The Works of Aphra Behn Volume Iii Part 144

p. 175 _Bantring and Shamming_. Banter = to chaff or make fun of, at this time a new slang word. It is almost certain that the verb, which came into use about 1670, was a full decade earlier than the noun. In 1688 the substantive 'Banter' was up-to-date slang. For the verb _vide_ D'Urfey's _Madam Fickle_ (1676), Act v, I, where Zechiel cries to his brother: 'Banter him, banter him, Toby. 'Tis a conceited old Scarab, and will yield us excellent sport--go play upon him a little--exercise thy Wit.' cf. Swift, _Apology_ (1710), _Talke of a Tub_: 'Where wit hath any mixture of raillery, 'tis but calling it banter, and the work is done. This polite word of theirs was first borrowed from the bullies in Whitefriars, then fell among the footmen, and at last retired to the pedants.'

For 'shamming' cf. Wycherley's _The Plain Dealer_ (1674), iii, I, where the Lawyer says to Manly: 'You ... shammed me all night long.'

'Shammed!' cries Manley, 'prithee what barbarous law-term is that?'

'Shamming ...' answers the lawyer, "tis all our way of wit, Sir.' And Freeman explains 'Shamming is telling you an insipid dull lie with a dull face, which the sly wag the author only laughs at himself; and making himself believe 'tis a good jest, puts the sham only upon himself.'

p. 176 _Dumfounding_. A rude and rough form of practical joking. The players 'dumfounded' each other with sudden blows stealthily dealt. cf.

Shadwell's The True Widow (1678), Act iv, I. Prig in the theatre says: 'You shall see what tricks I'll play; 'faith I love to be merry'. (Raps people on their backs, and twirls their hats, and then looks demurely, as if he did not do it.) The pit, often a very pandemonium, was the chief scene of this sport. Dryden, prologue to _The Prophetess_ (1690), speaks of the gallants in the theatre indulging freely in

That witty recreation, called dumfounding.

p. 176 _stum'd Wine_. To stum wine is to renew dead and insipid wine by mixing new wine with it and so raising a fresh fermentation. cf. Slang (still in common use) 'stumer', a generic term for anything worthless, especially a worthless cheque.

p. 176 _Grisons_. A 'grison' is a servant employed on some private business and so dressed in gray (gris) or a dark colour not to attract notice. cf. Shadwell's _The Volunteers_ (1693), Act ii, sc. I: '_Sir Nich_. I keep grisons, fellows out of livery, privately for nothing but to carry answers.'

THE LUCKY CHANCE.

p. 183 _Laurence, Lord Hyde_. This celebrated statesman (1641-1711) was second son of Edward Hyde, first Earl of Clarendon. The Dedication must have been written in 1686 when, wavering between the Catholic Faith and Protestantism, he was still high in favour with the King. 4 January, 1687, he was dismissed from court owing to his persistent refusals to be received into the Church.

p. 183 _The Abbot of Aubignac_. Francois Hedelin, Abbe D'Aubignac, a famous critic and champion of the theatre, was born at Paris, 4 August, 1604. Amongst his best known works are: _Terence justifie_ (4to, 1646, Paris), an attack on Menage; _La Practique du theatre_ (4to, 1669, Paris); and _Dissertations concernant le poeme dramatique en forme de remarques sur les deux tragedies de M. Corneille, int.i.tulees_ Sophonisbe _et_ Sertorious (12mo, 1663, Paris). He died at Nemours, 27 July, 1676.

p. 185 _Dr. Davenant_. Charles Davenant, LL.D, (1656-1714), eldest son of Sir William Davenant. He sat for St. Ives, Cornwall, in the first parliament of James II, and was appointed, along with the Master of the Revels, to license plays.

p. 185 _Sir Roger L'Estrange_. The celebrated Tory journalist, pamphleteer and censor was born in 1616. He had ever been a warm defender of James II, and upon this monarch's accession was liberally rewarded. 21 May, 1685, a warrant was issued directing him to enforce most strictly the regulations concerning treasonable and seditious and scandalous publications. After the Revolution he suffered imprisonment.

