A. The Metre of Roister Doister.—Udall's verse is a long line of 9, 10, 11, 12 (and rarely more) syllables; a verse which represents the Middle English Long Line (or the Middle English Septenarius, as it has been called for lack of a better name), as we find it, for instance, in Robert of Gloucester, some Legends, and Robert of Brunne.

This Middle English long line, of either six or seven stresses or accents, is found in Skelton's Magnyfycence, and other early Plays.

In Roister Doister, on the whole, the lines of six accents seem to prevail, lines corresponding to the Middle English Alexandrine, or in Udall's case perhaps rather to the classical senarius, to the trimeter of the Roman comedy as understood by Udall. But a great number of septenarii occur at the side of these senarii, distributed all over the play, and in the speeches of different persons.

In many cases it seems even doubtful whether a verse should be regarded as a senarius or a septenarius.

Specimens of the Senarius:—

Specimens of the Septenarius (the syllable before the cÆsura or the end of the line with a slighter, secondary accent, produces this septenarius in most cases):—

Senarii or Septenarii:—

B. The Figure of the Miles Gloriosus in English Literature.—The limits of this edition forbid any detailed account of the pedigree of the type of the Miles Gloriosus in English Literature, but for the benefit of the student, I wish to give the following references:—

On the Miles Gloriosus of the Ancients, cf. the classical account in Otto Ribbeck's Alazon, Ein Beitrag zur Antiken Ethologie und zur Kenntniss der Griechisch-RÖmischen TragÖdie, Leipzig, 1882. Cf. further the masterly sketches in the History of Roman Literature (Leipzig, 1887; 1, 66; 83) by the same author; the shorter account, "Über die Figuren des Miles Glorioius und seines Parasiten bei Älteren und neueren Dichtern," by A. O. F. Lorenz (as an appendix to the same scholar's edition of Plautus, Mil. Glor., Berlin, 1886; pp. 230 seq.). The fullest collection of material for a general history of this classical type in modern literature is contained in Karl von Reinhardstoettner, Plautus, SpÄtere Bearbeitungen Plautinischer Lustspiele, Leipzig, 1886 (pp. 130 seq., 595-680).

On the Mil. Glor. in English Literature, cf. the excellent dissertation by Herman Graf, Der Mil. Glor. im Englischen Drama bis zur Zeit des BÜrgerkrieges Rostock, s. a. [1891; cf. Koch's note in Englische Studien, 18, 134].

On the Shakespearian "quadrifoil," Falstaff, Parolles, Armado, Pistol, cf. the charming causerie by Julius ThÜmmel: Der Mil. Glor. bei Shakespeare [published first in the Shakespeare Jahrbuch of 1878, and, later, in the same author's Shakespeare Charaktere, Halle, 1887, Vol. I. pp. 257-276].

C. Titiville (I. i, 21).—'Tuteville' was originally the name of a devil in the French Mystery Plays (cf. Mone, Schauspiele des Mittelalters, 2, 27);[630] from the French Mystery play the name was introduced into the Mysteries of Germany, England,[631] and Holland. His diabolical occupation is thus defined in the Myroure of oure Ladye (1 ch. 20; cf. Blunt's note, 342; as well as Skeat's to Pierce Plowm., C. xiv, 123): "I am a poure dyuel and my name is Tytyuyllus ... I muste eche day ... brynge my master a thousande pokes [bags] full of faylynges, & of neglygences in syllables and wordes that are done in youre order in redynge and in syngynge, & else I must be sore beten."

This 'function' of the Devil seems to allow a connection[632] with the Latin titivillitium,[633] "a vile thyng of no value" (Cooper), something very small and trifling, like the "faylynges and neglygences in syllables" in praying and reading of the church offices.

In Udall's time the ancient Devil had degenerated, and his name had become a byword for a low, miserable fellow; cf. the play of Thersites (Dodsley, 1, 424):—

and Heywood's Proverbs, 1 ch. 10 (40):—

There is no moe such titifyls in Englandes ground "" To hold with the hare and run with the hound.

