Square Play, The

Anon. (c.1570-1590)

Historical Records

In 1968, the Bodleian Library acquired a set of papers associated with the Herrick family of Leicstershire. Bodleian MS.Eng.hist./c.476/fol.134 is described, in the library catalogue, simply as a "Prologue to the Square Play". For the catalogue itself see here: [1]. It consists of a prose prologue addressed to an unnamed nobleman in which "poor Amintas" apologies for the entertainment he is about to offer with the aid of his "silly" shepherd boys.

Theatrical Provenance

Acted by schoolboys in front of a nobleman

Probable Genre(s)

Pastoral? (Reference to Amintas) Or not a play at all? (as suggested by Nichols)

Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

None known

References to the Play

None known

Critical Commentary

At first glance, this appeared to be a completely unknown lost play. However, it is listed by Harbage in his Supplementary List II, who dates it 1570-1590, and links it to other records of lost plays in the same collection associated with the Herrick family of Leicestershire. The text of the prologue was published by J.G.N[ichols] in Notes and Queries in 1860. Nichols doubts that the entertainment that followed was necessarily a play, thinking it might merely have been an exhibition of skill with quarterstaves.

For What It's Worth

Information welcome.

Works Cited

N., J. G., "A Prologue to Square Play", Notes and Queries 2nd series 10 (1860) 127-8.

Site created and maintained by Matthew Steggle, Sheffield Hallam University; updated 11 March 2014.