Vortigern: Difference between revisions

 
(78 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{|cellpadding="5" border="0" class="wikitable"
{{Play
|- valign="top"
|dramatists=Anon. Play Titles A
|[[Anon.]] ([[1596]])
|year=1596
|<span style="color:white;"> ………|
|venue=Rose
|[[image:artwhogroot.gif|link=http://www.vortigernstudies.org.uk/artwho/artwho.htm]]
|company=Admiral's
|-
|probableGenres=History
|
|documentarySources=Performance Records (Henslowe's Diary)
|
|wigginsNo=1048
|<small>''Vortigern Studies'' ([http://www.vortigernstudies.org.uk/artwho/artwho.htm "Who Was Vortigern?"])</small>
|gregNo=II, p. 181, #95
|}
}}
==Historical Records==


===Performance Records ===


==Historical Records==
==== Playlists in Philip Henslowe's diary ====


<br>
Fol. 25<sup>v</sup> ([http://www.archive.org/stream/henslowesdiary00unkngoog#page/n110/mode/1up Greg, I. 50])
<br>


===''Henslowe's Diary''===
::{| {{table}}
| y<sup>e</sup> 4 of desembʒ 1596||ne ……….||R''es'' at valteger||……….||l<sup>s</sup>
|-
| y<sup>e</sup> 8 of desembʒ 1596||……….||R''es'' at valteger||……….||xxxv<sup>s</sup>
|-
| y<sup>e</sup> 16 of desembʒ 1596||……….||R''es'' at valteger||……….||xxxv<sup>s</sup>
|-
| y<sup>e</sup> 21 of desembʒ 1596||……….||R''es'' at valteger||……….||xxv<sup>s</sup>
|-
| y<sup>e</sup> 24 of desembʒ 1596||……….||R''es'' at valteger||……….||xij<sup>s</sup>
|-
| y<sup>e</sup> 3[0]9 of desembʒ 1596||……….||R''es'' at valteger||……….||xxij<sup>s</sup>
|-
| y<sup>e</sup> 1 of Jenewary 1596||……….||R''es'' at valteger||……….||xxxxv<sup>s</sup>
|-
| y<sup>e</sup> [7]8 of Janewary 1596||……….||R''es'' at valteger||……….||xij<sup>s</sup>
|-
| y<sup>e</sup> 21 of Janewary 1597||……….||R''es'' at valteger||……….||xijs<sup>s</sup>
|}
<br>
<br>


'''Payments for the playbook'''
Fol. 26 ([http://www.archive.org/stream/henslowesdiary00unkngoog#page/n110/mode/2up Greg, I. 51])
<br>
:Under the heading, "Jn the name of god amen begininge the 25 of novembʒ 1596 as foloweth the lord admerall players":


::{| {{table}}
| ffebreary|||||||||||||||
|-
| 1597|||||||||||||||
|-
| ||||||||||||||||
|-
||| |||<nowiki>|5|</nowiki>||| ||ne..||||tt at valteger. . . . . . . . . . |||||01|09|05-13-09
|-
||||||||||||||||
|-
||||||||||||||||
|-
| begynyng in leant||||||||||||||||
|-
| march 1597||||||||||||||||
|-
| ||||||||||||||||
|-
| || |||<nowiki>|12|</nowiki>||| |||||| tt at valteger. . . . . . . . . . |||||00|18|09-01-04
|-
||||||||||||||||
|-
| |||||||||||||||
|-
| Easter mvnday|| |||<nowiki>|28|</nowiki>||| ||||||||||||||
|-
| twesday|| |||<nowiki>|29|</nowiki>||| ||||||||||||||
|-
| wensday|| |||<nowiki>|30|</nowiki>||| ||||||||||||
|-
| m<sup>r</sup> pd|||||<nowiki>|31|</nowiki>||| ||||||||||||||
|-
| Aprelle 1597||||||||||||||||
|-
| |||||<nowiki>|2|</nowiki>|||||||||tt at valteger. . . . . . . . . |||||00|04|01-01-00
|-
|
|}
<br><br>


