EARL OF PEMBROKE’S COMPANY
A company of actors, under the patronage of the Earl of Pembroke, was well known in London and the provinces during the last decade of Elizabeth’s reign. Once more we have recourse to the Diary in determining the place where they played, but the document is silent concerning their repertoire.
In Henslowe’s Diary the following interesting notice is given of these players:
“A Just account of all such money as I have received of my Lord Admiral’s and my Lord of Pembroke’s men as followeth, beginning the 21st of October, 1597.”
The company were engaged at intervals until the 4th of March of the next year, giving in all twenty performances. These performances took place at the Rose. A few plays they acted in can be gathered from the printed title pages of plays which found their way to the press; one of these is particularly interesting: “A pleasant conceited history called the Taming of a Shrew, dated 1594.” The imprint states that it was acted by the Right Honourable the Earl of Pembroke his servants. This play is the one on which Shakespeare founded his own “The Taming of the Shrew.” The incidents are the same in both plays, the names only being changed. In Shakespeare’s play the removal of Sly from the palace to the outside of the Alehouse where he was found, is omitted, but perhaps this part of the induction may have been lost or mislaid when sent to the press.
A
Pleasant Conceited
Historie, called The taming
of a Shrew.
As it was sundry times acted by the
Right honorable the Earle of
Pembrook his seruants.
Printed at London by Peter Short and
are to be sold by Cutbert Burbie, at his
shop at the Royall Exchange.
1594.
(Original Image)
The name of the Earl of Pembroke occurs on the title page of “Edward II,” by Christopher Marlowe, and also on the title page of “Titus Andronicus,” in conjunction with those of the Earl of Derby and the Earl of Sussex. This is the same play as appeared in the First Folio.
The most interesting play that this company produced is the “True Tragedy of Richard Duke of York and the Death of Good King Henry the Sixth,” by the Right Honourable the Earl of Pembroke his servants. A revision of this play is found in the First Folio edition of Shakespeare’s works, but his share in this play and the two other parts of Henry VI forms one of the most knotty problems in the whole Shakesperean criticism. Several books have been written in support of different theories. A line in this play is parodied by Greene in his “Groatsworth of Wit,” in which pamphlet occurs the first contemporary allusion to Shakespeare.
The original play of “Hamlet” may also claim ownership to this company, but in our present state of knowledge there is not sufficient evidence in identifying the play as theirs. During the ten years existence of these players, they acted only twice at Court, when the Earl of Pembroke’s men were paid a reward of £6 13s. 4d., on March 11th, 1593, for plays performed on St. John’s Day and Twelfth Day, both at night. Traces of this company can be found at Coventry, Bath, Ipswich, Bristol, Marlborough, Leicester, and several other towns. Even the above brief account shows that the company played an important part in the theatrical annals of the time.