard, 1653. img: 2­a sig: A1v ln 0001 Dramatis Personae. ln 0002 Vermandero, Father to Beatrice. ln 0003 Tomazo de Piracquo, A Noble Lord. ln 0004 Alonzo de Piracquo, His brother, Suitor to Beatrice: ln 0005 Alsemero, A Nobleman, afterwards married to Beatrice. ln 0006 Jasperino, His Friend. ln 0007 Alibius, A jealous Doctor. ln 0008 Lollio, His man. ln 0009 Pedro, Friend to Antonio. ln 0010 Antonio, The Changeling. ln 0011 Franciscus, The Counterfeit Madman. ln 0012 Deflores, Servant to Vermandero. ln 0013 Madmen, ln 0014 Servants. ln 0015 Beatrice, Daughter to Vermandero. ln 0016 Diaphanta, Her Waiting­woman. ln 0017 Isabella Wife to Alibius. linm 0g0:1 28­b The Scene Alicant. sig: B1r wln 0001 The Changeling. wln 0002 ACTUS PRIMUS. wln 0003 Enter Alsemero. wln 0004 ’TWas in the Temple where I first beheld her, wln 0005 And now again the same, what Omen yet wln 0006 Follows of that? None but imaginary, wln 0007 Why should my hopes or fate be timorous? wln 0008 The place is holy, so is my intent: wln 0009 I love her beauties to the holy purpose, wln 0010 And that (methinks) admits comparison wln 0011 With man’s first creation, the place blessed wln 0012 And is his right home back (if he achieve it.) wln 0013 The Church hath first begun our interview wln 0014 And that’s the place must join us into one, wln 0015 So there’s beginning and perfection too. wln 0016 Enter Jasperino. wln 0017 Jasperino O Sir, are you here? Come, the wind’s fair with you, wln 0018 Y’ are like to have a swift and pleasant passage. wln 0019 Alsemero Sure y’ are deceived friend, ’tis contrary wln 0020 In my best judgement. wln 0021 Jasperino What for Malta? wln 0022 If you could buy a gale amongst the Witches, wln 0023 They could not serve you such a lucky pennyworth img: 3­a sig: B1v wln 0024 As comes a’ God’s Name. wln 0025 Alsemero Even now I observed wln 0026 The temple’s Vane to turn full in my face, wln 0027 I know ’tis against me. wln 0028 Jasperino Against you? wln 0029 Then you know not where you are. wln 0030 Alsemero Not well indeed wln 0031 Jasperino Are you not well sir? wln 0032 Alsemero Yes, Jasperino. wln 0033 Unless there be some hidden malady wln 0034 Within me, that I understand not. wln 0035 Jasperino And that wln 0036 I begin to doubt sir, I never knew wln 0037 Your inclinations to travels at a pause wln 0038 With any cause to hinder it till now. wln 0039 Ashore you were wont to call your servants up, wln 0040 And help to trap your Horses for the speed. wln 0041 At sea I have seen you weigh the anchor with ’em, wln 0042 Hoist sails for fear to lose the foremost breath, wln 0043 Be in continual prayers for fair winds, wln 0044 And have you changed your orisons? wln 0045 Alsemero No, friend, wln 0046 I keep the same church, same devotion. wln 0047 Jasperino Lover I’m sure y’ are none, the Stoic wln 0048 Was found in you long ago, your mother wln 0049 Nor best friends, who have set snares of beauty, wln 0050 Ay and choice ones too, could never trap you that way wln 0051 What might be the cause? wln 0052 Alsemero Lord, how violent, wln 0053 Thou art; I was but meditating of wln 0054 Somewhat I heard within the temple. wln 0055 Jasperino Is this violence? ’tis but idleness wln 0056 Compared with your haste yesterday. wln 0057 Alsemero I’m all this while a­going, man. Enter Servants. wln 0058 Jasperino Backwards, I think, sir. Look your servants. wln 0059 1 Servant The seamen call, shall we Board your trunks? wln 0060 Alsemero No, not today. wln 0061 Jasperino ’Tis the critical day, wln 0062 It seems, and the sign in Aquarius. wln 0063 2 Servant We must not to sea today, this smoke will bring forth fire. img: 