Chapter I: Introduction

It seems probable that this comedy, as it is called, was never acted, and on the title-page of the old edition (not printed until 1658, eight years after the death of the author), it is not mentioned that it was performed by any private or public company. This fact was usually stated, though during the period when the theatres were silenced exceptions were not very uncommon. It is pretty obvious, however, from the general structure of the piece and the nature of the dialogue, that "The Old Couple" was not calculated or intended by the author to please the multitude. No inconsiderable part of the plot, and some of the characters, may be considered allegorical, and for the sake of preserving it, some constraint is used in a few of the incidents, and forced and unnatural conversions take place among the persons.[1]

As to the period when it was written, judging from internal evidence, it might be thought that May produced "The Old Couple" late in life, and it was certainly the last printed of any of his works. It will be observed that two lines in the last scene of this play close "The Goblins" of Sir John Suckling.

"Gently my joys distil,
Lest you should break the vessel you should fill."

Sir J. Suckling does not introduce them as a quotation, but nevertheless, from the situation in which they are found in his comedy, it seems likely that they were so, and that they originally belong to May. If this supposition be correct, "The Old Couple" must have been written before 1641, in which year Suckling died, and the latter must have seen it in MS.[2]

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ

MEN.

SIR ARGENT SCRAPE, _an old covetous rich knight_.
EARTHWORM, _an old miserly niggard_.
MASTER FREEMAN.
EUGENY, _Sir Argent Scrape's nephew_.
EUPHUES (_Freeman's nephew_) _Scudmore's friend_.
THEODORE, _Earthworm's virtuous son_.
SCUDMORE, _supposed to be slain by Eugeny_.
FRUITFUL, _the Lady Covet's chaplain_ (_Scudmore disguised_).
BARNET.
DOTTEREL, _a gull, married to the Lady Whimsey_.
TRUSTY, _the Lady Covet's steward_.
JASPER, _Earthworm's servant_.
_Three neighbours of Earthworm's._
_Officers._

WOMEN.

_The_ LADY COVET, _betrothed to Sir Argent Scrape_.
MATILDA (_Earthworm's niece_), _Scudmore's love_.
ARTEMIA (_Freeman's daughter_), _Eugeny's love_.
_The_ LADY WHIMSEY, _married to Dotterel_.

THE OLD COUPLE