The Complete Dramatic Works of
THOMAS DEKKER
(c. 1572-1632)
Contents
The Solo Plays
The Shoemaker’s Holiday (1599)
Old Fortunatus (1600)
Lust’s Dominion (c. 1600)
The Weakest Goeth to the Wall (1600)
The Noble Spanish Soldier (c. 1602)
The Whore of Babylon (1607)
If This Be Not a Good Play, the Devil is in It (1611)
Troja-Nova Triumphans (1612)
The Welsh Ambassador (1623)
London’s Tempe (1629)
The Honest Whore, Part II (1630)
Match Me in London (1631)
The Wonder of a Kingdom (1634)
The Collaborative Plays
Satiro-Mastix (1601)
Blurt, Master Constable (1602)
Patient Grissil (1603)
The Honest Whore, Part I (1604)
The Magnificent Entertainment (1604)
The Family of Love (c. 1607)
Northward Ho (1607)
Westward Ho (1607)
The Famous History of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1607)
The Roaring Girl (1610)
The Witch of Edmonton (1621)
The Virgin-Martyr (1622)
The Sun’s Darling (1624)
The Bloody Banquet (1639)
The Prose
Selected Pamphlets
The Criticism
Thomas Dekker by Algernon Charles Swinburne
Dekker by Andrew Lang
The Biographies
Thomas Dekker by Ernest Rhys
Thomas Dekker by Arthur Henry Bullen
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The Complete Dramatic Works of
THOMAS DEKKER
By Delphi Classics, 2019
COPYRIGHT
Complete Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker
First published in the United Kingdom in 2019 by Delphi Classics.
© Delphi Classics, 2019.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form other than that in which it is published.
Cover image: Portrait of a Gentleman by an unknown artist, c. 1590, Private Collection
ISBN: 978 1 78877 976 0
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The Solo Plays
A seventeenth century drawing of London — Dekker’s birthplace. Very little information survives concerning the playwright’s life.
The Shoemaker’s Holiday (1599)
The Shoemaker’s Holiday is Dekker’s most famous and frequently performed play. It was first performed in 1599 by the Admiral’s Men, a leading company troupe of actors during the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. One of the most high profile and well-regarded troupes of the period, it was perhaps only second in reputation to the King’s Men, best known for staging Shakespeare’s plays. The Admiral’s Men was formed in 1576 and originally called ‘Lord Howard’s Men’ after their patron, Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham. When Howard was appointed Lord High Admiral in 1585, the troupe’s name was altered to reflect their patron’s new position. In the 1580’s, the troupe established a long-term and highly fruitful relationship with theatre producer and impresario, Philip Henslowe. After the reopening of the theatres in 1594 following an outbreak of the bubonic plague, the Admiral’s Men entered a particularly successful period in their history and performed as many as thirty-eight different plays during the 1594-95 season.
The Shoemaker’s Holiday is often considered an example of an early city comedy — a genre that achieved popularity and prominence in the early seventeenth century. Dekker had begun writing for the Admiral’s Men in c. 1598 and would eventually produce as many as forty plays for the troupe, many of which are now lost. The playwright struggled to make enough money and around the time this play was first staged he was in a debtor’s prison.
The plot concerns the love affair of Rose Oatley, the daughter of Sir Roger Oatley, lord mayor of London, and Rowland Lacy, the nephew of Sir Hugh Lacy, the earl of Lincoln. Acutely aware of class differences between the two young people, Sir Hugh vows to stop the wedding. To prevent the courtship, he arranges for his nephew to be given a command in the army of King Henry V, who is preparing to invade France. However, Rowland has other ideas. Losing himself among the craftsmen of London, he takes the guise of a Dutch shoemaker at the shop of Simon Eyre, a London cobbler, who makes shoes for the king and other notable families. Meanwhile, Rose is confined to her father’s house in London and is left pining for her love.
The play was first published in 1600 by the printer Valentine Simmes after it had been performed for Queen Elizabeth on New Year’s Day. In the epilogue, Dekker states that ‘nothing is proposed, but mirth’ by his tale of inter-class romance and intrigue.
A 1610 printing of the play
CONTENTS
TO ALL GOOD FELLOWS, PROFESSORS OF THE GENTLE CRAFT, OF WHAT DEGREE SOEVER.
PROLOGUE
DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.
ACT THE FIRST.
SCENE I. — A Street in London.
ACT THE SECOND.
SCENE I. — A Garden at Old Ford.
SCENE II. — A Street in London.
SCENE III. — An open Yard before Eyre’s House.
SCENE IV. — A Field near Old Ford.
SCENE V. — Another part of the Field.
ACT THE THIRD.
SCENE I. — A Room in Eyre’s House.
SCENE II. — London: a Room in Lincoln’s House.
SCENE III. — London: a Room in the Lord Mayor’s House.
SCENE IV. — London: a Room in Eyre’s House.
SCENE V. — A Room at Old Ford.
ACT THE FOURTH.
