Jeweller of Amsterdam
Fletcher, Field, & Massinger (1617)
Historical Records
Stationers' Register
08 April 1654 (S.R.II, 1.445)
| Master Mosely. | Entred . . . A play called, The Jeweller of Amsterdam, or the Hague. | |
| By Mr John Flesher, Nathan Field & Phillip Massinger . . Vjd | ||
Theatrical Provenance
King's Men.
Probable Genre(s)
Tragedy (Harbage); true crime.
Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues
The subject matter of this lost play is almost certainly the murder of John de Wely, a jeweller in Amsterdam, who was robbed and killed by two men associated with the court of Maurice, Prince of Orange at the Hague. The murderers, John de Paris and John de la Vigne, knowing that de Wely had brought precious jewels to the prince, coaxed him into the Chamber and there strangled him to death.
A short pamphlet claiming to publish the murderers' confessions was issued later that same year (1616), and could have furnished the playwrights with material for their tragedy:
Anon. True recitall of the confession of the two murderers John de Paris, and Iohn de la Vigne touching the horrible murder committed vpon the person of Mr. Iohn De Wely, merchant-ieweller of Amsterdam : together with the sentence giuen against them at the court of Holland, at the Hage, the 16. day of May, 1616, and executed vpon them the same day. [S.l. : T. Snodham for N. Bourne, 1616]
References to the Play
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Critical Commentary
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For What It's Worth
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Works Cited
Site created and maintained by David McInnis, University of Melbourne; updated 19 Jan 2016.