A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Viii Part 101

[157] This forms the Induction to the play, which purports to have been written to be performed before Henry VIII., by Sir Thomas Mantle, who performed Robin Hood, by Sir John Eltham, who played the part of Little John, by Skelton, who acted Friar Tuck, by "Little Tracy," as he is called, who supported the character of Maid Marian, and others, whose names are not mentioned. The whole is only supposed to be a rehearsal prior to the representation of the piece before the king, and in the course of it Skelton and Sir John Eltham have various critical and explanatory interlocutions. Skelton, it will be observed, also undertakes the duty of interpreting the otherwise "inexplicable dumb-show." The old copy is not divided into acts and scenes.

[158] [Old copy, _your_.]

[159] [In the old copy this direction is unnecessarily repeated in detail.]

[160] [The direction inserted on p. 107 is repeated in full in the 4to.]

[161] This is in some sort a parody upon the well-known proverb, which is thus given by Ray--

"Many talk of Robin Hood, that never shot in his bow, And many talk of Little John, that never did him know."

It is also found in Camden's "Remains," by Philpot, 1636, p. 302, though the two lines, obviously connected in sense, are there separated. [See also Hazlitt's "Proverbs," 1869, p. 276.]

[162] This sort of verse, from the frequent use of it made by Skelton in his poems, acquired the name of _Skeltonic_ or _Skeltonical_. According to the manner in which the poet's character is drawn, he could not avoid falling into the use of it, even out of its place, in the course of the play; and of this a singular instance is given after the capture and discovery of Ely, when Sir John Eltham, in one of the interlocutions, complains of Skelton that in performing the part of Friar Tuck he fell--

"Into the vein Of ribble-rabble rhimes Skeltonical."

In 1589 was published a tract with the following curious t.i.tle--

"A Skeltonical salutation, Or condigne gratulation, And just vexation Of the Spanish nation; That in bravado Spent many a crusado In setting forth an Armado England to invado."

The whole piece is in this kind of verse. A copy of it is in the British Museum.

Puttenham, speaking of poetry of this sort, says: "Such were the rimes of Skelton (usurping the name of Poet Laureat), being in deede but a rude, rayling rimer, and all his doings ridiculous; he used both short distances and short measures, pleasing onely to the popular eare; in our courtly maker we banish them utterly."--_Arte of English Poesie_, 1589, p. 69.

[163] Matilda is here, and elsewhere, called Marian, before in fact she takes that name; and after she has a.s.sumed it, in the course of the play she is frequently called Matilda.

[164] [Old copy, _Into_.]

[165] Jest is used in the same sense in "The Spanish Tragedy," act i., where the king exclaims--

"But where is old Hieronimo, our marshal?

He promis'd us, in honour of our guest, To grace our banquet with some pompous _jest_."

Dr Farmer, in reference to the line in "Richard II., act i. sc. 3--

"As gentle and as jocund as to _jest_,"

quotes the above pa.s.sage from "The Spanish Tragedy" to show that to _jest_, "in old language, means _to play a part in a mask_."

[166] [Old copy, _my_.]

[167] [Old copy, _place_.]

[168] Ritson has the following note upon this sign: "That is, the inn so called, upon Ludgate Hill. The modern sign, which, however, seems to have been the same 200 years ago, is _a bell_ and _a wild man_; but the original is supposed to have been _a beautiful Indian_, and the inscription, _La belle Sauvage_. Some, indeed, a.s.sert that the inn once belonged to a Lady _Arabella Sauvage_; and others that its name originally, the _belle_ and _Sauvage_, arose (like the _George and Blue Boar_) from the junction of two inns with those respective signs. _Non nostrum est tantas componere lites_." "Robin Hood," I. p. liv.

[169] [Old copy, _meant_.]

[170] Little John's _exit_ is marked here in the old copy, but it does not take place till afterwards: he first whispers Marian, as we are told immediately, _John_ in the original standing for Little John.

[171] i.e., A collection or company, and not, as we now use the word, a _kind_ "of fawning sycophants."

[172] i.e., Made a Justice of Peace of him, ent.i.tling him to the style of _Wors.h.i.+p_.

[173] [Old copy, _ran_.]

[174] i.e., "I shall _be even_ with you." So Pisaro in Haughton's "Englishmen for my Money," says of his three daughters--

"Well, I shall find a tune _to meet_ with them."--Sig. E 2.

[175] Alluding to the challenges of the officers who are aiding and a.s.sisting the Sheriff.

[176] Paris Garden (or as it is printed in the old copy, _Parish_ Garden), was a place where bears were baited and other animals kept.

Curtal was a common term for a small horse, and that which Banks owned, and which acquired so much celebrity for its sagaciousness, is so called by Webster--

"And some there are Will keep a _curtal_ to show juggling tricks, And give out 'tis a spirit."

--"Vittoria Corombona," [Webster's Works, by Hazlitt, ii. 47.]

_Sib is related to_; and perhaps _the ape's only least at Paris Garden_, may apply to Banks's pony. Dekker, in his "Villanies Discovered," 1620, mentions in terms "Bankes his Curtal."

[177] In the course of the play John is sometimes called _Earl_ John, and sometimes _Prince_ John, as it seems, indifferently.

[178] [Old copy, _deceive_.]

[179] It must be recollected that the Queen and Marian have exchanged dresses.

[180] [Old copy, _must_.]

[181] [Old copy, _sovereign's mother, queen_.]

[182] [Old copy, _cankers_]

[183] [Old copy, _thrust_.]

[184] _Haught_ is frequently used for _haughty_, when the poet wants to abridge it of a syllable: thus Shakespeare, in "Richard III." act ii.

sc. 3--

"And the queen's sons and brothers _haught_ and proud."

He has also "the _haught_ Northumberland" and "the _haught_ Protector."

Kyd in "Cornelia," act iv., also has this line--

"Pompey, the second Mars, whose _haught_ renown."

[185] [Old copy, _Ah, my good Lord, for, etc_.]

[186] i.e., Shall not _separate_ us till we die. See Gifford's note to "The Renegado."--Ma.s.singer's Works, ii. 136.