Black Coffee

The Playhouse A Satyr,

by Robert Gould,

1685

The Middle Galle'ry first demands our View; The filth of Jakes, and stench of ev'ry Stew! Here reeking Punks like Ev'ning Insects swarm; The Polecat's Perfume much the Happier Charm...

Discreet in this, their Faces not to shew; The Mask the best Complexion of the two. Their Noses falling and their Eyes sunk in, A wrinkl'd Forehead and a Parchment Skin...

Choak't with the stench of Brimstone, 'twill be fit To Visit next the Boxes and the Pit, And for the Muse a Nobler Scene prepare, And let Her breathe awhile in Milder Air.

But such a sudden Glare invades her Eyes, So vast a Crowd of diffe'rent Vanities, She knows where not to fix her Rancour first; So very Wicked all, that all are worst!...

Such Giddy Insects here for ever come, And very little Dare, but much Presume: Perpetually the Ladies Ears they Ply, And whisper Slander at the Standers by:

Then laugh aloud; which now is grown a part Of Play-house Breeding, and of Courtly Art. The true Sign of Your Modish Beau Garson Is Chatt'ring like a Ladies lewd Baboon,

Shewing their Teeth to charm some pretty creature; For Grinning, amoung Fops, is held a Feature...
All People now, the Place is grown so ill, Before they see a Play shou'd make their Will:

For with much more Security , a Man Might take a three Years Voyage to Japan.

Having walked north from Westminster Abbey we probably have an hour or two before Drury Lane theatre begins the evening performance, and since we're in the vicinity of several coffee houses it seems a good place to stop, wet our whistles and ask about what's playing.

Inside the atmosphere of mouth-watering coffee scent is underlaid by the whiff of smoke from clay pipes. The variety of coffees and chocolate on offer is bewildering, with so many spices and roasts to choose from I think we would be justified in spending a few minutes considering before we choose.

I'm glad you insisted on Will's Coffee House (can't miss it, look for the sign of the Rose), rather than the Turk's Head which I thought looked like a good bet. I've heard several people discussing recent plays since we settled at this table. The impression I get is that most of the plays aren't staged for very long; a week or two at most and the audiences are ready for something new.

The small huddle of gentlemen engaged in conversation a few tables over has been dwindling since we came in, and now the last two have left and I recognize the face of Mr.Dryden. I think we should invite him to join us at our table.

"Have I the honour of addressing Mr. Dryden?"

"You have, sir. Though few enough would count it an honour these days."

"Then might I invite you to share our table for a few minutes, and we shall count it both an honour and a pleasure, sir."

What I am hoping is that we might be able to find out if any of Dryden's plays are currently on the stage, but it seems that since he lost his position as Poet Laureate seven years ago, even his plays have lost their lustre with the public. I can quite understand his slightly melancholy mood.

However, as he tells us, he is free now to work on something that has interested him since his collegiate days; a translation of the works of Publius Virgilius Maro. Once he starts explaining the fascination of the classical poet's works, his face lights up with a new enthusiasm.

Returning eventually to the question of the London stage, I ask whether he knows what is playing at present, that might be worth the cost of admission.

It seems that the only play he feels would be worth our time, and that more for the theatrical music than the play itself, is a revival of Abdelazer, or The Moor's Revenge by the late Aphra Behn, as a series of benefit performances for the widow of Michael Mohun. Although she was widowed more than a decade ago, she has always been supportive of the acting community, and being unable to work because of increasingly painful arthritis, reluctantly sought their help.

While we are talking, we are joined once more by the familiar figure of Mr.Pepys. As soon as introductions have been made (I am flattered that Samuel Pepys remembers us by the sound of our voices, from our previous encounter in the Lloyds Coffee House), Mr.Pepys cautions us against the Orange Girls.

These traders visit the playhouses to sell fruit at extortionate prices, and Pepys himself tells us how:

The orange-woman did come in the pit and challenge me for twelve oranges, which she delivered by my order at a late play, at night, to give to some ladies in a box, which was wholly untrue, but yet she swore it to be true. But, however, I did deny it, and did not pay her; but , for quiet, did buy 4s.¹ worth of oranges of her, at 6d. a-piece.'

Dryden summarises the play for us as follows: it was published in 1657 and tells the story of a vengeful wicked Moor, whose kingdom has been vanquished by Spain, who tires of his affair with the lascivious Queen of Spain and plots with her to murder the King, thinking to murder her afterwards, and reign with his innocent young wife. However, the Queen in her turn kills his wife, and plots to take her son’s throne. It is full of action with armies engaged on stage, people in disguise escaping from imprisonment and torture and a final act in which the wicked are punished and the good prince wins the throne.²

If Mr.Dryden felt that the music for the play was better than the play itself, I can hardly disagree with him. From the play, here is Mr. Henry Purcell's Rondeau.

