Read Ebook: A Collection of Old English Plays Volume 3 by Bullen A H Arthur Henry Editor

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Ebook has 162 lines and 59815 words, and 4 pages

The cause of thys?

Terminat hora diem, terminat Author opus.

Nella la B.

I make no claim for high excellence on behalf of this unknown playwright. The writing is at times thin and feeble, and the versification is somewhat monotonous. But with all its faults, the language is dramatic. The writer was a contemporary of Shakespeare, and something of Shakespeare's spirit breathes through the pages of this forgotten play. Take such a speech as the following, from the second scene of the opening act:--

One may smile at the notion of holloaing "to the beast," but the whole passage is vigorous, and some single lines are excellent.

THE HISTORY of the tryall of CHEUALRY,

LONDON Printed by Simon Stafford for Nathaniel Butter, and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-Yard, neere S. Austens Gate. 1605.

The Historie of the triall of Chevalry.

Launce with such dexterity As if the god of battell had himselfe Entered the Lists, and preassing to the midst Of steele-composed troops like lightning fly Till he had made a passage with his sword.

This net of sorrowes, I perceyve, intangles Not only Pembrooke but the Court of France; Navar and his associats are all toucht. Time looke upon us and at last determine These heart-dissevering tumults with a peace.

! I do embrace my friend.

Rodoricke, thou shalt assist mee in this plot.

But words are ayre. Lewis, behold this face: This prooves our honour cleere from all disgrace.

An old game at cards; it is supposed to have resembled cribbage.

"To make ready," meaning "to dress," is a very common expression in old authors.

An obvious reference to Queen Elizabeth.

A beggar Vid. Dyce's Glossary under "Besonian".

"Knight of the post" was the name given to those who gained their living by giving false evidence at law-courts. Nares quotes from Nash's "Pierce Pennilesse":--"A knight of the post, quoth he, for so I am tearmed: a fellow that will swear any thing for twelve pence."

"Division" was a technical term in music for "the running a simple strain into a great variety of shorter notes to the same modulation" . The "plain song" was the simple air without variations.

Sir Thomas Overbury says, in his character of 'A very woman,' that 'her lightnesse gets her to swim at top of the table, where her wee little finger bewraies carving'.

Ed. 1606, one; ed. 1636, on.

The 1606 ed. marks "Exit" Penelope.

A card that cools a player's courage .

The "Family of Love" was the name given to a fanatical sect; David George, of Delph , was the founder.

The reference is to the visit of the Mar?chal de Biron and his suite in the autumn of 1601.

Pick-thatcht, ed. 1606.

A term in card-playing; to "vie" was to cover a stake.

The name of a famous bear. Cf. Epigrams by J. D.--

"Leaving old Plowden, Dyer and Brooke alone, To see old Harry Hankes and Sacarson."

Master Slender told Anne Page: "I have seen Sackarson loose twenty times and have taken him by the chain."

The reference is, I suppose, to Roger Bacon's "Libellus de retardandis Senectutis accidentibus et de sensibus conservandis. Oxoniae, 1590."

Quy. inframed .

Ed. 1636, "state."

Ed. 1636 makes sad work of the text here:--

Quy. thridlesse . Mr. Fleay suggests "rimelesse."

Ed. 1636 reads "antheame."

"White-boy" was a common term of endearment for a favourite son.

Quy., hot.

i.e., companions.

Doubtless the writer was thinking of Dogberry's "Comparisons are odorous."

"Foisting-hound." A small lap-dog with an evil smell, "Catellus graveolens."

The 'clap-dish' which beggars used to beat in order to attract the attention of the charitable.

Both quartos give "all."

"That most lovely and fervid of all imaginative panegyrics."--Swinburne's "Study of Shakespeare," p. 141.

"Dr. Dodypoll" is a very rare play, to be found only in the libraries of wealthy collectors. The copy in the library of the British Museum is catalogued as "imperfect; wanting Sig. A 2"; but it corresponds in all respects with Mr. Huth's. Perhaps an "Address to the Reader," or a "Dedication" was cancelled.

Before the reader goes further, let him turn to Sonnet xvii. in Mr. Swinburne's series of "Sonnets on English Dramatic Poets."

"And when he shall die, Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the face of heaven so fine, That all the world will be in love with night, And pay no worship to the garish sun."

This word is found in Holland's "Ammianus" and Harrington's "Epigrams" . A similar compound is "smell-smock."

"Why, what a peevish fool was that of Crete, That taught his son the office of a fowl! And yet, for all his wings, the fool was drown'd."

A perfume-ball worn round the neck or carried in the pocket.

The trials of the Scotch witches in 1590 were too horrible to be soon forgotten.

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