Chapter XII: Appendix: Extracts From the Critics (5)

MAN. Sir, you belie her. She is chaſte, and vertuous,
And we are honeſt. I doe know no glory [170]
A man ſhould hope, by venting his owne follyes,
But you’ll ſtill be an _Aſſe_, in ſpight of prouidence.
Pleaſe you goe in, Sir, and heare truths, then iudge ’hem:
And make amends for your late raſhneſſe; when, 156
You ſhall but heare the paines and care was taken,
To ſaue this foole from ruine (his _Grace_ of _Drown’d-land_)

FIT. My land is drown’d indeed--

POV. Peace.

MAN. And how much
His modeſt, and too worthy wife hath ſuffer’d 160
By miſ-conſtruction, from him, you will bluſh,
Firſt, for your owne beliefe, more for his actions!
His land is his: and neuer, by my friend,
Or by my ſelfe, meant to another vſe,
But for her ſuccours, who hath equall right. 165
If any other had worſe counſells in’t,
(I know I ſpeake to thoſe can apprehend mee)
Let ’hem repent ’hem, and be not detected.
It is not manly to take ioy, or pride
In humane errours. (wee doe all ill things, 170
They doe ’hem worſt that loue ’hem, and dwell there,
Till the plague comes) The few that haue the ſeeds
Of goodneſſe left, will ſooner make their way
To a true life, by ſhame, then puniſhment.

_THE END_.

[821] SD. Sir] To them.] Sir 1692 _to them_ om. 1692, 1716, W ACT. . . .] SCENE V. _A Room in_ Fitzdottrel’s _House_. FITZDOTTREL _discovered in bed; Lady_ EITHERSIDE, TAILBUSH, AMBLER, TRAINS, _and_ PITFALL, _standing by him. Enter Sir_ PAUL EITHERSIDE, MEERCRAFT, _and_ EVERILL. G

[822] 1 SN. _and_] _at_ 1692, 1716, W The ...] om. G

[823] 4 time o’ ret. G

[824] 11 H’is] He’s 1716, f.

[825] 14 means. [_Exit Ambler._ G

[826] 20 o’] of W

[827] 21 Who is G

[828] 28 _ha_, om. W _ha, &c._ om. G

[829] 29 SN. _interprets_ 1692, 1716, W _The_ ...] om. G

[830] 33 a om. 1641, f.

[831] 38 SN. Wittipol, _and ... enter_] _Enter_ WITTIPOL, ... G

[832] 40 strange 1641, f.

[833] 43 their] our W

[834] 48 SN. _His wife_ om. G

[835] 58 prove to be the merrier? 1641

[836] 60 impudence] insolence 1641

[837] 61 it.--_Re-enter_ AMBLER, _with_ SLEDGE _and_ GUILTHEAD. G

[838] 69 with [_To Meer._] G

[839] SN. _him_ om. 1641

[840] SN. om. G

[841] 73 strong om. 1641

[842] 74 &c. om. G

[843] 82 SN. _to be_ om. 1641

[844] SN. om. G

[845] 84 endanger’d W, G

[846] 86 foole] fellow 1641

[847] 87 He makes himselfe] I’d rather fall 1641 O they whisper,
they whisper, whisper, &c. 1641

[848] 91 phrenetic G

[849] 108 you om. W

[850] 110 _Crambe_] Crambo W. G

[851] 111 can. [_Aside to Fitz._] G

[852] 112 =κακοδάμων= 1692, 1716

[853] 113 =τισ= 1692, 1716

[854] 114 =δωδεκάκις= W, G

[855] 115 _Aside to Fitz._ G

[856] 119 FIT. _Ouy_,] in line 120, 1692, f.

[857] 121 SN.] _Enter_ SHACKLES, _with the things found on the body
of the Cut-purse_. G

[858] 128 Those] These W

[859] 135 SN.] _Fitz._ [_starts up_.] G

[860] 141 () ret. G

[861] 145 not you] you not W, G

[862] 148 Coozners 1641 _Cozeners_ 1692, 1716 cozeners W, G

[863] 166 in it G

[864] 167 () ret. G

[865] 170 human 1692, f.

