[61.] A mad young Gallant, having rid as he feared, out of his way, overtook a blunt Country fellow, and asked him, which was the way to _Salesbury_? The Country man, intending not only to set him right: but withall to know whether or no he had committed any error in his way thither, asked him as the manner is, from whence he came, to which the surly Gallant answered, _Why what is that to you, from whence I came?_ _You say true Master,_ quoth the Bumkin, _It is nothing to me from whence you come, nor whether you goe._ So he walkt away with his hands coupled behind him, and left the gentle fool to study out his way to _Salesbury_. To review, or even to largely quote from the dramatists of the seventeenth century is not within the scope of this work, but I cannot refrain (because they are so scarce) from giving a sample of one of the "Drolls," as they were called--short plays performed in booths at the fairs, and very often abbreviated versions of the legitimate drama, as "Bottom the Weaver," from _A Midsummer's Night's Dream_; "The Humours of the Gravemakers," from _Hamlet_. In fact, as the preface to the book [75.], whence the accompanying Droll is taken, states, "The most part of these Pieces were written by such Penmen as were known to be the ablest Artists that ever this Nation produced, by Name, _Shake-spear_, _Fletcher_, _Johnson_, _Shirley_, and others; and these Collections are the very Souls of their writings, if the witty part thereof may be so termed: And the other small Pieces composed by several other Authors, are such as have been of great fame in this last Age, when the publique Theatres were shut up, and the Actors forbidden to present us with any of their Tragedies, because we had enough of that in earnest, and Comedies, because the Vices of the Age were too lively and smartly represented; then all that we could divert our selves with, were these humours and pieces of Plays, which passing under the Name of a merry Conceited Fellow, called _Bottom the Weaver_, _Simpleton the Smith_, _John Swabber_, or some such Title, were only allowed us, and that by stealth too, and under pretence of Rope-dancing, or the like; and these being all that was permitted us, great was the confluence of the Auditors; and these small things were as profitable, and as great get-pennies to the Actors[F. 123] as any of our late famed Plays. I have seen the _Red Bull_[F. 124] Playhouse, which was a large one, so full that as many went back for want of room as had entred; and as meanly as you may now think of these Drols, they were then acted by the best Comedians then and now in being; and I may say, by some that then exceeded all now Living; by Name, the incomparable _Robert Cox_ who was not only the principal Actor, but also the Contriver and Author of most of these Farces. How have I heard him cryed up for his _John Swabber_, and _Simpleton the Smith?_ In which he being to appear with a large piece of Bread and Butter, I