Famous Wars of Henry I and the Prince of Wales
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Henry Chettle, Thomas Dekker, and Michael Drayton (1598)
Historical Records
Payments to Playwrights (Henslowe's Diary)
F. 45 (Greg, I.85)
- Lent vnto drayton & cheattell the 13 of marche 1598
- in parte payments of a boocke wher in is a parte of
- a weallche man written wch they have promysed to delyuer
- by the xx day next followinge J saye lent R money ............. } xxxxs
- lent vnto the company to paye drayton & dyckers
- & chetell ther full payment for the boocke called
- the famos wares of henry the first & the prynce
- of walles the some of ........................................ } iiili vs
Payments, Miscellaneous (Henslowe's Diary)
F. 45 (Greg, I.85)
- lent at that tyme vnto the company for to spend
- at the Readynge of that boocke at the sonne in
- new fyshstreate ................................................. } vs
Theatrical Provenance
Having paid for the play in full in March 1598, the Admiral's company most likely mounted a production in late spring, following the collective reading by 25 March at the Sun on New Fish Street.
Probable Genre(s)
History (Harbage, Wiggins)
Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues
Wiggins specifies Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland, either in the 1577 or 1587 edition, as well as (possibly) other chronicle sources (#1114).
References to the Play
None known.
Critical Commentary
Fleay did not comment on the possible narrative of the play but did suggest it might be the same as Welchmans price, a play title listed in Henslowe's inventory of books belonging to the Admiral's men, 3 March 1598 (Greg, Papers, 121). Flea calls the t
Greg assumed that the play addressed the conflicts of Henry I with either Gruffydd ab Rhys, Prince of South Wales, or Gruffydd ab Cynan, Prince of North Wales (II.191-2, #130). He was inclined to follow Fleay's lead in identifying it with The Welshman's Prize
For What It's Worth
Works Cited
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