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    A Fair Quarrel: "There's no hate lost between us."
    A Fair Quarrel: "There's no hate lost between us."
    A Fair Quarrel: "There's no hate lost between us."
    Ebook168 pages1 hour

    A Fair Quarrel: "There's no hate lost between us."

    By Thomas Middleton

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    About this ebook

    Thomas Middleton was born in London in April 1580 and baptised on 18th April. Middleton was aged only five when his father died. His mother remarried but this unfortunately fell apart into a fifteen year legal dispute regarding the inheritance due Thomas and his younger sister. By the time he left Oxford, at the turn of the Century, Middleton had and published Microcynicon: Six Snarling Satirese which was denounced by the Archbishop of Canterbury and publicly burned. In the early years of the 17th century, Middleton wrote topical pamphlets. One – Penniless Parliament of Threadbare Poets was reprinted several times and the subject of a parliamentary inquiry. These early years writing plays continued to attract controversy. His writing partnership with Thomas Dekker brought him into conflict with Ben Jonson and George Chapman in the so-called War of the Theatres. His finest work with Dekker was undoubtedly The Roaring Girl, a biography of the notorious Mary Frith. In the 1610s, Middleton began another playwriting partnership, this time with the actor William Rowley, producing another slew of plays including Wit at Several Weapons and A Fair Quarrel. The ever adaptable Middleton seemed at ease working with others or by himself. His solo writing credits include the comic masterpiece, A Chaste Maid in Cheapside, in 1613. In 1620 he was officially appointed as chronologer of the City of London, a post he held until his death. The 1620s saw the production of his and Rowley's tragedy, and continual favourite, The Changeling, and of several other tragicomedies. However in 1624, he reached a peak of notoriety when his dramatic allegory A Game at Chess was staged by the King's Men. Though Middleton's approach was strongly patriotic, the Privy Council silenced the play after only nine performances at the Globe theatre, having received a complaint from the Spanish ambassador. What happened next is a mystery. It is the last play recorded as having being written by Middleton. Thomas Middleton died at his home at Newington Butts in Southwark in the summer of 1627, and was buried on July 4th, in St Mary's churchyard which today survives as a public park in Elephant and Castle.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherStage Door
    Release dateNov 1, 2016
    ISBN9781785438929
    A Fair Quarrel: "There's no hate lost between us."

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      Book preview

      A Fair Quarrel - Thomas Middleton

      A Fair Quarrel by Thomas Middleton

      Thomas Middleton was born in London in April 1580 and baptised on 18th April.

      Middleton was aged only five when his father died. His mother remarried but this unfortunately fell apart into a fifteen year legal dispute regarding the inheritance due Thomas and his younger sister.

      By the time he left Oxford, at the turn of the Century, Middleton had and published Microcynicon: Six Snarling Satirese which was denounced by the Archbishop of Canterbury and publicly burned.

      In the early years of the 17th century, Middleton wrote topical pamphlets. One – Penniless Parliament of Threadbare Poets was reprinted several times and the subject of a parliamentary inquiry.  

      These early years writing plays continued to attract controversy.  His writing partnership with Thomas Dekker brought him into conflict with Ben Jonson and George Chapman in the so-called War of the Theatres. 

      His finest work with Dekker was undoubtedly The Roaring Girl, a biography of the notorious Mary Frith. 

      In the 1610s, Middleton began another playwriting partnership, this time with the actor William Rowley, producing another slew of plays including Wit at Several Weapons and A Fair Quarrel.

      The ever adaptable Middleton seemed at ease working with others or by himself. His solo writing credits include the comic masterpiece, A Chaste Maid in Cheapside, in 1613.

      In 1620 he was officially appointed as chronologer of the City of London, a post he held until his death.

      The 1620s saw the production of his and Rowley's tragedy, and continual favourite, The Changeling, and of several other tragicomedies.

      However in 1624, he reached a peak of notoriety when his dramatic allegory A Game at Chess was staged by the King's Men. Though Middleton's approach was strongly patriotic, the Privy Council silenced the play after only nine performances at the Globe theatre, having received a complaint from the Spanish ambassador.

      What happened next is a mystery.  It is the last play recorded as having being written by Middleton.

      Thomas Middleton died at his home at Newington Butts in Southwark in the summer of 1627, and was buried on July 4th, in St Mary's churchyard which today survives as a public park in Elephant and Castle.

