Page:The Plays of William Shakspeare (1778).djvu/92

80 1609) as it affords the reader a more complete idea of the cutoms peculiar to our ancient theatres, than any other publication which has hitherto fallen in my way. See this performance, page 27.

How a Gallant hould behave himelf in a Play-houe.

The theater is your poet’s Royal Exchange, upon which, their mues (that are now turn’d to merchants) meeting, barter away that light commodity of words for a lighter ware than words, plaudities and the breath of the great beat, which (like the threatnings of two cowards) vanih all into aire. Plaiers and their factors, who put away the tuffe and make the bet of it they poibly can (as indeed ’tis their parts o to doe) your gallant, your courtier, and your capten, had wont to be the foundet paymaters, and I thinke are till the uret chapmen: and thee by meanes that their heades arc well tockt, deale upon this comical freight by the groe; when your groundling, and gallery commoner buyes his sport by the penny, and, like a hagler is glad to utter it againe by retailing. Sithence then the place is o free in entertainment, allowing a toole as well to the farmer’s onne as to your Templer: that your tinkard has the elfe ame libertie to be there in his tobacco-fumes, which your weet courtier hath: and that your carman and tinker claime as trong a voice in their urage, and fit to give judgment on the plaies’ life and death, as well as the proudet Momus among the tribe of critick; it is fit that hee, whom the mot tailors bils do make room for, when he comes, hould not be baely (like a vyoll) cas’d up in a corner. Whether therefore the gatherers of the publique or private play-houe tand to receive the aftemoone’s rent, let our gallant (having paid it) preently advance himelfe up to the throne of the tage. I meane not into the lords’ roome (which is now but the tage’s uburbs). No, thoe boxes by the iniquity of cutome, conpiracy of waiting-women and gentlemen-uhers, that there weat together, and the covetous harers, are contemptibly thrut into the reare, and much