Robert Daborne's Plays
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ROBERT DABORNE'S PLAYS. L Introduction. In the following pages I give an exact re-print of Robert Daborne's two extant plays: 'A Christian twrrid Türke' and 'The Poorman's Comfort', neither of which has been reprinted since the original editions of 1612 and 1655. My chief reason for doing so is to be found in the part Daborne took in the composition of certain plays^by Beaumont, Fletcher and Massinger. In Vols V, VII, VIH, IX and X of Englische Studien, Fleay and Boyle have subjected the plays of these three dramatists to a very close scrutiny, and tried to settle which portions of certain dramas are to be ascribed to Beaumont and to Fletcher, or to Massinger and to Fletcher. In some plays a third or even a fourth author took some part, and in the case of three dramas a certain portion of the work has been attri- buted to Daborne. Fleay (Engl. Stud. IX, 19) ascribes to his hand: Act II of 4The Honest Man's Fortune', the remaining being — according to him — by Massinger (I), Field (HE, IV), and Fletcher (V). Boyle (Engl. Stud. VHI, 40—42) gives I and II. 1. to Tourneur; as for the rest of II he is doubtful; III he supposes to be the earliest work of Massinger's; IV is by Beaumont; V by Fletcher. — Boyle (Engl. Stud. VIII, 54) thinks The Bloody Brother' IV. 1. is Daborne's work, the rest being by Massinger, Fletcher, and Field. Fleay (Engl. Stud. IX. 22) does not mention Daborne, and ascribes the play to Fl., M., F., and Jonson. — Boyle (ib. VIII. 58, 61) thinks the 3rd Act of Thierry and Theodoret is from Daborne's hand; the rest he ascribes to Fl. and M. Fleay (ib. IX. 21) thinks it was written by Fl. and M., but that III and V. 1. are written by a third hand which he does not recognise. Anglia. N. F. VIII. H Brought to you by | University of California Authenticated Download Date | 6/5/15 8:50 AM 154 A. E. H. SWAEN, To settle this question — for Boyle does not decisively ascribe the various parts to Daborne, acknowledging that he does not know his style well enough — there are two requi- sites: 1st a knowledge of Daborne's life, 2nd an acquaintance with his style and language. Of his life we know little and the little that we know I wish to recapitulate in the following pages at some length. As to the second requisite, the scarcity of copies of his two plays has hitherto prevented students of the drama from acquiring it. To enable those interested in the study of Beaumont, Fletcher and Massinger to form an opinion for themselves I here give the two plays, in the chronological order in which they appeared. I wish however to state at the outset that D's dramatical work does not rank high: Christian turn'd Türke' is decidedly a poor production, and 'The Poorman's Comfort' — though far superior to it in construction, plot and language — is yet far from justifying the author's good opinion of his own work. After reading the former we can hardly believe it possible that this man should have been allowed to collaborate with such men as Fletcher and Massinger, or that he should have made so much money by his plays. But his second drama displays possibi- lities which show that — under the leadership of better men — he might produce fairly good work. II. Life of Daborne. In the preface of Christian turn'd Türke'1 Daborne says: "my owne discent is not obscure but generous". We know however nothing either about his parents or the year of his birth; but as Mr. Bullen says in his article on our author in the Dictionary of National Biography, he may have belonged to the Dabornes of Guildford, Surrey. He writes his name "Daborne" in most cases, but in one instance a letter is signed: Darborne (16 July, 1613). Field writes of him as "Mr. Dawborne", and Henslowe calls him both Daborne and Dawborne, though most commonly the first. On the title-page of Christian turn'd Türke' his name is written 'Daborn'; this play appeared during his lifetime (1612). On the title- page of "The Poorman's Comfort" — which appeared in 1655, 1 s. p. 189 of the present article. Brought to you by | University of California Authenticated Download Date | 6/5/15 8:50 AM ROBERT DABORNE'S PLAYS. 