Woman's Plot, The: Difference between revisions

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===Payments for Court Performance===
===Payments for Court Performance===
<br>
:'''Chamber Accounts, Payments to Players, etc'''


That "The Woman's Plot" by Massinger was performed at Whitehall by the King's company on 05 November 1621 is confirmed by the following sources:
:Item 149a (Cook 76):
:<blockquote>To Iohn Hemyngs in the behalfe of himselfe and the rest of his fellowes his Ma<sup>t''e''</sup> sevaunts for presenting sixe severall Plaies before his Ma<sup>tie</sup> by warr<sup>t</sup> of the xxvij<sup>th</sup> of Marche 1622 ..... lx<sup>li</sup></blockquote>
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====Chamber Accounts, Payments to Players, etc====
:'''Inner Temple Library MS 515, no.7'''


Item 149a (Cook 76):
:This Inner Temple Library MS, found by Murray [https://archive.org/stream/englishdramaticc02murruoft#page/192/mode/2up (''English Dramatic Companies'' 2.193)], adds detail to the Chamber Accounts payment above:
<blockquote>To Iohn Hemyngs in the behalfe of himselfe and the rest of his fellowes his Ma<sup>t''e''</sup> sevaunts for presenting sixe severall Plaies before his Ma<sup>tie</sup> by warr<sup>t</sup> of the xxvij<sup>th</sup> of Marche 1622 ..... lx<sup>li</sup></blockquote>


====Inner Temple Library MS 515, no.7====
:<blockquote>27 Marcii.  A warrant for allowance of lx<sup>li</sup> to John Hemmings and his fellowes the Kings Ma<sup>ts</sup> Players for 6 plaies vizt The womas Plott plaid before his Mat<sup>ie</sup> 5<sup>o</sup> Novembris last, The Woman is to Hard for him 26<sup>o</sup> of the same Monethe, The Island Princes vppon St Stephens day The Pilgrim on new yeares day, The Wildgoose Chase the xxiiii of Januarie, The Coxcombe the 5 of this instant Marche</blockquote>
 
<br>
This Inner Temple Library MS, found by Murray [https://archive.org/stream/englishdramaticc02murruoft#page/192/mode/2up (''English Dramatic Companies'' 2.193)], adds detail to the Chamber Accounts payment above:
<br>
 
===King's Men repertory list (1641)===
<blockquote>27 Marcii.  A warrant for allowance of lx<sup>li</sup> to John Hemmings and his fellowes the Kings Ma<sup>ts</sup> Players for 6 plaies vizt The womas Plott plaid before his Mat<sup>ie</sup> 5<sup>o</sup> Novembris last, The Woman is to Hard for him 26<sup>o</sup> of the same Monethe, The Island Princes vppon St Stephens day The Pilgrim on new yeares day, The Wildgoose Chase the xxiiii of Januarie, The Coxcombe the 5 of this instant Marche</blockquote>
<br>
On 7 August 1641, the Earl of Essex (now Lord Chamberlain) required the Stationers' Company to forbid the printing of King's Men plays without the company's consent (the desire to protect their plays having been occasioned by the onset of plague and the consequent closure of the theatres from 5 August til the end of November 1641) (Bentley 1.65).
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<br>
The list of plays specified includes "The womans Plott".
<br>
<br>
===Lord Chamberlain's office-books===
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<br>
On 7 August 1641, the Earl of Essex (now Lord Chamberlain) required the Stationers' Company to forbid the printing of King's Men plays without the company's consent (the desire to protect their plays having been occasioned by the onset of plague and the consequent closure of the theatres from 5 August til the end of November 1641) (Bentley 1.65). The list of plays specified includes "The womans Plott":
'''[[King's Men repertory list (1641)|(See the list in full here)]]'''
 
