Doctor Lambe and the Witches

Anon. (1634)


Historical Records

A record of this play’s licensing survives in Malone’s transcript of Sir Henry Herbert’s now missing "office book":


"An ould play, with some new scenes, Doctor Lambe and the Witches, to Salisbury Courte, the 16th August, 1634, — £1"
(cited by Bawcutt in Control and Censorship, 189).


One month earlier (on 20 July), actors from the King’s Men had petitioned the Master of the Revels to prohibit an unnamed company’s:


"intermingleing some passages of witches in old playes to ye priudice of their designed Comedy of the Lancashire witches"
(NA LC5/183/148, cited by Bawcutt, 189)


Theatrical Provenance

The King's Revels Company at the Salisbury Court Theatre


Probable Genre(s)

Topical (Harbage), Tragedy (?)


Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

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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

Anon. A briefe description of the notorious life of Iohn Lambe otherwise called Doctor Lambe. Together with his ignominious death. Amsterdam: 1628. EEBO

Bawcutt, N.W. The Control and Censorship of Caroline Drama. Oxford, 1996.

Goldstein, Leba M. “The Life and Death of John Lambe.” Guildhall Studies in London History 4 (1979): 19-32.

McConnell, Anita. “Lambe, John (1545/6 – 1628).” Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Ed. H. C. G. Matthew and Brian Harrison. Oxford: OUP, 2004. Web. ODNB

Parker, Martin. The Tragedy of Doctor Lambe. London, 1628. UCSB English Broadside Ballad Archive

Randolph, Thomas. Poems with the Muses looking-glasse: and Amyntas. Oxford, 1638. EEBO

Rushworth, John. Historical collections of private passages of state Weighty matters in law. Remarkable proceedings in five Parliaments. Beginning the sixteenth year of King James, anno 1618. And ending the fifth year of King Charls, anno 1629. London, 1659. EEBO


Site created and maintained by Christopher Matusiak, updated 17 May 2010.