_The Scornful Ladie_, which I assign to this late date partly because of an allusion to the negotiations for a Spanish marriage, 1614-1616, is principally of Fletcher's composition. It is of the type of his earlier and later comedies of intrigue. Like most of them it is extremely well contrived for presentation upon the stage and it was, as I have said, most successful. The merit of the play lies, not in any element of poetry or vital romance, but in humorous and realistic characterization, easy dialogue, and clever device. The dramatists deserve all credit for the ingenious invention, for here again there is no known source. Beaumont's contribution, about one-third, is distinguished by the observation and the _vis comica_ already displayed in the _Woman-Hater_ and the _Knight of the Burning Pestle_ and _King and No King_. But he is not dominating the details. When they wrote a comedy of intrigue, Fletcher sat at the head of the table. It is possible, however, that some of the "rules and standard wit" which Francis was so soon to leave to his friend "in legacy" were here applied; for the play is less exuberantly reckless in tone than several which Fletcher wrote alone. The three masterpieces of romantic drama, Beaumont controlled in composition, and revised. Of this play he did not finish the revision. It was written about 1614 or 1615, after he had settled in the country with his wife, and not long before his death.[75] FOOTNOTES: [63] Aubrey's _Brief Lives_, Ed. Clark, I, 94-95. [64] Dyce, _B. and F._, I, XXVI, _n_. [65] Based upon Dekker's _Bellman of London_, 1608. Acted at Court, 1622. [66] See Chapter XXV, below. [67] Despatch of the French Ambassador in London, April 5, 1608, quoted by Collier, _Hist. Eng. Dram. Poetry_, I, 352. [68] Answer of Heming and Burbadge to Kirkham's complaint, 1612, _Greenstreet Papers_ in Fleay, _Hist. Stage_, p. 235. [69] See Murray, _Eng. Dram. Comp._, II, 171-191. [70] As suggested by Thorndike, _Infl. B. and F. on Shakespeare_, 16-18. See Murray, _Engl. Dram. Companies_, II, 175. [71] Further discussion of the _Philaster_ date will be found in Chapter XXV, below. [72] See Chapter XXV, below. [73] Dyce, as above, _B. and F._, I, xxxii. [74] See Alden's edition, p. 172 (_Belles Lettres_), and Thorndike's citation of Fauchet, _Les Antiquitez et Histoires Gauloises, etc._ (1599), _Infl. of B. and F._, p. 82. [75] See below, Chapter XXVI. CHAPTER VIII RELATIONS WITH SHAKESPEARE, JONSON, AND OTHERS IN THE THEATRICAL WORLD