<br>[[category:King's Men repertory list (1641)]]
<blockquote>
...The particulars to which they now lay claime are contained in a List inclosed, and if any of those Playes shall bee offered to y<sup>e</sup> Presse vnder another name then is in the List expressed, I shall desire yo<sup>r</sup> care that they may not bee defrauded by that meanes but that they may bee made acquainted w<sup>th</sup> it, before they bee recorded in y<sup>r</sup> Hall & soe haue Oportunity to shew their right vnto them. ...<br>
:::A List of y<sup>e</sup> Playes followes
{| {{table}}
| The wild goose chase||Bunduca.||The discontented Colonell
|-
| The litle french Lawyer.||The inconstant Lady||The Brothers
|-
| The Loyall subject.||Chances||Mineruae's sacrifice
|-
| The spanish Curat.||The maid of the Mill||The Iudge.
|-
| The martiall maide||The Bridegroome & y<sup>e</sup> Madma||The Citty madam.
|-
| Beauty in a Trance||The Queene of Corinth||The Corporall.
|-
| The forc'd Lady||The Coxcombe||Alfonso Emper<sup>or</sup> of Germany
|-
| Alexius||The noble gentleman||The Nobleman.
|-
| The Custom o'th Cuntry||Beggars||The bashfull Louer
|-
| The double marriage||The honest mans fortune||Loue & honor.
|-
| A wife for a moneth||The vnfortunate Louers||The 1<sup>st</sup> & 2<sup>nd</sup> pt of ye Passiont louer
|-
| The Island Princes||The faire fauorite||The Guardian.
|-
| The mad Louer.||The Emperour Valentinian||The Duke of Lerma or y<sup>e</sup> spanish Duke.
|-
| The Pilgrim||The Goblins||The Prophetesse
|-
| The Maior of Quinborow & ||The distresses||The Louers Pilgrimage
|-
| '''The womans Plott'''||The doubtfull heire||The Louers Progresse
|-
| The womans prize &c||The Imposture||News from Plimouth.
|-
| The Switzar.||The Country Captaine||
|-
| More dissemblers beside women||||
|-
| The widow||||
|-
| The kn<sup>t</sup> of Malta||||
|-
| The Nouella||||
|-
| The Louesick maid||||
|-
| The Captaine||||
|-
| The humerous Lieuetennt||||
|}
</blockquote>
(from Bentley 1.65-66)
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===Stationers' Register===
===Stationers' Register===
[[category:S.R.]]
[[category:Stationers' Register]]


<blockquote>09 September 1653 (S.R.II, 1.429 [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/digital/collections/cul/texts/ldpd_6177199_001/pages/ldpd_6177199_001_00000439.html?toggle=image&menu=maximize&top=&left= CLIO])
<blockquote>09 September 1653 (S.R.II, 1.429 [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/digital/collections/cul/texts/ldpd_6177199_001/pages/ldpd_6177199_001_00000439.html?toggle=image&menu=maximize&top=&left= CLIO])
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| ''Alexius, the chast gallant, or The bashfull lover''||}||
| ''Alexius, the chast gallant, or The bashfull lover''||}||
|-
|-
| '''A very woman, or, the woman's plot.'''||}||by Phill. Massinger.
| '''''A very woman, or, the woman's plot''.'''||}||by Phill. Massinger.
|-
|-
| ''The Judge, or Believe as you list''||}||
| ''The Judge, or Believe as you list''||}||
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29 June 1660 (SR2, 2.271, [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/digital/collections/cul/texts/ldpd_6177199_002/pages/ldpd_6177199_002_00000279.html CLIO])
<blockquote>
{| {{table}}
| '''Master <br>Hum. Moseley.'''      ||Entred for his copies under the hand of MASTER THRALE warden, the <br>severall plays following that is to say . . . . Xiijs
|}
{| {{table}}
| '''''The Womans Plott'', a Comedy'''||}||
|-
| ''The Prisoners'', a Tragi-Comedy||}||
|-
| ''The Honour of Women'', a comedy||}||
|-
| ''Believe as you List'', a Tragedy||}||
|-
| ''The forced Lady'', a Tragedy||}||
|-
| ''The Tyrant'', a Tragedy||}||by Phillip Massinger.
|-
| ''The Bashfull Lovers''||}||
|-
| ''The Gardian''||}||
|-
| ''Philenzo & Hypollita'', a Tragi Comedy||}||
|-
| ''Antonio & Vallia'', a Comedy||}||
|-
| ''Fast & Welcome'', a Comedy||}||
|} </blockquote>
<br>
<br>
===Warburton's list===
===Warburton's list===
"The Woman's Plot" appears as the 26th play noted by John Warburton (1682-1759) in his list of the unprinted MS plays allegedly in his collection until destroyed by Warburton’s cook (Greg, "The Bakings of Betsy" 231):<br>  
"The Womans Plott Phill. Massinger " appears as the 26th play noted by John Warburton (1682-1759) in his list of the unprinted MS plays allegedly in his collection until destroyed by Warburton’s cook:<br>  
<br>
<br>
:S<sup>t</sup>. Geõ. For England by Will. Smithe
:The Parliam<sup>t</sup> of Love by W<sup>m</sup>. Rowley
:The Widows Prise C. W<sup>m</sup> Sampson
:The Inconstant Lady W<sup>m</sup>. (sic) Wilson
:The Womans Plott Phill. Massinger
<br>
<br>
See the full list from British Library Lansdowne MS. 807 [[Warburton's List | '''here''']].
<!--newThumb-->[[Image:Lansdowne_ms_807_f001r.jpg|250px]]<!--/newThumb-->
 
