regarding whom, however, the evidence is not so distinct. Anthony Munday and Henry Chettle, both notorious before 1593, and who wrote pieces in conjunction, most likely belonged to the same company. Thomas Lodge was probably himself an actor when he wrote his Defence of Plays about 1580; and though we have no proof that Thomas Kyd or Thomas Nash were players as well as poets, the inference for the affirmative is strong, especially in the case of the latter. These and more were the predecessors, and some of them the contemporaries of Shakespeare, who began his own career as a performer. Afterwards the instances became more numerous, and the proofs are more positive-Ben Jonson, Heywood, Dekker, Field, Rowley, and many more, were actors as well as dramatic authors. TRAGEDY AND COMEDY, THEIR RISE AND PROGRESS. RALPH ROISTER DOISTER-GAMMER GURTON'S NEEDLE-MISOGONUS-FERREX AND PORREX. THOSE who have hitherto touched upon the origin and progress of the dramatic literature of this country have concurred with Wright, (the author of Historia Histrionica, first published in 1699, and afterwards frequently reprinted,) that the first comedy that looks like regular is Gammer Gurton's Needle;' but this is decidedly an error. Warton states in one place that Gammer Gurton's Needle was printed in 1551, and in another that it was not written until 1552*. He seems to have had no other evidence than the opinion of Wright, who observes, it was writ, I think, in the reign of King Edward VI. it could not, however, have been produced so early, because John Still, (afterwards Bishop of Bath and Wells,) the author of it, was not born until 1543, and consequently, in 1552, taking Warton's latest date, would only have been nine years old. *Compare Hist. Eng. Poet., iii. 205, and iv. 32. So far we arrive at certainty, but it is impossible to settle the date of the first appearance of Gammer Gurton's Needle with accuracy. Malone was of opinion, and with reason, that it was acted at Christ's College, Cambridge, in 1566, when Still was in his twenty-third year. A play has recently been discovered which undoubtedly takes precedence of Gammer Gurton's Needle by many years, and which possesses even stronger claims to the designation of a 'regular' comedy. I allude to Ralph Roister Doister, which was written by Nicholas Udall; and on the same authority which supplies his name, we know, beyond the possibility of doubt, that the play was in existence in 1551*. Udall died after 1564t, having first been Master of Eton, and afterwards of Westminster schools, and it is most likely that Ralph Roister 6 *Thos. Wilson's Rule of Reason was first printed by R. Grafton in 1551, and in it a letter of Ralph Roister Doister to his mistress is quoted as an example of such doubtful writing, which by reason of 'pointing may have a double sense and contrary meaning, taken out ❝ of an interlude made by Nicholas Udall.' + See Annals of the Stage, i. 190. Among Warton (H. E. P. iii. 213, 8vo.) thus speaks of Udall. 'the writings of Udall, a celebrated master of Eton about the year 1540, are recited plures Comedia, and a tragedy de Papatu, on the 6 papacy, written probably to be acted by his scholars. An extract from " one of his Comedies may be seen in Wilson's Logike. In the ancient 'Consuetudinary, as it is called, of Eton School, the following passage " occurs-Circa festum divi Andreæ ludimagister eligere solet, pro suo arbitrio, scenicas fabulas optimas et accommodatissimas, quas pueri Doister was the production of comparative youth: if so, the date when it was written might be carried back to the reign of Henry VIII.; and in 1532, Udall was engaged, in conjunction with Leland, in penning a sort of dramatic pageant to celebrate the entrance of Anne Boleyn into London, after her marriage *. Something 'ferüis natalitiis subsequentibus, non sinè ludorum elegantia, populo 'spectante, publicè aliquando peragant. Interdum etiam exhibet Anglico " sermone contextas fabulas, si quæ habeant acumen et leporem. That is-about the feast of St. Andrew, the thirtieth day of November, the master is accustomed to chuse, according to his own discretion, 'such Latin stage-plays as are most excellent and convenient, which the 'boys are to act in the following Christmas holidays before a public 'audience, and with all the elegance of scenery and ornaments usual ' at the performance of a play. Yet he may sometimes order English plays; such at least as are smart and witty.' *In the Royal MSS., 18 A, LXIV. It is thus entitled:- Here ' after ensuethe a copie of divers and sundry verses, aswell in Latin as ' in Englishe, devised and made partely by Ihon Leland, and partely 6 by Nicholas Vuedale: whereof sum were sette up and some other 'were spoken and pronounced unto the most highe and excellente 'Queene the ladie Anne, wif unto our Soverain lorde King Henry the " eight, in many goodly and costely pageauntes, exhibited and shewed 'by the mayre and citizens of the famous citie of London.' As a specimen of Udall's part of the performance, the following extravagantly complimentary dialogue may be taken. 'At the litle counduite in Chepe sid was exhibited the Jugemente of 'Paris, in maner and fourme folowing: 'Mercurie. Juppiter, this aple unto the hath sent, 'Paris. • Juno. 'Commaunding in this cause to geve true jugement. To juge whiche is fairest of these ladies three. like a proof of its early date is contained in the two following lines from the comedy itself, where a servant of the hero (after whom the play is named) is describing a few of his master's qualifications. 'Venus. * Pallas. Adjuge it to me, and for a kingdome 'Paris. "Therfore, ladie Venus, before both these twain, But for hir worthynes this aple of gold three. 'Is to symple a rewarde a thousand fold.' The same point occurs as a compliment to Queen Elizabeth in 1566, in an oration made and pronounced by Mr. Pownd of Lincolnes Inne, 'with a maske at the marriage of the Earle of Sussex,' in MSS. Rawlinson Poet. 108, in the Bodleian Library. It was also used, for the same purpose of gratifying the vanity of the maiden queen, at the close of Peele's Arraygnement of Paris,' 1584. At this date Elizabeth, never very engaging, was fifty-one years old; but nothing can place her personal vanity in a more ridiculous light, than the following extract from the Registers of the Privy Council, dated 30th July, 1596, when she was twelve years older, and when her ministers, for the second time, were called upon gravely to interpose their authority to put an end to the distribution of unfavourable likenesses of the Queen, offensive to her self-conceit. '30 July, 1596. 'A warrant to her Majesties Sergeant Painter, and to all publicke 'officers, to yielde him their assistance touching the abuse, committed |