Michael Bowyer
Encyclopedia
Michael Bowyer was an actor in English Renaissance theatre
in the Jacobean
and Caroline
eras. He spent most of his maturity with Queen Henrietta's Men
, but finished his career with the King's Men
. With the former company, he was one of "those of principal note," according to James Wright's Historia Histrionica
(1699
), one of the troupe's "eminent actors."
Bowyer, the son of a John Bowyer, was christened on September 20, 1599 in Kidderminster
, Worcestershire
. He played a series of important roles through his career, including:
Robert Davenport dedicated his poem Too Late to Call Back Yesterday to Bowyer and Richard Robinson
.
The Queen's Men were disrupted by a long theatre closure due to bubonic plague
, which lasted from May 1636 to October 1637. Bowyer, along with three other veterans of that troupe, may have been with James Shirley
at the Werburgh Street Theatre
in Dublin from 1637 to 1640.
Bowyer was a member of the King's Men by January 1640. He was one of the six members of that company who were named Grooms of the Chamber
on January 22, 1641, indicating that he was a sharer in the troupe by that time.
As with many actors, his fortunes passed into eclipse after the London theatres were closed in September 1642 at the start of the English Civil War
. According to a 1655 lawsuit filed by fellow Queen Henrietta's and King's Man Theophilus Bird
, Bowyer, along with Thomas Pollard
and other members of the King's Men, sold off the company's play scripts and costumes sometime after the theatres closed. By the time of Bird's suit, Bowyer was a decade dead.
Little is known of Bowyer's personal life. He and his wife christened and then buried a son named William in 1621; and they christened and buried another son of the same name the following year, 1622.
English Renaissance theatre
English Renaissance theatre, also known as early modern English theatre, refers to the theatre of England, largely based in London, which occurred between the Reformation and the closure of the theatres in 1642...
in the Jacobean
Jacobean era
The Jacobean era refers to the period in English and Scottish history that coincides with the reign of King James VI of Scotland, who also inherited the crown of England in 1603 as James I...
and Caroline
Caroline era
The Caroline era refers to the era in English and Scottish history during the Stuart period that coincided with the reign of Charles I , Carolus being Latin for Charles...
eras. He spent most of his maturity with Queen Henrietta's Men
Queen Henrietta's Men
Queen Henrietta's Men was an important playing company or troupe of actors in Caroline era London. At their peak of popularity, Queen Henrietta's Men were the second leading troupe of the day, after only the King's Men.-Beginnings:...
, but finished his career with the King's Men
King's Men (playing company)
The King's Men was the company of actors to which William Shakespeare belonged through most of his career. Formerly known as The Lord Chamberlain's Men during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, it became The King's Men in 1603 when King James ascended the throne and became the company's patron.The...
. With the former company, he was one of "those of principal note," according to James Wright's Historia Histrionica
Historia Histrionica
Historia Histrionica is a 1699 literary work by James Wright , on the subject of theatre in England in the seventeenth century. It is an essential resource for information on the actors and theatrical life of the period, providing data available nowhere else.The work's full title is Historia...
(1699
1699 in literature
The year 1699 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*Jonathan Swift is out of work after the death of his employer, Sir William Temple.*Joseph Addison receives a pension of £300 to enable him to travel abroad.-New books:...
), one of the troupe's "eminent actors."
Bowyer, the son of a John Bowyer, was christened on September 20, 1599 in Kidderminster
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a town, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately seventeen miles south-west of Birmingham city centre and approximately fifteen miles north of Worcester city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
. He played a series of important roles through his career, including:
- Beaufort in James ShirleyJames ShirleyJames Shirley was an English dramatist.He belonged to the great period of English dramatic literature, but, in Lamb's words, he "claims a place among the worthies of this period, not so much for any transcendent genius in himself, as that he was the last of a great race, all of whom spoke nearly...
's The WeddingThe Wedding (1629 play)The Wedding is a Caroline era stage play, a comedy written by James Shirley. Published in 1629, it was the first of Shirley's plays to appear in print. An early comedy of manners, it is set in the fashionable world of genteel London society in Shirley's day....
; - King John in Robert DavenportRobert DavenportRobert Davenport was an English dramatist of the early seventeenth century. Nothing is known of his early life or education; the title pages of two of his plays identify him as a "Gentleman," though there is no record of him at either of the two universities or the Inns of Court. Scholars have...
