Nothing is known of the origins and early life of the playwright William Haughton (fl. 1594-1605). Records seemingly do not survive for his birth, parentage, or schooling; he was not matriculated to a university. However, a considerable interest in and knowledge of London and its citizens, as demonstrated by the subject matter of his extant plays and play titles, strongly indicates that Haughton was either a native of London or moved there at an early age.

Surviving records of Haughton’s adult life provide glimpses into his non-literary activities. On 22 March 1594 Haughton married Alice (née Agar) at Saint Mary Abchurch, London. Together they had more than one child, although the precise number of children is unknown. B…

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Citation: Aldred, Natalie Clare. "William Haughton". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 23 February 2012 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=13016, accessed 28 March 2024.]

13016 William Haughton 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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