A
DIALOGUE
OF
PLAYS and PLAYERS.
LOVEWIT, TRUMAN.
LOVEW.HONEST Old Cavalier! well met, 'faith
I'm glad to see thee.
TRUM. Have a care what you call me. Old, is a
Word of Disgrace among the Ladies; to be Honest is
to be Poor, and Foolish, (as some think) and Cavalier
is a Word as much out of Fashion as any of 'em.
LOVEW. The more's the pity: But what said the
Fortune-Teller in Ben.Johnson's Mask of Gypsies, to
the then Lord Privy Seal,
Honest and Old!
In those the Good Part of a Fortune is told.
TRUM. Ben. Johnson? How dare you name
Ben. Johnson in these times ? When we have such a
crowd of Poets of a quite different Genius; the least
of which thinks himself as well able to correct Ben.
Johnson, as he could a Country School Mistress that
taught to Spell.
LOVEW. We have indeed, Poets of a different
Genius; so are the Plays: but in my Opinion, they
are all of 'em (some few excepted) as much inferior
to those of former Times, as the Actors now in being
(generally speaking) are, compared to Hart, Mohun,
Burt, Lacy, Clun, and Shatterel; for I can reach no
farther backward.
TRUM. I can; and dare assure you, if my Fancy
and Memory are not partial (for Men of my Age
are apt to be over indulgent to the Thoughts of their
youthful Days) I say the Actors that I have seen
before the Wars, Lowin, Tayler, Pollard, and some
others, were almost as far beyond Hart and his
Company, as those were beyond these now in being.
LOVEW. I am willing to believe it, but cannot
readily; because I have been told, That those whom
I mention'd, were Bred up under the others of your
Acquaintance, and follow'd their manner of Action,
which is now lost. So far, that when the Question
has been askt, Why these Players do not revive
the Silent Woman, and some other of Johnson's
Plays, (once of highest esteem) they have answer'd,
truly, Because there are none now Living who can
rightly Humour those Parts; for all who related
to the Black-friers, (where they were Acted in
perfection) are now Dead, and almost forgotten.
TRUM. 'Tis very true, Hart and
Clun, were
bred up Boys at the Black-friers, and acted Womens
Parts, Hart was Robinson's Boy or Apprentice: He
acted the Dutchess in the Tragedy of the Cardinal,
which was the first Part that gave him Reputation.
Cartwright, and Wintershal belong'd to the private
House in Salisbury-court, Burt was a Boy first
under Shank at the Black-friers, then under Beeston
at the Cockpit; and Mohun, and Shatterel were in
the same Condition with him, at the last Place. There
Burt used to Play the principal Women's Parts, in
particular Clariana in Love's Cruelty; and at the
same time Mohun acted Bellamente, which Part he
retain'd after the Restauration.
LOVEW. That I have seen, and can well remember.
I wish they had Printed in the last Age (so I
call the times before the Rebellion) the Actors Names
over against the Parts they Acted, as they have done
since the Restauration. And thus one might have
guest at the Action of the Men, by the Parts which
we now Read in the Old Plays.
TRUM. It was not the Custome and Usage of
those Days, as it hath been since. Yet some few Old
Plays there are that have the Names set against the
Parts, as, The Dutchess of Malfy; the Picture; the
Roman Actor; the deserving Favourite; the Wild Goose Chace,
(at the Black-friers) the Wedding; the Renegado;
the fair Maid of the West; Hannibal and Scipio; King
John and Matilda; (at the Cockpit)
and Holland's Leaguer, (at Salisbury Court).
LOVEW. These are but few indeed : But pray
Sir, what Master-Parts can you remember the Old
Black-friers Men to Act, in Johnson, Shakespear, and
Fletcher's Plays.
TRUM. What I can at present recollect
I'll tell you; Shakespear, (who as I have heard, was a much
better Poet, than Player) Burbadge, Hemmings,
and others of the Older sort, were Dead before I
knew the Town; but in my time, before the Wars,
Lowin used to Act, with mighty Applause, Falstaffe,
Morose, Volpone, and Mammon in the Alchymist;
Melancius, in the Maid's Tragedy, and at the same
time Amyntor was Play'd by Stephen Hammerton,
(who was at first a most noted and beautiful Woman
Actor, but afterwards he acted with equal Grace and
Applause, a Young Lover's Part) ; Tayler Acted
Hamlet incomparably well, Jago, Truewit in the
Silent Woman, and Face in the Alchymist;
Swanston used to Play Othello; Pollard, and
Robinson
were Comedians, so was Shank who us'd to Act Sir
Roger, in the Scornful Lady. These were of the
Blackfriers. Those of principal Note at the Cockpit,
were, Perkins, Michael Bowyer, Sumner, William Allen,
and Bird, eminent Actors, and Robins
a Comedian. Of the other Companies I took little
notice.
LOVEW. Were there so many Companies?
