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PROLEGO

From feveral paffages in our old plays we learn, that fpec- VOL. I. tators were admitted on the ftage, and that the critics and wits of the time usually fat there. Some were placed on MENA. the ground; others fat on ftools, of which the price was either fixpence or a fhilling, according, I fuppofe, to the commodiousness of the fituation. And they were attended by pages, who furnished them with pipes and tobacco, which

NOTES.

a fresh habit,

"Of a fashion never seen before, to draw
"The gallants' eyes that fit upon the ftage.'

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Prologue to Maffinger's City Madam.
So, in 4 Mad World my Mafters, by Middleton, 1608: "The
actors have been found in a morning in lefs compass than their
Rage, though it were ne'er fo full of gentlemen."

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-to fair attire the stage

"Helps much; for if our other audience fee
"You on the stage depart, before we end,

"Our wits go with you all, and we are fools."

Prologue to All Fools, a comedy, acted at Black-friars, 1605. See alfo the preface to the first folio edition of our author's works:-"And though you be a magiftrate of wit, and fit on the Page at Black-friars, to arraigne plays dailie

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"Being on your feet, fneake not away like a coward, but falute all your gentle acquaintance that are pred either on the Tubes, or on ftooles about you; and draw what troops you can from the stage after you" Decker's Gul's Horn-book, 1609. This accounts for Hamlet's fitting on the ground at Ophelia's feet, during the reprefention of the play before the king and court of Denmark. Our author has only placed the young prince in the fame fituation in which he perhaps often faw Effex or Southampton at the feet of fome celebrated beauty. What fome chofe from economy, gallantry might have recommended to others. "By fitting on the ftage, you may with fmall coft, purchase the deere acquaintance of the boyes; have a good foole for fixpence" Gul's Horn-book.

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"These are most worne and most in fashion

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Amongst the, bever gallants, the ftone riders,

"The private ftage's audience, the twelvepenny foole
gentlemen.'

The Roaring Girl, a comedy by Middleton, 1611.
So, in the induction to Marston's Malcontent, 1604: "By
God's flid if you had, I would have given you but fixpence for
your ftool."-This therefore was the lowest rate; and the price
of the most commodious stools on the stage was a fhilling.

was

MENA.

VOL. I. was smoked here as well as in other parts of the houfe'. PROLEGO- Yet it fhould feem that perfons were fuffered to fit on the stage only in the private play-houses, (fuch as Black-friars, &c.) where the audience was more felect, and of a higher clafs; and that in the Globe and the other public theatres, no fuch licence was permitted m.

The ftage was ftrewed with rufhes ", which we learn from Hentzner and Caius de Ephemera, was in the time of Shakspeare, the ufual covering of floors in England. The curtain which hangs in the front of the prefent stage, drawn up by lines and pullies, though not a modern invention, (for it was used by Inigo Jones in the mafques at court) was yet an apparatus to which the fimple mechanism of our ancient theatres had not arrived; for in them the curtains opened in the middle, and were drawn backwards and forwards on an iron rod P. In fome play-houfes they were woollen,

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NOTES.

When young Rogero goes to fee a play,
"His pleasure is you place him on the stage,
"The better to demonstrate his array,
"And how he fits attended by his page,

"That only ferves to fill those pipes with Smoke,
"For which he pawned hath his riding cloak."

Springes for Woodcocks, by H. P. 1613. See the induction to Marston's Malecontent, 1604, which was acted by his majesty's fervants at Black-friars:

Sly,

Tyreman. "Sir, the gentlemen will be angry if you fit here. Why, we may fit upon the ftage at the private houfe. Thou doft not take me for a country gentleman, doft? Doest thou think I fear hifling? Let them that have ftale fuits, fit in the galleries, hifs at me-"

See alfo, The Roaring Girl, by Middleton: "the private flage's audience." Ante p. 13. (Note *).

"On the very rushes where the comedy is to daunce, yea, and under the state of Cambyfes himselfe, muft our feather'd eftridge, like a piece of ordnance, be planted valiantly, because impudently, beating down the mews and hiffes of the oppofed ratcality." Decker's Gul's Horn-book.

See alfo Ben Jonfon's Every Man out of his Humour, 1600: "Fore G, fweet lady, believe it, I do honour the meanest rub in this chamber for your love."

The epilogue to Tancred and Gifmund, a tragedy, 1592, concludes thus:

"Now draw the curtaines for our fcene is done."

So,

collen, in others, made of filk 9. Towards the rear of VOL. I. the ftage there appears to have been a balcony, the plat- PROLEGO

NOTES:

So, in the induction to Maríton's What You Will, a comedy, 1607: "Let's place ourselves within the curtaines; for good faith the ftage is fo very little, we fhall wrong the general eye very much."

Again, in Lady Alimony, 1657: "Be your ftage curtains ar tificially drawn, and fo covertly throwded, that the squint-eyed groundling may not peep in."

See alfo a ftage direction in The First Day's Entertainment at Ratlaad Houfe, by Declamation and Mufic after the manner of the Ancients, by Sir William D'Avenant, 1658:

"The fong ended, the curtains are drawn open again, and the epilogue enters."

See A Prologue upon removing of the late Fortune Players to the
Bull, by J Tateham; Fancie's Theatre, 1640:

"Here gentlemen our anchor's fixt; and we
"Difdaining Fortune's mutability,

"Expect your kind acceptance; then we'll fing,
"(Protected by your fmiles our ever-spring)
"As pleafant as if we had ftill poffeft
"Our lawful portion out of Fortune's breast.
"Only we would request you to forbear
"Your wonted cuftom, banding tyle and peare
"Against our curtains, to allure us forth ;-

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Pray take notice-these are of more worth;
"Pure Naples filk, not worfied.-We have ne'er
"" An actor who has mouth enough to tear

"Language by the ears. This forlorn hope shall be
"By us refin'd from fuch grofs injury:

"And then let your judicious loves advance
"Us to our merits, them to their ignorance."
See Nabbes's Covent Garden, a comedy, 1639:
"Enter Dorothy and Sufan in the balcone."