He died 11 December, 1704.

p. 185 _Mr. Killigrew_. Charles Killigrew (1655-1725), Master of the Revels, was son of Thomas Killigrew by his second wife Charlotte de Hesse. He had been appointed Master of the Revels in 1680, patentee of Drury Lane Theatre in 1682. He was buried in the Savoy, 8 January, 1724-5.

p. 186 _Mr. Leigh_. Antony Leigh, the famous comedian, who created Sir Feeble Fainwood. The scene referred to is Act iii, sc. II, where it must be confessed that, in spite of her protestation, Mrs. Behn gives the stage direction--Sir Feeble 'throws open his Gown, they run all away, he locks the Door.'

p. 186 _Oedipus_. Dryden and Lee's excellent tragedy was produced at Dorset Garden in 1679. Betterton created Oedipus and his wife Jocasta.

It was extraordinarily popular, as, indeed, were all the plays Mrs. Behn marshalls forth in this preface. The scene particularly referred to is Act ii, I: 'Oedipus enters, walking asleep in his s.h.i.+rt, with a Dagger in his Right-Hand and a Taper in his Left.' A little after 'Enter Jocasta, attended with Lights, in a Night-Gown.'

p. 186 _City Politicks_. This comedy by Crowne is a mordant satire upon the Whigs. It was produced with great success at the Theatre Royal and printed quarto 1683. A certain Florio feigns to be dying in order to prevent the Podesta suspecting an intrigue between his wife, Rosaura, 'the Lady Mayoress', and so impotent an invalid. Artall is in love with Lucinda, who is married to a toothless old lawyer, Bartoline. Says Genest: 'The Podesta and Bartoline are as well cuckolded as any Tory could wish.' cf. The conclusion of Act ii and the commencement of Act iii; also the discovery of Florio and Rosaura in Act v.

p. 186 _London Cuckolds_. This immensely popular play, five merry side-splitting acts which kept the stage for a century, was produced in 1682 at Dorset Garden. Ravenscroft has no less than three cuckolds in his Dramatis Personae: Doodle, Dashwell, and Wiseacre. The intrigues and counter-intrigues are innumerable. At the end the cuckolds all jeer one another.

p. 186 _Sir Courtly Nice_. This witty comedy, Crowne's masterpiece, was produced at the Theatre Royal in 1685. Mrs. Behn's allusion is to Act ii, II, where Crack, disguised as a tailor, visits Leonora. The language is often cleverly suggestive.

p. 186 _Sir Fopling_. Etheredge's third comedy, _The Man of Mode; or, Sir Fopling Flutter_ was produced at the Duke's Theatre in 1676. It met 'with extraordinary success'. Mrs. Behn points at Act iv, II.

p. 186 _Valentinian_. The reference is to the Earl of Rochester's _Valentinian_, altered from Fletcher, which was produced with great applause at the Theatre Royal in 1684. The Court Bawds, Balbus, Proculus, Chylax, Lycinius, with the 'lewd women belonging to the court', Ardelia and Phorba, are important characters in the tragedy. The direct allusion is, perhaps, to Act ii, I. The scene after the rape, Act iv, sc. III, 'opens, discovers th'Emperor's Chamber. Lucina newly unbound by th'Emperor'. The 'Prologue spoken by Mrs. Cook the first day' is by Mrs. Behn (_vide_ Vol. VI). It is certain that an audience which found no offence in Rochester's _Valentinian_ could ill have taken umbrage at the freedoms of _The Lucky Chance_.

p. 186 _The Moor of Venice. Oth.e.l.lo_ was one of the first plays to be revived at the Restoration, and was, perhaps, the most frequently seen of all Shakespeare. On 11 October, 1660, Burt acted Oth.e.l.lo at the c.o.c.kpit. Downes gives Mohun as Iago; Hart, Ca.s.sio; Cartwright, Brabantio; Beeston, Roderigo; Mrs. Hughes, Desdemona; Mrs. Rutter, Emilia. But it is certain Clun had also acted Iago--(Pepys, 6 February, 1668). Hart soon gave up Ca.s.sio to Kynaston for the t.i.tle role in which he is said to have excelled. After his retirement in 1683 it fell to Betterton, of whose greatness in the part Cibber gives a lively picture.

