ARTHUR FREEMAN

N 193 t W. W. Greg siiggcstcd a distinction bctwccii tliree kinds of“playliousc docu- titciit,” comprising what “iiiust have cxirtcd“ a t the tlieatcr iuclf : “the nook, or audioritcd proiiipt copy. . . the Purls ofsevcral cliaractcrs, writtcn out for actors on long papcr scrolls ... [atid] the P/OIS.”~ Manuscripts o f plays cxistcd and s t i l l exist. of

coiirsc, wliicli bcar ti0 sign o f tlieatriul iiw-plays profasional, aiiiateur, collegiate, Eng- l ish, and Latin, ranging in tintiire froin elaborate ddicatory transcripts to slight working fragiiicnts, drafts, mid copies o f unprintablc or siippresxd coiiipositioiis.2 Morcovcr, wliilc wc iiiay in fnct posscss no Iargc surviving cxaniplc o f an author’s “foul papers,” or rctai i ict l tlrnfts, wc havc tractitioiially iiifcrrcd tlic early cxistcnce and availability o f such iiiniiiiscripts, aiid what also wc now ii ifct about j)riiitcrs’ copy, particularly for “bad” tcxts, siiggcsts tlic tciiiporary existcncc. a t Icast, o f yct aiiotlicr kind o f script. Wc tiad as wcll, iiiibctldctl in niaiiy o f tlic “doctiiiiciits o f aiticisiii” and “dociiiiicnu o f control” which E. K. Cliniiibcrs rcprodiiccs in 711f E/iznh/mri Sfqe, tlcscriptioiis or siiiniiiarics of plays-oftcn, rcgrcttably, gciicrnlitcd-wliicli xrve ncvcrtliclcss ;u wclcoine cvidctice in the abscrrcc of fiill texts, apccially for tlic spirsc x 580’s; and tlic Rcvcls Accounts too prc- srrvc sonic brief dcscriptioiis o f what was sltowii or prcparcd to bc shown at cotirt.3 Pcr- h i i s hi coiitradistiiictioii to Grcg’s six “stage plots” of tlic I p ’ s wc iiiay identify another type o f syiioptic play-iiiaiiiiscript: what 1 woiilcl call P I I “Arg~iiiiciit*’-soiiicthiiig itof,

cloiiniistrably, tlcsigiird for iiiiiiirtliatc playltoiix tisq biit rclatiiig ratlicr to a proposed, a i d coiiccivably iicvcr cxccrirctl. roi i ipi t ioi i . to aiiticipntcd proclitctioii, or, c s postfirto (aid tlicsc may bctrcr I)c cnllctl “Abstracts”) to ail oIiscrvcr’s rcport o f the play as per- roriiictl. ltito tlic Iattcr catrgoria of hrgiiinciit a i d Abstract woiild fall thc cxaniplrs in t l ic p i i r i ta i i attacks,‘ tltc Itevcls jiaprs. and tlic Lir l i i l l c r syiiopsis o f a “Cliiltlrcii o f I’aiilcs t’lnlyj” givcii bclow.

I . W. W. Grcg, Dnrrimrir D n ~ ~ ~ i r r n ~ / s J r o r i ~ E/irnlri/mnii I%yliorr.w (Oxfind. t 93 I), t, ix. 2. CF. AIFrcd 1 Iarhngc, h i i d s c ~ l ? ~ @ ~ l ~ f l r m m , rcv. S. Sditmbaiiiii (London. 1964), pp.

203-04 [“Titlrlrrs IPlnys atid PraRiiiriib”l and 307-21 [ “ l l i c Extaiit Play Maiiiiscriitts, 975- 1700**]; S. Sciitnibaiiiii. h t d f q / h g t f s h Drmttn . . . n Siippfnontf (t?vaiiston, IW). p. 9.

3. E. K. Clinitihrs, 771r E/litnbrfhrnt Sfqc (Oxfiml. 1~23). iv. t RqIT., and Albcrt Fciiillcrrt. ctl., D W I I I I ~ ~ I / ~ RrLrrbif f o fhc Q!ll;cr cJ’fhc Rriw/.c in /hc fitor oJQirmt li/;znfh-f/i (Lniivaiil, t908), cali. Ill>. t46, 286-87, a i i d 350.

4. (:f. iii liarrirulnr I~/li=trlr~hnr~ Sfngr, tv, 204, 207, 21 1-12, its-17. a i d 223.

A r h r r Frrw tnr t ‘23

Greg hiiiisclf is indccd at pains to discriniiiiatc bctwccii tlic “stage plots” he prcsciitr. which arc “skelcton otitliiics ofplays SCCIIC by SCCIIC, writtcn on large boards for the iisc o f actors and otlicrs iii the playhoiisc Ithe best cxniiiplc of which, for 77tc DraL Afatis For- r i m , simply lists tlic cntraiiccs in s~qiicncr]” and tlic kind of “plott” which ~lciislowc says ncn JGiisoii ”showed . . . viito tlic coiiipatiy wh hc proiiiyscd to dd vnto the conipariy at

cryssiiits next” in I 597. clearly an o d i n e for a play to coiiitiimd m advance fee. HC sur- iiiiscs, Iiowevcr. that “ainotig playwrights [the tcriii “plot”J very naturally assunicd tlic meaning of an oiitline skctcli serving ns a guidc for thc coniposition of a play, espccially wlicii it was to be writtcn by sevcral authors iii collaboration,” but whilc the term may liavc rciiiaiiied the sanie. we may now siispcct t l i i t like Joiiwn’s synopsis, siicli workiiig pipcrs more cloxly rcsciiibled. pliysicilly, tlic A f t h p “Argriinent” licrc publishcd than Grcg’s billboard “plots,” in rffrct tliciiisdvcs srigc-prqxrtics. For it scems tmlikcly cithcr that a writrr would bcgin with so ornniiientally ciiiiihcrsnnic an oiitlitie as a workiiig tool, or that tvliat Iic or a grotip originally ciiiploycd as siich woitld still scrvc the later purpose of guicliiig “actors and otlicrs in tlic playhouse, to rciiiiiitl those conccrncd wlicn atid in wlint cliaractcr tliey wcre to appcar, what ptoprrtics wcrc rcquircd, and what noises wcre to be iiiadc bcliind the scenes.” Nor could siicli a tcxt as 3ppCXS bclow easily be “exhibited iii a plxe convenient for ready refcrciicc duriiig pcrfori~iuice,”~ if only because it covcrs both recto and verso of one leaf, and fortiis part of an iitirclatcd mmtiscript voluiiic.

