A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 08

This volume brings together a lively assortment of early English drama, freshly ordered and annotated by a seasoned scholar. The texts have been updated with centuries of commentary, giving listeners clear guidance through archaic language and performance conventions. Whether you are new to the period or returning for a deeper dive, the edition bridges the gap between historic manuscript and modern ear.

Among the pieces is a breezy comedy in which a dying patriarch drafts a whimsical will, exposing family greed and festive folly with sharp wit. The tragic arc of Robert, Earl of Huntington, charts ambition, betrayal, and fatal hubris, while a moral debate pits generosity against wastefulness, and a gritty city‑folk tale follows Grim the collier confronting London’s darker underbelly. Together they showcase the range of humor, heroism, and social critique that defined the age.