= This passage has been
the occasion of considerable discussion.
the occasion of considerable discussion.
Ben Jonson - The Devil's Association
In 1447 he
was arrested at Bury by order of Henry VI. , who had become king
in 1429. Here he died in February, probably by a natural death,
although there were suspicions of foul play.
=2. 4. 11 Richard the Third. = Richard III. (1452-1485), Duke of
Gloucester and King of England, was defeated and slain in the battle
of Bosworth Field, 1485.
=2. 4. 12-4 MER. By . . . authentique.
= This passage has been
the occasion of considerable discussion. The subject was first
approached by Malone. In a note to an essay on _The Order of
Shakespeare's Plays_ in his edition of Shakespeare's works (ed.
1790, 3. 322) he says: 'In _The Devil's an Ass_, acted in 1616,
all his historical plays are obliquely censured. '
Again in a dissertation on _Henry VI. _: 'The malignant Ben, does
indeed, in his _Devil's an Ass_, 1616, sneer at our author's
historical pieces, which for twenty years preceding had been in high
reputation, and probably were _then_ the only historical dramas that
had possession of the theatre; but from the list above given, it is
clear that Shakespeare was not the _first_ who dramatized our old
chronicles; and that the principal events of English History were
familiar to the ears of his audience, before he commenced a writer
for the stage. ' Malone here refers to quotations taken from Gosson
and Lodge. Both these essays were reprinted in Steevens' edition, and
Malone's statements were repeated in the edition by Dr. Chalmers.
In 1808 appeared Gilchrist's essay, _An Examination of the
Charges . . . of Ben Jonson's enmity,_ etc. _towards Shakespeare_.
This refutation, strengthened by Gifford's _Proofs of Ben
Jonson's Malignity_, has generally been deemed conclusive.
was arrested at Bury by order of Henry VI. , who had become king
in 1429. Here he died in February, probably by a natural death,
although there were suspicions of foul play.
=2. 4. 11 Richard the Third. = Richard III. (1452-1485), Duke of
Gloucester and King of England, was defeated and slain in the battle
of Bosworth Field, 1485.
=2. 4. 12-4 MER. By . . . authentique.
= This passage has been
the occasion of considerable discussion. The subject was first
approached by Malone. In a note to an essay on _The Order of
Shakespeare's Plays_ in his edition of Shakespeare's works (ed.
1790, 3. 322) he says: 'In _The Devil's an Ass_, acted in 1616,
all his historical plays are obliquely censured. '
Again in a dissertation on _Henry VI. _: 'The malignant Ben, does
indeed, in his _Devil's an Ass_, 1616, sneer at our author's
historical pieces, which for twenty years preceding had been in high
reputation, and probably were _then_ the only historical dramas that
had possession of the theatre; but from the list above given, it is
clear that Shakespeare was not the _first_ who dramatized our old
chronicles; and that the principal events of English History were
familiar to the ears of his audience, before he commenced a writer
for the stage. ' Malone here refers to quotations taken from Gosson
and Lodge. Both these essays were reprinted in Steevens' edition, and
Malone's statements were repeated in the edition by Dr. Chalmers.
In 1808 appeared Gilchrist's essay, _An Examination of the
Charges . . . of Ben Jonson's enmity,_ etc. _towards Shakespeare_.
This refutation, strengthened by Gifford's _Proofs of Ben
Jonson's Malignity_, has generally been deemed conclusive.
