Chapter XII: Introduction

William Cartwright was, according to Lloyd,[110] born the 16th of August 1615, though Wood[111] says he was born at Northway, near Tewksbury, Gloucestershire, in September 1611, and christened on the 26th of the same month. There is as much difference between these two writers, with respect to his father, as there is concerning the time of his birth. Lloyd says he was the son of Thomas Cartwright of Burford, in Oxfordshire. Wood asserts that his father's name was William Cartwright, one who had dissipated a fair inheritance, and was at last reduced to keep an inn at Cirencester. These contradictory accounts are totally irreconcilable. Wood's, however, is probably the true one.[112] That author says that Cartwright received part of his education under Mr William Top, master of the Free School at Cirencester; was from thence sent to Westminster, where he completed his education under Mr Lambert Osbaldiston; and in the year 1628[113] was chosen a student of Christ Church in Oxford, and placed under the care of Mr Terrent. He took his several degrees of Bachelor and Master of Arts--the latter in 1635; and afterwards entering into holy orders, became, as Wood[114] expresses it, "the most florid and seraphical preacher in the University." In October 1642, Bishop Duppa conferred on him the place of Succentor in the Church of Salisbury; and on the 12th of April 1643, he was admitted junior proctor of the University. He died the 29th of November following of a malignant fever, universally lamented by every person who knew him, even by his sovereign, who showed him particular marks of his respect.[115] He was buried at the upper end of the south aisle, adjoining to the choir of the cathedral of Christ Church. "He was," says Langbaine, "extremely remarkable both for his outward and inward endowments, his body being as handsome as his soul. He was an expert linguist, understanding not only Greek and Latin, but French and Italian, as perfectly as his mother tongue. He was an excellent orator, and yet an admirable poet, a quality which Cicero, with all his pains, could not attain to. Nor was Aristotle less known to him than Cicero and Virgil; and those who heard his metaphysical lectures gave him the preference to all his predecessors, the present Bishop of Lincoln (Dr Barlow) excepted. His sermons were as much admired as his other composures; and one fitly applied to our author that saying of Aristotle concerning Æschrion the poet, _that he could not tell what Æschrion could not do_."

Ben Jonson said of him with some passion, _My son Cartwright writes all like a man_; and Dr Fell, Bishop of Oxford, gave him this character: _Cartwright was the utmost man could come to_.

Besides a sermon and some Greek and Latin poems, he was the author of four plays, one only of which, I believe, was published in his lifetime, viz.--

1. "The Royal Slave, a Tragi-Comedy, presented to the king and queen by the students of Christ Church in Oxford, August 30, 1636; presented since to both their majesties, at Hampton Court, by the king's servants." 4o, 1639-40; 8vo, 1651.

This play, in which the celebrated Dr Busby performed a part, gave so much satisfaction to their majesties, that it was by their orders performed at Hampton Court by their own servants. Langbaine says the preference was given to the representation by the collegians, as much superior to that of the players.

2. "The Lady Errant, a Tragi-Comedy."

3. "The Ordinary, a comedy," [probably written in 1634.]

4. "The Siege; or, Love's Convert, a Tragi-Comedy."

FOOTNOTES:

[110] "Memoirs," p. 422.

[111] "Athen. Oxon." p. 34.

[112] _Ibid._

[113] Langbaine, p. 51, says 1631.

[114] "Athen. Oxon." ii. p. 35.

[115] Oldys, in his MSS. notes on Langbaine, says that the king being asked why he appeared in black the day Cartwright was buried, answered, that since the Muses had so much mourned for the loss of such a son, it would be a shame for him not to appear in mourning for the loss of such a subject.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

HEARSAY, _an intelligencer_. }
SLICER, _a lieutenant_. } _complices in_
MEANWELL, (_Littleworth disguised_), } _the Ordinary_
_a decayed knight's son_. }
SHAPE, _a cheater_.
SIR THOMAS BITEFIG, _a covetous knight_.
SIMON CREDULOUS, _a citizen_.
ANDRES, _his son, suitor to Mistress Jane_.
ROBERT MOTH, _an antiquary_.
CASTER, } _gamesters_.
HAVE-AT-ALL, }
RIMEWELL, _a poet_.
BAGSHOT, _a decayed clerk_. }
SIR CHRISTOPHER, _a curate_. } _clubbers at_
VICAR CATCHMEY, _a cathedral_ } _the Ordinary_.
_singing-man_. }
MISTRESS JANE, _daughter to Sir Thomas_.
PRISCILLA, _her maid_.
JOAN POTLUCK, _a vintner's widow_.

_Shopkeeper, Chirurgeon, Officers, Servants._

_The scene, London._

THE PROLOGUE.

'Twould wrong our author to bespeak your ears;
Your persons he adores, but judgment fears:
For where you please but to dislike, he shall
Be atheist thought, that worships not his fall.
Next to not marking, 'tis his hope that you,
Who can so ably judge, can pardon too.
His conversation will not yet supply
Follies enough to make a comedy:
He cannot write by th' poll; nor act we here
Scenes, which perhaps you should see liv'd elsewhere.
No guilty line traduceth any; all
We now present is but conjectural;
'Tis a mere guess: those then will be to blame
Who make that person, which he meant but name.
That web of manners which the stage requires,
That mass of humours which poetic fires
Take in, and boil, and purge, and try, and then
With sublimated follies cheat those men
That first did vent them, are not yet his art;
But, as drown'd islands or the world's fifth part,
Lie undiscover'd; and he only knows
Enough to make himself ridiculous.
Think, then, if here you find nought can delight,
He hath not yet seen vice enough to write.

THE ORDINARY.