he plea that they did not intend to remain beyond
the time limited. Hence much noisy contention, to the great discomfort
even of Royalty. The brawling, drinking habits of the time were even
more discomforting. An angry word, passed one April evening of 1682
between the son of Sir Edward Dering and a hot-blooded young [85]
Welshman, led to recrimination and sword-drawing. The two young fellows
not having elbow-room in the pit, clambered on to the stage, and fought
there, to the greater comfort of the audience, and with a more excited
fury on the part of the combatants. The mingling of the public with the
players was a practice which so annoyed the haughty French actor,
Baron, that to suggest to the audience the absurdity of it, he would
turn his back on them for a whole act, and play to the audience on the
stage. Sometimes the noise was so loud that an actor's voice would
scarcely be heard. It was about 1710 that the word encore was
introduced at the operatic performances in the Haymarket, and very much
objected to by plain-going Englishmen. It was also the custom of some
who desired the repetition of a song to cry Altra volta! Altra volta!

Even indirectly the history of the stage illustrates life, and affords
many unexpected lights on historical characters. Oliver Cromwell,
though he despised the stage, could condescend to laugh at, and with,
men of less dignity than actors. Buffoonery was not entirely expelled
[86] from his otherwise grave court. Oxford and Drury Lane itself
dispute the dignity of giving birth to Nell Gwynne with Hereford, where
a mean house is still pointed out as the first home of this mother of a
line of dukes, whose great-grandson was to occupy the neighbouring
palace as Bishop of Hereford for forty years. At her burial in St.
Martin's-in-the-Fields, Archbishop Tenison preached the sermon. When
this was subsequently made the ground of exposing him to the reproof of
Queen Mary, she remarked that the good doctor, no doubt, had said
nothing but what the facts authorized.

"Who should act genteel comedy perfectly," asks Walpole, "but people of
fashion, that have sense?" And, in truth, the seventeenth century gave
many ladies to the stage, Mrs. Barry being the most famous of them.
Like many eminent actors, she was famous for the way in which she would
utter one single expression in a play. Dr. Doran gives some curious
instances from later actors. "What mean my grieving subjects?" uttered