[866] 174 [_He comes forward for the Epilogue._ G

[867] 175 ‘The End.’ after line 6 1692 om. 1716 W, G

The Epilogue.

_Thus, the_ Proiecter, _here, is ouer-throwne.
But I have now a_ Proiect _of mine owne,
If it may paſſe: that no man would inuite
The_ Poet _from vs, to ſup forth to night, 5
If the_ play _pleaſe. If it diſpleaſant be,
We doe preſume, that no man will: nor wee._

[868] 1 ‘The Epilogue.’ om. G

[869] 7 [_Exeunt._ G

NOTES

The present edition includes whatever has been considered of value in the notes of preceding editions. It has been the intention in all cases to acknowledge facts and suggestions borrowed from such sources, whether quoted verbatim, abridged, or developed. Notes signed W. are from Whalley, G. from Gifford, C. from Cunningham. For other abbreviations the Bibliography should be consulted. Explanations of words and phrases are usually found only in the Glossary. References to this play are by act, scene, and line of the Text; other plays of Jonson are cited from the Gifford-Cunningham edition of 1875. The references are to play, volume and page.

TITLE-PAGE.

=THE DIUELL IS AN ASSE.= ‘Schlegel, seizing with great felicity upon an untranslateable German idiom, called the play _Der dumme Teufel_ [Schlegel’s _Werke_, ed. Böcking, 6. 340]--a title which must be allowed to be twice as good as that of the English original. The phrase ‘the Devil is an ass’ appears to have been proverbial. See Fletcher’s _The Chances_, Act 5. Sc. 2:

Dost thou think
The devil such an ass as people make him?’
--Ward, _Eng. Drama_ 2. 372.

A still more important passage occurs in Dekker’s _If this be not a good Play_, a partial source of Jonson’s drama:

_Scu._ Sweete-breads I hold my life, that diuels an asse.
--Dekker, _Wks._ 3. 328.

Jonson uses it again in _The Staple of News_, _Wks._ 5. 188:

The conjurer cozened him with a candle’s end; he was an ass.

Dekker (_Non-dram. Wks._ 2. 275) tells us the jest of a citizen who was told that the ‘Lawyers get the Diuell and all: What an Asse, replied the Citizen is the diuell? If I were as he I would get some of them.’

=HIS MAIESTIES SERVANTS.= Otherwise known as the _King’s Company_, and popularly spoken of as the _King’s Men_. For an account of this company see Winter, ed. _Staple of News_, p. 121; and Fleay, _Biog. Chron._ 1. 356-7; 2. 403-4.

=Ficta voluptatis=, etc. The quotation is from Horace, _De Art. Poet._, line 338. Jonson’s translation is:

Let what thou feign’st for pleasure’s sake, be near
The truth.

Jonson makes use of this quotation again in his note ‘To the Reader’ prefixed to Act 3 of _The Staple of News_.

=I. B.= Fleay speaks of this printer as J. Benson (_Biog. Chron_. 1. 354). Benson did not ‘take up freedom’ until June 30, 1631 (_Sta. Reg._ 3. 686). Later he became a publisher (1635-40; _Sta. Reg._ 5. lxxxiv). I. B. was also the printer of _Bartholomew Fair_ and _Staple of News_. J. Benson published a volume of Jonson’s, containing _The Masque of the Gypsies_ and other poems, in 1640 (_Brit. Museum Cat._ and Yale Library). In the same year he printed the _Art of Poetry_, 12mo, and the _Execration against Vulcan_, 4to (cf. _Pub. of Grolier Club_, N. Y. 1893, pp. 130, 132). The evidence that I. B. was Benson is strong, but not absolutely conclusive.

