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The Widow (?) S. R. 1652, Apr. 12 (Brent). 'A play called The Widdow, written by John Fletcher & Tho: Middleton gent.' Moseley (Eyre, i. 394). 1652. The Widdow A Comedie. As it was Acted at the private House in Black-Fryers, with great Applause, by His late Majesties Servants. Written by Ben: Jonson John Fletcher. Tho: Middleton. Gent. Printed by the Originall Copy. For Humphrey Moseley. [Epistle to Reader by Alexander Gough. Prologue and Epilogue.] Bullen places this 'from internal evidence' c. 1608-9, but thinks it revised at a later date, not improbably by Fletcher, although he cannot discover either Jonson's hand or, 'unless the songs be his', Fletcher's. Allusions to 'a scornful woman' ( ii. 104) and to 'yellow bands' as 'hateful' ( i. 52) are consistent with a date c. 1615-16. The Mayor of Quinborough (?) [MS.] A copy of the play, said to be 'of no great antiquity', is described in an appendix to Wit and Wisdom (Sh. Soc.), 85. S. R. 1646, Sept. 4 (Langley). 'Maior of Quinborough.' Robinson and Moseley (Eyre, i. 244). 1661, Feb. 13. 'A Comedie called the Maior of Quinborough, By Tho: Middleton. Henry Herringham (Eyre, ii. 288). 1661. The Mayor of Quinborough: A Comedy. As it hath been often Acted with much Applause at Black-Fryars, By His Majesties Servants. Written by Tho. Middleton. For Henry Herringham. [Epistle to Gentlemen.] There is a mention ( i. 112) of Fletcher's Wild-Goose Chase (1621), and the introduction of a 'rebel Oliver' suggests a much later date. But Bullen thinks this an old play revised, and Fleay, ii. 104, attempts to identify it with an anonymous play called both Vortigern and Hengist (Greg, Henslowe, ii. 181) which was produced by the Admiral's on 4 Dec. 1596 and bought by the same company from Alleyn in 1601. There is not, however, much to support a theory that Middleton was writing for the stage so early as 1596. Stork, 46, thinks that Middleton and Rowley revised the older play c. 1606, 'at a time when plays of ancient Britain were in vogue'. Doubtful Plays

Middleton's hand has been sought in Birth of Merlin, Puritan, and Second Maiden's Tragedy (cf. ch. xxiv) and in Wit at Several Weapons of the Beaumont (q.v.) and Fletcher series. Lost Mask

''Mask of Cupid. 4 Jan. 1614''

Writing to Carleton on 5 Jan. 1614 of the festivities at the Earl of Somerset's wedding (Birch, i. 288; cf. s.v. Campion, Mask of Squires), Chamberlain notes that the King had called on the City to entertain the bridal pair, which they had done, though reluctantly, on 4 Jan. in Merchant Taylors' hall, with a supper, a play and a mask, and