3­b sig: B2r wln 0064 Alsemero Keep all on shore, I do not know the end wln 0065 (Which needs I must do) of an affair in hand wln 0066 Ere I can go to sea. wln 0067 1 Servant Well, your pleasure. wln 0068 2 Servant Let him e’en take his leisure too, we are safer on land. wln 0068 Exeunt Servants wln 0069 Enter Beatrice, Diaphanta, and Servants, Joannna. wln 0070 Jasperino How now! The Laws of the Medes are changed sure, salute wln 0071 a woman, he kisses too: wonderful! where learnt he this? and does it wln 0072 perfectly too; in my conscience he ne’er rehearsed it before. Nay, go wln 0073 on, this will be stranger and better news at Valencia, than if he had wln 0074 ransomed half Greece from the Turk. wln 0075 Beatrice You are a Scholar, sir. wln 0076 Alsemero A weak one, Lady. wln 0077 Beatrice Which of the Sciences is this love you speak of? wln 0078 Alsemero From your tongue I take it to be music. wln 0079 Beatrice You are skilful in ’t, can sing at first sight. wln 0080 Alsemero And I have showed you all my skill at once. wln 0081 I want more words to express me further. wln 0082 And must be forced to repetition: wln 0083 I love you dearly. wln 0084 Beatrice Be better advised, sir: wln 0085 Our eyes are Sentinels unto our judgements, wln 0086 And should give certain judgement what they see; wln 0087 But they are rash sometimes, and tell us wonders wln 0088 Of common things, which when our judgements find, wln 0089 They can then check the eyes, and call them blind. wln 0090 Alsemero But I am further, Lady; yesterday wln 0091 Was mine eye’s employment, and hither now wln 0092 They brought my judgement, where are both agreed. wln 0093 Both Houses then consenting, ’tis agreed, wln 0094 Only there wants the confirmation wln 0095 By the hand Royal, that’s your part, Lady. wln 0096 Beatrice Oh there’s one above me, sir, for five days past wln 0097 To be recalled; sure, mine eyes were mistaken, wln 0098 This was the man was meant me, that he should come wln 0099 So near his time, and miss it. wln 0100 Jasperino We might have come by the Carriers from Valencia, I see and wln 0101 saved all our sea­provision: we are at farthest sure, methinks I should wln 0102 do something too, I meant to be a venturer in this voyage. Yonder’s wln 0103 another Vessel, I’ll board her, if she be lawful prize, down goes her wln 0104 topsail. img: 4­a sig: B2v wln 0105 Enter Deflores. wln 0106 Deflores Lady, your father. wln 0107 Beatrice Is in health, I hope. wln 0108 Deflores Your eye shall instantly instruct you, Lady. wln 0109 He’s coming hitherward. wln 0110 Beatrice What needed then wln 0111 Your duteous preface? I had rather wln 0112 He had come unexpected, you must stall wln 0113 A good presence with unnecessary blabbing: wln 0114 And how welcome for your part you are, wln 0115 I’m sure you know. wln 0116 Deflores Wilt never mend this scorn wln 0117 One side nor other? Must I be enjoined wln 0118 To follow still whilst she flies from me? Well, wln 0119 Fates do your worst, I’ll please myself with sight wln 0120 Of her, at all opportunities, wln 0121 If but to spite her anger, I know she had wln 0122 Rather see me dead than living, and yet wln 0123 She knows no cause for ’t, but a peevish will. wln 0124 Alsemero You seemed displeased Lady on the sudden. wln 0125 Beatrice Your pardon Sir, ’tis my infirmity, wln 0126 Nor can I other reason render you, wln 0127 Than his or hers, or some particular thing wln 0128 They must abandon as a deadly poison, wln 0129 Which to a thousand other tastes were wholesome, wln 0130 Such to mine eyes is that same fellow there, wln 0131 The same that report speaks of the Basilisk.