TtlE TEXT Pirblii OriiAii Nnronic Afrrkrqqn, tlic niaiiascript iiiidcr coiisidrration, is doubtless not o f tlie tlicatrical class< It scents to be a skctcli (or “sccnario,” as Collicr once tcrmed the Plots) for a play, quite possihly nevcr pcrforincd. tior cvcii wrirtcn, but designcd to attract a spccific coiiipniiy (Paiil’s Boys) or to strtictiirc aii action for thc acirlior Iiimsclf. The Argiiiiicnt l i ~ s not Iiitlicrto bcrn piiblishcd in full, atid aiiioiig draiiiatic clociiiiicnts of its pcriml in Eiiglish it i s alniost uiiiqiie iii escaping, to the prcscnt. tlic iict of priiit.6 What insiircs its intcrcst and rttility as an idditioii to the Iitcrary or dramatic corpu of the Elizabrtlian stigc is not only the obvious rarity of such incditd niatrrial, but the considcrable lcirgth aiitl dctnil of the Argiiiiicnt-pcrhnps the Iargcst extant cxaiiiplc of its type-and tlie tlrc.itrical cvidcnce. ncgativc or posirivc, to br ncttlcirctl froiii the text.

A k f r q r r conipriscs two-d-a-qiinrtcr p a p of a sitiglc but composite volunic (78 lcnvcc iii 111.34 x 2 j ctii.). sonic dcscriptioii of wliicli is iiccrctary. Fol. I bears what worild a p p w to be a gciicral titlr, “A Jkgistcr of a11 /tlic iioblc iiicii of Eiiglaiid /sitlicncc the Coiiqtirstc Crcatcd,” biit iii fact tlic iiiaiii rcxt xciiis to liavc biyiii origiiially on fnl. 5. with ilic Iicading “Wiii Conqiirr6.” Fols. 3-71 v contaiii a clironological list of creations, soinctiiiics acroinpatiicd hy rocigli coats o f ariiis skctclicd lishtly in trick; the paper is rtilcd tlirotiglioitt. niid the iiiaiii etitrics nccasinti:illy glnsscd iii thc outcr niargiiu. Fols. I -

J. Greg, Drtlttitlfic Dnnrtttrtit.c, 1. 3. 6. 111 l l i r Aflininniiri. Srptrtiibcr 14, 1901, p. 349 1110. ~ R J s ] . Bertram Dobell, thcn the

nwiirr, publisltcd a traiixriptinii of tlic first paragraph cif Art One only, explaining that nliile “the dcscriptioii is very curinus . . . i t is soiiiewliat too long to be priiitcd here.” F. E. Sclirlliiig (E/ira/ict/tmt Dmtt~n. r~~&rb~z[lJostoii. i p 8 1.11, JBR),callr it a “MS. Cragment.”and Cliaiiibers (E/i :nldrmi SMV. n. 1s). tcrms it ai l “abstract.“ altlioiigh (iv, 30) lie has clrdy sccii i i o iiiorc t h i 1)cibcll’s vcry brirriioricc. I ~arbagc-Srli~n.1i8ariit1 call it simply “lost” (p. 4s); CC itotcs 1 3 and 24 bclow.

124 Ei~ l i sh Liternry Rerinissnrtce

2v carry aii nl~~l ia l ic t ica l rcgistcr of iiobility (XC bclow). aiid Mrleqcr occiipics fols. 3-4. 4 v bc ing blniik. Fol. 72 is blaiik, otitl on foh. 7rv-73 arc trriiscribcd six pocnis, otic attrib- iitcrl to “Mr I\nwlcigli,” atit1 f ivc to “Sir 1’1ioiiias I leiicagc.” “Sir Tho:,” or “Sir Tlioiii- as.”’ 73v aiitl 74 arc blaiik, Imt oti t l ic vcrso of 74 appears an anoiiyi i ioi is b a w d y pocin, “’l‘lic 4 Sigliti,” piiblislicil b y A. 14. J l i i ~ l c i i in 1R8R froiii a dif fcrci i t copy.” Fob. 75- 78 cnt i t r i i i a Lat i i i paraplirnsc of tlic Lord‘s h y c r , c i i t i t lcd “Cnii ipct idiarir Doiiiiiiicnc Oratioi i is IiitclrJl’lrctaiioj,” a i id a fiiial accoiiiit of a crcntioii (Earl of Wcstiiiorclniid, /CI I I /J . Ricl iard I I ) COIIICS oii tlic last pagc. T l ic rc arc iiiisccllaiicoiis scribbliiigs on t l ic inner back covcr.

Scvcrnl I i a i i h cnii bc discriiiiiiiaictl. T l i c i i ia i i i text, t l ic c l i ronolog icd l ist of creations, fnls, S - ~ X V , ns w c l l ;is tiic glnssrs niicl a f c w of t l ic scctiotral l i c a h g s (by rcigii, W i i l i n i i i I t l i ro i ig l i “Q. Ma:”), arc in a siiinll ciirsivc xc rc ta ry script. c i i ip loy i i ig blnck ink (liaiid A).

