"The most noble and incomparable paire of brethren": William and Philip Herbert and 'The First Folio'
- thedudleywomen
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In 1623, seven years after his death, thirty-six of poet and playwright William Shakespeare's plays, including eighteen that had previously been unpublished (that included As You Like It, Twelfth Night, The Taming of the Shrew and Macbeth), were compiled and published in what would come to be known as "The First Folio". Whilst some of Shakespeare's plays had previously been published separately, and during his lifetime, this was the first time that such a large number had been edited. grouped into the separate categories of "Comedies, Histories & Tragedies", and published together, creating the manuscript that is still so well known today (Folger Shakespeare Library, 2025). The First Folio was edited by Shakespeare's friends and former colleagues John Heminges and Henry Condell; both of these men had performed with Shakespeare in performing companies 'The Chamberlain's Men', later known as 'The King's Men', dating back to 1584, with both listed as "Principall Actors in all these playes" within the folio (Laoutaris, 2023; Folger Shakespeare Library, 2025).
On the second page of The First Folio, a dedication is made to its patrons, "the Most Noble and Incomparable Paire of Brethren": brothers William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, the Lord Chamberlain, and Philip Herbert, 1st Earl of Montgomery, the sons of the late Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke and his wife Lady Mary Sidney, "The Countess of Pembroke". Heminges and Condell address the Herbert brothers directly, thanking them for their longstanding patronage, and explaining their rationale for their decision to compile the plays, "to keepe the memory of So worthy a Friend, & Fellow alive" (Folger Shakespeare Library, 2025).
Twice-married Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, had married the 15-year-old Lady Mary Sidney in 1577, in a union arranged by her maternal uncle, Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester. The couple went on to have four children, with three children surviving to adulthood, eldest child William (b.1580), daughter Anne (b.1583) and youngest Philip (b.1584) (Targoff, 2023).
In addition to his administrative roles, including his position as Lord President of Wales, Henry had a varied social life and displayed many interests, including sporting activities and the arts. It was through this enjoyment that, from at least 1575, he became a patron of a troupe of performers or 'players', subsequently known as 'Pembroke's Men'; it became Henry's responsible to protect the interests of the company, providing them with a source of revenue in ensuring their plays were being performed (Laoutaris, 2023). Gurr (2004) recognises that the presentation and performance of plays, especially at court in the 1570s, was often a reflection of the power and status of the individuals who provided their patronage. Whilst not a performing member of Henry's acting troupe, William Shakespeare was associated with Pembroke's Men in the 1590s, writing plays for them to perform whilst on tour across the country, including at Bath, York, and Shrewsbury, and later at the Swan Theatre in Southwark, including an early inception of The Taming of the Shrew (O'Farrell, 2011; Laoutaris, 2023).
Lady Mary Sidney, was the daughter of Sir Henry Sidney, and his wife Lady Mary Dudley, daughter of the condemned John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland. The younger sister of the renowned poet and soldier Sir Philip Sidney, Mary received a privileged but more private education than her brother's, who attended school at Shrewsbury and later matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford. Joining the household of Elizabeth I in 1575, shortly after the death of her younger sister, the court found the new 13-year-old maid of honour to have had an education that rivalled the queen's own: Mary was fluent in multiple languages, including French, Italian, Latin, Hebrew and Greek, and had been taught classical literature, scriptures and music (O'Farrell, 2011; Paul, 2022).
Despite not being close during their childhoods, given their differences in age and residences, as adults Mary and Philip discovered a shared love of literature and writing. Early in 1580, shortly before Mary gave birth to her first child William, Philip joined her at Wilton House, the Tudor manor house near Salisbury, Wiltshire, where he remained throughout that summer. It was during this visit, and in the presence and most likely with contributions from his younger sister, that Philip wrote his long pastoral poem The Countess of Pembroke's Arcardia, which was published posthumously (Targoff, 2023).
Over a six-month period in 1586, Mary suffered three significant bereavements: the deaths of her father, her mother and her beloved brother Philip. Mary continued her brother's legacy, by editing and publishing all of his work, including those not previously published, in a single volume in 1598. She also completed her own translations of poems from French to English, as well as completing work initially commenced by Philip, in the translation of 150 Hebrew Psalms into English prose, the first English person to complete this task (Targoff, 2023). Being less educated than his wife, Henry did not share Mary's skills or her interest in literature; however, he continued to support and encourage her in pursuing her literary ambitions, and in attracting others with similar passions. Henry also established a collection of works at Wilton, which would eventually become known as 'The Great Library'. In the 1590s, Wilton subsequently became a 'haven' or 'college' for many writers and poets, including those seeking patronage and employment from the Pembrokes, including Samuel Daniel and Edmund Spencer (writer of 'The Faerie Queen') (O'Farrell, 2011; Targoff, 2023).
