This is a collection of references to the cittern from contemporary literary works
such as poems, plays and so forth. Entries are listed roughly chronologically.
Plays
Shakespeare, Love's Labour's Lost (1588), V.ii.
Holofernes
I will not be put out of countenance
1st Lord
Because thou hast no face.
Hol
What is this?
2nd Lord
A cittern-head.
Massinger, Old Law (1599), IV.i.
Gnotho
Come, come, let's have some agility; is there no musick in the house?
Drawer
Yes, sir, here are sweet wire-drawers in the house.
Cook
Oh! that makes them and you seldom part; you are wine-drawers and they wire-drawers.
Tailor
And both govern by the pegs, too.
Gnotho
And you have pipes in your consort too.
Drawer
And sack-buts too, sir.
Butler
But the heads of your instruments differ; yours are
hogsheads, theirs are cittern and gittern-heads.
Bailiff
All wooden heads; there they meet again.
Cook
Bid them strike up, we'll have a dance, Gnotho; come, thou shalt foot it too.
Dekker, Old Fortunatus (1600), III.i.
Shadow
Musicke? O delicious strings:
these heavenly wyre-drawers . . .
Fletcher, Love's Cure (1625)
Clara
You dog-skin-fac'd rogue, you poor John,
Which I will beat to Stock-fish.
Lucio
Sister.
Bobbadilla
Madam.
Clara
You cittern-head, who have you talked to, ha?
You nasty, stinking, and ill-countenanced Cur.
Forde, The Lover's Melancholy (1629)
Cuculus
I hope the chronicles will rear me one day for a headpiece --
Rhetias
Of woodcock, without brain in't! Barbers shall wear thee on their citterns and hucksters set thee out in gingerbread.
Dekker, Match Mee in London (1631)
Bilbo
Fidling at least half an houre, on a Citterne with a mans
broken head at it, so that I think 'twas a Barber Surgion
William Prynne, Historio-Mastix, The Player's Scourge, or Actors Tragedy (1633) [spelling modernized]
"We therefore oft times find a way to be fenced to incontinency, and fomentations to adulteries to be from hence administered, whiles this man plays on the sound cithren with a nimble quill, and another with a skilfull finger composeth the melodious enticements of the roaring organ."
Poems
Drayton, Endimion and Phoebe (1595)
In Musickes sweet delight shee shewes her skill,
Quavering the Cithron nimbly with her quill . . .
Other works
Unknown???
Nashe, The Anatomy of Absurditie (1589)
. . . to tickle a Citterne, or have a sweete stroke on the Lute.
Marston, The Scourge of Villanie (1598)
Shall brainless Cyterne heads, each iubernole
Pocket the very Genius of thy soule
Forde, Francies (1638)
. . . a cittern-headed gew-gaw . . .
How to cite this page: Hartig, Andrew. "Literary References to Citterns, Orpharions & Bandoras." Renovata Cythara: The Renaissance Cittern Site. Ed. Andrew Hartig.
02 April 2023.
23 December 2024.
<http://www.cittern.theaterofmusic.com/misc/lit_refs.html>.