31 October, 1597 - Friar Spendleton

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

Henslowe writes: octobȝ | 31 | ne | tt at fryer splendelton |  02 | 00

In modern English: October 31^st, [1597] ... total at Friar Spendleton ... £2 [i.e. 40 shillings]

Welcome back! After another mysterious gap in performances, the Rose is open for business again with a new play! But the end of the Diary approaches: Henslowe's box office records will cease, without fanfare or spectacle, on 5 November. Prepare a handkerchief.

Portrait of a Camaldulense
Friar by Moroni (1560s)

Today was the premiere of Friar Spendleton, a new play, now lost.  Unfortunately, there is nothing more we can say about it. No character of that name appears elsewhere, and it is thus impossible to know the story was about. Perhaps, given the attitudes of Protestant England, the friar was a figure of fun, or of evil. But who can say?

The box office is unimpressive for a premiere, suggesting that London's theatregoers are not very excited about plays about friars.

What's next?

There will be no entry tomorrow, for reasons unknown. Henslowe's Diary ... as a Blog! will thus return on 2 November. See you then!

FURTHER READING

Friar Spendleton information

• Martin Wiggins, British Drama, 1533-1642: A Catalogue, vol. 3 (Oxford University Press, 2013), entry 1046.
• Christopher Matusiak and Roslyn L. Knutson, "Friar Spendleton", Lost Plays Database (2019), accessed August 2021. 

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!