No More Learning

The list of comedies begins with The Woman Hater, which,
apparently, is by a single author, and is now generally attributed
1 As to the distinctness of the shares of Fletcher and Rowley in this play, see ante,
chap. in.
2 Compare ante, vol. v, chap. 2.


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Comedies
133
to Beaumont alone. It exhibits strongly the influence of Jonson,
and, though not a comedy of humours, in the full sense of the
term, turns entirely upon the ‘humorous' eccentricity of the
principal character. This feature is still discernible, though
much less obvious, in The Scornful Ladie, an excellent comedy
of its kind, dealing with English domestic manners. This was one
of the most popular plays of the series, and exercised a considerable
influence on the later comedy, especially by virtue of the character
of the steward Savile, and his relations with his masters. The
conversion of Morecraft, which is criticised by Dryden as un-
natural, is not really open to this objection. The usurer has
become convinced by experience that what pays best is extrava-
gance, and, therefore, he is following his natural instincts in
becoming a prodigal. The mock heroic style, which is one of
Beaumont's characteristics, appears, to some extent, in these
comedies, and reaches full development in The Knight of the
Burning Pestle, a masterpiece in its own kind. The idea sug-
gested by Don Quixote was here ingeniously and brilliantly applied
to the purpose of ridiculing the taste of the city in drama-a fact
which probably accounts for its being coldly received by the
popular audience before which it was first acted. Its comic merits
are, undoubtedly, of a high order, especially in the characteristic
figures of the citizen and his wife and in their criticisms of the
performance.
In The Coxcombe, we have a romantic comedy with two distinct
plots. For the Ricardo and Viola story, Beaumont is mainly
responsible, and this little romance is treated in a charming
manner. The tinker and his trull are represented, probably by
Fletcher, with effective realism, and the scenes at the farmhouse
are interesting and natural. Side by side with this, we have a
comedy of intrigue, taken, perhaps, from the Curioso Impertinente
of Cervantes. Some of Antonio's tricks recall those of Loveless
in The Scornful Ladie.
It cannot be said with certainty that Beaumont had a part
in any of the remaining comedies, and the genius of Fletcher is
decisively dominant from this point onwards, though other writers
sometimes worked with him. The faults of Fletcher as a dramatist-
looseness of construction and superficiality in character—are less
fatal in comedy than in serious drama, while his abundance of
lively incident and his brilliant dialogue produce their full effect.
Nevertheless, his comedies suffer too frequently from want of vital
connection between the various intrigues utilised by the plot, and


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134
Beaumont and Fletcher
even the best of them succeed rather by clever stagecraft than
by genuinely artistic merit.
Several of these plays may be classed together as exhibiting
the Jonsonian principle of 'humour,' though hardly in the Jon-
sonian manner. These are, especially, The Little French Lawyer,
The Nice Valour and The Humorous Lieutenant. In the first, by
Fletcher and Massinger, the character of La Writ, who gives a
title to the play, is genuinely comic, but not absolutely necessary
to the plot. The Nice Valour is a poor play, notwithstanding
a confident assertion to the contrary in the epilogue; but it
contains several good lyrics, including the song, 'Hence all you
vain delights. ' The Humorous Lieutenant, by Fletcher alone, takes
its name, like The Little French Lawyer, from a character which
has no very essential connection with the principal plot. The part
which concerns the lieutenant is pure farce, lively and amusing
enough; while, in the main plot, we have the romance of an un-
usually attractive pair of lovers, though it must be remarked that
their situation is a very improbable one.
This combination, or juxtaposition, of a romantic with a comic
plot, which has been noted as a frequent feature of the so-called
tragicomedies, is exemplified, also, in The Spanish Curate, which
consists, in fact, of a romance and a comedy, combined under
a title which belongs properly to the comedy. We have here two
distinct stories with very small connection between them, though
an attempt is made at the conclusion to unite them under a
single moral lesson. Roughly speaking, it may be said that the
romance is by Massinger and the comedy by Fletcher : each is
excellent, but the comedy is the better of the two. The character
of the curate and his relations with his parishioners are presented
with the greatest comic vigour, and the intrigue of Leandro and
Amaranta furnishes a good example of the manner in which
Fletcher anticipated the comedy of the Restoration.
The cooperation of two or more dramatists was evidently
favourable to the production of this class of drama. But there is to
be found, chiefly among the plays which are ascribed to Fletcher
alone, a type of pure comedy which is less liable to the charge of
want of unity. Some of these plays, as Wit At severall Weapons,
Wit Without Money, The Womans Prize and The Night-Walker
have London for their locality and represent, more or less, the
manners of contemporary English life. Wit At severall Weapons
is a poor play, and the authorship is very uncertain. Wit Without
Money, by Fletcher alone, is much better, having, at least, a


