The Redwood Library guide to an appreciation of Wm. Shakespeare, his works and fame; being a few explanatory notes on an exhibition of books and manuscripts selected from the collection of Mr. Marsden J. Perry

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Shakespeare

1616-1916

THE

REDWOOD LIBRARY
GUIDE

TO AN APPRECIATION OF

Wm SHAKESPEARE

His Works and Fame

Being

A Few Explanatory Notes

On an Exhibition of Books and Manuscripts

Selected from the Collection of

Mr. MARSDEN J. PERRY

it

* A

PRINTED in Providence at the sign of the Standard and
are to be sold for the Benefit of the Redwood Library
on Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island, 1916

Copyright, 1916

By
GEORGE PARKER WINSHIP

TO T#E READER

rHE REDWOOD LIBRARY joins in
the Celebration of the Tercentenary of
Shakespeare's death with an exhibition of
engraved portraits, of engravings of actors in
Shakespearean parts, accompanied by autograph
letters signed by many famous players, and of
the books and manuscripts described on the
following pages. From the middle of June until
the first of August, the people of Newport and
their visitors have an opportunity to see the most
significant, and some of the rarest and most
valuable presentations of the poet's personal
appearance, and many interpretations of the
playwright's creations.

The books have been selected with the object of
making William Shakespeare seem like a real
person. They show how his writings were first
Printed ; the books he read; what his friends
were reading and writing ; and what his con-
temporaries thought about him. The notes in
this Guide try to emphasize this character of
these Shakespearean treasures. These are of
inestimable value because they have to do with
one of the greatest geniuses that ever lived. But
they also show that this genius was a very
human being, who did his work and lived his
life among his fellows.

The notes, which have made free use of many

3

341567

4

people's learning, also explain some of the
phrases used by Shakespearean writers and
collectors, which are not always understood by
those who are unfamiliar with the byways of
Elizabethan literature. It is hoped that this
will give the Guide a more permanent interest
than might attach to a mere Catalogue of the
books which are for a few weeks on public view.

GEORGE PARKER WINSHIP

Harry Elkins Widener Memorial
Harvard University

ILLIAM SHAKESPEARE,

the son of a Stratford village trader
and town officer, made his way to
London and became an actor. Be-
fore he was thirty, he had made a
place for himself in the public esteem. An angry rival,
who saw his former patrons turning to the younger
man, described him as "An upstart Crow . . . with his
Tygers heart wrapt in a Players hide, ... an absolute
Johannes factotum, in his owne conceit, the only Shake-
scene in a countrie."

As a factotum, a handy man of all work, the young
actor had made himself useful by the year 1592.
Gifted with a ready wit, a knack of expressing easily
remembered phrases in colloquial garb, and a quick
appreciation of the human mind and heart, his fellow
actors found abundant work for him to do. The stock
company to which they belonged tried a few new plays
and revived many old favorites. Then, just as ever
since, the actors tried to please their audience, and
cared little for anything that interfered with this.
When they put on a play, they left out the lines that
could be spared, and welcomed new ones, a whole
speech or a fresh scene, which made a more successful
performance. There is one play in which the whole
procedure can be traced.

The age was that of Good Queen Bess, of an island
kingdom becoming a world power, of armadas to sink
and El Doradoes to seek. The London audiences de-
manded patriotic thrills, and the stage managers tried
to satisfy them. One play that they produced dealt
with the reign of Henry VI, and it illustrates quite
perfectly how the actor became a playwright. This
was a new play which the company bought from its
authors, but the latter found their offspring much
changed when they saw it next, upon the public stage.
It is likely that Robert Greene's angry protest was due

Born in
April, 1564

Robert Greene,
who died Sep-
tember 3, 1592,
in his Greene's
Groats-worth of
Wit

March 3, 1592

William Shakespeare

No. 1

The printed play
has the title: The
First part of the
Contention be-
twixt Yorke and
Lancaster

No. 17

The title is : The
Whole Conten-
tion betweene
the two Famous
Houses, . . .
Divided into two
Parts

See Nos. 36-41

Sixteen acknowl-
edged plays
printed during
Shakespeare's
Lifetime

Romeo
Henry V.
Hamlet
Pericles
Merry Wives

See the Note to
No. 5

The Quartos

to the way his upstart rival had dealt with his work in
this play. Luckily, the play was printed in 1594, and
one of the two surviving copies is in this exhibition.
In this it is possible to detect a few lines, possibly a
scene or two, which seem to come from Shakespeare's
'prentice hand.

The reign of Henry VI was a popular theme, and
eventually it was made the subject of three perform-
ances. Shakespeare tinkered with it from time to
time, probably introducing some new lines and dis-
carding others each time it was revived. It was not
printed again until 1619, when it appeared as a part of
the famous "first-collected" volume of that year.
This was an unauthorized edition and seems to have
been taken from a copy of the play as performed some
years earlier, before it had received Shakespeare's final
revision. His name appeared on the title-page, but
this evidence means less than might be wished. The
name had become well known, and publishers had
shown an inconsiderate desire to attach it to plays with
which its owner had little or nothing to do, in order to
induce the public to buy them. The form in which he
left it appears in the text of the First Folio, where it
receives the title by which it is now known: "The
second Part of Henry the Sixt."

Shakespeare's plays were written for the stage, but
the public demand for copies to read was supplied by
the publication of the text of those which had the
most popular success. In a few cases the printers
issued the plays without the owner's permission, from
shorthand copies made during the performances. In
most instances, however, the publication was regularly
authorized, and it is probable that the text was printed
directly from the author's manuscript or from a copy
made for the use of the actors.

These separately printed plays are now known as
the " Quarto " editions. They were of about the size
of this pamphlet, and get the name from the fact that

Lifetime Quartos

the paper on which they were printed was folded twice,
into quarters, making four leaves nearly square in
shape. The " Folio " editions are so called because
they were printed on paper of the same size as the
quartos, folded only once, making two tall leaves.

