believe, in our author's time, a shilling; though afterwards it appears to have risen to two shillings," "Killing the hearers' hearts, that the vast rooms He seems to be here describing his antagonist Ben Jonson, whose plays were generally performed to a thin audience. See Verses on our author, by Leonard Digges, Vol. II. "If he have but twelvepence in his purse, he will give it for the best room in a playhouse." Sir Thomas Overbury's Characters, 1614. So, in the prologue to our author's King Henry VIII: 66 66 Those that come to see Only a shew or two, and so agree "The play may pass, if they be still and willing, "I'll undertake may see away their shilling "In two short hours." Again, in a copy of Verses prefixed to Massinger's Bondman, 1624: "Reader, if you have disburs'd a shilling "To see this worthy story, Again, in the Guls Hornebooke, 1609: "At a new play you take up the twelvepenny room next the stage, because the lords and you may seem to be hail fellow well met." So late as in the year 1658, we find the following advertisement at the end of a piece called The Cruelty of the Spaniards in Peru, by Sir William D'Avenant: "Notwithstanding the great expence necessary to scenes and other ornaments, in this entertainment, there is good provision made of places for a shilling, and it shall certainly begin at three in the after noon." In The Scornful Lady, which was acted by the children of the Revels at Blackfriars, and printed in 1616, one-and-six-penny places are mentioned. See the prologue to The Queen of Arragon, a tragedy by Habington, acted at Blackfriars in May, 1640: "Ere we begin, that no man may repent Again, in the epilogue to Mayne's City Match, acted at Blackfriars, in November, 1637: and half a crown.3 At the Blackfriars theatre the price of the boxes was, I imagine, higher than at the Globe. From several passages in our old plays we learn, that spectators were admitted on the stage, and that the criticks and wits of the time usually sat there. Some were placed on the ground; others 6 "To them who call't reproof, to make a face, "Who, if they speake not ill o'the poet, doubt "They loose by the play, nor have their two shillings out, "He says," &c. * See Wit without Money, a comedy, acted at The Phoenix in Drury Lane, before 1620: "And who extoll'd you into the half-crown boxe, "Where you might sit and muster all the beauties." In the playhouse called The Hope on the Bankside, there were five different-priced seats, from sixpence to half a crown. the Induction to Bartholomew Fair, by Ben Jonson, 1614. See So, in A Mad World my Masters, by Middleton, 1608: "The actors have been found in a morning in less compass than their stage, though it were ne'er so full of gentlemen." also, p. 80. n. 2. 66 to fair attire the stage See Helps much; for if our other audience see "You on the stage depart, before we end, "Our wits go with you all, and we are fools." Prologue to All Fools, a comedy, acted at Blackfriars, 1605. By sitting on the stage, you have a sign'd patent to engrosse the whole commoditie of censure; may lawfully presume to be a girder, and stand at the helm to steer the passage of scenes." Guls Hornebooke, 1609. 66 See also the preface to the first folio edition of our author's works: "And though you be a magistrate of wit, and sit on the stage at Blackfriars to arraigne plays dailie,-.” 66 Being on your feet, sneake not away like a coward, but salute all your gentle acquaintance that are spred either on the rushes or on stooles about you; and draw what troope you can 8 sat on stools, of which the price was either sixpence,' or a shilling, according, I suppose, to the commodiousness of the situation. And they were attended by pages, who furnished them with pipes from the stage after you." Decker's Guls Hornebooke, 1609. So also, in Fletcher's Queen of Corinth : "I would not yet be pointed at as he is, From a passage in King Henry IV. Part I. it may be presumed that this was no uncommon practice in private assemblies also: "She bids you on the wanton rushes lay you down, "And rest your gentle head upon her lap, "And she will sing the song that pleaseth you." This accounts for Hamlet's sitting on the ground at Ophelia's feet, during the representation of the play before the King and court of Denmark. Our author has only placed the young prince in the same situation in which probably his patrons Essex and Southampton were often seen at the feet of some celebrated beauty. What some chose from economy, gallantry might have recommended to others. 