Admirall his seruants. Edward Allde for Richard Bankworth. [Prologue by 'the Presenter' and dumb-shows.] Edition by W. W. Greg (1907, M. S. R.). Interest in Sebastian was aroused in 1589 by the expedition of Norris and Drake to set Don Antonio on the throne of Portugal. This started on 18 April, and Peele wrote A Farewell, in which is a reference to this amongst other plays (l. 20, ed. Bullen, ii. 238):
Bid theatres and proud tragedians, Bid Mahomet's Poo and mighty Tamburlaine, King Charlemagne, Tom Stukeley and the rest, Adieu.
There are some possible but not very clear allusions to the Armada in the play. From 21 Feb. 1592 to 20 Jan. 1593 Strange's men played fourteen times for Henslowe Muly Mollocco, by which this play, in which Abdelmelec is also called Muly Mollocco, is probably meant (Greg, Henslowe, ii. 149). The 'plot' must belong to a later revival by the Admiral's, datable, since both Alleyn and Shaw acted in it, either in Dec. 1597 or in 1600-2 (cf. ch. xiii). The authorship has been assigned to Peele, both on stylistic evidence and because ll. 467-72 appear over his name in R. A.'s England's Parnassus (1600), but R. A. has an error in at least one of his ascriptions to Peele, and he ascribes l. 49 of this play to Dekker (Crawford, E. P. xxxv. 398, 474; M. S. C. i. 101).
Edward I > 1593
S. R. 1593, Oct. 8. 'An enterlude entituled the Chronicle of Kinge Edward the firste surnamed Longeshank with his Retourne out of the Holye Lande, with the lyfe of Leublen Rebell in Wales with the sinkinge of Quene Elinour.' Abel Jeffes (Arber, ii. 637). 1593. The Famous Chronicle of king Edwarde the first, sirnamed Edwarde Longshankes, with his returne from the holy land. Also the life of Lleuellen, rebell in Wales. Lastly, the sinking of Queene Elinor, who sunck at Charingcrosse, and rose againe at Potters-hith now named Queenehith. Abel Jeffes, sold by William Barley. [At end, 'Yours. By George Peele, Maister of Artes in Oxenford'.] 1599. W. White.
Edition by W. W. Greg (1911, M. S. R.).—Dissertations: W. Thieme, P.'s Ed. I und seine Quellen (1903, Halle diss.); E. Kronenberg, G. P.'s Ed. I (1903, Jena diss.).
Fleay, ii. 157, makes the date 1590-1, on the ground that lines are quoted from Polyhymnia (1590). A theory that Shakespeare acted in the play is founded on ll. 759-62, where after Baliol's coronation Elinor says:
Now, brave John Baliol, Lord of Galloway
And King of Scots, shine with thy golden head!
Shake thy spears, in honour of his [i.e. Edward's] name,
Under whose royalty thou wearest the same.
This is not very convincing.
