The Lyfe of Arthure?

So I’ve been poking around Henslowe’s diary because I think my kids would find it cool that part of their inventory included an invisibility cloak (“a robe for to goo invisibell”).  Along the way I spotted this:


Which, if I translate it correctly, says that Henslowe lent money to Thomas Dowton (on May 2) to buy a robe to play “the lyfe of arthure.”  As in King Arthur?

We had a discussion once upon a time about why Shakespeare never wrote about King Arthur, and who else might have been writing about that legend at the time. I don’t see this play (or playwright?) mentioned.

Just thought it curious.  This excerpt has even more detail about that particular play:

I just noticed that right before the “lyfe of arthure” payment there is a full payment to Mr. Hathaway for the “booke of Kyng Arthore”.  Neat stuff!

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