<br>
[[category:Warburton's List]]
:(British Library, Lansdowne MS 807, fo.1<sup>r</sup>. Reproduced by permission of the British Library. Click image to view full page; [[Warburton's List|'''click here for more information on Warburton's list''']])
 
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<br>
[[category:Warburton's List]][[category:British Library]]
<br><br><br>


==Theatrical Provenance==
==Theatrical Provenance==


<Enter information about which company performed the play, and where/when it was performed, etc.>
"The Woman's Plot" by Massinger was performed at Whitehall by the King's Men on 05 November 1621.
 
<br>
 
<br>
<br>


==Probable Genre(s)==
==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.>
Comedy (S.R., Harbage)
 
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<br>
<br>


==Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues==
==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.>
Unknown. Information welcome.
 
<br>
 
<br>
<br>


==References to the Play==
==References to the Play==


<List any known or conjectured references to the lost play here.>
None known. Information welcome.
 
<br>
 
<br>
<br>


==Critical Commentary==
==Critical Commentary==


'''Fleay''' notes that a play called ''The Very Woman, or The Prince of Tarent'' was licensed by Herbert on 06 June 1634 and later published with ''The Bashful Lover'' and ''The Guardian'' under Massinger's name in 1655. He argues that the 1653 Stationers' Register entry was in error, and that ''The Very Woman'' and "The Woman's Plot" are different plays ([https://archive.org/stream/biographicalchro01flea#page/214/mode/2up ''BCED'' 1.215]).
'''Fleay''' notes that a play called ''The Very Woman, or The Prince of Tarent'' was licensed by Herbert on 06 June 1634 and later published with ''The Bashful Lover'' and ''The Guardian'' under Massinger's name in 1655. He argues that the 1653 Stationers' Register entry was in error, and that ''The Very Woman'' and "The Woman's Plot" are different plays ([https://archive.org/stream/biographicalchro01flea#page/214/mode/2up ''BCED'' 1.215]).
 
<br>
 
<br>
'''Bentley''' (4.829) is more cynical, claiming Fleay's position "is pure fancy" and arguing that "The identification with ''A Very Woman'' ... was clearly Moseley's attempt to license two plays for one fee, as in a number of instances in this list", adding that after Mosely had published ''A very Woman'' in 1655, he "duly licensed ''The Woman's Plot'' in 1660".
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<br>


==For What It's Worth==
==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.>
Information welcome.
 
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==Works Cited==
==Works Cited==
Line 170: Line 159:


<div style="padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em">Murray, John Tucker. ''English Dramatic Companies, 1558-1642''. London: Constable and Company Limited, 1910. [https://archive.org/stream/englishdramaticc02murruoft#page/n5/mode/2up Internet Archive]</div>
<div style="padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em">Murray, John Tucker. ''English Dramatic Companies, 1558-1642''. London: Constable and Company Limited, 1910. [https://archive.org/stream/englishdramaticc02murruoft#page/n5/mode/2up Internet Archive]</div>
 
<br>
 
<br>
Site created and maintained by [[David McInnis]], University of Melbourne; updated 15 Jan 2016.
<br>
[[category:all]][[category:David McInnis]]
Site created and maintained by [[David McInnis]], University of Melbourne; updated 19 April 2017.
[[category:all]][[category:David McInnis]][[category:court]][[category:King's]][[category:Woman's...]]

