the tragedy of gorboduc is the earliest english tragedy in blank verse. it was written by thomas sackville and thomas norton. the writers took the story of the play from geoffrey of monmouth's "history of the kings of britain" (1138). the play premiered before queen elizabeth i on 18 january 1561. it was first printed in 1565. it was printed again in 1570 as "the tragedy of ferrex and porrex".