'''Payments for apparel'''
=== Payments ===
 
[[category:Inventories]]
'''F. 22<sup>v</sup> ([http://www.archive.org/stream/henslowesdiary00unkngoog#page/n104/mode/1up Greg, i. 44]).'''
==== Miscellaneous expenses in Philip Henslowe's diary ====
<br>
Fol. 22<sup>v</sup> ([http://www.archive.org/stream/henslowesdiary00unkngoog#page/n104/mode/1up Greg, I. 44]).
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
:::lente vnto my lord admerall players at several
:::::{|
:::tymes in Redey money as foloweth 1596
|-
| lente vnto my lord admerall players at several
|-
| tymes in Redey money as foloweth 1596
|-
|}
<br>
<br>
:lent vnto Jeames donstall for to by thinges for the
:playe of valteger …………… v<sup>li</sup>


:lent vnto marten slater to by coper lace & frenge for
:::{|
:the playe of valteger the 2[9]8 of novemb''er'' 1596 ………… xxxx<sup>s</sup>
|-
| lent vnto Jeames donstall for to by thinges for the ||}
|-
| playe of valteger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .||} v<sup>li</sup>
|-
|}
:::{|
|-
| lent vnto marten slater to by coper lace & frenge for ||}
|-
| the playe of valteger the 2[9]8 of novemb''er'' 1596 . . . ||}xxxx<sup>s</sup>
|-
|}
:::{|
|-
| lent vnto marten slater the 29 of novemb''er'' 1596 to by for the play ||}
|-
| of valteger lace & other things . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .||} xxv<sup>s</sup>
|-
|}
<br>


:lent vnto marten slater the 29 of novemb''er'' 1596 to by for the play
:of valteger lace & other things ……… xxv<sup>s</sup>


==== Purchase of the play from Edward Alleyn in Philip Henslowe's diary ====
<br>
Fol. 95 [http://www.archive.org/stream/henslowesdiary00unkngoog#page/n210/mode/2up (Greg, I. 151)]
<br>




:::{|
|-
| pd at the apoyntment of the company uvto||}
|-
| my sonne E Alleyn for a Boocke called [m]vorti[m]ger ||} xxxx<sup>s</sup>
|-
| the 20 of november <the> 1601 the some of . . . . . . . . . . ||}
|-
|}
<br><br>


=== Inventories ===


==== Philip Henslowe's papers in the Dulwich College Library ====


NB: the entry of "henges" (regularized to "Hengist" by Greg (2.180) and Foakes (341) is taken to be yet another performance of ''Vortigern''.
===== List of apparel =====
<br>
Under the heading, ''The Enventary of all the aparell for my '' Lord Admiralles men, ''taken the '' 10 ''of march 1598.— Leaft above in the tier-house in the cheast'' ([http://www.archive.org/stream/henslowepapersbe00hensuoft#page/116/mode/1up Greg, ''Papers'', APX. I, art. 1, p. 116, l. 51]).


==Theatrical Provenance==
::''Item'', j payer of hosse, & a gercken for Valteger.
<br>
Under the heading, ''The Enventorey of all the aparell of the '' Lord Admeralles men, ''taken the '' 13<sup>''th''</sup> ''of Marche '' 1598, ''as followeth:'' ([http://www.archive.org/stream/henslowepapersbe00hensuoft#page/118/mode/2up Greg, ''Papers'', APX. I, art. 1, p. 119, ll. 106, 121])


<Enter information about which company performed the play, and where/when it was performed, etc.>
::''Item'', Vartemar sewtte.
::''Item'', Valteger robe of rich tafitie.
<br><br>


==Theatrical Provenance==
<br>
"Valteger" was performed by the Admiral's players at the Rose, 1596-7. It was given thirteen performances and returned receipts of 23s. to Henslowe on average.  If the play called "henges" by Henslowe is a fourteenth performance of "Valteger," the play returned an additional sum (additional sum uncertain because of Henslowe's opaque accounting system in June 1597). The play was probably revived at the Fortune shortly after November 1601, at which time the company purchased the script from Edward Alleyn.
[[image:artwhogroot.gif|link=http://www.vortigernstudies.org.uk/artwho/artwho.htm|right|frame|<small>Image by Robert Vermaat, from Lambeth Palace Library MS6, folio 43<sup>v</sup> ([http://www.vortigernstudies.org.uk/artwho/artwho.htm Vortigern Studies])</small>]]


<br><br>


==Probable Genre(s)==
==Probable Genre(s)==
 
<br>
<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.>
History ([[WorksCited|Harbage]])
 
<br>
 
<br>


==Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues==
==Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues==
 
<br>
<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.>
The website, ''Vortigern Studies'' ([http://www.vortigernstudies.org.uk/vortigernhomepage.htm Vermaat]), provides a substantial amount of information about Vortigern and his times.
 