=ROBERT ALLOT.= We find by Arber’s reprint of the _Stationer’s Register_ that Robert Allot ‘took up freedom’ Nov. 7, 1625. He must have begun publishing shortly after, for under the date of Jan. 25, 1625-6 we find that Mistris Hodgettes ‘assigned over unto him all her estate,’ consisting of the copies of certain books, for the ‘some of forty-five pounds.’ The first entry of a book to Allot is made May 7, 1626. In 1630 Master Blount ‘assigned over unto him all his estate and right in the copies’ of sixteen of Shakespeare’s plays. In 1632 Allot brought out the Second Folio of Shakespeare’s works. On Sept. 7, 1631 _The Staple of News_ was assigned to him. The last entry of a book in his name is on Sept. 12, 1635. The first mention of ‘Mistris Allott’ is under the date of Dec. 30, 1635. Under date of July 1, 1637 is the record of the assignment by Mistris Allott of certain books, formerly the estate of ‘Master Roberte Allotts deceased.’ Among these books are ‘37. _Shakespeares Workes_ their part. 39. _Staple of Newes_ a Play. 40. _Bartholomew fayre_ a Play.’ I have been able to find no record of _The Devil is an Ass_ in the _Stationer’s Register_.

=the Beare.= In the Shakespeare folio of 1632 Allot’s sign reads ‘the Black Beare.’ The first mention of the shop in the _London Street Directory_ is in 1575, among the ‘Houses round the Churchyard.’

=Pauls Church-yard.= ‘Before the Fire, which destroyed the old Cathedral, St. Paul’s Churchyard was chiefly inhabited by stationers, whose shops were then, and until the year 1760, distinguished by signs.’--Wh-C.

THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY.

=GVILT-HEAD, A Gold-smith.= The goldsmiths seem to have been a prosperous guild. (See Stow, _Survey_, ed. Thoms, p. 114.) At this time they performed the office of banking, constituting the intermediate stage between the usurer and the modern banker. ‘The goldsmiths began to borrow at interest in order to lend out to traders at a higher rate. In other words they became the connecting link between those who had money to lend and those who wished to borrow for trading purposes, or it might be to improve their estates. No doubt at first the goldsmiths merely acted as guardians of their clients’ hoards, but they soon began to utilize those hoards much as bankers now make use of the money deposited with them.’--_Social England_ 3. 544.

=AMBLER.= Jonson uses this name again in _Neptune’s Triumph_, _Wks._ 8. 32:

Grave master Ambler, news-master o’ Paul’s,
Supplies your capon.

It reappears in _The Staple of News_.

=Her Gentlemanvsher.= For an exposition of the character and duties of the gentleman-usher see the notes to 4. 4. 134. 201, 215.

=Newgate.= ‘This gate hath of long time been a gaol, or prison for felons and trespassers, as appeareth by records in the reign of King John, and of other kings.’--Stow, _Survey_, ed. Thoms, p. 14.

THE PROLOGUE.

=1 The DIVELL is an Asse.= ‘This is said by the prologue pointing to the _title_ of the play, which as was then the custom, was painted in large letters and placed in some conspicuous part of the stage.’--G.

Cf. _Poetaster_, _After the second sounding_: ‘What’s here? THE ARRAIGNMENT!’ Also _Wily Beguiled_: _Prol._ How now, my honest rogue? What play shall we have here to-night?

_Player._ Sir, you may look upon the title.
_Prol._ What, _Spectrum_ once again?’

Jonson often, but not invariably, announces the title of the play in the prologue or induction. Cf. _Every Man out_, _Cynthia’s Revels_, _Poetaster_, and all plays subsequent to _Bart. Fair_ except _Sad Shep_.

=3 Grandee’s.= Jonson uses this affected form of address again in _Timber_, ed. Schelling. 22. 27

=4 allowing vs no place.= As Gifford points out, the prologue is a protest against the habit prevalent at the time of crowding the stage with stools for the accommodation of the spectators.

Dekker in Chapter 6 of _The Guls Horne-booke_ gives the gallant full instructions as to the behavior proper to the play-house. The youth is advised to wait until ‘the quaking prologue hath (by rubbing) got culor into his cheekes’, and then ‘to creepe from behind the Arras,’ and plant himself ‘on the very Rushes where the Commedy is to daunce, yea, and vnder the state of Cambises himselfe.’ Sir John Davies makes a similar allusion _(Epigrams_, ed. Grosart, 2. 10). Jonson makes frequent reference to the subject. Cf. _Induction_ to _The Staple of News_, _Every Man out_, _Wks._ 2. 31; _Prologue_ to _Cynthia’s Revels_, _Wks._ 2. 210, etc.

