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 in metrical form, notably one ascribed to 'M^r Attowel', whom we should, I think, identify with the sixteenth-century George, rather than the seventeenth-century Hugh, of that name. Another, Rowland's Godson, seems to be the surviving member of a well-known cycle.

Nor was the jig the only form of afterpiece which had its savour in an Elizabethan play-house. Tarlton again, and after Tarlton Wilson, won reputation in the handling of 'themes', which appear to have been improvisations in verse, strung together on some motive supplied by a member of the audience. It has been suggested that complete plays were also sometimes given by the method of improvised dialogue on a concerted plot which was followed in the Italian commedie dell' arte. This must remain very doubtful. The Italian practice and the stock characters, pantaloon, zany, and harlequin, of the commedie dell' arte were certainly known in England; but we have the clear evidence of The Case is Altered that by 1597 at any rate they had not been naturalized. If improvisation