The
quotation
is from Horace,
_De Art.
_De Art.
Ben Jonson - The Devil's Association
Sir, you belie her.
She is cha?
te, and vertuous,
And we are hone? t. I doe know no glory [170]
A man ? hould hope, by venting his owne follyes,
But you'll ? till be an _A? ? e_, in ? pight of prouidence.
Plea? e you goe in, Sir, and heare truths, then iudge 'hem:
And make amends for your late ra? hne? ? e; when, 156
You ? hall but heare the paines and care was taken,
To ? aue this foole from ruine (his _Grace_ of _Drown'd-land_)
FIT. My land is drown'd indeed--
POV. Peace.
MAN. And how much
His mode? t, and too worthy wife hath ? uffer'd 160
By mi? -con? truction, from him, you will blu? h,
Fir? t, for your owne beliefe, more for his actions!
His land is his: and neuer, by my friend,
Or by my ? elfe, meant to another v? e,
But for her ? uccours, who hath equall right. 165
If any other had wor? e coun? ells in't,
(I know I ? peake to tho? e can apprehend mee)
Let 'hem repent 'hem, and be not detected.
It is not manly to take ioy, or pride
In humane errours. (wee doe all ill things, 170
They doe 'hem wor? t that loue 'hem, and dwell there,
Till the plague comes) The few that haue the ? eeds
Of goodne? ? e left, will ? ooner make their way
To a true life, by ? hame, then puni? hment.
_THE END_.
[821] SD. Sir] To them. ] Sir 1692 _to them_ om. 1692, 1716, W
ACT. . . . ] SCENE V. _A Room in_ Fitzdottrel's _House_. FITZDOTTREL
_discovered in bed; Lady_ EITHERSIDE, TAILBUSH, AMBLER, TRAINS, _and_
PITFALL, _standing by him. Enter Sir_ PAUL EITHERSIDE, MEERCRAFT,
_and_ EVERILL. G
[822] 1 SN. _and_] _at_ 1692, 1716, W The . . . ] om. G
[823] 4 time o' ret. G
[824] 11 H'is] He's 1716, f.
[825] 14 means. [_Exit Ambler. _ G
[826] 20 o'] of W
[827] 21 Who is G
[828] 28 _ha_, om. W _ha, &c. _ om. G
[829] 29 SN. _interprets_ 1692, 1716, W _The_ . . . ] om. G
[830] 33 a om. 1641, f.
[831] 38 SN. Wittipol, _and . . . enter_] _Enter_ WITTIPOL, . . . G
[832] 40 strange 1641, f.
[833] 43 their] our W
[834] 48 SN. _His wife_ om. G
[835] 58 prove to be the merrier? 1641
[836] 60 impudence] insolence 1641
[837] 61 it. --_Re-enter_ AMBLER, _with_ SLEDGE _and_ GUILTHEAD. G
[838] 69 with [_To Meer. _] G
[839] SN. _him_ om. 1641
[840] SN. om. G
[841] 73 strong om. 1641
[842] 74 &c. om. G
[843] 82 SN. _to be_ om. 1641
[844] SN. om. G
[845] 84 endanger'd W, G
[846] 86 foole] fellow 1641
[847] 87 He makes himselfe] I'd rather fall 1641 O they whisper,
they whisper, whisper, &c. 1641
[848] 91 phrenetic G
[849] 108 you om. W
[850] 110 _Crambe_] Crambo W. G
[851] 111 can. [_Aside to Fitz. _] G
[852] 112 =? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? = 1692, 1716
[853] 113 =? ? ? = 1692, 1716
[854] 114 =? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? = W, G
[855] 115 _Aside to Fitz. _ G
[856] 119 FIT. _Ouy_,] in line 120, 1692, f.
[857] 121 SN. ] _Enter_ SHACKLES, _with the things found on the body
of the Cut-purse_. G
[858] 128 Those] These W
[859] 135 SN. ] _Fitz. _ [_starts up_. ] G
[860] 141 () ret. G
[861] 145 not you] you not W, G
[862] 148 Coozners 1641 _Cozeners_ 1692, 1716 cozeners W, G
[863] 166 in it G
[864] 167 () ret. G
[865] 170 human 1692, f.