SCENE I. — A Street in London.
SCENE II. London: a Street before Hodge’s Shop.
SCENE III. — The Same.
SCENE IV. — London: a Room in the Lord Mayor’s House.
SCENE V. — Another Room in the same House.
ACT THE FIFTH.
SCENE I. — A Room in Eyre’s House.
SCENE II. — A Street near St. Faith’s Church.
SCENE III. — A Street in London.
SCENE IV. — A Great Hall.
SCENE V. — An Open Yard before the Hall.
Philip Henslowe by Edward Alleyn
TO ALL GOOD FELLOWS, PROFESSORS OF THE GENTLE CRAFT, OF WHAT DEGREE SOEVER.
KIND GENTLEMEN AND honest boon companions, I present you here with a merry-conceited Comedy, called The Shoemaker’s Holiday, acted by my Lord Admiral’s Players this present Christmas before the Queen’s most excellent Majesty, for the mirth and pleasant matter by her Highness graciously accepted, being indeed no way offensive. The argument of the pl
ay I will set down in this Epistle: Sir Hugh Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, had a young gentleman of his own name, his near kinsman, that loved the Lord Mayor’s daughter of London; to prevent and cross which love, the Earl caused his kinsman to be sent Colonel of a company into France: who resigned his place to another gentleman his friend, and came disguised like a Dutch shoemaker to the house of Simon Eyre in Tower Street, who served the Mayor and his household with shoes: the merriments that passed in Eyre’s house, his coming to be Mayor of London, Lacy’s getting his love, and other accidents, with two merry Three-men’s-songs. Take all in good worth that is well intended, for nothing is purposed but mirth; mirth lengtheneth long life, which, with all other blessings, I heartily wish you. Farewell!
PROLOGUE
AS IT WAS pronounced before the Queen’s Majesty.
As wretches in a storm (expecting day),
With trembling hands and eyes cast up to heaven,
Make prayers the anchor of their conquered hopes,
So we, dear goddess, wonder of all eyes,
Your meanest vassals, through mistrust and fear
To sink into the bottom of disgrace
By our imperfect pastimes, prostrate thus
On bended knees, our sails of hope do strike,
Dreading the bitter storms of your dislike.
Since then, unhappy men, our hap is such,
That to ourselves ourselves no help can bring,
But needs must perish, if your saint-like ears
(Locking the temple where all mercy sits)
Refuse the tribute of our begging tongues:
Oh grant, bright mirror of true chastity,
From those life-breathing stars, your sun-like eyes,
One gracious smile: for your celestial breath
Must send us life, or sentence us to death.
DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.
The King.
The Earl of Cornwall.
Sir Hugh Lacy, Earl of Lincoln.
His Nephews:
Rowland Lacy, otherwise Hans,
Askew
Sir Roger Oateley, Lord Mayor of London.
Citizens of London:
Master Hammon
Master Warner
Master Scott
Simon Eyre, the Shoemaker.
Eyre’s Journeymen:
Roger, commonly called Hodge
Firk
Ralph
Lovell, a Courtier.
Dodger, Servant to the Earl of Lincoln.
A Dutch Skipper.
A Boy.
Courtiers, Attendants, Officers, Soldiers, Hunters, Shoemakers, Apprentices, Servants.
Rose, Daughter of Sir Roger.
Sybil, her Maid.
Margery, Wife of Simon Eyre.
Jane, Wife of Ralph.
SCENE — London and Old Ford.
ACT THE FIRST.
SCENE I. — A Street in London.
ENTER THE LORD Mayor and the Earl of Lincoln.
Lincoln. My lord mayor, you have sundry times
Feasted myself and many courtiers more:
Seldom or never can we be so kind
To make requital of your courtesy.
But leaving this, I hear my cousin Lacy
Is much affected to your daughter Rose.
L. Mayor. True, my good lord, and she loves him so well
That I mislike her boldness in the chase.
Lincoln. Why, my lord mayor, think you it then a shame,
To join a Lacy with an Oateley’s name?
L. Mayor. Too mean is my poor girl for his high birth;
Poor citizens must not with courtiers wed,
Who will in silks and gay apparel spend
More in one year than I am worth, by far:
Therefore your honour need not doubt my girl.
Lincoln. Take heed, my lord, advise you what you do!
A verier unthrift lives not in the world,
Than is my cousin; for I’ll tell you what:
’Tis now almost a year since he requested
To travel countries for experience;
I furnished him with coin, bills of exchange,
Letters of credit, men to wait on him,
Solicited my friends in Italy
Well to respect him. But to see the end:
Scant had he journeyed through half Germany,
But all his coin was spent, his men cast off,
His bills embezzled, and my jolly coz,
Ashamed to show his bankrupt presence here,
Became a shoemaker in Wittenberg,
A goodly science for a gentleman
Of such descent! Now judge the rest by this:
Suppose your daughter have a thousand pound,
He did consume me more in one half year;
And make him heir to all the wealth you have,
One twelvemonth’s rioting will waste it all.