The _Tatler_ also highly commends this actor's Oth.e.l.lo.

p. 186 _The Maids Tragedy_. Mrs. Behn refers to Act ii, I, and Act iii, I. Hart acted Amintor; Mohun, Melantius; Wintershall, the King; Mrs. Marshall, Evadne. Rymer particularly praises Hart and Mohun in this tragedy, saying: 'There we have our Roscius and Aesopus both on the stage together.' After 1683 it was differently cast. It will be remembered that Melantius was Betterton's last role, in which he appeared for his benefit 13 April, 1710, to the Amintor of Wilks and the Evadne of Mrs. Barry. He died 28 April, a fortnight after.

p. 187 _Wills Coffee House_. This famous coffee-house was No. 1 Bow Street, Covent Garden, on the west side corner of Russell Street. It derived its name from Will Unwin who kept it. The wits' room was upstairs on the first floor. Some of its reputation was due to the fact that it was a favourite resort of Dryden.

p. 187 _write for a Third day only_. The whole profits of the third day's performance went to the author of the play; and upon these occasions his friends and patrons would naturally rally to support him.

There are numberless allusions to this custom, especially in Prefaces, Prologues and Epilogues.

p. 189 _the Mall_. The Mall, St. James's Park, was formed for Charles II, who was very fond of the game 'pall-mall'. The walk soon became a popular and fas.h.i.+onable resort. There are innumerable references. cf.

Prologue, Dryden's _Marriage a la Mode_ (1672):--

Poor pensive punk now peeps ere plays begin, Sees the bare bench, and dares not venture in; But manages her last half-crown with care, And trudges to the Mall, on foot, for air.

The scene of the first Act of Otway's _The Soldier's Fortune_ (1681) is laid in the Mall, and gives a vivid picture of the motley and not over respectable company that was wont to foregather there.

p. 189 _the Ring_. The Ring, Hyde Park, a favourite ride and promenade was made in the reign of Charles I. It was very fas.h.i.+onable, and is frequently alluded to in poem and play. cf. Etheredge, _The Man of Mode; or, Sir Fopling Flutter: 'Sir Fopling_. All the world will be in the Park to-night; Ladies, 'twere pity to keep so much beauty longer within doors, and rob the Ring of all those charms that should adorn it.'--Act iii sc. II. cf. also Lord Dorset's _Verses on Dorinda_ (1680):--

Wilt thou still sparkle in the Box, Still ogle in the Ring?

p. 193 _Starter_. This slang word usually means a milksop, but here it is equivalent to 'a b.u.t.terfly', 'a weatherc.o.c.k'--a man of changeable disposition. A rare use.

p. 193 _Finsbury Hero_, Finsbury Fields, which Pepys thought 'very pleasant', had been kept open for the citizens to practise archery. An ordinance of 1478 is extant which orders all obstacles to be removed and Finsbury to be 'made a plain field for archers to shoot in'. As late as 1737 there were standing twenty-four 'rovers' or stone pillars for shooting at distances.

p. 196 _Mr. Barnardine_. This allusion must almost certainly be to a recent revival of _Measure for Measure_, which particular play had been amongst those set aside by the regulation of 12 December, 1660, as the special property of Davenant's theatre. After the amalgamation of the two companies in November, 1682, a large number of the older plays were revived or continued to be played (with a new cast and Betterton in the roles which had been Hart's) during the subsequent decade. Downes mentions _Oth.e.l.lo, The Taming of the Shrew_, and several by Beaumont and Fletcher, Ben Jonson, and Brome. On the other hand, it is possible this reference may merely be to _The Law Against Lovers_ (1661, folio, 1673), in which Sir William Davenant has mixed Bened.i.c.k and Beatrice with Angelo, Claudio, Isabella and the rest. It is a curious conglomeration, and the result is very pitiful and disastrous. Bernardine and the prison scenes are retained. _Measure for Measure_ was again profanely altered by Gildon in 1700, mutilated and helped out by 'entertainments of music'.

p. 197 _Snicker Snee_. See note Vol. I, p. 449, _Snick-a-Snee, The Dutch Lover_, iii, III (p, 278).

p. 198 _Spittal Sermon_. The celebrated Spital Sermons were originally preached at a pulpit cross in the churchyard (now Spital Square) of the Priory and Hospital of St. Mary Spital, founded 1197. The cross, broken at the Reformation, was rebuilt during Charles I's reign, but destroyed during the Great Rebellion. The sermons, however, have been continued to the present time and are still preached every Easter Monday and Easter Tuesday before the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, at Christ Church, Newgate Street.

P. 201. _Alsatia_. This cant name had been given to the precinct of Whitefriars before 1623, then and for many years a notorious refuge for persons wis.h.i.+ng to avoid bailiffs and creditors. The earliest use of the name is Thomas Towel's quarto tract, _Wheresoever you see meet, Trust unto Yourselfe: or the Mysterie of Lending and Borrowing_ (1623). The second use in point of time is the Prologue to Settle's _Pastor Fido_ (1676):--

And when poor Duns, quite weary, will not stay; The hopeless Squire's into _Alsatia_ driven.