[866] 174 [_He comes forward for the Epilogue. _ G
[867] 175 'The End. ' after line 6 1692 om. 1716 W, G
The Epilogue.
_Thus, the_ Proiecter, _here, is ouer-throwne.
But I have now a_ Proiect _of mine owne,
If it may pa? ? e: that no man would inuite
The_ Poet _from vs, to ? up forth to night, 5
If the_ play _plea? e. If it di? plea? ant be,
We doe pre? ume, that no man will: nor wee. _
[868] 1 'The Epilogue. ' om. G
[869] 7 [_Exeunt. _ G
NOTES
The present edition includes whatever has been considered of value
in the notes of preceding editions. It has been the intention in
all cases to acknowledge facts and suggestions borrowed from such
sources, whether quoted verbatim, abridged, or developed. Notes
signed W. are from Whalley, G. from Gifford, C. from Cunningham.
For other abbreviations the Bibliography should be consulted.
Explanations of words and phrases are usually found only in the
Glossary. References to this play are by act, scene, and line of the
Text; other plays of Jonson are cited from the Gifford-Cunningham
edition of 1875. The references are to play, volume and page.
TITLE-PAGE.
=THE DIUELL IS AN ASSE. = 'Schlegel, seizing with great felicity upon
an untranslateable German idiom, called the play _Der dumme Teufel_
[Schlegel's _Werke_, ed. Bocking, 6. 340]--a title which must be
allowed to be twice as good as that of the English original. The
phrase 'the Devil is an ass' appears to have been proverbial.
See Fletcher's _The Chances_, Act 5. Sc. 2:
Dost thou think
The devil such an ass as people make him? '
--Ward, _Eng. Drama_ 2. 372.
A still more important passage occurs in Dekker's _If this be not a
good Play_, a partial source of Jonson's drama:
_Scu. _ Sweete-breads I hold my life, that diuels an asse.
--Dekker, _Wks. _ 3. 328.
Jonson uses it again in _The Staple of News_, _Wks. _ 5. 188:
The conjurer cozened him with a candle's end; he was an ass.
Dekker (_Non-dram. Wks. _ 2. 275) tells us the jest of a citizen
who was told that the 'Lawyers get the Diuell and all: What an
Asse, replied the Citizen is the diuell? If I were as he I would
get some of them. '
=HIS MAIESTIES SERVANTS. = Otherwise known as the
_King's Company_, and popularly spoken of as the _King's Men_. For
an account of this company see Winter, ed. _Staple of News_, p. 121;
and Fleay, _Biog. Chron. _ 1. 356-7; 2. 403-4.
=Ficta voluptatis=, etc.
The quotation is from Horace,
_De Art. Poet. _, line 338. Jonson's translation is:
Let what thou feign'st for pleasure's sake, be near
The truth.
Jonson makes use of this quotation again in his note 'To the
Reader' prefixed to Act 3 of _The Staple of News_.
=I. B. = Fleay speaks of this printer as J. Benson (_Biog. Chron_. 1.
354). Benson did not 'take up freedom' until June 30, 1631 (_Sta.
Reg. _ 3. 686). Later he became a publisher (1635-40; _Sta. Reg. _ 5.
lxxxiv). I. B. was also the printer of _Bartholomew Fair_ and _Staple
of News_. J. Benson published a volume of Jonson's, containing
_The Masque of the Gypsies_ and other poems, in 1640 (_Brit. Museum
Cat. _ and Yale Library). In the same year he printed the _Art of
Poetry_, 12mo, and the _Execration against Vulcan_, 4to (cf. _Pub. of
Grolier Club_, N. Y. 1893, pp. 130, 132). The evidence that I. B. was
Benson is strong, but not absolutely conclusive.
