VOL. I.

JOHN RICE.

PROLEGO- The only information I have met with concerning this player, ΜΕΝΑ. is, that he performed the Marquis of Pescara, an inconfiderable part in Webster's Dutchess of Malfy.

The foregoing lift is faid, in the first folio, to contain the names of the principal actors in these plays.

Befides thefe, we know that John Wilson played an infigficant part in Much Ado about Nothing; but it was not this performer who was celebrated by Meres for learning and extemporal witte, [as Mr. Steevens imagined-See vol. I. p. 233, Prolegomena] but one Thomas Wilson ".

Gabriel was likewife an inferior actor, as appears from the old editions of the third part of K. Henry VI. See the first folio, p. 150, where we find "enter Gabriel." The quartos here read, "Enter a messenger."

Sinkler or Sinklo, was likewise a player of the fame clafs *.

With refpect to Edward Alleyn, who, according to Langbaine, was an ornament to Black-fryars, Wright, who seems to have been better acquainted with the ancient stage, fays, "he had never heard that Alleyn acted there."

To this fhort account of the original actors in Shakfpeare's plays, I shall subjoin a tranfcript of a very curibus paper now in my poffeffion, entitled, The Platt of the Secound Parte of the Seven Deadlie Sinns, as it ferves in fome meafure to mark the various degrees of confequence of several of these performers.

The piece entitled The Seven Deadly Sins, in two parts, (of one of which the annexed paper contains the outlines) was written by Tarleton the comedian . From the man

NOTES.

ner

Stowe's Annals, p. 697, edit. 16:5.-Among the twelve players who were fworn the queen's fervants in 1583, "were two rare men, viz. Thomas Wilfon for a quicke delicate, refined extemporal witte, and Richard Tarleton, for a wondrous plentifull pleafant extemporall witt."

In The Third Part of K. Henry VI. a&t III. fc. i. (first folio) the following stage-direction is found: "Enter Sinklo and Humphrey In the quarto: "Enter two keepers."

·

See Four Letters and certain Sonnets, [by Gabriel Harvey] 1592, p. 29.

doubtlefs it will prove fome dainty devife, queintly

contrived

ner in which it is mentioned by Gabriel Harvey, his con-
temporary, it appears to have been a new and unexampled PROLEGO-
fpecies of dramatick exhibition. He exprefsly calls it a play. MENA.
I think it probable, that it was firft produced foon after a vio
lent attack had been made againft the ftage. Several invec-
tives against plays were published in the latter part of the
reign of queen Elizabeth. It feems to have been the pur-
pofe of the author of this exhibition, to concenter in one per-
formance the principal subjects of the ferious drama, and to
exhibit at one view thofe ufes to which it might be applied
with advantage. That thefe Seven Deadly Sins, as they are
here called, were esteemed the principal fubjects of tragedy,
may appear from the following words of Heywood, who,
in his Apology for Actors, introduces Melpomene thus fpeaking:
"Have I not whipt vice with a fcourge of fteele,
"Unmaskt fterne Murther, fham'd lafcivious Luft,
"Pluckt off the vifar from grimme treafon's face,
"And made the funne point at their ugly finnes?
"Hath not this powerful hand tam'd fiery Rage,
"Kill'd poysonous Envy with her own keene darts,

NOTES.

contrived by way of humble fupplication to the high and mightie
Prince of darkneffe; not dunfically botched up, but right formally
conveyed, according to the ftile and tenour of Tarleton's prefident,
his famous play of the Seaven Deadly Sinnes; which most dealy
[f. deadly] but lively playe I might have feen in London, and was
verie gently invited thereunto at Oxford by Tarleton himselfe;
of whom I merrily demaunding, which of the feaven was his own
deadlie finne, he bluntly answered, after this manner; By G-
the finne of other gentlemen, lechery." Tarleton's Repentance
and his Farewell to his Frendes in his Sickness, a little before his
death," was entered on the Stationers' books in October 1589; fo
that the play of The Seven Deadly Sins must have been produced
in or before that year.

The Seven Deadly Sins had been very early perfonified, and in-
troduced by Dunbar, a Scottish writer, (who flourished about 1470)
in a poem entitled The Daunce. In this piece they are described
as prefenting a mask or mummery, with the newest gambols just
imported from France. In an anonymous poem called The Ka-
lendar of Shepherds, printed by Wynkyn de Worde, 1497, are
alfo defcribed the Seven Vifions, or the punishments in hell of
The Seven Deadly Sins. See Warton's Hift. of Eng. Poetry, II.
197, 272.
« Choak’d

60

VOL. I.

PROLEGO-
MENA.

SUPPLEMENTAL

* Choak’d up the covetous mouth with moulten gold,
"Burft the vaft wombe of eating Gluttony,

"And drown'd the drunkard's gall in juice of grapes
"I have fhew'd Pride his picture on a stage,
"Layde ope the ugly fhapes his fteel-glaffe hid,
"And made him paffe thence meekely-"

Duke.

collors & foldiers. W. Sly. R to them at another dore Porrex drum

J. Holland.

Pallant.

John Sincler.

As a very full and fatisfactory account of the exhibi defcribed in this ancient fragment, by Mr. Steevens, wi found in the following pages, it is unneceffary to add thing upon the fubject.-What dramas were represente the first part of the Seven Deadly Sins, we can now only jecture, as probably the Plat of that piece is long fince ftroyed. The ill confequences of Rage, I fuppofe, were culcated by the exhibition of Alexander and the death of tus, on which fubject, it appears there was an ancient pl Some scenes from the drama of Mydas were probably it duced to exhibit the odiousness and folly of Avarice. fons against Pride and ambition were perhaps furnished, ther by the play of Ninus and Semiramis, or by a F formed on the ftory of Phaeton: And Gluttony, we fuppofe, was rendered odious in the perfon of Heliogab

a

MALONE

NOTES.

z "If we prefent a foreign history, the subject is fo intend that in the lives of Romans, Grecians, or others, the vertue our countrymen are extolled, or their vices reproved.—We fent Alexander killing his friend in his rage, to reprove ran Mydas choked with gold, to tax covetoufnefs; Nero against tyran Sardanapalus against luxury, Ninus against ambition."-Heywoo Apol. for Actors, 1610. See the foregoing note.

The Tragedy of Ninus and Semiramis, the firft Monarchs of World, was entered on the Stationers' books, May 10, 1595.

alfo note 2.

Duke. W. Sly. Harry. Enter Progne Itis and Lords.

S

There appears to have been an antient play on this fubjeé "Art thou proud? Our feene prefeats thee with the fall of Pha ton; Narcilas pining in the love of his fhadow; ambitious Ha man now calling himself a god, and by and by thrust headlong among the devils." Pride and ambition feem to have been used as fynoymous terms. Apol. for Actors,

fpeaks.

Enter Ferrex crownd with drum & coulers and foldiers one way. Harry. Kitt. R. Cowley John Duke. to them at another dore Porrex drum & collors & foldiers. W. Sly. R Pallant. John Sincler. J. Holland.

over the ftag.

ས་ལ་

Lechery panetn

Enter Tereus Philomela Julio. R. Burbadge
Ro. R. Pall. J. Sink.

Enter Progne Itis and Lords. Saunder. Will. J.
Duke. W. Sly. Harry.