Miracles-Tragedy-Pathos-Melodrama-Herod and the Devil

-IX. Realistic Comedy-Joseph-Noah's Wife—The Nativity

-Pastoral Interludes.-X. Transcripts from Common Life-

Satire-The Woman Taken in Adultery-Mixture of the Sacred

and the Grotesque.—XI. The Art of the Miracles and the Art

of Italian Sacri Monti . .

. . . . . . 93

CHAPTER IV.

MORAL PLAYS.

1. Development of Minor Religious Plays from the Cyclical

Miracle-Intermediate Forms between Miracle and Drama ---

Allegory and Personification.-II. Allegories in the Miracle

Detached from the Miracle-Medieval Contrasti, Dialogi, and

Disputationes—Emergence of the Morality-Its essentially

Transitional Character.—III. Stock Personages in Moral Plays

-Devil and Vice-The Vice and the Clown.-IV. Stock Argu-

ment-Protestant and Catholic- Mundus et Infans.'-V. The

Castle of Perseverance' - 'Lusty Juventus' - Youth.'-VI.

“Hick Scorner'-A real Person introduced— New Custom'-.

Trial of Treasure '_ Like will to Like.'_VII. Everyman'-

The Allegorical Importance of this Piece.–VIII. Moral Plays

with an Attempt at Plot_Marriage of Wit and Wisdom '

Marriage of Wit and Science – The Four Elements'— Micro-

cosmus.'-IX. Advance in Dramatic Quality—“The Nice Wanton'

- The Disobedient Child.'-X. How Moral Plays were Acted-

Passage from the old Play of Sir Thomas More.'—XI. Hybrids

between Moral Plays and Drama—King Johan'— Mixture of

History and Allegory_The Vice in Appius and Virginia'-In

Cambyses . . . . . . . . . . . 144

CHAPTER V.

THE RISE OF COMEDY.

1. Specific Nature of the Interlude-John Heywood - The Farce

of Johan the Husband'—'The Pardoner and the Friar.'-11.

Heywood's Life and Character.-I11. Analysis of The Four P's'

-Chaucerian Qualities of Heywood's Talent.—IV. Nicholas

Udall and 'Ralph Roister Doister'--Its Debt to Latin Comedy.

-V. John Still_Was He the Author of Gammer Gur ton's

Needle'?--Farcical Character of this Piece-Diccon the Bedlam.

-VI. Reasons for the Early Development of Comedy . . . 184

CHAPTER VI.

THE RISE OF TRAGEDY.

PAGE

I. Classical Influence in England— The Revival of Learning-Eng-

lish Humanism-Ascham's 'Schoolmaster'- Italian Examples.-

II. The Italian Drama-Paramount Authority of Seneca -Cha-

racter of Seneca's Plays.—III. English Translations of Seneca-

English Translations of Italian Plays.- IV. English Adaptations

of the Latin Tragedy-Lord Brooke-Samuel Daniel-Trans-

lations from the French-Latin Tragedies--False Dramatic

Theory.-V.‘Gorboduc'—Sir Philip Sidney's Eulogy of it-Lives

of Sackville and Norton-General Character of this Tragedy-

Its Argument-Distribution of Material-Chorus—Dumb Show-

The Actors—Use of Blank Verse.—VI. “The Misfortunes of

Arthur'_Thomas Hughes and Francis Bacon-The Plot-Its

Adaptation to the Græco-Roman Style of Tragedy-Part of

Guenevora--The Ghost-Advance on Gorboduc' in Dramatic

Force and Versification.-VII. Failure of this Pseudo-Classical

Attempt-What it effected for English Tragedy . . . . 211

CHAPTER VII.

TRIUMPH OF THE ROMANTIC DRAMA.

1. Fifty-two Plays at Court-Analysis of their Subjects—The

Court follows the Taste of the People—The ‘Damon and Pithias'

of Edwards-— Romeo and Juliet'Tancred' and · Gismunda'-

* Promos and Cassandra.'-II. Contemporary Criticisms of the

Romantic Style-Gosson-Whetstone-Sidney.-I11. Descrip-

tion of the English Popular Play-The Florentine Farsa-

Destinies of this Form in England . . . . . . 246

CHAPTER VIII.

THEATRES, PLAYWRIGHTS, ACTORS, AND PLAYGOERS.

