PUNCH.]
PUPPET-PLAYS IN ENGLAND.
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different acts of "Ferrex and Porrex," the "Misfortunes of Arthur," and other old tragedies,[1] but the puppets are not represented as speaking among themselves. Ben Jonson may always be relied on in matters relating to the customs and amusements of our ancestors, as he was a very minute observer of them; and from his evidence, we may infer, that there were, at least, two varieties in the puppet-plays of his time, one with the dialogue, as in "Bartholomew Fair;" and the other without it, but with a descriptive accompaniment, as in the "Tale of a Tub."[2]
It is evident, from many passages in our old writers that might be adduced if necessary, that "motions" were very popular with the lower orders; they frequently rivalled and imitated the performers on the regular stages. Hence, perhaps, a portion of the abuse with which they were commonly assailed by some of our dramatic poets, who were of course anxious to bring them as much as possible into contempt. It is established, on the authority of Dekker, and other pamphleteers and play-writers of about the same period, that the subjects of the "villanous motions" were often borrowed from the most successful dramatic entertainments. Shakspeare's "Julius Cæsar," was performed by mammets, (another term in use for the wooden representatives of heroes,) as well as the "Duke of Guise," a name that was perhaps given to Marlow's "Massacre of Paris,[3]" or it may refer to a tragedy by Webster under- ↑ These dumb-shows have been thought peculiar to our elder stage, on the first rise of tragedy; but R. Brome employs the same expedient of conveying information on the progress of the story in his "Queen and Concubine," which was printed in 1659. During the progress of it, a supernatural character, called "a genius," explains what is passing, much in the same way as the owner of "a motion" interpreted for his figures.
- ↑ The manner in which puppet-shows were represented in Spain, is very clearly described in chap. 26 of the second part of "Don Quixote." Peter there worked the figures, and his boy interpreted, though not to the knight's satisfaction. The fable in that instance was purely romantic, but sacred subjects were at least as common.
- ↑ Henslowe probably refers to this play, as "the tragedy of the Guyes," in his papers. See "Malone's Shakespeare," by Boswell, vol. 3, p. 299.