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Comedies
135
tolerably well connected plot and lively dialogue. The Womans
Prize: or, The Tamer Tamed is a supposed continuation of the
marriage experiences of Petruchio, the tamer of the shrew. His
Katharine being dead, he has been transplanted to English ground
and is united in marriage to an English wife, who turns the tables
upon him in an exhilarating manner. This comedy is a good
example of Fletcher's more farcical style. The Night-Walker, or
the Little Theife has more of London local colour than any of the
rest, but this is probably to a great extent due to Shirley, who
worked upon the play after Fletcher's death. It is a lively
comedy, but the plot is a tissue of improbable incidents, with
melodramatic scenes of coffins and graveyards.
Fletcher's best comedies, however, are to be found among those
of which the scenes are laid abroad and the plots taken from foreign
sources, while the manners are those of the society with which he is
familiar. Monsieur Thomas can hardly be called a good play, though
it has good scenes. The dilemma of the travelled young gentleman,
who is obliged, at the same time, to convince his father that he
is a rake and his mistress that he is a reformed character, has
comic possibilities which are not quite effectively worked out. On
the other hand, The Chances and The Wild-Goose Chase stand in
the first rank among Fletcher's comedies, and in them we see, in
full perfection, that lively and brilliant style of dialogue which
gained him the reputation of understanding the conversation of
gentlemen better than any other dramatist of his time. In The
Chances, there is a series of highly improbable incidents, derived
from a novel of Cervantes; but the very name of the comedy
suggests the idea of fortuitous complications, and the treatment is
in accordance with this idea. The two young gentlemen, Don John
and Don Frederick, are presented in a very lively and natural
manner, and their landlady is a decidedly happy creation, for
which, however, hints had been given by Cervantes. The
Wild-Goose Chase, again, has good characterisation and a well
managed plot, though the tricks to catch Mirabel are rather
too palpable, and his final yielding not quite natural. Of this play,
the actors who first published it record that, notwithstanding his
innate modesty, the author, when he saw it performed, could not
forbear to join in the general applause. It is the original of
Farquhar's comedy The Inconstant. Of all Fletcher's comedies,
Rule a Wife And have a Wife is that which was most popular
and kept the stage longest, and it is certainly a very good specimen
of its kind. Its two plots are reasonably well connected, the


## p. 136 (#154) ############################################

136 Beaumont and Fletcher
characterisation is firm and good and several of the scenes,
especially that in which Leon asserts himself, are, dramatically,
very effective. The underplot is amusing, but less so than the
novel of Cervantes from which it is taken.
Loves Cure, or The Martial Maid apparently contains little or
nothing which can be ascribed to Fletcher. It is not without
merit, if we concede the very improbable situation upon which its
action depends; but the merit, perhaps, is chiefly due to a Spanish
original, though it seems unlikely that this original was the
comedy of Guillén de Castro which deals with the same story.
The Noble Gentleman and The Elder Brother were both produced
upon the stage after Fletcher's death. The former is a rather poor
play, and has no apparent traces of his hand; the latter, one of
the best comedies of the series, is by Fletcher and Massinger.
The construction is good and the characterisation excellent.
It was said by Dryden in An Essay of Dramatick Poesy that
in Beaumont and Fletcher's plays the English language perhaps
arrived at its highest perfection; and certainly, for purity of phrase
and vocabulary, for simplicity of expression and for absence of
conceits and violent metaphors, they present an admirable model
both of the more poetical and the more familiar style of dramatic
expression. This merit of style was recognised by their contem-
poraries, especially with regard to Fletcher, as we see from the
prologue to The Chances and in compliments such as are
addressed to him in the next generation by Berkenhead,
No savage metaphors (things rudely great)
Thou dost display, nor butcher a conceit:
Thy nerves have beauty which invades and charms,
Looks like a princess harness'd in bright arms.
But the praise must also be shared by Massinger, whose poetical
eloquence contributes much to the grace of style which charac-
terises the later romantic plays mentioned in this chapter, and
who may be said to have taken the place of Beaumont by
Fletcher's side in this respect, though inferior to him in con-
structive skill and in power of dramatic presentation. It is
probable that the popularity of Beaumont and Fletcher on
the stage in the latter part of the century, together with the
acceptance of their language by Dryden as a standard of pure
English, had more influence than is commonly acknowledged upon
the development of English style during that period in the direction
of classical simplicity.