1. Servants of the Nobility become Players—Statutes of Edward VI.

and Mary-Statutes of Elizabeth-Licences.-11. Elizabeth's and

Leicester's Patronage of the Stage-Royal Patent of 1574--Master

of the Revels-Contest between the Corporation of London and

the Privy Council.—III. The Prosecution of this Contest --Plays

Forbidden within the City-Establishment of Theatres in the

Suburbs-Hostility of the Clergy.-IV. Acting becomes a Pro-

fession-Theatres are Multiplied-Building of the Globe and

PAGE

Fortune-Internal Arrangements of Playhouses --Interest of the

Court in Encouragement of Acting Companies. – V. Public and

Private Theatres—Entrance Prices-Habits of the Audience.-VI.

Absence of Scenery-Simplicity of Stage-Wardrobe-Library

of Theatres.-VII. Prices given for Plays—Henslowe-Benefit

Nights-Collaboration and Manufacture of Plays.-VIII. Boy-

Actors-Northbrooke on Plays at School—The Choristers of

Chapel Royal, Windsor, Paul's—Popularity of the Boys at

Blackfriars-Female Parts—The Education of Actors.-IX. Pay-

ment to various Classes of Actors-Sharers-Apprentices-Re-

ceipts from Court Performances-Service of Nobility-Strolling

Companies-Comparative Dishonour of the Profession.—X.

Taverns-Bad Company at Theatres-Gosson and Stubbes upon

the Manners of Playgoers-Women of the Town—Cranley's

Amanda.'—XI. "The Young Gallant's Whirligig'-Jonson's

Fitzdottrel at the Play.-XII. Comparison of the London and

the Attic Theatres.

. . . . . . . . . 265

CHAPTER IX.

MASQUES AT COURT.

1. Definition of the Masque—Its Courtly Character--Its Partial

Influence over the Regular Drama.-II. Its Italian Origin.-III.

Masques at Rome in 1474-At Ferrara in 1502—Morris Dances-

At Urbino in 1513–Triumphal Cars.-IV. Florentine Trionfi-

Machinery and Engines—The Marriage Festivals of Florence in

1565–Play and Masques of Cupid and Psyche-The Masque of

Dreams-Marriage Festival of Bianca Capello in 1579.–V.

Reception of Henri III. at Venice in 1574–His Passage from

Murano to San Niccolò on Lido.-VI. The Masque transported

to England-At the Court of Henry VIII. and Elizabeth

Development in the Reign of James 1.-Specific Character of

the English Masque--The Share of Poetry in its Success.-VII.

Ben Jonson and Inigo Jones-Italian and English Artists—The

Cost of Masques.-VIII. ProseDescriptions of Masques-Jonson's

Libretti–His Quarrels with Jones--Architect versus Poet-IX.

Royal Performers—Professionals in the Anti-Masque.—X. Variety

of Jonson's Masques—Their Names—Their Subjects—Their

Lyric Poetry.—XI. Feeling for Pastoral Beauty-Pan's Anni-

versary.-XII. The Masque of Beauty-Prince Henry's Barriers

- Masque of Oberon.—XIII. Royal and Noble Actors--Lady

Arabella Stuart-Prince Henry-Duke Charles—The Earl and

Countess of Essex-Tragic Irony and Pathos of the Masques at

Court.-XIV. Effect of Masques upon the Drama-Use of them

by Shakspere and Fletcher-By Marston and Tourneur—Their

great Popularity-Milton's Partiality for Masques—The' Arcades'

and · Comus' . . . . . . . . . . 317

CHAPTER X.

ENGLISH HISTORY.

PAGE

1. The Chronicle Play is a peculiarly English Form-Its Difference

from other Historical Dramas-Supplies the Place of the Epic-

Treatment of National Annals by the Playwrights.-II. Shak-

spere's Chronicles-Four Groups of non-Shaksperian Plays on

English History.-111. Legendary Subjects—Locrine'-The

History of King Leir.'--IV. Shakspere's Doubtful Plays—Prin-

ciples of Criticism—“The Birth of Merlin.'—V. Chronicle-Plays

Proper—' Troublesome Reign of King John'-'True Tragedy of

Richard III.' _'Famous Victories of Henry V.'-'Contention of

the Two Famous Houses.'-VI. “Edward III.'—The Problem of

its Authorship--Based on a Novella and on History—The Superior

Development of Situations.-VII. Marlowe’s ‘Edward II.'--Peele's

Edward I.'--Heywood’s ‘Edward IV.–Rowley's Play on Henry

VIII.–VIII. The Ground covered by the Chronicle Plays—Their

Utility-Heywood's 'Apology 'quoted.-IX. Biographies of Poli-

tical Persons and Popular Heroes-'Sir Thomas More '_ Lord

Cromwell'— Sir John Oldcastle'--Schlegel's Opinion criticised

-Sir Thomas Wyatt'-Ford's “ Perkin Warbeck'— Last Plays of

this Species.--X. English Adventurers_Fair Maid of the West'

