classical names of comedy and tragedy,*| but they appear not to have been intended for popular use: it was not till the religious ferments had subsided that the public had leisure to attend to dramatic poetry. In the reign of Elizabeth, tragedies and comedies began to appear in form, and, could the poets have persevered, the first models were good. "Corboduc," a regular tragedy, was acted in 1561;† and Gascoigne, in 1566, exhibited "Jocasta," a translation from Euripides, as also "The Supposes," a regular comedy, from Ariosto: near thirty years before any of Shakspeare's were printed. The people however still retained a relish for their old mysteries and moralities,‡ and the popular dramatic poets seem to have made them their models. From the graver sort of moralities our modern Tragedy appears to have derived its origin; as our Comedy evidently took its rise from the lighter interludes of that kind. And as most of these pieces contain an absurd mixture of religion and buffoonery, an eminent critic & has well deduced from thence the origin of our unnatural Tragi-comedies. Even after the people had been accustomed to tragedies and comedies, moralities still kept their ground: one of them entitled "The New Custom" was printed so late as 1573: at length they assumed the name of masques, and, with some classical improvements, became in the two following reigns the favourite entertainments of the court. *Bishop Bale had applied the name of Tragedy to his Mystery of "God's Promises," in 1538. In 1540 John Palsgrave, B. D., had republished a Latin comedy, called "Acolastus," with an English version. Holingshed tells us (vol. iii. p. 850), that so early as 1520 the king had "a good comedie of Plautus plaied" before him at Greenwich; but this was in Latin, as Mr. Farmer informs us in his curious "Essay on the Learning of Shakespeare," 8vo. p. 31. See Ames, p. 316. This play appears to have been first printed under the name of "Gorboduc;" then under that of "Ferrer and Porrer," in 1569; and again under "Gorboduc," 1590.-Ames calls the first edition quarto, Langbaine, octavo, and Tanner 12mo. The general reception the old Moralities had upon the stage, will account for the fondness of all our first poets for allegory. Subjects of this kind were familiar with every one. Bp. Warburt. Shakesp. vol. v. Reprinted among Dodsley's Old Plays, vol. i. In some of these appeared characters full as extraordinary as in any of the old Moralities. In Ben Jonson's Masque of Christmas, 1616, one of the personages is Minced Pye. IV. The old mysteries, which ceased to be acted after the reformation, appear to have given birth to a third species of stage exhibition, which, though now confounded with tragedy and comedy, were by our first dramatic writers considered as quite distinct from them both: these were historical plays, or histories, a species of dramatic writing which resembled the old mysteries in representing a series of historical events simply in the order of time in which they happened, without any regard to the three great unities. These pieces seem to differ from tragedies, just as much as historical poems do from epic: as the Pharsalia does from the Æneid. What might contribute to make dramatic poetry take this form was, that soon after the mysteries ceased to be exhibited, was published a large collection of poetical narratives, "The Mirrour for Magistrates," "* called wherein a great number of the most eminent characters in English history are drawn relating their own misfortunes. This book was popular, and of a dramatic cast; and therefore, as an elegant writert has well observed, might have its influence in producing historical plays. These narratives probably furnished the subjects, and the ancient mysteries suggested the plan. There appears indeed to have been one instance of an attempt at an historical play itself, which was perhaps as early as any mystery on a religious subject; for such, I think, we may pronounce the representation of a memorable event in English history, that was expressed in actions and rhymes. This was the old Coventry play of "Hock Tuesday," founded on the story of the massacre of the Danes, as it happened on St. Brice's night, November 13, 1002.8 The play in question was performed by certain men of Coventry, among the other shows and entertainments at Kenilworth Castle, in July, 1575, prepared for Queen Elizabeth, and this the rather "because the matter mentioneth how valiantly our English women, for the love of their country, behaved themselves." The writer, whose words are here quoted,* hath given a short description of the performance; which seems on that occasion to have been without recitation or rhymes, and reduced to mere dumb show; consisting of violent skirmishes and encounters, first between Danish and English "lance-knights on horseback," armed with spear and shield; and afterwards between "hosts" of footmen; which at length ended in the Danes being "beaten down, overcome, and many led captive by our English women."