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    The Nice Valour: or, The Passionate Madman
    The Nice Valour: or, The Passionate Madman
    The Nice Valour: or, The Passionate Madman
    Ebook133 pages1 hour

    The Nice Valour: or, The Passionate Madman

    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
    ISBN9781785438820
    The Nice Valour: or, The Passionate Madman

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      Book preview

      The Nice Valour - Thomas Middleton

      The Nice Valour by Thomas Middleton

      or, The Passionate Madman

      The Nice Valour was first published in the Beaumont and Fletcher Folio of 1647, but modern analysis of the work has now confirmed the authorship of Middleton either in its entirety or a significant revision of an earlier Fletcher play.

      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

      Dramatis Personae

      PROLOGUE

      ACT I

      Scene I - The Palace

      ACT II

      Scene I - A Gallery in the Palace

      ACT III

      Scene I - The Palace

      Scene II - The Palace

      Scene III - The Passionate Lord's Chambers

      Scene IV - The Palace

      ACT IV

      Scene I - A Chamber in the Palace, Outside the Palace, and in Front of Lapet's House

      ACT V

      Scene I - The Palace

      Scene II - A Field in the Country

      Scene III - The Palace

      EPILOGUE

      Thomas Middleton – A Short Biography

      Thomas Middleton – A Concise Bibliography

      Dramatis Personae

      (in order of appearance)

      The DUKE

      SHAMONT

      Four GENTLEMEN of the Chamber, the first named LA NOVE

      LAPET

      The LADY, sister to the Duke

      Lapet's WIFE

      The PASSIONATE LORD, kinsman to the Duke

      A SERVANT to Shamont

      A SOLDIER, brother to Shamont

      A Lady disguised as CUPID

      Six women MASQUERS

      Two BROTHERS to the Cupid

      A PRIEST

      A HUNTSMAN

      GALOSHIO, a clown

      Two SERVANTS to the Lady

      A SERVANT to the Duke

      A GALLANT

      A PLAIN FELLOW

      BASE, the Passionate Lord's jester

      A SERVANT to the Passionate Lord

      POLTROT

      MOULBAZON

      THE PROLOGUE at the reviving of this play

      It's grown in fashion of late in these days

      To come and beg a sufferance to our plays;

      Faith, gentlemen, our poet ever writ

      Language so good, mix'd with such sprightly wit,

      He made the theatre so sovereign

      With his rare scenes, he scorn'd this crouching vein:

      We stabb'd him with keen daggers when we pray'd

      Him write a preface to a play well made.

      He could not write these toys; 'twas easier far

      To bring a felon to appear at th' bar,

      So much he hated baseness, which this day,

      His scenes will best convince you of in's play.

      ACT I

      SCENE I - The Palace

      Enter DUKE, SHAMONT, and four GENTLEMEN including LA NOVE.

      DUKE

      Shamont, welcome; we have miss'd thee long,

      Though absent but two days: I hope your sports

      Answer'd your time and wishes.

      SHAMONT

      Very nobly, sir:

      We found game worthy your delight, my lord,

      It was so royal.

      DUKE

      I've enough to hear on't;

      Prithee bestow 't upon me in discourse.

      [They walk apart.

      LA NOVE

      What is this gentleman, coz? You are a courtier,

      Therefore know all their insides.

      SECOND GENTLEMAN

      No farther than the taffety goes, good coz,

      For the most part, which is indeed the best part

      Of the most general inside. Marry, thus far

      I can with boldness speak this one's man's character,

      And upon honour pass it for a true one:

      He has that strength of manly merit in him

      That it exceeds his sovereign's power of gracing;

      He's faithfully true to valour, that he hates

      The man from Caesar's time, or farther off,

      That ever took disgrace unreveng'd,

      And if he chance to read his abject story,

      He tears his memory out, and holds it virtuous

      Not to let shame have so much life amongst us.

      There is not such a curious piece of courage

      Amongst man's fellowship, or one so jealous

      Of honour's loss or reputation's glory:

      There's so much perfect of his growing story.

      LA NOVE

      'Twould make one dote on virtue as you tell it.

      SECOND GENTLEMAN

      I ha' told it to much loss, believe it,

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