William Ecclestone
Encyclopedia
William Ecclestone or Egglestone(fl.
1610 – 1623) was an actor in English Renaissance theatre
, a member of Shakespeare's
company the King's Men
.
Nothing is known with certainty about Ecclestone's early life. There was an Eccleston living in Southwark
in 1583, and a person of the same name lived in Swan Alley, near the Swan Theatre
, in 1601; this may have been one (or two) of the actor's family. (No personal name is given in the records in either case.) A "William Eglestone" was married to an Ann Jacob on February 20, 1603, at St. Saviour's in Southwark; this might (or might not) have been the actor.
The man who definitely was the actor was with the King's Men in 1610 and 1611; he was part of the cast of their productions of Jonson's
The Alchemist
(1610) and Catiline (1611). In the latter year he left the King's Men for the Lady Elizabeth's Men
; he became a sharer in that company and signed a bond with impressario Philip Henslowe
on August 29, 1611, along with other actors who included Joseph Taylor
and John Rice, two King's Men of the future. Ecclestone acted with that company in their production of The Honest Man's Fortune
, most likely in 1613. Yet Ecclestone returned to the King's Men later in 1613, and was in their production of Fletcher's
Bonduca
that was performed around that time. He became a sharer in the King's Men sometime between 1614 and 1619.
In the 25 cast lists that were included in the second Beaumont and Fletcher folio
of 1679, Ecclestone is mentioned in 12; in addition to the plays cited above, Ecclestone acted in:
His is the seventh most frequently-mentioned name among the actors on the lists. Unfortunately, the specific roles Ecclestone filled in these plays are not known.
Ecclestone disappeared from the historical record in 1623, after he was mentioned in the last will and testament of Nicholas Tooley
. Some commentators have speculated that Ecclestone might have been the "W. E." who wrote commendatory verses for the first quarto of Fletcher's The Wild Goose Chase in 1652; but the three-decade gap between 1623 and 1652 is problematic.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1610 – 1623) was an actor in English Renaissance theatre
English Renaissance theatre
English Renaissance theatre, also known as early modern English theatre, refers to the theatre of England, largely based in London, which occurred between the Reformation and the closure of the theatres in 1642...
, a member of Shakespeare's
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
company the King's Men
King's Men (playing company)
The King's Men was the company of actors to which William Shakespeare belonged through most of his career. Formerly known as The Lord Chamberlain's Men during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, it became The King's Men in 1603 when King James ascended the throne and became the company's patron.The...
.
Nothing is known with certainty about Ecclestone's early life. There was an Eccleston living in Southwark
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
in 1583, and a person of the same name lived in Swan Alley, near the Swan Theatre
The Swan (theatre)
The Swan was a theatre in Southwark, London, England, built in 1595 on top of a previously standing structure, during the first half of William Shakespeare's career...
, in 1601; this may have been one (or two) of the actor's family. (No personal name is given in the records in either case.) A "William Eglestone" was married to an Ann Jacob on February 20, 1603, at St. Saviour's in Southwark; this might (or might not) have been the actor.
The man who definitely was the actor was with the King's Men in 1610 and 1611; he was part of the cast of their productions of Jonson's
Ben Jonson
Benjamin Jonson was an English Renaissance dramatist, poet and actor. A contemporary of William Shakespeare, he is best known for his satirical plays, particularly Volpone, The Alchemist, and Bartholomew Fair, which are considered his best, and his lyric poems...
The Alchemist
The Alchemist (play)
The Alchemist is a comedy by English playwright Ben Jonson. First performed in 1610 by the King's Men, it is generally considered Jonson's best and most characteristic comedy; Samuel Taylor Coleridge claimed that it had one of the three most perfect plots in literature...
(1610) and Catiline (1611). In the latter year he left the King's Men for the Lady Elizabeth's Men
Lady Elizabeth's Men
The Lady Elizabeth's Men, or Princess Elizabeth's Men, was a company of actors in Jacobean London, formed under the patronage of King James I's daughter Princess Elizabeth. From 1618 on, the company was called The Queen of Bohemia's Men, after Elizabeth and her husband the Elector Palatine had...
