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New Atlantis:

Never heard of any the least inkling or glimpse of this island.

Coriolanus, act i. sc. 1:

They have had inkling, this fortnight, what we intend to do, which now we'll show 'em in deeds.

Henry VIII. act ii. sc. 1 :—

Yet I can give you inkling

Of an ensuing evil.

Life of Henry VII.:

He was a comely personage, a little above just stature, well and straight limbed, but slender.

2 Henry IV. act iv. sc. 1:

The prince is here at hand, pleaseth your lordships
To meet his grace, just distance 'tween our armies.

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For the sound will be greater or lesser, as the barrel is more empty or more full.

Lear, act i:

Nor are those empty hearted, whose low sound

Reverbs no hollowness.

Advancement of Learning :

Not unlike to that which amongst the Romans, was expressed in the familiar or household terms of Promus and Condus.

Henry V. act iv. sc. 3:

Familiar in their mouths as household words.

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Like prospectives, which show things inwards when they are but paintings.

Richard II. act ii. sc. 2 :

Like perspectives, which rightly gazed upon
Show nothing but confusion-ey'd awry,
Distinguish form.-

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CHAPTER VIII.

PLAYERS.

STRYPE, in his edition of Stow published in the year 1720, says: Acting plays for the diversion and entertainment of the court, the gentry, and any others, is become a calling whereby many get their living. How lawfully, is another question. Players in former times were retainers, and none had the privilege to act plays but such. So, in Queen Elizabeth's time, many of the great nobility had tenants and retainers, who were players, and went about getting their livelihood that way.

"The Lord Admiral had players, and so had the Lord Strange, that played within the city of London. It was not unusual then, upon any gentleman's complaint of them, for abuses or undecent reflections practised in their plays, to have them put down. Thus, once the Lord Treasurer signified

to the Lord Mayor Hart, to have these players of the Lord Admiral and Lord Strange prohibited, at least for some time, because one Mr. Tilney had utterly, for some reason, disliked them. Whereupon the Mayor sent for both companies, and gave them a strict charge, and required them in the Queen's name, to forbear playing for some time, till further order might be given for their allowance.

"The Lord Admiral's players obeyed; but the Lord Strange's, in a contentious manner, went away to the Cross Keys, and played that afternoon, to the great offence of the better sort, who knew they were prohibited by order from the Lord Treasurer. So the Mayor committed two of them to the Counter, and prohibited all playing for the future, till the Lord Treasurer's pleasure was further known."

Seymour also, in his Survey of London and Westminster, after briefly noticing a play, anno 1391, played by the Parish Clerks at the Skinners' Well beside Smithfield, which continued three days together, the King, Queen, and nobles of the land, being present; and another played in the year 1409, which lasted eight days, and was of matter from the creation of the world, observes:-" Of later times, instead of these stage plays, have been

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used comedies, tragedies, interludes, and histories both true and feigned. For acting whereof certain public places, as the Theatre, the Curtain, &c. were erected. They played also in inns, as the Cross Keys, the Bull, the Globe, &c. But this which was once a recreation, and used therefor now and then occasionally, afterwards by abuse became a trade and calling, and so remains to this day. In those former days, ingenious tradesmen, and gentlemen's servants, would sometimes gather a company of themselves and learn interludes, to expose vice, or to represent the noble actions of our ancestors in former times; and these they played at certain festival times, and in private houses at weddings, or other splendid entertainments, for their own profit, acted before such as were minded to divert themselves at them."

From these passages, we learn the several stages through which acting passed, previously to becoming a regular trade and calling.

For the recreation and diversion of the Queen, the Students of the Inns of Court, and the Members of the Universities, acted plays before her.

These were entirely complimentary. The Queen paid nothing for witnessing, neither did the performers receive anything for enacting them.

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