+ This play, it seems, which was wont to be exhibited in their city yearly, and which had been of great antiquity and long continuance there, I had of late been suppressed, at the instance of some well meaning but precise preachers, of whose "sourness" herein the townsmen complain; urging that their play was "without example of ill manners, papistry, or any superstition ;"? which shows it to have been entirely distinct from a religious mystery. But having been discontinued, and, as appears from the narrative, taken up of a sudden after the sports were begun, the players apparently had not been able to recover the old rhymes, or to procure new ones, to accompany the action; which if it originally represented "the outrage and importable insolency of the Danes, the grievous complaint of Huna, king Ethelred's chieftain in wars ;"|| his counselling and contriving the plot to despatch them; concluding with the conflicts above mentioned, and their final suppression" expressed in actions and Ro. Laneham, whose Letter, containing a full description of the Shows, &c., is reprinted at large in Nicholls's Progresses of Q. Elizabeth, &c., vol. i. 4to., 1788.—That writer's orthography, being peculiar and affected, is not here followed. Laneham describes this play of HOCK TUESDAY, which was "presented in an historical cue by certain good-hearted men of Coventry" (p. 32), and which was "wont to be play'd in their citie yearly" (p. 33), as if it were peculiar to them, terming it "their old storial show" (p. 32).-And Eo it might be as represented and expressed by them "after their manner" (p. 33): although we are also told by Bevil Higgons, that St. Brice's Eve was still celebrated by the Northern English in commemoration of this massacre of the Danes, the women beating brass instruments, and singing old rhymes, in praise of their cruel ancestors. See his Short View of Eng. History, 8vo., p. 17. (The Preface is dated 1734.) rhymes after their manner,"* one can hardly conceive a more regular model of a complete drama; and, if taken up soon after the event, it must have been the earliest of the kind in Europe.† Whatever this old play, or "storial show," was at the time it was exhibited to Queen Elizabeth, it had probably our young Shakspeare for a spectator, who was then in his twelfth year, and doubtless attended with all the inhabitants of the surrounding country, at these "princely pleasures of Kenilworth,"% whence Stratford is only a few miles distant. And as the Queen was much diverted with the Coventry play, "whereat her majesty laught well," and rewarded the performers with two bucks and five marks in money: who, "what rejoicing upon their ample reward, and what triumphing upon the good acceptance, vaunted their play was never so dignified, nor ever any players before so beatified:" but especially if our young bard afterwards gained admittance into the castle to see a play, which the same evening, after supper, was there "presented of a very good theme, but to set forth by the actors' well handling, that pleasure and mirth made it seem very short, though it lasted two good hours and more," we may imagine what an impression was made on his infant mind. Indeed the dramatic cast of many parts of that superb entertainment, which continued nineteen days, and was the most splendid of the kind ever attempted in this kingdom; the addresses to the Queen in the personated characters. of Sybille, a savage man, and Sylvanus, as she approached or departed from the castle; and, on the water, by Arion, a Triton, or the Lady of the Lake, must have had a very great effect on a young imagination, whose dramatic powers were hereafter to astonish the world. But that the historical play was considered by our old writers, and by Shakspeare himself, as distinct from tragedy and comedy, will sufficiently appear from various passages *Laneham, p. 33. †The Rhymes, &c., prove this play to have been in Eng. lish, whereas Mr. Thos. Warton thinks the Mysteries composed before 1328 were in Latin. Malone's Shaksp. vol. ii. pt. ii. p. 9. Laneham, p. 32. See Nichols's Progresses, vol. 1. p. 57. Laneham, p. 38, 39. This was on Sunday evening. July 9. in their works. "Of late days," says Stow, | guished in public instruments. They are "This is nor Comedy, nor Tragedy, Polonius in "Hamlet" commends the actors, as the best in the world, "either for tragedie, comedie, historie, pastorall," &c. And Shakspeare's friends, Heminge and Condell, in the first folio edition of his plays, in 1623, have not only entitled their book "Mr. William Shakspeare's comedies, histories, and trage dies:" But in their table of contents have arranged them under those three several heads; placing in the class of histories, "K. John, Richard II., Henry IV., 2 pts. Henry V., Henry VI., 3 pts. Rich. III., and Henry VIII.;" to which they might have added such of his other plays as have their subjects taken from the old Chronicles, or Plutarch's lives. Although Shakspeare is found not to have been the first who invented this species of drama, yet he cultivated it with such superior success, and threw upon this simple inartificial tissue of scenes such a blaze of genius that his histories maintain their ground in defiance of Aristotle and all the critics of the classic school, and will ever continue to interest and instruct an English audience. Before Shakspeare wrote, historical plays do not appear to have attained this distinction, being not mentioned in Q. Elizabeth's license in 1574|| to James Burbage and others, who are only impowered "to use, exercyse, and occupie, the arte and facultye of playenge comedies, tragedies, enterludes, stage-playes, and such other like."