The stage history of The Forc’d Marriage; or, The Jealous Bridegroom is best told in the quaint phrase of old Downes.  Produced in December, 1670 at the Duke’s Theatre, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, The Jealous Bridegroom, says the veteran prompter, ’wrote by Mrs. Behn, a good play and lasted six days’.  This, it must be remembered, was by no means a poor run at that time.  ‘Note,’ continues the record, ’In this play, Mr. Otway the poet having an inclination to turn actor; Mrs. Behn gave him the King in this play for a probation part, but he being not us’d to the stage, the full house put him to such a sweat and tremendous agony, being dash’d, spoilt him for an actor.’

To quote Mr. Gosse’s excellent and classic essay on Otway:—­’The choice of the part showed the kindly tact of the shrewd Mrs. Behn.  The king had to speak the few first words, to which the audience never listens, to make some brief replies in the first scene, and then not to speak again until the end of the fourth act.  In the fifth act he had to make rather a long speech to Smith [Mr. Gosse by a slip writes ‘Betterton’.  The King (v, III) is talking to Philander, acted by Smith.  Betterton played the favourite Alcippus.], explaining that he was “old and feeble, and could not long survive,” and this is nearly all he had to say till the very end, where he was in great force as the kind old man who unites the couples and speaks the last words.  It was quite a crucial test, and Otway proved his entire inability to face the public.  He trembled, was inaudible, melted in agony, and had to leave the stage.  The part was given to Westwood, a professional actor, and Otway never essayed to tread the boards again.’

The Forced Marriage seems never to have been revived since its production.  On the title page of the second quarto (1690), The Forc’d Marriage is said to have been played at the Queen’s Theatre.  This is because the Duke’s House temporarily changed its name thus.  It does not refer to a second run of the play.

THE FORC’D MARRIAGE;

or, the Jealous Bridegroom.

Va mon enfant! prends ta fortune.

PROLOGUE.

Gallants, our Poets have of late so us’d ye,
In Play and Prologue too so much abus’d ye,
That should we beg your aids, I justly fear,
Ye’re so incens’d you’d hardly lend it here. 
But when against a common Foe we arm,
Each will assist to guard his own concern. 
Women those charming Victors, in whose Eyes
Lie all their Arts, and their Artilleries,
Not being contented with the Wounds they made,
Would by new Stratagems our Lives invade. 
Beauty alone goes now at too cheap rates;
And therefore they, like Wise and Politick States,
Court a new Power that may the old supply,
To keep as well as gain the Victory. 
They’ll join the force of Wit to Beauty now,