=ROBERT ALLOT. = We find by Arber's reprint of the
_Stationer's Register_ that Robert Allot 'took up freedom' Nov. 7,
1625. He must have begun publishing shortly after, for under the
date of Jan. 25, 1625-6 we find that Mistris Hodgettes 'assigned
over unto him all her estate,' consisting of the copies of certain
books, for the 'some of forty-five pounds. ' The first entry of a
book to Allot is made May 7, 1626. In 1630 Master Blount 'assigned
over unto him all his estate and right in the copies' of sixteen of
Shakespeare's plays. In 1632 Allot brought out the Second Folio
of Shakespeare's works. On Sept. 7, 1631 _The Staple of News_ was
assigned to him. The last entry of a book in his name is on Sept.
12, 1635. The first mention of 'Mistris Allott' is under the date of
Dec. 30, 1635. Under date of July 1, 1637 is the record of the
assignment by Mistris Allott of certain books, formerly the estate
of 'Master Roberte Allotts deceased. ' Among these books are '37.
_Shakespeares Workes_ their part. 39. _Staple of Newes_ a Play.
40. _Bartholomew fayre_ a Play. ' I have been able to find no record
of _The Devil is an Ass_ in the _Stationer's Register_.
=the Beare. = In the Shakespeare folio of 1632 Allot's sign reads
'the Black Beare. ' The first mention of the shop in the _London
Street Directory_ is in 1575, among the 'Houses round the Churchyard. '
=Pauls Church-yard. = 'Before the Fire, which destroyed the old
Cathedral, St. Paul's Churchyard was chiefly inhabited by stationers,
whose shops were then, and until the year 1760, distinguished by
signs. '--Wh-C.
THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY.
=GVILT-HEAD, A Gold-smith. = The goldsmiths seem to have
been a prosperous guild. (See Stow, _Survey_, ed. Thoms, p. 114. )
At this time they performed the office of banking, constituting the
intermediate stage between the usurer and the modern banker. 'The
goldsmiths began to borrow at interest in order to lend out to
traders at a higher rate. In other words they became the connecting
link between those who had money to lend and those who wished
to borrow for trading purposes, or it might be to improve their
estates. No doubt at first the goldsmiths merely acted as guardians
of their clients' hoards, but they soon began to utilize those hoards
much as bankers now make use of the money deposited with
them. '--_Social England_ 3. 544.
=AMBLER. = Jonson uses this name again in _Neptune's Triumph_,
_Wks. _ 8. 32:
Grave master Ambler, news-master o' Paul's,
Supplies your capon.
It reappears in _The Staple of News_.
=Her Gentlemanvsher. = For an exposition of the character and
duties of the gentleman-usher see the notes to 4. 4. 134. 201, 215.
=Newgate. = 'This gate hath of long time been a gaol, or prison
for felons and trespassers, as appeareth by records in the reign of
King John, and of other kings. '--Stow, _Survey_, ed. Thoms, p. 14.
THE PROLOGUE.
=1 The DIVELL is an Asse. = 'This is said by the prologue pointing
to the _title_ of the play, which as was then the custom, was
painted in large letters and placed in some conspicuous part of the
stage. '--G.
Cf. _Poetaster_, _After the second sounding_: 'What's here? THE
ARRAIGNMENT! ' Also _Wily Beguiled_: _Prol. _ How now, my
honest rogue? What play shall we have here to-night?
_Player. _ Sir, you may look upon the title.
_Prol. _ What, _Spectrum_ once again? '
Jonson often, but not invariably, announces the title of
the play in the prologue or induction. Cf. _Every Man out_,
_Cynthia's Revels_, _Poetaster_, and all plays subsequent
to _Bart. Fair_ except _Sad Shep_.
=3 Grandee's. = Jonson uses this affected form of address
again in _Timber_, ed. Schelling. 22. 27
=4 allowing vs no place. = As Gifford points out, the prologue is a
protest against the habit prevalent at the time of crowding the stage
with stools for the accommodation of the spectators.