## p. 137 (#155) ############################################

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER V
LIST OF THE PLAYS WHICH HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO BEAUMONT AND
FLETCHER, IN APPROXIMATELY CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER, WITH INDICATIONS
OF THE PROBABLE AUTHORSHIP OF THE PLAYS AND OF THE SEVERAL PORTIONS
OF THEM, AND ALSO OF THE CHIEF SOURCES FROM WHICH THEIR PLOTS ARE
DERIVED.
In cases where no source is mentioned, none is certainly known. Where
no date of printing is given, it may be assumed that the play was first
printed in the folio of 1647.
The Woman Hater, entered in Stationers' register, 20 May 1607; printed
1607. Beaumont. Plot, partly from Paulus Jovius, De Romanis Piscibus,
cap. v.
The Faithfull Shepheardesse, printed before May 1610. Fletcher. Some
traits suggested by Tasso's Aminta and Guarini's Pastor Fido.
The Knight of the Burning Pestle, perhaps acted at Whitefriars, 1609;
printed 1613. Chiefly Beaumont. General idea suggested by Don Quixote,
though this is denied by the publisher.
The Scornful Ladie, acted 1609 or 1610; printed 1616. Beaumont and
Fletcher.
The Coxcombe, first acted probably 1610. Beaumont and Fletcher. For
the story of Antonio, cf. Greene's Philomela and El Curioso Impertinente
in Don Quixote.
Philaster, acted probably 1610 (but the supposed reference in The Scourge
of Folly is doubtful); printed 1620. Mainly Beaumont; Fletcher, perhaps
act v, so. 3, 4 and detached passages elsewhere. '
The Maides Tragedy, acted probably 1611; printed 1619. Beaumont,
acts I, II, III, IV, sc. 2, act v, sc. 4; Fletcher, act iv, sc. 1, act v, sc. 1, 2, 3.
A King and no King, licensed 1611; printed 1619. Beaumont, acts I, II,
III, IV, sc. 4, act v, sc. 2, 4; Fletcher, acts iv, sc. 1, 2, 3, act v, sc. 1, 3.
Cupid's Revenge, perhaps acted at court, Jan. 1612; printed 1615.
Beaumont and Fletcher. From Sidney's Arcadia, bk. II.
Four Plays, or Morall Representations, in One; no indication of date.
Beaumont probably wrote the induction and the first two Triumphs, Fletcher
the rest. The Triumph of Honour, partly from Chaucer, of Love, Boccaccio,
Decameron, day v, nov. 7, of Death, cf. Palace of Pleasure, bk 1, nov. 42,
of Time, probably suggested by Lucian's dialogue Timon.
The Captaine, acted at court early in 1613. Fletcher and another, perhaps
Massinger.
The Maske of the Gentlemen of Grayes-Inne, and the Inner-Temple,
performed Feb. 1613; printed probably 1613. Beaumont.
King Henry VIII, acted June 1613; printed in the Shakespeare folio,
1623. Shakespeare and Fletcher, perhaps revised by Massinger.
The Honest mans Fortune, acted 1613; licensed again, probably with
alterations, 1624. Apparently by four authors, divided perhaps as follows:
Tourneur, act 1; Massinger, act 11, sc. 1; Field, act iv; Fletcher, act v; the
rest doubtful. The very distinctive metrical style of act 1 is like that of The
Atheist's Tragedie, the only extant play published with Tourneur's name.