D. Mumblecrust and the Maids (I. iii.).—1. Mumblecrust. Cooper quotes the same name from Dekker's Satiromastix, and a Madge Mumblecrust from Misogonus (1577). Jack M. is the name of a beggar in Patient Grissel, IV. iii (cf. Cooper). Different compounds are Mumble-news (Shakesp. L.L.L. V. ii, 464) and Sir John Mumble-matins (Pilkington, Exposition upon Aggeus, 1, 2).

2. Tibet. Tib (=Isabella) was the typical servant's name; cf. G.G.N.; Tib and Tom in Ail's Well, II. ii, 24; "every coistrel inquiring for his Tib," Pericles, IV. vi, 176, etc.

3. In Aly face: the first part indicates the colour of her nose and the desire of her heart.

The whole dialogue of these women takes us back to the times when it was no dishonour to women to go "to the ale" and enjoy themselves there with their gossips; cf. P. Pl., C. 7, 362; Chester Pl., 1, 53, etc.

E. The Mock Requiem (III. iii, 53) is one of the latest instances of parodies of church services such as are found everywhere in the literature of the Middle Ages. One of the oldest of such parodies is the Drunkard's Mass, Missa GulÆ, printed in Halliwell and Wright's ReliquiÆ AntiquÆ, 2, 208 (cf. the Paternoster GoliÆ); the Officium Lusorum (printed in Carmina Burana, 248); the Sequentia falsi evangelii sec. Marcam (Initium S. Evangelii sec. marcas argenti) in Du Meril, PoÉs. Pop. Lat. Ant. XII. s.p. 407, etc.

In English Lit. we find similar parodies in the Requiem to the Favourites of Henry VI. (Ritson's Songs, 101; Furnivall's Polit. Rel. and Love Songs, 6: For Jake Napes Sowle, Placebo, and Dirige); in Passages of the Court of Love (Chalmers, Engl. Poets, 1, 377), in the Placebo Dilexi in Skelton's Phyllyp Sparowe (perhaps the source for Udall's happy thought); in Dunbar's Will of Maister Andr. Kennedy, etc.

The parallels to Udall's parody are to be found in Maskell's Monumenta Ritualia,[634] in the Manuale et Processionale ad usum insignis Eccles. Eboracensis,[635] or in the Rituale Romanum.[636]

The references are, for—

• 1. The Placebo Dilexi (Ps. 114), Man. Ebor. 60; Sarum 57*.
• 2. The Antiphona Ne quando [rapiat ut leo animam meam, etc., Ps. 7], Ebor. 67. 68; Sarum 69*; Rit. Rom. 166. 167.
• 3. The Antiphona Dirige [Domine Deus meus in conspectu tuo viam meam], Ebor. 65; Sarum 62*; Rit. Rom. 166, etc.
• 4. A porta inferi [Erue Domine animas eorum], Sarum 58*; Rit. Rom. 168.
• 5. Requiem Æternam [dona eis Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis], Ebor. 64; Sarum 59*.
• 6. The 'Epistola' Audivi vocem [Lectio Libri Apoc. Joh. 14, 13], Sarum 76*; Rit. Rom. 158.
• 7. The Responsorium: Qui Lazarum [resuscitasti a monumento fÆtidum], Ebor. 69; R. Rom. 169.
• 8. The Antiphona: In Paradisum [deducant te Angeli], Rit. Rom. 150, etc.

It is needless to say that Merygreeke does not adhere strictly to the order of the Ritual, but produces a humorous jumble.

The words neque lux neque crux not in the Ritual, but refer to the 'order about the wax taper'[637] and the crucifix in the extreme unction, etc. See Maskell, I. ccxcviii.; the 'clinke'[638] refers to the sounding of the passing bell (supposed to drive away evil spirits).[639] Larimer remarks about such 'fooleries': "The devil should have no abiding place in England if ringing of bells would serve" (Serm., 27, 498), and the English reformers were, on the whole, of Larimer's opinion;[640] but there were more tolerant men who ultimately prevailed, and so in course of time one short peal before the funeral was allowed, and one after it,[641] and even a threefold peal was permitted by Whitgift.[642]

On the history of the Funeral Bell, valuable material is contained in the Parker Soc. 'Index,' s.v. Bells (cf. ib. sub. 'Candles').