<br><br>
 


==References to the Play==
==References to the Play==
 
<br>
<List any known or conjectured references to the lost play here.>
Information welcome.
 
<br><br>
 


==Critical Commentary==
==Critical Commentary==
 
<br>
<Summarise any critical commentary that may have been published by scholars. Please maintain an objective tone!>
[[WorksCited|Malone]] makes no comment on Henslowe's "henges" on 22 June (p. 299). [[WorksCited|Collier]] notes the absence of "ne" and considers that it might be "an old play ... [with] a new name"; he suggests that name might be "Hengist" (p. 89, n. 1).
<br>
[[WorksCited|Fleay, ''BCED'']] linked the name, "Henges," to a much later play by Thomas Middleton, ''The Mayor of Quinborough'', which he suggests is "an alteration" of the Admiral's play; Fleay further makes the connection of "Henges" with "the "Vortiger" of 1596" (2.#43, p. 104).
<br>
[[WorksCited|Greg II]] considered "Vortigern" to be the "henges" on 22 June 1597, but he was dubious about its having a connection to the much later play, ''Hengist King of Kent'' by Thomas Middleton ([http://www.archive.org/stream/henslowesdiary02hensuoft#page/180/mode/2up #95, p. 181]).
<br><br>
'''Gurr''' sees no reason to connect "Vortigern" with Middleton's play "unless Middleton chose to rewrite this older play in about 1615 for the King's Men" (223n).
<br><br>
'''White''' considers "Vortigern" an "'Arthurian play' because Arthur's father, Uther Pendragon, figures significantly in all versions of the title character's career" (151). White associates "Vortigern" with "[[Uther Pendragon]]" as a narrative and theatrical serial. In the story, Vortigern is vanquished by Uther Pendragon and his brother (Aurelius), who thus reclaim their father's throne. On stage, the plays are sequenced as follows: "Vortigern" retires on 2 May 1597, "[[Uther Pendragon]]" debuts on 29 May, and "Vortigern" reappears (as "henges") on 22 June, on the heels of Henslowe's last recorded performance of "[[Uther Pendragon]]" on 13 June.
<br><br>
[[WorksCited|Wiggins, ''Catalogue'']] explores the possibility that the "Fierdrackes sewtes for Dobe" ([https://archive.org/details/cu31924026119705/page/n131 [[WorksCited|Greg, ''Papers'']], APX. I, art. 1, p. 114]) were for "Vortigern" (#1048).
<br><br>
<br><br>
See also [[WorksCited|Wiggins]] serial number 1048.
<br><br><br>


==For What It's Worth==
==For What It's Worth==
<br>
The entry of "henges," regularized to "Hengist" by [[WorksCited|Greg II]] (#109, p. 185) and Foakes (p. 341), is taken to be yet another performance of "Vortigern." '''White''' agrees (p. 152).


<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.>
<br>


Fol. 27  [http://www.archive.org/stream/henslowesdiary00unkngoog#page/n112/mode/2up (Greg, 1. 53)]
<br><br>


::::{| {{table}}
| midsomer|||||||||||||||
|-
| daye|||||||||||||||
|-
| ||||||||||||||||
|-
||| |||<nowiki>|22|</nowiki>|||||tt at henges. . . . . . . . . . |||||00|06|00-11-06
|-
|
|}
<br>
The item, "Vartemar sewtte," in Henslowe's inventory for 13 March 1598 has been read as "Valteger's suit" ([http://www.archive.org/stream/henslowepapersbe00hensuoft#page/118/mode/2up [[WorksCited|Greg, ''Papers'']], APX. I, art.1, p. 119, l. 106]), though it may have belonged to Vortigern's son Vortimer, if he had a role in the play.
<br>
<br>