Henry died at Wilton House on 19 January 1601, with his funeral being held on 05 March at Salisbury Cathedral; he was succeeded to the Earldom of Pembroke by his eldest son and heir William, who also inherited his properties in England and Wales, including Wilton and Baynard's Castle, London. With her husband's death, Mary, now Dowager Countess of Pembroke, lost her strongest advocate and supporter, as well as her home (Targoff, 2023; Folgerpedia, 2025).
William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, was the eldest child of Henry and Mary; he was born on 08 April 1580, four years before his younger brother Philip, and was named for his paternal grandfather, the 1st Earl of Pembroke.
Throughout his life, William was known for his intelligence; he matriculated at New College Oxford in 1593 (although left after two years without taking a degree), and in 1617 was honoured with the Chancellorship of Oxford. Prior to this, during his childhood at Wilton, William and his siblings were exposed to the many writers and poets who frequently gathered or visited, as well as receiving tutelage from renowned poets Samuel Daniel and Ben Jonson, the latter to whom William would later act as patron. (O'Farrell, 2011; Laoutaris, 2023; Targoff, 2023).
Whilst his mother ensured he received a high standard of education, exposing him to literature and poetry from a young age, William was introduced to the theatre through the interests held by his father. However, from Henry, he also inherited his awareness and understanding of business and society, which he could later apply in his management and organisation responsibilities within his role as Lord Chamberlain. On Henry's death in 1601, William inherited 'Pembroke's Men', thus ensuring a continued personal interest in the theatre as a young man (O'Farrell, 2011).
William incurred the wrath of Elizabeth I in January 1601, when news of an affair with one of her maids of honour, Mary Fitton, became known, when she become pregnant with his child. Whilst William acknowledged paternity of the child, he refused to marry 'Mistress Fritton', leading to a month's imprisonment in the Fleet Prison. William was subsequently exiled from court following his release, being banished to Wilton on the orders of the queen, never regaining her favour before her death in March 1603. Therefore, in 1602, he entered Gray's Inn in order to continue his legal studies, during which time he followed in his mother and uncle Philip's footsteps, and started writing poetry; however, unlike his famous relatives, his work was never intended to be published, but rather was done for enjoyment (O'Farrell, 2011; Folgerpedia, 2025).
On James I's accession to the English throne in 1603, William's banishment ended, and he returned to the Royal Court, where he quickly gained approval from the new king and queen, Anna of Denmark. O'Farrell (2011, p.40) reflected that regardless of William's increased involvement in court and political activities, his influence significantly increasing with his appointment as a Privy Councillor in 1611, "he would never neglect the arts, especially the theatre". In addition to the theatre, William, who adopted the emblem of the Roman God Apollo, the god of arts and poetry, became one of the most prolific patrons of the Jacobean period, providing patronage for writers, poets, actors, playwrights, artists, architects and stage-set designers (Laoutaris, 2023).
It has been speculated that through his father's involvement with Pembroke's Men, William was first introduced to Shakespeare in the 1590s, as he is thought to be a strong contender for the still-unidentified "Mr W.H." and the "fair youth" to whom the poet dedicated his sonnets. Regardless of this speculation, their connection can definitively be dated to the winter of 1603, when plague was widespread throughout the capital, so that the decision was made to relocate the Royal Court to Wilton for a couple of months. It was at Wilton that the troupe which would soon be known as the King's Men, which included Shakespeare, Heminges and Condell, performed in front of the new king; their productions reportedly included the first staged performance of As You Like It in December 1603 (O'Farrell, 2011; Laoutaris, 2023).
William was appointed to the position of Lord Chamberlain in 1615; this role held many significant and varied roles and duties, including supervising the operation and management of many different offices within the Royal Household. Together with the Master of the Revels, the Lord Chamberlain would be responsible for all court entertainment, including musicians and staged performances. It was in this role as Lord Chamberlain that William was in regular contact with Heminges and Condell, the most senior remaining members of the King's Men following the deaths of Shakespeare in 1616, and fellow actor Richard Burbage in 1619 (O'Farrell, 2011; Laoutaris, 2023).