Then seek, my lord, some honest citizen
To wed your daughter to.
L. Mayor. I thank your lordship.
(Aside) Well, fox, I understand your subtilty.
As for your nephew, let your lordship’s eye
But watch his actions, and you need not fear,
For I have sent my daughter far enough.
And yet your cousin Rowland might do well,
Now he hath learned an occupation;
And yet I scorn to call him son-in-law.
Lincoln. Ay, but I have a better trade for him:
I thank his grace, he hath appointed him
Chief colonel of all those companies
Mustered in London and the shires about,
To serve his highness in those wars of France.
See where he comes! —
Enter Lovell, Lacy, and Askew.
Lovell, what news with you?
Lovell. My Lord of Lincoln, ’tis his highness’ will,
That presently your cousin ship for France
With all his powers; he would not for a million,
But they should land at Dieppe within four days.
Lincoln. Go certify his grace, it shall be done. [Exit Lovell.
Now, cousin Lacy, in what forwardness
Are all your companies?
Lacy. All well prepared.
The men of Hertfordshire lie at Mile-end,
Suffolk and Essex train in Tothill-fields,
The Londoners and those of Middlesex,
All gallantly prepared in Finsbury,
With frolic spirits long for their parting hour.
L. Mayor. They have their imprest, coats, and furniture;
And, if it please your cousin Lacy come
To the Guildhall, he shall receive his pay;
And twenty pounds besides my brethren
Will freely give him, to approve our loves
We bear unto my lord, your uncle here.
Lacy. I thank your honour.
Lincoln. Thanks, my good lord mayor.
L. Mayor. At the Guildhall we will expect your coming. [Exit.
Lincoln. To approve your loves to me? No subtilty!
Nephew, that twenty pound he doth bestow
For joy to rid you from his daughter Rose.
But, cousins both, now here are none but friends,
I would not have you cast an amorous eye
Upon so mean a project as the love
Of a gay, wanton, painted citizen.
I know, this churl even in the height of scorn
Doth hate the mixture of his blood with thine.
I pray thee, do thou so! Remember, coz,
What honourable fortunes wait on thee:
Increase the king’s love, which so brightly shines,
And gilds thy hopes. I have no heir but thee, —
And yet not thee, if with a wayward spirit
Thou start from the true bias of my love.
Lacy. My lord, I will for honour, not desire
Of land or livings, or to be your heir,
So guide my actions
in pursuit of France,
As shall add glory to the Lacys’ name.
Lincoln. Coz, for those words here’s thirty Portuguese
And, nephew Askew, there’s a few for you.
Fair Honour, in her loftiest eminence,
Stays in France for you, till you fetch her thence.
Then, nephews, clap swift wings on your designs:
Begone, begone, make haste to the Guildhall;
There presently I’ll meet you. Do not stay:
Where honour beckons, shame attends delay. [Exit.
Askew. How gladly would your uncle have you gone!
Lacy. True, coz, but I’ll o’erreach his policies.
I have some serious business for three days,
Which nothing but my presence can dispatch.
You, therefore, cousin, with the companies,
Shall haste to Dover; there I’ll meet with you:
Or, if I stay past my prefixèd time,
Away for France; we’ll meet in Normandy.
The twenty pounds my lord mayor gives to me
You shall receive, and these ten Portuguese,
Part of mine uncle’s thirty. Gentle coz,
Have care to our great charge; I know, your wisdom
Hath tried itself in higher consequence.
Askew. Coz, all myself am yours: yet have this care,
To lodge in London with all secrecy;
Our uncle Lincoln hath, besides his own,
Many a jealous eye, that in your face
Stares only to watch means for your disgrace.
Lacy. Stay, cousin, who be these?
Enter Simon Eyre, Margery his wife, Hodge, Firk, Jane, and Ralph with a pair of shoes.
Eyre. Leave whining, leave whining! Away with this whimpering, this puling, these blubbering tears, and these wet eyes! I’ll get thy husband discharged, I warrant thee, sweet Jane; go to!
Hodge. Master, here be the captains.
Eyre. Peace, Hodge; hush, ye knave, hush!
Firk. Here be the cavaliers and the colonels, master.
Eyre. Peace, Firk; peace, my fine Firk! Stand by with your pishery-pashery, away! I am a man of the best presence; I’ll speak to them, an they were Popes. — Gentlemen, captains, colonels, commanders! Brave men, brave leaders, may it please you to give me audience. I am Simon Eyre, the mad shoemaker of Tower Street; this wench with the mealy mouth that will never tire, is my wife, I can tell you; here’s Hodge, my man and my foreman; here’s Firk, my fine firking journeyman, and this is blubbered Jane. All we come to be suitors for this honest Ralph. Keep him at home, and as I am a true shoemaker and a gentleman of the gentle craft, buy spurs yourselves, and I’ll find ye boots these seven years.
Complete Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker Page 1