Tis No Deceit to Deceive the Deceiver

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Historical Records

Payments

To playwrights in Philip Henslowe's diary

Fol. 52 (Greg, I.99)

Lente vnto harey Chettell at the Requeste of	}
Robart shawe the 25 of novembʒ in earneste of	} xs
his comodey called tys no deseayt to deseue the	}
desever . . . for mendinge of Roben hood for the corte . . . , ,	}

lent vnto the company the 28 of novembʒ 1598	}
to geue harey cheattell in earneste of hes boocke	} xxs
called tis no desayt to deseaue the deseuer the some	}

Theatrical Provenance

Chettle's play, "'Tis No Deceit to Deceive the Deceiver," was apparently meant to be acquired and staged by the Admiral's men at the Rose in 1598, but the absence of payments in full raise a question about whether the play was completed.

Probable Genre(s)

Comedy? Harbage

Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

The proverbial title suggests a doubling tricking, but no particular anecdote or narrative is also implied.

References to the Play

None known.

Critical Commentary

Malone makes no comment about "'Tis No Deceit to Deceive the Deceiver" (p. 311); Collier muses that "Chettle seems to have had no co-partner," implying that he was more commonly part of a team than a solo dramatist (p. 140, n.1).

Works Cited

Site created and maintained by Roslyn L. Knutson; Last updated by Rlknutson on 29 July 2022 16:29:45