Page of Plymouth

Ben Jonson, Thomas Dekker (1599)


Historical Records

Henslowe’s Diary

F. 63v (Greg I.110)

Lent vnto wm Borne alles birde the 10 of
aguste 1599 to Lend vnto bengemyne Johnsone
& Thomas deckers in earneste of ther boocke
wch they [are] awrittenge called pagge of p[le]moth the some ... xxxxs


F. 64 (Greg I.111)
Lent vnto wm Birde Thomas downton & Jewbey
the 25 of aguste 1599 to paye in fulle payment
for A Boocke called the lamentable tragedie
of pagge of plemoth the some of ... vjli


Lent vnto Jewbey & thomas towne the 12 of
Septmb[er] 1599 to bye wemen gownes for page
of plemoth the some of ... xli


Theatrical Provenance

These payments were made by members of the Admiral’s Men for their upcoming season at the Rose playhouse. The company moved to the newly built Fortune sometime in the fall of 1600, but in 1599 they were still at the Rose. They had new neighbors: in the fall of 1599 the Chamberlain's Men moved into their newly built playhouse, the Globe, across the street from the Rose on Maid Lane.

Probably Genre(s)

Tragedy (Harbage); Domestic tragedyTaming of a Shrew


Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

A true discourse of a cruel and inhumaine murder, committed vpon M. Padge of Plymouth the 11. Day of February last, 1591, by the consent of his owne wife, and sundry other. The second of two tracts in “Sundrye strange and inhumaine Murthers, lately committed,” 1591. EEBO


“The Lamentation of Master Page’s wife of Plimmouth, who being enforced by her parents to wed him against her will, did most wickedly consent to his murther, for the love of George Strangwidge; for which fact she suffered death at Barstaple in Devonshire. Written with her owne hand, a little before her death. [To the tune of “Fortune, my Foe”] Roxburghe Ballads (archive.org; Vol II, ed Charles Hindley, London: Reeves and Turner, 1874, p. 191)


“The Lamentation of George Strangwidge, who, for consenting to the death of Master Page of Plimmouth, suffered Death at Bar[n]stable” [to the tune of “Fortune”] Roxburghe Ballads (archive.org; Vol II, ed Charles Hindley, London: Reeves and Turner, 1874, p. 196)


“The Sorrowfull Complaint of Mistris Page, for causing her husband to be murdered, for the love of George Strangwidge, who were executed together. Roxburge Ballads (archive.org; Vol II, ed Charles Hindley, London: Reeves and Turner, 1874, p. 199)


References to the Play

None known.

Critical Commentary

<Summarise any critical commentary that may have been published by scholars. Please maintain an objective tone!>


For What It's Worth

<Enter any miscellaneous points that may be relevant, but don't fit into the above categories. This is the best place for highly conjectural thoughts.>


Keywords

<Key words that will help categorise this play.>


Works Cited

<List all texts cited throughout the entry, except those staple texts whose full bibliographical details have been provided in the masterlist of Works Cited found on the sidebar menu.>


Site created and maintained by [your name, affiliation; updated DD Month YYYY].