ed audiences were too unpleasant to afford much employment
to the actors. Francis Kirkman, the author and bookseller, tells us they
were often seized on by the soldiers, and stripped and fined at their
pleasure. A curious circumstance occurred in the economy of these
strolling theatricals: these seizures often deprived them of their
wardrobe; and among the stage directions of the time, may be found among
the exits and the entrances, these: _Enter the red coat--Exit hat and
cloak_, which were, no doubt, considered not as the least precious parts
of the whole living company: they were at length obliged to substitute
painted cloth for the splendid habits of the drama.

At this epoch a great comic genius, Robert Cox, invented a peculiar sort
of dramatic exhibition, suited to the necessities of the time, short
pieces which he mixed with other amusements, that these might disguise
the acting. It was under the pretence of rope-dancing that he filled the
Red Bull playhouse, which was a large one, with such a confluence that
as many went back for want of room as entered. The dramatic contrivance
consisted of a combination of the richest comic scenes into one piece,
from Shakspeare, Marston, Shirley, &c., concealed under some taking
title; and these pieces of plays were called "Humours" or "Drolleries."
These have been collected by Marsh, and reprinted by Kirkman, as put
together by Cox, for the use of theatrical booths at fairs.[153] The
argument prefixed to each piece serves as its plot; and drawn as most
are from some of our dramas, these "Drolleries" may still be read with
great amusement, and offer, seen altogether, an extraordinary specimen
of our national humour. The price this collection obtains among
book-collectors is excessive. In "The bouncing Knight, or the Robbers
robbed," we recognise our old friend Falstaff, and his celebrated
adventure: "The Equal Match" is made out of "Rule a Wife and have a
Wife;" and thus most. There are, however, some original pieces, by Cox
himself, which were the most popular favourites; being characters
created by himself, for himself, from ancient farces: such were _The
Humours of John Swabber, Simpleton the Smith_, &c. These remind us of
the extemporal comedy and the pantomimical characters of Italy, invented
by actors of genius. This Cox was the delight of the city, the country,
and the universities: assisted by the greatest actors of the time,
expelled from the theatre, it was he who st