These Quarto editions in this exhibition appeared
during the author's lifetime :

The First part of the Contention betwixt the two
famous Houses of Yorke and Lancaster. London
Printed by Thomas Creed, for Thomas Milling-
ton, and are to be sold at his shop under Saint
Peters Church in Cornwall. 1594.

This is the earliest form of the play, written by some of his
older contemporaries, which Shakespeare revised and amended
into " The second Part of Henry the Sixt," as printed in the
First Folio, No 26.

The only other recorded copy of this First Part is in the
Bodleian Library at Oxford.

There is a record that the play of Henry VI was acted at the
Rose Theatre on March 3, 1592.

Only one play with which Shakespeare had to do was printed
before this. Titus A ndronicus probably appeared a few weeks
earlier in the same year. The single surviving copy of the first
edition was discovered in Sweden in the year 1905.

Much adoe about Nothing. As it hath been sundrie
times publikely acted by the Lord Chamberlaine his
servants. Written by William Shakespeare. Lon-
don Printed by V. S. for Andrew Wise, and
William Aspley, 1600.

The First Edition of this play, and the only one preceding the
First Folio.

The binding of red morocco is by Lortic freres.

The name of Shakespeare first appeared on the title-page of
a play in 1598, on the second editions of King Richard II,
King Richard III, and Loves Labors Lost.

In 1593 and 1594, he signed the dedications to Venus and
Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece, but his name was not at that
time well enough known for it to appear on the title-pages of
those poems. In 1599 it was used on the title of The Passion-

The Folio*

No.l

Second Part of
Henry VI.

Entered for pub-
1 i c a t i o n (i.e.,
copyright) on
the Register of
the London Com-
pany of Station-
ers on March 12,
1593-94

Entered on Feb-
ruary 6, 1593-4

No. 2

Much Ado

Entered for pub-
lication August
23, 1600

See Nos. 42-44

8

William Shakespeare

See Nos. 36-41

No. 3

Henry IV.

Entered for pub-
lication August
23, 1600

No. 4

Richard III.

No. 5

Richard II.

ate Pilgrime, a collection of twenty poems of which he wrote
only five.

After 1600, the name occurs usually on the titles of the plays
written by him, as well as on several other plays which have
few if any lines from his pen.

The Second part of Henrie the fourth, With the
humours of Sir John Falstaffe, and swaggering
Pistoll. As it hath been sundrie times publikely
acted by the Lord Chamberlaine his servants.
Written by * William Shakespeare. London
Printed by V. S. for Andrew Wise, and William
Asp ley, 1600.

The First Edition of this play, giving " The earlier, purer and
less sophisticated text." The only Quarto edition preceding
the First Folio.

This copy, which lacks the title-page, is of the first issue,
printed before the discovery that a part of the third act had
been omitted. Six other copies of this first issue are known.

The name written on the margin is that of Admiral Sir
William Penn, to whom this copy belonged about 1670.

The Tragedie of King Richard the Third. As it
hath bin lately Acted by the Lord Chamberlaine his
servants. Newly augmented, By William Shake-
speare. London, Printed by Thomas Creede, and
are to be sold by Mathew Lawe, dwelling in Paules
Church-yard, at the Signe of the Foxe, neare S.
Austins gate, 1605.
The Fourth Edition. Only three other copies of this edition

are known.
First printed in 1597, and again in 1598 (with Shakespeare's

name on the title) and 1602. The third edition claimed in the

title to be " Newly augmented," but it contained no new matter.

This was one of the most popular of Shakespeare's plays, later

editions appearing in 1612, 1622, 1629, and 1634.
Admiral Sir William Penn's copy.

The Tragedie of King Richard the Second: \With
new additions of the Parliament Sceane, and the
deposing of King Richard,'] As it hath been lately
acted by the Kinges Majesties servantes, at the Globe.

Lifetime Quartos

By William Shake-speare. London, Printed by
W. W. for Mathew Law, and are to be sold at
his shop in Paules Church-yard, at the signe of
the Foxe. 1608.

This copy lacks the title, so that it is not possible to tell
whether this is the first or second issue of the fourth edition,
which differ only on the title-page.

The words in brackets above occur on only one copy, at the
Bodleian Library. Four copies are recorded without these
words, and two others, in addition to this one, lack the title-page-
First printed in 1597, twice in 1598, twice in 1608, in 1615
and 1634.

Mr. A. W. Pollard, in the Introduction to a recently published
facsimile of the only known copy of the third edition, of 1598,
gives strong reasons for believing that the original quarto
edition represents the author's actual text as presented on the
stage.

The Late, And much admired Play, Called Pericles.
As it hath been divers and sundry times acted by
his Maiesties Servants, at the Globe on the Banck-
side. By William Shakespeare. Imprinted at
London for Henry Gosson, and are to be sold at
the signe of the Sunne in Pater-noster row, &c.
1609.

The Second Edition, printed the same year and with the same
title as the first, from which it is commonly distinguished by the
misprint "Eneer" for Enter in the opening stage direction.
Three other copies are recorded of this edition.
This is an unusual copy, both on account of its wide margins
and uncut edges, and because it shows exactly how these early
plays were originally issued to purchasers, in a plain paper
wrapper. It is in the condition in which the first purchaser se-
cured it, bound with a copy of Samuel Daniel's The Queens
Arcadia, printed in 1606.

The quarto editions are the only authority for the text of this
play. It is "full of mistakes, which can only be explained by
the copy having been taken down by shorthand writers at the
theatre."

That Pericles was a very popular play is shown by the
frequency with which it was printed: twice in 1609, in 1611,
1619, twice in 1630, and in 1635. Shakespeare's name is on the
title of each of these editions, but it was not included among his

See the Note to
No. 71

No. 6

Pericles

Entered for pub-
1 icat ion , by
another book-
seller, May 20,
1608

No. 79
The Queens
Arcadia

The 1619 edition
is No. 18

10

William Shakespeare

See No. 32

No. 7

Pericles

No. 8

Titus
Andronicus

The "Life-time"
Quartos

Seventeenth
Century Quartos

works by the editors of the First or Second Folios. It was
admitted, with six other plays not by him, in the edition of 1664.

The Late, And much admired Play, Called Pericles,
By William Shakespeare. Printed at London by
S.S. 1611.

