Robert Yarington facts for kids

Robert Yarington was an English playwright who was active around the year 1601. He is most famous for his play, Two Tragedies in One. This play is unusual because it tells two different stories at the same time.

Robert Yarington: A Mystery Playwright

Not much is known about Robert Yarington himself. Historians and researchers have not found many details about his life. This makes him a bit of a mystery in the world of old English theater. His play, Two Tragedies in One, was printed in 1601. It was sold by Matthew Law at his shop in Paul's Churchyard, a busy area in London.

His Famous Play: Two Tragedies in One

Yarington's play, Two Tragedies in One, is unique because it combines two separate plots. Both stories are about serious crimes and how justice is found.

What's the Play About?

One part of the play takes place in London. It tells the story of a man named Mr. Beech, a candle maker, and his young assistant. They are victims of a terrible crime committed by Thomas Merry. The play follows how Merry is eventually caught and brought to justice. An old servant, Harry Williams, helps solve the case almost by accident. In the end, Merry and his sister, Rachel, face serious consequences. Williams, however, is treated differently because of an old law called 'benefit of clergy'.

The other part of the play is set in a city called Padua. In this story, a man named Falleria tries to cheat his nephew, Pertillo, out of his inheritance. Pertillo's dying father, Pandino, left all his money to his son. Falleria arranges for his nephew to be harmed. But in the end, Falleria's actions are revealed. One of the people he hired tells the truth before they die. The Duke of Padua then sentences Falleria to death.

Who Was Robert Yarington?

Because so little is known about Robert Yarington, some experts wonder if that was even his real name. They think it might have been a made-up name.

Clues from Other Playwrights

A famous theater manager named Philip Henslowe kept a diary. In his diary, he wrote about plays being created around that time. He mentioned that two other playwrights, William Haughton and John Day, wrote a play called 'The Tragedy of Thomas Merry'. This play sounds very similar to the London part of Yarington's play.

Henslowe's diary also mentions another play, 'The Orphan's Tragedy', by Henry Chettle. This play was never finished. Some people think this unfinished play might be the second part of Yarington's Two Tragedies in One.

Was Yarington a Real Person?

Because of these clues, some experts, like Frederick Gard Fleay, believe that "Robert Yarington" might have been a fake name. They think his play, Two Tragedies in One, could be a combination of the plays written by Haughton, Day, and Chettle. It's like someone took parts of different stories and put them together under a new name.

Later, a person named A. H. Bullen republished Yarington's play. He included an introduction that discussed these ideas. This helped keep the mystery of Robert Yarington alive for future readers and researchers.