Plays and comedies

A selection of dramas concerned with adultery, marriage, women, men, relationships, and cuckoldry, from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries.

A warning for fair women, [facsimile of edition originally published in London, 1599], (Amersham, 1912). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Limited Editions, Old English Drama, PR2411.W2.

Bayly, Thomas Haynes, You can't marry your grandmother, (London, 1884?). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection, Restoration Drama, PR1245.D4.

Beaumont, Francis, Rule a wife, and have a wife, (London, 1717). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection, Restoration Drama, PR2508.R7.D17.

Bunn, Alfred, "My neighbour's wife". And "The married bachelor", (London, 1882?). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection, Restoration Drama, PR1245.D4.

Burnaby, William, The modish husband: A comedy, as it was acted at the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane. By the author of The ladies visiting day, (London, 1702). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Restoration Drama, PR3748.W55.W4.

Burnaby, William, The ladies visiting-day: A comedy. As it was acted at the Theatre in Lincolns-Inn-Fields, by His Majesties servants. With the addition of a new scene, (London, 1701). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection, Restoration Drama, PR2508.R7.D17.

Byfield, John, The London stage: a collection of the most reputed tragedies, comedies, opera, melo-dramas, farces and interludes. Accurately printed from acting copies, as performed at the Theatres Royal, and carefully collated and revised, (London, 1825-1827). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Restoration Drama, PR1271.L6.

Plays include: V. 1. Pizarro / altered from the German of Kotzebue by R. B. Sheridan -- The padlock / by Isaac Bickerstaff -- The miser / by Henry Fielding -- The hypocrite / by Isaac Bickerstaff -- The duenna / by R. B. Sheridan -- The castle spectre / by M. G. Lewis -- All the world's a stage / by Isaac Jackman -- High life below stairs / by the Rev. James Townley -- The wheel of fortune / by Richard Cumberland -- She stoops to conquer / by Oliver Goldsmith -- The maid of the mill / by Isaac Bickerstaff -- The clandestine marriage / by G. Colman and D. Garrick -- Jane Shore / by Nicholas Rowe -- The way to keep him / by Arthur Murphy -- Douglas / by John Home -- Such things are / by Mrs. Inchbald -- The devil to pay, or The wives metamorphosed / by C. Coffey Rule a wife, and have a wife / altered from Beaumont and Fletcher by David Garrick The man of the world / by Charles Macklin -- The jealous wife / by George Colman -- The adopted child / by Samuel Birch -- The Quaker / by Charles Dibdin -- A bold stroke for a wife / by Mrs. Centlivre --

V. 2. The belle's stratagem / by Mrs. Cowley -- Cato / by Joseph Addision -- The provoked husband, or A journey to London / by Vanburgh and Cibber -- George Barnwell / by George Lillo -- A tale of mystery / by Thomas Holcroft -- The wonder: a woman keeps a secret! / by Mrs. Centlivre -- Isabella, or The fatal marriage / by Thomas Southern -- All in the wrong / by Arthur Murphy -- Rosina / by Mrs. Brooke -- The wedding day / by Mrs. Inchbald -- A new way to pay old debts / by Philip Massinger -- The fair penitent / by Nicholas Rowe -- The child of nature / by Mrs. Inchbald -- Polly Honeycombe / by George Colman, the elder -- The mock doctor, or, The dumb lady cured / by Henry Fielding -- The suspicious husband / by Dr. Hoadly -- The haunted tower / by James Cobb -- The busy body / by Mrs. Centlivre -- Tom Thumb / altered from Fielding by Kane O'Hara -- The tobacconist / altered from Ben Jonson by Francis Gentleman -- The good-natured man / by Dr. Goldsmith -- Oroonoko / by Thomas Southern -- The lord of the manor / altered from General Burgoyne by Charles Dibdin, Jun. -- Fortune's frolic / by J. T. -- Miss in her teens, or, The medley of lovers / by David Garrick -- The constant couple, or, A trip to the jubilee / by George Farquhar -- The Duke of Milan / by Philip Massinger -- Wives as they were, and maids as they are / by Mrs. Inchbald -- The fashionable lover / by Richard Cumberland -- The orphan of China / by Arthur Murphy --