Dekker in Chapter 6 of _The Guls Horne-booke_ gives the gallant full
instructions as to the behavior proper to the play-house. The youth
is advised to wait until 'the quaking prologue hath (by rubbing) got
culor into his cheekes', and then 'to creepe from behind the Arras,'
and plant himself 'on the very Rushes where the Commedy is to daunce,
yea, and vnder the state of Cambises himselfe. ' Sir John Davies makes
a similar allusion _(Epigrams_, ed. Grosart, 2. 10). Jonson makes
frequent reference to the subject. Cf. _Induction_ to _The Staple
of News_, _Every Man out_, _Wks. _ 2. 31; _Prologue_ to _Cynthia's
Revels_, _Wks. _ 2. 210, etc.
=5 a subtill thing. = I. e. , thin, airy, spiritual, and so not
occupying space.
=6 worne in a thumbe-ring. = 'Nothing was more common, as we learn
from Lilly, than to carry about familiar spirits, shut up in rings,
watches, sword-hilts, and other articles of dress. '--G.
I have been unable to verify Gifford's statement from Lilly,
but the following passage from Harsnet's _Declaration_ (p. 13)
confirms it: 'For compassing of this treasure, there was a
consociation betweene 3 or 4 priests, _deuill-coniurers_, and
4 _discouerers_, or _seers_, reputed to carry about with them,
their familiars in rings, and glasses, by whose suggestion they
came to notice of those golden hoards. '
Gifford says that thumb-rings of Jonson's day were set with jewels
of an extraordinary size, and that they appear to have been 'more
affected by magistrates and grave citizens than necromancers. ' Cf.
_I Henry IV_ 2. 4: 'I could have crept into any alderman's thumb-ring. '
Also _Witts Recreat. _, _Epig. _ 623:
He wears a hoop-ring on his thumb; he has
Of gravidad a dose, full in the face.
Glapthorne, _Wit in a Constable_, 1639, 4. 1: 'An alderman--I may
say to you, he has no more wit than the rest of the bench, and that
lies in his thumb-ring. '
=8 In compasse of a cheese-trencher. = The figure seems forced
to us, but it should be remembered that trenchers were a very
important article of table equipment in Jonson's day. They were
often embellished with 'posies,' and it is possible that Jonson was
thinking of the brevity of such inscriptions. Cf. Dekker, _North-Ward
Hoe_ 3. 1 (_Wks. _ 3. 38): 'Ile have you make 12. poesies for a dozen
of cheese trenchers. ' Also _Honest Whore_, Part I, Sc. 13; and
Middleton, _Old Law_ 2. 1 (_Wks. _ 2. 149); _No Wit, no Help like a
Woman's_ 2. 1 (_Wks. _ 4. 322).
=15 Like the young adders. = It is said that young adders, when
frightened, run into their mother's mouth for protection.
=16 Would wee could stand due North. = I. e. , be as infallible as
the compass.
=17 Muscouy glasse. = Cf. Marston, _Malcontent_, _Wks_. 1. 234: 'She
were an excellent lady, but that her face peeleth like Muscovy
glass. ' Reed (_Old Plays_ 4. 38) quotes from Giles Fletcher's _Russe
Commonwealth_, 1591, p. 10: 'In the province of Corelia, and about
the river Duyna towards the North-sea, there groweth a soft rock
which they call Slude. This they cut into pieces, and so tear it
into thin _flakes, which naturally it is apt for_, and so use it for
glasse lanthorns and such like. It giveth both inwards and outwards
a clearer light then glasse, and for this respect is better than
either glasse or horne; for that it neither breaketh like glasse, nor
yet will burne like the lanthorne. ' Dekker _(Non-dram. Wks. _ 2. 135)
speaks of a 'Muscouie Lanthorne. ' See Gloss.
=22 the Diuell of Edmunton. = _The Merry Devil of Edmunton_ was
acted by the King's Men at the Globe before Oct. 22, 1607. It has
been conjecturally assigned to Shakespeare and to Drayton. Hazlitt
describes it as 'perhaps the first example of sentimental comedy
we have' (see _O. Pl. _, 4th ed. , 10. 203 f. ). Fleay, who believes
Drayton to be the author, thinks that the 'Merry devil' of _The
Merchant of Venice_ 2. 3, alludes to this play (_Biog. Chron. _ 1.