A rorrcct i t ig liniitl (11) l ias ntltlctl, i t i i icat italic niitl browii iiik, iiiost o f t l i c x c i i o i i a l Iicad- iiigs, aiicl w r y possil>ly be rcspniisiblc for t l ic oripiiial foliatioii.Tlic fol iat ion riiiis through “40” oiily a i d , as t l ic cnrly Icn\*cs arc dcfcctivc iii tl ic i i l i lw r coriicrs. is not visiblc bcforc 7 ; coi i i i t i t ig back, Iiowcvcr, ititlicatcr that fol. J wodtl corrcspond (as abovc) to t l ic

folintor’s “ I . ” Ai io t l ic r l iaiirl (c) scciiis to bc rcspoiisiblc fin tl ic bricfalpl iabcticnl rcgistcr (fols. I-~v), ngniii italic aiitl iii a browii ink. witli oiily c ig l i t ciitrics, tlicsc in sccrctary. n p p r c i i t l y of prc-Coiiqucrt i iobi l i ty. placcd agaiiist t l ic ir i i i i t ia l Icttcrs. T I i c t i t lc i tself (“A Rcgistcr,” ctc.) i 5 partly rnlli~;r;ipliic, in black ink. aiicl oi ic n iny i i i fc r that thc ci isui i ig nIpIiabct wns wr i t i c i i oiit i i i t lqrrr i t lc i i i ly aiicl Iatcr. for fol. I r i trcly was not tlcsigiicd to coi i tai i i t l ic bcgiiiniiig o l n tcxt.’I’hc few alpliabcticnl ciiiric3, iiiorcovcr, arc iii fact sliortcr vcrsioiis of crcntioiis listctl siil iscqiiciitly in t l ic first part of t l ic c l i ro i io log iwl accoiiiit.

A.I&u,qcr cxl i ibi ts a foiirtli Ii:iiid (11). a i i io rc fori i inl sccrrtary t l iai i A. wiili propcr II~IIICS

a i d act-tlivisioiis iii nii italic clifl>rciit froiii II aiicl c.’Ilic topmost titlc.“<=liildrcii of Paiilcs Pla(y1,” is calligraphic, h i t not, I t l i i i ik, in t l ic saiiie Icttcr IS the first l i i i c of fol. I . To a i i c w liaiitl (E) I assigii t l ic poriiis of Ikdcgli a i d I Iciicajic. aiitl lo yct ai iot l icr (P) t l ic Inst poci i i , tlic pnraplirnscc, aiul pcrliaps oi ic four-liiic jottiiig on t l ic iiiiicr back covcr. Two crcntioiis, i l i c last iii thc iiiniii text (111.7rv) a i d t l ic vc ry last (fol. 7 ~ v ) arc not in h a i d A:

t l ic foriiicr, twc i i iy - f ivc ycars Iatcr tlinii that i i i i i i icdiatcly prccci l i i ig (scc bc low) i i i ay bc iii a coi i iplctciy IICW Iiaiicl. h i t I woiild I i awr t l i l i c i t lc i i t i f icat ioi i of t l ic Iattcr (browii ink) as t l ic work of liniitl 11. Fiii:iIIy, t l ic iiiisccllaiicoiis scribbliiigs iiuitlc t l ic back covcr ,so i~~c of wl i i c l i i i iay prccctlc t l ic iisc o f t l i c i i ic i i ibrni ic as a biiitliiig. arc iii two or t l i rcc iiiorc Iinids. a i d scciii to iiic iiicoiiscqiiciitial.

?lit iiiaiii iscript i s cr i i t lc ly Ooitiid in coi i ic i i i l iq rary liiiip vc l l i i i i i wrappcrsl w i tho i i t pastctlowiis, prcsrrvi i ig four short straps of Icatlicr oii cacti ride of tlic spiiic. xrving to lioltl the tiiniiriscript, by its gahicr i i ig t lacds, oiito its covcr. Oil tlic rcar covcr is a coat of ariiis skctclicd iii browii ink, qiiartcrly, tlircc daggcrs crcct and two bars, w l i i c l i 1 tnkc to bc i i i c rc ly dccorntivc.9 I ‘ hc biiitliiig is badly soilcd, torti, aiicl loow, and die mamiscript

7. T l i c Hciicagc pnciiis arc aplmrciitly kiiowii o i i ly from thc prwiit iiianuscript, aiid arc prildislicd witli sonic ai i i io iat ioi i by Dokll. 1talc~l i*s pixti1 (“Rrcwcll falcc Love thocv oraclc of lics”) i s piililislictl. with nii adtlitioiial staiiza. iii Williaiii Ilyrd’s P ~ / i i i r z . biirfr 6 SIIII,(J (1588) aiid i s kiiowii iii a t kart oiic otlicr his vcrrioii (Ilawhisoii Poet. 85).

8. A . li. l)iillcii, cJ,, Aftirr Lyri(s.fioifi fhr E!i:ubrf!idu br!q-bokf (Loiidon, 1888). p. 57. 9 . A ncarcli of iiicrdrrii as wcll 3s coiitciiipnrary ariiiorialn Ins rcvralcd no coi i iprah lc CX-

‘‘ 9.

niitplc; iiidccd, tlic qi iartrr i i ig scctiis iiiipossiblc. Wic I-lciicagc ariiis arc quite diflcrciit.

A r h r Frcerrrott ’ 25

itsclf coiisidcrnbly fraycd. cspc ia l ly at t l ic top oi i tc r coriicrs of the first leavat; but fortu- i intcly l i t t lc tcx t i s aKcctcd.

