BATTLE OF HEXHAM
MARGARET—STRIKE NOT ON THY ALLEGIANCE
ACT II. SCENE III
PAINTED BY HOWARD PUBLISHD BY LONGMAN & CO ENGRAVD BY STOW
THE
BATTLE OF HEXHAM;
OR,
DAYS OF OLD;
A PLAY,
IN THREE ACTS;
By GEORGE COLMAN, the younger.
AS PERFORMED AT THE
THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE MANAGERS
FROM THE PROMPT BOOK.
WITH REMARKS
BY Mrs. INCHBALD.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, AND ORME,
PATERNOSTER ROW.
WILLIAM SAVAGE, PRINTER,
LONDON.
REMARKS.
Mr. Colman acquaints his readers, in his Preface to this play, dated1808, that it was written near twenty years ago: then, stating, as anapology to his jocose accusers, this reason for having made Shakespearethe model for his dialogue—that plays, which exhibit incidents offormer ages, should have the language of the characters conform totheir dress—he adds—"To copy Shakspeare, in the general tournure ofhis phraseology, is a mechanical task, which may be accomplished witha common share of industry and observation:—and this I have attempted(for the reason assigned); endeavouring, at the same time, to avoid aservile quaintness, which would disgust. To aspire to a resemblance ofhis boundless powers, would have been the labour of a coxcomb;—and hadI been vain enough to have essayed it, I should have placed myself in asituation similar to that of the strolling actor, who advertised hisperformance of a part"—"In imitation of the inimitable Garrick."
"The Battle of Hexham" has been one of the author's most popular works;and has, perhaps, to charge its present loss of influence with thepublic, to[4] those historical events of modern times, which have steeledthe heart against all minor scenes of woe, and deprived of theirwonted interest the sorrows of Queen Margaret and her child.
There is a short, but well known narrative, written by one Clery,an humble valet de chambre—which, for pathetic claims, in behalf ofsuffering majesty and infant royalty, may bid defiance to all thathistory has before recorded, or poets feigned, to melt the soul tosympathy.
Nor can anxiety be now awakened in consequence of a past battle atHexham, between a few thousand men, merely disputing which of twocousins should be their king, when, at this present period, hundredsof thousands yearly combat and die, in a cause of far less doubtfulimportance.
The loyal speeches of Gondibert, in this play, his zeal in the cause ofhis sovereign, every reader will admire—yet one difficulty occurs toabate this admiration—Did Gondibert know who his soverei