A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 12

In Short

This volume presents a curated selection of early modern English stage works, featuring comedies of trickery alongside historical and pastoral dramas. The plays navigate the social anxieties of seventeenth-century England, tracing the movements of unscrupulous misers, repentant prodigals, disguised lovers, and ancient warriors. Wealth is endlessly plotted over, family ties are tested by avarice, and heroic figures face both supernatural omens and the harsh realities of combat. Through sharp satirical dialogue, pastoral verse, and tragic spectacle, the anthology captures the vibrant diversity of post-Renaissance theater. It has lasted as a vital historical record, preserving the craft of lesser-known playwrights who shaped the stage alongside their most famous contemporaries.

The Story

The anthology opens with comedy grounded in the cynical realities of urban life and financial greed. In Thomas May’s The Old Couple, the plot centers on the rampant avarice of Sir Argent Scrape and Earthworm, two elderly men consumed by hoardings and wretched stinginess. Relationships are reduced to transactional bargains, and marriage is treated purely as a vehicle for securing estates. Disguises and clever maneuvers fuel the action: Scudmore, a young man who lost his inheritance to the fraudulent Lady Covet and was thought slain in a duel by Sir Argent’s nephew Eugeny, returns in secret as the chaplain Fruitful. Through his subtle influence, Fruitful exposes the scheming natures of the elderly hoarders and disrupts their predatory plans, clearing the way for moral reformation and the restoration of stolen property.

A similar obsession with money and moral decay drives William Rowley’s A Match at Midnight. Here, the plot moves through dicing-houses, taverns, and shadowy street corners where gallants, usurers, and rogers cross paths. The young Robert finds himself caught between his harsh, unyielding stepmother, Mistress Foster, and his extravagant uncle Stephen. Stephen squanders his resources at the dicing table, only to experience an sudden windfall and transformation that allows him to assume responsibility over his family's affairs. Meanwhile, city merchants play high-stakes games with inventory, cash, and bonds, attempting to outwit one another in complex financial deals while street rogues and foolish suitors maneuver for advantage.

In Jasper Mayne’s The City Match, the comic focus turns to the antics of scheme-minded gallants and fake tutors who operate within the city. Plotters like Shape, Slicer, and Hearsay attempt to prey upon wealthy citizens, setting up elaborate hoaxes to trick the credulous. Meanwell, a brooding young man, mourns the unjust imprisonment and financial ruin of his virtuous father at the hands of a heartless, wealthy citizen. Driven by filial duty, Meanwell plots to undo the miserly oppressors. The comedy weaves together eccentric pedants using outdated Chaucerian diction, fraudulent marriages involving gullible widows, and midnight roundups by overzealous local constables trying to suppress public disorder.

The collection then shifts away from urban satire toward elevated pastoral and historical drama. In a pastoral play of romantic trial, young lovers face parental tyranny and conflicting vows. Charinus attempts to force his daughter Neria to marry the rich shepherd Daphnis, ignoring her sacred vow of chastity. Meanwhile, lovers like Thyrsis and Sylvia face separation, false accusations, and betrayal, choosing death over dishonor as they navigate jealousy and family opposition.

Finally, in the historical tragedy of Fuimus Troes, the narrative moves to the grand stage of ancient history, dramatizing the Roman invasion of Britain. Julius Caesar leads his legions across the sea, driven by imperial ambition, while British leaders like Nennius rise to defend their homeland. Spectral apparitions of ancient heroes—including Brennus and Camillus—haunt the generals, demanding blood, honor, and vengeance. Battles rage, tragic misunderstandings claim the lives of valiant friends, and the Britons fight fiercely against Roman dominance, ending in high-stakes negotiations and solemn sacrifices.

How It Unfolds

A house of hoarders Sir Argent Scrape and Earthworm hoard their fortunes while scheming to acquire more through arranged marriages. Scudmore, disguised as the chaplain Fruitful, gains access to Lady Covet’s household and uncovers her fraudulent land seizures.

Reckoning at the dicing house Young Robert confronts his thriftless uncle Stephen in a gambling den, drawing the wrath of his stepmother Mistress Foster. Stephen loses his cloak and funds to tricks, but later inherits an estate, reforming his ways and appointing Robert as his business manager.

Plots in the city The schemers Slicer, Shape, and Hearsay set up shop as fake tutors, aiming to trick wealthy citizens and gullible gallants out of their money. Meanwell vows to avenge his ruined father by targeting the miser who imprisoned him.

Constables and night walks A local constable and his officers break up a chaotic gathering, arresting citizens, pretended scholars, and lovers on charges of disturbing the peace. The foolish character Andrew and his companion Priscilla are dragged off despite their protests.

Market cries and rustic weddings Ballad-sellers and peddlers hawk their wares, singing songs to trick customers into buying cheap broadsides. A chaotic series of disguises ends in a double wedding among lowborn street vendors, celebrated with a drinking song dedicated to ale.

Pastoral lovers tested Charinus demands that his daughter Neria accept the wealthy shepherd Daphnis, disregarding her sacred vows. In the woods, the lovers Thyrsis and Sylvia choose to face death rather than allow their honor and affection to be tarnished by courtly intrigue.

