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The practice therefore of exhibiting two dramas fucceffively in the fame afternoon, we may be affured, was not established before that period. But though our ancient audiences were not gratified by the representation of more than one drama in the fame day, the entertainment in the middle of the reign of Elizabeth was diverfified, and the populace diverted, by vaulting, tumbling, flight of hand, and morrice-dancing; and in the time of Shakspeare, by the extemporaneous buffoonery of the Clown, whenever he chofe to folicit the attention of the audience; by finging and dancing between the acts, and either a fong or the metrical jig already described at the end of the piece: a

"For the eye, befides the beautie of the houses and the stages, he [the devil] fendeth in garifh apparell, mafques, vaulting, tum bling, dauncing of gigges, galiardes, morifces, hobby-horses, fhewing of juggling caftes,-nothing forgot, that might ferve to fet out the matter with pompe, or ravifh the beholders with variety of pleafure." Playes confuted in five Actions. By Stephen Goffon. Signat. E.

5 See Beaumont's Verfes to Fletcher on his Faithful Shepherdefs: "Nor want there thofe, who, as the boy does dance "Between the acts, will cenfure the whole play." So alfo, in Sir John Davies's EPIGRAMS, no date, but printed in 1598:

"For as we fee at all the play-houfe doores,

"When ended is the play, the dance, and fong,

"A thousand townfmen," &c.

Hentzner obferves, that the dances, when he was in London in 1598, were accompanied with exquifite mufick. See the paffage quoted from his ITINERARY, in p. 165, n. 9.

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That in the ftage-dances boys in the drefs of women fometimes joined, appears to me probable from Prynne's invective against the theatre: Stage-playes," fays he, " by our own modern experience are commonly attended with mixt effeminate amorous dancing." Hiftriomaftix, p. 259. From the fame author we learn that fongs were frequently fung between the acts. "By our owne moderne experience there is nothing more frequent in all our stage-playes then amorous paftoral or obfcene lafcivious love-fongs, moft melo

mixture not more heterogeneous than that with which we are now daily prefented, a tragedy and a farce. In the dances, I believe, not only men, but boys in women's dreffes, were introduced: a practice which prevailed on the Grecian ftage," and in France till late in the last century."

The amusements of our ancestors, before the commencement of the play, were of various kinds. While fome part of the audience entertained themfelves with reading, or playing at cards, others

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diously chanted out upon the ftage betweene each feveral action; both to fupply that chafme or vacant interim which the tyring. houfe takes up in changing the actors' robes, to fit them for fome other part in the enfuing fcene,-as likewife to pleafe the itching eares, if not to inflame the outrageous lufts, of lewde fpectators." Ibidem, p. 262.

In another place the author quotes the following paffage from Eufebius. "What feeth he who runnes to play-houfes? Diabolical fonges, dancing wenches, or, that I may fpeake more truely, girles toffed up and downe with the furies of the devil." ["A good defcription (adds Prynne) of our dancing females."] "For what doth this dancereffe? She moft impudently uncovers her head, which Paul hath commanded to be always covered; the turnes about her necke the wrong way; fhe throweth aboute her haire hither and thither. Even thefe things verily are done by her whom the Devill hath poffeffed." Ibidem, p. 534.

It does not appear whether the puritanical writer of this treatise alludes in the obfervation inferted in crotchets to boys dancing on the flage in women's cloaths, or to female dancers in private houses. The fubject immediately before him fhould rather lead to the former interpretation. Women certainly did not dance on the stage in his time.

6 See p. 233, n. 5.

7" Dans le ballet de Triomphe de l'Amour en 1681, on vit pour la premiere fois de danfeufes fur le theâtre de l'Opera: auparavant c'etoient deux, quatre, fix, ou hnit danfeurs qu'on habilloit en femmes." Oeuvres de M. De Saint-Foix, Tom. III. p. 416.

So, in Fitz-Jeoffery's Satires, 1617:

Ye worthy worthies! none elfe, might I chufe,

"Doe I defire my poefie perufe,

"For to fave charges ere the play begin,

"Or when the lord of liberty comes in."

were employed in lefs refined occupations; in drinking ale, or fmoking tobacco: with thefe and nuts and apples they were furnished by male attendants, of whofe clamour a fatirical writer of the time of James I. loudly complains. In 1633,

Again, in a fatire at the conclufion of The Maftive, or young Whelpe of the old Dogge,-Epigrams and Satires, printed by Thomas Creede:

[The author is fpeaking of those who will probably purchase his book.]

"Laft comes my scoffing friend, of scowring wit,
"Who thinks his judgement 'bove all arts doth fit.
"He buys the booke, and haftes him to the play;
"Where when he comes and reads, "here's stuff," doth
fay:

"Because the lookers on may hold him wife,

"He laughs at what he likes, and then will rife,
"And takes tobacco; then about will looke,
"And more dislike the play than of the booke;

"At length is vext he fhould with charge be drawne
"For fuch flight fights to lay a fute to pawne."

"Before the play begins, fall to cardes." Guls Horne-book,

1609.

