GEORGE R. GEORGE the Second, by the Grace of God, King of Great-Britain, France and Ireland; Defender of the Faith, &c. To all to whom theſe Preſents ſhall come, Greeting. Whereas our Truſty, and Well-beloved Lewis Theobald, of our City of London, Gent. hath, by his Petition, humbly repreſented to Us, That He having, at a conſiderable Expence, Purchaſed the Manuſcript Copy of an Original Play of WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, called, Double Falſhood; Or, the Diſtreſt Lovers; and, with great Labour and Pains, Reviſed, and Adapted the ſame to the Stage; has humbly beſought Us, to grant him Our Royal Privilege, and Licence, for the ſole Printing and Publiſhing thereof, for the Term of Fourteen Years: We, being willing to give all due Encouragement to this his Undertaking, are graciouſly pleaſed to condeſcend to his Requeſt: and do therefore, by theſe Preſents, ſo far as may be agreeable to the Statute in that Behalf made and provided, for Us, Our Heirs, and Succeſſors, grant unto Him, the ſaid Lewis Theobald, his Executors, Adminiſtrators, and Aſſigns, Our Royal Licence, for the ſole Printing and Publiſhing the ſaid Play, in ſuch Size and Manner, as He and They ſhall think fit, for the Term of Fourteen Years, to be computed from the Date hereof; ſtrictly forbidding all our Subjects within our Kingdoms and Dominions, to Reprint the ſame, either in the like, or in any other Size, or Manner whatſoever; or to Import, Buy, Vend, Utter or Diſtribute any Copies thereof, Reprinted beyond the Seas, during the aforeſaid Term of Fourteen Years, without the Conſent, or Approbation of the ſaid Lewis Theobald, his Heirs, Executors, and Aſſigns, under his, or their Hands and Seals firſt had, and obtained; as they will anſwer the contrary at their Peril▪—Whereof the Commiſſioners, and other Officers of our Cuſtoms, the Maſter, Warden, and Company of Stationers, are to take Notice, that the ſame may be entred in the Regiſter of the ſaid Company, and that due Obedience be rendred thereunto. Given at Our Court at St. James's, the Fifth Day of December, 1727; in the Firſt Year of Our Reign. By His Majeſty's Command, HOLLES NEWCASTLE. [[PAGE simple:additions]] Double Falſhood; OR, The DISTREST LOVERS. A PLAY, As it is Acted at the THEATRE-ROYAL IN DRURY-LANE. Written Originally by W. SHAKESPEARE; And now Reviſed and Adapted to the Stage By Mr. THEOBALD, the Author of Shakeſpeare Reſtor'd. —Quod optanti Divûm promittere nemo Auderet, volvenda Dies, en! attulit ultrò. Virg. LONDON: Printed by J. WATTS, at the Printing-Office in Wild-Court near Lincolns-Inn Fields. M DCC XXVIII. [[PAGE]] To the Right HONOURABLE George Dodington, Eſq SIR, NOTHING can more ſtrongly ſecond the Pleaſure I feel, from the UniverſalApplauſe which crowns this Orphan Play, than this Other which I take in preſuming to ſhelter it under Your Name. I bear ſo dear an Affection to the Writings and Memory of SHAKESPEARE, that, as it is my good Fortune to retrieve this Remnant of his Pen from Obſcurity, ſo it is my greateſt Ambition that [[PAGE]] this Piece ſhould be received into the Protection of ſuch a Patron: And, I hope, Future Times, when they mean to pay Shakeſpeare the beſt Compliment, will remember to ſay, Mr. DODINGTON was that Friend to his Remains, which his own SOUTHAMPTON was to his living Merit. It is from the fine Diſcernment of our Patrons, that we can generally beſt promiſe Ourſelves the good Opinion of the Publick. You are not only a diſtinguiſh'd Friend of the Muſes, but moſt intimately allied to them: And from hence it is I flatter Myſelf, that if You ſhall think fit to pronounce this Piece genuine, it will ſilence the Cenſures of thoſe Unbelievers, who think it impoſſible a [[PAGE]] Manuſcript of Shakeſpeare could ſo long have lain dormant; and who are blindly paying Me a greater Compliment than either They deſign, or I can merit, while they cannot but confeſs Themſelves pleaſed, yet would fain inſinuate that they are impoſed upon. I ſhould eſteem it ſome Sort of Virtue, were I able to commit ſo agreeable a Cheat. But pardon Me, Sir, for a Digreſſion that perverts the very Rule of Dedications. I own, I have my Reaſons for it. As, SIR, your known Integrity, and Honour engages the warmeſt Wiſhes of all good Men for your Proſperity, ſo your known Diſtinction in polite Letters, and your generous Encouragement of Thoſe who pretend to them, obliges us to conſider your Advancement [[PAGE]] as our own perſonal Intereſt, and as a good Omen, at leaſt, if not as the ſureſt Means of the future flouriſhing Condition of thoſe Humane Arts amongſt us, which We profeſs, and which You adorn. But