Mayne, Jasper · published 1639 · first performed or written 1637 [1637-1638(?)] (Annals) comedy · King's Men · before the Court T9 Theatre talk: prologues, poets and playe typicality 0.74 · 459 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
Better and better still. Well what was wanting Unto our joys and made these Nuptials Imperfect. Brother you by your discovery Have fully added. Sir, The two Sheriffs are Within and have both brought their Wives. The Feast Intended for my wedding shall be yours. To which I add may you so love, to say When old, your time was but one Marriage Day. THE Author was deceived, for should the Parts, And Play which you have seen, plead Rules & Arts, Such as strict Critics write by, who refuse T'allow the Buskin to the Comic Muse, Whose Region is the People, every strain Of Royalty being Tragic, though none slain: He'd now, Great Sir, hold all his Rules untrue, And thinks his best Rule is the Queen and You. He should have searched the Stories of each Age, And brought five Acts of Princes on the Stage. He should have taken measure, and raised sport, From persons bright, and glorious as your Court; And should have made his Argument to be Fully as high, and great as They that see. Here, he confesseth, you did nothing meet But what was first a Comedy i'th' street: Cheapside brought into verse, no passage strange To any here that hath been at th' Exchange. Yet he hopes none doth value it so low As to compare it with my Lord mayor's show. 'tis so unlike, that some, he fears, did sit, Who missing Pageants did o'ersee the wit. Since then his Scenes no pomp or highness' boast, And low things graced show Princes Princes most, Your Royal smiles will raise't, and make him say, He only wrote, your liking made the Play. ONce more the Author, ere you rise, doth say Though he have public warrant for his play, Yet he to th' Kings command needs the Kings Writ To keep him safe, not to b'arraigned for Wit. Not that he fears his name can suffer wrack From them who sixpence pay, and sixpence crack. To such he wrote not; though some parts have been So like here, that They to Themselves came in. To Them who call't reproof to make a face, Who think they judge when they frown i'th' wrong place; Who if they speak not ill o'th' Poet, doubt They lose by th' Play, nor have their two shillings out, He says, he hopes, they'll not expect he'd woo, The Play being done, they'd end their sour looks too. But before you who did true Hearers sit, Who singly make a box, and fill the Pit, Who to his Comedy read, and unseen, Had thronged Theatres, and Blackfriars been, He for his Doom stands; your Hands are his bays; Since They can only clap, who know to praise.
seed 43: T16 · seed 44: T15 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Better and better still. VVell what was wanting Unto our joyes and made these Nuptials Imperfect. Brother you by your discovery Have fully added. Sir, The two Sheriffs are Within and have both brought their Wives. The Feast Intended for my wedding shall be yours. To which I adde may you so love, to say When old, your time was but one Marriage Day. THE Author was deceiv'd, for should the Parts, And Play which you have seen, plead Rules & Arts, Such as strict Criticks write by, who refuse T'allow the Buskin to the Comick Muse, Whose Region is the People, every straine Of Royalty being Tragick, though none slaine: He'd now, Great Sir, hold all his Rules untrue, And thinks his best Rule is the Queen and You. He should have searcht the Stories of each Age, And brought five Acts of Princes on the Stage. He should have taken measure, and rais'd sport, From persons bright, and glorious as your Court ▪ And should have made his Argument to be Fully as high, and great as They that see. Here, he confesseth, you did nothing meet But what was first a Comoedy ith' street: Cheapside brought into verse, no passage strange To any here that hath been at th' Exchange. Yet he hopes none doth valew it so low As to compare it with my Lord Maiors show. Tis so unlike, that some, he feares, did sit, Who missing Pageants did or'esee the wit. Since then his Scenes no pomp or Highnesse boast, And low things graced show Princes Princes most, Your Royall smiles will raise't, and make him say, He onely wrote, your liking made the Play. ONce more the Author, ere you rise, doth say Though he have publique warrant for his play, Yet he to th' Kings command needs the Kings Writ To keep him safe, not to b'arraign'd for Wit. Not that he feares his name can suffer wrack From them who six-pence pay, and six-pence crack. To such he wrote not; though some parts have been So like here, that They to Themselves came in. To Them who call't reproofe to make a face, Who think they judge when they frown ith'wrong place; Who if they speak not ill oth' Poet, doubt They loose by th' Play, nor have their two shillings out, He saies, he hopes, they'l not expect he'd wooe, The Play being done, they'd end their sowre looks too. But before you who did true Hearers sit, Who singly make a box, and fill the Pit, Who to his Comoedy read, and unseen, Had thronged Theaters, and Black-Friers been, He for his Doome stands; your Hands are his Bayes; Since They can onely clap, who know to praise.