THE SERVINGMAN.
THE RICH MAN'S SON. THE PRIEST.
THE MAN COOK. THE DEVIL.
THE WOMAN COOK. THE PERORATOR.
MR HALLIWELL'S PREFACE TO THE FORMER EDITION.[291]
So little is known respecting the history of the following tract, that
it is rather from an unwillingness to depart from the usual custom of
affixing introductions to our reprints, than from any expectation of
satisfying the slightest curiosity, that a few lines are here prefixed.
The interlude of "The Disobedient Child" was written about the middle
of the sixteenth century, by Thomas Ingelend, who is described in the
early printed copy as "late student in Cambridge," and his fame seems
to rest entirely on that production, for he is not to be traced in any
other early literary record.[292] It has been supposed by some writers,
from a few indistinct allusions in the play to Catholic customs, that
it was composed in the reign of Henry VIII.; but if this be the case,
the notice of Queen Elizabeth, introduced towards the close of the
drama, must be an interpolation, a supposition not unlikely to be
correct, for the audience are elsewhere reminded to "serve the king."
The printed edition by Colwell is without date, but it was published
about the year 1560. Two copies of this work which I have collated
differ in some slight particulars from each other, but there is not
sufficient reason for thinking that there were two editions, for it was
formerly a very common practice to correct and alter the press whilst
the impression was being taken.
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