's King John and MatildaKing John and MatildaKing John and Matilda is a Caroline era stage play, a historical tragedy written by Robert Davenport. It was initially published in 1655; the cast list included in the first edition is provides valuable information on some of the actors of English Renaissance theatre.-Performance and publication:No...
; - Vitelli in Philip MassingerPhilip MassingerPhilip Massinger was an English dramatist. His finely plotted plays, including A New Way to Pay Old Debts, The City Madam and The Roman Actor, are noted for their satire and realism, and their political and social themes.-Early life:The son of Arthur Massinger or Messenger, he was baptized at St....
's The RenegadoThe RenegadoThe Renegado, or The Gentleman of Venice is a late Jacobean stage play, a tragicomedy written by Philip Massinger and first published in 1630...
; - Mr. Spencer in Thomas HeywoodThomas HeywoodThomas Heywood was a prominent English playwright, actor, and author whose peak period of activity falls between late Elizabethan and early Jacobean theatre.-Early years:...
's The Fair Maid of the WestThe Fair Maid of the WestThe Fair Maid of the West, or a Girl Worth Gold, Parts 1 and 2 is a work of English Renaissance drama, a two-part play written by Thomas Heywood that was first published in 1631.-Date:...
; - Scipio in Thomas NabbesThomas NabbesThomas Nabbes was an English dramatist.He was born in humble circumstances in Worcestershire, and educated at Exeter College, Oxford in 1621...
's Hannibal and ScipioHannibal and ScipioHannibal and Scipio is a Caroline era stage play, a classical tragedy written by Thomas Nabbes. The play was first performed in 1635 by Queen Henrietta's Men, and was first published in 1637...
.
Robert Davenport dedicated his poem Too Late to Call Back Yesterday to Bowyer and Richard Robinson
Richard Robinson (17th-century actor)
Richard Robinson was an actor in English Renaissance theatre and a member of Shakespeare's company the King's Men.Robinson started out as a boy player with the company; in 1611 he played the Lady in their production of The Second Maiden's Tragedy. He was cast in their production of Ben Jonson's...
.
The Queen's Men were disrupted by a long theatre closure due to bubonic plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
, which lasted from May 1636 to October 1637. Bowyer, along with three other veterans of that troupe, may have been with James Shirley
James Shirley
James Shirley was an English dramatist.He belonged to the great period of English dramatic literature, but, in Lamb's words, he "claims a place among the worthies of this period, not so much for any transcendent genius in himself, as that he was the last of a great race, all of whom spoke nearly...
at the Werburgh Street Theatre
Werburgh Street Theatre
The Werburgh Street Theatre, also the Saint Werbrugh Street Theatre or the New Theatre, was a seventeenth-century theatre in Dublin, Ireland...
in Dublin from 1637 to 1640.
Bowyer was a member of the King's Men by January 1640. He was one of the six members of that company who were named Grooms of the Chamber
Groom of the Chamber
Groom of the Chamber and Groom of the Privy Chamber were positions in the Royal Household of the English monarchy, the latter considerably more elevated. Other Ancien Régime royal establishments in Europe had comparable officers, often with similar titles...
on January 22, 1641, indicating that he was a sharer in the troupe by that time.
As with many actors, his fortunes passed into eclipse after the London theatres were closed in September 1642 at the start of the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. According to a 1655 lawsuit filed by fellow Queen Henrietta's and King's Man Theophilus Bird
Theophilus Bird
Theophilus Bird, or Bourne, was a seventeenth-century English actor. Bird began his stage career in the Stuart era of English Renaissance theatre, and ended it in the Restoration period; he was one of the relatively few actors who managed to resume their careers after the eighteen-year enforced...
, Bowyer, along with Thomas Pollard
Thomas Pollard
Thomas Pollard was an actor in the King's Men — a prominent comedian in the acting troupe of William Shakespeare and Richard Burbage....
and other members of the King's Men, sold off the company's play scripts and costumes sometime after the theatres closed. By the time of Bird's suit, Bowyer was a decade dead.
Little is known of Bowyer's personal life. He and his wife christened and then buried a son named William in 1621; and they christened and buried another son of the same name the following year, 1622.