## p. 138 (#156) ############################################

138
Appendix to Chapter V V
The style of Field resembles somewhat that of Beaumont. The same story
is found in Heywood's History of Women, printed 1624.
Wit At severall Weapons, date unknown. Probably Middleton and
Rowley.
Monsieur Thomas (also known as Father's own Son), date uncertain;
printed 1639. Fletcher. Partly from the Astrée of d'Urfé, vol. 11, published
1610.
The Tragedie of Valentinian, not later than 1614 (by list of actors).
Fletcher. From the Astrée, vol. 11, bk. XII.
The Tragedie of Bonduca, not later than 1614 (by list of actors).
Fletcher and, perhaps, Field (e. g. act 11, sc. 1 and act iv, sc. 4). Holinshed;
some traits perhaps from The Valiant Welshman.
Wit Without Money, soon after Aug. 1614; printed 1639. Fletcher.
The Womans Prize: or, The Tamer Tamed, date unknown. Fletcher. A
sequel to Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew.
The Bloody Brother, or Rollo, Duke of Normandy, date uncertain; printed
1639 (by B. J. F. ') and 1640 (“by John Fletcher"). Probably four authors:
Massinger, acts I, v, sc. 1; Fletcher, act 11, sc. 3, act III, sc. 1 (part), 2, act v,
80. 2; Jonson, act 11, sc. 1, 2, act iv, so. 1, 2; Field, act 111, so. 1 (except scene
of Rollo and Edith), act iv, sc. 3.
The Queene of Corinth, probably 1617 (allusion to Coryate's Greeting
(1616), act 111, sc. 1). Fletcher, Massinger and a third author. Based on a
common story, cf. Gesta Romanorum, tale 4; not taken from La Fuerza de
la sangre of Cervantes.
Thierry and Theodoret, probably after April 1617; printed 1621. Fletcher,
act 1, sc. 1, act 11, sc. 2, act iv, sc. 1, act v, so. 2; Massinger, act 1, sc. 2, act 11,
sc. 1, act iv, sc. 2; a third author, acts III and v, sc. 1. Historical basis;
immediate source, perhaps de Serres. The name de Vitry seems to indicate
an allusion to the death of marshal d’Ancre, April 1617.
The Loyal Subject, licensed Nov. 1618. Fletcher. (The plot of Hey-
wood's Royall King and Loyall Subject, from Painter, bk. 11, nov. 4, has only
a slight resemblance to this story. )
The Knight of Malta, 1618 or the beginning of 1619 (by list of actors).
Fletcher, acts 11, III, so. 1, act iv, sc. 2, 3, 4; Massinger, act 111, sc. 2, act iv,
sc. 1(? ); third author, acts 1, v. The style of the third author is somewhat
like that of Field, but better than his usual work.
The Mad Lover, before March 1619. Fletcher.
The Humorous Lieutenant, 1619 (by list of actors). Fletcher. Partly
from Plutarch, lives of Pelopidas and Demetrius.
A somewhat fuller text
than that of the folios was printed by Dyce in 1830 from a MS in which the
play is entitled Demetrius and Enanthe.
Sir John van Olden Barnavelt, acted 1619; printed 1883. Fletcher and
Massinger. Founded on the events of May 1619.
Women pleas'd, 1619 or 1620 (by list of actors). Fletcher. From the
Historia de Aurelio y de Ysabela, of Juan de Flores, of which several trans-
lations were current, combined with Chaucer's Wife of Bath's Tale. For
various scenes of the underplot, cf. Boccaccio, Decameron, day vii, nov. 6, 8,
and day viii, nov. 8.
The Custome of the Countrey, 1619 or 1620. Fletcher, acts I, III, sc. 1, 2, 3,
act iv, sc. 3, 4, act v, sc. 5 (part); Massinger, acts II, III, sc. 4, 5, act iv, sc. 1, 2,
act v, sc. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (part). Two principal elements of the plot are from
Cervantes, Trabajos de Persiles y Sigismunda (Eng. trans. Stationers'
register, 22 Feb. 1619), bk. III, chap. 6, and bk. iv, chaps. 6–10, and most of
the names are from this romance, but some applied differently.
The Little French Lawyer, 1619 or 1620. Fletcher, acts II, III, sc. 2, 3,
a