The Third Edition. This is the only perfect copy known.
The other copy in the British Museum lacks two leaves.
The red morocco binding is by Riviere.

The Most Lamentable Tr age die of Titus Andronicus.
As it hath sundry times beene plaide by the Kings
Maiesties Servants. London, Printed for Bed-
ward White, and are to be solde at his shoppe, nere
the little North dore of Pauls, at the signe of the
Gun. 1611.

The Third Edition.

This was the first Shakespearean play to be printed, in the
spring of 1594.

Only a single copy of the first edition, and two of the second,
printed in 1600, are known. Fourteen copies of this edition are
recorded.

Shakespeare's name does not appear on the title of the quarto
editions. It is also the only play ordinarily included in the
collection of Shakespeare's works, except the Third Part of
Henry VI, of which the early performances were given by com-
panies to which he did not belong.

In addition to those already mentioned, ten other
Shakespeare plays were printed during his lifetime.
These were : Romeo and Juliet, in 1597 and 1599:
Henry IV, Parti, and Loves Labor Lost in 1598 ; Mer-
chant of Venice, Henry V, and Midsummer Nights
Dream, in 1600 ; Merry Wives of Windsor in 1602 ;
Hamlet in 1603 and 1604; King Lear in 1608; and
Troilus and Cressida in 1609. One other play, Othello,
was first printed in 1622, before the appearance of the
First Folio, a year later. Three more were published
separately in the seventeenth century : The Taming
of the Shrew \}\ 1631, Macbeth in 1673 andfutius Caesar
in 1684.

Later Quartos

1 1

That these plays were read, as well as acted, is
shown by the fact that of these nineteen plays, seventy-
six separate editions were printed during the century
in which the author lived. A few of these are :

The most excellent Historic of the Merchant of Venice:
London : Printed for William Leake, and are
to be solde at his shop at the sign of the Crown
in Fleetstreet, between the two Temple Gates, 1652.

The Fourth Edition.

This is the Third Edition, of 1637, with a new title intended to
make it appear as a fresh publication.

The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmarke. Newly
Imprinted and inlarged, according to the true and
perfect Copy lastly Printed. London , Printed by
W. S. for John Smethwicke, and are to be sold at
his Shop in Saint Duns tans Church-yard in Fleet
street: Under the Diall.

The Fourth Edition, undated. Smethwick issued the third
edition in 1611, and the fifth in 1637 (see the next title).

The first edition came out in 1603 and the second a year later,
with title-pages dated 1604 or 1605. There were two editions
in 1676, one in 1683, two issues in 1695 differing only in the im-
print, and two editions in 1703.

The Tragedy of Hamlet. London, Printed by R.

Young for John Smethwicke, 1637.
The Fifth Edition.

The Tragcedy of Othello. The fourth Edition. London,
Printed for William Leak at the Crown in Fleet-
street, between the two Temple Gates, 1655.

The Third Edition, so far as known from extant copies.
First printed in 1622, and again in 1630. Later editions are
dated 1681, 1687, and 1695.
This was Sir Henry Irving's copy.

The original editions of the plays which were used
by Shakespeare as a foundation, upon which he con-
structed his dramas, are only a degree less valuable

See Miss Hen-
rietta Bartlett's
Ctnsus of "Shake-
speare's Plays
in Quarto, 1594-
1709, New
Haven, 1916.

No. 9

Merchant of
Venice

No. 10

Hamlet

An " edition "
means an inde-
pendent print-
ing ; a separate
" issue" implies
that changes
were made in
what is other-
wise a single
printing

No. 11

Hamlet

No. 12
Othello

Source Plays

12

William Shakespeare

No. 13

King John

No. 14

King John

See the text
above No. 36

No. 15

King Leir

and important than those of his own acknowledged
productions. The title of The First Part of the
Contention, listed above as No. 1, might properly
have been entered here.

[ The Troublesome Raigne of John King of England.
As it was (sundry times) publikely acted by the
Queenes Maiesties Players, in the honourable citie
of London. Imprinted for Sampson Clarke, on the
backe-side of the Roy all Exchange. 1591.]

The First Edition. This copy lacks the title-page. Only one
perfect copy is recorded.

Shakespeare's King John was a complete rewriting of this
play, from which he took the plot and characters.

The First and second Part of the troublesome Raigne
of John King of England. As they were (sundry
times) lately acted by the Queenes Maiesties Players.
Written by W. Sh. Imprinted at London by Val-
entine Simmes for John Helme, and are to be sold
at his shop in Saint Dunstons Church-yard in Fleete-
street, 1611.

The Second Edition of the non-Shakespearean play.

Shakespeare probably wrote his King John, which was first
printed in the First Folio in 1623, about 1594. The use of his
initials on the title of this edition, and of his full name the next
time it was printed, in 1622, were the device of a bookseller to
make the book more saleable, and to supply a popular demand.
The actors, in this as in most other cases, were not willing to
have the correct text of their play printed.

The True Chronicle History of King Leir, As it hath
bene divers and sundry times lately acted. London,
Printed for Simon Stafford for John Wright, and
are to be sold at his shop at Christes Church dore,
next Newgate-Market, 1605.

The First Edition, so far as known. The play was licensed
in 1593, perhaps for the purpose of preventing the printers from
issuing it.

Shakespeare's play was entirely rewritten from this one.

First Collection

The earliest attempt to issue Shakespeare's works
as a set or collected edition was made in 1619. The
publisher, Thomas Pavier, and his printer, William
Jaggard, had both experimented previously with the
commercial value of the playwright's name. Jaggard
was responsible for placing it on the title of The Pas-
sionate Pilgrime in 1599, and Pavier had named him as
the author of The Yorkshire Tragedy, on the title of
the first edition, " sold at his shop on Cornhill, neere to
the exchange," in 1608. Through the purchase of a
printing office, Jaggard had secured a right to The
Merchant of Venice, and Pavier had bought from
another bookseller a claim to a stolen, shorthand copy,
text of Henry V. To these they added A Midsummer
Nights Dream, which had been out of print for nine-
teen years; Pericles, which nobody claimed; and King
Lear and The Merry Wives of Windsor, by some
arrangement with the owners. The Whole Contention
between York and Lancaster\&& been discarded by the
players for another version of the Second Part of
Henry VI. With seven plays rather less than more
by Shakespeare, the venturers completed their work
by crediting to him The Yorkshire Tragedy and The
first part of the Life of Sir John Old-castle.

