The Roaring Girle/The Epistle

he fashion of play-making I can properly compare to nothing, so naturally, as the alteration in apparel: For in the time of the Great-crop-doublet, your huge bombasted plaies, quilted with mighty words to leane purpose was onely then in fashion. And as the doublet fell, neater inuentions beganne to set vp. Now in the time of sprucenes, our plaies followe the nicenes of our Garments, single plots, quaint conceits, letcherous iests, drest vp in hanging sleeues, and those are fit for the Times, and the Tearmers: Such a kind of light-colour Summer stuffe, mingled with diuerse colours, you shall finde this published Comedy, good to keepe you in an afternoone from dice, at home in your chambers; and for venery you shall finde enough for sixepence, but well coucht and you marke it. For Venus being a woman passes through the play in doublet and breeches, a braue disguise and a safe one, if the Statute vnty not her cod-peiece point. The book I make no question, but is fit for many of your companies, as well as the person it selfe, and may bee allowed both Gallery roome at the play-house, and chamber-roome at your lodging: worse things I must needs confesse the world ​ha's taxt her for, than has beene written of her; but 'tis the excellency of a Writer, to leave things better then he finds 'em; though some obscœne fellow (that cares not what he writes against others, yet keepes a mysticall baudy-house himselfe, and entertaines drunkards to make vse of their pockets and vent his priuate bottle-ale at mid-night) though such a one would haue ript vp the most nasty vice, that euer hell belcht forth, and presented it to a modest Assembly; yet we rather wish in such discoueries, where reputation lies bleeding, a slacknesse of truth, then fulnesse of slander.