Marquis d'Ancre

Anon. (1617)

Historical Records

Privy Council Register

Sitting of 22 June 1617

A letter to S^r: George Buck knight, M^r. of the Revells.

Wee are informed that there are certeyne Players or Comedians wee knowe not of what Company, that goe about to play some enterlude concerning the late Marquesse d'Ancre, w^ch for many respectes wee thincke not fitt to be suffered: Wee doe therefore require yo^w vpon yo^r perill to take order that the same be not represented or played in any place about this Citty or ellswhere, where yo^w haue authoritie. And hereof haue yo^w a speciall Care. So &c’./

(PC 2/29, f.55; transcribed in Chambers and Greg, "Privy Council Register" 376)

Theatrical Provenance

<Enter information about which company performed the play, and where/when it was performed, etc.>

Probable Genre(s)

<List possible genres of the play: if noted by a critic, cite them, e.g. "Comedy (Harbage)". If an original speculation, simply list the genre.>

Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

<Enter any information about possible or known sources. Summarise these sources where practical/possible, or provide an excerpt from another scholar's discussion of the subject if available.>

References to the Play

<List any known or conjectured references to the lost play here.>

Critical Commentary

Chambers: In his discussion of The Duchess of Malfi, Chambers mentions the possibility that the extant text of Webster's play may reflect the "purging of the French Court by Louis XIII after the assassination of Marshall d'Ancre on 14 April 1617. It need not be inferred that this is the 'enterlude concerninge the late Marquesse d'Ancre', which the Privy Council ordered the Master of Revels to stay on 22 June 1617" (3.511).

Bentley: "Presumably the play was new when the Privy Council ordered it suppressed. It is noteworthy that the Council does not say that 'Marquis d'Ancre' was the title of the play, but only that it concerned him. [...] It may be that the play is to be identified with one of the many other lost pieces known to us only be some unrevealing title" (5.1371).

For What It's Worth

<Enter any miscellaneous points that may be relevant, but don't fit into the above categories. This is the best place for highly conjectural thoughts.>

Works Cited

Chambers, E.K. and W.W. Greg. "Dramatic Records from the Privy Council Register, 1603-1642." Collections [Volume I], Parts IV & V. The Malone Society. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1911. 370-395.

Site created and maintained by your name, affiliation; updated DD Month YYYY.