The Noble Spanish Soldier | Page 5

Traditions of the English
Drama' Ð Lang Ð 1985.
Fleay, F. G. Ð 'A Biographical Chronicle of the English Drama' -
Reeves and Turner Ð 1891.
Gasper, J. - 'The Noble Spanish Soldier', 'The Wonder of a Kingdom'
and 'The Parliament of Bees': a belated solution to this longstanding
problem - Durham University Journal - 1987.
Gasper, J. Ð 'The Dragon and the Dove: The Plays of Thomas Dekker'
Ð Oxford: Clarendon Ð 1990.
Greetam, D.C. Ð 'Textual Scholarship An Introduction' Ð Garland Ð
1994.
Hoy, C. Ð 'Introductions, notes, and commentaries to texts in 'The
dramatic works of Thomas Dekker', Volume IV - Cambridge
University Press Ð 1980.
Meads, Chris Ð 'Banquets set forth : banqueting in English

Renaissance drama' - Manchester University Press Ð 2001.

McLuskie, Kathleen. Ð 'Dekker and Heywood : professional dramatists'
- St. Martin's Press Ð 1994.
Wells, S. Ð 'Re-editing Shakespeare for the Modern Reader' Ð Oxford:
Clarendon -1984.
ENDNOTES TO THE INTRODUCTION
0. Gasper, J - 'The Noble Spanish Soldier', 'The Wonder of a Kingdom'
and 'The Parliament of Bees': a belated solution to this
longstanding problem - Durham University Journal LXXIX
number 2- 1987.
. Bose, T Ð 'The Noble Spanish Soldier' and 'The Spanish Contract' in
Notes and Queries v 40, number 2 Ð 1993.
0. Hoy, C. - Introductions, notes, and commentaries to texts in 'The
dramatic works of Thomas Dekker, Volume IV, page 99 -
Cambridge University Press Ð 1980.
. Sidney, Sir Philip, 'The Defense of Posey' in 'The Norton Anthology
of English Literature, page 944 Ð Norton Ð 2000.
. Machiavelli, N. Ð 'The Prince', page 56 Ð Penguin Ð 2003.
. See Bowers, F. Ð 'The Stabbing of a Portrait in Elizabethan Tragedy'
Ð Modern language Notes, XLVII, pages 378-385 Ð 1932.
John Price
University College Worcester
1 June 2004
THE TEXT
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
King of Spain
Cardinal, advisor to the King
Count Malateste of
Florence, confidant of the Queen
Roderigo, Don of Spain, supporter
of the King
Valasco, Don of Spain, supporter of the King
Lopez,
Don of Spain, supporter of the King
Duke of Medina, leader of the
Faction
Marquis Daenia, member of the Faction
Alba, Don of Spain,
member of the Faction
Carlo, Don of Spain, member of the Faction

Alanzo, Captain of the Guard, member of the Faction
Sebastian,
illegitimate son of the King
Balthazar, a Spanish soldier
Cornego,
servant to Onaelia
Cockadillio, a courtier
Signor No
A Poet

Queen of Spain, Paulina, daughter of Duke of Florence
Onaelia, niece
to the Duke of Medina, mother of Sebastian
Juanna, maid to Onaelia

Ladies in waiting
Attendants, guards
THE PRINTER TO THE READER
Understanding reader, I present this to your view, which has received
applause in action. The poet might conceive a complete satisfaction
upon the stage's approbation; but the printer rests not there, knowing
that that which was acted and approved upon the stage, might be no
less acceptable in print. It is now communicated to you, whose leisure
and knowledge admits of reading and reason. Your judgement now this
Posthumous <1> assures himself will well attest his predecessor's
endeavours to give content to men of the ablest quality, such as
intelligent readers are here conceived to be. I could have troubled you
with a longer epistle, but I fear to stay you from the book, which
affords better words and matter than I can. So the work modestly
depending in the scale of your judgement, the printer for his part craves
your pardon, hoping by his promptness to do you greater service, as
convenience shall enable him to give you more or better testimony of
his entireness towards you.
N.V.
ACT 1 SCENE 1
Enter in magnificent state to the sound of loud music, the King and
Queen, as from church, attended by the Cardinal, Count Malateste,
Marquis Daenia, Roderigo, Valasco, Alba, Carlo, and ladies-in waiting.
The King and Queen with courtly compliments salute and part. She
[exits] with one half attending her. King, Cardinal and the other half
stay, the King seeming angry and desirous to be rid of them. King,
Cardinal, Daenia and others [remain].
KING
Give us what no man here is master of:
Breath. Leave us

pray, my father Cardinal
Can by the physic of philosophy
Set all
again in order. Leave us pray.
Exeunt [King and Cardinal remain].
CARDINAL
How is it with you, sir?
KING
As with a ship
Now beat with storms, now safe. The storms
are vanished
And having you my Pilot, I not only
See shore, but
harbour; I to you will open
The book of a black sin, deep printed in
me.
Oh father, my disease lies in my soul.
CARDINAL
The old wound sir?
KING
Yes that, it festers inwards.
For though I have a beauty to
my bed
That even creation envies at, as wanting
Stuff to make such
another, yet on her pillow
I lie by her, but an adulterer,
And she as
an adulteress. She is my queen
And wife, yet but my strumpet though
the church
Set on