The Puritan
It contains an allusion to an almanac that specifies 15 July as a Tuesday, which was true only of 1606 in the first decade of the 17th century (although the author may not have intended it to be accurate).
It was published in quarto format before the end of the year by the printer George Eld, now under the title The Puritan, or The Widow of Watling Street.
The title page of the quarto states that the play was performed by the Children of Paul's, one of the boys' acting companies of the era, and attributes its authorship to "W. S." These initials were first identified with William Shakespeare by Edward Archer in his 1656 play list, published in his edition of The Old Law.
Lady Plus is vocal and demonstrative in her mourning, but two of her children, Edmond and Moll, are notably cool and cynical about their father's death.
Sir Godfrey, with a cool and pragmatic spirit of his own, urges Lady Plus to consider remarrying, but she is appalled at the idea so soon after her husband's funeral.
In a bid to avoid the pain suffered by her grieving mother, Francis kneels and forswears marriage.
He makes plans to run his affairs following his father's example – in other words, he will cheat others ruthlessly and seek to please himself above all.
Corporal Oath, another cashiered soldier, encounters three of Lady Plus's servants, Frailty, Simon St. Mary Overies, and Nicholas St. Antlings.
Amid some comic back-and-forth about Puritan hypocrisy and the Corporal's bad breath, it is revealed that Nicholas St. Antlings is a kinsman of Captain Idle.
At the scene's end, Nicholas and the Corporal also head off to the Marshalsea Prison to learn Captain Idle's fate.
(St. Antlings and St. Mary Overies are two London parishes that were centres of Puritan activity in the early 17th century.
According to Pieboard's plan, Nicholas should steal his master's expensive chain (an ornament worn around the neck) and hide it in the garden.
When his master (Sir Godfrey) becomes upset at the loss of the item, Nicholas should tell him that he has an imprisoned kinsman (Idle) who has a supernatural ability to find things.
As part of another piece of his scheme, Pieboard instructs Skirmish and the Corporal to fake a fight in front of Lady Plus's home that evening.
Pieboard also notes that he has to be careful when walking about in public because he faces the threat of being arrested as a result of unpaid debts.
Scene 1: A room in Lady Plus' house Speaking to herself, Moll looks forward to marrying her suitor, Sir John Pennydub, the son of a wealthy farmer.
As the gentlemen make their exit, Sir Godfrey whispers that he will do everything in his power to convince Lady Plus to change her mind.
He says that, to validate his "prophecy" about a death at Lady Plus's door, he will give Corporal Oath a sleeping potion that will make it seem as though he is dead.
Following Pieboard's scheme (from 1.4), Nicholas tells Godfrey that he has an imprisoned kinsman (Idle) who has a supernatural ability to find lost items.
Scene 3: A street The sergeants Puttock and Ravenshaw arrest Pieboard for outstanding debts owed to his landlady.
After a while, the Gentleman re-enters and tells the sergeants that Pieboard left out of the back door long ago.
Scene 1: A room in Lady Plus's house Afraid of being struck dumb now that Pieboard's "prophesies" have come true, Moll tells Pennydub that she cannot marry him.
Lady Plus is angry with the suitors for daring to present themselves again so soon after she told them to go away, but her attitude toward them seems to have softened now that Pieboard's first two "prophesies" have come true.
She orders Francis to kiss Tipstaff and tells Muckhill that she has changed her mind and now intends to marry.
Frightened by the prospect of encountering a demon, Godfrey, Nicholas and Edmond retire to an adjoining room and plan to observe the ceremony through a keyhole.
When the ceremony is over, Idle calls Godfrey back into the room and tells him that the demon has dropped his chain in the garden.
Fully convinced that a demon has just visited the house, he imagines that he can smell brimstone and inspects the hangings for signs of fire damage.
(At this point, the action transfers to the street in front of Lady Plus's house, but there is not a formal scene break).
The officers agree to set Skirmish free – he is no longer guilty of murder because Oath has come back to life.
Scene 4: A street, a church appearing The Nobleman (Sir Oliver Muckhill's friend) confronts Lady Plus before the weddings are set to commence.