TRUM. Before the Wars, there were in being all
these Play-houses at the same time. The Black-friers,
and Globe on the Bankside, a Winter and
Summer House, belonging to the same Company,
called the King's Servants; the Cockpit or Phoenix,
in Drury-lane, called the Queen's Servants ; the
private House in Salisbury-court, called the Prince's
Servants; the Fortune near White-cross-street, and
the Red Bull at the upper end of St.John's-street:
The two last were mostly frequented by Citizens, and
the meaner sort of People. All these Companies got
Money, and Liv'd in Reputation, especially those of
the Black-friers, who were Men of grave and sober
Behaviour.
LOVEW. Which I admire at; That the Town
much less than at present, could then maintain Five
Companies, and yet now Two can hardly subsist.
TRUM. Do not wonder, but consider, That tho'
the Town was then, perhaps, not much more than
half so Populous as now, yet then the Prices were
small (there being no Scenes) and better order kept
among the Company that came; which made very
good People think a Play an Innocent Diversion
for an idle Hour or two, the Plays themselves being
then, for the most part, more Instructive and Moral.
Whereas of late, the Play-houses are so extreamly
pestered with Vizard-masks and their Trade,
(occasioning continual Quarrels and Abuses) that many of
the more Civilized Part of the Town are uneasy in
the Company, and shun the Theater as they would a
House of Scandal. It is an Argument of the worth of
the Plays and Actors, of the last Age, and easily
inferr'd, that they were much beyond ours in this, to
consider that they cou'd support themselves meerly
from their own Merit; the weight of the Matter, and
goodness of the Action, without Scenes and Machines:
Whereas the present Plays with all that shew, can
hardly draw an Audience, unless there be the
additional Invitation of a Signior Fideli, a Monsieur
L'abbe, or some such Foreign Regale exprest in the
bottom of the Bill.
LOVEW. To wave this Digression, I have Read
of one Edward Allin, a Man so famed for excellent
Action, that among Ben.Johnson's epigrams, I find
one directed to him, full of Encomium, and concluding thus
Wear this Renown, 'tis just that who did give
So many Poets Life, by one should Live.
Was he one of the Black-friers?
TRUM. Never, as I have heard; (for he was Dead
before my time). He was Master of a Company
of his own, for whom he Built the Fortune Playhouse
from the Ground, a large, round Brick Building.
This is he that grew so Rich that he purchased
a great estate in Surrey and elsewhere; and having
no Issue, He built and largely endow'd Dulwich
College, in the Year 1619, for a Master, a Warden,
Four Fellows, Twelve aged poor People, and Twelve
poor Boys, &c. A noble Charity.
LOVEW. What kind of Play houses had they
before the Wars?
TRUM. The Black-friers, Cockpit, and
Salisbury-court, were called Private Houses, and were very
small to what we see now. The Cockpit was standing
since the Restauration, and Rhode's Company
Acted there for some time.
LOVEW. I have seen that.
TRUM. Then you have seen the other two, in
effect; for they were all three Built almost exactly
alike, for Form and Bigness. Here they had Pits for
the Gentry, and Acted by Candle-light. The Globe,
Fortune and Bull, were large Houses, and lay partly
open to the Weather, and there they alwaies Acted
by Daylight.
LOVEW. But, prithee, Truman, what became of
these Players when the Stage was put down, and
the Rebellion rais'd ?
TRUM. Most of 'em, except Lowin, Tayler
and
Pollard (who were superannuated) went into the
King's Army, and like good Men and true, Serv'd their
Old Master, tho' in a different, yet more honourable,
Capacity. Robinson was Kill'd at the Taking of a
Place, (I think Basing House) by Harrison, he that
was after Hang'd at Charing-cross, who refused him
Quarter, and Shot him in the Head when he had
laid down his Arms; abusing Scripture at the same
time, in saying, Cursed is he that doth the Work of
the Lord negligently. Mohun was a Captain, (and
after the Wars were ended here, served in Flanders,
where he received Pay as a Major) Hart was a
Lieutenant of Horse under Sir Thomas Dallison, in
Prince Rupert's Regiment, Burt was Cornet in the
same Troop, and Shatterel Quarter-master. Allen of
the Cockpit, was a Major, and Quarter Master General
at Oxford. I have not heard. of one of these Players
of any Note that sided with the other Party, but only
Swanston, and he profest himself a Presbyterian,
took up the Trade of a Jeweller, and liv'd in Aldermanbury,
within the Territory of Father Calamy. The
rest either Lost, or expos'd their Lives for their King.
