William Wager ( fl. 1566), writer of interludes, is known only by his works.

Works

The Longer Thou Livest

'A very mery and pythie Commedie, called, The longer thou livest, the more foole thou art. A myrrour very necessary for youth, and specially for such as are like to come to dignities and promotion: as it may well appear in the matter folowynge. Newly compiled by W. Wager. Imprinted at

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, by William How for Richard Johnes: and are to be solde at his shop under the Lottery House,' b.l. n.d. . 15684to. An account of this interesting interlude is given by Collier in his ''History of Dramatic

Poetry Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings i ...

'' (ii. 248-253). The play is remarkable for the list of old

song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetitio ...

s quoted by the character Moros in the opening scene.

Enough Is As Good As a Feast

Around 1570 John Allde printed 'A comedy or interlude intituled, Inough is as good as a feast very fruitful, godly and ful of pleasant mirth. Compiled by W. Wager. Seuen may easily play this enterlude.'

The Cruell Debtter

'The Cruell Debtter' Thomas Colwell's license to print this interlude is entered in 1566 in the 'Stationers' Register' (Arber, i. 307). One leaf survives in Bagford's collection of title-pages and scraps now in the

British Museum The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...

(Harl. MS. 5919, leaf 18, back). Two more leaves are in W. B. Scott's black-letter fragments, separately bound, also in the British Museum (C. 40, e. 48). The fragments make it unlikely that the

Shylock Shylock is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's play ''The Merchant of Venice'' (c. 1600). A Venetian Jewish moneylender, Shylock is the play's principal antagonist. His defeat and conversion to Christianity form the climax of the ...

story was used in the play.

Tis Good Sleeping In a Whole Skin

'Tis good sleeping in a whole skin,' a

manuscript A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand – or, once practical typewriters became available, typewritten – as opposed to mechanically printing, printed or repr ...

, is said to have been destroyed by Warburton's servant. It may have been the second title of The Cruell Debtter.

The History of the Tryall of Chevalry

'The History of the Tryall of Chevalry' (1605), reprinted in Mr. A. H. Bullen's' Old English Plays' (iii. 263), has been doubtfully attributed to Wager. More probable is the attribution to him of 'Tom Tyler and his Wife. An excellent old Play, as it was printed and acted about a hundred Years ago. Together with an exact Catalogue of all the playes that were ever yet printed. The Second impression. London, 1661,' 4to. This play is full of snatches of songs, like The longer thou livest. It is given to Wager in the 'British Museum Catalogue' on the authority of the appended 'exact catalogue,' which gives him the 'Trial of Chivalry' also.

Attribution confusion

William Wager has sometimes been erroneously identified with

William Gager William Gager (1555–1622) was an English jurist, now known for his Latin dramas. William Gager was the son of Gilbert Gager and Thomasina Cordell Gager. He was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford. His works were produced at ...

, a writer of Latin tragedies, who was a graduate of

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...

, late in the sixteenth century. William Wager has also been confused with Lewis Wager (fl. 1566), who became rector of St. James's, Garlickhithe, on 28 March 1560 (Newcourt).

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wager, William Year of birth missing Year of death missing 16th-century English writers 16th-century male writers