[1] “The England of Shakespeare,” by E. Goadby—Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co., London, E.C.
[2] For the use of the woodcut blocks representing the “Smith Arms,” and the Globe Theatre, we are indebted to our friend Mr. John W. Jarvis, author of “Musee-Phusee-Glyptic: A Scrap Book of Jottings from Stratford-on-Avon, and Elsewhere,” London, 1875, who introduces them into the pages of his work thus:—
“Not long since, after a pleasing and interesting walk, one fine morning on Bankside, and standing near the still existing Cardinal Cap Alley, with the aid of an artist friend, we drew up a fancy picture of what Bankside was in Shakespeare’s day.—Here a small creek with craft and busy life around; a small bridge, with road leading to the Globe, the famous theatre afterwards to be so widely known. The sunshiny time of our literature and life, making a red-letter period in happy old England’s history. We were interrupted by a kindly-faced, round-shouldered man of the bargee type, who asked us ‘if it was Shakespeare, him as writ plays, we was a torkin’ on; if so be it were, he could show us the wery ’ouse he used, least ways, all as is left on it.’ After a twisting tramp through Cardinal Cap Alley, we were brought out opposite the public-house known by the name of the ‘Smith Arms,’ which had just then only escaped entire demolition from fire by a very near chance—(the damage done has since necessitated the rebuilding; so the sketch stands as a bit of rescued old London.)
“Our informant assured us that—‘Shakespeare as had a playus nigh there, used to use that wery ’ouse; him as writ the Merchant of Venice, Money, and the Forest of Bondy.’ Our kind friend was interrupted by a companion, who said, ‘Not Bondy: him didn’t write that.’ ‘I won’t give up Money, because the Merchant of Venice is all about Money. You better say he didn’t write Richard the Third and Richard the Fourth.’
“We gladly retired before our historic doubts were confirmed by this traditional scholar, about this double Gloucester. His companion, as we thought rather aptly, but churlishly remarked, ‘cheese it,’ for they were both getting grumpy, and after this duplicate, we were fearful a fifth or a sixth might appear. But the house itself, one among the oldest in Southwark, we considered worthy a sketch, and, as our guide told us, ought to be ‘perpetrated.’ He said he could pull a bit, but draw he couldn’t; but he did—that is, four-pence for beer.”
[3] Prick-Song, music pricked or noted down, full of flourish and variety.—Halliwell.
[4] Noise.—A set, or company of musicians. “These terrible noyses, with threadbare cloaks,”—Decker’s Bellman, of London, 1608.
[5] Pie-Poudre. A court formerly held at a fair for the rough-and-ready treatment of pedlars and hawkers, to compel them and those with whom they dealt to fulfil their contracts. This court arose from the necessity of doing justice expeditiously, among persons resorting from distant places to a fair or market. It is said to be called the court of pie-poudre, curia, pedis pulverizate, from the dusty feet of the suitors, or, as Sir Edward Coke says, because justice is there done as speedily as dust can fall from the feet.
[6] The Tune of Wotton Towns End, is the same as “Peg a’ Ramsey,” mentioned by Shakespeare in Twelfth Night, and is at least as old as 1589. It is also in “Robin Good-Fellow: His Mad Pranks, And Merry Jests, Full of Honest Mirth, &c., 1628.”
[7] The Curtain Road, now notorious for cheap and shoddy furniture, still marks the site of the Curtain Theatre; at the same date there was another playhouse in the parish of St. Leonard, Shoreditch, distinguished as “The Theatre,” where the Chamberlain’s Company had settled. John Stow, in his Survey of London, 1598, speaking of the priory of St. John Baptist, says: “And neere thereunto are builded two publique houses for acting of shews of comedies, tragedies, and histories, for recreation. Whereof is one called the “Courtein,” the other “The Theatre;” both standing on the South West side toward the field.” In both these James Burbadge may have been interested; his long residence in the parish may fairly lead to the conclusion, that he was a sharer in at least one of them. Richard Tarlton, the famous actor of clown’s parts, was a near neighbour of James Burbadge, and a shareholder and performer at the Curtain. Thomas Pope, a performer of rustic clowns, by his will dated July, 1603, left—“All my part, right, title, and interest which I have in the playhouse, called the Curtein, situated and being in Halliwell, in the parish of St. Leonard’s in Shoreditch, in the County of Middlesex.” At what date one or the other of these early Suburban playhouses ceased to be occupied, we have little or no satisfactory evidence.