DIE TEXTVARIANTEN VON BEAUMONT UND FLETCHERS „PHILASTER, OR LOVE LIES -BLEEDING" etc., NEBST EINER ZUSAMMENSTELLUNG DEE AUSGABEN UND LITTERATUR IHRER WERKE. m. BONDUCA. Dyce, Fleay und Boyle halten Fletcher für den alleinigen Verfasser dieser tragödie, über deren inhalt und quellen ich bereits früher einmal in den „Englischen Studien" , l berichtet habe. Nach Weber ist das stück ein gemeinschaft- liches produkt Beaumonts und Fletchers, und Darley lässt die frage der Verfasserschaft unentschieden. Entstanden ist es noch vor 1619, dem todesjahre des schauspielere Burbadge1, welcher eine der rollen des dramas, vermutlich die des Cara- tach, gespielt hat.2 Der erste druck findet sich in der folioausgabe von 1647 (A) ohne personen-Verzeichnis, der zweite mit einem solchen in der folio von 1679 (B) und der dritte ist eine quartaus- gabe vom jähre 1718, welche Dyce nicht erwähnt. Dieselbe schliesst sich eng an B an und ist betitelt: 1 „' Richard Burbadge Player was buried the XVI«i of Marche [1618 —19 — his place of residence having been] Holly well St.' I copy this entry literatim from the Register of Burials belonging to St. Leonard's Church Shoreditch." (D). 2 Vergl. Folio 1679: The principal actors were — Richard Burbadge. William Ostler. Henry Condel. John Lowin. William Egglestone. John Vnderwood. Nicholas Toolie. Richard Robinson. Brought to you by | New York University Bobst Library Technical Services Authenticated Download Date | 5/29/15 10:51 AM 422 BENNO LEONHARDT, Bondvca. A Tragedy. Written by Mr. Francis Beau- mont and Mr. John Fletcher. London, Printed for J. T. And sold by J. Brown at the Black Swan without Temple- Bar. 1718. Ich bezeichne sie mit . Von den sog. „alterations" sind zu nennen: 1. Bonduca or The Britifh Heroine, A Tragedy. Acted at the Theatre Royal. By His Majesty's Servants. With a New Entertainment of Musick, Vocal und Inftru- mental. Never Printed or Acted before. London, Printed for Eichard Bentley, in Ruff el-Street near Convent- Garden. 1696. Ein zweites exemplar dieser ausgäbe — vom Schauspieler George Powell — findet man mit anderen stückenl desselben mannes in einem bände unter 83 a 7 des katalogs (Beaumont und Fletcher — Bonduca) des Brit. Museums. Dem stück geht folgende Widmung voraus: To the Right Honourable, the Lord Jeffereys, Baron of Wem, etc. My Lord, The faireft Excule I can find for this Prefumption, is, That, the Modern Publications of Plays, are like the Roman Buildings, under the Umbrage of fome Houfhold Deity, Erected over fome Portico, to Fence and keep all fafe within. And indeed, as Plays are but Piles of Wit, the Structure of In- genuity, a Noble Name in the Frontifpiece, is much the fame Domestick Guardian; at leaft, for my own part, I have made the moft proper Choice of fuch a Tutelar Power in your Lordfhip. For where fhou'd the Mufes feek Covert, and Pro- tection, but there, where both Apollo and Minerva are Your Lordfhips Hereditaries; whilst you fpring from thofe Veins that fo entirely Entitle and Qualify You for a Mecoenas? 1 1. Alphonfo, King of Naples (a Tragedy), 1691; 2. A very Good Wife (a Comedy), 1693; 3. The Treacherous Brothers (a Tragedy), 1696; 4. The Impofture Defeated: or A Trick to Cheat the Devil (a Comedy), 1698; 5. The Cornifh Comedy, 1696; 6. Bonduca, 1696; 7. A New Opera, called Brutus of Alba: or Augusta's Triumph, 1697. Brought to you by | New York University Bobst Library Technical Services Authenticated Download Date | 5/29/15 10:51 AM TEXTVABIANTEN. III. BONDUCA. 423 And whilft Bonduca ftands fo fhelterd under Your Lordfhips Protection, I muft fay, 'tis a Fabrick of Antiquity; a Foundation of that Celebrated Poetical Architect, the Fa- mous Fletcher: But with feveral Alterations, befides the two Firft Acts New Writ. But whilft I make this bold Addrefs to Your Lordfhip, there are two Confederations requifite to an Epiftle Dedica- tory: The Prefent, and the Hand that makes it. For the First of thefe, 'tis the Off-fpring of Beaumont and Flet- cher, I lay at Your Lordfhips Feet; and under that Name, the very Parentage ftamps that Merit upon it, as fhould carry its own Safety; for methinks when Great Authors revive, they fhould have no Ordeal to pafs either to the Stage or the Prefs. Both Cenfure and Malice fhould ftand Awed and Silenced there; in so much that inftead of Sup- plications, either to the Audience, or Readers good Humour and Smiles; on the contrary, they fhould enjoy all the Benefits of the Great Dead, be paft any Danger of the Criticks Pur- gatory, in an immediate ftate of Felicity: And confequently by the Canons of the Mufes, as well as the Churches Kubrick, to be above the want of Prayers. Befides, as the Present I make Your Lordfhip, is all our own Native Growth; the History of a Britifh Heroine; it carries fome more favourable Recommendation to your Lordfhips Acceptance: For where can our Nobleft Englifh Memoirs be more gracefully or more fuitably lodged, than in the Hands of the Nobleft English Honour? And it has this further Advantage, as being an English Story; That the Glory of Worthies and Heroes founds fweeteft, where the Mufick is Tuned at Home. But for the Unworthy Hand that makes the Present (my other Dedicatory Confideration) There even Poetry it felf is at alofs for an Apology; nay the very Player almoft Blufhes too. 