Gamester

The Gamester is a Caroline era stage play, a comedy of manners written by James Shirley, premiered in 1633 and first published in 1637. The play is noteworthy for its realistic and detailed picture of gambling in its era.

The play was licensed for performance by Sir Henry Herbert, the Master of the Revels, on 11 November 1633. In his office record book, Herbert noted that on 6 February 1634,

Apart from the King's suggestion, Shirley's source for the plot of his play is the Ducento novelle of Celio Malespini.

The play was performed by Queen Henrietta's Men, both at Court and at the regular theatre, the Cockpit in Drury Lane. The 1637 quarto was printed by John Norton for the booksellers Andrew Crooke and William Cooke.

Shirley's play was a popular success in its own era, and in the next century was adapted by Charles Johnson into The Wife's Relief (1712). Later adaptations followed, by David Garrick (The Gamesters, 1758), and J. Poole (The Wife's Strategem, 1827).

In the main plot, the protagonist, Wilding, neglects his faithful and loving wife in favour of her ward Penelope; he even orders his wife to solicit her ward for him. Mistress Wilding appears to obey, and informs Wilding that she has arranged an assignation. When the time comes, however, Wilding is so wrapped up in his gambling that he sends his friend Hazard to keep the appointment and make his excuses. The next day, Wilding is doubly distressed to learn from Hazard that the meeting was for him, in romantic terms, a wonderful success, and from his wife that she had taken Penelope's place the night before. To conceal his shame, Wilding arranges for Hazard to marry Penelope, and doubles her dowry. (Since Hazard and Penelope were already in love, this is all to the good as far as they are concerned.) Once Wilding has repented of his shameful ways, he is told the truth: Hazard found both women waiting on the night in question, prepared to admonish the wayward husband. Together the three of them planned Wilding's comeuppance.

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