These nine plays, all but one with the line, " Written
by William (or, W.) Shakespeare," and the date of the
earlier edition from which they were reprinted, on the
title-page, were issued by Pavier and Jaggard in 1619.
They were doubtless sold separately or in sets, and
were also bound in a single volume, in brown leather.

There is no sufficient evidence that the publishers in
1619 tried to mislead their purchasers by offering
them books fifteen years old, but the earlier dates on
the titles completely deceived the scholars and book-
collectors of two centuries later. There were prob-
ably at least half a dozen copies of this collection still
existing in the original bindings, toward the end of the
eighteenth century. One slipped through the hands

The First
Collected
Edition

See notes to
No. 2

See No. 19

See No. 22

See No. 1

See No. 21

The exception is
th e gen uine
Shakespearean
Henry V

William Shakespeare

No. 16

This vol u m e
forms the subject
ofA.W. Pollard's
S A a k e spea re
Fo 1 1 o s and
Quartos, Lon-
don, 1909

No. 17

Second HenryVI
Observe the simi-
larity of the im-
prints at the end
of each title and
compare with
those of other
Quartos

No. 18

Pericles

No. 19

Yorkshire
Tragedy

of the British Museum authorities and fell into those
of an auctioneer's binder, in 1906. Much the same fate
disintegrated all of the others, with a single exception.
By good fortune the one in Mr. Perry's collection has
been preserved intact in its original condition.

This, the only surviving copy of the first collected
Shakespeare, belonged in the seventeenth century to
Edward Gwynn, a well-known English collector of
books, many of which are now preserved in the Bod-
leian Library at Oxford. In some way this one found
its way to Germany, whence it returned to England
in 1962, and soon after migrated again, to Rhode
Island.

The quartos which make up this volume are :

The Whole Contention between the two Famous Houses,
Lancaster and Yorke. Divided into two Parts:
and newly corrected and enlarged. Printed at
London, for T. P.

The second state, in print, of the text of " The second Part
of Henry the Sixt."

This edition is referred to on page six of this Guide.

The Late, And much admired Play, called Pericles.
Printed for T. P. 1619.

The Fourth Edition. The second and third are Nos. 6 and
7, above.

The signature-marks show that this play was intended to
follow The Whole Contention. The title was printed on a
separate leaf, and inserted.

A Yorkshire Tragedie. Printed for T. P. 1619.

This play was first printed during Shakespeare's lifetime, in
1608, as " Acted by his Maiesties Players at the Globe."

The statement, "Written by W. Shakespeare," appeared on
the title of that edition and also in the entry made May 2 of the
same year, in the record book of the Company of Stationers.

It is likely that "any play written for the King's Company of
actors at this date would have been submitted to Shakespeare
for him to read it, to make suggestions, to supervise it, and out
of this managerial connexion with a play whispers of his author-
ship, if no other name were attached to it, would easily arise."

Collected Plays

A most pleasant and excellent conceited Comedy, of Sir
John Falstaffe, and the Merry Wives of Windsor.
Printed fo r A rthu r Johnson, 1619.

The Second Edition.

First printed in 1602 "by T. C. for Arthur Johnson and are
to be sold at his shop in Powles Church-yard, at the signe of the
Flower de Leuse and the Crowne."

The first part Of the true & honorable history, of the
Life of Sir John Old-castle, the good Lord Cobham.
London, Printed for T. P. 1600.

The Second Edition.

Shakespeare's name does not appear on the title of the genuine
first edition, which was printed in 1600. The play is known to
have been written in collaboration by Anthony Munday, Michael
Drayton, Robert Wilson, and Thomas Hathway. That their
friend Shakespeare may have helped them in some sm.ill way is
entirely possible.

There are a number of reasons for believing that the part of
Falstaff in The Merry Wives was first given the name of Sir
John Oldcastle.

The Excellent History of the Merchant of Venice.
Printed by J. Roberts, 1600.

The Second Edition.

William Jaggard bought James Roberts' printing business
in 1606.

The Chronicle History of Henry the fift. Printed for
T. P. 1608.

The Third Edition.

Pavier published the second edition of Henry Fin 1602, but
no copy is known of an edition printed in 1608.

M. William Shake-Speare, His True Chronicle History
of King Lear. Printed for Nathaniel Butter,
1608.

The Second Edition.

First printed in 1608 " for Nathaniel Butter, and are to be sold
at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Pide Bull
neere St. Austins Gate." This is commonly referred to as the
" Pide Bull edition."

No. 20

Merry Wives

No. 21

Oldcastle

See No. 48

No. 22

Merchant of
Venice

No. 23

Henry V

The copy which
is shown is from
the collection of
Dr. Roderick
Terry

No. 24

Lear

The copy shown
is from Dr.
Terry's collec-
tion.

The device on
the title-page was
used on all the
other titles, ex-
cept the Mid-
summer Night's
Dream

i6

William Shakespeare

No. 25

Midsummer
Nights Dream

The Authorized
Edition

John Heminge
& Henry Con-
dall, to whom
Shakespeare by
his will left 26s :
8d:

No. 26

The First Folio

Lee's Supple-
ment to his Cen-
sus, in 1906,
accounts for 172
copies

A Midsommer nights dreame. Printed by James
Roberts, 1600.

The Second Edition.

There seems to be no evidence that Roberts printed the first
edition, in 1600, with the imprint, "for Thomas Fisher, and are
to be soulde at his shoppe, at the Signe of the White Hart, in
Fleetestreete."