III. iii, 81, 83: 'Pray for,' etc. If this passage were in a serious context, interesting deductions could be drawn from it as to Udall's religious views, and perhaps as to the date of the play. Prayers for the dead were entirely against the spirit and doctrines of the early Reformers. But here also less radical views were held, and so we find the Prayer enjoined by Cranmer, 1534 (Works, 2, 460), by Edward VI. (Injunctions, 1547, ib. 504). To mock the prayer would probably have been unsafe between 1547 and 1556, when Udall died. Edward's Common Prayer Book of 1549 retains the prayer for the dead (p. 88, 145), but the edition of 1552 is silent about it (ib. 272, 319). In Elizabeth's Primer of 1559 this Prayer is reintroduced (cf. Priv. Prayers, 59, 67); but later Protestants again condemn it, e.g. Whitgift (1574), 3, 364.

F. Roister as 'vagrant.' IV. iii, 104.—Of all the statutes against vagrants, that of 1 Edward VI. (c. 3), 1547, affords the best parallel to Custance's resolute and humorous words. This law determines that "whosoever ... being not lame shall either like a seruing-man wanting a master, or like a beggar or after any such other sort be lurking in any house or houses, or loitering, or idle wandering by the high wayes side, or in streets, cities, townes, or villages ... then euery such person shall bee taken for a vagabond, ... and it shalbe lawfull ... to any ... person espying the same, to bring or cause to be brought the said person so liuing idle and loiteringly, to two of the next justices of the peace," etc.

G. The prayer and 'song' at the end of the play. V. vi, 47.—I am inclined to think that the song which 'they sing' according to the stage direction, is not given,[643] and that verses 47-59 are spoken, and represent the 'prayer' which the actors would all say kneeling (cf. Nares's Glossary, s.v. 'kneel'). That the 'Queene' referred to is Elizabeth, and not Mary, becomes clear from the words "God graunt hir as she doth, the Gospell to protect." This proves, too, that these words are not by Udall, but by the unknown hand that prepared the play for the press under Elizabeth.

H. Works quoted in the notes.—

Arber. The editions of Roister Doister in Arber's English Reprints—

• 1. of July 1, 1869.
• 2. of July 24, 1869.

N.B. The only difference which I have found between the two reprints is the absence of one line [III. iv, 66] on p. 51 in the ed. of July 24; the line is contained in ed. of July 1, 1869.

Camden. Proverbs in 'Remaines concerning Britaine.' London, 1623.

Cooper. Ralph Roister Doister, a comedy, ed. by W. D. Cooper, London. Printed for the Shakespeare Society, 1847.

Cotgrave. A French and English Dictionary, ed. 1650 (with the addition of Dictionaire Anglais & FranÇois, by Robert Sherwood). [1st ed. 1611.]

Dodsley, s. Hazlitt.

FlÜgel. Neuenglisches Lesebuch von Ewald FlÜgel, Vol. I. "Die Zeit Heinrich's VIII." Halle, 1895.

Halliwell. A Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words, by J. O. Halliwell. London, 1847.

Hazlitt. Edition of Roister Doister in "A Select Collection of Old English Plays," originally published by Robert Dodsley, 1744. Fourth ed. by W. Carew Hazlitt. London, 1874 (Vol. 3).

Heywood. The Proverbs of John Heywood [first published in 1546? and reprinted from ed. 1598 by Julian Sharman]. London, 1874. Epigrams [reprinted from ed. 1562]. Printed for the Spenser Society, 1867.

Palsgrave. Lesclarcissement de la Langue Francoyse compose par Maistre Jehan Palsgraue, 1530. Pub. par F. GÉnin. Paris, 1852.

Ray. A Compleat Collection of English Proverbs, by J. Ray. Third ed. London, 1742.