## p. 139 (#157) ############################################

Appendix to Chapter V
139
а
2, 3.
acts iv, v, sc. 1 (a), 2, 3; Massinger, acts I, III, 8c. 1, act v, sc. 1 (6). Partly
from part 1 of Guzman de Alfarache (vol. 1, chap. 4), or from a similar story
elsewhere.
The Lawes of Candy, about 1620. Probably Massinger and another
anthor (not Fletcher) Partly from Cinthio, Hecatommithi, dec. X, nov. 9.
The False One, about 1620. Fletcher, acts 11, III, IV; Massinger, acts 1, v.
The double Marriage, about 1620. Fletcher, acts II, III, sc. 2, 3, act iv,
sc. 3, 4, act v, sc. 1; Massinger, acts I, III, sc. 1, act iv, sc. 1, 2, act v, so.
For the plot, cf. Gesta Romanorum, tale 5.
The Pilgrim, acted at court, Christmas 1621. Fletcher. Perhaps partly
from d'Audiguier, Les diverses fortunes de Pamphile et de Nise (1614),
which, again, is from Lope de Vega’s romance El Peregrino en su patria;
but the resemblance is only in trifling details, and there may be no connection.
The Wild-Goose Chase, acted at court, 1621; printed 1652. Fletcher.
The Island Princesse, acted at court, 1621. Fletcher. From La Conquista
de las Islas Malucas by Bart. de Argensola, printed 1609; but Fletcher
deviates from his source in acts iv and v.
The Beggars Bush, acted at court, 1622, but produced probably some time
earlier. Fletcher, act 11, sc. 1, 2, acts III, IV; Massinger, acts I, II, sc. 3, act v.
The Prophetesse, licensed 14 May 1622. Fletcher, acts I, III, V, sc. 3;
Massinger, acts II, IV, V, sc. 1, 2. Partly historical: the story of Diocletian
and the prophetess is told by Vopiscus.
The Sea Voyage, licensed 22 June 1622. Anthors doubtful: considerable
portions of acts I and iv are by Fletcher, but no scene, as we have it, can be
attributed wholly to him; it is doubtful whether Massinger had any share:
the metre, generally, is very defective.
The Spanish Curate, licensed 24 Oct. 1622. Fletcher, acts II, 111, sc. 1, 2, 4,
act iv, sc. 3, 5, 6, 7, act v, sc. 2; Massinger, acts I, III, sc. 3, act iv, sc. 1, 2, 4,
act v, sc. 1, 3 (Massinger deals with the main plot, and Fletcher with the
underplot). From Gerardo the Unfortunate Spaniard, a translation,
published 1622, of the (prose) romance by Gonzalo de Cespedes y Meneses,
entitled Poema tragico del Español Gerardo. The situation in the main
plot, of Don Henrique, Don Jamie, etc. , is from the conclusion of the first
part of Gerardo, pp. 231 ff. (ed. 1622), but the final development is different:
the plot of Leandro, Lopez, etc. follows closely the story told by Leandro in
the second part, pp. 246–266, omitting the conclusion as supplied by
Violante.
The Maid in the Mill, licensed Aug. 1623, as by Fletcher and W. Rowley.
Fletcher, acts I, III, sc. 2, 3, act v, sc. 2 (a). From Gerardo, pp. 394-418, with
change of conclusion, and Painter, bk. II, nov. 22.
The Lovers Progress, end of 1623 (by list of actors); the original play
was, perhaps, The Wandering Lovers, licensed 6 Dec. 1623 as by Fletcher.
In its present form it has been revised by Massinger (see prologue), and this
being a case of revision and not cooperation, mixed work is to be expected
and occurs frequently. Acts IV and v are almost entirely by Massinger.
From d’Audiguier, Histoire tragicomique de nostre temps sous les noms de
Lysandre et de Caliste, 1616.
A Wife for a Month, licensed 27 May 1624 (the name of Tooley among
the actors is probably a mistake for Lowin). Fletcher.
Rule a Wife And have a Wife, licensed 19 Oct. 1624, printed 1640.
Fletcher. The underplot is from Cervantes, El Casamiento engañoso (Nov.
Exempl. ).
The Two Noble Kinsmen, date uncertain; printed as by Fletcher and
Shakespeare, 1634. Fletcher wrote act II, sc. 3, 4, 5, act III, sc. 3, 4, 5, 6,
act iv, sc. 1, 2, act v, sc. 2, and parts of other scenes. From Chaucer's
Knight's Tale.


