Woman's Plot, The

Massinger, Philip (1621)

Historical Records

Court 1621?

Stationers' Register

09 September 1653 (S.R.II, 1.429 CLIO)

Master Mosely Entred also . . . the severall playes following . . xx^s vj^d

...

The Noble choice, or the orator	}
The wandring lovers or the painter	}
The Italian night-peece, or, the unfortunate piety	}
Alexius, the chast gallant, or The bashfull lover	}
A very woman, or, the woman's plot.	}	by Phill. Massinger.
The Judge, or Believe as you list	}
The Prisoner, or the Faire Anchoress	}
The citie honest man, or the guardian	}
The Spanish Viceroy or the honor of women	}
Minerva's sacrifice, or the forc'd lady	}
The Maids Tragedie, 2d part.

Warburton's list

"The Woman's Plot" appears as the 26th play noted by John Warburton (1682-1759) in his list of the unprinted MS plays allegedly in his collection until destroyed by Warburton’s cook (Greg, "The Bakings of Betsy" 231):

S^t. Geõ. For England by Will. Smithe

The Parliam^t of Love by W^m. Rowley

The Widows Prise C. W^m Sampson

The Inconstant Lady W^m. (sic) Wilson

The Womans Plott Phill. Massinger

See the full list from British Library Lansdowne MS. 807 here.

Theatrical Provenance

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Probable Genre(s)

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Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

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References to the Play

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Critical Commentary

Fleay notes that a play called The Very Woman, or The Prince of Tarent was licensed by Herbert on 06 June 1634 and later published with The Bashful Lover and The Guardian under Massinger's name in 1655. He argues that the 1653 Stationers' Register entry was in error, and that The Very Woman and "The Woman's Plot" are different plays (BCED 1.215).

For What It's Worth

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Works Cited

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