In contrast to his older brother, Philip the was more athletic and less studious of the pair; Russell (2025, p.230) acknowledges that he did not inherit his mother or uncle's intelligence or literary skills, describing him as “handsome as Adonis and as stupid as a tree stump”. Philip also entered Oxford on the same day as William in 1593, although only remained there for a few months; even at the age of 9, it became clear that Philip was more suited for court life rather than continuing formal education, which his second wife Lady Anne Clifford later reflected upon. However, following the examples of his parents and elder brother, Philip also gave patronage to those possessed of the literary and poetic talents that he himself lacked, being himself rewarded with the position of High Steward of Oxford in 1615 (Holmes, 1984; Laoutaris, 2023). A critical Holmes (1984) commented that Philip was barely literate, although did show a better understanding of art, sculpture and architecture, which was reflected in his long-standing patronage of the Flemish artist Anthony van Dyck, and his rebuilding of Wilton House and landscaping of its gardens. Within months of James I arriving in England, Philip had been identified by other courtiers as being one of the new king's 'favourites'; Russell (2025, p.235) acknowledges the first few years of his English reign as being “a complicated chronology of romantic affairs", where James likely had multiple sexual male partners. Being attracted to his physical skills and abilities, including riding and hunting, rather than his intellect, Philip was remained a close confidant to the older Scot, initially being appointed as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber in May 1603, and later being created 1st Earl of Montgomery in 1605. In December 1604, Philip married Susan de Vere, a lady-in-waiting to Queen Anna, and niece of Robert Cecil, Lord Salisbury, James being present at the ceremony. In 1604, Susan, along with both Philip and William, had performed in masques at Hampton Court Palace, elaborate performances featuring music, dancing and poetry, often with diplomatic and political agendas, the organisation of which was the responsibility of the Lord Chamberlain (O'Farrell, 2011; Russell, 2025).
By 1618, George Villiers, the newly appointed Marquess of Buckinghamshire had supplanted Philip in James' affections, which subsequently saw his power and influence rise above that of both Herbert brothers. William also found himself in conflict with both James and Buckingham, to whom he initially acted as mentor, in regards to political and diplomatic policies, particularly opposing a propsed match between Prince Charles and the Catholic Spanish Infanta, as well as clashes regarding nominations for positions within the Royal Household; there was a complaint against Buckingham that he had overstepped his authority in appointing court musicians, a role reserved for the Lord Chamberlain (O'Farrell, 2011; Laoutaris, 2023).
In May 1619, a complaint was submitted to William by the King's Men, likely led by Heminges and Condell, that some of the plays that had been exclusively written for them by the now-deceased Shakespeare, including A Midsummer's Night Dream and The Merchant of Venice, had recently been published by stationers without their consent. As Lord Chamberlain, William subsequently penned a petition, which was sent to Stationers' Hall, near 'Old' St Paul's Cathedral, and presented to its court sessions. The court hearing found in favour of the troupe, in that "no plays that his Majesty's Players [King's Men] do play shall be printed without consent of some of them" (Laoutaris, 2023, p.111). By preventing further illicit publishing of the plays, this allowed Heminges and Condell to start compling Shakespeare's works into what was published as 'The First Folio', being entered into The Stationer's Register (of published and printed works) on 08 November 1623. In their address to the folio's readers, Heminges and Condell 'confessed' that they believed if Shakespeare were to have lived, he would have overseen the collection and publication of his works; however, as he was not, they begged the readers "do not envie his Friends". They also reiterated that this folio was their approved version, noting "you were abus'd with diverse stolne, and surreptitious copies, maimed, and deformed by the frauds and the stealthes of injurious imposters" (Folger Shakespeare Library, 2025).
William held the position of Lord Chamberlain until August 1626, when following the accession of James' son Charles I, he was promoted to Lord Steward of the Royal Household. His younger brother Philip, subsequently took up the role of Lord Chamberlain, an arrangement that had been proposed back in 1618, to promote continuity. Philip held this position until 1641, when his resignation was demanded by Charles, with whom he had clashed on matters of religion including his belief in the 'divine right of kings', significant factors which would trigger the start of the English Civil War the following year (O'Farrell, 2011).
William died on 10 April 1630, only two days after his 50th birthday. As his only surviving children were illegitimate, Philip succeeded his brother as the 4th Earl of Pembroke. Only three months following him inheriting the Earldom of Pembroke, Philip married for the second time, to Lady Anne Clifford, Dowager Countess of Dorset; his own wife, Susan de Vere, had died the previous year. The two married at St Michael's Church, Cheynes, the parish church which served the Buckinghamshire manor belonging to the Earls of Bedford, kin to Anne, where she and her children had been residing since the death of her first husband, Richard Sackville, 3rd Earl of Dorset, six years previously (Holmes, 1984).
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