The Works of Christopher Marlowe Volume III Part 32

[463] It was a common practice for gallants to sit upon hired stools in the stage, especially at the private theatres. From the _Induction_ to Marston's _Malcontent_ it appears that the custom was not tolerated at some of the public theatres. The ordinary charge for the use of a stool was sixpence.

[464] Malone was no doubt right in supposing that there is here an allusion to the "private boxes" placed at each side of the balcony at the back of the stage. They must have been very dark and uncomfortable.

In the _Gull's Horn-Book_ Dekker says that "much new Satin was there dampned by being smothered to death in darkness."

IN QUINTUM. IV.

Quintus the dancer useth evermore His feet in measure and in rule to move: Yet on a time he call'd his mistress _wh.o.r.e_, And thought with that sweet word to win her love.

O, had his tongue like to his feet been taught, It never would have utter'd such a thought!

IN PLURIMOS. V.[465]

Faustinus, s.e.xtus, Cinna, Ponticus, With Gella, Lesbia, Thais, Rhodope, Rode all to Staines,[466] for no cause serious, But for their mirth and for their lechery.

Scarce were they settled in their lodging, when Wenches with wenches, men with men fell out, Men with their wenches, wenches with their men; Which straight dissolves[467] this ill-a.s.sembled rout.

But since the devil brought them thus together, To my discoursing thoughts it is a wonder, 10 Why presently as soon as they came thither, The self-same devil did them part asunder.

Doubtless, it seems, it was a foolish devil, That thus did part them ere they did some evil.

FOOTNOTES:

[465] MS. "In meritriculas Londinensis."

[466] MS. "Ware."

[467] MS. "dissolv'd"

IN t.i.tUM. VI.

t.i.tus, the brave and valorous young gallant, Three years together in his town hath been; Yet my Lord Chancellor's[468] tomb he hath not seen, Nor the new water-work,[469] nor the elephant.

I cannot tell the cause without a smile,-- He hath been in the Counter all this while.

FOOTNOTES:

[468] Sir Christopher Hatton's tomb. See Dugdale's _History of St.

Paul's Cathedral_, ed. 1658, p. 83.

[469] "The new water-work was at London Bridge. The elephant was an object of great wonder and long remembered. A curious ill.u.s.tration of this is found in the _Metamorphosis of the Walnut Tree of Borestall_, written about 1645, when the poet [William Ba.s.se] brings trees of all descriptions to the funeral, particularly a gigantic oak--

"The youth of these our times that did behold This motion strange of this unwieldy plant Now boldly brag with us that are men old, That of our age they no advantage want, Though in our youth we saw an elephant."

--_Cunningham_.

IN FAUSTUM. VII.

Faustus, nor lord nor knight, nor wise nor old, To every place about the town doth ride; He rides into the fields[470] plays to behold, He rides to take boat at the water-side, He rides to Paul's, he rides to th' ordinary, He rides unto the house of bawdry too,-- Thither his horse so often doth him carry, That shortly he will quite forget to go.

FOOTNOTES:

[470] See the admirable account of "The Theatre and Curtain" in Mr.

Halliwell-Phillipps' _Outlines of the Life of Shakespeare_, ed. 3, pp.

385-433. It is there shown that the access to the _Theatre_ play-house was through Finsbury Fields to the west of the western boundary-wall of the grounds of the dissolved Holywell Priory.

IN KATAM.[471] VIII.

Kate, being pleas'd, wish'd that her pleasure could Endure as long as a buff-jerkin would.

Content thee, Kate; although thy pleasure wasteth, Thy pleasure's place like a buff-jerkin lasteth, For no buff-jerkin hath been oftener worn, Nor hath more sc.r.a.pings or more dressings borne.

FOOTNOTES:

[471] Not in MS.

IN LIBRUM. IX.

Liber doth vaunt how chastely he hath liv'd Since he hath been in town, seven years[472] and more, For that he swears he hath four only swiv'd, A maid, a wife, a widow, and a wh.o.r.e: Then, Liber, thou hast swiv'd all womenkind, For a fifth sort, I know, thou canst not find.

FOOTNOTES:

[472] MS. "knowen this towne 7 yeares."

IN MEDONTEM. X.

Great Captain Medon wears a chain of gold Which at five hundred crowns is valued, For that it was his grandsire's chain of old, When great King Henry Boulogne conquered.

And wear it, Medon, for it may ensue, That thou, by virtue of this ma.s.sy chain, A stronger town than Boulogne mayst subdue, If wise men's saws be not reputed vain; For what said Philip, king of Macedon?