CHAPTER XI 
THE CUSTOM OF SITTING ON THE STAGE ORIGINATING AT 
BLACKFRIARS 
BeEroreE dealing with larger matters affecting the stage and 
drama, and connected with the official conduct of Blackfriars in 
a Series of causes and effects, I choose here to intercalate a chap- 
ter on the fashionable custom of sitting on the stage. The cus- 
tom shows the tendency of influences started at Blackfriars. The 
origin of it is two-fold—the physical structure of the stage and 
the fashionable character of the audience. 
An investigation of known evidences on the subject changes 
previous views and establishes in their stead certain facts. 
The fad of sitting on the stage came into vogue with the Black- 
friars in 1597.1. The earliest known allusion to it dates 1598.?_ It 
was a custom in no other theatre in Elizabeth’s reign.*® 
The supposition of Malone* that this fashionable fad was the 
practice in all the private® theatres has been so widely accepted 
as a settled fact that it may be regarded as almost a universal 
error among students of the drama and stage.* The error arises 
out of the imitation of the custom at two of the later private the- 
atres, the Cockpit and Salisbury Court. 
There is no evidence for or against the custom at Whitefriars. 
I must conclude that it was unknown there. 
Paul’s never admitted the practice under either Elizabeth or 
James. The stage was too small. The evidence of this is in the 
Induction to John Marston’s What You Will, and is too clear-cut 
‘Infra, 131-34. oning. 
* Infra, 132°. *Specific references even to re- 
°Infra, 130-34, 136-38. cent publications containing this er- 
*E. Malone, Shakespeare Varior- ror would make an unwieldy and 
um (ed. Boswell, 1821), III, 78. in no way helpful list. Almost any 
°The private theatres were Black- modern essay, doctor’s dissertation, 
friars, Paul’s, Whitefriars, Cockpit book, or edition of a play published 
(Phoenix), and Salisbury Court. in England, Germany, America, or 
Writers have generally left Paul’s France, and touching this custom, 
and Whitefriars out of this reck- will furnish exemplification. 
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