, by Sir Thomas Mantle, who
performed Robin Hood, by Sir John Eltham, who played the part of Little
John, by Skelton, who acted Friar Tuck, by "Little Tracy," as he is
called, who supported the character of Maid Marian, and others, whose
names are not mentioned. The whole is only supposed to be a rehearsal
prior to the representation of the piece before the king, and in the
course of it Skelton and Sir John Eltham have various critical and
explanatory interlocutions. Skelton, it will be observed, also
undertakes the duty of interpreting the otherwise "inexplicable
dumb-show." The old copy is not divided into acts and scenes.
[158] [Old copy, _your_.]
[159] [In the old copy this direction is unnecessarily repeated in
detail.]
[160] [The direction inserted on p. 107 is repeated in full in the 4to.]
[161] This is in some sort a parody upon the well-known proverb, which
is thus given by Ray--
"Many talk of Robin Hood, that never shot in his bow,
And many talk of Little John, that never did him know."
It is also found in Camden's "Remains," by Philpot, 1636, p. 302, though
the two lines, obviously connected in sense, are there separated. [See
also Hazlitt's "Proverbs," 1869, p.
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