Roister Doister Part 1

Roister Doister.

by Nicholas Udall.

INTRODUCTION.

The author and early date of the present Comedy are ascertained by a quotation in Sir Thomas Wilson's _Rule of Reason_ of Roister Doister's letter to Dame Custance.

The first edition of the _Rule of Reason_, 1550-1, is a very scarce work; of which I have been unable to see a copy. The second edition, 1552, 8vo, 'newely corrected by _Thomas Wilson_,' has _not_ the quotation: which apparently first appears in the third edition of 1553, 4to, the t.i.tle of which runs, "The Rule of Reason, conteinyng the Arte of _Logique_. Sette furthe in Englishe, and newly corrected by Thomas Wilson. _Anno Domini. M.D.LIII._ Mense Ianuarij."

At folio 66 of this edition, Wilson, in treating of _The Ambiguitie_, adds to his previous examples, Roister Doister's letter, with the following heading:

-- An example of soche doubtful writing, whiche by reason of poincting maie haue double sense, and contrarie meaning, taken out of an entrelude made by Nicolas Vdal.

The present comedy was therefore undoubtedly written before the close of the reign of Edward VI., who died 6 July 1553.

If it was then printed, that entire edition has perished. The prayer for the Queen at _p._ 86, can be for no other than Queen Elizabeth: and therefore, although the t.i.tle-page is wanting and there is no conclusive allusion in the play, it may confidently be believed that the extant text was printed in Elizabeth's reign: and that it had possibly in some respects been modified.

There now comes the evidence of the Stationers Co.'s Register, as quoted by Mr. Collier, _Extracts_, _i. 154_, _Ed. 1848_:

Rd of Thomas Hackett, for hys lycense for pryntinge of a play int.i.tuled auf Ruyster Duster, &c. iiijd

The missing t.i.tle-page and the absence of any colophon in the Eton copy, here reprinted, preclude demonstrative proof that it is one of Hackett's edition. It is however morally certain that it does represent that text.

On the whole, therefore, though that text was posthumous--Udall having died in Dec. 1556--: and though its authors.h.i.+p rests entirely on the above heading of Wilson's quotation: it may be safely accepted that Udall is the author of this comedy, and that he wrote it before 1553.

Conclusions both of them consonant with the known facts of Udall's life.

The comedy was probably first written for the Eton boys to act. Mr.

W. D. Cooper thus writes:--

Certain, however, it is that it was the custom of Eton, about the feast of St. Andrew, for the Master to choose some Latin stage-play for the boys to act in the following Christmas holidays, and that he might sometimes order smart and witty English plays. "Among the writings of Udall about the year 1540," says Warton, "are recited _Plures Comediae_, and a tragedy _De Papatu_, on the Papacy, written probably to be acted by his scholars;" and it is equally probable that the English comedy was written with a like object; for it is admirably adapted to be a good acting play, and the author avows in the prologue that his models were Plautus and Terence, with whose writings his scholars were familiar.

Of the few dramatic pieces of that early period that have survived, _Roister Doister_ is regarded as the transition-play from the Mysteries and Enterludes of the Middle Ages to the Comedies of modern times.

A critical examination of its position in our Literature has been made by Mr. Collier. _Hist. of Dram. Poetry. ii. 445-460 Ed. 1830_. A full consideration of the play would exceed our present limits: we may however call attention to the peculiar rhyme in which Udall wrote it.

In the present reprint, the text appears according to modern usage: but in the original it stands in lines of unvarying length. Where the speech is continuous, these lines rhyme like our ordinary poetry: but when the dialogue is short; one, two, three or more speeches are thrown into one line, and the last syllables of that line--whether they occur in words in the middle or at the end of a sentence, as dictated simply by the length of line of type--are made to rough rhyme in couplets. Thus an irregular a.s.sonance jingles through the play.

On the opposite page are a few lines set up as in the original, to ill.u.s.trate this peculiarity; and also to show the mode used of marking the actor's names. May this peculiar rhyme be accepted as any evidence that Udall composed this play as much for the press as the stage?

There being no description of the representation and the stage directions being scanty: _Roister Doister_ should be read a first time to learn the plot; a second time to imagine the action: and a third to combine and enjoy the two.

_BIBLIOGRAPHY._

+Roister Doister.+

The whole of Udall's plays were supposed to have perished [see _Wood.

Ath. Oxon. i. 213_, Ed. 1813]. The Rev. T. Briggs, an old Etonian, in 1818, became the possessor of the now famous unique copy: which he presented to the Library of Eton College, in December of that year.

1. [?1566.] Lond. 1 vol. 4to.

