The Shoemaker's Holiday

The Shoemaker's Holiday is an Elizabethan play written by Thomas Dekker. It was first performed in 1599 by the Admiral's Men. It falls into the sub-genre of city comedy (depicting ordinary London life).

Aristocrat Rowland Lacy falls in love with middle class girl Rose Oateley, but Rose's father and Lacy's uncle refuse to approve the match because of the class difference and Rowland's spendthrift lifestyle. Rowland is told to redeem himself by joining the army fighting in France. To avoid going, he persuades someone else to take his place and disguises himself as a Dutch shoemaker, Hans. He becomes an apprentice of eccentric but hard-working tradesman, Simon Eyre, and negotiates a business deal that bags his employer thousands of pounds. Eyre is made Sheriff of London and later, Lord Mayor.

Meanwhile, another of Eyre's employees, Ralph, leaves for the French wars. He returns to find that his wife, Jane, has been poached by a rich dandy, Hammon. (Wikipedia and Rob Board)