When the Wars were over, and the Royalists totally
Subdued, most of 'em who were left alive gather'd to
London, and for a Subsistence endeavour'd to revive
their Old Trade, privately. They made up one Company
out of all the Scatter'd Members of Several;
and in the Winter before the King's Murder, 1648,
they ventured to Act some Plays with as much
caution and privacy as cou'd be, at the Cockpit. They
continu'd undisturbed for three or four Days; but at
last as they were presenting the Tragedy of the
Bloudy Brother (in which Lowin Acted Aubrey,
Tayler Rollo, Pollard the Cook, Burt Latorch, and
I think Hart Otto) a Party of Foot Souldiers beset
the House, surpriz'd'em about the midle of the Play,
and carried 'em away in their habits, not admitting
them to shift, to Hatton-house, then a Prison, where
having detain'd them some time, they Plunderd
them of their Cloths and let 'em loose again. Afterwards
in Oliver's time, they used to Act privately,
three or four Miles, or more, out of Town, now
here, now there, sometimes in Noblemens Houses,
in particular Holland-house at Kensington where the
Nobility and Gentry who met (but in no great Numbers)
used to make a Sum for them, each giving a
broad Peice, or the like. And Alexander Goffe, the
Woman Actor at Black-friers (who had made himself
known to Persons of Quality) used to be the jackal,
and give notice of Time and Place. At Christmass,
and Bartlemew-fair, they used to Bribe the Officer
who Commanded the Guard at Whitehall, and were
thereupon connived at to Act for a few Days, at the
Red Bull; but were sometimes notwithstanding
Disturb'd by Soldiers. Some pickt up a little Money
by publishing the Copies of Plays never before
Printed, but kept up in Manuscript. For instance, in
the Year 1652, Beaumont and Fletcher's Wild Goose
Chace was Printed in Folio, for the Public use of all
the Ingenious, (as the Title-page says) and private
Benefit of John Lowin and Joseph Tayler, Servants
to his late Majesty; and by them Dedicated To the
Honour'd few Lovers of Dramatick Poesy: Wherein
they modestly intimate their Wants. And that with
sufficient Cause; for whatever they were before the
Wars, they were, after, reduced to a necessitous Condition.
Lowin in his latter Days, kept an Inn (the
three Pidgions) at Brentford, where he dyed very Old,
(for he was an Actor of eminent Note in the Reign
of K.James the first) and his Poverty was as great as
his Age. Tayler Dyed at Richmond and was there
Buried. Pollard who Lived Single, and had a
Competent Estate; Retired to some Relations he had in
the Country, and there ended his Life. Perkins and
Sumner of the Cockpit, kept House together at
Clerkenwel, and were there Buried. These all Dyed
some Years before the Restauration. What follow'd
after, I need not tell you : You can easily Remember.
LOVEW. Yes, presently after the Restauration, the
King's Players Acted publickly at the Red Bull for
some time, and then Removed to a New-built Playhouse
in Vere-street, by Claremarket. There they
continued for a Year or two, and then removed to
the Theater Royal in Drury-lane, where they first
made use of Scenes, which had been a little before
introduced upon the publick Stage by Sir William
Davenant at the Duke's Old Theater in
Lincolns-Inn-fields, but afterwards very much improved, with
the Addition of curious Machines, by Mr. Betterton
at the New Theater in Dorset-Garden, to the great
Expence and continual Charge of the Players. This
much impair'd their Profit o'er what it was before;
for I have been inform'd, (by one of 'em) That for
several Years next after the Restauration, every whole
Sharer in Mr. Hart's Company, got 1000l. per an.
About the same time that Scenes first enter'd upon
the Stage at London, Women were taught to Act their
own Parts ; since when, we have seen at both Houses
several excellent Actresses, justly famed as well for
Beauty, as perfect good Action. And some Plays (in
particular The Parson's Wedding) have been
Presented all by Women, as formerly all by Men. Thus
it continued for about 20 Years, when Mr. Hart and
some of the Old Men began to grow weary, and were
minded to leave off ; then the two Companies thought
fit to Unite; but of late, you see, they have thought it
no less fit to Divide again, though both Companies
keep the same Name of his Majesty's Servants. All
this while the Play-house Musick improved Yearly,
and is now arrived to greater Perfection than ever I
knew it. Yet for all these Advantages, the Reputation
of the Stage, and Peoples Affection to it, are much
Decay'd. Some were lately severe against it, and
would hardly allow Stage-Plays fit to be longer
permitted. Have you seen Mr. Collier's book ?
TRUM. Yes, and his Opposer's.
LOVEW. And what think you ?
TRUM. In my mind Mr. Collier's Reflections
are Pertinent, and True in the Main; the Book
ingeniously Writ, and well Intended : But he has
overshot himself in some Places; and his Respondents,
perhaps, in more. My Affection inclines me not to
Engage on either side, but rather Mediate. If there
be Abuses relating to the Stage; (which I think is
too apparent) let the Abuse be Reformed, and not
the use, for that Reason only, Abolish'd. 'Twas an
Old saying when I was a Boy,
Absit Abusus, non desit totaliter Usus.
I shall not run through Mr. Collier's Book; I will
only touch a little on two or three general Notions,
in which, I think he may be mistaken. What he
urges out of the Primitive Councils, and Fathers of
the Church, seems to me to be directed against the
Heathen Plays, which were a sort of Religious Worship
with them, to the Honour of Ceres, Flora, or some of
their false Deities; they had always a little Altar on
their Stages, as appears plain enough from some
places in Plautus. And Mr. Collier himself, p. 235,
tells us out of Livy, that Plays were brought in upon
the Score of Religion, to pacify the Gods. No wonder
then, they forbid Christians to be present at them,
for it was almost the same as to be present at their
Sacrifices. We must also observe that this was in
the Infancy of Christianity, when the Church was
under severe, and almost continual Persecutions, and
when all its true Members were of most strict and
exemplary Lives, not knowing when they should be
call'd to the Stake, or thrown to Wild-Beasts. They
communicated Daily, and expected Death hourly ;
their thoughts were intent upon the next World, they
abstain'd almost wholly from all Diversions and
pleasures (though lawfull and Innocent) in this.