151 and 2. 213). There were six editions in the 17th century, all in
quarto--1608, 1612, 1617, 1626, 1631, 1655.
And we are hone? t. I doe know no glory [170]
A man ? hould hope, by venting his owne follyes,
But you'll ? till be an _A? ? e_, in ? pight of prouidence.
Plea? e you goe in, Sir, and heare truths, then iudge 'hem:
And make amends for your late ra? hne? ? e; when, 156
You ? hall but heare the paines and care was taken,
To ? aue this foole from ruine (his _Grace_ of _Drown'd-land_)
FIT. My land is drown'd indeed--
POV. Peace.
MAN. And how much
His mode? t, and too worthy wife hath ? uffer'd 160
By mi? -con? truction, from him, you will blu? h,
Fir? t, for your owne beliefe, more for his actions!
His land is his: and neuer, by my friend,
Or by my ? elfe, meant to another v? e,
But for her ? uccours, who hath equall right. 165
If any other had wor? e coun? ells in't,
(I know I ? peake to tho? e can apprehend mee)
Let 'hem repent 'hem, and be not detected.
It is not manly to take ioy, or pride
In humane errours. (wee doe all ill things, 170
They doe 'hem wor? t that loue 'hem, and dwell there,
Till the plague comes) The few that haue the ? eeds
Of goodne? ? e left, will ? ooner make their way
To a true life, by ? hame, then puni? hment.
_THE END_.
[821] SD. Sir] To them. ] Sir 1692 _to them_ om. 1692, 1716, W
ACT. . . . ] SCENE V. _A Room in_ Fitzdottrel's _House_. FITZDOTTREL
_discovered in bed; Lady_ EITHERSIDE, TAILBUSH, AMBLER, TRAINS, _and_
PITFALL, _standing by him. Enter Sir_ PAUL EITHERSIDE, MEERCRAFT,
_and_ EVERILL. G
[822] 1 SN. _and_] _at_ 1692, 1716, W The . . . ] om. G
[823] 4 time o' ret. G
[824] 11 H'is] He's 1716, f.
[825] 14 means. [_Exit Ambler. _ G
[826] 20 o'] of W
[827] 21 Who is G
[828] 28 _ha_, om. W _ha, &c. _ om. G
[829] 29 SN. _interprets_ 1692, 1716, W _The_ . . . ] om. G
[830] 33 a om. 1641, f.
[831] 38 SN. Wittipol, _and . . . enter_] _Enter_ WITTIPOL, . . . G
[832] 40 strange 1641, f.
[833] 43 their] our W
[834] 48 SN. _His wife_ om. G
[835] 58 prove to be the merrier? 1641
[836] 60 impudence] insolence 1641
[837] 61 it. --_Re-enter_ AMBLER, _with_ SLEDGE _and_ GUILTHEAD. G
[838] 69 with [_To Meer. _] G
[839] SN. _him_ om. 1641
[840] SN. om. G
[841] 73 strong om. 1641
[842] 74 &c. om. G
[843] 82 SN. _to be_ om. 1641
[844] SN. om. G
[845] 84 endanger'd W, G
[846] 86 foole] fellow 1641
[847] 87 He makes himselfe] I'd rather fall 1641 O they whisper,
they whisper, whisper, &c. 1641
[848] 91 phrenetic G
[849] 108 you om. W
[850] 110 _Crambe_] Crambo W. G
[851] 111 can. [_Aside to Fitz. _] G
[852] 112 =? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? = 1692, 1716
[853] 113 =? ? ? = 1692, 1716
[854] 114 =? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? = W, G
[855] 115 _Aside to Fitz. _ G
[856] 119 FIT. _Ouy_,] in line 120, 1692, f.
[857] 121 SN. ] _Enter_ SHACKLES, _with the things found on the body
of the Cut-purse_. G
[858] 128 Those] These W
[859] 135 SN. ] _Fitz. _ [_starts up_. ] G
[860] 141 () ret. G
[861] 145 not you] you not W, G
[862] 148 Coozners 1641 _Cozeners_ 1692, 1716 cozeners W, G
[863] 166 in it G
[864] 167 () ret. G
[865] 170 human 1692, f.