I h i c niitl cnrly provciiniicc arc clilficcilt to cstnblish: tlir nssciiibly o f thc clciiients of tlic iiiniii iscript n iny w c l l Iinvc covcrcd twci i ty-f ivc ycnrs. *Ihc Inst cn t r y in the ordcr ly SC-

qiiciicc by the i i in i i i hand, A, coiiccrns Sir Wi l l i a i i i I’oiilct (“Powlctt”), M a y 8, ~ 5 7 2 . but t l ic single rritl tcrni innl cn t r y w l i i c l i fo l lows (fol. 71 v) rccords the creation of Cliarlcs Howard, thc Lord Adi i i i rd , Ea r l o f Not t i i ighai i i in I 597. Tlic l i tcrary iiitcrpolatiotir, one woiiltl giicsr-hit only gucss-postdntc t l ic origi i tal nrraiigciiiciit o f t l ic nianuscript. oc- c i ipy i i ig ns t l icy do intcrnicdintc lcavrr (fols. 3-4) and lcnvrs at tlic cnd. O n c m a y proba- b l y assign t l ic t rmscr ip t ion of t l ic IIalcgli-thicaSc yociiis to bctwccn I 577. wl i cn C h i - cngc was kiiiplitctl, niid I 584. wl i c i i “Mr I tnwlc ip l i ” Iwc;iiiic Sir Waltcr. i u i l cu ofcoi irsc t l ic copyist \vas followiiis a i l carlicr tcxt litrrnlly.”’ h i t I t l i i i i k t l ic kaigliting of it.ilcgh woiiltl Iiavc hrcii w c l l c i io i ig l i kiiowii nltcr t l ic Lict. niicl siicli a distinction prcscrvrd woctltl bc poiiitlcss. As for A;kh-qptr itrclf. tlic i lntc of rmiiscriptioii (and possibly o f i i iv r i i - t ioi i) caii oiily be cstiii iatcd as nf t r r 1572. on tl ic groi i i ids givcii, and t l ic unl ikcl ihootl tlint n fi-cslily prrparcd IicrnliIic iiiaiiuscript would p r l i c r siicli nccrctions bcfore i t was coiisid- crcd scratch p p c r by soiiiconc, niitl prior to t l ic disappcnrniicc o f t l ic i n d i u t c d acti i ig coiiipmy from piiblic rccord b y 1 5 9 0 . ~ ~ I t i s iiiost i i i iprobnblc t l i i t so pr in i i t ive a t r z t ns tli is rlfcbwp liatl anyth ing to ‘lo witli t l ic rcv ivct l C l i i l t l rc i i of Paul’s o f 1599-1609, and. i i icitlciitnlly. tlicrc i s no coi i i icct ioi i wl ir tcvcr. iti tcriiis of coiitcnt. with t l ic Lat in play of tlic snnic i ini i ic by Wi l l i n i i i Gngcr, nctccl at Oxford ( r j t h ) , and piiblislicd tcn ycars later. Trat l i t ionnl l y Ahhpcr Iins bcci i dntccl Ica. I 5 f 1 0 j ; ~ ~ in thc nbscncc of contradictor): cvi- dcticc t l icrc i s l i t t lc rcason to nltcr t l int npproxiwntioi i . No chic to thc cnrly prOVCfliIiiCC of thc i i iai i i i rcr ipt lins r i i i r r g c d froni a n cxaminatioi i of

it, or of records of private holdings kforc i ~ i . In tliit )-car Dcmain Dobcll, thc book- seller to wlioiii w c o w c Tralicriic’s I>ocnis tiid t l ic ciicoiiragcnicnt of Janicr Thonisoii. dcscribcd i t only nr “rcccntly piirclr;iscd.”l3 O i i c iiiip,lit Iinvc Iiopcd that t l ic armorial skctcli oii t l ic rcnr covcr. t l ic gciicrnl coiitciit, or tlir i i i c i i h i t a l scribbling might suggest nil cnrly origin or trniisiiiissioii, but t l ic arms. I think. arc ciiirccordcd. t l ic choice of coii- tci i t iiciitrnl, niid i io i ic o f t l ic n w i c s or Iinlf-iiniiics scciiis i i io rc t l iat i a typical pcniiiaisliip cxcrcisc.

l ’ l i c tr inscript w l i i c l i follows i s strictly diploiiiatic: all cxpnnsioti ofabbrcvintion. altcm- t i o i i of ort l iograpl iy or punctuation, ai id otlicr ro i ivc i i t io i ia l changes not inl icrei i t in trai isfcrr i i ig script to priiit, arc prcsciitcd iii squarc brackctc, or i n d i u t c d iii notcs.

10. Rnlcgli’s poriii is supposed b y Dokll a i i d by lliillcii t o bc a rcply to a pocni b y I Icir- GIRC; Agiicr Lntliaiii, ’I%e Portits aJSir Il’nlrrr R n k 4 ( L o i i d w , t951), p. 100. liar evidciitly iiot lookcd into tlic iiiattcr. I think i t Lir i i iorc l ikc ly h a t tlic ordcr ofcomposit ion was rc- vcrscd.

I I. E/izobr//mti Stqr, it , 18-19. i 2. i l y Cliaiiibcrs aiid HnrbngE-Sclioeiibaiiiii (Iiotli “I 370-1 ~90”). 13. l>crbell owiiecl t l ic i i iai i i i+t iii 1901 (scc iiotc 6 nlwvc). l l i c r c is no rccord of its

locniioti bctwccn that darc and its aplicarancc at Sothcby’s (“Othcr Properties”). Jurie 17, 1969, lot 492. I t is iiow at the tlouglitciii Library, fhiS Eng 1285.

I 26

CHILI>ItEN OF I'AULES I'LA[Y]" Prib/ij Oriidij Nnzorris AIclckcypcr

Actrrs. I .

hfdpOlJl~JlC tlic TragiCnII IIIUSC, is yrsciitcd w'h a duiiibc showe of the KmI Sistcrs, C k h , Lnrltcsis, niid A m p s , wlio by cotisuiiiitig a brotidc wLh fficr, sliowc tlicrcby tlic fate and dcstciicy of Mclengcr, tlic soiinc of Oerrcrrs, kiiigc of Cdidw, whose tytiic oflyff'c to ctidurc no longcr tlicn tlic btiriiiiiiig brondc to bc cotisiinicd: tlic well Altlrcn liis tiiotlicr liearitigc yriiiiicdiatlic qucncliccl kccpiiig it safflic wrappcd vp in licr chest as tlic oiilic tliiiig wlicroii licr SOIIIICS lyfc depciidcd // w. / Aftcr wCh hfc/porrrctie sigtiificth the fatal1 dccrcc to the Lordcs of Cnlidort, who being ycrplcxcd runc scckiiig tlicir king OEIJCIIJ, to ccrtific liyni that if prcsciit rcnicdic wcnrc tiot f o t d c , thc wliolc h o c k atid spoile of his coutitryc was i i i Iimircl, by tiicancs of a Moiistcrous Borc wchdcvowcrcd thcir IIICH, spoylcd thcir Coriics, & rootcd vp ilicir viiiyardes.