? First edition of a revised text. The copy, now at Eton College, consists of 33 folios. The t.i.tle-page is wanting.

2. 1818. Lond. 1 vol. 8vo.

'_Ralph Royster Doyster_, A Comedy. London. Reprinted in the year 1818.' [Ed. and privately printed by Rev. T. Briggs. 30 copies only struck off. The printer was James Compton, Middle St., Cloth Fair, London.] At the beginning is the following _Advertis.e.m.e.nt_:--

'It appears from the Biographia Dramatica, that a Play called _Rauf Ruster Duster_ was entered on the books of the Stationers' Company in the year 1566, but that it was supposed never to have been printed: this, however, is now proved to be a mistake, a copy having been found contained in a collection of plays which was lately upon sale in London. It is true that the name is spelt somewhat differently, but it is presumed there can be no doubt of its being the piece in question. The book unfortunately wants the t.i.tle-page, and the author's name is not known. It is now in the Library of Eton College, and is here reprinted for the amus.e.m.e.nt of the reader.'

3. 1821. Lond. 1 vol. 8vo.

'_Ralph Royster Doyster_, a Comedy, entered on the books of the Stationers' Company, 1566. London: Printed by F. Marshall, Kenton St., Brunswick Sq., 1821.' [Editor not known.]

R. Southey's copy, with his autograph, and dated 1 Feb. 1837, is in the British Museum. Press-mark, 1344-k.

Neither of the above knew that Udall was the author. The editor of 1821 reprint writes, 'The author, whoever he was,' _p._ iv. It was Mr. Collier who connected Wilson's quotation with _Roister Doister_, and so proved Udall to be its author. Writing on 14th April 1865; he thus begins the _Preface_ of his _Bibl. Account of Ear. Eng. Lit._ Ed. 1865.

'During my whole life, now rapidly approaching fourscore, I have been a diligent reader, and, as far as my means would allow, a greedy purchaser of all works connected with early English literature. It is nearly sixty years since I became possessed of my first really valuable old book of this kind--Wilson's "Art of Logic," printed by Richard Grafton 1551--from which I ascertained the not unimportant facts that "Ralph Roister Doister" was an older play than "Gammer Gurton's Needle," and that it had been written by Nicholas Udall, Master of Eton School: I thus learned who was the author of the earliest comedy, properly so called, in our language.

This was my first literary discovery, made several years anterior, although I had not occasion to render it public, until I printed my Notes upon "Dodsley's Old Plays," soon after 1820.'*

[Footnote *: _See vol. ii. p. 3. Ed. 1825._]

4. 1830. Lond. 3 vols. 18mo.

_The Old English Drama_, A series of Plays, at 6d each, printed and published by Thomas White. _Ralph Royster Doyster_ is the first.

5. 1847. Lond. 1 vol. 8vo.

_Shakespeare Society_. _Ralph Roister Doister_, &c., and _The Tragedie of Gorboduc_. Edited, with Introductory Memoirs, by W. D.

Cooper, F.S.A. The text collated with the original by J. P. Collier, F.S.A.

6. 24 July 1869. Lond. 1 vol. 8vo. _English Reprints_: see t.i.tle at _p._ 1.

? All the previous reprints have been and now are un.o.btainable to most persons. It is to the most courteous and generous kindness of the present Provost and Fellows of Eton College that I am enabled to place what I hope may prove an exact text into the hands of every one. I trust also to keep it perpetually on sale: that the student of the History of our Literature may no longer lack one of the most important ill.u.s.trations of the growth of English Dramatic Poesy.

The Prologue.

What Creature is in health, eyther yong or olde, But som mirth with modestie wil be glad to vse As we in thys Enterlude shall now vnfolde, Wherin all scurilitie we vtterly refuse, Auoiding such mirth wherin is abuse: Knowing nothing more comendable for a mans recreation Than Mirth which is vsed in an honest fas.h.i.+on: For Myrth prolongeth lyfe, and causeth health.

Mirth recreates our spirites and voydeth pensiuenesse, Mirth increaseth amitie, not hindring our wealth, Mirth is to be vsed both of more and lesse, Being mixed with vertue in decent comlynesse.

As we trust no good nature can gainsay the same: Which mirth we intende to vse, auoidyng all blame.

The wyse Poets long time heretofore, Vnder merrie Comedies secretes did declare, Wherein was contained very vertuous lore, With mysteries and forewarnings very rare.

Suche to write neither _Plautus_ nor _Terence_ dyd spare, Whiche among the learned at this day beares the bell: These with such other therein dyd excell.