[866] 174 [_He comes forward for the Epilogue. _ G
[867] 175 'The End. ' after line 6 1692 om. 1716 W, G
The Epilogue.
_Thus, the_ Proiecter, _here, is ouer-throwne.
But I have now a_ Proiect _of mine owne,
If it may pa? ? e: that no man would inuite
The_ Poet _from vs, to ? up forth to night, 5
If the_ play _plea? e. If it di? plea? ant be,
We doe pre? ume, that no man will: nor wee. _
[868] 1 'The Epilogue. ' om. G
[869] 7 [_Exeunt. _ G
NOTES
The present edition includes whatever has been considered of value
in the notes of preceding editions. It has been the intention in
all cases to acknowledge facts and suggestions borrowed from such
sources, whether quoted verbatim, abridged, or developed. Notes
signed W. are from Whalley, G. from Gifford, C. from Cunningham.
For other abbreviations the Bibliography should be consulted.
Explanations of words and phrases are usually found only in the
Glossary. References to this play are by act, scene, and line of the
Text; other plays of Jonson are cited from the Gifford-Cunningham
edition of 1875. The references are to play, volume and page.
TITLE-PAGE.
=THE DIUELL IS AN ASSE. = 'Schlegel, seizing with great felicity upon
an untranslateable German idiom, called the play _Der dumme Teufel_
[Schlegel's _Werke_, ed. Bocking, 6. 340]--a title which must be
allowed to be twice as good as that of the English original. The
phrase 'the Devil is an ass' appears to have been proverbial.
See Fletcher's _The Chances_, Act 5. Sc. 2:
Dost thou think
The devil such an ass as people make him? '
--Ward, _Eng. Drama_ 2. 372.
A still more important passage occurs in Dekker's _If this be not a
good Play_, a partial source of Jonson's drama:
_Scu. _ Sweete-breads I hold my life, that diuels an asse.
--Dekker, _Wks. _ 3. 328.
Jonson uses it again in _The Staple of News_, _Wks. _ 5. 188:
The conjurer cozened him with a candle's end; he was an ass.
Dekker (_Non-dram. Wks. _ 2. 275) tells us the jest of a citizen
who was told that the 'Lawyers get the Diuell and all: What an
Asse, replied the Citizen is the diuell? If I were as he I would
get some of them. '
=HIS MAIESTIES SERVANTS. = Otherwise known as the
_King's Company_, and popularly spoken of as the _King's Men_. For
an account of this company see Winter, ed. _Staple of News_, p. 121;
and Fleay, _Biog. Chron. _ 1. 356-7; 2. 403-4.
=Ficta voluptatis=, etc.
The quotation is from Horace,
_De Art. Poet. _, line 338. Jonson's translation is:
Let what thou feign'st for pleasure's sake, be near
The truth.
Jonson makes use of this quotation again in his note 'To the
Reader' prefixed to Act 3 of _The Staple of News_.
=I. B. = Fleay speaks of this printer as J. Benson (_Biog. Chron_. 1.
354). Benson did not 'take up freedom' until June 30, 1631 (_Sta.
Reg. _ 3. 686). Later he became a publisher (1635-40; _Sta. Reg. _ 5.
lxxxiv). I. B. was also the printer of _Bartholomew Fair_ and _Staple
of News_. J. Benson published a volume of Jonson's, containing
_The Masque of the Gypsies_ and other poems, in 1640 (_Brit. Museum
Cat. _ and Yale Library). In the same year he printed the _Art of
Poetry_, 12mo, and the _Execration against Vulcan_, 4to (cf. _Pub. of
Grolier Club_, N. Y. 1893, pp. 130, 132). The evidence that I. B. was
Benson is strong, but not absolutely conclusive.