Afterwards when Persecution ceased, and the church
flourisht, Christians being then freed from their
former Terrors, allow'd themselves, at proper times,
the lawfull Recreations of Conversation, and among
other (no doubt) this of Shewes and Representations.
After this time, the Censures of the Church indeed,
might be continued, or revived, upon occasion,
against Plays and Players; tho' (in my Opinion) it
cannot be understood generally, but only against such
Players who were of Vicious and Licencious Lives,
and represented profane Subjects, inconsistant with
the Morals and probity of Manners requisite to
Christians; and frequented chiefly by such loose and
Debaucht People, as were much more apt to Corrupt
than Divert those who associated with them. I say, I
cannot think the Canons and Censures of the Fathers
can be applyed to all Players, quatenus Players; for
if so how could Plays be continued among the Christians,
as they were, of Divine Subjects, and Scriptural
Stories? A late French Author, speaking of the
Original of the Hotel de Bourgogne (a Play-house in
Paris) says that the ancient Dukes of that Name
gave it to the Brotherhood of the Passion, established
in the Church of Trinity-Hospital in the
Rue S. Denis, on condition that they should
represent here Interludes of Devotion: And adds that
there have been public Shews in this Place 600
Years ago. The Spanish and Portuguize continue
still to have, for the most part, such Ecclesiastical
Stories, for the Subject of their Plays : And, if we
may believe Gage, they are Acted in their Churches
in Mexico, and the Spanish West-Indies.
LOVEW. That's a great way off, Truman; I had
rather you would come nearer Home, and confine
your discourse to Old England.
TRUM. So I intend. The same has been done
here in England; for otherwise how comes it to be
prohibited in the 88th Canon, among those past in
Convocation, 1603. Certain it is that our ancient
Plays were of Religious Subjects, and had for their
Actors, (if not Priests) yet Men relating to the Church.
LOVEW. How does that appear?
TRUM. Nothing clearer. Stow in his Survey of
London, has one Chapter of the Sports and Pastimes of old time
used in this City; and there he tells us, That in the Year 1391 (which
was 15 R. 2.) a Stage-Play was play'd by the Parish-Clerks of London, at the Skinner's-well beside
Smithfield, which Play continued three Days
together, the King, Queen, and Nobles of the Realm
being present. And another was play'd in the Year
1409, (11 H. 4.) which lasted eight Days, and was
of Matter from the Creation of the World; whereat
was present most part of the Nobility and Gentry of
England. Sir William Dugdale, in his Antiquities
of Warwickshire, p. 116, speaking of the Gray-friers
(or Franciscans) at Coventry, says, Before the
suppression of the Monasteries, this City was very
famous for the Pageants that were play'd therein
upon Corpus-Christi Day; which Pageants being
acted with mighty State and Reverence by the Friers
of this House, had Theatres for the several Scenes
very large and high, plac'd upon Wheels, and drawn
to all the eminent Parts of the City, for the better
advantage of the Spectators; and contain'd the Story
of the New Testament, composed in old English
Rhime. An ancient Manuscript of the same is now
to be seen in the Cottonian Library, Sub Effig.
Vespat. D. 8. Since the Reformation, in Queen
Elizabeth's time, Plays were frequently acted by
Quiristers and Singing Boys; and several of our old
Comedies have printed in the Title Page, Acted by
the Children of Paul's, (not the School, but the
Church) others, By the Children of Her Majesty's
Chappel; in particular, Cinthias Revels, and the
Poetaster were play'd by them; who were at that
time famous for good Action. Among Ben. Johnson's
Epigrams you may find An Epitaph on S.P
(Sal Pavy) one of the Children of Queen Elizabeth's
Chappel part of which runs thus,
Years he counted scarce Thirteen
When Fates turn'd Cruel,
Yet three fill'd Zodiacks he had been
The Stages Jewell;
And did act (what now we moan)
Old Men so duly,
As, sooth, the Parcae thought him one,
He play'd so truly.
Some of these Chappel Boys, when they grew Men,
became Actors at the Black-friers; such were Nathan
Feild, and John Underwood. Now I can hardly
imagine that such Plays and Players as these, are
included in the severe Censure of the Councils and
Fathers; but such only who are truly within the
Character given by Didacus de Tapia, cited by Mr.
Collier, p. 276, viz. The Infamous Playhouse; a filace
of contradiction to the strictness and sobriety of Religion ; a place
hated by God, and haunted by the Devil
And for such I have as great an abhorrance as any
man.
LOVEW. Can you guess of what Antiquity the
representing of Religious Matters, on the Stage, hath
been in England?