7" By sitting on the stage, you may with small cost purchase the deere acquaintance of the boyes, have a good stool for sixpence,-." Guls Hornebooke. Again, ibidem: "Present not your selfe on the stage, (espe cially at a new play,) untill the quaking prologue-is ready to enter; for then it is time, as though you were one of the properties, or that you dropt of [i. e. off] the hangings, to creep from behind the arras, with your tripos, or three-legged stoole in one hand, and a teston mounted between a fore-finger and a thumbe, in the other." "These are the most worne and most in fashion "Amongst the bever gallants, the stone-riders, "The private stage's audience, the twelvepenny-stoole gentlemen." The Roaring Girl, a comedy, by Middleton and Decker, 1611. So, in the Induction to Marston's Malcontent, 1604: “ By God's slid if you had, I would have given you but sixpence for your stool." This, therefore, was the lowest rate; and the price of the most commodious stools on the stage was a shilling. 9 and tobacco, which was smoked here as well as in other parts of the house. Yet it should seem that persons were suffered to sit on the stage only in the private playhouses, (such as Blackfriars, &c.) where the audience was more select, and of a higher class; and that in the Globe and the other publick theatres, no such licence was permitted.' 2 The stage was strewed with rushes, which, we learn from Hentzner and Caius de Ephemera, 9 "When young Rogero goes to see a play, "That only serves to fill those pipes with smoke, Springes for Woodcocks, by Henry Parrot, 1613. Again, in Skialetheia, a collection of Epigrams and Satires, 1598: "See you him yonder who sits o'er the stage, "With the tobacco-pipe now at his mouth?" This, however, was accounted "a custom more honoured in the breach than the observance;" as appears from a satirical epigram by Sir John Davies, 1598: "Who dares affirm that Sylla dares not fight? "He that dares take tobacco on the stage; "Dares man a whoore at noon-day through the street; "Dares dance in Paul's;" &c. 1 See the Induction to Marston's Malcontent, 1604, which was acted by his majesty's servants at Blackfriars: Doest " Tyreman. Sir, the gentlemen will be angry if you sit here. "Sly. Why, we may sit upon the stage at the private house. Thou dost not take me for a country gentleman, dost? thou think I fear hissing? Let them that have stale suits, sit in the galleries, hiss at me See also, The Roaring Girl, by Middleton: "—the private stage's audience,— Ante, p. 79, n. 8. "On the very rushes where the comedy is to daunce, yea, and under the state of Cambyses himselfe, must our feather'd estridge, like a piece of ordnance, be planted valiantly, because impudently, beating down the mews and hisses of the opposed rascality." Decker's Guls Hornebooke. was in the time of Shakspeare the usual covering of floors in England. On some occasions it was entirely matted over; but this was probably very rare. The curtain which hangs in the front of the present stage, drawn up by lines and pullies, though not a modern invention, (for it was used by Inigo Jones in the masques at court,) was yet an apparatus to which the simple mechanism of our ancient theatres had not arrived; for in them the curtains opened in the middle, and were drawn backwards and forwards on an iron rod. In some playhouses they were woollen, in others, made of silk. To 5 6 See also, Ben Jonson's Every Man out of his Humour, 1600: "Fore God-, sweet lady, believe it, I do honour the meanest rush in this chamber for your love." See p. 68, n. 1. The epilogue to Tancred and Gismund, a tragedy, 1592, concludes thus: "Now draw the curtaines, for our scene is done.” Again, in Lady Alimony, 1659: "Be your stage-curtains artificially drawn, and so covertly shrowded, that the squinteyed groundling may not peep in." See also a stage-direction in The First Day's Entertainment at Rutland House, by Declamation and Musick, after the Manner of the Ancients, by Sir William D'Avenant, 1658: "The song ended, the curtains are drawn open again, and the epilogue enters." See A Prologue upon the removing of the late Fortune Players to the Bull, by J. Tatham; Fancies Theatre, 1640: "Here gentlemen our anchor's fixt; and we, "Disdaining Fortune's mutability, 66 Expect your kind acceptance; then we'll sing, "Our lawful portion out of Fortune's breast. |