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Hog Hath Lost His Pearl. 1613
S. R. 1614, May 23, 1614 (Taverner and Buck). 'A play booke called Hogge hath lost his pearle.' Richard Redmer (Arber, iii. 547). 1614. The Hogge hath lost his Pearle. A Comedy. Divers times Publikely acted, by certaine London Prentices. By Robert Tailor. For Richard Redmer. [Prologue and Epilogue.] Editions in Dodsley^{1-4} (1744-1875) and by W. Scott (1810, A. B. D. iii). Sir H. Wotton wrote to Sir Edmund Bacon (Wotton, ii. 13): 'On Sunday last at night, and no longer, some sixteen apprentices (of what sort you shall guess by the rest of the story) having secretly learnt a new play without book, intituled The Hog hath lost his Pearl, took up the White-Fryers for their theatre: and having invited thither (as it should seem) rather their mistresses than their masters; who were all to enter per bullettini for a note of distinction from ordinary comedians, towards the end of the play the sheriffs (who by chance had heard of it) came in (as they say) and carried some six or seven of them to perform the last act at Bridewel; the rest are fled. Now it is strange to hear how sharp-witted the City is, for they will needs have Sir John Swinerton, the Lord Mayor, be meant by the Hog, and the late Lord Treasurer [Lord Salisbury] by the Pearl.' Swinnerton was Lord Mayor in 1612-13. The letter is only dated 'Tuesday', but refers to the departure of the King, which was 22 Feb. 1613, as on the previous day. This would give the first Sunday in Lent (21 Feb.) for the date of production. The phrase (I. i) 'Shrove-Tuesday is at hand' suggests 14 Feb., but the date originally intended was very likely altered. The Prologue refers to the difficulties of the producers. The play had been 'toss'd from one house to another'. It does not grunt at 'state-affairs' or 'city vices'. There had been attempts to 'prevent' it, but it 'hath a Knight's license', doubtless Sir George Buck's. In I. i is some chaff, apparently directed at Garlic and the Fortune, and an interview between a player and one Haddit, who writes a jig called Who Buys my Four Ropes of Hard Onions for four angels, and a promise of a box for a new play. Fleay, ii. 256, identifies Haddit with Dekker, but his reasons do not bear analysis, and Haddit is no professional playwright, but a gallant who has run through his fortune. A passage in Act III (Dodsley, p. 465) bears out the suggestion of satire on the house of Cecil. RICHARD TARLTON (?-1588). On his career as an actor, cf. ch. xv.
The Seven Deadly Sins. 1585
[MS.] Dulwich MS. xix, 'The platt of The secound parte of the Seuen Deadlie sinns.' [This was found pasted inside the boards forming the cover to a manuscript play of the seventeenth century, The Tell Tale (Dulwich MS. xx).]
The text is given by Malone, Supplement (1780), i. 60; Steevens,
