The shoemaker’s holiday

“The Shoemakers’ Holiday, or the Gentle craft” is a play written by Thomas Dekker and often categorized as a city comedy. An aristocrat, Rowland Lacy, is in love with a girl, Rose Oatley. Rose’s father and Lacy’s uncle disapprove of the marriage because of the class difference and Lacy’s extravagant spending style. In order to make good, Lacy is told to join the army and fight in France. He does not want to go and convinces someone to go in his place whilst he disguises himself as a Dutch shoemaker, Hans. He becomes the apprentice of Simon Eyre, whilst an actual shoemaker goes to war. In the meantime, a gentleman called Hammon attempts to seduce the true shoemaker’s wife, Jane and in order to persuade her, he presents her with a document stating the shoemaker, Ralph, is dead.