Henry I, Life and Death of
Historical Records
Performance Records
Playlists in Philip Henslowe's diary
Fol. 26v (Greg 1.52)
Maye 1597 |26| . . . ne . . . . tt at harey the firste life & deth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 02|10|01 — 03 — 09
Fol. 27 (Greg 1.53)
Maye 1597 |30| . . . . . . . . . tt at harey the fyrste life & deth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00|19|06 — 00 — 00 June 1597 |8| tt at harey the firste liffe & death. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00|12|06 — 00 — 00 |14| tt at harey the fyrste life & death. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00|14|00 — 00 — 00 |24| tt at harey the firste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00|14|00 — 00 — 00 July 1597 |1| tt at harey the firste. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00|06|01 — 12 — 11
Theatrical Provenance
The Admiral's men performed "Henry I" at the Rose in the late spring of 1597.
Probable Genre(s)
History
Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues
Presumably the playwright/s used such standard historical sources as Holinshed's Chronicles.
References to the Play
None specifically identified.
Critical Commentary
Malone identifies this play by what it is not : it is not some other "Henry" play (vagued identified as "the play already mentioned"), and it is not any of Shakespeare's "Henry" plays (p. 299, n.2). Collier chides Malone for misreading the entry as "Harey the fifte" (p. 88, n. 1). Fleay, BCED renders the title as "The life and death of Harry I" without further comment (2.#195, p. 306).
Greg II (#107, p. 185) and Wiggins, Catalogue #1075 assume that this play was a straightforward biopic. In commentary on "The Famous Wars of Henry I and the Prince of Wales" (Admiral's, May 1598), Geg II supposes that the later play had "some connection" with this 1597 one (#130, p. 191).
For What It's Worth
It is curious that the old play, "Bellendon," is revived on 31 March 1597 and given seven performances that run to 25 June. Was there perhaps a narrative reason in the acquisition and staging of "Henry I"? A lost ballad connects Henry I and the thief, Bellendon:
Tho. Gosson/ Entred for his copie vnder thand of mr warden Cawood, a booke intituled The famous Cronicle of Henrye the first, with the life and death of Bellin Dun the firste thief that ever was hanged in England." (S.R. I, 2.307b/650 CLIO; Greg, BEPD, I.11)
On 14 and 15 June, "Henry I" and "Bellendon" were played in serial order, and the pairing was repeated a week later on 24 and 25 June. Was this scheduling just a coincidence?
Works Cited
Site created and maintained by Roslyn L. Knutson, Professor Emerita, University of Arkansas at Little Rock; updated 15 November 2019.