So, in The Virgin Martyr, a tragedy by Maffinger, 1622:

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They whifper below. Enter above Sapritius-with him Artemifia the princefs, Theophilus, Spungius, and Hercius.", And thefe five perfonages fpeak from this elevated fituation during the whole fcene."

See alfo the early quarto editions of our author's Romeo and Juliet, where we meet-" Enter Romeo and Juliet aloft." So, in The Taming of a Shrew: "Enter aloft the drunkard."-Almoft the whole of the dialogue in that play between the tinker and his attendants, appears to have been spoken in this balcony.

form

MENA.

VOL. I. form of which was probably eight or ten feet from the ground. PROLEGO- I fuppofe it to have been supported by pillars. From hence in many of our old plays, part of the dialogue was spoken; and in the front of this balcony, curtains likewife were hung 3.

MENA.

A doubt has been entertained, whether in our ancient theatres there were fide and other fcenes. The question is involved in fo much obfcurity, that it is very difficult to form any decided opinion upon it. It is certain, that in the year 1605, Inigo Jones exhibited an entertainment at Oxford, in which moveable scenes were used; but he appears to have introduced feveral pieces of machinery in the mafques at court, with which undoubtedly the public theatres were unacquainted. A paffage which has been produced from one of the old comedies ", proves, it must be owned, that even thefe were furnished with fome pieces of machinery, which were ufed when it was requifite to exhibit the descent of fome god or faint; but from all the contemporary accounts, I am inclined to believe, that the mechanifm of our ancient stage

NOTES.

This appears from a ftage-direction in Maffinger's Emperor of the Eaft, 1632: "The curtaines drawn above-Theodofius and his eunuchs difcovered."

t See Peck's Memoirs of Milton, p. 282: "The above mentioned art of varying the face of the whole ftage was a new thing and never seen in England till Auguft 1605, at what time, king James I. being to be entertained at Oxford, the heads of that University hired the aforefaid Inigo Jones (a great traveller) who undertook to farther them much, and to furnish them with rare devices for the king's entertainment. Accordingly he erected a ftage clofe to the upper end of the hall, (as it feemed at the first fight) at Chrift-church;"but it was indeed but a falfe wall, fair painted and adorned with ftately pillars, which pillars would turn about. By reafon whereof, with other painted clothes, on Wednefday Aug. 28. he varied their stage three times in the acting of one tragedy."

Of whyche the lyke thyng is used to be fhewed now adays in ftage-playes, when fome god or fome fant is made to appere forth of a cloude; and fuccoureth the parties which feemed to be towardes fome great danger, through the Soudan's crueltie—” The author adds in a marginal note: 66 -- the lyke manner used nowe at our days in ftage-playes." Acolafius, a comedy by T. Palígrave, chaplain to king Henry VIII. 1540.

feldom

fellom went beyond a painted chair, or a trap-door, and that VOL. I. tew, if any of them, had any moveable scenes. When PROLEGOking MENA.

NOTES.

All the ancient writers on the English stage, affert that until after the death of king Charles I it was unfurnished with scenes: "Now for the difference betwixt our theatres and those of former times, (fays Fleckno, who lived near enough the time to be accurately informed) they were but plain and fimple, with no other feenes nor decorations of the ftage, but only old tapestry, and the ftage ftrewed with rushes; with their habits accordingly."Start Difcourfe of the English Stage, 1664. But though the theatres were not fupplied with thefe coftly ornaments, it appears from this writer, (as well as from the paffage above quoted, p. 16, note ) that fcenes themfelves were not a novelty at the Reftoration:"For scenes and machines, (he adds, in a fubfequent page) they are no new invention; our mafques, and fome of our playes in former times, (though not fo ordinary) having had as good, or rather better, than any we have now."-To reconcile this paffage with the foregoing, the author muft be fuppofed to fpeak here, not of the exhibitions at the publick theatres, but of private plays, performed either at court or at noblemens' houles. He does not fay, "fome of our theatres,"-but, "fome of our plays having had, &c." In the reign of king Charles I. the performance of plays at court, and at private houses, feems to have been very common; and gentlemen went to great expence in thefe exhibitions. See a letter from Mr. Garrard to lord Strafford, dated Feb. 7. 1637. Strafford's Letters, Vol. II. P. 150: Two of the king's fervants, privy-chamber men both, have writ each of them a play, Sir John Sutlin [Suckling] and Will. Barclay, which have been acted in court, and at the Black-friars with much applaufe. Sutlin's play coft three or four hundred pounds setting out; eight or ten fuits of new cloaths he gave the players; an unheard-of prodigality."-The play on which Sir John Suckling expended this large fum, was, I believe,

The Goblins.

To the authority of Fleckno, may be added that of Edward Philips, who, in his Theatrum Poetarum, 1674, [article D'Avehant] praifes that poet for "the great fluency of his wit and fancy, efpecially for what he wrote for the English ftage, of which, having laid the foundation before by his mufical dramas, when the ufual plays were not fuffered to be acted, he was the firft, reviver and improver, by painted feenes." Wright alfo, who appears to have been well acquainted with the hiftory of Our ancient Stage, fays, in his Hiftoria Hiftrionica, 1699, that "fcenes were first introduced by Sir William D'Avenant, on the publick stage, at the Duke's old theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields." See alfo

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