'Tis true, my Lord, Your Lordfhip has vouchfafed to Grace and Encourage our willing Endeavours with Extraor- dinary Smiles, being that Condefcension and Goodnefs in You, that fhew Your Lordfhip is refolved not to fuffer the Gemms of your Nobleman's Coronet, to outdazle the Sparks of the Gentleman, that Shines thro' your whole Converfation. And to. tell the Truth, my Lord, You have fo Exalted Brought to you by | New York University Bobst Library Technical Services Authenticated Download Date | 5/29/15 10:51 AM 424 BBNNO LBONHABDT, and wrapt us up with Your Lordfhips Generous Favours; that as Pride is naturally its own Trumpet; my very Vanity alone is Argument and Encouragement fufficient to make this Publication to the whole World, of the Infinite Obliga- tions due to Your Lordlhip, from, My Lord, Your Lorfhips moft Humble, and Moft Obedient Servant Geo. Powell. Dann folgt: To the Reader. I muft make room for one Page more, to tell you how our B on due a fet Foot upon the Stage. The Value of the Original is not unknown to thofe who have read it in Flet- cher: A Value that has often times been prized fo high, that the whole Brotherhood of the Quill have for many Years been blamed for letting fo Ingenious a Relick of the Last Age, as Bonduca, lie dormant, when fo inconfiderable an Additional Touch of the Pen was wanting, to make it fit for an Honourable Reception in This. This Confideration prompted a Friend of mine, a much abler Hand than my own, to attempt it; not that his Leifure, Attendance, or Inclinations, would permit him to make any long Toil of it. For to tell the Truth, the whole Play was reviled quite through, and likewife ftudied up in one Fortnight. This Undertaker, who beftow'd but Four Days Labour upon it, being above the Interest Part of an Author; and likewif e a Perfon of that Modefty, as to affect no Plumes from Poetry, he was generoufly pleafed to put it into my Hands to ufher it into the World. Daran schliesst sich: Prologue. Spoken by Mr. Powel. Well, Gallants of the Pit, firft to be juft To the great Dead, the sleeping Fletchers Duft, His proud Bonduca, in this fighting Age, That Englifh Heroine wakes to tread our Stage, That Bard But let him fleep ¥ th' Laurel Bed, We've business witfc the Irving, not the Dead. Brought to you by | New York University Bobst Library Technical Services Authenticated Download Date | 5/29/15 10:51 AM TBXTVAEIANTBN. BONDUCA. 425 Between us and the other Theatre j There is proclaimed, and ftill maintain'd a War, I And all, bnt knocking out of Brains, is fair. j We're blam'd for railing in one Night, what they In thirty tedious days can fcarce difplay; But that to our Advantage fure, is spoke; | So Heufler by fwift Marches, gain'd his Work: 1 And Cut off the Provision of the Turk. J And therefore, if the Truth you would declare; Say Gallants, to your Smiles, who bids moft fair; Our Growing Spring, or Fading Autumn there? Befides, though our weak Merit fhines lefs Bright, Yet we 'ave the Advantage, a Fairer Light, Our Nobler Theatre's. Nay we are bringing Machines, Scenes, Opera's, Musick, Dancing, Singing; Tranflated from the Chiller, Bleaker Strand, To your Sweet Co vent-Garden's Warmer Land. To us, Young Players, then let fome Smiles fall; Let not their dear Antiquities fweep all. Antiquity on a Stage? Oh Fye! 'tis Idle: Age in Good Wine is well, or in a Fiddle. Ay then it has a little Mufick there; But in an Old, Decrepid, Wither'd Player; It looks like a ftale Maid at her laft Prayer. Yet if you think it better, we can play Like whining Zanger, or ftiff Muftapha: Or elfe, Gad men me Ruf t an, You fhall see; But who can make a Figure fuch as he? Therefore divide your Favours the right way, To th' Young your Love, to th'old your Eeverence pay. In dem darauf folgenden personenverzeichnis fehlen die Charaktere: Penius, Demetrius, Curius, Regulus und Drufus. Macer ist genannt „a Hungry Roman Souldier", vertritt also die stelle des Judas, welcher fehlt.