Friar Rush and the Proud Woman of Antwerp

Henry Chettle, John Day, William Haughton (1602)

Historical Records

Henslowe’s Diary

Henslowe's record of the play's composition between July 1601 and January 1602 indicates an eventual emphasis the "Proud Woman" over "Friar Francis":

Lent vnto John daye and w^m hawghton at the

a poyntmente of Robert shawe in earnest of a

Boocke called fryer Rushe & the prowde womon

the some of ^{the 4 day of July} . . . . . . xx^s

(F.91, Greg I.143)

Lent vnto Robert shawe the 14 of July

1601 to geue vnto w^m hawghton & John daye

in earneste of a Boocke called the prowde

womon of anwarpe ^ ^{frier Rushe} the some of . . . . . . xxx^s

(F.91^v, Greg I.144)

dd vnto w^m hawghton at the apoyntment

of Samwell Rowlley the 31 of septmbr 1601

pt of payment of a Boocke called the prowde

woman of anwarpe the some of . . . . . . x^s

(F.94, Greg I.149)

Lent vnto Samwell Rowley by the apoyntment

of the companye the 9of novmbr 1601 to paye vnto

w^m hawghton for his boocke of the prowd

womon of anwarppe the some of . . . . . . xx^s

(F.94^v, Greg I.150)

Lent vnto Samwell Rowlley the 29 of nvmbr

1601 to paye w^m hawghton in full paye for his

playe called the prowd womon of anwarp the

some of . . . . . . xx^s

(F.95, Greg I.151)

Lent vnto Robert shawe the 21 of

Janewary [1602] to geue vnto harey

cheattell for mendinge of the Boocke

called the prowde womon the some of . . . . . . x^s

(F.104, Greg I.164)

Theatrical Provenance

Henslowe commissioned the play for the Admiral's Men at the recently built Fortune playhouse.A play entitled "The Godly Woman of Antwerp" was acted by John Greene and Robert Browne’s traveling English company in Graz in 1608. Given the ties of these players to the Admiral's Men, this may refer to a version of Day and Haughton’s play (Morris 18).

Probable Genre(s)

Comedy / Satire

Works Consulted

Morris, Irene. "A Hapsburg Letter." Modern Language Review 69.1 (1974) 12-22.

Site created and maintained by Christopher Matusiak, updated 29 June 2011.