In our assemblies at plays in London, you shall see such heaving, and shoving, such itching and
shouldering to sit by women; such care for their garments, that they be not trod on; such eyes to their laps,
that no chips light in them; such pillows to their backs, that they take no hurt; such masking in their ears, I
know not what; such giving them pippins [apples] to pass the time. . . such ticking, such toying, such
smiling, such winking, and such manning them home, when the sports are ended, that it is a right comedy
to mark their behaviour.

    ..................................
 

For they [i.e. prostitutes] that lack customers all the week, either because their haunt is unknown, or the
constables and officers of the parish watch them so narrowly that they dare not quetch
[stir]. To celebrate the Sabbath, [they] flock to theatres, and there keep a general market
 of bawdry: not that any filthiness in deed is committed within the compass of that
 ground. . . but that every wanton and his paramour, every man and his mistress, every
John and his Joan, every knave and his queane, are there first acquainted and cheapen
 [bargain for] the merchandise in that place, which they pay for elsewhere as they can
agree.
 
 

Masking
              Whispering through masks--the masks worn to preserve anonymity.
Manning
              Escorting, with a pun on manning in the sense of managing (compare "manning" a ship).
 

Text and notes adapted from "The Shakespeare Life and Times Home Page," originally published in February 1998.
Most recent update 24 October 2000. Written by Michael Best.
Published by the Internet  Shakespeare Editions, University of Victoria, BC
(http://web.uvic.ca/shakespeare/Library/SLT/fset_whole.htm)