The collected edition or set of 1619 was obviously
not an authorized publication. The manuscript copies
and acting versions of the plays belonged to the com-
pany of actors for whose use they were written. Two
of these actors, friends of the author, perhaps on their
own initiative or more probably at the suggestion of
Edward Blount, arranged to bring out a complete
edition ; " onely to keepe the memory of so worthy a
Friend & Fellow alive, as was our Shakespeare.' "
Blount was the leading publisher of works of literature
in London at that time, and a close friend of South-
ampton, Marlowe, and others in the literary set.

The volume was entitled :

Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, &
Tragedies. Published according to the True Otig-
inall Copies. London, Printed by Isaac Jaggard,
and Ed. Blount, 1623. [At end : Printed at the
Charges of W. Jaggard, Ed. Blount, I. Smithweeke,
and W. Aspley, 1623.

The First Folio Edition, in an original seventeenth-century
binding of brown leather.

This copy is No. X in Sir Sidney Lee's Census of Extant
Copies, London, 1902, " Division A. Perfect copies in good, un-
restored condition." Of the 17 copies in this condition, only
two are still in their early binding.

Less than 200 copies of the First Folio are still in existence.
Most of these are more or less imperfect, showing the effects of
repeated readings.

Sir Sidney Lee, in an article published shortly after this
volume^ came to America, estimated its value at ^5,000. It
belonged previously to Mr. MacGeorge of Glasgow, who secured

The First Folio

17

it from a French family which settled in England after the revo-
cation of the Edict of Nantes.

The desirable characteristics of a Shakespeare Folio are that
the volume should be

(a) perfect, with every leaf intact, as distinguished from

"complete," which may mean that some leaves have
been supplied from another copy of the same edition.
The engraved portrait and the leaf of verses arc occa-
sionally supplied from a copy of one of the later Folios.

(b) intact, in the original binding, showing exactly how the

volume was originally issued, with the leaves untouched
by a modern binder or renovator.

(c} tall, the margins untrimmed, showing the full size of the
paper on which the volume was printed. This copy
measures 12% by 8# inches. The only taller, perfect
copies, measuring 13 inches, are at Trinity College,
Cambridge, the Bodleian Library, Oxford, the Boston
Public Library and the John Carter Brown Library,
Providence.

(d) peculiar, with typographical variations from other copies,
throwing light upon the mechanical history of the
volume. Interesting accounts of the information to be
deduced from these peculiarities of different copies
may be found in the preface to Lee's Census and
Pollard's Folios and Quartos. This copy has numerous
exceptional typographical errors, and a number of
seventeenth-century manuscript annotations which
were described in The Athenceum, London, August
19, 1899.

The frontispiece is the first published portrait of Shakespeare.
It was engraved by Martin Droeshout for this volume, and the
verses signed " B. I.," by Ben Jonson, testify to its resemblance
to the author. Some of the best authorities believe that it was
engraved from a painting dated 1609, which is now in the
Stratford Memorial Gallery.

Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, and
Tragedies. Published according to the true Orig-
inall Coppies. The second Impression. Printed by
Tho. Cotes, for Robert Allot, and are to be sold at
his shop at the signe of the black Be are in Pauls
Chu rch-ya rd. 1632.
The Second Folio Edition, with "Coppies" instead of

Shakespeare's
Portrait

No. 27

Second Folio

" Coppies "

issue

i8

William Shakespeare

Thomas Cotes

See No. 16
Robert Allott

William Aspley
Cf. Nos. 2 and 3

RichardMeighen

No. 28

Second Folio

" Copies " on the title-page. In a contemporary brown leather
binding, which illustrates the style in which these Folio volumes
were originally sold.

This copy formerly belonged to George Daniels, the Shakes-
perean collector, and to B. B. MacGeorge of Glasgow.

Several booksellers combined for the publication of this
edition. Their names are given in the colophon printed at the
end of the volume, which reads : " Printed at London by
Thomas Cotes, for John Smethwick, William Aspley, Richard
Hawkins, Richard Meighen, and Robert Allot, 1632." Each of
these took a portion of the edition for sale, with a separate
title-page giving his name and address.

Cotes, the printer of the volume, had bought in 1627 from the
widow of Isaac (the son of William) Jaggard, who printed the
First Folio, all of the latter's rights in Shakespeare's plays. He
added to these by purchase in 1630 whatever rights had per-
tained to Pavier, the publisher of the 1619 collection. . He thus
secured the profitable printing of the new edition.

Robert Allott, likewise in 1630, obtained Edward Blount's
rights to 16 plays. This gave him, as a bookseller, the principal
interest in the venture. A large majority of the existing copies
have his name on the title-page, and it is probable that these
represent approximately his proportion of the whole edition.
Three varieties of the title-page were printed for his copies.

William Aspley had been one of the booksellers who shared
in the First Folio. He contributed to that the rights which he
obtained in 1600 to Much Ado about Nothing and the Second
Part of Henry IV. These now entitled him to a share in the
new venture, " to be sold at the signe of the Parrot in Pauls
Church-yard."

Richard Meighen secured a right to The Merry Wives of
Windsor in January, 1630. The small part to which this
entitled him doubtless accounts for the fact that copies of
the Second Folio, with his name, "at the middle Temple Gate
in Fleet street," on the title are the most difficult of all to find.

Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies \etc.~\ Printed by
Tho. Cotes, for Richard Hawkins, and are to be
sold at his shop in Chancery Lane, neere Serjeants
Inne, 1632.

The Second Folio, in a contemporary binding.

This copy has the bookplate of Sir Francis Skipworth, Bart.,
Newbold-Revel, Warwickshire, and is one of the few copies of
the poet's works which can be confidently located in the

The Second Folio

neighborhood of his home within the lifetime of his own
generation.

Hawkins secured his share of the Second Folio through the
ownership of a right to Othello, which he secured in 1628 from
Thomas Walkley, the publisher of the first quarto of this play,
in 1622. Hawkins issued the second quarto edition in 1630.

Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies \etcJ] Printed by
Tho. Cotes, for John Smethwick, and are to be sold
at his shop in Saint Dunstans Church-yard. 1632.

Smethwick shared in the First and Second Folios through
the ownership, secured in 1607, of rights to Hamlet, Romeo and
Juliet and Loves Labour Lost. He also owned the non-
Shakespearean, and confusing, The Taming of A Shrew.

Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, and
Tragedies. The Third Impression. London,
Pnnted for Philip Chetivinde, 1663.

The first issue of the Third Folio, without the portrait on the
title-page. In a contemporary leather binding, from the Mac-
George collection.

For some reason, a few copies of this first issue do not have
the portrait of Shakespeare, engraved by Droeshout, on the
title. A probable explanation is that the original plate had
been mislaid and could not be found when the printers were
ready for it. It may also be that, as the engraving was im-
pressed on the page after the letter-press, these were copies for
which there was an immediate demand, and not part of the
regular edition.

Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies [etc.] Printed for
Philip Chetwinde, 1663.

The first issue of the Third Folio, with the portrait. The
title has been repaired.

The appearance of a new edition of the plays at tliis time was
doubtless connected with the great changes in London life which
followed the Restoration of Charles II, two years earlier.
Chetwind apparently intended to reprint the text of the Second
Folio, without change, and this first issue of his edition con-
tains nothing except what was in the two preceding ones.
Before many copies had been sold, however, he decided to in-
clude seVen additional plays, which had been attributed to the
same author.

RichardHawkins

No. 29

Second Folio

John Smethwick
See Nos. 10&11

No. 30

Third Folio

No. 31

Third Folio

20

William Shakespeare

No. 32

Tlurd Folio

Plays publicly
ascribed to
Shakespeare dur-
ing his lifetime

See the note to
Nos. 19 and 21

Se« No. 41
London Fire

No. 33

Fourth Folio

Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies \etcl\ The Third
Impression. And unto this Impression is added
seven Playes, never before Printed in Folio, viz.
Pericles Prince of Tyre. The London Prodigall.
The History of Thomas Ld. Cromivell. Sir John
Oldcastle Lord Cobham. The Puritan Widow.
A York-shire Tragedy. The Tragedy of Locrine.
London, Printed for P. C. 1664.

The regular, second issue of the Third Folio.

Pericles is the only one of the plays here admitted to the
Shakespeare Canon which later scholars have accepted as in any
important degree his work. The earlier separate editions of
this play, which had his name on the titles, are described as nos.
6 and 7. Apparently Chetwind's first intention was to add only
this one play to his edition, as it has a separate pagination from
that of the six following plays.

Sir John Oldcastle and A Yorkshire Tragedy had been printed
in 1619, with the date of the original editions of 1600 and 1608,
and with Shakespeare's name on the titles. The London Prodigall
may have been overlooked by Pavier in that year, for the first
edition of this play had appeared in 1605, with Shakespeare's
name in full.

The earlier separate editions of the other three plays all
claimed to be " written by W.S." The Lamentable Tragedy of
Locrine in 1595 professed to be " Newly setfoorth, overseene and
corrected, by W. S." Thomas Lord Cromwell was first printed
in 1602, and The Puritaine or the Widow of Watling Streete
in 1607.

In 1666, a great part of central London, where most of the
booksellers had their stalls and shops, was destroyed by fire.
This probably explains why the Third Folio is much rarer than
the others. It is estimated that about half of the edition was
burned.

Mr. William Shakespears Comedies [etc.'] Unto which
is added, Seven Plays, Never before Printed in
Folio: viz. [etc.'] The Fourth Edition. London,
Printed for H. Herringman, and are to be sold by
Joseph Knight and Francis Saunders, at the Anchor
in the Lower Walk of the New Exchange, 1685.

The earlier issue of the Fourth Folio.

This edition was copied from the Third Folio, even the title-

Apocrypha

2 I

page repeating the statement about the Added Plays, which was
true in 1664, but not in 1685.

This edition shows the first departure from the usual spelling
of the author's name, in any of the books containing his own
works included in this exhibition.

Mr. William SJiakespears Comedies \etcJ] London,
Printed for H. Herringman, E. Brews tert R.
Chiswell, and R. Bentley, at the Anchor in the
New Exchange ; and at the Crane > and Rose and
Crown in St. Pauls Church-Yard, and in Russ el-
Street Covent-Garden, 1685.

The later issue of the Third Folio, in its original binding.
Sir Philip Sidney's copy, from the MacGeorge collection.
The other copy of this edition came from George Daniels'
library.

Several plays besides those already mentioned were
ascribed to Shakespeare by booksellers or by current
report during his lifetime. These are interesting
evidence of the value of his name, and of a readiness
on the part of the public to think of him as the most
likely author of a dramatic work, during his own time
and for two generations after.

The Merry Devill of Edmonton. As it hath beene
sundry times Acted, by his Maiesties Servants,
at the Globe, on the banke-side. London,
Printed by Henry Bollard for Arthur Johnson.
1608.

The First Edition. Three other copies are recorded.
The play was ascribed to Shakespeare on the Stationers'
Register in 1653.
Reprinted in 1612, 1617, 1626, 1631 and 1655.

The Merry Devil of Edmonton. London, Printed for
William Gilbertson, 1655.

The Lamentable and True Tragedie of M. Arden of
Feversham in Kent. Imprinted at London for
Edward White. 1592.
The First Edition. Two other copies are recorded.

The Spelling of
Shakespeare's
name

No. 34
No. 36

Third Folio

Apocrypha

See King John,
I No. 14; Yorkshire
Tragedy and
Oldcastle, Nos.
19 and 21

No. 36

Merry Devil

No. 37

Merry Devil

No. 2

Arden

22

William Shakespeare

No. 39

Mucedorus

A most pleasant Comedie of Mucedorus the Kings
Sonne of Valencia, and Amadine the Kinges
daughter of Aragon. As it was acted before the
Kings Maiesty, at White-hall on Shrove-Sunday
night. By his Highnesse Servants, usually play-
ing at the Globe. Very delectable, and full of
conceited Mirth. Imprinted at London by N. O.
for William Jones, 1615.
The Sixth Edition.

