Another play mentioned in the Diary as acted by this company is “Titus and Vespasian,” which may have been the same play as “Titus Andronicus,” included in the canon of the First Folio. How much of the former play can be attributed to Shakespeare is very doubtful; that he had some share in the play is generally accepted, although some critics argue his authorship entirely. Meres mentioned the play in 1598 as written by Shakespeare, in spite of which there are a vast number of students who will not admit that their beloved Shakespeare had any hand in this chamber of horrors. Some scenes contain passages of undoubted poetical beauty, but in my opinion not above the standard of many writers of the time; in fact, I would banish this play altogether from the Shakesperean canon.
The first part of “Henry VI” was the most popular play of the period, and is mentioned by Nash as drawing tens of thousands of spectators. How would it have joyed brave Talbot, the terror of the French, to think that after he had lain two hundred years in his tomb he should triumph again on the stage and have his bones new embalmed with the tears of ten thousand spectators, at least at several times, who in the tragedian that represents his person imagine they behold him fresh bleeding. Pierce Penilesse, his supplication to the Devil, 1592.
The other plays acted need no comment; probably they all belonged to the Henslowe repertory. The different companies acting at Henslowe’s theatre were allowed the study of his plays, otherwise the explanation would be difficult how Strange’s company were found acting Marlowe’s “Jew of Malta,” which was at this period, undoubtedly, the property of Philip Henslowe.
1593.
At the close of the year 1592 the Strange Company is once more in possession of the Rose. Opening on the 9th of December, they continued there until the 1st of February, when the theatre again was closed on account of the plague. During this visit, they acted the same plays as on the former occasion, with the exception of producing two new plays, named respectively “The Jealous Comedy” and “The Guise; or, The Massacre of France.” Nearly the whole of this year London was infected with the plague, in consequence of which all the theatres were closed, and the companies compelled to travel. The Strange Company played at Chelmsford, Bristol, Shrewsbury, Coventry, and Leicester, and most probably at Chester and York. The two latter places are not found in the records, but the celebrated actor, Allen, when writing home to his wife, mentions that the company acted at other towns, and gave Chester and York as further addresses. A document of some importance granting a licence to the Strange Company was issued in this year, although Shakespeare was a member, his name is not included in the list of actors mentioned. Probably he was not yet a shareholder, which fact may account for his name being omitted.
THE
HISTORY
of the tryall of
Cheualry,
With the life and death of Caualiero
Dicke Bowyer.