Notes on the Texts

Before even transcribing these texts, I approached them as a bibliographer and thoroughly researched the historical and textual background of each text. Once I felt I truly grasped what these texts were saying and dealing with, I went to work on transcribing the texts through the eyes of an editor. As an editor, my first decision was to decide which section of Histrio-mastix to include in this edition; after careful consideration, I chose to include Actvs 1. Scaena Prima which is Latin for Act 1. First Scene. I chose this section because it is the basis and defense of Histrio-mastix: it tells the supposed origin of actors and the theatre (the Devil) and gives reasons for why the theatre is so corrupt. Next, I chose to include all of The Actors Remonstrance, or Complaint and all of An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons as they were both so short that it was possible to include both texts. I wanted the texts to be as authentic as possible, which dictated the course I took as an editor. To start, I chose to not modernize the spelling because as W. W. Greg explains, spelling is now recognized as an essential characteristic of an author, or at least of his time and locality (137). However, there are a few incidents where the use of the long s causes a word to become another word. For example, in The Actors Remonstrance, or Complaint, the long s in sight changes the phrase from quite given over the borrowing money at firft sight to firft fight. In these instances, I have included annotations stating the intended word. However, while the spelling remains intact, I did change the spacing of words and punctuations when there was either no space between the words or an extra space between the word and the punctuation. For example, in The Actors Remonstrance, or Complaint, there is a space between the punctuation in the line fcurrilous jefts ; fuch as might. In this edition, the line now appears as fcurrilous jefts; fuch as might; I elected to make this choice as the change in spacing d oes not affect the authors intended message or the historical context of this text. In cases where I was unable to make sense of what the word was, I have placed a [?] after the word to show my uncertainty. In regard to annotating, I believe the texts should speak for themselves and I feel that any over-annotation would be a disservice to the texts. Thus, I have chosen to include annotations where I feel there might be confusion, where there is Latin that needs to be translated, and where there needs to be an explanation of a person, place, or event. In regards to the Latin, William Prynne abbreviates the majority of the Latin words he uses in Histrio-mastix, thus making it impossible to translate the abbreviations. Finally, with The Actors Remonstrance, or Complaint, the majority of my annotations come from the annotations in Charles Hindleys 1872 edition of the text. All the annotations are done as endnotes and thus, appear at the end of each text. It is important to note that the section of Histro-mastix included in this edition has many marginal notes, most being Latin words and Bible verses. The Bible verses in the margins correspond to the verses mentioned in the text; for example on page fourteen of the digital copy of Histrio-mastix, the margin references p I Pet 5.8. Job 1.7.c.2.2. which is referenced in the text as (p) and walkes about in an indefatigable, and reftleffe manner, like a roring Lyon, feeking whom he may deuoure? (Prynne). To clarify the texts reference to the ma rgins, I have included a margins section to follow Histrio-mastix, which lists the notes in the margins on the corresponding pages in this edition. In regards to notes dealing with Latin words, I have included, in bold, a translation of the Latin. Finally, I have intentionally ordered the texts in a chronological manner as it makes the most logical sense. In addition, this chronological order allows a linear story to unfold between the readers eyes, thus helping the reader to get the most out of the texts.