Chinon of England

Anon. (1596)

Historical Records

Rogers and Ley's List (1656)

In Rogers and Ley's list, "An exact and perfect Catologue of all Playes that are Printed", appended to Thomas Goffe's The Careless Shepherd is:

Committy man, Currie.

Cunning Lovers.

Chinon of England.

Theatrical Provenance

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Probable Genre(s)

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Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

S.R. 20 Jan 1595/96: The ffirste part of the famous histories of Chinan of England

Greg (2.178) and others have suggested that the lost play may have been based on Middleton's romance whilst still in MS form.

References to the Play

In his Pleasant notes upon Don Quixot (1654), Edmund Gayton commented on the shortcomings of the English stage, noting: "nor are the incongruities and absurdities of our owne stage any lesse or more excusable, it being a long time us'd to historicall arguments, which could not be dispatched but by Chorus, or the descending of some god, or a Magitian: As in the playes of Bungy, Bacon, and Vandarmast, the three great Negromancers, Dr Faustus, Chinon of England, and the like" (272).

John Taylor, the Water Poet, twice refers to Chinon in the context of other fantastic adventurers, though it is unclear whether he refers to the play or the romance:

For the progresse of Coriat was but a walke in regard of my Shillings perambulations: and if the Inke and Paper-murdering fictions should be true of Amadis de Gaule, Huon, Sir Egre, Beuis, Guy, the Mirrour of Knighthood, the seuen champions, Chinon, Sir Dagonet, Triamore, Launcelet, Don Spatterlash of Toledo, Monseiur Mallegrindo, Knight of the frozen Ile: If it were possible that all their lyes should be true, of the great Trauels of those imaginarie and neuer seene Worthies, yet must they all come short of the praise that is due to my trauelling Twelue-pence. (A shilling or, The trauailes of twelue-pence, sig.A3^v)

...
IN all Ages and Countries, it hath euer bin knowne, that Famous men haue florished, whose worthy Actions, and Eminency of place, haue euer beene as conspicuous Beacons Burning and blazing to the Spectators view: the sparkes & flames whereof hath sometimes kindled Courage in the most coldest and Effeminate Cowards; as Thersites amongst the Grecians, Amadis de Gaule, and Sir Huon of Burdeaux in France: Sir Beuis, Gogmagog, Chinon, Palmerin, Lancelot, & Sir Tristram amongst vs here in England, Sir Degre, Sir Grime, and Sir Gray Steele in Scotland, Don Quixot with the Spaniards, Gargantua almost no where, Sir Dagonet, and Sir Triamore any where... (The great O Toole, sig.A4)

Critical Commentary

Fleay (2.304) thinks that the S.R. entry for Middleton's romance refers to the lost play, but his assertion has been disputed by subsequent critics including Greg (2.178).

For What It's Worth

Gayton also tells us of Chinon's common alternative title, "Chinon of England, or the Foole transform'd" (3), noting that "by both those names that Knight was ever remembred" (87).

Works Cited

Gayton, Edmund. Pleasant notes upon Don Quixot by Edmund Gayton, Esq. 1654.

Middleton, Christopher. The famous historie of Chinon of England with his strange aduentures for the loue of Celestina daughter to Lewis King of Fraunce. VVith the worthy atchiuement of Sir Lancelot du Lake, and Sir Tristram du Lions for fair Laura, daughter to Cador Earle of Cornewall, beeing all knights of King Arthurs round table. By Chr. Middleton. , At London : Printed by Iohn Danter, for Cuthbert Burbie, and are to be sold at his shop by the Royall Exchange, 1597. 1597.

Taylor, John. A shilling or, The trauailes of twelue-pence. 1621.

---. The great O Toole. 1622.

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