Henry Glapthorne
Encyclopedia
Henry Glapthorne was a Caroline era dramatist.
Glapthorne was baptized in Cambridgeshire, the son of Thomas Glapthorne and Faith nee Hatcliff. His father was a bailiff of Lady Hatton, the wife of Sir Edward Coke
. Before he turned fourteen, Henry Glapthorne was matriculated as a pensioner at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
, but there is no record that he ever took a degree. From then until he emerges as a playwright in the mid-1630s little is known of him. There is some evidence he may have been employed as a groom-porter in a nobleman's household during some of that time — a later document refers to him as "Glapthorne the Porter" — but there is nothing conclusive.
. Other plays are the comedy The Hollander (licensed for performance 12 March 1636), Wit in a Constable (c. 1636–38), and the tragicomedy
The Lady's Privilege (all printed 1640), and the historical tragedy Albertus Wallenstein (c. 1634–39, printed 1639), based on the famous general in the Thirty Years' War
.
Glapthorne published a volume of Poems in 1639, including a series addressed to "Lucinda", and a poem titled "Whitehall", dedicated to Richard Lovelace
, in 1643, among other minor works.
A collected edition of his work, The Plays and Poems of Henry Glapthorne, was published in 1874. In 1883, editor A. H. Bullen
attributed the anonymous play The Lady Mother
, written c. 1633–35, to Glapthorne, an attribution that has been accepted by the consensus of critical opinion.
The play Revenge for Honour
, first printed in 1654 and misattributed to George Chapman
, may be another work by Glapthorne; it was entered into the Stationers' Register
on 29 November 1653, as a Glapthorne work, under the title The Parricide, or Revenge for Honour. A play called The Parricide, was acted in 1624, but Glapthorne would have been only 14 years old at the time.
) was baptized in the parish of St. Bride's, Fleet Street; the record also mentions the name of Glapthorne's wife, Susan. On 23 March 1643, Susan was buried in the parish of St. Andrew's, Holborn, having died the day before in Fetter Lane. The location of her death makes it certain that Henry Glapthorne is the "one Glapthorne, who lived in Fetter Lane", that on 12 January 1643 was identified to the House of Lords
as the author of the tract His Maiesties Gracious Answer to The Message sent from the Honourable Citie of London, concerning Peace (1643). He, along with his printer Richard Herne and others, were supposed to be brought in to give evidence on the subject a few weeks later, but no further record has been found of what happened to him. Gerald Eades Bentley
believes it is most likely he died before the Restoration
.
Glapthorne was baptized in Cambridgeshire, the son of Thomas Glapthorne and Faith nee Hatcliff. His father was a bailiff of Lady Hatton, the wife of Sir Edward Coke
Edward Coke
Sir Edward Coke SL PC was an English barrister, judge and politician considered to be the greatest jurist of the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. Born into a middle class family, Coke was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge before leaving to study at the Inner Temple, where he was called to the...
. Before he turned fourteen, Henry Glapthorne was matriculated as a pensioner at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is notable as the only college founded by Cambridge townspeople: it was established in 1352 by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary...
, but there is no record that he ever took a degree. From then until he emerges as a playwright in the mid-1630s little is known of him. There is some evidence he may have been employed as a groom-porter in a nobleman's household during some of that time — a later document refers to him as "Glapthorne the Porter" — but there is nothing conclusive.
Writings
His best-regarded work is Argalus and Parthenia (c. 1633, printed 1639), based upon Sidney's ArcadiaCountess of Pembroke's Arcadia
The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia, also known simply as the Arcadia or the Old Arcadia, is a long prose work by Sir Philip Sidney written towards the end of the sixteenth century, and later published in several versions. It is Sidney's most ambitious literary work, by far, and as significant in...
. Other plays are the comedy The Hollander (licensed for performance 12 March 1636), Wit in a Constable (c. 1636–38), and the tragicomedy
Tragicomedy
Tragicomedy is fictional work that blends aspects of the genres of tragedy and comedy. In English literature, from Shakespeare's time to the nineteenth century, tragicomedy referred to a serious play with either a happy ending or enough jokes throughout the play to lighten the mood.-Classical...
