The scene, on the title-page, is laid, for a blind, at 'Aldford in Cheshire, by the river Dee, St. Peters day, 1669'; but in act i, scene 1, Aubrey, laying pretence aside, places it on 'Christian Malford green' in his own district in Wiltshire, near Kington St. Michael, Draycot Cerne, etc.
Taken as a whole, both in what is written out and in the anecdotes collected to be worked into the plot, the comedy affords a terrible picture of the corruption of Aubrey's county and times. It may be compared with the society pictures in Anne Brontë's The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.
Two scenes, of the less offensive ones, may serve to give a faint idea of this curious piece of seventeenth century realism.>
[1357]The Countrey Revell.
Act II, scene iii.
A faire roome. Enter Sir Eglamour, Lady Euphrasia, Lady Pamela: to them, Sir Eubule Nestor; then, squire Fitz-ale.
Sir J. Fitz-ale. Sir Eglamour, your most humble servant.
Sir Eglamour. Sir John Fitz-ale, the welcomest man alive.
Fitz-ale. Save you, ladies! I'm come to wayte on you at the famous revell here, to help celebrate the festivall of St. Peter.
Ladyes. Most kindly donne, Sir John! We heard you strictly kept his virgil last night at Justice Wagstaff's.