View source for Fair Spanish Captive, The

{{Play
|dramatists=Anon.
|year=1658
|themes=Captivity; Spain; Women
|probableGenres=Tragicomedy
|documentarySources=Advertisements
|contributors=Matthew Steggle
|partneringInstitutions=University of Bristol
|gregNo=θ158
}}
== Historical Records ==

"The Fair Spanish Captive: a Trage-Comedy" appears in a list of "Books in the Press and Now Printing" which were advertised by the printer Nathaniel Brook in E. Phillips, ''The New World of English Words'' (1658).  This is one of at least ten known advertisements featuring this title.  A fuller extract from the list runs as follows: 

<blockquote>Books in the Presse, and ready for Printing.<br>
1· THE Scales of Commerce and Trade: by T. Wilsford.<br>
2. Geometry demonstrated by Lines and Numbers; from thence, Astronomy, Cosmography, and Navigation proved and delineated by the Do|ctrine of Plaine and Spherical Triangles: by T. Wilsford.<br>
3. The English Annals, from the Invasion made by Julius Cesar to these times: by T. Wilsford.<br>
4. The Fool transformed: a Comedy.<br>
5. The History of Lewis the eleventh King of France: a Trage-Comedy.<br>
6. The chaste woman against her will: a Comedy.<br>
7. The Tooth-drawer: a Comedy.<br>
8. Honour in the end: a Comedy.<br>
9. Tell Tale: a Comedy.<br>
10. The History of Donquixiot, or the Knight of the ill favoured face: a Comedy.<br>
11. The  fair Spanish Captive: a Trage-Comedy.<br>

(Philips, ''The New World of English Words'', 2S4r).

The advertisement runs in similar form in at least ten other publications (found by EEBO-TCP) and is still running in 1661.  


== Theatrical Provenance ==

Unknown

== Probable Genre(s) ==

== Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues ==

Cervantes, ''Novelas Ejemplares''? 

== References to the Play ==

None known 

== Critical Commentary ==

"The advertisements must have been at least premature, for there is no evidence that the play was ever printed, though one would assume that Brook had a manuscript.  Nothing else is known of a play of the title" (Bentley, ''JCS'', 5.1327).

Greg, ''BPED'' 1000-1 comments that the title sounds similar to the lost play The Conqueror's Custom of the Fair Prisoner.  Bentley (''JCS'', 5.1327) warns that "though this sub-title is similar to the one Brook advertised, there is no reason to assume that they represent the same play".

== For What It's Worth ==

== Works Cited ==