-But when Shakspeare's histories had become the ornaments of the stage, they were considered by the public, and by himself, as a formal and necessary species, and are thenceforth so distin The Creation of the World, acted at Skinners Well in 1409. † See Stow's Survey of London, 1603, 4to., p. 94, (said in the title page to be "written in the year 1598.") See also Warton's Observations on Spenser, vol. ii. p. 109. The same distinction is continued in the 2d and 3d folios, &c. ? Seo Malone's Shaksp. vol. i. part ii. p. 31. See Malone's Shaksp. vol. i. pt. ii. p. 37. The same merited distinction they continued to maintain after his death, till the theatre itself was extinguished; for they are expressly mentioned in a warrant in 1622, for licensing certain "late comedians of Q. Anne deceased, to bring up children in the qualitie and exercise of playing comedies, histories, interludes, morals, pastorals, stageplaies, and such like." The same appears in an admonition issued in 1637‡ by Philip Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, then Lord Chamberlain, to the master and wardens of the company of printers and stationers; wherein is set forth the complaint of his Majesty's servants the players, that "diverse of their books of comedyes and tragedyes, chronicle-historyes, and the like," had been printed and published to their prejudice, &c. This distinction we see, prevailed for near half a century; but after the Restoration, when the stage revived for the entertainment of a new race of auditors, many of whom had been exiled in France, and formed their taste from the French theatre, Shakspeare's histories appear to have been no longer relished; at least the distinction respecting them is dropped in the patents that were immediately granted after the king's return. This appears not only from the allowance to Mr. William Beeston in June 1660,8 to use the house in Salisbury-court “for a playhouse, wherein comedies, tragedies, tragicomedies, pastoralls, and interludes, may be acted," but also from the fuller grant (dated August 21, 1760)|| to Thomas Killegrew, Esq., and Sir William Davenant, knt., by which *Sec Malone's Shaksp. vol. i. pt. ii. p. 40. Ibid. p. 49. Here Histories, or Historical Plays, are. found totally to have excluded the mention of Tragedies; a proof of their superior popularity. In an Order for the King's Comedians to attend K. Charles I. in his summer's progress, 1636 (Ibid. p. 144), Histories are not particularly mentioned: but so neither are tragedies: they being briefly directed to "act playes, comedyes, and interludes, without any lett," &c. + Ibid, p. 139. ? This is believed to be the date by Mr. Malone, vol. ii. pt. ii. p. 239. || Ibid. p. 244. they have authority to erect two companies of players, and to fit up two theatres "for the representation of tragydies, comedyes, playes, operas, and all other entertainments of that nature." V. We have now brought the inquiry as low as was intended, but cannot quit it, without entering into a short description of what may be called the Economy of the ancient English stage. Such was the fondness of our forefathers for dramatic entertainments, that not fewer than nineteen play-houses had been opened before the year 1633, when Prynne published his Histriomastix.* From this writer it should seem that "tobacco, wine and beer," were in those days the usual accommodations in the theatre, as within our memory at Sadler's Wells. With regard to the players themselves, the several companies were (as hath been already shown)‡ retainers, or menial servants to particular noblemen, who protected them in the exercise of their profession; and many of them were occasionally Strollers, that But while Shakspeare was the favourite dramatic poet, his histories had such superior merit, that he might well claim to be the chief, if not the only historic dramatist that kept possession of the English stage; which gives a strong support to the tradition mentioned by Gildon, that, in a conversation with Ben Jonson, our bard vindicated his historical plays, by urging, that, as he had found "the nation in general very ignorant of history, he wrote them in order to instruct the people in this particular." This is assigning not only a good motive, but a very probable reason for his preference of this species of composition; since we cannot doubt but his illiterate countrymen would not only want such instruc- *He speaks in p. 492, of the Playhouses in Bishopgate