M+wretrc, rclatctli that tlic Uorc was sciit by Dinrin vpon revciidgc for dint sncrifizc bciiig doric viito tlic otlicr Godrs, licr alter was lcfte bare, Dcvoidc of rcvcrciicc, gcviiig tlictn to vntlerstniide that their king Oetrciis kiicwc tlicrof, itid bciiig carefitll for rcdrcssc, had scntc to Athcrrs for Thcsiris aydc, wliosc hnic was grcat for killiiig tlic Miriotnrirc, witlic wlioiiic Mclcqer, tlic kitigcs soiinc should Joyac, Kor acliyviiig tlie Con- qticst of tlic l)orc, l'lic Lortlcs standiiig iii doribtc of tlic infortunatc sc qucll, of so vtilinppic a bcgiiining, arc appoyiitcd by Melporrrerte to sitt as CItorrrs ovcr tlic stagc to vcwc tlic elide of cucric accidciit, & to explainc thc sonic of ciiic [i.c., cucric] Acte, & shc dcpnrtctli. / Octrerrs, wlh Iiis sotiiic AIcekqcr cnter tIic stadgc accoiii~Ged wth A~~CRIIS,

Acnsfri~, Athnknritn, & licr virgcns wclcoiiiiiiyng thctii wlh grcate curtczic in tha t tllcywoldcvollcllcsafc to conic toliis aydc, in soDanngcroiis a matter, thc psccuting whcrof rcstcd for tlic coiiiriiiiig of Tfrcriris, who crc they tlclnrtc, ciitrcth with his coiiipanyc, aiitl is in lykc iiiniiticr ctitcrtayiicd, & for tliat, Tlicir wcnrincs sliold be no lctt i i i tlicir ctitcrprizc tlicy arcst tliciii n whilc in tlic coursc.

M c k q c r tarrying, after tlic rcst riiaiiifcstctli tlic nrdciit LOVC lic l d l c con- ccnvcd hyAt/~n~nrrtns bcwtic & tlicrwli~I>cprrtctli fiiiissliiiig tlic first Actc./

14 . Text dcfcctivc: prcriitiinbly "plr[yJ," Iiowevcr, ratlicr dinti "~ilr[ycrr]." givcii tlic cctitcritig of tltc title.

Arhrr Freerimrr 127

tlic I d e s afforesaidc bciiig Clrorirs shcwcth that fur wantc ofrcverencc to tlic Cods their wratlic will not bc apeasdc w h i t rcvciidge &c. / .

Ac~irs. 2.

Ocwirs & Alrlre thc Quccnc ciitcr wt PhItsipprrs PC Toxrirs, hcr Brctlicrcn, itlr/rngcr, Adtnlaitn wth her s i r p s , ?'licsiits, Piryrliorts, Acushs, Arttaris, & tlicir coiiipaiiye, Orrim rcsigncth thc wholc cotir~itctc of the Hunters to P/ilrxi/r/m & Tomis, bcitig skyllfitllcst in chacc, & with wislic of tlicir good succcssc dcpnrtctlie. Tlicy lykcwisc Dctcriiiyiiing what is best to be Donc wlh a huiitcrs soiige chcrcf~tllyc sctt forthc to tlic cliasc of tlic Bore / [fol. I V bcgins]

Tlic Dorc is rowsdc and the Chacc of all sydrs is pursewde standiiig in dowbtc who sholdc gaync tlic victoric, Athnknrrm of all is coinincnded for Iicr singulcr dcxtcritic, & valior slic is attainctc w ~ l ~ tlie LOVC of Mrlmger aiid discorsctli covertlye wth oitc of licr Iiandniaidrs wlicrwth cndctli the second Actc, Clionu.

Acl.''* 3. Ocnrirs ctitretli in dowbthrll consultacioti wth liis Lordcs upon the dauiigcr of tlie cliasc wch they liad taken in hande, wliciias a Mcsscngcr bringeth liyiii iiewcs of tlic coiiqucst of tlic Dorc, disrotirssiiig at lardge die whole riinniicr of tlic chacc, Or~rcirs rctournctli to tlic cotirtc, to glade liis sorow- frill ~ u c c i i c Alrlicn with tlie tidingcs. /

All tlie liuiitcn eiitcr with a Trimnyhant soiige, Afelenger ycldetli to his Latlye Atlrnlnrrtn the Dora hcade, with the wliolc honnor of the chase, PMesippis atid Toxcrrs, rcpync thcrat, and takcdi from hcr the giftc, Afcktgcr in a radgc killctli them bothc, bciiig his viiclcs, and gocth aparte with T/rcsiris, Attnlnrrtn & her virgcns, Pirirlrirs & Acnstru carrying tlic dcade bodycs awaye, are encountrcd by A/then, going to doe sacrifyzc, for hcr Soiincs good siicccsse in hunting, who dciiiandrs \vhosc they bc, tlic \vch

Pirilfioris ccrtcfying, she fallctli iiito an cxtacic wfll radging, Curssing, and tlircntnitig a ditc rcvcndgc vpoii licr soiinc for tlic vliriatiirall niortiier of licr brctlicrcn, fiiiisliing with a vcllciiiciit discourse the tliyrdc Actc. C/rorrrs. /

Arfirs. 4. AIrlren ctitrcth with licr Ladics who coiiiiiiauadiag to layc Downc a flain-

I 28 Et\q\isli Lilcrnry Rcrinissntice

yiig Altcr t h a t tlicy briiig in, slic willctli to clcpartc, who bciiig aloiic lcftc to workclicrviiiintiirnll ciitciitc, slic pluckctli forthc tlic broiidc ofhcr sotiiic M e / c q c r s Dcstciiyc t’nccoiiiplisli tlic f k n l l cf5cctc. oiic wliilc slic will not, aii 0 t h wliilc shc will, hllcdgiiig Urotlicrlioodc slicputta tlicBroiide iii , Argcwiiig licr iiiorlicrlioodc shc yiillcs it forth, in fiiic slic lcavcth it to tlic iiicrcyc of tlic nicrcylcssc ficr.

