The Lives and Characters of the English Dramatick Poets/Philip Massenger
Philip Massenger.
A Poet who was born at Salisbury in the Reign of Charles the First, his Father liv’d and dy’d in the Service of the then Earl of Montgomery, and sent his Son, our Poet, to St. Alban-Hall, in Oxon, where he remain’d a Student for three or four Years. He was intimate with Rowley, Middleton, Field, Decker, and even Fletcher. He left this World in March, 1669. and on the seventeenth Day of that Month, was buried in St. Mary Overies-Church in Southwark, in the Grave where Mr. Fletcher had been before buried. In Sir Aston Cockain’s Epigrams you may find an Epitaph on him, Book 1. Ep. 100. He writ fourteen Plays intire, and joined with Middleton and Rowley in some others; of which in their Order:
The Bashful Lover, a Comedy, 8 vo. 1655. Acted at the private House in Black-Fryars, by his Majesty’s Servants, with good Applause.
The Bondman, a Comedy, 4 to. 1638. Acted at the Cock-Pit in Drury-Lane, by the most excellent Princess, the Lady Elizabeth, her Servants: Dedicated to the Right Honourable, Philip, Earl of Montgomery. The reducing the Slaves by the Sight of the Whips, is taken from the Story of the Scythian Slaves.
The City Madam, a Comedy, 4 to. 1659. Acted at the Private House in Black-fryars, with great Applause, and Dedicated to the truly Noble and Virtuous Lady, Ann, Countess of Oxon. This has been esteemed a good Play.
The Duke of Millain, a Tragedy, 4 to. 1638. as it had been often acted by his Majesty’s Servants, at the Black-fryars. Plot from Josephus’s Hist. Jews, Book 15. Chap. 4.
The Emperor of the East, a Tragi-Comedy, 4 to. 1632. Acted at the Black-fryars and Globe, by his Majesty’s Servants: Dedicated to the Right Honourable, John, Lord Mohun, Baron of Oke-hampton. Plot from Socrates, Lib. 7. Nicephorus, Lib. 14. Baronius, &c.
The fatal Dowry, a Tragedy, 4 to. 1632. Acted at the Black-fryars, by his Majesty’s Servants; Mr. Field, an Author before-mentioned, joyn’d with him in this Play. Charlois Ransoming his Father’s Corps by his own Imprisonment, taken from Cymon, in Val. Max. Lib. 5. Cap. 4. Ex. 9.
The Great Duke of Florence, a Comedy, 4 to. 1636. The Title calls it, a Comical History, often presented with good Allowance, by her Majesty’s Servants, at the Phænix in Drury-Lane. The Dedication to the truly Honoured, and his Noble Favourer, Sir Robert Wiseman, of Thorrells-Hall, in Essex. Plot from Speed, Stow, and other our English Chronicles, in the Reign of King Edgar.
The Guardian, a Comedy, 8 vo. 1655. The Title also calls this, a Comical History, often acted at the private House in Black-fryars, by his late Majesty’s Servants, with great Applause. Plot from Boccace’s Novels, Day 8. Nov. 7. and from the Cimmerian Matron, 8 vo.
The Maid of Honour, a Tragi-Comedy, 4 to. 1632. This was oftentimes acted with good Allowance, at the Phænix in Drury-Lane, by her Majesty’s Servants; and dedicated to Sir Francis Foliambe, and Sir Tho. Bland. The Play is recommended by Sir Aston Cokain, who prefix’d a Copy of Verses thereto.
A New Way to pay Old Debts, a Comedy, 4 to. 1633, often acted at the Phænix in Drury-Lane, by the Queen’s Majesty’s Servants; and dedicated to the Right Honourable, Robert, Earl of Carnarvan. Sir Thomas Jay, and Sir Henry Moody have very much commended this Play.
The Old Law. Vide Middleton.
The Picture, a Tragi-Comedy, 4 to. 1636. Acted at the Globe and Black-fryars Play-Houses, by his Majesty’s Servants; and dedicated to the Noble Society of the Inner-Temple. Plot from the, Fortunate deceived, and Unfortunate Lovers, Nov. 4. of the Deceived Lovers.
The Renegado, a Comedy, 4 to. 1630. Acted at the private Play-House, in Drury-Lane, by her Maiesty’s Servants; dedicated to the Right Honourable, George Harding, Baron of Barkley-Castle, and Knight of the Honourable Order of the Bath. Mr. Shirley, &c. have commended this Play by Copies of Verses.
The Roman Actor, a Tragedy, 4to. 1629. Acted at the private House in the Black-fryars, by the King's Majesty's Servants; dedicated to Sir Philip Knivet, Sir Tho. Jay, and Tho. Bellingham, of Newtimber, in Sussex, Esq; This Play is recommended by divers Copies of Verses from Ford, Goff, May, and other Dramatick Poets. Plot from Tacitus, Aurelius, Victor, and Suetonius in the Life of Domitian.
A Very Woman, or the Prince of Tarent, a Tragi-Comedy, 8vo. 1655. The Plot of this resembles that of the Obstinate Lady, writ by Sir Aston Cokain.
The Virgin Martyr, a Tragedy, 4to. 1661. Acted by his Majesty's Servants with great Applause. Mr. Decker assisted our Author in this Play. Plot from Valesius, Roswedius, Eusebii Hist. Lib. 8. Cap. 17.
The Unnatural Combat, a Tragedy, 4to. 1639. presented by the King's Majesty's Servants, at the Globe; and dedicated to his much honoured Friend, Anthony Sentliger, of Oukham in Kent, Esq; This Play is without Prologue or Epilogue.
The Bashful Lover, the Guardian, and the Very Woman, are printed together in one Volume, 8vo.