Latest revision as of 15:58, 10 December 2021

Massinger, Philip (1621)


Historical Records

Payments for Court Performance


Chamber Accounts, Payments to Players, etc
Item 149a (Cook 76):

To Iohn Hemyngs in the behalfe of himselfe and the rest of his fellowes his Mate sevaunts for presenting sixe severall Plaies before his Matie by warrt of the xxvijth of Marche 1622 ..... lxli



Inner Temple Library MS 515, no.7
This Inner Temple Library MS, found by Murray (English Dramatic Companies 2.193), adds detail to the Chamber Accounts payment above:

27 Marcii. A warrant for allowance of lxli to John Hemmings and his fellowes the Kings Mats Players for 6 plaies vizt The womas Plott plaid before his Matie 5o Novembris last, The Woman is to Hard for him 26o of the same Monethe, The Island Princes vppon St Stephens day The Pilgrim on new yeares day, The Wildgoose Chase the xxiiii of Januarie, The Coxcombe the 5 of this instant Marche



King's Men repertory list (1641)


On 7 August 1641, the Earl of Essex (now Lord Chamberlain) required the Stationers' Company to forbid the printing of King's Men plays without the company's consent (the desire to protect their plays having been occasioned by the onset of plague and the consequent closure of the theatres from 5 August til the end of November 1641) (Bentley 1.65).

The list of plays specified includes "The womans Plott".

(See the list in full here)


Stationers' Register

09 September 1653 (S.R.II, 1.429 CLIO)

Master Mosely Entred also . . . the severall playes following . . xxs vjd
...
The Noble choice, or the orator }
The wandring lovers or the painter }
The Italian night-peece, or, the unfortunate piety }
Alexius, the chast gallant, or The bashfull lover }
A very woman, or, the woman's plot. } by Phill. Massinger.
The Judge, or Believe as you list }
The Prisoner, or the Faire Anchoress }
The citie honest man, or the guardian }
The Spanish Viceroy or the honor of women }
Minerva's sacrifice, or the forc'd lady }
The Maids Tragedie, 2d part.



29 June 1660 (SR2, 2.271, CLIO)

Master
Hum. Moseley.
Entred for his copies under the hand of MASTER THRALE warden, the
severall plays following that is to say . . . . Xiijs
The Womans Plott, a Comedy }
The Prisoners, a Tragi-Comedy }
The Honour of Women, a comedy }
Believe as you List, a Tragedy }
The forced Lady, a Tragedy }
The Tyrant, a Tragedy } by Phillip Massinger.
The Bashfull Lovers }
The Gardian }
Philenzo & Hypollita, a Tragi Comedy }
Antonio & Vallia, a Comedy }
Fast & Welcome, a Comedy }



Warburton's list

"The Womans Plott Phill. Massinger " appears as the 26th play noted by John Warburton (1682-1759) in his list of the unprinted MS plays allegedly in his collection until destroyed by Warburton’s cook:


Lansdowne ms 807 f001r.jpg

(British Library, Lansdowne MS 807, fo.1r. Reproduced by permission of the British Library. Click image to view full page; click here for more information on Warburton's list)







Theatrical Provenance

"The Woman's Plot" by Massinger was performed at Whitehall by the King's Men on 05 November 1621.


Probable Genre(s)

Comedy (S.R., Harbage)


Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

Unknown. Information welcome.


References to the Play

None known. Information welcome.


Critical Commentary

Fleay notes that a play called The Very Woman, or The Prince of Tarent was licensed by Herbert on 06 June 1634 and later published with The Bashful Lover and The Guardian under Massinger's name in 1655. He argues that the 1653 Stationers' Register entry was in error, and that The Very Woman and "The Woman's Plot" are different plays (BCED 1.215).

Bentley (4.829) is more cynical, claiming Fleay's position "is pure fancy" and arguing that "The identification with A Very Woman ... was clearly Moseley's attempt to license two plays for one fee, as in a number of instances in this list", adding that after Mosely had published A very Woman in 1655, he "duly licensed The Woman's Plot in 1660".


For What It's Worth

Information welcome.


Works Cited

Cook, David and F. P. Wilson, eds. "Dramatic Records in the Declared Accounts of the Treasurer of the Chamber 1558-1642". Malone Society Collections VI. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1961.
Murray, John Tucker. English Dramatic Companies, 1558-1642. London: Constable and Company Limited, 1910. Internet Archive




Site created and maintained by David McInnis, University of Melbourne; updated 19 April 2017.