English drama (Comedy); English drama -- 17th century
[38] In 1577, William Lamb (formerly a gentleman of the chapel to
Henry VIII.) caused to be constructed, in the fields where now stands
Lamb's Conduit Street, a reservoir and a conduit by which the water was
conveyed to Snow Hill. These fields formed a place of resort for the
inhabitants of the adjoining districts. The conduit was restored, from
a design by Sir Christopher Wren, in 1667.
[39] "Cross or pile": equivalent to our "heads or tails." A cross was
usually on the reverse of old English coins; the obverse was called the
"pile," from the pile or punch with which the impression was struck.
[40] The New Spring Garden, at Vauxhall; afterwards under the name
of Vauxhall, the most famous place of resort of that kind in the
metropolis. It was first opened about 1661, when Evelyn describes it
as "a pretty-contriv'd plantation," and was closed in 1859. Pepys has
an interesting entry concerning it, under date of May 28, 1667; "I by
water to Fox-hall, and there walked in Spring-garden. A great deal of
company, and the weather and garden pleasant: and it is very pleasant
and cheap going thither, for a man may go to spend what he will, or
nothing, all as one. But to hear the nightingale and other birds,
and here fiddles and there a harp, and here a Jew's trump, and here
laughing, and there fine people walking, is mighty divertising."--The
Neat-house was a place of entertainment at Pimlico.
[41] A powdering-tub means properly a tub in which meat is salted, to
sprinkle with salt being an occasional sense of the verb "to powder."
Hence the name of powdering-tub was applied to places where persons
afflicted with a certain disease were cured. Compare Shakespeare,
_Measure for Measure_, iii. 2; "Troth, sir, she hath eaten up all her
beef, and she is herself in the tub." Also _King Henry V._, ii. 1.
[42] The Mortlake tapestry was of some note at this time. The works had
been founded under the patronage of James I., and Rubens and Vandyck
subsequently lent their services to the undertaking.
[43] The angel was worth 10_s._, and the piece 22_s._
[44] The mark was worth 13_s._ 4_d._
[45] This incident is evidently borrowed from the story of "La
procureuse passe la raie," in _Les Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles_, or from
the more recent version in Bandello's _Novelle_.
[46] Mother Clifford was a noted procuress, who is mentioned in several
comedies of the time.
[47] Brothel.
[48] Prostitute.
[49] Dutch, literally "Jack in the Cellar;" a jocular term for an
unborn infant.--_Wright._
[50] The part of Dapperwit was originally acted by Mohun.
[51] 'Tis not sufficient to make the hearer laugh aloud; although there
is nevertheless a certain merit even in this.--_Sat._ I. 10, 8-9.
[52] Punchinello had a booth at Charing Cross in 1666; this was
probably the earliest appearance of Punch in this country, under that
name.
[53] See note 26.
[54]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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