Day, John · published 1606 · first performed or written 1606 (Annals) comedy · Children of the Queen's Revels · Blackfriars T9 Theatre talk: prologues, poets and playe typicality 0.73 · 502 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
HOw now gallants, what is't? what is't? The I'll of Gulls. The I'll of Gulls, what should that be? A play by the name, but come shall's quarter ourselves? If some had had the wit to do so in time, they might ha' saved the hangman a labour. But come boy, furnish us with stools. Pardon me sir, my office is to speak a Prologue, not to provide you stools. And you were the Epilogue to sir- Fie be not incivil: dost hear youth, prithee what's he that discovered your new found Land, the I'll of Gulls? what is he? A mere stranger sir. A stranger? the better welcome: comes he Eastward, Westward, or Northward hoe? None of the three ways I assure you. prithee where is he? Not on his knees in a corner, to Apollo praying that his play may hold in a good hand at Passage, not on the stage amongst gallants, preparing a bespoke Plaudite; but close in his study writing hard, to get him a handsome suit against Summer. And where sits his friends? hath he not a prepared company of gallants, to applaud his jests, and grace out his play. None I protest: Do Poets use to bespeak their Auditory. The best in grace do, and but for that, some that I know, had never had their grace in Poetry till this day. Then must our Author look for a certain disgrace, for he is altogether unfurnished of such a friendly audience. Then he must lay his trial upon God and good wits. But why doth he call his play The I'll of Gulls, it begets much expectation. Not out of any dogged disposition, not that it figures a 〈...〉 certain state, or private government: far be that supposition from the thought of any indifferent Auditor: and the argument being a little string or Rivulet, drawn from the full strain of the right worthy Gentleman, Sir Philip Sydneys well known Archadea, confirms it: only a Duke to make trial of certain experiments, retires with his retinue into a Nameless desert. Now as well for fashion sake, as that all those which have to do in that desert, are gulled in the reach of their hopes, therefore he calls it, (and as he presumes, not improperly) The I'll of Gulls. Out a question he hath promised thee some fee, thou pleadest so hard for him, but and he be a right Poet he will never perform it. But what method observes he in his play, is't any thing Critical? Are Lawyers fees, and citizens wives laid open in it: I love to hear vice anatomized, & abuse let blood in the master vain, is there any great man's life charactered in't? None I protest sir, only in the person of Dametas he expresses to the life the monstrous and deformed shape of vice, as well to beget a loathing of abuse, as that his villainy may give the greater luster to the virtuous dispositions of trueborn gentility.
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)
HOw now gallants, what iſt? what iſt? The Ile of Gulls. The Ile of Gulls, what ſhould that be? A play by the name, but come ſhals quarter our ſelues? If ſome had had the wit to doe ſo in time, they might ha ſaude the hangman a labour. But come boy, furniſh vs with ſtooles. Pardon me ſir, my office is to ſpeake a Prologue, not to prouide you ſtooles. And you were the Epilogue to ſir- Fie be not inciuill: doſt heare youth, prethe whats he that diſcouerd your new found Land, the Ile of Gulls? what is hee? A meere ſtranger ſir. A ſtranger? the better welcome: comes hee Eaſt-ward, Weſt-ward, or North-ward hoe? None of the three waies I aſſure you. Prethe where is he? Not on his knees in a corner, to Apollo praying that his play may hold in a good hand at Paſſadge, not on the ſtage amongſt gallants, preparing a beſpoke Plaudite; but cloſe in his ſtudie writing hard, to get him a handſome ſuite againſt Sommer. And where ſits his friends? hath he not a prepard company of gallants, to aplaud his ieſts, and grace out his play. None I proteſt: Doe Poets vſe to beſpeake their Auditory. The beſt in grace doe, and but for that, ſome that I know, had neuer had their grace in Poetry till this day. Then muſt our Author looke for a certaine diſgrace, for he is altogether vnfurniſht of ſuch a friendly audience. Then he muſt lay his tryall vpon God and good wits. But why doth he call his play The Ile of Gulls, it begets much expectation. Not out of any dogged diſpoſition, not that it figures a certaine ſtate, or priuate gouernment: farre be that ſuppoſition the thought of any indifferent Auditor: and the argument beeing a little ſtring or Riuolet, drawne frō the full ſtreine of the right worthy Gentleman, Sir Phillip Sydneys well knowne Archadea, confirmes it: onely a Duke to make tryall of certaine experiments, retyres with his retinue into a Nameleſſe deſart. Now as well for faſhion ſake, as that all thoſe which haue to doe in that deſart, are guld in the reach of their hopes, therefore hee calls it, (and as hee preſumes, not improperlie) The Ile of Gulls. Out a queſtion he hath promiſed thee ſome fee, thou pleadeſt ſo hard for him, but and he be a right Poet hee will neuer performe it. But what method obſerues hee in his play, iſt any thing Criticall? Are Lawyers fees, and Cittizens wiues laid open in it: I loue to heare vice anotomizd, & abuſe let blood in the maiſter vaine, is there any great mans life charactred int? None I proteſt ſir, only in the perſon of Dametas he expreſſes to the life the monſtrous and deformed ſhape of vice, aſwell to beget a lothing of abuſe, as that his villanie may giue the greater luſter to the vertuous diſpoſitions of true-borne gentilitie.