=ROBERT ALLOT. = We find by Arber's reprint of the
_Stationer's Register_ that Robert Allot 'took up freedom' Nov. 7,
1625. He must have begun publishing shortly after, for under the
date of Jan. 25, 1625-6 we find that Mistris Hodgettes 'assigned
over unto him all her estate,' consisting of the copies of certain
books, for the 'some of forty-five pounds. ' The first entry of a
book to Allot is made May 7, 1626. In 1630 Master Blount 'assigned
over unto him all his estate and right in the copies' of sixteen of
Shakespeare's plays. In 1632 Allot brought out the Second Folio
of Shakespeare's works. On Sept. 7, 1631 _The Staple of News_ was
assigned to him. The last entry of a book in his name is on Sept.
12, 1635. The first mention of 'Mistris Allott' is under the date of
Dec. 30, 1635. Under date of July 1, 1637 is the record of the
assignment by Mistris Allott of certain books, formerly the estate
of 'Master Roberte Allotts deceased. ' Among these books are '37.
_Shakespeares Workes_ their part. 39. _Staple of Newes_ a Play.
40. _Bartholomew fayre_ a Play. ' I have been able to find no record
of _The Devil is an Ass_ in the _Stationer's Register_.
=the Beare. = In the Shakespeare folio of 1632 Allot's sign reads
'the Black Beare. ' The first mention of the shop in the _London
Street Directory_ is in 1575, among the 'Houses round the Churchyard. '
=Pauls Church-yard. = 'Before the Fire, which destroyed the old
Cathedral, St. Paul's Churchyard was chiefly inhabited by stationers,
whose shops were then, and until the year 1760, distinguished by
signs. '--Wh-C.
THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY.
=GVILT-HEAD, A Gold-smith. = The goldsmiths seem to have
been a prosperous guild. (See Stow, _Survey_, ed. Thoms, p. 114. )
At this time they performed the office of banking, constituting the
intermediate stage between the usurer and the modern banker. 'The
goldsmiths began to borrow at interest in order to lend out to
traders at a higher rate. In other words they became the connecting
link between those who had money to lend and those who wished
to borrow for trading purposes, or it might be to improve their
estates. No doubt at first the goldsmiths merely acted as guardians
of their clients' hoards, but they soon began to utilize those hoards
much as bankers now make use of the money deposited with
them. '--_Social England_ 3. 544.
=AMBLER. = Jonson uses this name again in _Neptune's Triumph_,
_Wks. _ 8. 32:
Grave master Ambler, news-master o' Paul's,
Supplies your capon.
It reappears in _The Staple of News_.
=Her Gentlemanvsher. = For an exposition of the character and
duties of the gentleman-usher see the notes to 4. 4. 134. 201, 215.
=Newgate. = 'This gate hath of long time been a gaol, or prison
for felons and trespassers, as appeareth by records in the reign of
King John, and of other kings. '--Stow, _Survey_, ed. Thoms, p. 14.
THE PROLOGUE.
=1 The DIVELL is an Asse. = 'This is said by the prologue pointing
to the _title_ of the play, which as was then the custom, was
painted in large letters and placed in some conspicuous part of the
stage. '--G.
Cf. _Poetaster_, _After the second sounding_: 'What's here? THE
ARRAIGNMENT! ' Also _Wily Beguiled_: _Prol. _ How now, my
honest rogue? What play shall we have here to-night?
_Player. _ Sir, you may look upon the title.
_Prol. _ What, _Spectrum_ once again? '
Jonson often, but not invariably, announces the title of
the play in the prologue or induction. Cf. _Every Man out_,
_Cynthia's Revels_, _Poetaster_, and all plays subsequent
to _Bart. Fair_ except _Sad Shep_.
=3 Grandee's. = Jonson uses this affected form of address
again in _Timber_, ed. Schelling. 22. 27
=4 allowing vs no place. = As Gifford points out, the prologue is a
protest against the habit prevalent at the time of crowding the stage
with stools for the accommodation of the spectators.
Dekker in Chapter 6 of _The Guls Horne-booke_ gives the gallant full
instructions as to the behavior proper to the play-house. The youth
is advised to wait until 'the quaking prologue hath (by rubbing) got
culor into his cheekes', and then 'to creepe from behind the Arras,'
and plant himself 'on the very Rushes where the Commedy is to daunce,
yea, and vnder the state of Cambises himselfe. ' Sir John Davies makes
a similar allusion _(Epigrams_, ed. Grosart, 2. 10). Jonson makes
frequent reference to the subject. Cf. _Induction_ to _The Staple
of News_, _Every Man out_, _Wks. _ 2. 31; _Prologue_ to _Cynthia's
Revels_, _Wks. _ 2. 210, etc.