A few lines in this play have been attributed to Shakespeare.
None of his real works approached this in popularity with con-
temporary readers, if the number of editions is a test. It was
printed first in 1598, and again in 1606, 1610, 1611, 1613, 1615,
1618, 1619, 1621, 1626, [1629?], 1631,1634, 1639, 1663, 1668, and
once without date in the seventeenth century, according to the
compilers of the Church Library Catalogue.

No. 40

Mucedorus

No. 41

Puritan Widow

See No. 32

The Poet

But See the Note
to No. 56

TheSonnetswere
first printed in
1609, fifteen years
after they were
written

A most pleasant Comedie of Mucedorus.

Printed for John Wright, 1626.
The Tenth Edition.

London,

The Puritaine or The Widdow of Watling-streete. Acted
by the Children of Paules. Written by W. S.
Imprinted at London by G. Eld, 1607.
The First, and only Edition before the Folio of 1664, in which

it was included among the added plays.

Shakespeare attracted the attention of his literary
contemporaries as a poet, before he became known as
a playwright. Venus and Adonis was his first pub-
lished work, in 1593 ; and this was followed within a
year by The Rape of Lucrece. Both were dedicated,
over his own name, to Henry Wriothesley, Earl of
Southampton, the patron to whom he was most largely
indebted for his establishment as a favorite with the
literary coterie at Queen Elizabeth's court.

These two poems, as well as the Sonnets, were
repeatedly quoted and referred to by other writers
during the author's lifetime.

The

Poet

23

Venus and Adonis [Probably Imprinted at London by
Richard Field, 1595.]

The Third Edition, of which this is the only recorded copy.
The first edition in small octavo size.

This is a fragment, lacking the title and other leaves. A
comparison with the text of other editions shows that this
comes between the second edition, 1594, and that of 1596. It
is in a contemporary binding with other tracts, all of which
were dated 1595, so it seems safe to assign it to that year.

The early popularity of Venus and Adonis is shown both
by the number of editions and by the very few copies that
have survived, many of which, like the present one, were
evidently read to pieces.

The poem was first printed, in quarto, in. 1593, and again in
1594. One copy of the first and three of the second are known.
This is the only remnant left of the third edition. It was re-
printed, in this octavo size, in 1596 (2 copies); 1599 (i copy, dis-
covered in 1867) ; probably in 1600 (i copy lacking the title-
page) ; 1602 (perhaps twice in this year, 3 copies) ; 1617 (i copy) ;
1620 (i copy) ; 1627 (at Edinburgh, 2 copies) ; 1630 (two editions,
i copy of each) ; 1636 (2 copies, one of which is in the exhibi-
tion) ; and 1675 (2 copies, one of which has been lost since 1864).

Venus and Adonis. London, Printed by J, H. and to
be sold by Francis Coules. 1636.

The Thirteenth Edition. The other recorded copy is in the
British Museum.

The Rape of Lucrece by Mr. William Shakespeare.
Newly Revised. London. Printed by R. B. for
John Harrison and are to be sold at his shop at the
golden Unicorne in Pater-noster Row, 1632.

The Seventh Edition.

The binding of red morocco is by Lortic freres. Four other
copies of this edition are recorded.

Lucrece was first printed in quarto in 1 594, and ten copies of
this edition have survived. The second edition was published
in 1598, in small octavo, and only one copy of this is known. It
was reprinted in 1600 (one perfect copy) ; 1607 (2 copies) ; 1616
(4 copies); 1624 (6 copies); 1632 (5 copies) ; and 1655 (5 copies
with the frontispiece portrait by Faithorne, and a number with-
out this).

No. 42

Venus and
Adonis

Nos. 59-62

The first work
of Shakespeare
printed outside
of London

No. 43

Venus and
Adonis

No. 44

Lucrece

William Shakespeare

No. 45

Poems

Portrait

No. 46

Poems

Charles Lamb
copy

Source Books

No. 55

Poems : Written by WiL Shake-spearc r, Gent. Printed
at London by Tho. Cotes, and are to be sold by
John Benson, dwelling in St. Duns tans Church-
yard. 1640.
First collected Edition.
In its original brown leather binding.

This volume is a compilation, containing most of Shake-
speare's Sonnets and shorter poems, together with verses by
Ben Jonson, Beaumont, Fletcher, Milton and others.

The frontispiece by William Marshall is the second engraved
portrait. It was copied from the Droeshout engraving in the
First or Second Folio. See the last note to No. 26.

Shakespeare's Poems. London. Printed by J. Darby
in Bartholomew Close, for E. Curie, K. Sanger andj.
Pemberton. 1714.

The notes on the margins and fly-leaves of this copy are in
Charles Lamb's handwriting.

The books which Shakespeare may have used in
writing his dramas, or which may have exerted an
influence upon him, divide themselves into three
groups. There are a few works which it is certain
that he used, because, as from Holinshed's Chronicle,
he put into the mouths of his characters speeches of
considerable length quoted directly from this source.

A much larger group includes the books which he
must in all probability have read. Some of these
were written by friends or rivals and can hardly have
failed to come into the hands of an active, interested
citizen of London, whose business was with the stage
and its audiences.

There is a vast number of works, in all the Euro-
pean languages, in which students of Shakespeare's
writings have found what seemed to the finder a
source for some idea or scene or phrase or word-usage.
If Shakespeare's writing had been something different
from popular plays, if he had done something different
from the portrayal of universal human emotions in
language universally comprehensible, the results of

Source Books

such researches would throw more light than they do
upon William Shakespeare's mind and art. There
are few books of this character in the present exhibition,
although the collection from which it is drawn con-
tains a considerable proportion of those to which
scholars have made significant references.

Quae hoc volumine continentur. Ovidii Metamorphos-
eon Libri quindecim. Venetiis in Aedibus Aldi,
MDII.

Shakespeare, according to Ben Jonson, knew " small Latin and
less Greek," but his plays repeatedly reflect familiarity with
passages in Ovid, and some of the plots were almost certainly
drawn directly from the Metamorphoses.

It is likely that his own copy of Ovid was one printed at the
press of Aldus in Venice. The Bodleian Library at Oxford
possesses the copy of this 1502 edition, with Shakespeare's
initials in what is believed to be his handwriting, on the title-
page.