155 long after his death — the name is spelt 'Dauborne'. No doubt the spelling 'Daborne', being so much more common, is the correct one, the forms Darborne or Dawborne being phonetic. Of his youth we know absolutely nothing, and the earliest mention of him is in a warrant granted to 'Daborne and others the queen's servants 4 Jan. 7 Jacobi, to bring up and practise children in plays by the name of The Children of the Queen's Revels' (Collier, New Facts). James reigned 1603—25. Most light is thrown upon Daborne, in his quality as play- wright, 'by a series of letters preserved among the Dulwich MSS. These letters have been printed in Boswell's edition of Malone's Shakespeare, 1821. pp. 336 and foil., and by J. Payne Collier in 'The Alleyn Papers' printed for the Shakespeare Society, 1843, and 'Memoir of Alleyn' printed for the same Society in 1841. (Alleyn was the founder of Dulwich College, and a well-known actor and play-house owner.) They were written to Henslowe, chiefly to obtain loans on plays on which he was engaged, and show that our author was frequently hard up for money. Though Collier sometimes published spurious documents, the letters referring to Daborne are genuine, as is evident from Malone's publishing them, and from Warner's Catalogue. Collier observes that Malone printed these docu- ments 'with marvellous inaccuracy', but comparison shows that he exaggerates. In order to bring together the scattered materials, I subjoin all the letters written by Daborne, and those mentioning his name. I give them as printed in Collier's Alleyn Papers, occassionally adding a variant from Malone's edition, but — as far as possible — chronologically arranged, differing in this from Collier who gives them without any apparent order. 1. Referring to a play by Daborne and Nat. Field. (All. Pap. 48.)1 Mr Hinchlow, Mr Dawborne and I have spent a great deale of time in conference about this plott, wch will make as beneficiall a play as hath come these seaven yeares. It is out of his love he detained it for us; onely χ Æ. is desir'd in hand, for wcb we 1 The letter is not dated. It is not known to what play F. refers. For the mention of "another Company", cp. no. 18. 11* Brought to you by | University of California Authenticated Download Date | 6/5/15 8:50 AM 156 A. E. H. SWABN, will be bound to bring you in the play finished upon the first day of August: wee would not loose it, wee have so assured a hope of it, and, on my knowledge, Mr Dawborne may have his request of another Companie. Pray, let us have speedie answere, and effectuall; you know, the last money you disburst was justly pay'd in, and wee are now in a way to pay you all so, uniesse yor seife, for want of small supplie, will put us out of it againe.l Pray, let us know when wee shall speake with you; till when, and ever, I rest Yor loving and obedient Son, Nat. Field. 2 2. This letter has been printed in BoswelPs edition of Malone's Shakespeare (vol. iii, p. 337) and in Collier's Memoirs of Alleyn, London, 1841, p. 120. It is from Field, Daborne and Massinger to Henslowe and the subject the common one: a loan of money. To our most loving frend Mr Phillipp Hinchlow Esquire these. Mr Hinchlow. You vnderstand or vnfortunate extremitie, and I doe not thincke you so void of christianitie, but that you would throw so much money into the Thames as wee request now of you; rather then endanger so many innocent liues; you know there is x1 more at least to be receaued of you for the play, wee desire you to lend vs v1 of that, wch shall be allowed to you whowt woh wee cannot be bayled, nor I play any more till this be dispatch'd, it will loose you xxl ere the end of the next weeke, beside the hinderance of the next new play, pray Sr Consider our Cases wth humanitie, and now giue vs cause to acknowledge you our true freind in time of neede; wee haue entreated Mr Dauison to deliuer this note, as well to wittnesse yor loue, as or promises, and allwayes acknowledgment to be euer Yor most thanckfull; and louing freinds Nat. Field ' The mony shall be abated out of the mony remayns for the play of Mr Fletcher & ours Rob. Daborne 1 This word is not in Malone. 2 Another time Field addresses Henslowe, as 'Father Hinchlow'. Al- leyn Papers, 65- Brought to you by | University of California Authenticated Download Date | 6/5/15 8:50 AM ROBERT DABOBNE'S PLAYS. 157 I have ever founde you a true lovinge freinde to mee & in soe small a suite it beeing honest I hope yow will not faile vs — Philip Massinger, Eec. by mee Eobert Dauison of Mr Hinshloe for y« use of Mr Dauboern Mr Feeld Mr Messenger the some of v1 Robert Dauison.