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140
Appendix to Chapter V V
The Nice Valour, or, The Passionate Mad-man, in its present form not
earlier than 1624 (allusions in act v, sc. 3), but the play bears marks of revision,
and was, perhaps, originally much earlier. Fletcher and another, perhaps
Rowley, but Fletcher's part is much altered.
The Chances, acted 1625 or 1626 (after Fletcher's death, see prologue).
Fletcher, but probably touched here and there by another hand, e. g. in act 1,
sc. 1, 9, act 11, sc. 4. From Cervantes, La Señora Cornelia (Nov. Exempl. ).
The Elder Brother, acted after Fletcher's death (see prologue), printed
1637. Fletcher, acts 11, 111, 1v; Massinger, acts 1, v. Source connected with
that of Calderon's later drama, De una causa dos efectos.
The Faire Maide of the Inne, licensed 22 Jan. 1626. Massinger and another
(not Fletcher). The disowning of Cesario by his mother is probably taken
from La Cour Sainte of Nicolas Caussin, published in 1624 (not 1632, as
stated by Koeppel). The plot of the play does not at all resemble the story
of La ilustre Fregona of Cervantes.
The Noble Gentleman, licensed 3 Feb. 1626 as by Fletcher. He may have
planned the play and written some passages, but no complete scene can be
attributed to him.
Loves Cure, or The Martial Maid, date uncertain but not earlier than
1622 in its present form. No scene can be attributed to Fletcher; Massinger
probably wrote acts , iv, v, sc. 1, 2. There is no real ground for the sug-
gestion (by Stiefel, A. L. ) that this play is taken from the Spanish comedy by
Guillén de Castro, La fuerza de la costumbre. The two dramas are founded
on the same story, but the treatment is entirely different.
The Night-Walker, or the Little Theife, licensed as corrected by Shirley,
11 May 1633; printed 1640; the original play was, perhaps, as early as 1614.
As it stands, the first three acts are by Fletcher, with revision, and the last
two by Shirley, who must have rewritten this part of the play.
Loves Pilgrimage, revived 1635, with alterations, perhaps by Shirley, in-
cluding some matter from Jonson’s New Inne. Fletcher appears most markedly
in act 1, sc. 2, acts 11 and 111. From Cervantes, Las dos Doncellas(Nov. Exempl. ).
A Very Woman, or The Prince of Tarent, licensed 1634; printed as
Massinger's, 1655, and never included among Beaumont and Fletcher's plays.
As we have it, it is revised from an earlier drama (see prologue): Fletcher
was probably the author of acts III and iv, sc. 1, 3. It is com mmonly identified
with A Woman's Plot, acted at court 1621, because of the entry in Stationers'
register, 9 Sept. 1653 of 'A Very Woman or The Woman's Plot, but this
second title has no justification in the play, and is, perhaps, a mistake.
The Coronation, printed in the folio of 1679, is by Shirley. The Widow,
attributed in the quarto to Jonson, Fletcher and Middleton, is probably by
Middleton.
The Faithful Friends was entered in Stationers' register, 29 June 1660
as by Beaumont and Fletcher, and first printed in Weber's edition, 1812; but
it is not likely that they had any share in it.
The following appear to be lost: The History of Cardenio, entered in
Stationers' register, 9 Sept. 1653 as by Fletcher and Shakespeare, and, perhaps,
the same as the Cardenes, Cardema or Cardano, which ras acted at court,
1613; The Jeweller of Amsterdam, entered Stationers' register, 8 April
1654 as by Fletcher, Field and Massinger, probably produced about 1616;
A Woman's Plot, acted at court, 1621; The Devil of Dowgate, or Usury
put to Use, 'written by Fletcher,' mentioned as a new play in Herbert's
official register, 17 Oct. 1623; A Right Woman, entered in Stationers' register,
29 June 1660 as by Beaumont and Fletcher; Mador, King of Great Britain,
attributed to Beaumont, Stationers' register, 29 June 1660. These two latter
attributions must be regarded as very doubtful.


