18th May, 1592 - Sir John Mandeville

Here's what Lord Strange's Men performed at the Rose playhouse on this day, 424 years ago...

Henslowe writes: R at mandevell the 16 of maye 1592 ... xxxx^s

In modern English: Received at Mandeville, 18^th May, 1592 ... 40 shillings

Mandevillian monster from

the Nuremberg Chronicle (1493)

The lively Whitsuntide festival continues! Today, Lord Strange's Men decided to revive their lost play about Sir John Mandeville. Although Mandeville is today most famous for his fantastical travel narratives, the most plausible theory is that this play was a chivalric and comic romance, in which Sir John won the hand of a fair lady above his station; you can read more about the play in the entry for 24th February.

The impact of Whitsuntide is still being felt at the Rose; Sir John Mandeville had always received mediocre box office in the past, but today it succeeded in making 40 shillings - only a little above the average for the Rose, but much better than usual for this play. 

Henslowe links

• Transcript of this page of the Diary (from W.W. Greg's 1904 edition)
• Facsimile of this page of the Diary (from the Henslowe-Alleyn Digitisation Project)

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