Udall
NICHOLAS, an English IOLAS, an English 1505 or 1506; was educated at Oxford; chose the profession of a schoolmaster; and in 1534 passed M. A. and obtained the post of headmaster of Eton, which He afterward resigned the vicarship of he held till 1541, when he was dismissed.
Braintree in Essex, which he had enjoyed along with his mastership; but continued both to teach and preach, and in 1551 was admitted a prebendary of Windsor, and in 1554-1555 appointed UDINE headmaster of Westminster school. His comedy of "Ralph Roister Doister," which was probably written for the Eton boys, is a perfectly harmless piece, with a fair amount of vivacity in its execution and ingenuity in its plot, the hero being led into various awkward situations in the course of his suit to Dame Constance, partly by his own stupidity, and partly by the malicious suggestions of Mathew Merrygreek. The play is in rhyme, and has 13 dramatis personæ.
Hallam notices that the choice of a citygallant for "hero" probably determined in some measure the prevalent subject of English comedy all through the Elizabethan age. The exact date of its composition has not been determined; it is quoted in the 3d edition of Sir Thomas Wilson's "Rule of Reason" (1533).
There is but one copy of his comedy in existence, having no title page; but it was probably printed in 1566. It is now in the library of Eton College. This is accepted as the first English comedy.
Other productions of Udall's pen: "Flowers are for Latin Speakynge" (portions of Terence done into English, 1433), translations of parts of Erasmus' paraphrase of the New Testament, and of Peter Martyr's tract on the Eucharist, and a few Latin letters and poems. He died in Windsor in 1556.