==Works Cited==
==Works Cited==
 
<br>
''Vortigern Studies'' ([http://www.vortigernstudies.org.uk/vortigernhomepage.htm Web])
<div style="padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em">Gurr, Andrew. ''Shakespeare’s Opposites: The Admiral’s Company 1594-1625''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em">Vermat, Robert, Webmaster. ''Vortigern Studies'' ([http://www.vortigernstudies.org.uk/vortigernhomepage.htm Web])</div>
<div style="padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em;">White, Paul Whitfield. "The Admiral's Lost Arthurian Plays," in David McInnis and Matthew Steggle, ed. ''Lost Plays in Shakespeare's England''. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2014. 148-62.</div>


<br><br>
<br><br>
 
Site created and maintained by [[Roslyn L. Knutson]], Professor Emerita, University of Arkansas at Little Rock; created 2 March 2013; updated, 6 December 2019.
Site created and maintained by [[your name]], affiliation; updated DD Month YYYY.
[[category:all]][[category:Roslyn L. Knutson]][[category:Henslowe's records]][[category:English history]][[category:Plays]][[category:Update]][[category:Admiral's]]
[[category:all]]
[[category:Rose]][[category:Fortune]][[category:Costumes]][[category:Holinshed]]

Latest revision as of 14:16, 4 October 2022

Anon. Play Titles A (1596)Property "Paratext" (as page type) with input value "{{{paratexts}}}" contains invalid characters or is incomplete and therefore can cause unexpected results during a query or annotation process.Property "Contributor" (as page type) with input value "{{{contributors}}}" contains invalid characters or is incomplete and therefore can cause unexpected results during a query or annotation process.Property "Partnering Institution" (as page type) with input value "{{{partneringInstitutions}}}" contains invalid characters or is incomplete and therefore can cause unexpected results during a query or annotation process.

Historical Records

Performance Records

Playlists in Philip Henslowe's diary


Fol. 25v (Greg, I. 50)

ye 4 of desembʒ 1596 ne ………. Res at valteger ………. ls
ye 8 of desembʒ 1596 ………. Res at valteger ………. xxxvs
ye 16 of desembʒ 1596 ………. Res at valteger ………. xxxvs
ye 21 of desembʒ 1596 ………. Res at valteger ………. xxvs
ye 24 of desembʒ 1596 ………. Res at valteger ………. xijs
ye 3[0]9 of desembʒ 1596 ………. Res at valteger ………. xxijs
ye 1 of Jenewary 1596 ………. Res at valteger ………. xxxxvs
ye [7]8 of Janewary 1596 ………. Res at valteger ………. xijs
ye 21 of Janewary 1597 ………. Res at valteger ………. xijss


Fol. 26 (Greg, I. 51)

Under the heading, "Jn the name of god amen begininge the 25 of novembʒ 1596 as foloweth the lord admerall players":
ffebreary
1597
|5| ne.. tt at valteger. . . . . . . . . . 01|09|05-13-09
begynyng in leant
march 1597
|12| tt at valteger. . . . . . . . . . 00|18|09-01-04
Easter mvnday |28|
twesday |29|
wensday |30|
mr pd |31|
Aprelle 1597
|2| tt at valteger. . . . . . . . . 00|04|01-01-00



Payments

Miscellaneous expenses in Philip Henslowe's diary


Fol. 22v (Greg, I. 44).

lente vnto my lord admerall players at several
tymes in Redey money as foloweth 1596


lent vnto Jeames donstall for to by thinges for the }
playe of valteger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . } vli
lent vnto marten slater to by coper lace & frenge for }
the playe of valteger the 2[9]8 of november 1596 . . . }xxxxs
lent vnto marten slater the 29 of november 1596 to by for the play }
of valteger lace & other things . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . } xxvs



Purchase of the play from Edward Alleyn in Philip Henslowe's diary


Fol. 95 (Greg, I. 151)


pd at the apoyntment of the company uvto }
my sonne E Alleyn for a Boocke called [m]vorti[m]ger } xxxxs
the 20 of november <the> 1601 the some of . . . . . . . . . . }



Inventories

Philip Henslowe's papers in the Dulwich College Library

List of apparel


Under the heading, The Enventary of all the aparell for my Lord Admiralles men, taken the 10 of march 1598.— Leaft above in the tier-house in the cheast (Greg, Papers, APX. I, art. 1, p. 116, l. 51).