Ghosts demand vengeance Before the Roman invasion, the ghost of the ancient warlord Brennus appears to the British leader Nennius, urging him to defend Britain. Simultaneously, the ghost of Camillus visits Julius Caesar, demanding revenge against the islanders.

The People

• Sir Argent Scrape: An old, extremely covetous knight who seeks to increase his immense wealth by marrying Lady Covet. His single-minded pursuit of money leaves him vulnerable to being deceived by those around him.
• Earthworm: A miserly old man who hoards his estate, living in bitter parsimony until the virtuous actions of his son and neighbors force a change in his disposition.
• Scudmore / Fruitful: A noble young man who lost his estate through fraud. Believed dead after a duel, he disguises himself as a pious household chaplain named Fruitful to expose the deceit of his oppressors and reclaim what is rightfully his.
• Robert: A dutiful young man who remains loyal and respectful to his harsh father and abusive stepmother, ultimately managing his uncle's estate with integrity.
• Stephen: An unthrifty uncle who frequents gambling houses and squanders his money, but who turns his life around upon receiving an inheritance, transforming into a generous benefactor for his nephew.
• Meanwell: A melancholic and sharp-witted young man obsessed with the unjust imprisonment of his virtuous father. He uses his intelligence to orchestrate elaborate schemes against the arrogant and wealthy.
• Moth: An eccentric antiquarian who speaks almost exclusively in archaic, Chaucerian English. His foolish desire for a young bride makes him an easy target for tricksters.
• Charinus: An overbearing father who views his daughter purely as property to be gifted to the wealthiest suitor, dismissing her personal vows and desires.
• Nennius: A fierce British warrior inspired by ancestral spirits to fight against the invading Roman legions, placing national honor above his own life.
• Julius Caesar: The ambitious Roman commander who leads his armies across the ocean to subjugate the British Isles, driven by glory and historical grievances.

In Its Own Voice

When Sir Argent Scrape discovers that his prospective bride has secretly transferred her wealth away to avoid his grasp, his pretended affection vanishes instantly into bitter rage:

"Love! Mischief of love!"

In A Match at Midnight, Mistress Foster turns on her stepson Robert after catching him in a gambling den, disowning him with harsh cruelty:

"Mother? hang thee, wretch! I bore thee not; But many afflictions I have borne for thee:"

In Jasper Mayne’s The City Match, the antiquarian Moth expresses his anxieties about marriage in absurdly archaic phrasing:

"Whoso with them maketh that bond anon, Which men do clyppen spousail or wedlock, Saint Idiot is his lord, i-wis."

What It's Really About

Beneath the varied theatrical forms of comedy, pastoral romance, and historical tragedy, the volume probes the destructive nature of human greed and the fragility of social obligations. The plays repeatedly ask whether virtue can survive in a world governed by financial transactions, where fathers bargain away their daughters, stepmothers cast off their sons, and wealthy old men hoard resources while the deserving suffer.

The text sets up a tension between artificial law—often weaponized by usurers and corrupt landowners—and natural justice. Whether through the clever disguises of displaced gentlemen or the spectral interventions of ancient ghosts, the plays argue that hidden moral corruption will eventually be dragged into the light. Filial piety, personal honor, and true affection are pitted against the cold realities of commerce, demonstrating how avarice degrades both the individual soul and the broader community.

Why Read It Today

This collection offers an authentic, unfiltered window into the theatrical landscape of seventeenth-century England beyond the familiar realm of Shakespeare. Readers who enjoy rich period detail, historical language, and intricate plotting will find much to admire in these works. The plays showcase a fascinating range of dramatic styles, from sharp urban satire and lowbrow tavern humor to high-minded pastoral verse and martial tragedy.

Reading the volume requires some patience with period conventions. The dialogue often relies on archaic legal terminology, dense topical allusions, and in cases like the character Moth, deliberate mock-Chaucerian dialect that requires close attention. Furthermore, the quick turns from mercenary cruelty to sudden moral conversions can feel abrupt to modern sensibilities.

Yet, what remains compelling is the sheer vitality of the voices. The street cries of ballad-mongers, the rapid-fire banter of city sharpers, and the intense moral arguments of wronged lovers feel remarkably alive. It is a collection that rewards anyone interested in how early modern society laughed at its own vices, wrestled with the power of money, and staged its foundational myths.

<ElicitationsGroup message="Explore this volume further:"> <Elicitation label="Read a detailed breakdown of the comedic plays" query="Provide a detailed breakdown of the comedic plays in Dodsley's Old English Plays Volume 12, focusing on plot structures and character tropes."/> <Elicitation label="Examine the historical tragedy Fuimus Troes" query="Analyze Fuimus Troes from Dodsley's Old English Plays Volume 12, detailing its portrayal of the Roman invasion and its use of classical themes."/> <Elicitation label="Compare the themes of greed across these plays" query="Compare how the theme of greed is addressed across the different plays in Dodsley's Old English Plays Volume 12."/> </ElicitationsGroup>