The Lady's Privilege (all printed 1640), and the historical tragedy Albertus Wallenstein (c. 1634–39, printed 1639), based on the famous general in the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
.
Glapthorne published a volume of Poems in 1639, including a series addressed to "Lucinda", and a poem titled "Whitehall", dedicated to Richard Lovelace
Richard Lovelace
Richard Lovelace was an English poet in the seventeenth century. He was a cavalier poet who fought on behalf of the king during the Civil war. His best known works are To Althea, from Prison, and To Lucasta, Going to the Warres....
, in 1643, among other minor works.
A collected edition of his work, The Plays and Poems of Henry Glapthorne, was published in 1874. In 1883, editor A. H. Bullen
Arthur Henry Bullen
Arthur Henry Bullen, often known as A. H. Bullen, was an English editor and publisher, a specialist in 16th and 17th century literature, and founder of the Shakespeare Head Press, which for its first decades was a publisher of fine editions in the tradition of the Kelmscott Press.His father George...
attributed the anonymous play The Lady Mother
The Lady Mother
The Lady Mother is a Caroline era stage play, a tragicomedy generally attributed to Henry Glapthorne, and dating from the middle 1630s. Never printed in its own era, the play survived in a manuscript marked as a theatre prompt-book, revealing significant details about the stage practice of its...
, written c. 1633–35, to Glapthorne, an attribution that has been accepted by the consensus of critical opinion.
The play Revenge for Honour
Revenge for Honour
"Revenge for honour" is a Caroline tragedy, printed posthumously in 1654 and presumably written by Henry Glapthorne .-Dramatic characters:Almanzor, caliph of ArabiaAbilqualit, his eldest sonAbrahen, his son by a second wife, brother to Abilqualit...
, first printed in 1654 and misattributed to George Chapman
George Chapman
George Chapman was an English dramatist, translator, and poet. He was a classical scholar, and his work shows the influence of Stoicism. Chapman has been identified as the Rival Poet of Shakespeare's Sonnets by William Minto, and as an anticipator of the Metaphysical Poets...
, may be another work by Glapthorne; it was entered into the Stationers' Register
Stationers' Register
The Stationers' Register was a record book maintained by the Stationers' Company of London. The company is a trade guild given a royal charter in 1557 to regulate the various professions associated with the publishing industry, including printers, bookbinders, booksellers, and publishers in England...
on 29 November 1653, as a Glapthorne work, under the title The Parricide, or Revenge for Honour. A play called The Parricide, was acted in 1624, but Glapthorne would have been only 14 years old at the time.
Later years
On 1 July 1642, his daughter Lovelace (probably named in honor of his friend Richard LovelaceRichard Lovelace
Richard Lovelace was an English poet in the seventeenth century. He was a cavalier poet who fought on behalf of the king during the Civil war. His best known works are To Althea, from Prison, and To Lucasta, Going to the Warres....
) was baptized in the parish of St. Bride's, Fleet Street; the record also mentions the name of Glapthorne's wife, Susan. On 23 March 1643, Susan was buried in the parish of St. Andrew's, Holborn, having died the day before in Fetter Lane. The location of her death makes it certain that Henry Glapthorne is the "one Glapthorne, who lived in Fetter Lane", that on 12 January 1643 was identified to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
as the author of the tract His Maiesties Gracious Answer to The Message sent from the Honourable Citie of London, concerning Peace (1643). He, along with his printer Richard Herne and others, were supposed to be brought in to give evidence on the subject a few weeks later, but no further record has been found of what happened to him. Gerald Eades Bentley
Gerald Eades Bentley
Gerald Eades Bentley was an American academic and literary scholar, best remembered for his The Jacobean and Caroline Stage, published by Oxford University Press in seven volumes between 1941 and 1968...
believes it is most likely he died before the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
.