      Index of Contents

      Introduction

      Dramatis Personae

      The Scene - London

      ACT I

      Scene I - Master Russell's House

      ACT II

      Scene I - Lady Ager's House

      Scene II - Master Russell's House

      ACT III

      Scene I - A Street

      Scene II - Master Russell's House

      Scene III - Lady Ager's House

      ACT IV

      Scene I - The Roaring School

      Scene II - The Colonel's Bedchamber

      Scene III - Lady Ager's House

      Scene IV - A Street

      ACT V

      Scene I - Master Russell's House

      Thomas Middleton – A Short Biography

      Thomas Middleton – A Concise Bibliography

      INTRODUCTION

      To the nobly disposed, virtuous, and faithful-breasted ROBERT GREY Esquire, one of the grooms of his Highness' bed-chamber, his poor well-willer wisheth his best wishes,

      Worthy Sir,

      'Tis but a play, and a play is but a butt, against which many shoot many arrows of envy; 'tis the weaker part, and how much more noble shall it be in you to defend it. Yet if it be (as some philosophers have left behind 'em) that this megacosm, this great world, is no more than a stage, where every one must act his part, you shall of necessity have many part-takers, some long, some short, some indifferent, all some; whilst indeed the players themselves have the least part of it, for I know few that have lands (which are a part of the world), and therefore no grounded men; but howsoever they serve for mutes, happily they must wear good clothes for attendance. Yet all have exits, and must all be stripped in the tiring-house (viz. the grave), for none must carry anything out of the stock. You see, sir, I write as I speak, and I speak as I am, and that's excuse enough for me. I did not mean to write an epistle of praise to you; it looks so like a thing I know you love not, flattery, which you exceedingly hate actively, and unpleasingly accept passively: indeed, I meant to tell you your own, that is, that this child of the Muses is yours; whoever begat it, 'tis laid to your charge, and (for aught I know) you must father and keep it too. If it please you, I hope you shall not be ashamed of it neither, for it has been seen (though I say it) in good companies, and many have said it is a handsome pretty-spoken infant. Now be your own judge: at your leisure look on it, at your pleasure laugh at it; and if you be sorry it is no better, you may be glad it is no bigger.

      Yours ever,

      William Rowley

      DRAMATIS PERSONAE

      (in order of appearance)

      Master RUSSELL, father of Jane

      LADY AGER, his sister, and mother of Captain Ager

      The FIRST FRIEND OF THE COLONEL

      The FIRST FRIEND OF CAPTAIN AGER

      The COLONEL

      CAPTAIN AGER

      FITZALLEN, kinsman of the Colonel

      JANE

      DICK, Russell's servant

      Two SERGEANTS

      The SECOND FRIEND OF CAPTAIN AGER

      A PHYSICIAN

      ANNE, his sister

      CHOUGH, a foolish gentleman from Cornwall

      TRIMTRAM, his servant

      The SECOND FRIEND OF THE COLONEL

      A Dutch NURSE

      Two SERVANTS of Lady Ager

      An USHER of the Roaring School

      ROARERS

      VAPOUR, a tobacco-man

      The COLONEL'S SISTER

      A SURGEON

      MEG, a bawd

      PRISS, a whore

      CAPTAIN ALBO, an Irish pander

      THE SCENE - London

      ACT I

      SCENE I - Master Russell's House

      Enter Master RUSSELL, solus.

      RUSSELL

      It must be all my care; there's all my love,

      And that pulls on the tother. Had I been left

      In a son behind me, while I had been here

      He should have shifted as I did before him,

      Lived on the freeborn portion of his wit;

      But a daughter, and that an only one. Oh!

      We cannot be too careful or too tender;

      'Tis such a brittle niceness, a mere cupboard of glasses,

      The least shake breaks or cracks 'em. All my aim is

      To cast her upon riches: that's the thing

      We rich men call perfection, for the world

      Can perfect nought without it. 'Tis not neatness,

      Either in handsome wit or handsome outside,

      With which one gentleman, far in debt, has courted her,

      Which boldness he shall rue. He thinks me blind

      And ignorant: I have let him play a long time,

      Seemed to believe his worth, which I know nothing;

      He may perhaps laugh at my easy confidence

      Which closely I requite upon his fondness,

      For this hour snaps him; and before his mistress,

      His saint, forsooth, which he inscribes my girl,

      He shall be rudely taken and disgraced.

      The trick will prove an everlasting scarecrow

      To fright poor gallants from our rich men's daughters.

      Enter the LADY AGER, with two SERVANTS.

      Sister! I've such a joy to make you a welcome of,

      Better you never tasted.

      LADY AGER

      Good sir, spare it not.

      RUSSELL

      Colonel's come, and your son, Captain Ager.

      LADY AGER

      My son!

      [She weeps.

      RUSSELL

      I know your eye would be first served;

      That's the soul's taster still for grief or joy.

      LADY AGER

      Oh, if a mother's dear suit may prevail with him,

      From England he shall never part again.

      RUSSELL

      No question he'll be ruled, and grant you that.

      LADY AGER

      I'll bring all my desires to that request.

      [Exeunt LADY AGER and her SERVANTS.

      RUSSELL

      Affectionate sister, she has no daughter now;

      It follows all the love must come to him,

      And he has a worth deserves it, were it

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