Samuel Rowley was at once an actor and a playwright.  The first mention of him is in a list of the Lord Admiral’s players, March 8, 1597-8 (Henslowe’s Diary, ed.  Collier, p. 120).  On the sixteenth of November, 1599, Rowley bound himself to play solely for Henslowe ’for a year and as much as to Shraftide’ (Diary, p. 260).  In 1603 we find him among Prince Henry’s players (Collier’s Annals of the Stage, i. 351):  he is still belonging to the same company in 1607 (Shakespeare Society’s Papers, iv. 44).  Six years later, 1613, he is among the Palsgrave’s players (Annals of the Stage, i. 381).[180]

Francis Meres in Palladis Tamia (1598), enumerating ’the best for comedy,’ mentions a certain Maister Rowley once a rare scholar of learned Pembrooke Hall in Cambridge.  It has been conjectured that the allusion is to Samuel Rowley; but a more likely candidate for the honour is Ralph Rowley, who is known to have been a Fellow of Pembroke Hall.  We do not learn from any other source that Ralph Rowley wrote plays; but, like another Academic worthy in whose company he is mentioned, ’Dr. Gager of Oxforde’, he may have composed some Latin pieces that the world was content to let die.  Of Samuel Rowley as a playwright we hear nothing before December, 1601, when he was writing for Henslowe a scriptural play on the subject of Judas in company with his fellow-actor William Borne—­or Birde, for the name is variously written (Henslowe’s Diary, p. 205).  In July of the following year an entry occurs in the Diary—­’Lent unto Samwell Rowley and Edward Jewbe to paye for the Booke of Samson, vi 1.’  Samuel Rowley and Edward Jewby often acted as paymasters for Henslowe; but I suspect that in the present instance the money went into their own pockets.  Two months later we certainly find our author receiving the sum of seven pounds in full payment ’for his playe of Jhoshua’ (Henslowe’s Diary, p. 226).  In November of the same year he was employed with William Birde to make additions to Marlowe’s Faustus (ibid. p. 228).  On July 27, 1623, Sir Henry Herbert licensed ’for the Palsgrave’s players a tragedy of Richard the Third, or the English Profit with the Reformation, by Samuel Rowley’; and, again, on October 29 of the same year ’for the Palsgrave players a new comedy called Hard Shifte for Husbands, or Bilboes the Best Blade, written by Samuel Rowley.’  Another of our author’s pieces, ’Hymen’s Holiday, or Cupid’s Fagaries,’ is mentioned in a list of plays which belonged to the Cock-pit in 1639.  None of these plays has come down; but in 1605 there was published ’When You See Me You Know Me; or the famous Chronicle Historic of King Henry VIII. with the Birth and virtuous Life of Edward Prince of Wales.  By Samuel Rowley.’  This play was again printed in 1632; and a few years ago it was elaborately edited by Prof.  Karl Eltze, who—­whatever may be his merits as a critic—­is acknowledged on every hand to be a most accomplished scholar.