tion when he first began to write, notwith-street, and on Ludgate Hill, which are not among the standing the obscure dramatic chroniclers who preceded him; but also that they would highly profit by his admirable lectures on English history so long as he continued to deliver them to his audience. And, as it implies no claim to his being the first who qualities, spend 2d., 3d., 4d., 6d., 12d., 18d., 2s.. and someintroduced our chronicles on the stage, I see not why the tradition should be rejected. Upon the whole, we have had abundant proof that both Shakspeare and his contemporaries considered his histories, or historical plays, as of a legitimate distinct species, sufficiently separate from tragedy and comedy; a distinction which deserves the particular attention of his critics and commentators; who, by not adverting to it, deprive him of his proper defence and best vindication for his neglect of the Unities, and departure from the classical dramatic forms. For, if it be the first canon of sound criticism to examine and work by whatever rule the author prescribed for his own observance, then we ought not to try Shakspeare's Histories by the general laws of tragedy or comedy. Whether the rule itself be vicious or not, is another inquiry; but certainly we ought to examine a work only by those principles according to which it was composed. This would save a deal of impertinent criticism. *See Malone's Shaksp. vol. vi. p. 427. This ingenious writer will, with his known liberality, excuse the difference of opinion here entertained concerning the above tradition. seventeen enumerated in the Preface to Dodsley's Old Plays. Nay, it appears from Rymer's MSS. that twenty-three Play houses had been at different periods open in London: and even six of them at one time. See Malone's Shaksp. vol. i. pt. ii. p. 48. † So, I think, we may infer from the following passage, viz. "How many are there, who, according to their several times 4s. or 5s. at a play-house day by day, if coach-hire, boathire, tobacco, wine, beere, and such like vaine expences, which playes do usually occasion, be cast into the reckon ing?" Prynne's Hystriom. p. 322. But that tobacco was smoked in the playhouses, appears from Taylor the water-poet, in his proclamation for tobacco's propagation. "Let play-houses, drinking-schools, taverns, &c., be continually haunted with the contaminous vapours of it; nay (if it be possible) bring it into the Churches, and there choak up their preachers." (Works, p. 253.) And this was really the case at Cambridge: James I. sent a letter, in 1607, against "taking tobacco" in St. Mary's. So I learn from my friend Dr. Farmer. A gentleman has informed me, that once going into a church in Holland, he saw the male part of the audience sitting with their hats on, smoking tobacco, while the preacher was holding forth in his morning gown. See the extracts above, in p. 139, from the Earl of Northumb. Houshold Book. ? See the Pref. to Dodsley's Old Plays.-The author of an old invective against the Stage, called a third Blast of Retrait from Plaies, &c., 1580, 12mo., says, "Alas! that private affection should so raigne in the nobilitie, that to .... pleasure their servants, and to upholde them in their vanitye, they should restraine the magistrates from executing their office! .They [the nobility] are thought to be covetous by permitting their servants to live at the devotion or almes of other men, passing from countrie to countrie, from one gentleman's house to another, offering their service, which is a kind of beggerie. Who indeede, to speake more truelie, are become beggers for their ser vants. For comonlie the good-wil, men beare to their Lordes, makes them draw the stringes of their purses to extend their liberalitie." Vid. pag. 75, 76, &c. travelled from one gentlemen's house to another. Yet so much were they encouraged, that, notwithstanding their multitude, some of them acquired large fortunes. Edward Allen, master of the play-house called the Globe, who founded Dulwich College, is a, known instance. And an old writer speaks of the very inferior actors, whom he calls the hirelings, as living in a degree of splendour, which was thought enormous in that frugal age.* At the same time the ancient prices of admission were often very low. Some houses had penny-benches.† The "two-penny gallery" is mentioned in the prologue to Beaumont and Fletcher's Woman-Hater, and seats of three-pence and a groat seem to be intended in the passage of Prynne above referred to. Yet different houses varied in : have been the usual price* of what is now called the Pit, which probably had its name from one of the play-houses having been a Cock-pit.† The day originally set apart for theatrical exhibition appears to have been Sunday; probably because the first dramatic pieces were of a religious cast. During a great part of Queen Elizabeth's reign, the playhouses were only licensed to be opened on that day;‡ but before the end of her reign, or soon after, this abuse was probably removed. The usual time of acting was early in the afternoon,? plays being generally performed talks of "The six-penny Roomes in Playhouses;" and leaves a legacy to one whom he calls "Arch-tobacco taker of England, in ordinaries, upon stages both common and private." *Shaksp. Prol. to Hen. VIII.