V. 3. The heiress / by General Burgoyne -- The Earl of Warwick / by Dr. Thomas Franklin -- Mon sieur Tonson / by W. T. Moncrieff -- The deuce is in him / by George Colman, the elder -- First love / by Richard Cumberland -- The deserted daughter / by Thomas Holcroft -- Love for love / by William Congreve -- -- The deaf lover / by Frederick Pilon -- The Irish widow / by David Garrick -- A bold stroke for a husband / by Mrs. Cowley -- The confederacy / by Sir John Vanbrugh -- Fatal curiosity / by George Lillo -- Chrononhotonthologos / by H. Carey -- She would or she would not, or, The kind imposter / by Colley Cibber -- Count of Narbonne / by Robert Jephson -- T The virgin unmasked / by Henry Fielding -- The provoked wife / by Sir John Vanbrugh -- The Roman father / by William Whitehead -- Love makes a man, or, The fop's fortune -- The siege of Damascus / by John Hughes -- Cymon / by David Garrick -- Bon ton, or, High life above stairs / by David Garrick -- The foundling / by Edward Moore -- The stranger / by Benjamin Thompson -- Tamerlane / by Nicholas Rowe -- Lover's vows / altered from the German of Kotzebue by Mrs. Inchbald -- Richard Coeur de Lion / altered from the French of M. Sedaine by General Burgoyne -- Two strings to your bow / by Robert Jephson -- Ways and means / by George Colman, the younger -- Hero and Leander / by Isaac Jackman -- The mysterious husband / by Richard Cumberland -- He would be a soldier / by Frederick Pilon -- The guardian / by David Garrick -- The sultan, or, A peep into the seraglio / by Isaac Bickerstaff -- Better late than never / by Miles Peter Andrews -- Giovanni in London, or, The libertine reclaimed -- The recruiting sergeant / by Isaac Bickerstaff -- Every man in his humor / altered from Ben Jonson by David Garrick -- The Earl of Essex / by Henry Jones -- All for love, or, The world well lost / by John Dryden -- The Grecian daughter / by Arthur Murphy -- The careless husband / by Colley Cibber -- Love a la mode / by Charles Macklin -- The maid of the oaks / by John Burgoyne -- The tender husband, or, The accomplished fools / by Sir Richard Steele -- The orphan, or, The unhappy marriage / by Thomas Otway -- Lover's quarrels, or, Like master like man / altered from "The mistake" of Sir John Vanbrugh by T. King -- The two misers / by Kane O'Hara -- Lady Jane Grey / by Nicholas Rowe --

Vol. 4: The chances. -- Tancred and Sigismunda. -- The honey-moon. -- The apprentice. -- The tailors; or, A tragedy for warm weather. -- The woodman. -- Edward, the Black Prince; or, The battle of Poictiers. -- The waterman; or, The first of August. -- The romp. -- Braganza. -- The Mogul tale; or, The descent of the balloon. -- Appearance is against them. -- Abroad and at home. -- The double dealer. -- Mahomet, the imposter. -- The Carmelite. -- The way of the world. -- The panel. -- Thomas and Sally; or, The sailor's return. -- Duplicity. -- The bashful man. -- The school for wives. -- The castle of Sorrento. -- The contrivances. -- The law of Lombardy. -- The cheats of Scapin. -- The miller of Mansfield. -- False impressions. -- Zara. -- He's much to blame. -- The curfew. -- What next? -- The purse; or, The benevolent tar. -- The farmer's wife. -- My spouse and I. -- Paul and Virginia. -- The siege of Belgrade. -- The distrest mother. -- Animal magnetism. -- The register office. -- The school for scandal. -- The merchant of Bruges; or, Beggar's bush. -- The village lawyer. -- No song, no supper. -- The votary of wealth. -- The school for arrogance. -- Seduction. -- The mourning bride. -- The scape-goat. -- The spoiled child. -- Returned "killed". -- The turnpike gate.

Byfield, Mary, The London stage: miscellaneous, (London, 1825-1827). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Restoration Drama, PR1271.L6.