Ak/cc.ngcr ciitrctli will A/m/nrrln, ~ ~ I C S C I I . ~ , niid y o virgins crying owtc for hclpc afiri i i i t ig his biiriiing licitc was so iiitollcrablc that yt suryasscd tlic iiivciioiiicd shirtc writ coiifouiidcd Ikrcrrb.s, or tlic ficr of Plrr/oes region, 711t*siiu riiiiiictli for I d p , Af/in/narrn, wnilctli liis iiiisliaye, the rngiiigc ficr cotisiiiiiiiig tlic broiitl to Aslics, tlic viilinppic A , k . / c n p clictli i i i tlic Ariiics of liis bclovcd. slic for sorrowc abniidoiictli thc soylc aiid vowctli a soli- tnric a i d tlcsolntc l y f i i i tlic tlcscrtcs of A r r d y . fiiiisliiiig tlic 4. Actc. <.’litwits Ilicrc fol. z begins]

Acrtts. 5. Orrtcvs, 11ic ntlgrtl Kiiigc, lntiictctli ovcc tlic t l ~ d c Uodic of h[isIi5 soiiiic Mthgcr, wlicii ns titliiigez is brouglitc liiiii of tlic drupcratc [?ciid]‘6 of Alrlren liis wyf, who with n kiiyfc Iind ciitlcd licr vtiluckyc Daycs Wlicr- with hc hciiig iiiorc agrcvcd, wishcth all iiiiscrics to coiifouiidc Iiym & aftcr tlic fiiticrnll Obscquics bciiig cloiic, tic tlotlic sqiicstcr liymsclf froiii co(irtc,17 Lcntliiig his lyfc iii wrctchcdiics. /

f i d S

I tc t i i r i i i i ig to t l ic prn l i lc i i i o f t l ic dif fering ki i i i ls of clraiiirtic synopses, oiic i i iay ask if i l i c n h v c tcxt i s t l ic p1;iii or “Argi i i i ic i i t” of a play yc t i i i iwri t tci i . or the “Abstract” of what lins nlrcncly bceti coiiiposccl nticl CVCII pcrfortiid-if it rcprcscnts aii i i l t i i i iatcly rerl- izctl play, nr i s n icrc ly n skcdi for oiic tiibscqctciitly scrapped. Altliocigh E. K. C h a i i i k r s scciits to tnkc i t for grni i tci l tlint n play wlld hfr/rqcr was iiidccd actccl by tlic Cliildrcii of I’niil’s bcforc I yp, aiid that this i s its “Abstract” or siiiiiiiiary,ta tlic cvidci icc i s not at dl sufficictit t o i i inkc h a t prcsiiii iptioti. To bcgi i i with. t l icrc arc no allusioiis to its pcrforiit- nticc at coi ir t ii; tl ic I tcvcls hccoiiiits (thoiigli i i i t l c d t l ic Cl i i ld rc i i of Paid‘s iiirkc no rc- cnrt lcd niipcnrniicc I)ct\vcrii I)ccciiibcr 26. 1581, a i d Clirirtiiias, rgR7/8, both tcri i i inal p r h i i n i i r c s Iw i i i g o f iii1ii;iiiicd plays), iior arc prnpcriics. siicli ns a boar*s licad, wl i i c l i iiiipltt i i ic l i tntr c d i c r procliiciioii, ii ivciitoriccl niiioiig t l ic stock of tlicatrical cqi i ipi i ic i i t in ilic I:itc 1580’s. ‘l’licrc arc. it i s triic. “ l hs tcs ” aiitl “borcsiwnrcs” availrblc as cnrly as

15. Partly ddcctivc. 16. Wliiilly M c c i i v c : a coi i jcct i i rd rcncliiig. 17. “coiirtc” i s iicntly iiiscrrcd i c i su~ ic rx r i y t ovcr n c m t . I R. / ~ z ~ ~ / l , i I i S t q r , i t , i n .

Arthrrr Frcciimri 129 1$74,” but tlicsc arc part of a vast nunibcr of propcrtics prcparcd by John Caro re& all tlic dcvcll1 slioiilcl saic,” griiiiiblcs tlic scribc, aftcr listiiig tlic paraplicmalia) for no spccifially ~lcsigiiatctl play. As to tlic possibility that the Argiiiiiriit is a rcport of an observed pcr- foriiiniicc, i t iiiay bc notcd that tlic tctirc i s always prcsciit. and tliat thc nianncr ofdcscrip tioii i s siircly iiiorc iiiingiiiativc tlixli obscrvatioiial: c.g., tlic tlioiiglitr, as well as the ac- tions of ccrtniii cliaractcrs are cxplniiictl, intl sonic actioiis wliich would require coiisider- ablc clihoratioii on die stage (as wlicn Atalmta “for sorrowc ahandoncth thc soylc and vowct Ii a solitaric aiid dcsolatcl yf,”or wlicii Ociiciis“elotlic scqiicstcr liymxlffrom coiirtc. Lcatliiig his 1 yfc iii wrctcliccliics”) 3rc Iiastily, cvcn vigiicly siiiiini~rizcd. One niust sly t l int t l ic writcr’s approach i s clistiiictly iiarritivc. aiid that iiiattcntion to viriixl detail as wcll as ciiipliasis upon thc swccp of action in cxtcndcJ ti i i ic iiidccd suggnt “prclimiiiary skctcli” rntlicr tliaii “rcport.” As for tlic stagcability of!lic dcsigii, othcr qucstions remain.