; he became a sharer in that company and signed a bond with impressario Philip Henslowe
Philip Henslowe
Philip Henslowe was an Elizabethan theatrical entrepreneur and impresario. Henslowe's modern reputation rests on the survival of his diary, a primary source for information about the theatrical world of Renaissance London...
on August 29, 1611, along with other actors who included Joseph Taylor
Joseph Taylor (17th-century actor)
Joseph Taylor was a 17th-century actor. As the successor of Richard Burbage with the King's Men, he was arguably the most important actor in the later Jacobean and the Caroline eras....
and John Rice, two King's Men of the future. Ecclestone acted with that company in their production of The Honest Man's Fortune
The Honest Man's Fortune
The Honest Man's Fortune is a Jacobean era stage play, a tragicomedy written by Nathan Field, John Fletcher, and Philip Massinger. It was apparently the earliest of the works produced by this trio of writers, the others being The Queen of Corinth and The Knight of Malta.-Texts:The Honest Man's...
, most likely in 1613. Yet Ecclestone returned to the King's Men later in 1613, and was in their production of Fletcher's
John Fletcher (playwright)
John Fletcher was a Jacobean playwright. Following William Shakespeare as house playwright for the King's Men, he was among the most prolific and influential dramatists of his day; both during his lifetime and in the early Restoration, his fame rivalled Shakespeare's...
Bonduca
Bonduca
Bonduca is a Jacobean tragi-comedy in the Beaumont and Fletcher canon, generally judged by scholars to be the work of John Fletcher alone. It was acted by the King's Men c. 1613, and published in 1647 in the first Beaumont and Fletcher folio....
that was performed around that time. He became a sharer in the King's Men sometime between 1614 and 1619.
In the 25 cast lists that were included in the second Beaumont and Fletcher folio
Beaumont and Fletcher folios
The Beaumont and Fletcher folios were two large folio collections of the stage plays of John Fletcher and his collaborators. The first was issued in 1647, and the second in 1679. The two collections were important in preserving many works of English Renaissance drama.-The first folio, 1647:The 1647...
of 1679, Ecclestone is mentioned in 12; in addition to the plays cited above, Ecclestone acted in:
- The Custom of the CountryThe Custom of the Country (1647 play)The Custom of the Country is a Jacobean stage play, a tragicomedy written by John Fletcher and Philip Massinger, originally published in 1647 in the first Beaumont and Fletcher folio.-Date and sources:The play is usually dated to c. 1619–23...
- The Humorous LieutenantThe Humorous LieutenantThe Humorous Lieutenant, also known as The Noble Enemies or Demetrius and Enanthe, is a Jacobean era stage play, a tragicomedy written by John Fletcher...
- The Island PrincessThe Island PrincessThe Island Princess is a late Jacobean tragicomedy by John Fletcher, initially published in the first Beaumont and Fletcher folio of 1647.-The play:...
- The Laws of CandyThe Laws of CandyThe Laws of Candy is a Jacobean stage play, a tragicomedy that is significant principally because of the question of its authorship.-Date:...
- The Little French LawyerThe Little French LawyerThe Little French Lawyer is a Jacobean era stage play, a comedy written by John Fletcher and Philip Massinger. It was initially published in the first Beaumont and Fletcher folio of 1647.-Date:...
- The Loyal SubjectThe Loyal SubjectThe Loyal Subject is a Jacobean era stage play, a tragicomedy by John Fletcher that was originally published in the first Beaumont and Fletcher folio of 1647.-Performance:...
- The Mad LoverThe Mad LoverThe Mad Lover is a Jacobean era stage play, a tragicomedy by John Fletcher that was initially published in the first Beaumont and Fletcher folio of 1647....
- The Sea VoyageThe Sea VoyageThe Sea Voyage is a late Jacobean comedy written by John Fletcher and Philip Massinger. The play is notable for its imitation of Shakespeare's The Tempest.-Performance and publication:...
- The Spanish CurateThe Spanish CurateThe Spanish Curate is a late Jacobean era stage play, a comedy written by John Fletcher and Philip Massinger. It premiered on the stage in 1622, and was first published in 1647.-Date and source:...
- Women PleasedWomen PleasedWomen Pleased is a late Jacobean era stage play, a tragicomedy by John Fletcher that was originally published in the first Beaumont and Fletcher folio of 1647.-Date and performance:...
His is the seventh most frequently-mentioned name among the actors on the lists. Unfortunately, the specific roles Ecclestone filled in these plays are not known.
Ecclestone disappeared from the historical record in 1623, after he was mentioned in the last will and testament of Nicholas Tooley
Nicholas Tooley
Nicholas Tooley was a Renaissance actor in the King's Men, the acting company of William Shakespeare.Recent research has shown that Tooley was born in late 1582 or early 1583; his birth name was not Tooley but Wilkinson...
. Some commentators have speculated that Ecclestone might have been the "W. E." who wrote commendatory verses for the first quarto of Fletcher's The Wild Goose Chase in 1652; but the three-decade gap between 1623 and 1652 is problematic.