X:4 % number T:Rondeau % title C:Henry Purcell % composer O:Music for Abdelazer or The Moor's Revenge (Dolce Edition) % origin. M:3/4 % meter L:1/8 % length of shortest note Q: % tempo P:ABACA %%staves Sop | {Hr1 Hr2 Hl} V:Sop name="Soprano" sname="S." clef=treble V:Hr1 name="Harpsichord" sname="Hp." clef=treble V:Hr2 clef=treble V:Hl clef=bass K:F % key P:A %1===============================2====================3================4================= [V:Sop]|: D2 F2 A2 | de/f/ g/f/e/d/ ^c2 | ad/f/ a/f/d b2 | gc/e/ g/e/c a2 | [V:Hr1]|: [FDA,]2 [FDA,]2 [EA,]2 | F G/A/ B2 [AE^C]2 | A2 d2 d/B/G | [cGC]4 c/A/F | [V:Hr2]|: Z | D2 DG z2 | D4 z2 | Z | [V:Hl] |: d2 d2 c2 | B2 G2 A2 | f4 g2 | e4 f2 | % %5=====================6=================7=======================8========================== [V:Sop] fB/d/ f/d/B g2 | eA/^c/ e/c/A f2 | e/f/e/d/ ^cf e/f/e/d/ | Ad ^c/d/e/c/ !fine! d2 :| [V:Hr1] [BFD]4 B/G/E | [AEA,]4 A/F/D | [BD]2 [AE^C]2 [GD]2 | GF E2 [FDA,]2 :| [V:Hr2] Z | Z | Z | ^CD A,2 z2 :| [V:Hl] d4 e2 | ^c4 d2 | G2 A2 B2 | A4 d2 :| % P:B %9========================10=====================11=====================12===================== [V:Sop] F2 A2 c2 | fg/a/ b/a/g/f/ ef/g/ | ab/a/ ga/g/ fF/G/ | ab/a/ ga/g/ Ff/e/ | [V:Hr1] [CA,]2 [FC]2 [GC]2 | AB/c/ [dBF]2 [cGE]2 | [cAF]2 [cGC]2 A=B | [cE]2 [GE]2 [cFC]2 | [V:Hr2] Z | F2 z2 z2 | z2 z2 F2 | Z | [V:Hl] f4 e2 | d2 B2 c2 | c2 B2 A2 | c2 B2 A2 | % %13=========================14====================15====================16============================ [V:Sop] de/d/ cd/c/ Bg/f/ | ef/e/ de/d/ Ca/g/ | fg/f/ ef/e/ dg | cf e/f/g/e/ f2 || [V:Hr1] [BFD]2 [cFC]2 [BGD]2 | [GEC]2 [GD]2 [AEC]2 | [AFD]2 [AE]2 AB/A/ | [GE][AF] [GEC]2 [AFC]2 || [V:Hr2] Z | Z | z2 z2 FD | Z || [V:Hl] B2 A2 G2 | c2 B2 A2 | d2 c2 B2 | c4 F2 || % P:C %17===============================18============================19============================= [V:Sop] !trill! c>d c/d/e f/e/d/c/ | !trill! =B>c B/c/d e/d/c/B/ | !trill! c>d c/d/e f/e/d/c/ | [V:Hr1] [AEC]4 [cE]2 | [=BE]4 [BE]2 | [AEC]4 [AFD]2 | [V:Hr2] Z | Z | Z | [V:Hl] a2 A2 a2 | ^f2 e2 g2 | a2 A2 d2 | % %20======================21============================22===========================23============================= [V:Sop] !trill! c3 =B A2 | !trill! e>f e/f/g a/g/f/e/ | !trill! f>g f/g/a b/a/g/f/ | !trill! e>f e/f/g a/g/f/e/ | [V:Hr1] A2 ^G2 [AEC]2 | ^c>d c/d/e f/e/d/c/ | d>e d/e/f g/f/e/d/ | ^c>d c/d/e f/e/d/c/ | [V:Hr2] [E=B,]4 z2 | [AE]4 A2 | A4 B2 | A4 A2 | [V:Hl] e4 A2 | a2 ^c'2 a2 | d'2 d2 g2 | a2 A2 d2 | % %24=========================================== [V:Sop][L:1/32] f6g2 !trill! g6fg !D.C.! a8 || [V:Hr1] [dAF]2 [dGD]2 [^cAE]2 || [V:Hr2] Z || [V:Hl] dc B2 A2 || To convert the code above to sheet music, or listen to the tunes, copy the code for a single song, then paste it here and [submit]. If you know the music of Benjamin Britten, you might also recognize this as the theme for his "Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra".

Notes

1. English currency before decimalisation:

Pounds	Shillings	Pence
£	s.	d.

2. I would like to acknowledge Dawn Lewcock's article for a summary of the plot.

The Scarlet Woman is Hatching the Egg of a Dragon

Pardonnez moi, Monsieur. My friend and I are in disagreement about the date. I maintain that this is the Year of our Lord 1593, but this simpleton, my friend, insists the year is 1594.

You should not speak so unkindly of your friend. Perhaps she was dreaming in the hot sunshine and has confused her dream with reality? it is the Year of Grace 1593.

I thank you Monsieur. You see? I told you so.