neither Your Modeſty, nor my Inability will ſuffer me to enter upon that Subject. Permit me therefore, SIR, to convert Panegyrick into a moſt ardent Wiſh, that You would look with a Tender Eye on this dear Relick, and that you would believe me, with the moſt unfeigned Zeal and Reſpect, SIR, Your moſt Devoted and Obedient Humble Servant, LEW. THEOBALD. Great Ruſſell-ſtree, 21ſt December, 1727. [[PAGE]] PREFACE OF THE EDITOR. THE Succeſs, which this Play has met with from the Town in the Repreſentation, (to ſay nothing of the Reception it found from thoſe Great Judges, to whom I have had the Honour of communicating it in Manuſcript;) has almoſt made the Purpoſe of a Preface unneceſſary: And therefore what I have to ſay, is deſign'd rather to wipe out a flying Objection to two, than to labour at proving it the Production of Shakeſpeare. It has been alledg'd as incredible, that ſuch a Curioſity ſhould be ſtifled and loſt to the World for above a Century. To This my Anſwer is ſhort; that tho' it never till now made its Appearance on the Stage, yet one of the Manuſcript Copies, which I have, is of above Sixty Years Standing, in the Handwriting of Mr. Downes, the famous Old Prompter; and, as I am credibly inform'd, was early in the Poſſeſſion of the celebrated Mr. Betterton, and by Him deſign'd to have been uſher'd into the World. What Accident prevented This Purpoſe of his, I do not pretend to know: Or thro' what hands it had ſucceſſively paſs'd before that Period of Time. There is a Tradition (which I have from the Noble Perſon, who ſupply'd me with One of my Copies) that it was given by our Author, as a Preſent of Value, to a Natural Daughter of his, for whoſe Sake he wrote it, in the Time of his Retirement from the Stage. Two other Copies I have, (one of which I was glad to purchaſe [[PAGE]] at a very good Rate,) which may not, perhaps, be quite ſo Old as the Former; but One of Them is much more perfect, and has fewer Flaws and Interruptions in the Senſe. Another Objection has been ſtarted, (which would carry much more Weight with it, were it Fact;) that the Tale of this Play, being built upon a Novel in Don Quixot, Chronology is againſt Us, and Shakeſpeare could not be the Author. But it happens, that Don Quixot was publiſh'd in the Year 1611, and Shakeſpeare did not dye till April 1616, a ſufficient Interval of Time for All that We want granted. Others again, to depreciate the Affair, as they thought, have been pleaſed to urge, that tho' the Play may have ſome Reſemblances of Shakeſpeare, yet the Colouring, Diction, and Characters, come nearer to the Style and Manner of FLETCHER. This, I think, is far from deſerving any Anſwer; I ſubmit it to the Determination of better Judgments; tho' my Partiality for Shakeſpeare makes me wiſh, that Every Thing which is good, or pleaſing, in our Tongue, had been owing to his Pen. As to the Performance of the reſpective Actors concern'd in this Play, my applauding It here would be altogether ſuperfluous. The Publick has diſtinguiſh'd and given them a Praiſe, much beyond Any that can flow from my Pen. But I have ſome particular Acknowledgments to make to the Managers of this Company, for which I am glad to embrace ſo fair an Opportunity. I came to Them at this Juncture as an Editor, not an Author, and have met with ſo much Candour, and handſome Treatment from Them, that I am willing to believe, the Complaint, which has ſo commonly obtain'd, of their Diſregard and ill Behaviour to Writers, has been more ſeverely urg'd, than it is juſtly grounded. They muſt certainly be too good Judges of their own Intereſt, not to know that a Theatre cannot always ſubſiſt on old Stock, but that the Town requires Novelty at their Hands. On the other Hand, they muſt be ſo far Judges of their own Art and Profeſſion, as to know that all the Compoſitions, which are offer'd them, would never go down with Audiences of ſo nice and delicate a Taſte, as in this Age frequent the Theatres. It would be very hard upon ſuch a Community, where ſo many Intereſts are concern'd, and ſo much Merit in their Buſineſs allow'd, if they had not a Priviledge of refuſing ſome crude Pieces, too imperfect for the Entertainment of the Publick I would not be thought to inferr, that they have never diſcourag'd what They might, perhaps, afterwards wiſh they had receiv'd. They do not, I believe, ſet up for ſuch a Conſtant [[PAGE]] Infallibility. But if We do but fairly conſider out of above Four Thouſand Plays extant, how ſmall a Number will now ſtand the Teſt: if We do but conſider too, how often a raw Performance has been extoll'd by the Partiality of private Friendſhip; and