Plays include: Margaret's ghost, or The libertine's ship / E. Fitzball -- Such things are / Mrs. Inchbald (v. 1) -- The recruiting officer / G. Farquhar (v. 1) -- The man of the world / Charles Macklin (v. 1) -- All in the wrong / Arthur Murphy (v. 2) -- The brothers / Richard Cumberland (v. 2) -- Every one has his fault / Mrs. Inchbald (v. 2) -- A trip to Scarborough / R. B. Sheridan (v. 2) -- Which is the man? / Mrs. Cowley (v. 2) -- The conscious lovers / by Sir Richard Steele (v. 2) -- The follies of a day / Thomas Holcroft (v. 2) -- Miss in her teens, or, The medley of lovers / David Garrick (v. 2) -- The fashionable lover / Richard Cumberland (v. 2) -- The heiress / General Burgoyne (v. 3) -- The deserted daughter / Thomas Holcroft (v. 3) -- Love for love / William Congreve (v. 3) -- The confederacy / Sir John Vanbrugh (v. 3) -- She would or she would not, or, The kind imposter / Colley Cibber (v. 3) --

The first floor / James Cobb (v. 3) -- The virgin unmasked / Henry Fielding (v. 3) -- The foundling / Edward Moore (v. 3) -- Every man in his humor / altered from Ben Jonson by David Garrick (v. 3) -- All for love, or, The world well lost / John Dryden (v. 3) -- The chances / altered from Beaumont and Fletcher by David Garrick (v. 4) -- The double dealer / William Congreve (v. 4) -- False impressions / Richard Cumberland (v. 4) -- He's much to blame / Thomas Holcroft (v. 4) -- The curfew / John Tobin (v. 4) -- The siege of Belgrade / James Cobb (v. 4) -- Hero and Leander / Isaac Jackman -- The merchant of Bruges, or, Beggar's bush / altered from Beaumont and Fletcher by Douglas Kinnaird -- The school for arrogance / Thomas Holcroft -- Seduction / Thomas Holcroft -- North pole, or A tale of the frozen regions / J. T. Haines, plus many more.

Dodsley,Robert,  A select collection of old English plays, (London, 1874-1876). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Restoration Drama, PR1263.D7. Plays include:

I. Interlude of the four elements. Calisto and Melibaea. Everyman. Hickscorner. The pardoner and the friar. The world and the child. God's promises. The four P. P. Thersites. -- II. Interlude of youth. Lusty Juventus. Jack Juggler. Nice wanton. History of Jacob and Esau. Disobedient child. Marriage of wit and science. -- III. New custom. Ralph Roister Doister. Gammer Gurton's needle. The trial of treasure. Like will to like. -- IV. Damon and Pithias. Appius and Virginia. Cambyses. The misfortunes of Arthur. Jeronimo. -- V. The Spanish tragedy. Cornelia. Soliman and Perseda. Life and death of Jack Straw. -- VI. The conflict of conscience. Rare triumphs of love and fortune. The three ladies of London. Three lords and three ladies of London. A knack to know a knave. --VII. Tancred and Gismunda. Wounds of Civil War. Mucedorus. The two angry women of Abington. Look about you.--VIII. Summer's last will and testament. Downfall fo Robert, earl of Huntington. Death of Robert, earl of Huntington. Contention between liberality and prodigality. Grim the collier of Croydon.--IX. How to choose a good wife from a bad. The return from Parnassus. Wily beguiled. Lingua. Miseries of enforced marriage.--X. The revenger's tragedy. The dumb knight. The merry devil of Edmonton. Ram-Alley. The second maiden's tragedy. Englishmen for my money.--XI. A woman is a weathercock. Amends for ladies. Green's Tu quoque. Albumazar. The hog hath lost his pearl. The heir.--XII. The old couple. A woman never vexed. The ordinary. The London chanticleers. The shepherd's holiday. The true Trojans. The lost lady. --XIII. A match at midnight. The city nightcap. The city match. The queen of Arragon. The antiquary.--XIV. The rebellion. Lust's dominion; or, The lascivious queen. Andromana. Lady Alimony. The parson's wedding.--XV. Elvira; or, The worst not always true. The marriage night. The adventures of five hours. All mistaken; or, The mad couple. Historia histrionica.

Dryden, John, The husband his own cuckold: A comedy. As it is acted at the theatre in Little Lincolns-Inn-Fields, by His Majesty's Servants, (London, 1696). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Restoration Drama, PR3429.D2.H8.

D’Urfey, Thomas, A fond husband, or, The plotting sisters: A comedy, as it is acted at the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane, (London, 1711). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Restoration Drama, PR3431.D3.F6.

D’Urfey, Thomas, Stories, moral and comical : viz. The banquet of the gods. Titus and Gissippus: or The power of friendship. The prudent husband: or Cuckoldom wittily prevented. Loyalty's glory: or The true souldier of Honour. From hints out of Italian, Spanish and French authors, done into several sorts of English verse and prose, with large additions and embellishments, (London, 1706 or 1707?). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Early English Octavos, PR3431.D3.S8 1706.