Item, j payer of hosse, & a gercken for Valteger.


Under the heading, The Enventorey of all the aparell of the Lord Admeralles men, taken the 13th of Marche 1598, as followeth: (Greg, Papers, APX. I, art. 1, p. 119, ll. 106, 121)

Item, Vartemar sewtte.
Item, Valteger robe of rich tafitie.



Theatrical Provenance


"Valteger" was performed by the Admiral's players at the Rose, 1596-7. It was given thirteen performances and returned receipts of 23s. to Henslowe on average. If the play called "henges" by Henslowe is a fourteenth performance of "Valteger," the play returned an additional sum (additional sum uncertain because of Henslowe's opaque accounting system in June 1597). The play was probably revived at the Fortune shortly after November 1601, at which time the company purchased the script from Edward Alleyn.

Image by Robert Vermaat, from Lambeth Palace Library MS6, folio 43v (Vortigern Studies)



Probable Genre(s)


History (Harbage)

Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues


The website, Vortigern Studies (Vermaat), provides a substantial amount of information about Vortigern and his times.

References to the Play


Information welcome.

Critical Commentary


Malone makes no comment on Henslowe's "henges" on 22 June (p. 299). Collier notes the absence of "ne" and considers that it might be "an old play ... [with] a new name"; he suggests that name might be "Hengist" (p. 89, n. 1).
Fleay, BCED linked the name, "Henges," to a much later play by Thomas Middleton, The Mayor of Quinborough, which he suggests is "an alteration" of the Admiral's play; Fleay further makes the connection of "Henges" with "the "Vortiger" of 1596" (2.#43, p. 104).
Greg II considered "Vortigern" to be the "henges" on 22 June 1597, but he was dubious about its having a connection to the much later play, Hengist King of Kent by Thomas Middleton (#95, p. 181).

Gurr sees no reason to connect "Vortigern" with Middleton's play "unless Middleton chose to rewrite this older play in about 1615 for the King's Men" (223n).

White considers "Vortigern" an "'Arthurian play' because Arthur's father, Uther Pendragon, figures significantly in all versions of the title character's career" (151). White associates "Vortigern" with "Uther Pendragon" as a narrative and theatrical serial. In the story, Vortigern is vanquished by Uther Pendragon and his brother (Aurelius), who thus reclaim their father's throne. On stage, the plays are sequenced as follows: "Vortigern" retires on 2 May 1597, "Uther Pendragon" debuts on 29 May, and "Vortigern" reappears (as "henges") on 22 June, on the heels of Henslowe's last recorded performance of "Uther Pendragon" on 13 June.

Wiggins, Catalogue explores the possibility that the "Fierdrackes sewtes for Dobe" (Greg, Papers, APX. I, art. 1, p. 114) were for "Vortigern" (#1048).

For What It's Worth


The entry of "henges," regularized to "Hengist" by Greg II (#109, p. 185) and Foakes (p. 341), is taken to be yet another performance of "Vortigern." White agrees (p. 152).


Fol. 27 (Greg, 1. 53)

midsomer
daye
|22| tt at henges. . . . . . . . . . 00|06|00-11-06


The item, "Vartemar sewtte," in Henslowe's inventory for 13 March 1598 has been read as "Valteger's suit" (Greg, Papers, APX. I, art.1, p. 119, l. 106), though it may have belonged to Vortigern's son Vortimer, if he had a role in the play.

Works Cited


Gurr, Andrew. Shakespeare’s Opposites: The Admiral’s Company 1594-1625. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.
Vermat, Robert, Webmaster. Vortigern Studies (Web)
White, Paul Whitfield. "The Admiral's Lost Arthurian Plays," in David McInnis and Matthew Steggle, ed. Lost Plays in Shakespeare's England. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2014. 148-62.



Site created and maintained by Roslyn L. Knutson, Professor Emerita, University of Arkansas at Little Rock; created 2 March 2013; updated, 6 December 2019.