SOURCE: “Introduction: Old English Comedies,” in The Play of the Weather by John Heywood and Other Tudor Comedies, adapted by Maurice Hussey and Surendra Agarwala, Theatre Art Books, 1968, pp. 1-7.

In the following essay, Hussey and Agarwala describe important details from Heywood's life and argue that his plays served as a bridge between medieval and Elizabethan drama with their employment of farce, individualized characters, and stylized debate.

When or where John Heywood was born is not known precisely. The events and the course of his life have to be pieced together from a variety of sources. This fact is surprising in a man who was so distinguished in his lifetime. His life crossed the paths of four monarchs: Henry VIII, Edward VI, and the Queens Mary and Elizabeth. His talents as a musician and playwright brought him into contact with Renaissance scholars from some of the noblest households...