(q.v.). Meres in 1598 counts him as one of 'the best for comedy amongst vs'. His correspondence with John Rainolds affords a summary of the controversy on the ethics of the stage in its academic aspect.
Latin Plays
Meleager. Feb. 1582
1592. Meleager. Tragoedia noua. Bis publice acta in aede Christi
Oxoniae. Oxoniae. Joseph Barnes. [Epistle to Earl of Essex, 'ex aede Christi Oxoniae, Calendis Ianuarij MDXCII. Gulielmus Gagerus'; Commendatory verses by Richard Edes, Alberico Gentili, and I. C[ase?]; Epistle Ad lectorem Academicum; Prologus ad academicos; Argumentum; Prologus ad illustrissimos Penbrochiae ac Lecestriae Comites. At end, Epilogus ad Academicos; Epilogus ad clarissimos Comites Penbrochiensem ac Lecestrensem; Panniculus Hippolyto . . . assutus (vide infra); Apollo [Greek: prologizei] ad serenissimam Reginam Elizabetham 1592; Prologus in Bellum Grammaticale ad eandem sacram Maiestatem; Epilogus in eandem Comoediam ad Eandem.] The dedication says 'Annus iam pene vndecimus agitur . . . ex quo Meleager primum, octauus ex quo iterum in Scenam venit', and adds that Pembroke, Leicester, and Sidney were present on the second occasion. Meleager is 'primogenitus meus'. The first production was doubtless one of those recorded in the Christ Church accounts in Feb. 1582 (Boas, 162), and the second during Leicester's visit as Chancellor in Jan. 1585 (Boas, 192).
Dido. 12 June 1583 [MSS.] Christ Church, Oxford, MS. [complete text]. Addl. MS. 22583. [Acts II, III only, with Prologue, Argument, and Epilogue.] Edition of B.M. fragment by A. Dyce (1850, Marlowe's Works). Abstract from Ch. Ch. MS. in Boas, 183. The play was produced before Alasco at Christ Church on 12 June 1583. It is unlikely that it influenced Marlowe's play.
Ulysses Redux. 6 Feb. 1592
1592. Vlysses Redux Tragoedia Nova. In Aede Christi Oxoniae Publice Academicis Recitata, Octavo Idus Februarii. 1591. Oxoniae. Joseph Barnes. [Prologus ad Academicos; Epistle to Lord Buckhurst, 'ex aede Christi Oxoniae sexto Idus Maij, 1592 . . . Gulielmus Gagerus'; Commendatory verses by Thomas Holland, Alberico Gentili, Richard Edes, Henry Bust, Matthew Gwinne, Richard Late-warr, Francis Sidney, John Hoschines (Hoskins), William Ballowe, James Weston; Verses Ad Zoilum; Epistle Ad Criticum. At end, Prologus in Rivales Comoediam; Prologus in Hippolytum Senecae Tragoediam; Epilogus in eundem; Momus; Epilogus Responsiuus.]
The play was produced on Sunday, 6 Feb. 1592, and an indiscreet invitation to John Rainolds opened the flood-gates of controversy