TRUM. How long before the Conquest I know
not, but that it was used in London not long after,
appears by Fitz-Stevens, an Author who wrote in
the reign of King Henry the Second. His words
are, Londonia pro spectaculis theatralibus, pro ludis
scenicis, ludos habet sanctiores, Representationes miraculorum,
qua, sancti Confessores operati sunt, seu
Representationes passionum quibus claruit constantia
Martyrum. Of this, the Manuscript which I lately
mention'd, in the Cottonian Library, is a notable
instance. Sir William Dugdale cites this Manuscript,
by the Title of Ludus Coventriae,; but in
the printed Catalogue of that Library, P. I 13, it is
named thus, A Collection of Plays in old English
Metre. h. e. Dramata sacra in quibus exhibentur
historiae Veteris & N. Testamenti, introductis quasi
in Scenam personis illic memoratis, quas secum invicem
colloquentes pro ingenio fingit Poeta. Videntur
olim coram populo, sive ad instruendum sive ad
placendum, a fratribus mendicantibus repraesentata.
It appears by the latter end of the Prologue, that
these Plays or Interludes, were not only play'd at
Coventry, but in other Towns and Places upon occasion.
And possibly this may be the same Play which
Stow tells us was play'd in the reign of King Henry
IV., which lasted for Eight Days. TheBookseems
by the Character and Language to be at least 300
Yearsold. It begins with a general Prologue, giving
the arguments of 40 Pageants or Gesticulations
(which were as so many several Acts or Scenes)
representing all the Histories of both Testaments,
from the Creation, to the choosing of St. Mathias to
be an Apostle. The Stories of the New Testament
are more largely exprest, viz. The Annunciation,
Nativity, Visitation ; but more especially all Matters
relating to the Passion very particularly, the Resurrection.
Ascention, the choice of St. Mathias: After
which is also represented the Assumption, and last
judgment. All these things were treated of in a
very homely style, (as we now think) infinitely below
the Dignity of the Subject: But it seems the Gust
of that Age was not so nice and delicate in these
Matters; the plain and incurious judgment of our
Ancestors, being prepared with favour, and taking
every thing by the right and easiest Handle: For
example, in the Scene relating to the Visitation:
Maria.
But husband of oo thyng pray you most mekely,
I haue knowing that our Cosyn Elizabeth with childe is,
That it please yow to go to her hastyly,
If ought we myth comfort her it wer to me blys.
Joseph.
A Gods sake, is she with child, sche?
Than will her husband Zachary be mery.
In Montana they dwelle, fer hence, so moty the,
In the city of Juda, I know it verily;
It is hence I trowe myles two a fifty,
We ar like to be wery or we come at the same.
I wole with a good will, blessyd wyff Mary;
Now go we forth then in goddys name, &c.
A little before the Resurrection: -
Nunc dormient milites, & veniet anima Christi de
inferno, cum
Adam & Eva, Abraham, John Baptist, &
aliis.
Anima Christi.
Come forth Adam, and Eve with the,
And all my fryndes that herein be,
In Paradys come forth with me
In blysse for to dwelle.
The fende of hell that is yowr foo
He shall be wrappyd and woundyn in woo:
Fro wo to welth now shall ye go,
With myrth cuer mor to melle.
Adam.
I thank the Lord of thy grete grace
That now is forgiuen my gret trespace,
Now shall we dwellyn in blyssful pace, &c.
The last Scene or Pageant, which represents the
Day of judgment, begins thus:
Michael.
Surgite, All men aryse,
Venite adjudicium,
For now is set the High justice,
And hath assignyd the day of Dome
Kepe you redyly to this grett assyse,
Both gret and small, all and sum,
And of yowr answer you now advise,
What you shall say when that yow com, &c.
These and such like, were the Plays which in
former Ages were presented publickly: Whether
they had any settled and constant Houses for that
purpose, does not appear; I suppose not. But it is
notorious that in former times there was hardly ever
any Solemn Reception of Princes, or Noble Persons,
but Pageants (that is Stages Erected in the open
Street) were part of the Entertainment. On which
there were Speeches by one or more Persons, in the
nature of Scenes; and be sure one of the Speakers
must be some Saint of the same Name with the
Party to whom the Honour is intended. For instance,
there is an ancient Manuscript at Coventry,
call'd the Old Leet Book, wherein is set down in a
very particular manner, (fo. 168) the reception of
Queen Margaret, wife of H. 6, who came to Coventry
(and I think, with her, her young Son, Prince Edward)
on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy-Cross, 35
H. 6. (1456). Many Pageants and Speeches were
made for her Welcome ; out of all which, I shall
observe but two or three, in the Old English, as it is
Recorded.
St. Edward.
Moder of mekenes, Dame Margarete, princes
most excellent,
I King Edward wellcome you with affection cordial,
Certefying to your highnes mekely myn entent,
For the wele of the King and you hertily pray I shall,
And for prince Edward my gostly chylde, who I love principal.
Praying the, John Evangelist, my help therein to be,
On that condition right humbly I giue this Ring to the.
John Evangelist.
Holy Edward crowned King, Brother in
Verginity,
My power plainly I will prefer thy will to amplefy.
Most excellent princes of wymen mortal, your Bedeman will I be.
I know your Life so vertuous that God is pleased thereby.
The birth of you unto this Reme shall cause great Melody:
The vertuous voice of Prince Edward shall dayly well encrease,
St. Edward his Godfader and I shall pray therefore doubtlese.
St. Margaret.
Most notabul princes of wymen earthle,
Dame Margarete, the chefe myrth of this Empyre,
Ye be hertely welcome to this Cyte.
