h ap HIS Dramatic Piece is the first performance peared in England under the name of a Comedy. As a mer Editor of it (Mr. Hawkins) obferves" "There is a vein of familiar humour in this play, and a kind of grotesque "imagery not unlike fome parts of Ariftophanes, but with4 out those graces of language and metre for which the Greek * Comedian was eminently distinguished." The Author of it is wholly unknown. In the Title-page he is only stiled Mr. S, Master of Arts; and we are informed it was acted at Chrift's College, Cambridge. The former edition of this play, and that of Mr. Hawkins, were both printed from a re-publication in the year 1661, full of every kind of errors, and fome of them fo grofs as to render the fenfe of the Author totally unintelligible. The present is given from a copy printed in the year 1575, which is probably the first edition; although Chetwood, in his British Theatre, hath fet down the dates of 1551 and 1559: but these, like fome of the editions of Shakspeare's Plays, enumerated in that work, are fuppofed never to have exifted but in the Compiler's own imagination. The Names of the Speakers of this COMEDIE. DICCON, the Bedlem 2. ge, Gammer Gurton's fervante. Tyb, Gammer Gurton's Mayde." Cock, Gammer Gurton's Boye. Doctor Rat, the Curate. Mayter Bailes Doll, Dame Chat's Mayde. Scapetbryft, Mayfter Bailye's fervante. MUTES. Diccon, the Bedlam.] Diccon is the ancient abbreviation of Richard. See Mr. Steevens's Note on Richard III. A. 5. S. 3. the Bedlam.] After the diffolution of the religious houses where the poor of every denomination were provided for, there was for many years no fettled or fixed provifion made to fupply the want of that care which those bodies appear always to have taken of their diftreffed brethren. In confequence of this neglect, the idle and diffolute were fuffered to wander about the country, affuming fuch characters as they imgined were most likely to infure fuccefs to their frauds, and fecurity from detection. Among other disguises many affected madness, and were diftinguished by the name of Bedlam Beggars. Thefe are mentioned by Edgar, in King Lear : "The country gives me proof and precedent, "Of Bedlam beggars who, with roaring voices, "Stick in their numb'd and mortify'd bare arms "Pins, wooden pricks, nails, fprigs of rofemary, "And with this horrible object from low farms, "Poor pelting villages, fheep-cotes, and mills, "Sometime with lunatic bans, fometime with prayer, "Inforce their charity." In Dekker's Bellman of London, 1616, all the different fpecies of beggars are enumerated. Amongst the rest are mentioned Tom of Bedlam's band of mad caps, otherwife called Poor Tom's flock of wild geefe (whom here thou feeft by his black and blue naked arms to be a man beaten to the world), and those wild geefe, or hair brains, are called Abraham men. An Abraham man is afterwards defcribed in this manner: "Of all the "mad rascals (that are of this wing) the Abraham-man is the most fan❝ saftick. The fellow (quoth this old Lady of the Lake unto me) that Late fate half-naked (at table to-day) from the girdle upward, is the beft "Abraham-man that ever came to my house, and the notableft villain: he << fwears he hath been in Bedlam, and will talk frantickly of purpose: 66 you fee pins ftuck in fundry places of his naked fleth, especially in his "arms, which pain he gladly puts himself to (being indeed no torment 6 at all, his fkin is either fo dead with fome foul difeafe, or fo hardened "with weather, only to make you believe he is out of his wits): he calls "himself by the name of Poor Tom, and coming near any body cries out, "Poor Tom is a cold. Of thefe Abraham-men, fome be exceeding merry, " and do nothing but fing fongs, fashioned out of their own brains, fome "will dance; others will do nothing but either laugh or weep; others "are dogged, and are fullen both in look and fpeech, that, fpying but a "fmall company in a houfe, they boldly and bluntly enter, compelling "the fervants through fear to give them what they demand, which is "commonly Bacon, or fomething that will yield ready money.” Of this refpectable fraternity Diccon feems to have been a member. Maflinger mentions them in A new way to pay old Debts, A. 2. S. 1. " -- Are they padders, or Abram-men, that are your conforts?” [6] PROLOGUE. AS Gammer Gurton, with manye a wyde flyche, Then knoeth Tom our clarke what the priest faith at masse, Hereof there enfued fo fearfull a fraye, Mas Doctor was fent for, thefe goffyps to flaye; Because he was curate, and eftemed full wyfe, Who found that he fought not, by Diccon's device. Gammer |