=5 a subtill thing.= I. e., thin, airy, spiritual, and so not occupying space.

=6 worne in a thumbe-ring.= ‘Nothing was more common, as we learn from Lilly, than to carry about familiar spirits, shut up in rings, watches, sword-hilts, and other articles of dress.’--G.

I have been unable to verify Gifford’s statement from Lilly, but the following passage from Harsnet’s _Declaration_ (p. 13) confirms it: ‘For compassing of this treasure, there was a consociation betweene 3 or 4 priests, _deuill-coniurers_, and 4 _discouerers_, or _seers_, reputed to carry about with them, their familiars in rings, and glasses, by whose suggestion they came to notice of those golden hoards.’

Gifford says that thumb-rings of Jonson’s day were set with jewels of an extraordinary size, and that they appear to have been ‘more affected by magistrates and grave citizens than necromancers.’ Cf. _I Henry IV_ 2. 4: ‘I could have crept into any alderman’s thumb-ring.’ Also _Witts Recreat._, _Epig._ 623:

He wears a hoop-ring on his thumb; he has
Of gravidad a dose, full in the face.

Glapthorne, _Wit in a Constable_, 1639, 4. 1: ‘An alderman--I may say to you, he has no more wit than the rest of the bench, and that lies in his thumb-ring.’

=8 In compasse of a cheese-trencher.= The figure seems forced to us, but it should be remembered that trenchers were a very important article of table equipment in Jonson’s day. They were often embellished with ‘posies,’ and it is possible that Jonson was thinking of the brevity of such inscriptions. Cf. Dekker, _North-Ward Hoe_ 3. 1 (_Wks._ 3. 38): ‘Ile have you make 12. poesies for a dozen of cheese trenchers.’ Also _Honest Whore_, Part I, Sc. 13; and Middleton, _Old Law_ 2. 1 (_Wks._ 2. 149); _No Wit, no Help like a Woman’s_ 2. 1 (_Wks._ 4. 322).

=15 Like the young adders.= It is said that young adders, when frightened, run into their mother’s mouth for protection.

=16 Would wee could stand due North.= I. e., be as infallible as the compass.

=17 Muscouy glasse.= Cf. Marston, _Malcontent_, _Wks_. 1. 234: ‘She were an excellent lady, but that her face peeleth like Muscovy glass.’ Reed (_Old Plays_ 4. 38) quotes from Giles Fletcher‘s _Russe Commonwealth_, 1591, p. 10: ‘In the province of Corelia, and about the river Duyna towards the North-sea, there groweth a soft rock which they call Slude. This they cut into pieces, and so tear it into thin _flakes, which naturally it is apt for_, and so use it for glasse lanthorns and such like. It giveth both inwards and outwards a clearer light then glasse, and for this respect is better than either glasse or horne; for that it neither breaketh like glasse, nor yet will burne like the lanthorne.’ Dekker _(Non-dram. Wks._ 2. 135) speaks of a ‘Muscouie Lanthorne.’ See Gloss.

=22 the Diuell of Edmunton.= _The Merry Devil of Edmunton_ was acted by the King’s Men at the Globe before Oct. 22, 1607. It has been conjecturally assigned to Shakespeare and to Drayton. Hazlitt describes it as ‘perhaps the first example of sentimental comedy we have’ (see _O. Pl._, 4th ed., 10. 203 f.). Fleay, who believes Drayton to be the author, thinks that the ‘Merry devil’ of _The Merchant of Venice_ 2. 3, alludes to this play (_Biog. Chron._ 1. 151 and 2. 213). There were six editions in the 17th century, all in quarto--1608, 1612, 1617, 1626, 1631, 1655. Middleton, _The Black Book_, _Wks._ 8. 36, alludes to it pleasantly in connection with _A Woman kill’d with Kindness_. Genest mentions it as being revived in 1682. Cf. also _Staple of News_, 1st Int.

=26 If this Play doe not like=, etc. Jonson refers to Dekker’s play of 1612 (see Introduction, p. xxix). On the title-page of this play we find _If it be not good, The Diuel is in it_. At the head of Act. 1, however, the title reads _If this be not a good play_, etc.