RICHARD HATHWAY (c. 1600).
Practically nothing is known of Hathway outside Henslowe’s diary, although he was included by Meres amongst the ‘best for comedy’ in 1598, and wrote commendatory verses for Bodenham’s Belvedere (1600). It is only conjecture that relates him to the Hathaways of Shottery in Warwickshire, of whom was Shakespeare’s father-in-law, also a Richard. He has left nothing beyond an undetermined share of 1 Sir John Oldcastle, but the following plays by him are traceable in the diary:
(a) Plays for the Admiral’s, 1598–1602
(i) King Arthur.
April 1598.
(ii) Valentine and Orson.
With Munday, July 1598. It is uncertain what relation, if any, this bore to an anonymous play of the same name which was twice entered in the S. R. on 23 May 1595 and 31 March 1600 (Arber, ii. 298, iii. 159), was ascribed in both entries to the Queen’s and not the Admiral’s, and is not known to be extant.
(iii, iv) 1, 2 Sir John Oldcastle.
With Drayton (q.v.), Munday, and Wilson, Oct.–Dec. 1599.
(v) Owen Tudor.