## p. 141 (#159) ############################################

CHAPTER VI
PHILIP MASSINGER
EVERY biographer of Philip Massinger must echo the frequently
repeated complaint that we know very little about the life of many
of the chief dramatists of the times of Elizabeth and the first two
Stewart kings. We may consider it an exceptional good fortune
that we know at least the chief facts of Massinger's early
days—that he was born at Salisbury in 1583, the son of Arthur
Massinger, who, in some manner, was intimately connected with
the 'noble family of the Herberts,' to use Philip's own expression,
and who was evidently highly esteemed by his employers ; that
his baptism took place on 24 November 1583, and that he was
entered on 14 May 1602 at St Alban hall in the university of
Oxford. In 1606, he left the university for unexplained reasons
without having taken his degree. From Oxford he came to
London, where we lose sight of him for many years as totally as
of the great immigrant from Stratford-on-Avon about twenty years
before.
One fact, however, stands out clearly — that Massinger's
London career was far from prosperous. When we hear of
him again, in 1613 or 1614, we find him already immersed in
those financial difficulties which remained the heavy burden
of his life. He reappears as one of the three signatories of a
petition for the loan of five pounds, addressed to that powerful
personage to whom many needy dramatists used to look more
or less hopefully—the theatrical manager and broker Philip
Henslowe. In a few additional words, Massinger pathetically calls
a
him his “true loving friend,' and the joint request was granted.
There was a similar pleading in 1615.
As in the case of this epistle to Henslowe, most of the first
dramatic ventures of Massinger seem to have been joint pro-
ductions. The first time we meet his name in print, on the
title-page of an evidently successful drama, we find it coupled
with the name of an older and very popular dramatist. In 1622


## p. 142 (#160) ############################################

142
Philip Massinger
was published The Virgin Martir, a Tragedy, written by Philip
Massinger and Thomas Dekker. But Dekker, whose poetical
temper was different from Massinger's, was neither his first nor
his most important fellow worker. A good many years before
the composition of The Virgin Martir, he must have fallen under
the sway of John Fletcher. It is a curious fact that no early
edition of any one of those dramas which have been recognised as
the joint labours of Fletcher and Massinger makes the slightest
reference to the participation of the younger dramatist; all were
printed as by Fletcher alone. Massinger seems to have been quite
content to leave the risk and the glory to his teacher; so far as
we know, he never protested against the omission of his name
on the title-pages of the dramas printed during his lifetime.
However, one of his most enthusiastic benefactors and friends, Sir
Aston Cockayne, repeatedly insisted on the fact of Massinger's
cooperation with Fletcher-an assertion which, in the case of a
considerable number of Fletcherian plays, has received support
from the philological researches of later times. And that he was
buried in Fletcher's grave, probably by his own wish, may be
taken as a striking proof that no coldness had arisen between
Massinger and the man with whom he had associated in the
early years of his dramatic writing.
We are not able to fix the time when Massinger ventured to
present himself as an independent author to the public of the
metropolis; but we may assume that this did not happen much
before the end of the second decade of the seventeenth century.
For the ensuing period of his life we possess a considerable number
of direct utterances of his own, the authenticity of which is not
to be questioned, but the biographical value of which is somewhat
impaired by their official character and by the consideration neces-
sarily shown in them for the position and feelings of the persons
addressed. These utterances consist in the dedications prefixed
by Massinger to the ten dramas published by himself. In these
letters, Massinger's prose appears to the greatest advantage; it is,
perhaps, a little pompous now and then, but it is clear and per-
fectly free from Euphuistic tricks of style.
Much less pleasing are the glimpses of the poet's private life
afforded by these documents. Both the first dedication, preceding
.
The Duke of Millaine (1623), and the last, composed for The
Unnaturall Combat in 1639, about a year before his death, exhibit
the poet as much dissatisfied with his vocation as a dramatic writer.
He speaks of the misfortunes which cast him on this course and


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Massinger's Personal Life 143
numbers himself among those whose 'necessitous fortunes' made
them choose poetry as their profession. Complaints about the
neglect which his age showed to the contemned sons of the
Muses,' and about his own depressed circumstances, protestations
that he could never have lived without the help of those kind
patrons who endeavoured to rebuild the ruins of demolished
poesy' and declarations of his gratitude and his devotion, are inter-
mingled in these epistles with rarer outbursts of consciousness of
his poetical powers, remarks about the intrinsic value of his works
and hints that there were some eminent men who have not
thought themselves disparaged, I dare not say honoured, to be
celebrated the patrons of my humble studies.