The Merry Devil of Edmonton

Anonymous, Nicola Bennett

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2014
• eBook ISBN: 9781135866815
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Performing Arts

The Merry Devil of Edmonton lay unperformed from the early seventeenth century until the 1980s. Dating from around 1604, it was first published in 1608 and was performed at the Globe Theatre by the King's Men. With its scenes of magic, deer poaching, and abduction from a nunnery, The Merry Devil of Edmonton combines romance and comedy in a highly entertaining way, and was a favorite production on the seventeenth century stage.

THE MERRY DEVIL OF EDMONTON

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

in order of appearance

PROLOGUE
Peter FABELL
COREB	a Spirit
Sir Arthur CLARE
Lady DORCAS	Sir Arthur’s wife
MILLICENT	Sir Arthur’s daughter
HARRY Clare	Sir Arthur’s son
BLAGUE	Host of the George at Walthatn
Sir Richard MOUNCHENSEY
Sir Ralph JERNINGHAM
RAYMOND Mounchensey	Sir Richard’s son
FRANK Jerningham	Sir Ralph’s son
BILBO	servant to Sir Arthur
BANKS	the Miller of Waltham
SIR JOHN	the Priest of Enfield
SMUG	the Smith of Edmonton
PRIORESS	of Cheshunt Nunnery
BRIAN	Keeper of the forest
RALPH	Brian’s man
SEXTON
Friar HILDERSHAM
BENEDICK	Hildersham’s novice
CHAMBERLAIN
Nuns
Ostlers
Servants

[Enter] the PROLOGUE

Your silence and attention, worthy friends,

That your free spirits may with more pleasing sense

Relish the life of this our active scene;

To which intent, to calm this murmuring breath,

We ring this round with our invoking spells.

If that your listening ears be yet prepar’d

To entertain the subject of our play,

Lend us your patience.

’Tis Peter Fabell, a renowned scholar,

10

Whose fame hath still been hitherto forgot

By all the writers of this latter age –

In Middlesex his birth and his abode,

Not full seven mile from this great famous city –

That, for his fame in sleights and magic won,

Was called the merry fiend of Edmonton.

If any here make doubt of such a name,

In Edmonton, yet fresh unto this day,

Fix’d in the wall of that old ancient church,

His monument remaineth to be seen,

20

His memory yet in the mouths of men,

That whilst he liv’d he could deceive the devil.

Imagine now that whilst he is r...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• PREFACE
• EDITORIAL BOARD’S PREFACE
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• A NOTE FROM THE CO-ORDINATOR
• THE MERRY DEVIL OF EDMONTON
• EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION
• THE MERRY DEVIL OF EDMONTON
• GLOSSARIAL NOTES
• SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE
• SYNOPSIS
• TEXTUAL NOTES
• APPENDIX