- The Shirley Brothers'—Sir Thomas Stukeley'—His Life

--Dramatised in ‘The Famous History,'&c.—Battle of Alcazar.'--

XI. Apocryphal Heroes—'Fair Em'-'Blind Beggar of Bethnal

Green'—Two Plays on the Robin Hood Legend-English Par-

tiality for Outlaws-Life in Sherwood—“George a Greene'-Jon-

son’s ‘Sad Shepherd'-Popularity in England of Princes who

have shared the People's Sports and Pastimes.

. 363

CHAPTER XI.

DOMESTIC TRAGEDY.

1. Induction to 'A Warning for Fair Women 'Peculiar Qualities of

the Domestic Tragedy-Its Realism-Its Early Popularity-

List of Plays of this Description-Their Sources.-II. Five Plays

selected for Examination-Questions of disputed Authorship-

Shakspere's suggested part in Three of these- The different

Aspects of Realism in them.-III. ' A Warning for Fair Women'

- The Story-Use of Dumb Show-Bye-Scenes—Handling of the

Prose-Tale-Critique of the Style and Character-Drawing of this

Play- Its deliberate Moral Intention.-IV. ‘A Yorkshire Tragedy'

- The Crime of Walter Calverley—His Character in the Drama

-Demoniacal Possession.-V, 'Arden of Feversham '-Diffi-

culty of dealing with it-Its Unmitigated Horror-Fidelity to

PAGE

Holinshed's Chronicle--Intense Nature of its Imaginative Realism

- Character of Arden-Character of Mosbie-A Gallery of

Scoundrels—Two Types of Murderers-Michael's Terror-Alice

Arden-Her Relation to some Women of Shakspere-Develop-

ment of her Murderous Intention-Quarrel with Mosbie-The

Crescendo of her Passion--Redeeming Points in her Character-

Incidents and Episodes.-VI. 'A Woman Killed with Kindness'

- The Gentleness of this Tragedy-The Plot-Italian Underplot

adapted to English Life-Character of Mr. Frankford–The Scene

in the Bed-chamber-Character of Mrs. Frankford-Wendoll-

Question regarding the Moral Tone of the Last Act-Religious

Sentiment.–VII. "Witch of Edmonton'- Its Joint-Authorship-

The Story-Female Parts-Two Plays patched together- Mother

Sawyer - The Realistic Picture of an English Witch-Humane

Treatment of Witchcraft in this Play . . . . . . 412

CHAPTER XII.

TRAGEDY OF BLOOD.

1. The Tough Fibres of a London Audience-Craving for Strong

Sensation-Specific Note of English Melodrama- Its Lyrical and

Pathetic Relief.-11. Thomas Kyd Hieronymo' and 'The

Spanish Tragedy'— Analysis of the Story-Stock-Ingredients of

a Tragedy of Blood – The Ghost- The Villain—The Romantic

Lovers-Suicide, Murder, Insanity.-I11.‘Soliman and Perseda' -

The Induction to this Play—“The Tragedy of Hoffmann.'-IV.

Marlowe's Use of this Form—“The Jew of Malta'-__' Titus An-

dronicus'— Lust's Dominion '-Points of Resemblance between

* Hamlet' and “The Spanish Tragedy-Use made by Marston,

Webster, and Tourneur of the Species.-V. The Additions to The

Spanish Tragedy'–Did Jonson make them ?-Quotation from

the Scene of Hieronymo in the Garden

· · 485

CHAPTER XIII.

JOHN LYLY.

1. The Publication of ‘Euphues'- Its Two Parts-Outline of the

Story.-II. It forms a Series of Short Treatises-Love-Conduct

- Education-A Book for Women. III. Its Popularity—The

Spread of Euphuism– What we Mean by that Word.-IV. Qua-

lities of Medieval Taste -Allegory-Symbolism-The Bestiaries

-Qualities of Early Humanism-Scholastic Subtleties – Petrar-

chistic Diction-Bad Taste in Italy—Influence of Italian Litera-

ture, The Affectation of the Sixteenth Century-Definition of

Euphuism-Illustrations.-V. Lyly becomes a Courtier- His

Want of Success—The Simplicity of his Dramatic Prose- The