what a Clamour of Injury has been rais'd from that Quarter, upon ſuch Performance meeting a Repulſe; we may pretty eaſily account for the Grounds upon which they proceeded in diſcountenancing ſome Plays, and the harſh Things that are thrown out upon their giving a Repulſe to others. But I ſhould beg Pardon for interfering in this Queſtion, in which I am properly neither Party, nor Judge. I am only throwing out a private Opinion, without Intereſt or Prejudice, and if I am right in the Notion, Valeat quantum valere poteſt. [[PAGE]] PROLOGUE. Written by PHILIP FROWDE, Eſq And Spoken by Mr. WILKS. AS in ſome Region, where indulgent Skies Enrich the Soil, a thouſand Plants ariſe Frequent and bold; a thouſand Landskips meet Our raviſht View, irregularly ſweet: We gaze, divided, now on Theſe, now Thoſe; While All one beauteous Wilderneſs compoſe. Such SHAKESPEARE's Genius was:—Let Britons boaſt The glorious Birth, and, eager, ſtrive who moſt Shall celebrate his Verſe; for while we raiſe Trophies of Fame to him, ourſelves we praiſe▪ Diſplay the Talents of a Britiſh Mind, Where All is great, free, open, unconfin'd. Be it our Pride, to reach his daring Flight; And reliſh Beauties, he alone could write. Moſt modern Authors, fearful to aſpire, With Imitation cramp their genial Fire; The well-ſchemed Plan keep ſtrict before their Eyes, Dwell on Proportions, trifling Decencies; While noble Nature all neglected lies. Nature, that claims Precedency of Place, Perfection's Baſis, and eſſential Grace! [[PAGE]] Nature ſo intimately SHAKESPEARE knew, From her firſt Springs his Sentiments he drew; Moſt greatly wild they flow; and, when moſt wild, yet true. While Theſe, ſecure in what the Criticks teach, Of ſervile Laws ſtill dread the dangerous Breach; His vaſt, unbounded, Soul diſdain'd their Rule, Above the Precepts of the Pedant School! Oh! could the Bard, reviſiting our Light, Receive theſe Honours done his Shade To-night, How would he bleſs the Scene this Age diſplays, Tranſcending his Eliza's golden Days! When great AUGUSTUS fills the Britiſh Throne, And his lov'd Conſort makes the Muſe her own. How would he joy, to ſee fair Merit's Claim Thus anſwer'd in his own reviving Fame! How cry with Pride—" Oblivion I forgive; " This my laſt Child to lateſt Times ſhall live: " Loſt to the World, well for the Birth it ſtay'd; " To this auſpicious Aera well delay'd. [[PAGE]] EPILOGUE. Written by a Friend. Spoken by Mrs. OLDFIELD. WELL, Heaven defend us from theſe ancient Plays, Theſe Moral Bards of good Queen Beſs's Days! They write from Virtue's Laws, and think no further; But draw a Rape as dreadful as a Murther. You modern Wits, more deeply vers'd in Nature, Can tip the wink, to tell us, you know better; As who ſhou'd ſay—" 'Tis no ſuch killing Matter— " We've heard old Stories told, and yet ne'er wonder'd, " Of many a Prude, that has endur'd a Hundred: " And Violante grieves, or we're miſtaken, " Not, becauſe raviſht; but becauſe—forſaken.— Had this been written to the modern Stage, Her Manners had been copy'd from the Age. Then, tho' ſhe had been once a little wrong, She ſtill had had the Grace to've held her Tongue; And after all, with downcaſt Looks, been led Like any Virgin to the Bridal Bed. There, if the good Man queſtion'd her Miſ-doing, She'd ſtop him ſhort—" Pray, who made you ſo knowing? " What, doubt my Virtue!—What's your baſe Intention? " Sir, that's a Point above your Comprehenſion.— [[PAGE]] Well, Heav'n be prais'd, the Virtue of our Times Secures us from our Gothick Grandſires Crimes. Rapes, Magick, new Opinions, which before Have fill'd our Chronicles, are now no more: And this reforming Age may juſtly boaſt, That dreadful Sin Polygamy is loſt. So far from multiplying Wives, 'tis known Our Husbands find, they've Work enough with one.— Then, as for Rapes, thoſe dangerous days are paſt; Our Dapper Sparks are ſeldom in ſuch haſte. In SHAKESPEARE's Age the Engliſh Youth inſpir'd, Lov'd, as they fought, by him and Beauty fir'd. 'Tis yours to crown the Bard, whoſe Magick Strain Cou'd charm the Heroes of that glorious Reign, Which humbled to the Duſt the Pride of Spain. [[PAGE]] Dramatis Perſonae. MEN▪ Duke Angelo. Mr. Corey. Roderick, his Elder Son. Mr. Mills. Henriquez, his Younger Son. Mr. Wilks. Don Bernard, Father to Leonora. Mr. Harper. Camillo, Father to Julio. Mr. Griffin. Julio, in Love with Leonora. Mr. Booth. Citizen. Mr. Oates. Maſter of the Flocks. Mr. Bridgwater▪ Firſt Shepherd. Mr. Norris. Second Shepherd. Mr. Ray. WOMEN. Leonora. Mrs. Porter. Violante. Mrs. Booth. SCENE, the Province of Andaluſia in Spain. [[PAGE]] DOUBLE FALSHOOD; OR, The DISTREST LOVERS.