To the plesure of your highnesse I wyll set my desyre;
Both nature and gentlenesse doth me require,
Seth we be both of one name, to shew you kindnesse;
Wherefore by my power ye shall have no distresse.
I shall pray to the Prince that is endlese
To socour you with solas of his high grace;
He will here my petition this is doubtlesse,
For I wrought all my life that his will wace.
Therefore, Lady, when you be in any dredfull case,
Call on me boldly, thereof I pray you,
And trust in me feythfully, I will do that may pay you.
In the next Reign (as appears in the same Book,
fo. 221) an other Prince
Edward, Son of King
Edward
the 4, came to
Coventry on the 28 of
April, 14
E. 4,
(1474) and was entertain'd with many Pageants and
Speeches, among which I shall observe only two:
one was of St.
Edward again, who was then made
to speak thus,
Noble Prince Edward, my Cousin and my Knight,
And very Prince of our Line com yn dissent,
I Saint Edward have pursued for your faders imperial Right,
Whereof he was excluded by full furious intent.
Unto this your Chamber as prince full excellent
Ye be right welcome. Thanked be Crist of his sonde
For that that was ours is now in your faders honde.
The other Speech was from St. George; and thus
saith the Book.
—Also upon the Condite in the Croscheping was St.
George armed, and a kings daughter kneling afore him with a
Lamb, and the fader and the moder being in a Towre aboven
beholding St. George saving their daughter from the Dragon,
and the Condite renning wine in four places, and Minstralcy of
Organ playing, and St. George hauing this Speech under-written.
0 mighty God our all succour celestiall,
Which this Royme hast given in dower
To thi moder, and to me George protection perpetuall
It to defend from enimys fer and nere,
And as this mayden defended was here
By thy grace from this Dragons devour,
So, Lord preserve this noble prince, and ever be his socour.
LOVEW. I perceive these holy Matters consisted
very much of Praying; but I pitty poor St. Edward
the Confessor, who in the compass of a few Years,
was made to promise his favour and assistance to
two young Princes of the same Name indeed, but of
as different and opposite Interests as the two Poles.
I know not how he could perform to both.
TRUM. Alas! they were both unhappy,
notwithstanding these fine Shews and seeming caresses
of Fortune, being both murder'd, one by the Hand,
the other by the procurement of Rich. Duke of
Glocester. I will produce but one Example more of
this sort of Action, or Representations, and that is of
later time, and an instance of much higher Nature
than any yet mentioned, it was at the marriage of
Prince Arthur, eldest Son of king Henry 7. to the
Princess Catherine of Spain, An. 1501. Her passage
through London was very magnificent, as I have
read it described in an old M.S. Chronicle of that
time. The Pageants and Speeches were many; the
Persons represented St. Catherine, St. Ursula, a
Senator, Noblesse, Virtue, an Angel, King Alphonse,
Job, Boetius, &c. among others one is thus described.
When this Spech was ended, she held on her way tyll she
cam unto the Standard in Chepe, where was ordeyned the fifth
Pagend made like an hevyn, theryn syttyng a Personage representing
the fader of hevyn, beyng all formyd of Gold, and brennying
beffor his trone vii Candyilis of wax standyng in vii Candylstykis
of Gold, the said personage beyng environed wyth sundry
Hyrarchies off Angelis, and sytting in a Cope of most rich cloth
of Tyssu, garnishyd wyth stoon and perle in most sumptuous
wyse. Foragain which said Pagend upon the sowth syde of the
strete stood at that tyme, in a hows wheryn that tyme dwellyd
William Geffrey habyrdasher, the king, the Quene, my Lady the
Kingys moder, my Lord of Oxynfford, with many othir Lordys
and Ladys, and Perys of this Realm, wyth also certayn Ambassadors
of France lately sent from the French King; and so
passyng the said Estatys, eyther guyvyng to other due and con-venyent Saluts and Countenancs, so sone as hyr grace was
approachid unto the sayd Pagend, the fadyr began his Spech as
folowyth:
Hunc veneram locum, septeno lumine septum.
Dignumque Arthuri totidem astra micant.
I am begynyng and ende, that made ech creature
My sylfe, and for my sylfe, but man esspecially
Both male and female, made aftyr myne aun fygure,
Whom I joyned togydyr in Matrimony
And that in Paradyse, declaring opynly
That men shall weddyng in my Chyrch solempnize,
Fygurid and signifyed by the erthly Paradyze.
In thys my Chyrch I am allway recydent
As my chyeff tabernacle, and most chosyn place,
Among these goldyn candylstikkis, which represent
My Catholyk, Chyrch, shynyng affor my face,
With lyght of feyth, wisdom, doctryne, and grace,
And mervelously eke enflamyd toward me
Wyth the extyngwible fyre of Charyte.
Wherefore, my welbelovid dowgthyr Katharyn,
Syth I have made yow to myne awn semblance
In my Chyrth to be maried, and your noble Childryn
To regn in this land as in their enherytance,
Se that ye have me in speciall remembrance:
Love me and my Chyrch yowr spiritual modyr,
For ye dispysing that oon, dyspyse that othyr.