While we are in the marketplace, we should buy suitable clothing to disguise ourselves as clerics. It shouldn't be too difficult, since the habits are still fairly close to the kind of clothing worn by many poor people. Just in better repair. And then, we must find the cathedral school where it is a fair bet we will find Pére Tabourot teaching, or assisting in the cathedral. I am hoping we may be able to persuade Jehan to spare a little of his time to teach us some of the dance tunes for which he will one day be famous.

You seek Pére Tabourot? but you must hurry! He is summoned to the palace of the Bishop.

When we find Pére Tabourot he is about to leave his tiny office. The tiny elderly priest with short-cropped white hair and twinkling blue eyes has an enormous square bundle wrapped in coarse cloth tucked under his arm and a cane in his free hand.

God be blessed! Please come with me. Would you carry my burden for me? And may the Holy Spirit fill you with His wisdom to make up my shortcomings.

He doesn't even stop to ask who we are, or where we are from, so at least we are spared the risk of a carefully constructed backstory being exposed. And for a gentleman of seventy-four years with a cane, he moves through the crowds with an astonishing turn of speed, calling back to us every now and then to keep up, and offering a hasty blessing to those he bumps into in his haste.

The palace of Charles de Perusse des Cars, temporal duke of Langres and Bishop of Langres, is nothing if not palatial! Liveried guardsmen verify our credentials and the reason for our visit, liveried servants conduct us through the palace to the Bishop's library and bid us wait, and liveried servants bring silver trays of small delicacies to the library before another guest is ushered in.

His dress is not that of a cleric, but nevertheless is subdued in nature and the question in my mind concerning his identity is answered when Pére Tabourot addresses him in familiar terms.

It seems that Pére Tabourot has known Monsieur Edmond Richer for many years, assisted at his baptism, taught him latin and arithmetic, and now the two are brought together once more.

What mischief have you wrought now, Edmond? I doubt his grace would summon you simply for putting tacks on seats today.

In truth, Pére, I cannot be certain, but I think certain views that I hold buzz uncomfortably in the ears of the bishops and cardinals.

Before he can explain further, the conversation is interrupted by the entrance of the duke-Bishop himself, a grand figure in heavy robes and jewelry.

Thank you for attending today, Pére Tabourot, Monsieur Richer. I am charged by the cardinals with hearing for myself your beliefs concerning the authorities of church and state, and determining whether yours is a case for the Holy Inquisition.

Even though Richer must have been expecting something of this kind, his eyebrows rise slightly. Here in France, the Inquisition is less of a threat, but it remains a threat, nonetheless.

My lord Bishop, I first read the tract De Corrupto Ecclesiae Statu as a student, and in the years since I first read it, my convictions have only been strengthened that the charges leveled against the Church are for the most part sound. It is my conviction that until the powers of Church and State are separated, the Church will continue to be plagued by the corruption of small minds hungry for power.

I find myself more than a little anxious for Monsieur Richer, presenting his views in such an outspoken way to someone who, more than perhaps anybody else, represents the combined power of Church and State. As the discussion continues Richer makes it clearer that his greatest concern is the interference of pontifical authority in political matters, and the atmosphere in the room becomes less strained.
By late afternoon the discussion has covered much more ground, extending far beyond matters theological, and after sharing a light meal at the table of the duke-Bishop, Charles asks Pére Tabourot if he would entertain us. He has among his household possessions a chest of viols, and another of recorders, and Pére Tabourot picks up and admires several of the instruments before balancing a viol against his shoulder and bowing a jaunty melody.

X:21
T:La Millanoise % title
T:The Girl from Milan
C:Thoinot Arbeau % composer
O:Orchésographie % origin.
M:6/2 % meter
L:1/4 % length of shortest note
Q:360 % tempo
K:F % key
V:1 % voice 1
F G A2 G F G2 A B | A2 G F G2 A B A2 z2 | G4 F4 z2 G2 |
G A B2 A G A2 B c B2 | A G A2 B c B2 z4 | A4 G4 z2 F2 |]

X:19
T:La Traditore my fa morire % title
T:The traitor, my killer
C:Thoinot Arbeau % composer
O:Orchésographie % origin.
M:6/2 % meter
L:1/2 % length of shortest note
Q:360 % tempo
K:F % key
V:1 % voice 1
|: d d d c B2 A | A G G F2 D | d d c B2 A | G G F G2 z :|
|: A A A c2 c | c c c d2 d | d d c B2 A | G G F G2 z :|

X:20
T:Si J'Ayme ou non % title
T:Whether I love or not
C:Thoinot Arbeau % composer
O:Orchésographie % origin.
M:6/2 % meter
L:1/2 % length of shortest note
Q:360 % tempo
K:F % key
V:1 % voice 1
A A A z A A | F G A z B B | A G A F z G |
F F E F z F | A G A F z F | D E F G z G |
A G A F z G | F F E F z F |]
These bare-bones melodies can scarcely do justice to the improvisations which he wove around them. All I can say is that before he set the viol down once more, our feet were tapping merrily.

To convert the code above to sheet music, or listen to the tunes, copy the code for a single song, then paste it here and [submit].