England’s First Happiness, or The Life of St. Austin

Anon. (before 1641)

Historical Records

Bentley, 5.1326. Stationers' Register, 15 April 1641. Entered for John Nicholson

three playes, viz^t. A Tragedy called Charles, Duke of Burbon, The Parroiall of Princes & England's first happines, or, the Life of St. Austin... xviii^d.

Theatrical Provenance

unknown

Probable Genre(s)

Neo-miracle? (Harbage); History play

Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

Saint Augustine was the seventh-century Archbishop of Canterbury who converted England to Christianity. What one might call the standard early modern English account of his life is provided by Holinshed, and is itself based on the opening chapters of Book 2 of Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England, conveniently available online and in translation at internet sites including [1].

By putting together the relevant chapter summaries from Book Five of the 1587 version, one arrives at the following epitome of the story told by Holinshed:

Ceolric reigneth ouer the Westsaxons, the Saxons and Britains incounter, Ethelbert king of kent subdueth the English saxons, he is maried to the French kings daughter vpon cautions of religion, the king imbraceth the gospell, Augustine the moonke and others were sent into this Ile to preach the christian faith, the occasion that moued Gregorie the great to send him, buieng and selling of boies, the Englishmen called Angli commended, Ethelbert causeth Augustine and his fellowes to come before him, they preach to the king and his traine, he granteth them a conuenient seat and competent reliefe in Canturburie, the maner of their going thither and their behauiour there, the king and his people receiue the christian faith, and are baptised. The xix. Chapter.

Religion is not to be inforced but perswaded and preached, Augustine is made archbishop of England, Gregorie informeth Augustine of certeine ordinances to be made and obserued in the new English church, as the reuenewes of the church to be diuided into foure parts, of liturgie, of mariage, of ecclesiasticall discipline and ordeining of bishops: trifling questions obiected by Augustine to Gregorie, fellow helpers are sent ouer to assist Augustine in his ministerie, he receiueth his pall, reformation must be doone by little and little, not to glorie in miracles, the effect of Gregories letters to K. Ethelbert after his con|uersion to christianitie. The xx. Chapter.

What reparations and foundations Au|gustine finished for clergimen to the supportation of the church, the building of Paules in London and saint Peters in Westminster vncerteine, a prouinciall councell called by Augustine, he restoreth a blind man to his sight, the Britains are hardlie weaned from their old custome of beliefe, an heremits opinion of Augustine, he requireth three things to be obserued of the Britains, he ordeineth bi|shops at London and Rochester; Sabert reigneth ouer the Eastsaxons, Augu|stine dieth and is buried. The xxj. Chapter.

References to the Play

none known

Critical Commentary

"Nothing is known of a play with this title, or… of any play on the life of St Augustine of Canterbury" (Bentley, 5.1326, summarizing and concurring with Greg, BEPD). Sibley (47) suggests that therefore "perhaps" it was not a play, although this seems to go against the evidence of the record itself. Bentley also observes that "very few plays earlier than the times of James I were entered in the Stationers' Register for the first time in the 1640's".

For What It's Worth

This play was registered along with two other lost plays, The Parroiall (Pareil?) of Princes‎ and Charles, Duke of Bourbon. John Nicholson was not a well-known printer of plays. The only extant play he printed was "J.D."'s The Knave in Grain… acted at the Fortune (1640). Is this a tenuous indication of the possible theatrical provenance of these three lost, anonymous plays?

Works Cited

Site created and maintained by Matthew Steggle 9 March 2010.