Philip Massinger - The Emperor of the East: "He that would govern others, first should be Master of himself"

The life of Philip Massinger, a 17th-century playwright, is marked by early struggles following the death of his father, which left him financially vulnerable. Despite his education at Oxford, he faced hardships in London as he sought to establish himself in the theatre world. Collaborating with figures like Thomas Dekker and later John Fletcher, he produced notable works for the King's Men. His later years reflect ongoing poverty and concern over his reputation, culminating in his untimely death near the Globe Theatre in 1640, where he was buried as a "stranger."