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The Elizabethan Stage, Vol. 3

Note 195 — NOTE ON SYMBOLS (continued 2)

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In 1 Hen. IV, II. iv, Henry calls Poins (1) ‘out of that fat roome’ and bids him (32) ‘Stand in some by-roome’ while the Prince talks to the Drawer. The Vintner (91) bids the Drawer look to guests ‘within’, and says Falstaff is ‘at the doore’. He enters and later goes out to dismiss a court messenger who is (317) ‘at doore’ and returns. He has a chair and cushion (416). When the Sheriff comes, Henry bids Falstaff (549) ‘hide thee behind the Arras, the rest walke vp aboue’. Later (578) Falstaff is found ‘a sleepe behind the Arras’. This looks like a hall scene, and with it III. iii, where Mrs. Quickly is miscalled (72) ‘in mine owne house’ and Falstaff says (112) ‘I fell a sleepe here, behind the Arras’, is consistent. But in 2 Hen. IV, II. iv, Falstaff and Doll come out of their supper room. The Drawer announces (75) ‘Antient Pistol’s belowe’, and is bid (109) ‘call him vp’ and (202) ‘thrust him downe staires’. Later (381) ‘Peyto knockes at doore’; so does Bardolph (397), to announce that ‘a dozen captaines stay at doore’. This is clearly an upper parlour. In Look About You, scc. ix, x (continuous action), Gloucester, disguised as Faukenbridge, and a Pursuivant have stepped into the Salutation tavern (1470), and are in ‘the Bel, our roome next the Barre’ (1639), with a stool (1504) and fire (1520). But at 1525 the action shifts. Skink enters, apparently in a room called the Crown, and asks whether Faukenbridge was ‘below’ (1533). Presumably he descends, for (1578) he sends the sheriff’s party ‘vp them stayres’ to the Crown. This part of the action is before the inn, rather than in the Bell. Humorous Day’s Mirth, scc. viii, x-xii, in Verone’s ordinary, with tables and a court cupboard, seems to be a hall scene; at viii. 254 ‘convey them into the inward parlour by the inward room’ does not entail any action within the supposed inward room.

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