The Custom of the Country

John Fletcher (1579-1625) was a Jacobean playwright. Following William Shakespeare as house playwright for the King's Men, he was among the most prolific and influential dramatists of his day; both during his lifetime and in the early Restoration, his fame rivaled Shakespeare's. Though his reputation has been eclipsed since, Fletcher remains an important transitional figure between the Elizabethan popular tradition and the popular drama of the Restoration. His works include: The Humourous Lieutenant, The Faithful Shepherdess (1608), Wit Without Money (1614) and Rule a Wife and Have a Wife (1624).