-Beaum. and Fletch. Prol. their prices that play-house called the Hope to the Captain, and to the Mad-lover. * Stephen Gosson, in his Schoole of Abuse, 1579, 12mo. fo. 23, says thus of what he terms in his margin Playersmen: "Over lashing in apparel is so common a fault, that the very hyerlings of some of our Players, which stand at revirsion of vi s. by the week, jet under gentlemens noses in sutls of silke, exercising themselves to prating on the stage, and common scoffing when they come abrode, where they look askance over the shoulder at every man, of whom the Sunday before they begged an almes. I speake not this, as though everye one that professeth the qualitie so abused himselfe, for it is well knowen, that some of them are sober, discreete, properly learned, honest housholders and citizens, well-thought on among their neighbours at home" [he seems to mean Edw. Allen above mentioned], "though the pryde of their shadowes (I meane those hange byes, whom they succour with stipend) cause them to be somewhat il-talked of abroad." In a subsequent period we have the following satirical fling at the showy exterior and supposed profits of the actors of that time.-Vid. Greene's Groatsworth of Wit, 1625, 4to. "What is your profession?"-"Truly, sir, .... I am a Player." "A Player? ..... I took you rather for a Gentleman of great living; for, if by outward habit men should be censured, I tell you, you would be taken for a substantial man." "So I am where I dwell.... What, though the world once went hard with me, when I was fayne to carry my playing-fardle a foot-backe: tempora midantur.... for my very share in playing apparel will not be sold for two hundred pounds.... Nay more, I can serve to make a pretty speech, for I was a country author, passing at a Moral, &c." See Roberto's Tale, sign. D. 3. b. + So a MS. of Oldys, from Tom Nash, an old pamphletwriter. And this is confirmed by Taylor the Water-poet, in his Praise of Beggerie, p. 99. "Yet have I seen a begger with his many, [sc. vermin] Come at a play-house, all in for one penny." So in the Belman's Night-walks by Decker, 1616, 4to. "Pay thy two-pence to a player, in this gallery thou mayest sit by a harlot." ? Induct to Ben Jonson's Bartholomew-fair. An ancient satirical piece, called “The Blacke Book, Lond. 1604, 4to." †This etymology hath been objected to by a very ingenious writer (see Malone's Shaksp. vol. i. pt. ii. p. 59), who thinks it questionable, because, in St. Mary's church at Cambridge, the area that is under the pulpit, and sur rounded by the galleries, is (now) called the pit; which, be says, no one can suspect to have been a cock-pit, or that a playhouse phrase could be applied to a church. But whoever is acquainted with the licentiousness of boys, will not think it impossible that they should thus apply a name 80 peculiarly expressive of its situation: which from frequent use might at length prevail among the senior members of the university; especially when those young men became seniors themselves. The name of pit, so applied at Cambridge, must be deemed to have been a cant phrase, until it can be shown that the area in other churches was usually so called. So Ste. Gosson, in his Schoole of abuse, 1579, 12mo., speaking of the players, says, "These, because they are allowed to play every Sunday, make iiii or v. Sundayes at least every week, fol. 24.-So the author of a Second and Third Blast of Retrait from Plaies, 1580, 12mo. "Let the magistrate but repel them from the libertie of placing on the Sabboth-daie....To plaie on the Sabboth is but a privilege of sufferance, and might with ease be repelled, were it thoroughly followed," pag. 61, 62. So again, “Is not the Sabboth of al other daies the most abused?... Wherefore abuse not so the Sabboth-daie, my brethren; leave not the temple of the Lord." "Those unsaverie morsels of unseemelie sentences passing out of the mouth of a ruffenlie plafer, doth more content the hungrie humors of the rude multitude, and carrieth better rellish in their mouthes, than the bread of the worde," &c. Vid. pag. 63, 65, 69, &c. I do not recollect that exclamations of this kind occur in Prynne, whence I conclude that this enormity no longer subsisted in his time. .... It should also seem from the author of the Third Blast above quoted, that the churches still continued to be used occasionally for theatres. Thus, in p. 77, he says, that the players (who, as hath been observed, were servants of the nobility), "under the title of their maisters, or as reteiners, are priviledged to roave abroad, and permitted to publish their mametree in everie temple of God, and that throughout England, unto the horrible contempt of praier." "He entertaines us" (says Overbury in his character of an Actor) "in the best leasure of our life, that is, be |