Galiaso
Historical Records
Henslowe’s Diary
| F.9 (Greg I.17): |
ye 26 of June 1594 |
ne |
R[d] at galiaso . . . |
iijli iiijs |
| F.9v (Greg I. 18): |
ye 12 of Julye 1594 |
R[d] at galiaso . . . |
xxxxvjs | |
| ye 23 of Julye 1594 |
R[d] at galiaso . . . |
xxxjs | ||
| ye 5 of aguste 1594 |
R[d] at galiaso . . . |
xxiijs vjd | ||
| ye 12 of aguste 1594 |
R[d] at galliaso . . . |
xviijs | ||
| ye 21 of aguste 1594 |
R[d] at galiaso . . . |
xxjs vjd | ||
| F.10 (Greg I. 19): |
ye 10 of septmb[er] 1594 |
R[d] at galiaso . . . |
xxvs | |
| ye 29 of septmb[er] 1594 |
R[d] at galiaso . . . |
xvijs | ||
| F.10v (Greg I. 20): |
ye 25 of octob[er] 1594 |
R[d] at galleaso . . . |
xjs |
Theatrical Provenance
The play is the first “ne” offering by the Admiral’s Men on their return to the Rose in June of 1594 from the 10-day run at Newington.
Probable Genre(s)
Unknown (Harbage)
Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues
(see “For What It's Worth” below)
References to the Play
No contemporary references known.
Critical Commentary
Greg II.165 (Item 45) acknowledges that “[n]othing is known of this play”.
Gurr appears to turn the title of the play into a character’s name and to cast Edward Alleyn in the role with the following sentence: “In the third week of August 1594, for instance, on Monday the 17th they [audiences at the Rose] saw Alleyn as Marlowe’s Lord High Admiral of France, on Tuesday as Tasso, on Wednesday as King Henry I confronting the clown Belin Dun, on Thursday he was the hero of The Ranger’s Comedy, on Friday Galiaso and on Saturday he stalked as the heroic Cutlack” (p. 50). In the Appendix (p. 205) Gurr makes no further conjecture on the subject matter of the play.
For What It's Worth
In the single instance where the play title is spelled as “galleaso” (25 October), Henslowe opens a remote possibility that the Admiral’s Men acquired a play with some connection to a Spanish ship, the defeat of which is celebrated in a ballad by Thomas Deloney (S. R. 10 August, printed 1588). The title of the ballad says it all: “A joyful new Ballad, declaring the happie obtaining of the great Galleazzo, wherein Don Pietro de Valdez was the chiefe, through the mightie power and providence of God, being a speciall token of his gracious and fatherly goodness toward us, to the great encouragement of all those that willingly fight in the defence of his gospel, and our good Queene of England” (to the tune of “Mounseurs Almaigne”). Mann, "Miscellaneous Ballads"
Opening with a call to England to give thanks on its knees for its deliverance from the Spaniards and the Pope of Rome, the ballad describes the rallying cry by “our Lord high Admirall” (l. 20) against the Goliath-like advantage of the enemy ship, which trained its hundred cannons on the plucky English barks. The captain of the galleon, Don Hugo de Moncaldo [Monçada], was killed in the attack by a shot in the head; not a single English ship was lost. The ballad concludes with praise of England, rejoicing that its virgins will not be deflowered by the invaders and its queen not stripped of life and crown. The penultimate stanza addresses the “deare bretheren” [l. 89], who fought so bravely and whom the queen will greet “euery one” [l. 93]. The final stanza is a prayer.
F. O. Mann (p. 597), commenting on Deloney’s ballad, provides a link to Camden, Annalls of Elizabeth, 1625, and its account of the events of 21 July 1588, when Pedro de Valdez’s galleon was taken (pp. 269-70). Mann further provides the link to Camden for a description of the victory over de Monçada’s galleon on 29 July. Mann provides a link also to Froude’s History of England, vol. xii, pp. 396-7, and 414-5.
The spelling (“galleaso”) also suggests stories in Matteo Bandello’s Novelle. The 14th story is entitled “A shrewd device of Duke Galeazzo Sforza to hoodwink one of his councillors, whose wife he enjoyed on Amorous Wise,” and the 35th story, titled “Duke Galeazzo Sforza maketh Cagnuola his privy councillor, finding him just and firm in his judgments.” Still another is called “Galeazzo carries off a damsel from Padua, and then through jealousy kills both her and himself.”
Works Cited
Gurr, Andrew. Shakespeare’s Opposites: The Admiral’s Company 1594-1625. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009. Print.
Mann, Francis Oscar. The Works of Thomas Deloney. Oxford: Clarendon, 1912. Print. Internet Archive
Site created and maintained by Roslyn L. Knutson, Professor Emerita, University of Arkansas at Little Rock; updated, 26 August 2009.,