The Puritan Widow

by Unknown

"The Puritan Widow" is a Jacobean stage comedy first published in 1607. Attributed to "W.S." on its title page, this anonymous play has been linked to both Shakespeare and Thomas Middleton, though modern scholars favor Middleton's authorship. The story follows Lady Plus, a demonstrative Puritan widow, and her calculating family as they navigate grief, marriage prospects, and social ambition. Meanwhile, a group of clever rogues—including a poor scholar and discharged soldiers—plot to deceive the wealthy widow through cons involving fortune-telling and wizardry, setting the stage for satirical comedy.