=5 a subtill thing. = I. e. , thin, airy, spiritual, and so not
occupying space.
=6 worne in a thumbe-ring. = 'Nothing was more common, as we learn
from Lilly, than to carry about familiar spirits, shut up in rings,
watches, sword-hilts, and other articles of dress. '--G.
I have been unable to verify Gifford's statement from Lilly,
but the following passage from Harsnet's _Declaration_ (p. 13)
confirms it: 'For compassing of this treasure, there was a
consociation betweene 3 or 4 priests, _deuill-coniurers_, and
4 _discouerers_, or _seers_, reputed to carry about with them,
their familiars in rings, and glasses, by whose suggestion they
came to notice of those golden hoards. '
Gifford says that thumb-rings of Jonson's day were set with jewels
of an extraordinary size, and that they appear to have been 'more
affected by magistrates and grave citizens than necromancers. ' Cf.
_I Henry IV_ 2. 4: 'I could have crept into any alderman's thumb-ring. '
Also _Witts Recreat. _, _Epig. _ 623:
He wears a hoop-ring on his thumb; he has
Of gravidad a dose, full in the face.
Glapthorne, _Wit in a Constable_, 1639, 4. 1: 'An alderman--I may
say to you, he has no more wit than the rest of the bench, and that
lies in his thumb-ring. '
=8 In compasse of a cheese-trencher. = The figure seems forced
to us, but it should be remembered that trenchers were a very
important article of table equipment in Jonson's day. They were
often embellished with 'posies,' and it is possible that Jonson was
thinking of the brevity of such inscriptions. Cf. Dekker, _North-Ward
Hoe_ 3. 1 (_Wks. _ 3. 38): 'Ile have you make 12. poesies for a dozen
of cheese trenchers. ' Also _Honest Whore_, Part I, Sc. 13; and
Middleton, _Old Law_ 2. 1 (_Wks. _ 2. 149); _No Wit, no Help like a
Woman's_ 2. 1 (_Wks. _ 4. 322).
=15 Like the young adders. = It is said that young adders, when
frightened, run into their mother's mouth for protection.
=16 Would wee could stand due North. = I. e. , be as infallible as
the compass.
=17 Muscouy glasse. = Cf. Marston, _Malcontent_, _Wks_. 1. 234: 'She
were an excellent lady, but that her face peeleth like Muscovy
glass. ' Reed (_Old Plays_ 4. 38) quotes from Giles Fletcher's _Russe
Commonwealth_, 1591, p. 10: 'In the province of Corelia, and about
the river Duyna towards the North-sea, there groweth a soft rock
which they call Slude. This they cut into pieces, and so tear it
into thin _flakes, which naturally it is apt for_, and so use it for
glasse lanthorns and such like. It giveth both inwards and outwards
a clearer light then glasse, and for this respect is better than
either glasse or horne; for that it neither breaketh like glasse, nor
yet will burne like the lanthorne. ' Dekker _(Non-dram. Wks. _ 2. 135)
speaks of a 'Muscouie Lanthorne. ' See Gloss.
=22 the Diuell of Edmunton. = _The Merry Devil of Edmunton_ was
acted by the King's Men at the Globe before Oct. 22, 1607. It has
been conjecturally assigned to Shakespeare and to Drayton. Hazlitt
describes it as 'perhaps the first example of sentimental comedy
we have' (see _O. Pl. _, 4th ed. , 10. 203 f. ). Fleay, who believes
Drayton to be the author, thinks that the 'Merry devil' of _The
Merchant of Venice_ 2. 3, alludes to this play (_Biog. Chron. _ 1.
151 and 2. 213). There were six editions in the 17th century, all in
quarto--1608, 1612, 1617, 1626, 1631, 1655.