Act Two brings onto thc stage no fi-ncr than tcn yriiicipal cliaractcrs. aith”virgens,” “coiii~iiiiyc,” aiid "Hunters" swelling tlic attcidnncc. Givcii tlic prior coinmitmcnt of soiiic “Lorcts” plncccl “ovcr tlic stagc” to scrvc as Choria, a i d tlic iiiiporsibility of do& ling niiy of t l ic iiiajor pirts, wc iiiay si ispct a coiiritlcrahlc str i i i tipon thc facilitics of any coinliaiiy’s pcrs~ i~~~~cI . altliotigh pcrliaps twcnty i s iiot a proliibitivc total ofprincipals and cxtras. Firc could bc aiiotlicr problciii: biiriiiiig weiotl i s callccl for in Act Oiic. uid a full “fliiiiiiip A h ” iii Act Four. Furtlicriiiorc, iii Act Five. whik Mclcagcr sufcrs. Thcscos riins for Iiclp, aiid Atalmta “~ai lc t l i . ” it i s siiggcstcd tha t in sonic way wc apprcciate or pcrccivc “ h c ragiiige ficr coiauiiiiiig tlic Ivoiid to Aslirs”--a dillicult piccc ofstage busi- iicss to rccointriict. L7tc iii tlic 1580’s. Iiowcvcr. a iiitiiibcr ofplays dcsiwcd for the public stagc (c.g., 11 TnrriLrr/nirir. A/p/~nisiir c{Arqon. A Lnibir!c C/tt.vj;ir Laridon midfilglrmd) do iiidcccl call for claboratc cotlflagrations.20 aid tlic fircs of Aft*/rqrr, if awkward, arc not incrctliblc. Thc striicturc of the play iiiay clicit skcpticisiii, iltlioiigh WON conclusions lirvc hccii prcscrvcd: biit bow, in hct, i s Act Fivc to tic rtagcd? OIIC pacc-breakiiig intcr- riiptioii i s ccrtaiiily “tlic fiuicrall Obscqiiia” bctwvccn Ociicus’ vocal dapair and the ac- tion (Iiowcvcr iiidiutcd) of his xlf-cxilc. Thc final qinlifiwtioii, “Luding his lyre in wrctclicdncs,” i s likcwisc ditlicult to iiiinginc iii rcprcscnutional performance.

l’licsc arc all, Iiowcvcr, Iii i idrmm wliicli ccrtaitily iiiiglit lirvc bccn handled in com- position or iii tcvision, but how ticar CNI tlic Argiiiiiait as i t stands be to any tc r l play- iicar ciioiigli, iiiay w e say. to ofGr tniigiblc thcatricd cvidciicc. and add I titlc to tlic hiowii rcpcrtory ofPaiil’sI)oys?Tlic liypotlicris that bctwcn rj76and 1584 tltcChildrcn of Paul’s sliarcd 3cccss to tlic first Nackrriars Tlicatrc with Farruit’s ChilJrcn of thc CIqicP woul~i allow for an claboratc prmliictioii, firc a i d all, with actors to fill the rolcs. as t l ic locatioii “ovcr die ttagc” likcwisc iiiiplics a fortiial thcntrr; otic wi evcn imagine soiiic kiiitl o f iii~ciiious tlivisioii o f tlic playing nrca to show both Iialva of the action in Act h i r ; biit oii 1i;ilaiicc I s t i l l tliiiik i t iiiilikcly that wliat si irvivi~ licrc very c lmly rcpre- sciits any play wliicli ciigagcct prwlurtioii. 1Kforc or nftcr tlic syiiopsis was inscribcd in thc

19. Fciiillcrat, p. 24x. 20. C X W. J. Lawrciicc, ?%c E/iznbr//rnrr P l n j 4 1 ~ ~ nrrrl O h r 8itdirc Scrod Serirr (Strat-

forrl-upi~ii-Avoii. i911), pp. x ~ z z . 2 t . Littlc cvidciicc siippnrts this coinjcctiirc, althmgli Cli~iiibcrs. n. XS-XR, prercntr what

tlirrc is. Irwin Siiiitl i. S/inl-r.r/irnrr’s Wnr/$inrr P/n~/re~rrr (Ncw York. 1964). p. rspr., badly ovtrriniplifics tlic problciii of d i a t kcplirii Cosniir a i d otlicn iiicaiit by “at Paul’s,)) how- ever.

* 3 0 prrsctit ,miiii.tcript. Ncvertliclcsr, wliichcvcr Akknp*r is-a practical roiigli drak or an abortivc skctcli for wliat iicvcr rcsultcd iii coiiiposition or pcrforiiiancc-it docs tell 11s soilictliitig about taste, or die cxl‘cctation o f tastc, at a ccrtaiii ditc, aboitt wliat cliaractcr- istics of staging a n iiitriitioiicd playwriglit tlioiiglit Iwssiblc, and what a litcrate obscrvcr at lcnst iiiiagiiiccl a Cliildrcn of I’aiil’s play orrg/r/ to rcscriiblc. A few iiiisccllmicoiis obscr- vatioiu mi bc offcrccl.