Fenton, Elijah, Mariamne: A tragedy, (London, 1745). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection, Restoration Drama, PR3446.M2.

Griffith, Elizabeth, A wife in the right: a comedy, (London, 1772). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Early English Octavos, PR3505.G43.W43 1772.

Haywood, Eliza Fowler, The wife, (London, 1756). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection, Early English Octavos, HQ731.H2 1756.

Heywood, Thomas, A pleasant conceited comedy; wherein is shewed how a man may chuse a good wife from a bad, [1602]. (London, 1824). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Restoration Drama, PR2411.H6.

Heywood, John, John ... Tyb ... and Sir John ... [original title: A mery play betweene Johan Johan the husband/Tyb his wife/& syr Jhān the preest, London, 1533?], (Amersham, 1909). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Limited Editions, Old English Drama, PR2564.J6.

Jackson, Frederick, The naughty wife: a comedy in three acts, (London, 1925). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Restoration Drama, PS3519.A24.N2.

Johnson, Charles, The wife's relief: or, The husband's cure: a comedy: as it is acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, by Her Majesty's servants, (London, 1712). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection, Restoration Drama PR3748.W55.W4.

Kelly, Hugh, The school for wives: A comedy. As it is performed at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, (London, 1774). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Restoration Drama, PR3539.K2.S2.

Kemble, Marie Thérèse, The day after the wedding, or, A wife's first lesson : an interlude, (London,  1808). Special Collections: Salisbury, WG16.9.K.

Macfarren, George, Winning a husband; or, Seven's the main: an interlude, in one act, (London, 1831). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection, Restoration Drama, PR4803.H2.K4.

Merivale, Herman Charles, A husband in clover: a farce, in one act, (London, 1873?).Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection, PR5019.M8.H8.

Shadwell, Thomas, Don John: or, The libertine destroy'd : A tragedy. As it is now acted by Their Majesties servants, (London, 1736). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Restoration Drama, PR3671.S8.D6.

Shadwell, Thomas, The dramatick works of Thomas Shadwell, Esq.: in four volumes, (London, 1720). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Restoration Drama, PR3671.S8.D20.

Shadwell, Thomas, The libertine: a tragedy. Acted by His Royal Highness's servants, (London, 1676). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Restoration Drama, PR3671.S8.L4.

Southerne, Thomas, The works of Mr. Thomas Southerne [collection of plays including: Volume 1. -- An epistle to Mr. Southerne from Mr. Fenton. -- The loyal brother, or, The Persian prince. -- The disappointment, or, The mother in fashion. -- Sir Antony Love, or, The rambling lady. -- The wives excuse, or, Cuckolds make themselves -- Volume 2. -- The maid's last prayer, or, Any, rather than fail. -- The fatal marriage, or, The innocent adultery.-- Oroonoko. --The fate of Capua], (London, 1713). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Restoration Drama, PR3699.S3.D13.

Steele, Sir Richard, The tender husband; or, The accomplish'd fools. A comedy. As it is acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, by Her Majesty's servants, (London, 1705). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Restoration Drama, PR3704.T3.

Suter, William E., Which shall I marry? : A farce in one act, (London, 1863?). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection, Restoration Drama, PR5499.S45.W4.

Vanbrugh, John, The relapse; or, Virtue in danger; being the sequel of The fool in fashion; a comedy, acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-lane, (London, 1697). Special Collections: Salisbury, WG30(1697). *Other editions available.

Vanbrugh, The provok'd husband; or, A journey to London: A comedy. As it is acted at the Theatre-Royal... (London, 1741). Special Collections: Salisbury, WG30(1741).

Wever, Robert, Lusty Juventus, [1565], (Amersham, 1907). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection: Limited Editions. Old English Drama, PR3190.W3.L8.

Wycherley, William, The country-wife: a comedy, acted at the Theatre-Royal, (London, 1688). Special Collections: Cardiff Rare Books Collection, Restoration Drama, PR3774.C6.

Wycherley, William, The dramatic works of William Wicherly, esq..., (London, 1768). Special Collections: Salisbury, WG30(1768). Contents: Love in a wood; or, St. James's Park.--The gentleman dancing-master.--The plain dealer.--The country wife.