Agnes Howe, a London heiress, promised marriage to three men, but then married a fourth. John Flaskett, one of her scorned suitors, commissioned George Chapman to write a scurrilois play about the scandal as a means of pressuring Howe into honouring her promise to him. The play was bought for and produced at St Paul's; its performance sparked a series of lawsuits. Edward Pearce responds to the bill of complaint. He claims that play was sold to Thomas Woodford. He not buy it himself, nor does he at any time disburse money for plays performed by the children; his sole responsibility is for their education. He is innocent of the charges.