The Elizabethan Stage, Vol. 3

by E. K. Chambers

1638, April 28. Transfer by Smethwicke to Bishop (Arber, iv. 417).

Q₁, 1600. The Comicall Satyre of Every Man Out Of His Humor. As it was first composed by the Author B. I. Containing more than hath been Publickely Spoken or Acted. With the seuerall Character of euery Person. For William Holme. [Names and description of Characters; Publisher’s note, ‘It was not neere his thoughts that hath publisht this, either to traduce the Authour; or to make vulgar and cheape, any the peculiar & sufficient deserts of the Actors; but rather (whereas many Censures flutter’d about it) to giue all leaue, and leisure, to iudge with Distinction’; Induction, by Asper, who becomes Macilente and speaks Epilogue, Carlo Buffone who speaks in lieu of Prologue, and Mitis and Cordatus, who remain on stage as Grex or typical spectators.]

Q₂, 1600. [Peter Short] For William Holme. [W. W. Greg (1920, 4 Library, i. 153) distinguished Q₁, of which he found a copy in Brit. Mus. C. 34, i. 29, from Q₂, (Bodl. and Dyce).]

Q₃, 1600. For Nicholas Linge. [‘A careless and ignorant reprint’ (Greg) of Q₁.]

F₁, 1616. Euery Man Out Of His Humour. A Comicall Satyre. Acted in the yeere 1599. By the then Lord Chamberlaine his Seruants. The Author B. I. William Stansby for Iohn Smithwicke. [Epistle to the Inns of Court, signed ‘Ben. Ionson’. After text: ‘This Comicall Satyre was first acted in the yeere 1599. By the then Lord Chamberlaine his Seruants. The principall Comœdians were, Ric. Burbadge, Ioh. Hemings, Aug. Philips, Hen. Condel, Wil. Sly, Tho. Pope. With the allowance of the Master of Revels.’]

Facsimile reprints of Q₁ by W. W. Greg and F. P. Wilson (1920, M. S. R.) and of Q_{2, 3} by W. Bang and W. W. Greg (1907, Materialien, xvi, xvii).—Dissertations: C. A. Herpich, Shakespeare and B. J. Did They Quarrel? (1902, 9 N. Q. ix. 282); Van Dam and C. Stoffel, The Authority of the B. J. Folio of 1616 (1903, Anglia, xxvi. 377); W. Bang, B. J. und Castiglione’s Cortegiano (1906, E. S. xxxvi. 330).

In the main the text of F₁ follows that of Q₁ with some slight revision of wording and oaths. The arrangement of the epilogues is somewhat different, but seems intended to represent the same original stage history. In Q₁ Macilente speaks an epilogue, ‘with Aspers tongue (though not his shape)’, evidently used in the theatre as it begs ‘The happier spirits in this faire-fild Globe’ to confirm applause

as their pleasures Pattent: which so sign’d,

Our leane and spent Endeuours shall renue

Their Beauties with the Spring to smile on you.