19 October, 1594 - The French Doctor

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

Henslowe writes: y^e  18 of octobȝ 1594 ... R at the frenshe docter ... xxij^s 

In modern English: 19^th October, 1594 ... Received at The French Doctor ... 22 shillings.

Today, the Admiral's Men appear to have brought back another old play from the archives. But as with The Love of a Grecian Lady a few days ago, this was not one of the great modern classics by Christopher Marlowe; instead it appears to have been a forgotten comedy that barely attracted anyone to the theatre.

A French Physician, by
Matthew Darly, 1771

We do not know what The French Doctor was about, but in his catalogue of British drama, Martin Wiggins suggests that French doctors in the plays of this period tend to supply drugs. Perhaps the doctor was a poisoner, or perhaps he sold love potions?

Sadly, we will never know what the doctor did. And it looks as though the theatregoers of London didn't much care anyway.

What's next?

There will be no blog entry tomorrow, because 20th October was a Sunday in 1594, and the players did not perform. Henslowe's Diary ... as a Blog! will thus return on the 21st, for a week that will include one new play.

FURTHER READING

 

The French Doctor information

• Martin Wiggins, British Drama, 1533-1642: A Catalogue, vol. 2 (Oxford University Press, 2012), entry 833.

 

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)

Comments?

Did I make a mistake? Do you have a question? Have you anything to add? Please post a comment below!