Richard Whittington

Historical Records

Stationers' Register

8 February 1605


Tho. Pavyer.	Entred for his copy. vnder thandes of the
	Wardens. The history of Ric Whittington
	of his lowe byrthe. of ~~his lowe byrthe~~	vj^d
	his great fortune as yt was plaied by the
	prynces servantes

(Book C, fol. 119v, Records, reel 2; cf. Arber 3.282)

Theatrical Provenance

Prince Henry's at the Fortune.

Probable Genre(s)

Psuedo-History (Harbage)

Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

The play was surely based on the story of Richard Whittington (c. 1350–1423), the celebrated merchant, philanthropist, and mayor of London. An entry by John Wright in the Stationers' Register for "A ballad, called. The vertuous Lyfe and memorable death of S^r Ri: Whittington mercer sometymes Lo. Maior of the honorable Citie of London" is dated 16 July 1605 (Book C, fol. 126v, Records, reel 2; cf. Arber 3.296).

References to the Play

**Beaumont, The Knight of the Burning Pestle (1607)**

Cit. No sir, yes sir, if you were not resolu'd to play the Iacks, what need you study for new subiects, purposely to abuse your betters? why could not you be contented, as well as others, with the legend of Whittington, or the life & death of sir Thomas Gresham? with the building of the Royall Exchange? or the story of Queene Elenor, with the rearing of London bridge vpon wool-sackes? (sig. B-Bv)

Critical Commentary

For What It's Worth

Possible References

Heywood, If You Know Not Me, You Know Nobody, Part Two (1605)

Now: This sir Richard Whitington three times Maior,

Sonne to a Knight, and Prentise to a Mercer,

Began the Librarie of Gray-Friars in London;

And his Executors after him did build

Whittington Colledge, thirteene Almes-houses for poore men,

Repair'd S. Bartholmewes in Smithfield,

Glased the Guild-hall, and built Newgate.

Hob. Bones of mee then I haue heard lyes,

For I haue heard he was a scullion,

And rai'sd himselfe by venture of a Cat.

Now: They did the more wrong to the gentleman.

Part 2 entered in Stationers' Register on 14 September 1605 (Arber 3.301). See The Knight of the Burning Pestle below. As Bowers notes, Dean Nowell's description of Whittington closely follows Stow's antiquarian account, whereas Hobson's contribution represents the popular myth (34, 38n).

Chapman, Jonson, and Marston, Eastward Hoe (1605)

I cannot containe my selfe, I must tell thee, I hope to see thee one o'the Monuments of our Citty, and reckon'd among her worthies, to be remembred the same day with the Lady Ramsey, and graue Gresham: when the famous fable of Whittington, and his Pusse, shalbe forgotten, and thou and thy Actes become the Posies for Hospitals, when thy name shall be written vpon Conduits, and thy deeds plaid i'thy life time, by the best companies of Actors, and be call'd their Get-peny. This I diuine. This I Prophecie. (sig. G2v)

Entered in the Stationers' Register 4 September 1605 (Arber 3.300). The play was performed in late July or August of 1605, a response to Westward Ho. The combination of Gresham and Whittington appears in The Knight of the Burning Pestle.

Dekker, The Seuen Seadly Sinnes of London (1606)

"Prouidence was but of meane birth, the ladder by which he climbd to such high fortunes, as to be a councellor to Money, being made by himselfe, much giuen to study, yet no great scholler, as desiring rather to be free of the City, then to serue a long threed-bare Prentiship in the Uniuersities. He is rarely seene in Minerals, and distillations, and will draw Aurum potabile, or fetch quick-siluer out of horse-dung, he will grow rich, and be in time the head warden of a company, though he were left by his friends but three shillings three pence stocke to set vp, such another he was as Whittington, a very cat shall raise him if he be set vpont" (sig. D3v)

Works Cited

Beaumont, Francis. The Knight of the Burning Pestle. London, 1613.

Bowers, Rick. "Dick Whittington, Stow's Survey, and 'Catte Street'," ELN 43 (2005): 33-39.

Chapman, George, Ben Jonson, and John Marston. Eastward Hoe. London, 1605.

Dekker, Thomas. The Seuen Seadly Sinnes of London. London, 1606.

Heywood, Thomas. The Second Part of, If You Know Not Me, You Know No Bodie. London, 1606.

Records of the Worshipful Company of Stationers, 1554–1920. Ed. Robin Myers. Microfilm. 115 reels. Cambridge: Chadwyck-Healey, 1985.

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