Thc soiircc of Mdcqcr i s Afrfmtnrp/tosrs vtti. 270-546. or its Eiiglisli translation by hr- tliiir Goldiiig (1567).** Earlicr Ingmnts and plays bascd ii1>on Ovid arc ciiiiiiicratcd by E. K. Cliaiiibcrs ( A l c d i r i d .S/qr, t i , 365). atid arc tlisciisscd niore Iargcly by Dotigh his I i . *3 Oiic is striirk Iirrc iiiorc by tlic oiiiissioits iii ilic talc than by any echo, vcrhal or strrictiiral, of tlic parccit vcrsioii: for cxaniplc. aiiiorig tlic Iicroa callcd i i i to rid Calydon of tlic ravaging boar iii Ovid. bcsirlcs Tl iexi is. arc Castor and Polliix. Jason, and Pclcus, tlic fithcr of hcliillcs; but Afdyvc‘r contents itsclf aficr Tliciis with siicli lcssct liglirs as Acasttis aiicl l’iriiliwis. Ovicl’r Mcleagcr liar sistcrs, ai id in tlic Alrfnrttorpborcs coiisidcrablc spcc i s givcn tlic limit i twlc with its accidciits ai id cscnps, a l l ofwli icl i apparently woiild bc givcii licrc by rcport oiily. Is t h i s tiarrativc iiiisiiiniingciiicnt or prartical stagccnft? If tlic Iattcr. wliat can wc say of t l ic yotctitial thcatricality of tlic oiitlinc?

hi soiiic nicastirc, 1 tltink, tlic coilflations of history aiitl choice of cvcnts do intlicatc an nwnrciicss oftl ic liiiiitatioiis aiid hci l i t in ofaii Elizabctliaii tlicatcr. rlcspitc ciiiphasis iipoti

fire a i d iiiassctl critrics. tlic scciinrist cvidrntly kccps the Iiiiiit offjragc (unless wc coiistriic “tlic borc i s rowsdc niicl tliccliacc o f a l l sydrs i s Iiiirscwdc”as iiidiwtitig more tliaii cxciir- sioiu aiid sciilfliiig), Icaving oiily tlic boar’s scvcrcd Irad to rcprcscnt victory. He rcstrirts i i imt of tlic cariiag to rcpott, aiitl the absence of tlic P a d Sisters after Act Oiic niay be iiitciiclcd to ftcc thciii for doitbling. T w o lii~ntcrs’ soitgs a i d 3 cliaractcristic dumb show2‘ arc callccl for. a i d tlic iiiiportaiit tlircction appoiiitiiig tlic lortls “to s i t t as Cltortu over the stigc to vcwc die critlc of citcric accidcnt” clcarl y prcstipposcs aii clcvatioii, or gallery, to wliicli acccss is possililc from tlic i i ia i t i playing-arcn. W c may coiiiparc Andrea and R c vcngc, iii T/rc Spmtidt l’rqrtly. scaiccl “to scc tlic tiiistcric, /And scruc for Chorus in this iragcclic.” contrastcd with tlic tlcp.wtiirn aiid rcciitricr o f tlic divine Cliorw iii 77rr Rarc Trirttrrphs dhvc ntrd For/ttiic, aiid in Solytrrnn nttd PcmAn. l’hc dead bdics of Plilcxippiis and Toxciis arc corrcctlybortic ofTtlic rtagc iii Ar t Tlircc;apparciitly tlic body ofMclcngcr rciiiaitis wlicrc i t i s bctwccti Acts Four and Avc.

hcstlirtically. Mrlrtgyr i s iiiirciiinrkablc, o f coiirsc. but onc niry noticc onc rlietorical niglit (nAt~orrrirm/io), Altlica Icaviiig tlic brand “to tlic iiicrcyc o f tlic iiicrcyicnc ficr.” Is tlicrc a corifiisioii bctwcrii I.lcll riicl l4ncla in Act Pow, wlicii Mclcagcr coinplains tliat h i s “tiiiritiiig lirntc . . . stiqtnssccl . . . tlic ficr of PltrtueJ rcgioii”? Protit Coiiti to I)iillfiiicli, I tliiiik, I’liito’s rcgioii i s icy.

I I i c orthography and piiiutiintion of Afclrqcr (notc cspccially tlic varicty of spcllitigs

2 i . ColtliiiR’: crrlicr traiislrtinii of Ovtd (1565) covcrs oiily h e first h i r hooks, riid If Caxtim’r traiishtioti was pitlMiccI, iio copy is nciw kiiow’ii: die iiiiiqiie kpyslaii MS frag- i i i c i i t (not that rccciitly rccovcrcd froill tlic Pliillipps MSS) i i i hct cottiprises nnoks x-xv 0 1 I I y . 23. Afyrhotogy nrrd rltr llniicrmrrc ?indi/krr bt B,gtish k d r y (Miiincsota. 1931; rptd. Ncw

York, 1957), pp. wnt. 24. Uiirciitarkcd by, a i d prcstiiiial~ly unknowii to, Dictcr Melil, 77ic Birnbr/Lnri Dirrtib

Shciit~ (Lotidoti. tgcis), csp. pp. 173-99.

A rlli itr Frccrtrna 1 3 1

for “htnlnii tn”) i s siificirntly irrcpilnr. coiiipnrcd wiih tlic grncc and forninlity of tlic litiitl (virtiinlly iiriblottcd) to siiggcst fair copy, not origiri:il tlraft: perhaps the coniposcr rcqiiirctl t Iiaiidsoriic vcrsioii to cxliibit to his iiitcndcd protliiccrs. Most typical. I think, of tlic kitid of tlociiiiicnt A.Iclrrcgn scciiis to k is tlic truimtioii of tlcscription,act by act.as tlic cvciits uiifold; so that iii Act Onc considcrnblc tlrtnil i s cvokcd, and by Four and Five cx- trridcd nctioiir arc rcdiiccd to hnlf-sriitciicrr, with no rliic to prmntation or cvcn prcs- CIICC. Who, for cxnmplc, particip2tc in tlic “fiiiicrnll Obscqiiics”? Has Thcscus gonc Iioiiic? Acastiis and Yiritlioiu? Oiicc ngtiii wc nrc lcft with tlic iiiiprcssion of a litcrrry dc- sigii, roiiglicd out for fiittire t w as a picrc of thotcr; but with no evidence of its rcalizn- tioii oiic liad bcttcr, I think. tcmi wli;it siirvivcs of A l c h v r an “Arguiiicnt.” most likcl y prrliiiiiiiary to workiiig-oitt, not 311 “Abstract,” with Cli.iiiibcrs, nor, certainly, a spcci- iiicii of thc tlicatrictl “Plot” dcsigirntcd by Grcg.

DOSTON U N I V E R S I T Y