Otway's comedy, _The Soldiers Fortune_ (4to, 1681), where Courtine says: 'I shall be ere long as greasy as an Alsatian bully,' comes third; and Mrs. Behn's reference to Alsatia in this play, which is often ignored, claims fourth place. We then have Shadwell's famous comedy, _The Squire of Alsatia_ (1688), with its well-known vocabulary of Alsatian jargon and slang, its scenes in Whitefriars, the locus cla.s.sicus, a veritable mine of information. The particular portions of Whitefriars forming Alsatia were Ram-Alley, Mitre Court, and a lane called in the local cant Lombard Street. No. 50 of Tempest's _Cries of London_ (drawn and published in James II's reign) is called 'A Squire of Alsatia', and represents a fas.h.i.+onable young gallant. Steele, _Tatler_ (No. 66), 10 September, 1709, speaks of Alsatia 'now in ruins'. It is interesting to note that many authorities, ignoring Settle and Mrs.

Behn's allusions, quote Powel and Otway as the only two places where the word 'Alsatia' is found before Shadwell made it so popular.

p. 202 _Dornex_. Or dornick, a worsted or woollen fabric used for curtains, hangings and the like, so called from Tournai, where chiefly manufactured. cf. Shadwell's _The Miser_ (1672), Act i, I: 'a dornock carpet'. Also _Wit and Drollery_ (1681): Penelope to Ulysses:--

The Stools of _Dornix_ which that you may know well Are certain stuffs Upholsterers use to sell.

p. 202 _Henry the Eighth_. Henry VIII had been put on by Davenant in December, 1663 with a wealth of pomp and expenditure that became long proverbial in the theatrical world. An extra large number of supers were engaged. Downes dilates at quite unusual length upon the magnificence of the new scenery and costumes. The court scene was especially crowded with 'the Lords, the Cardinals, the Bishops, the Doctors, Proctors, Lawyers, Tip-staves.' On New Year's Day, 1664, Pepys went to the Duke's house and saw 'the so much cried up play of Henry VIII; which tho' I went with resolution to like it, is so simple a thing, made up of a great many patches, that, besides the shows and processions in it, there is nothing in the world good or well done.' On 30 December, 1668, however, he saw it again, 'and was mightily pleased, better than ever I expected, with the history and shows of it.' In _The Rehearsal_ (1671), Act v, I, Bayes says: 'I'l shew you the greatest scene that ever England saw: I mean not for words, for those I do not value; but for state, shew, and magnificence. In fine I'll justifie it to be as grand to the eye every whit, I gad, as that great Scene in Harry the Eight.'

p. 203 _Joan Sanderson_. See note Vol. I, p. 456: _Joan Sanderson. The Roundheads_, Act iv, IV (p. 402).

p. 204 _Haunce in Kelder_. Literally Jack-in-the-Cellar, i.e. the unborn babe in the womb. cf. Davenant and Dryden's alteration of _The Tempest_, Act iv, sc. II. '_Stephano_, I long to have a Rowse to her Grace's Health, and to the _Haunse in Kelder_, or rather Haddock in Kelder, for I guess it will be half Fish'; and also Dryden's _Amboyna_ (1673), Act iv, sc. I, where Harman senior remarks at Towerson and Ysabinda's wedding: 'You Englishmen ... cannot stay for ceremonies; a good honest Dutchman would have been plying the gla.s.s all this while, and drunk to the hopes of Hans in Kelder till 'twas bedtime.'

p. 204 an _Apple John_. An apple John is usually explained as being a kind of apple said to keep two years and to be in perfection when shrivelled and withered, cf. 2 _Henry IV_, ii, IV, and the context. If the allusion here is to such a kind of apple Sir Feeble's phrase is singularly inept, as may perhaps be intended to be the case.

p. 204 _St. Martin's Trumpery_. The parish of St. Martin-le-Grand was formerly celebrated for the number of shops vending cheap and imitation jewellery within its purlieus. 'St. Martin's ware' came to mean a forgery.

p. 205 _nick their Inclinations_. To nick = to thwart. A somewhat uncommon use. Generally, to nick (slang), means 'to arrest', 'to waylay and stop'.