PART ONE

BEAUMONT'S LIFE, HIS ACQUAINTANCES, AND HIS CAREER AS POET AND DRAMATIST

CHAPTER PAGE

I THE CASTOR AND POLLUX OF ELIZABETHAN DRAMA 3

II BEAUMONT'S FAMILY; HIS EARLY YEARS: GRACE-DIEU, OXFORD 10

III AT THE INNS OF COURT AND CHANCERY; THE POEMS ASSIGNED TO THESE EARLIER YEARS 29

IV THE VAUX COUSINS AND THE GUNPOWDER PLOT 46

V FLETCHER'S FAMILY, AND HIS YOUTH 62

VI SOME EARLY PLAYS OF BEAUMONT AND OF FLETCHER 72

VII THE "BANKE-SIDE" AND THE PERIOD OF THE PARTNERSHIP 95

VIII RELATIONS WITH SHAKESPEARE, JONSON, AND OTHERS IN THE THEATRICAL WORLD 114

IX THE "MASQUE OF THE INNER TEMPLE": THE PASTORALISTS, AND OTHER CONTEMPORARIES AT THE INNS OF COURT 124

X AN INTERSECTING CIRCLE OF JOVIAL SORT 145

XI BEAUMONT AND SIR PHILIP SIDNEY'S DAUGHTER; RELATIONS WITH OTHER PERSONS OF NOTE 150

XII BEAUMONT'S MARRIAGE AND DEATH; THE SURVIVING FAMILY 172

XIII THE PERSONALITY, AND THE CONTEMPORARY REPUTATION OF BEAUMONT 190

XIV TRADITION, AND TRADITIONAL CRITICISM 206

XV A FEW WORDS OF FLETCHER'S LATER YEARS 211