2 See The Woman-Hater, a comedy, by B. and Fletcher, 1607: "There is no poet acquainted with more fhakings and quakings towards the latter end of his new play, when he's in that cafe that he ftands peeping between the curtains, fo fearfully, that a bottle of ale cannot be opened, but that he thinks fome body hiffes."

3 "Now, fir, I am one of your gentle auditors that am come in ;-I have my three forts of tobacco in my pocket; my light by me-and thus I begin." Induction to Cynthia's Revels, by Ben Jonfon, 1601.

So, in Bartholomew Fair, 1614: "He looks like a fellow that I have feen accommodate gentlemen with tobacco at our theatres.” Again, in Decker's Guls Horne-book: "By fitting on the stage, you may with fmall coft purchase the deare acquaintance of the boyes; have a good ftool for fixpence ;-get your match lighted," &c. Pr'ythee, what's the play?

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- I'll fee't, and fit it out whate'er.

"Had Fate fore-read me in a crowd to die;
To be made adder-deaf with pippin-cry."

Notes from Black-fryers, by H. Fitz-Jeoffery, 1617.

when Prynne published his Hiftriomaflix, women fmoked tobacco in the playhouses as well as men.'

It was a common practice to carry table-books. to the theatre, and either from curiofity, or enmity to the author, or fome other motive, to write down paffages of the play that was reprefented; and there is reafon to believe that the imperfect and mutilated copies of one or two of Shakspeare's dramas, which are yet extant, were taken down by the ear or in short-hand during the exhibition.

At the end of the piece, the actors, in noblemen's houses and in taverns, where plays were frequently performed, prayed for the health and

5 In a note on a paffage in Goffon's Schoole of Abufe, 15793 "Inftead of pomegranates they give them pippins," &c. quoted by Prynne, he informs us, "Now they offer them [the female part of the audience] the tobacco-pipe, which was then unknowne.” Hiftriomaftix, p. 363.

6 See the Induction to Marston's Malecontent, a comedy, 1604: . I am one that hath feen this play often, and can give them [Heminge, Burbage, &c.] intelligence for their action; I have moit of the jets here in my table-book."

So, in the prologue to Hannibal and Scipio, 1637:

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Nor fhall he in plush,

"That, from the poet's labours, in the pit

"Informs himself, for the exercise of his wit

"At taverns, gather notes."

Again, in the Prologue to The Woman-Hater, a comedy, 1607: "If there be any lurking among you in corners, with tablebooks, who have fome hopes to find fit matter to feed his malice on, let them clafp them up, and flink away, or ftay and be converted." Again, in Every Man in his Humour, 1601:

But to fuch, wherever they fit concealed, let them know, the author defies them and their writing-tables."

7 See A Mad World my Mafters, a comedy, by Middleton, 1608: "Some therry for my lord's players there, firrah; why this will be a true feaft;-a right Mitre fupper;—a play and all."

The night before the infurrection of the gallant and unfortunate Earl of Effex, the play of King Henry IV. (not Shakspeare's piece) was acted at his house.

profperity of their patrons; and in the publick theatres, for the king and queen. This prayer fometimes made part of the epilogue. Hence, probably, as Mr. Steevens has obferved, the addition of Vivant rex et regina, to the modern playbills.

Plays in the time of our author, began at one o'clock in the afternoon; and the exhibition was

See the notes on the Epilogue to The Second Part of K. Henry IV. Vol. IX. p. 254•

9 See Cambyfes, a tragedy, by Thomas Prefton; Locrine, 15955 and K. Henry IV. Part II:

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"Fufcus doth rife at ten, and at eleven

"He goes to Gyls, where he doth eat till one,
"Then fees a play.”

Epigrams by Sir John Davies, no date, but printed about 1598. Others, however, were actuated by a ftronger curiofity, and, in order to fecure good places, went to the theatre without their dianer. See the Prologue to The Unfortunate Lovers, by Sir William D'Avenant, first performed at Blackfriars, in April, 1638: You are grown exceffive proud,

"Since ten times more of wit than was allow'd
"Your filly ancestors in twenty year,

"You think in two short hours to fwallow here.
"For they to theatres were pleas'd to come,
"Ere they had din'd, to take up the best room;
"There fat on benches not adorn'd with mats,
"And gracioufly did vail their high-crown'd hats
"To every half-drefs'd player, as he ftill
"Through hangings peep'd, to fee the galleries fill.
"Good eafy-judging fouls, with what delight
"They would expect a jig or target-fight!
"A furious tale of Troy, which they ne'er thought
"Was weakly writ, if it were ftrongly fought;

Laugh'd at a clinch, the fhadow of a jelt,

And cry'd-a paffing good one, I proteft."

From the foregoing lines it appears that, anciently, places were not taken in the belt rooms or boxes, before the reprefentation. Soon after the Reftoration, this practice was established. See a prologue to a revived play, in Covent Garden Drollery, 1672:

"Hence 'tis, that at new plays you come fo foon,
"Like bridegrooms hot to go to bed ere noon;

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