Pastoral Tragedy, A
Historical Records
Payments
To playwrights in Philip Henslowe's diary
Fol. 63v (Greg I.110)
Lent vnto Thomas downton the 17 of } July 1599 [in ear] to lend vnto mr chapman } in earneste of a pastrall tragedie the } xxxxs some of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . }
To playwrights in Philip Henslowe's diary (fragment, now British Museum MS. Add. 30262, f. 66)
Greg, I, pp. xlviii-xlix (it is his transcription that is duplicated below); Foakes, p. 266:.
Receaued by me George Chapman for a Pastorall } ending in a Tragedye in part payment the } Sum[me] of fortye shilling[es], this xvijth of July } x [ ] Anno 1599. }
- By me George Chapman
Theatrical Provenance
The Admiral's Men, through their player-sharer Thomas Downton, paid George Chapman in earnest toward a pastoral tragedy in the summer of 1599, as the company played at the Rose and anticipated the arrival of the Chamberlain's Men across Maid Lane at the Globe, which presumably was open for business by August.
Probable Genre(s)
Tragedy (Harbage) Pastoral tragedy Wiggins, Catalogue (#1197)
Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues
None known.
References to the Play
None known.
Critical Commentary
Greg assumed the play was never finished; he notes that this instance is Chapman's last mention in Henslowe's diary (II, #177 p.204). He transcribed the receipt in Chapman's hand, including "x [ ]" as payment (I.xlix).
Foakes did not see the "x" of the payment on the receipt in Chapman's hand. He referred readers to Greg's essay on the fragment, cited below (p. 266).
Wiggins, Catalogue assumes that the play was performed by the Admiral's men at the Rose (#1197).
For What It's Worth
The receipt signed by Chapman is in Chapman's hand, as is his signature.
Works Cited
Site created and maintained by Roslyn L. Knutson, Professor Emerita, University of Arkansas at Little Rock; updated 5 November 2009.