Look that ye walk in my precepts, and obey them well:
And here I give you the same blyssyng that I
Gave my well beloved chylder of Israell;
Blyssyd be the fruyt of your bely;
Yower substance and frutys I shall encrease and multyply;
Yower rebellious Enimyes I shall put in yowr hand,
Encreasing in honour both yow and yowr land.
LOVEW. This would be censured now a days as
profane to the highest degree.
TRUM. No doubt on't: Yet you see there was
a time when People were not so nicely censorious in
these Matters, but were willing to take things in the
best sence: and then this was thought a noble
Entertainment for the greatest King in Europe
(such I esteem King H. 7. at that time) and proper
for that Day of mighty joy and Triumph. And I
must farther observe out of the Lord Bacon's History
Of H. 7. that the chief Man who had the care of that
Days Proceedings was Bishop Fox, a grave Councelor
for War or Peace, and also a good Surveyor
of Works, and a good Master of Cerimonies, and it
seems he approv'd it. The said Lord Bacon tells us
farther, That whosoever had those Toys in compiling,
they were not altogether Pedantical.
LOVEW.
These things however are far from that
which we understand by the name of a Play.
TRUM. It may be so; but these were the Plays
of those times. Afterwards in the Reign of K. H. 8.
both the Subject and Form of these Plays began to
alter, and have since varied more and more. I
have by me, a thing called A merry Play between
the Pardoner and the Frere, the Curate and Neybour
Pratte. Printed the 5 of April 1533, which was
24 H. 8. (a. few Years before the Dissolution of
Monasteries). The design of this Play was to redicule
Friers and Pardoners. Of which I'll give you a
taste. To begin it, the Fryer enters with these Words,
Deus hic ; the holy Trynyte
Preserue all that now here be.
Dere bretherne, yf ye will consyder
The Cause why I am corn hyder,
Ye wolde be glad to knowe my entent;
For I com not hyther for mony nor for rent,
I com not hyther for meat nor for meale,
But I corn hyther for your Soules heale, &c.
After a long Preamble, he addresses himself to
Preach, when the Pardoner enters with these
Words,
God and St. Leonarde send ye all his grace
As many as ben assembled in this place, &c.
And makes a long Speech, shewing his Bulls and his
Reliques, in order to sell his Pardons for the raising
some Money towards the rebuilding,
Of the holy Chappell of sweet saynt Leonarde,
Which late by fyre was destroyed and marde.
Both these speaking together, with continual interruption,
at last they fall together by the Ears. Here
the Curate enters (for you must know the Scene lies
in the Church)
Hold your hands; a vengeance on ye both two
That euer ye came hyther to make this ado,
To polute my Chyrche, &c.
Fri. Mayster Parson, I marvayll ye will give Lycence
To this false knaue in this Audience
To publish his ragman rolles with lyes.
I desyred hym ywys more than ones or twyse
To hold his peas tyll that I had done,
But he would here no more than the man in the mone.
Pard. Why sholde I suffre the, more than thou me
Mayster parson gaue me lycence before the.
And I wolde thou knowest it I have relykes here,
Other maner stuffe than thou dost bere :
I wyll edefy more with the syght of it,
Than will all thy pratynge of holy wryt;
For that except that the precher himselfe lyve well,
His predyeacyon wyll helpe never a dell, &c.
Pars. No more of this wranglyng in my Chyrch
I shrewe your hertys bothe for this lurche.
Is there any blood shed here between these knaues?
Thanked be god they had no stauys,
Nor egotoles, for then it had ben wronge.
Well, ye shall synge another songe.
Here he calls his Neighbour Prat the Constable,
with design to apprehend 'em, and set 'em in the
Stocks. But the Frier and Pardoner prove sturdy,
and will not be stockt, but fall upon the poor Parson
and Constable, and bang 'em both so well-favour'dly,
that at last they are glad to let'em go at liberty: And
so the Farce ends with a drawn Battail. Such as this
were the Plays of that Age, acted in Gentlemens
Halls at Christmas, or such like festival times, by the
Servants of the Family, or Strowlers who went about
and made it a Trade. It is not unlikely
that[*] Lords in those days, and Persons
of eminent Quality, had their several
Gangs of Players, as some have now of
Fidlers, to whom they give Cloaks and
Badges. The first Comedy that I have
seen that looks like regular, is Gammer
Gurton's Needle, writ I think in the
reign of King Edward 6. This is composed of five Acts,
the Scenes unbroken, and the unities of Time and Place duly
observed. It was acted at Christ Colledge in Cambridge;
there not being as yet any settled and publick
Theaters.
LOVEW. I observe, Truman, from what you have
said, that Plays in England had a beginning much
like those of Greece, the Monologues and the Pageants
drawn from place to place on Wheels, answer exactly
to the Cart of Thespis, and the Improvements have
been by such little steps and degrees as among the
Ancients, till at last, to use the Words of Sir George
Buck (in his Third University of England) Dramatick
Poesy is so lively exprest and represented upon
the publick Stages and Theatres of this City, as Rome
in the Auge (the highest pitch) of her Pomp and Glory,
never saw it better perform'd, I mean (says he) in
respect of the Action and Art, and not of the Cost
and Sumptiousness. This he writ about the Year
1631. But can you inform me Truman, when
publick Theaters were first erected for this purpose
in London?
