[p. 209] Guzman Medicines. Trashy, worthless medicines. In The Emperor of The Moon, Act iii, 2, ‘Guzman’ is used as a term of abuse to signify a rascal. The first English translation (by James Mabbe) of Aleman’s famous romance, Vida del Picaro Guzman d’Alfarache, is, indeed, entitled The Rogue, and it had as running title The Spanish Rogue. There is a novel by George Fidge entitled The English Gusman; or, the History of that Unparallel’d Thief James Hind. (1652, 4to.)
[p. 209] Copper Chains. In allusion to the trick played by Estifania on the churlish Cacafogo in Fletcher’s Rule a Wife and Have a Wife. He lends her 1000 ducats upon trumpery which she is passing off as rich gems, and when later he scents the cozenage, he bawls out:—
Plague of her jewels, and her copper chains,
How rank they smell!
— (Act v, 2.)
The phrase became proverbial for shams.
[p. 211] disimbogue. This word is generally used of the waters of a river or the outlet of a lake pouring into the open sea.
[p. 212] by Play-Bill, summon’d here. In Restoration times one method of announcing the next day’s performance to the public was by putting out bills on posts in the streets adjacent to the theatre. There are allusions to this in Pepys, 24 March, 1662 and 28 July, 1664. The whole subject has been exhaustively treated by Mr. W. J. Lawrence in ‘The Origin of the Theatre Programme’— The Elizabethan Playhouse (Second Series).
Epilogue
[p. 213.] greasing. Flattery. Settle’s post as City Poet, it is well known, did not bring him in any great emoluments. He was, in fact, desperately poor, and even volunteered to join King James’ army at Hounslow Heath. In old age he was reduced to writing drolls performed in a Bartholomew Fair booth kept by one Mrs. Minns and her daughter, Mrs. Leigh. He himself acted in these wretched farces, and on one occasion, in St. George for England, appeared as a dragon in a green leather case. Eventually he obtained admission to the Charterhouse, where he died 24 February, 1724.