single sheet
You vnderstand our vnfortunate extremitie, and I doe not thincke you so void of christianitie, but that you would throw so mu⸢c⸣h money into the Thames as wee request now of you; rather then endanger so many innocent liues; you know there is x l. more at least to be receaued of you, for the play, wee desire you to lend vs v l. of that; which shall be allowed to you without which wee cannot be bayled, nor I play any more till this be dispatch'd, it will loose you xx l. ere the end of the next weeke, beside the hinderance of the next new play, pray Sir Consider our Cases with humanitie, and now giue vs cause to aknowledge you our true freind in time of neede; wee haue entreated Mr. Dauison to deliure this note, as well to wittnesse your loue, as our promises, and allwayes acknowledgment to be euer
Your most thanckfull; and louing freinds
(signed) Nathan Field
| °The mony shall be abated out of the mony remayns for the play of
mr ffletcher & owrs°
(signed) Robert Daborne |
°I have ever founde yow a true lovinge freinde to mee & in soe small a suite yat beeinge honest I hope yow will not faile vs.° (signed) Philip Massingre |
Record title: Letter from Nathan Field, Robert Daborne, and Philip Massinger
to Henslowe
Repository: Dulwich College
Shelfmark: MS I
Repository location: Dulwich
Other sources indicate that Nathan Field was the lead player of the Lady Elizabeth's men by the time this undated letter was written; see, for example, Keenan, Acting Companies, p 39. Henslowe and his partner, Jacob Meade, opened the Hope playhouse in 1614 as a base for Lady Elizabeth's men, so it seems likely that c 1614 is an approximate date for Field's appeal to Henslowe. The partners' agreement with Field as sharer in the company survives as Muniment 52 in the Dulwich College Archive; see Articles of Agreement between Philip Henslowe and Jacob Meade and their Acting Company. The reason for Field's arrest is unknown.
See further the digital essay by R.A. Foakes and Grace Ioppolo, Henslowe-Alleyn Digitisation Project. As Foakes and Ioppolo note, 'it seems that he [ie, Field] was collaborating in the writing of a play with Daborne and Massinger, who add their support... Other records in the Henslowe-Alleyn archive suggest that the play which Daborne refers to as John Fletcher's "and ours" is The Honest Man's Fortune, contracted by Henslowe in 1613.'
A note in the hand of Robert Davison on the verso of the letter confirms that Henslowe responded to the plea as hoped: 'Receued by mee Robert Dauison ⸢of mr Hinshloe⸣ for ye vse of mr Dauboern mr ffeeld mr messenger the some of v l.'
For an image of the original manuscript, see Ioppolo, Henslowe-Alleyn Digitisation Project.
undated; English; single sheet; 152mm x 205mm; good condition; endorsed on verso: 'To our most louing frend| Mr. Phillip Hinchlow,| Esquire these. Field, Daborne and Massinger have all contributed to the letter in their own hands.' Foliated 96 by Warner in his Catalogue.