When You See Me You Know Me
Encyclopedia
When You See Me You Know Me is an early Jacobean history play about Henry VIII
, written by Samuel Rowley
and first published in 1605.
The play was acted by Prince Henry's Men
, the company to which Rowley belonged through most of his acting career, and premiered most likely in 1604 at the Fortune Theatre
. The play was entered into the Stationers' Register
on Feb. 12, 1605; the quarto
that followed was published by the bookseller Nathaniel Butter
.
Rowley's play has been cited as a "probable source" for Shakespeare's
and Fletcher's
Henry VIII
. Interestingly, the second quarto edition of When You See Me was issued in 1613, the year in which Henry VIII was performed. Subsequent quartos of When You See Me appeared in 1621 and 1632.
Inevitably, Rowley had to take a selective approach to the vast subject of Henry VIII's biography; he chose to emphasize the King's conflict with Cardinal Wolsey and the birth and early education of Edward VI
. Rowley's approach is loose and broadly synthetic: the events depicted in the play actually spread over three decades (1514-44); Wolsey is still alive at the end of the play, though he should have been long dead. The young Edward is depicted as an incipient hero of Protestantism, defending his sister Elizabeth
and Thomas Cranmer
when they are accused of treason.
Rowley also shows the King going out in disguise to mingle with his subjects, as in the legends surrounding Harun al-Rashid
and similar figures. Henry is even shown getting into brawls and being arrested. Comic relief is provided by scenes of the King with his jester Will Summers.
Scholars have noted links between When You See Me and the "B text" or 1616 version of Marlowe's
Doctor Faustus
. The Diary of Philip Henslowe
records a payment to Rowley for additions to Marlowe's play in Nov. 1602. The common features between When You See Me and Faustus have been employed in an effort to trace Rowley's contribution to the B text.
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, written by Samuel Rowley
Samuel Rowley
Samuel Rowley was a 17th century English dramatist and actor.Rowley first appears in the historical record as an associate of Philip Henslowe in the late 1590s. Initially he appears to have been an actor, perhaps a sharer, in the Admiral's Men, who performed at the Rose Theatre...
and first published in 1605.
The play was acted by Prince Henry's Men
Admiral's Men
The Admiral's Men was a playing company or troupe of actors in the Elizabethan and Stuart eras...
, the company to which Rowley belonged through most of his acting career, and premiered most likely in 1604 at the Fortune Theatre
Fortune Playhouse
The Fortune Playhouse was an historic theatre in London. It was located between Whitecross Street and the modern Golden Lane, just outside the City of London...
. The play 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 Feb. 12, 1605; the quarto
Book size
The size of a book is generally measured by the height against the width of a leaf, or sometimes the height and width of its cover. A series of terms is commonly used by libraries and publishers for the general sizes of modern books, ranging from "folio" , to "quarto" and "octavo"...
that followed was published by the bookseller Nathaniel Butter
Nathaniel Butter
Nathaniel Butter was a London publisher of the early 17th century. The publisher of the first edition of Shakespeare's King Lear in 1608, he has also been regarded as one of the first publishers of a newspaper in English....
.
Rowley's play has been cited as a "probable source" for 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"...
and 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...
Henry VIII
Henry VIII (play)
The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight is a history play by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher, based on the life of Henry VIII of England. An alternative title, All is True, is recorded in contemporary documents, the title Henry VIII not appearing until the play's publication...
. Interestingly, the second quarto edition of When You See Me was issued in 1613, the year in which Henry VIII was performed. Subsequent quartos of When You See Me appeared in 1621 and 1632.
Inevitably, Rowley had to take a selective approach to the vast subject of Henry VIII's biography; he chose to emphasize the King's conflict with Cardinal Wolsey and the birth and early education of Edward VI
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
. Rowley's approach is loose and broadly synthetic: the events depicted in the play actually spread over three decades (1514-44); Wolsey is still alive at the end of the play, though he should have been long dead. The young Edward is depicted as an incipient hero of Protestantism, defending his sister Elizabeth
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
and Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer was a leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and, for a short time, Mary I. He helped build a favourable case for Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon which resulted in the separation of the English Church from...
when they are accused of treason.
Rowley also shows the King going out in disguise to mingle with his subjects, as in the legends surrounding Harun al-Rashid
Harun al-Rashid
Hārūn al-Rashīd was the fifth Arab Abbasid Caliph in Iraq. He was born in Rey, Iran, close to modern Tehran. His birth date remains a point of discussion, though, as various sources give the dates from 763 to 766)....
and similar figures. Henry is even shown getting into brawls and being arrested. Comic relief is provided by scenes of the King with his jester Will Summers.
Scholars have noted links between When You See Me and the "B text" or 1616 version of Marlowe's
Christopher Marlowe
Christopher Marlowe was an English dramatist, poet and translator of the Elizabethan era. As the foremost Elizabethan tragedian, next to William Shakespeare, he is known for his blank verse, his overreaching protagonists, and his mysterious death.A warrant was issued for Marlowe's arrest on 18 May...
Doctor Faustus
The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus
The Tragicall History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus, commonly referred to simply as Doctor Faustus, is a play by Christopher Marlowe, based on the Faust story, in which a man sells his soul to the devil for power and knowledge...
. The Diary of 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...
records a payment to Rowley for additions to Marlowe's play in Nov. 1602. The common features between When You See Me and Faustus have been employed in an effort to trace Rowley's contribution to the B text.