FAYRE:

A COMEDIE,

ACTED IN THE

YEARE, 1614.

By the Lady ELIZABETHS

SERVANTS.

And then dedicated to King IAMES, of moft Bleffed Memorie;

By the Author, BENIAMIN IOHNSON.

Si foret in terris, rideret Democritus: nam
Spectaret populum ludis attentius ipfis,
Vt fibi præbentem, mimo spectacula plura.
Scriptores autem narrare putaret affello
Fabellam furdo.
Hor. lib. 2. Epist. I.

[Device of a "WOLF'S HEAD

ERASED, ETC.]

LONDON,

Printed by I. B. for ROBERT ALLOT, and are
to be fold at the figne of the Beare, in Pauls

Church-yard. 1631.

OF THE

UNIVERSITY

OF

CALIFORNIA

THE

PROLOGVE

Y

то

THE KINGS

MAIESTY.

Our Maiefty is welcome to a Fayre ;

Such place, fuch men, fuch language & fuch ware,
You must expect with thefe, the zealous noyfe

Of your lands Faction, fcandaliz'd at toyes,
As Babies, Hobby-horfes, Puppet-playes,
And fuch like rage, whereof the petulant wayes
Your felfe haue knowne, and haue bin vext with long.
Thefe for your fport, without perticular wrong,
Or iuft complaint of any priuate man,

(Who of himfelfe, or shall thinke well or can)
The Maker doth prefent: and hopes, to night
To giue you for a Fayring, true delight.

THE PERSONS

OF THE PLAY.

WHTCHMEN, three.
COSTARD-monger.

MOVSETRAP-man.

DOORE-KEEPERS.

PVPPETS.

WATCHMEN, three, 1692: Three Watchmen 1716, W

G

THE INDVCTION.

ON THE STAGE.

STAGE-KEEPer.

entlemen, haue a little patience, they are e'en

vpon comming, inftantly. He that should beginne the Play, Mafter Littlewit, the Proctor,

has a stitch new falne in his black filk stocking;

'twill be drawn vp ere you can tell twenty. He playes 5 one o'the Arches, that dwels about the Hofpitall, and hee has a very pretty part. But for the whole Play, will you ha'the truth on't? (I am looking, left the Poet heare me, or his man, Master Broome, behind the Arras) it is like to be a very conceited fcuruy one, in plaine English. When't 10 comes to the Fayre, once you were e'en as good goe to Uirginia, for any thing there is of Smith-field. Hee has not hit the humors, he do's not know 'hem; hee has not conuers'd with the Bartholmew-birds, as they fay; hee has ne're a Sword, and Buckler man in his Fayre, nor a little 15 Dauy, to take toll o'the Bawds there, as in my time, nor a Kind-heart, if any bodies teeth should chance to ake in his Play. Nor a Iugler with a wel-educated Ape to come ouer the chaine, for the King of England, and backe againe for the Prince, and fit ftill on his arse for the Pope, and the 20 King of Spaine! None o'these fine fights! Nor has he the Canuas-cut 'ithe night, for a Hobby-horfeman to creepe into his fhe-neighbour, and take his leap there! Nothing! No, and fome writer (that I know) had had but the penning o'this matter, hee would ha'made you such 25