ABSTRACT
Robert Armin was described in 1611 by John Davies as a man who 'with harmelesse mirth, / Doth please the World' and whose humor 'tickles the spleene like an harmeles vermin'. Probably even before becoming a popular actor, Armin was a recognized author in multiple literary forms, including ballads. The most relevant of Armin's writings to this study is his play, The History of the Two Maids of More-Clacke. It was acted by the Children of the King's Majesty's Revels and is a comic drama about two sisters who wish to marry young men of their own choosing. The study of Armin's acting and writing contributes to the critical debate about the degree to which the actor was a semi-autonomous performer, an important issue in determining Armin's contribution to Shakespeare's music. Internal evidence supports a hypothesis that Armin either added and/or adapted songs for Shakespeare's plays.
