A new Enterlued for Chyldren to playe, named Jacke Jugeler, both wytte, and very playsent. Newly

Imprented.

The players names.

Ales trype and go,

The vyce.

A Lackey.
A mayd.

[Wood-cut of] D. Coi, Bou grace, Jacke Jugler.

The Prologue is in twelve seven-line stanzas, proving that the mind of man requires honest mirth and pastime, that it was well allowed of by Cato, Plutarke, Socrates, Plato, and Cicero Tullius; and for that purpose onlye this maker did it write, taking the ground therof out of Plautus first comedie." This address concludes with the usual appeal of submission and deference to the spectators, and their indulgence prayed as well for the players as the piece. As the right of an audience to dictate laws to the theatre has been lately very inconsistently doubted, I shall give the author's words as a specimen in what manner the actors addressed the public two hundred and fifty years ago.

your

"Wherefore yf ye wyl not sowrelie broues bende,
At suche a fantasticall conceite as this;

But can be content to heare and see the ende,
I woll go shew the players what your pleasure is,
Which to wait vpon you I know bee redie or this:
I woll goo sende them hither in too your presence,
Desiryng that they may haue quiet audience."

The performance commences with a long speech by "Jake Jugler

"Our lord of heuen and swete sainte Ihone

Rest you merye my maisters euerychone;

And I praye to Christ and swete saint Steuen,

Send you all many a good euine;

And you to syr, and you, and you also,

Good euine to you an hundered times, & a thousand mo.” After this familiar introduction he describes his intention to "playe a iugling cast," and the object is Jenkine Careawaie, the page of Boungrace. The period of time is that of the representation, and Boungrace having

directed

directed Jenkin to bring his mistress where he should sup, the lacquey loiters by the way: playing at bucklers, snatching apples from a fruiterer's wife, and losing money at dice. Jack Juggler having been watching his footsteps, after reporting these events, continues

"This garments, cape and all other geare,
That now you see apon me here,

I haue doon oon, all lyke vnto his,
For the nons and my purpose is
To make Jenkine byliue, if I can,

That he is not himselfe, but another man."

On the arrival of the page a conversation of some humour arises, until by minute relation of the tricks he has been playing since he parted from his master, together with the addition of some blows, the unfortunate Careaway considers his mischievous antagonist euen I myne owne selfe," and at length beseeches, "yf I be found in any place too bringe me to me againe."

His

troubles do not end here. More stripes fall to his lot from his mistress Dame Coy, who also directs his master Boungrace to "joll his hed to a post, and fauoure your fyste," while the unfortunate sufferer in vain relates to each the tale of the "other I."

An Epilogue of ten stanzas concludes

"you sawe right now, by example playne,

An other felowe being a counterfeat page,

Brought the gentylman's seruaunt out of his brayne,
And made him graunt yt. himselfe was fallen in dotage,
Baryng him selfe in hand that he dyd rage

And when he could not bryng that to passe by reason,
He made him graunt it and saye by compulsion.

Therfore happy are they that can beware

Into whose handes they fall by any suche chaunce,
Which if they do, they hardly escape care,

Troble, miserye, and wofull greuaunce:

And thus I make an end, comitting you to his gidau ce
That made & redemed vs al, and to you yt be now here,
I praye God graunt, and send many a good newe yere.
Finis.

Imprinted at London in Lothbury by me Wyllyam Copland."* The above short account of an enterlude, of which the existence has long appeared doubtful, proves the Menæchmi of Plautus, on which the Comedy of Errors, by

* Entered in the Stationers' books 1562-3.

Shakspeare,

Shakspeare, is founded, was, in part at least, known at a very early period upon the English stage. In considering the character of Jack Jugler, as the Vice, it will be found to sustain very little, if any, of the sketch drawn in the elaborate disquisition by the commentators upon that subject. In the present performance he resembles more the arch-knave Mercury when attending Jove, as the false Sosia, in the play of Amphitryon, + than the ludicrous buffoon which is supposed to have been introduced in the early drama to amuse the audience. The woodcut represents him, inconsistently with a beard, and using a mincing step; but I have some reason (which will be more fully assigned in another place) to believe that figure was only a casual adoption by the printer, and not intended as a faithful portrait.

J. H.

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

THE library wherein the interludes of Thersytes and Jack Jugler were discovered contained many others of the rarest pieces of the early drama. To the names mentioned in the note at p. 176, may be added Edwards, Green and Chettle; and, amongst the anonymous, may be noticed "the pleasaunt and fine conceited Comœdie of two Italian Gentlemen vvith the merie deuices of Captain Crack-stone." The whole of the dramatic pieces have been purchased at a very considerable sum to assist in completing an enlarged edition of Old Plays, which has been preparing for the press for some time past. The loan of any of the Triumphs, scarce dramatic pieces, or copies of Hawkins or Dodsley, containing manuscript notes, would be esteemed a favour, and proper care taken in transcribing. Address to the Editors of the Old Plays, at Mr. TRIPHOOK's, 37, St. James's Street.

Reed's Shak. Vol. xiv. p. 528.
Dryden's Amphitryon, Act ii. Sc. 1.

T. Bensley, Printer,

Belt Court, Fleet Street, London.