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 0.84 · 489 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
Why dost think thy audience like a flock of sheep, that one cannot leap over a hedge, but all the rest will follow, they ha' more of reason in them then so. Well, I'll sit out the play, and be but to avoid that sheepish imputation, but see it be bawdy, or by this light I and all my friends will hiss. You should not deal gentlemanlike with us else. The misery that waits upon the pen Of the best Writers, judge it gentlemen, Let them express the very soul of wit, And want Opinions voice to countenance it, 'tis like the idle buzzing of a fly, Heard, not regarded: wretched Poetry: If a write mirth, 'tis Ribaldry, and mean, Scorned of chaste ears. If he compose a Scene Of high writ Poesy, fitting a true stage, 'tis counted fustian: If portick rage Strike at abuse, or open the vain of sin, He is straight informed against for libeling. Neither quick mirth, invective, nor high state, Can content all: such is the boundless hate Of a confused Audience: Then we That scarcely know the rules of Poesy Cannot scape check. Yet this our comfort is, The wise will smile to hear th' impartial hiss. We neither brag, nor tremble, faint nor entreat, Our merits nothing, yet our hopes are great, Yet this our Author bade me boldly speak, His play shall pass, let Envy swell and break, Detraction he scorns, honours the best, Tanti for hate; thus low to all the rest. Welcome gallants, welcome honoured bloods; the reason that we have unclothed us of our princely government in Arcadia, and have to do with this private retirement here in this desert I'll, you shall find in that schedule, only thus much for public satisfaction: 'tis not strange to you, that the choicest treasure Nature endowed us with, is mind up in the veins of my two daughters: how much their quiet, and the smooth stream of our government in Arcadia, was troubled by the impetuous concourse of unruly suitors, is familiar with your knowledge; this to avoid, I have for my Image there in my absence appointed my brother, and undertook this private retirement. Why my lord, are you so covetous of your daughter's beauties, that their perfections shall be a means to hinder their preferment? Rather to further it fair Queen: they are the only pearls of our age, and to see them well set in honourable and well-befitting Marriage, is our wishes' happiness. To which effect we have sent a general challenge To all the youthful bloods of Africa, That whosoever (borne of princely stem) Dares foot the bosom of this desert I'll, (The stage where I'll perform this lovers prize) And by his wit and active policy, Woo, win, entice, or any way defeat Me of my charge, my daughters of their hearts, Shall with their loves wear my imperial crown wreath of their conquest.
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)
Why dooſt thinke thy audience like a flock of ſheepe, that one cannot leape ouer a hedge, but all the reſt will follow, they ha more of reaſon in them then ſo. Well, Ile ſit out the play, and be but to auoyd that ſheepiſh imputation, but ſee it be baudy, or by this light I and all my friends will hiſſe. You ſhould not deale gentleman-like with vs els. The miſerie that waites vpon the pen Of the beſt Writers, iudge it gentlemen, Let them expreſſe the very ſoule of wit, And want Opinions voice to countnance it, Tis like the idle buzzing of a flie, Heard, not regarded: wretched Poetrie: If a write mirth, tis Rybaldry, and meane, Scornd of chaſt eares. If he compoſe a Sceane Of high writ Poeſie, fitting a true ſtage, Tis counted fuſtian: If portick rage Strike at abuſe, or ope the vaine of ſinne, He is ſtraight inform'd againſt for libelling. Neither quick mirth, inuectiue, nor high ſtate, Can content all: ſuch is the boundleſſe hate Of a confuſed Audience: Then we That ſcarcely know the rules of Poeſie Cannot ſcape check. Yet this our comfort is, The wiſe will ſmile to heare th' impartiall hiſſ. We neither bragge, nor tremble, faint nor intreat, Our merrits nothing, yet our hopes are great, Yet this our Author bad me boldly ſpeake, His play ſhall paſſe, let Enuie ſwell and breake, Detraction he ſcornes, honours the beſt, Tati for hate; thus low to all the reſt. Welcom gallants, welcom honord bloods; the reaſon that we haue vncloth'd vs of our princely gouernment in Arcadia, and haue to doe with this priuate retirement heere in this defart Ile, you ſhall find in that ſhedule, onely thus much for publique ſatisfaction: Tis not ſtrange to you, that the choiſeſt treaſure Nature indow'd vs with, is mynde vp in the vaines of my two daughters: howe much their quiet, and the ſmothe ſtreame of our gouernment in Arcadia, was troubled by the impetuous concourſe of vnruly ſuters, is familiar with your knowledge; this to auoide, I haue for my Image there in my abſence appointed my brother, and vndertooke this priuate retirement. Why my lord, are you ſo couetous of your daughters beauties, that their perfections ſhall be a meanes to hinder their preferment? Rather to further it faire Queene: they are the onely pearles of our age, and to ſee them well ſet in honourable and wel-befitting Marriage, is our wiſhes happines. To which effect we haue ſent a generall challenge To all the youthfull bloods of Affrica, That whoſoeuer (borne of princely ſtem) Dares foote the boſome of this deſart Ile, (The ſtage where Ile performe this louers prize) And by his wit and actiue pollicie, Wooe, win, intice, or any way defeate Me of my charge, my daughters of their harts, Shall with their loues weare my imperiall crowne Wreathe of their conqueſt.