TRUM. Not certainly; but I presume about the
beginning of Queen Elizabeths Reign. For Stow in
his Survey of London (which Book was first printed
in the Year 1598) says, Of late Years, in place of
these Stage-plays (i. e. those of Religious Matters)
have been used Comedies, Tragedies, Interludes, and
Histories, both true and feigned; for the acting
whereof certain publick Places, as the Theatre, the
Curtine, &c. have been erected. And the continuator
of Stows Annals, p. 1004, says, That in Sixty Years
before the publication of that Book, (which was An.
Dom. 1629) no less than 17 publick Stages, or
common Playhouses, had been built in and about
London. In which number he reckons five Inns or
Common Osteries, to have been in his time turned
into Play-houses, one Cock-pit, St. Paul's singing
School, one in the Blackfriers, one in the Whitefriers,
and one in former time at Newington Buts; and
adds, before the space of 6o years past, I never
knew, heard, or read, of any such Theaters, set
Stages, or Playhouses, as have been purposely built
within Man's Memory.
LOVEW. After all, I have been told, that Stage-Plays are inconsistant with the Laws of this Kingdom, and
Players made Rogues by Statute.
TRUM. He that told you so strain'd a point of
Truth. I never met with any Law wholly to suppress them:
Sometimes indeed they have been prohibited
for a Season; as in times of Lent, general
Mourning or publick Calamities, or upon other
occasions, when the Government saw fit. Thus by
Proclamation, 7 of April, in the first Year of Queen
Elizabeth, Plays and Interludes were forbid till All
hallow-tide next following. Hollinshed, p. 1184. Some
Statutes have been made for their Regulation or
Reformation, not general suppression. By the Stat.
39 Eliz. c. 4, (which was made for the suppressing of
Rogues, Vagabonds and sturdy Beggars) it is enacted,
S. 2, That all persons that be, or utter themselves to be,
Proctors, Procurers, Patent gatherers, or Collectors for Gaols,
Prisons or Hospitals, or Fencers, Barewards, common players of
Interludes and Ministrels, wandering abroad, (other than Players
of Interludes belonging to any Baron of this Realm, or any other
honourable Personage of greater Degree, to be authoriz'd to play
under the Hand and Seal of Arms of such Baron or Personage)
All Juglers, Tinkers, Pedlers, and Petty chapmen, wandering
abroad, all wandring Persons, &c. able in Body, using loytering,
and refusing to work for such reasonable Wages as is commonly
given, &c. These shall be ajudged and deemed Rogues, Vagabonds
and sturdy Beggars, and punished as such.
LOVEW.
But this priviledge of Authorizing or
Licensing, is taken away by the Stat. 1 Ja. 1. ch. 7, S. 1,
and therefore all of them (as Mr. Collier says, p. 242)
are expresly brought under the foresaid Penalty,
without distinction.
TRUM. If he means all Players, without distinction,
'tis a great Mistake. For the force of the
Queens Statute extends only to wandring Players,
and not to such as are the King or Queen's Servants,
and establisht in settled Houses by Royal
Authority. On such, the ill Character of vagrant
Players (or as they are now called, Strolers) can
cast no more aspersion, than the wandring Proctors,
in the same Statute mentioned, on those of Doctors-Commons. By a Stat. made 3 Ja. 1. ch. 21. It
was enacted,
That if any person shall in any Stage-play, Enterlude, Shew,
Maygame, or Pageant, jestingly or prophanely speak or use the
holy name of God, Christ Jesus, the holy Ghost, or of the Trinity,
he shall forfeit for every such offence, 10l.
The Stat. 1 Char. 1. ch. 1, enacts,
That no Meetings, Assemblies, or concourse of People shall be
out of their own Parishes, on the Lords day, for any Sports or
Pastimes whatsoever, nor any Bear-bating, Bull-bating, Enterludes,
Common Plays, or other unlawful Exercises and Pastimes
used by any person or persons within their own Parishes.
These are all the Statutes that I can think of relating
to the Stage and Players; but nothing to suppress
them totally, till the two Ordinances of the Long
Parliament, one of the 22 of October 1647, the other
of the II of Feb. 1647. By which all Stage-Plays
and Interludes are absolutely forbid; the Stages,
Seats, Galleries, &c. to be pulled down; all Players
tho' calling themselves the King or Queens Servants,
if convicted of acting within two Months before such
Conviction, to be punished as Rogues according to
Law; the Money received by them to go to the
Poor of the Parish; and every Spectator to Pay Ss.
to the use of the Poor. Also Cock-fighting was
prohibited by one of Oliver's Acts Of 31 Mar. 1654.
But I suppose no body pretends these things to be
Laws; I could say more on this Subject, but I must
break off here, and leave you, Lovewit; my Occasions
require it.
LOVE. Farewel, Old Cavalier.
TRUM. 'Tis properly said; we are almost all of
us, now, gone and forgotten.
[*]
Till the 25 year of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen had not any
Players; but in that Year 12 of the best of all those who belinged to
several Lords, were chosen & sworn her Servants, as Grooms of the
Chamber. Stow's Annals, p. 698.