ABSTRACT
When Edward Saunders discovered an early modern dramatic draft manuscript at Melbourne Hall, Derbyshire, in 1985, the literary world reacted with a mixture of excitement and scepticism. The manuscript’s dramatisation of Florentine treachery-the assassination plot against Duke Alessandro de’ Medici (‘Prince Alexander’) by his favourite courtier Lorenzino (‘Lorenzo’)—is curious in itself: it details a vivid tragic scene in which Alexander, who has received a letter accusing Lorenzo of treason, makes Lorenzo read the letter to find out whether there is any foundation for this severe allegation. Critics have speculated about the scene’s author: could this 144-line fragment witness the hand of John Webster (1578×80-1638?), as was first suggested? Or might it record instead the working thoughts of James Shirley (c. 1596-1666)? Beyond the manuscript’s literary interest and authorship controversy stands its important bibliographical testimony. This single sheet of paper, saved for posterity by an accident of utility (it was used to wrap a packet of letters) preserves illuminating but ambiguous evidence about the early modern theatre. Certainly it constitutes a draft text-but early modern writers might have also called it a ‘foul paper’. I seek here to examine the usefulness of this term, and ask how it can help reassess Shirley’s play The Traitor (written in 1630, licensed for performance on 4 May 1631, and published in 1635).
