Note 586 — Chapter XXIV · PLAYERS OF INTERLUDES
Reading edition
Bale, Scriptores (1557), i. 700 ‘Radulphus Radclif, patria Cestriensis, Huchiniae in agro Hartfordiensi, & in coenobio, quod paulo ante Carmelitarum erat, ludum literarium anno Domini 1538 aperuit, docuitque Latinas literas. Mihi quidem aliquot dies in unis & eisdem aedibus commoranti, multa arriserunt: eaque etiam laude dignissima. Potissimum vero theatrum, quod in inferiori aedium parte longe pulcherrimum extruxit. Ibi solitus est quotannis simul iucunda & honesta plebi edere spectacula, cum ob iuventutis, suae fidei & institutioni commissae, inutilem pudorem exuendum, tum ad formandum os tenerum & balbutiens, quo clare, eleganter, & distincte verba eloqui & effari consuesceret. Plurimas in eius museo vidi ac legi tragoedias & comoedias ... Scripsit de Nominis ac Verbi, potentissimorum regum in regno Grammatico, calamitosa &
Exitiali pugna, Lib. 2 ...
De patientia Grisilidis, Com. 1 ...
De Melibaeo Chauceriano, Com. 1 ...
De Titi & Gisippi amicitia, Com. 1 ...
De Sodomae incendio, Tra. 1 ...
De Io. Hussi damnatione, Tra. 1 ...
De Ionae defectione, Com. 1 ...
De Lazaro ac diuite, Com. 1 ...
De Iudith fortitudine, Com. 1 ...
De Iobi afflictionibus, Com. 1 ...
De Susannae liberatione, Tra. 1 ...
Claruit Radclifus, anno a Christi servatoris ortu 1552 ... Nescioque an sub Antichristi tyrannide adhuc vivat.’ Bale, Index, 333, has fuller titles. Some of Radclif’s plays were almost certainly in Latin, for Bale gives in Latin the opening words of each, and as Herford, 113, points out, those of the Lazarus and the Griselda clearly form parts of Latin verses. But he showed them ‘plebi.’ Professor Herford learnt ‘that no old MSS. in any way connected with Radclif now remain at Hitchin, where his family still occupies the site of his school.’