There are a few other books which contain what appears to
be Shakespeare's autograph. Unfortunately, the skill with
which his signature has been forged, especially by William
Henry Ireland at the end of the eighteenth century, throws
considerable doubt upon the authenticity of all of these.

A brefe Chronycle concerning the examination and
death of the Blessed Martir of Christ, Sir John
Oldcastell the Lord Cobham, collected together by
Johan Bale, [at end] Imprinted at London, by
Anthony Scoloker, and Willid Seres Dwelling
wythout Alder sgate.
Printed about 1550.

Shakespeare's character of Falstaff was apparently first called
Oldcastle. It is supposed that objections were made to this use
of the name, probably by his descendant, the eighth Lord Cob-
ham, and that the playwright made such amends as he could in
the line, " Oldcastle died a Martyr, and this is not the man."

A secondary result was the play of Sir John Oldcastle, which
attempts to vindicate the hero. To this, by a further association
of inaccurate ideas, Shakespeare's name was attached when
Pavier included it in his venture of 1619.

The picture of Sir John on the title of this tract seems to
represent the original, and traditional, Falstaffian character.

No. 47.

Ovid, Metamor-
phoses

I Qvattro Libri
diSarava, Vepice,
1565

Ras tail's
Statutes, 1598
See No. 73

No. 48
Oldcastle

Falstaff

See No. 21

26

William Shakespeare

No. 49

Peacham

No. 60

Gale's Surgery

No. 51

Udall's Terence

No. 52

Apuleius

No. 53

Fortescue

The Garden of Eloquence Conteyning the Figures of
Grammer and Rhetorick, from which maye bee
gathered all manner of Flowers, Coulors, Orna-
ments, Exornations, Formes and Fashions of
speech, very profitable for all those that be studious.
Set foorth in Englishe, by Henry Peacham Min-
ister. Anno 1577. Imprinted in Fleete streete,
beneath the Conduite, at the Signe of Saint John
Evangelist, by H. Jackson.

The First Edition.

This is a book that would doubtless have been used by
Shakespeare if he had written his plays the way many teachers
try to read them.

Certaine Workes of Chirurgerie, newlie compiled and
published by Thomas Gale, Maister of Chirur-
gerie. London Printed by Thomas East, dwelling
betweene Paules Wharfe and Bainards Castle.
1586.

A copy of this work is known to have been in use at Stratford
in Shakespeare's time.

Flour es of Latine speakyng selected and gathered out of
Terence, and the same translated into englyshe,
compiled by Nicolas Udall, Newly corrected and
imprinted. Anno 1560.
A popular book in Shakespeare's schooldays.

The. XI. Bookes of the Golden Asse. Translated out

of Latine into Englishe by William Adlington.

Imprinted by William How, for Abraham Veale.

1571.

The copy in the British Museum is said to be the only other

one known of this edition.

The Foreste or Collection of Histories, no lesse profit-
able, then pleasant, and necessarie, dooen out of
Frenche into Englishe, by Thomas Fortescue. Im-
printed by John Kyngston, for Wylliam Jones.
1571.

Source Books

27

The French Schoole-maister , wherin is most plainly
shewed, the true and most perfect way of pro-
nouncinge of the Frenche tongue, by M. Claudius
Hollybande. Imprinted by William How, for
Abraham Veale. 1573.
The First Edition.

The Firste (& Laste) volume of the Chronicles of Eng-
land, Scotlande and Irelande. Imprinted for Lucas
Harrison. 1577.
The First Edition.

Shakespeare derived much of his knowledge of English history
from these volumes. On page 243 of the Chronicles of Scotland
is a picture of Macbeth meeting the weird sisters.

Florios Second Frutes, of divers but delightsome tastes
to the tongues of Italians and Englishmen. Lon-
don Printed for Thomas Woodcock, dwelling at
theBlack-beare. 1591.
The First Edition.

There is ample evidence that Shakespeare and Florio, both of
whom were patronized by the Earl of Southampton, were well
acquainted.

The complimentary sonnet, " Phaeton to his Friend Florio,"
is thought to have been written by Shakespeare. If it was, this
was the poet's first printed work.

Willobie his Avisa or The true Picture of a Modest
Maide. Imprinted by John VVindet, 1609.

The Third Edition.

The first edition, printed in 1 594, contained the earliest printed
allusion to Shakespeare by name in the line:

" And Shake-speare paints poore Lucrece rape."

The author, Henry Willoughby, which may be a pseudonym,
also speaks of " W. S." as his familiar friend.

The Tragedie of Antonie. Done into Englishe by the
Countesse of Pern broke. Imprinted at London for
William Ponsonby. 1595.
The First separate Edition.

An imperfect copy of this poem is the first piece in the volume
which contains the unique Venus and Adonis, described as
No. 42.

No. 54

Hollyband

No. 55

Holinshed

No. 56

Florio

Shakespeare's
First Printed
Work

No. 67

Willoughby
Avisa, 1594

First Allusion to
Shakespeare

No. 58

Mary Sidney

No. 59

28

William Shakespeare

No. 60

Daniel's
Delia

No. 61

Richard Barn-
field; Cynthia

No. 62

Spenser's
Amoretti

No. 63

Thomas Lodge's
Rosalynde

No. 64

Dowland's

Ayres

No. 65

Reynolds'
Stage-Playes

Delia and Rosamond augmented. Cleopatra. By
Samuel Daniell. Printed for S. Water son, dwell-
ing in Paules Church-yard, at the signe of the
Crowne. 1595.
The Fourth Edition.
In the Venus and Adonis volume.

These Sonnets, which were first printed in 1592, were dedicated
to the Countess of Pembroke; see Nos. 58 and 66.

Cynthia. With Certaine Sonnets, and the Legend of
Cassandra. Printed for Humfrey Lownes, at the
West doore of Paules. 1595.
In the Venus and Adonis volume.

Amoretti and Epithalamion. Written not long since
by Edmunde Spenser. Printed for William Pon-
sonby. 1595.

The First Edition.

In the Venus and Adonis volume.

Rosalynde. Euphues Golden Legacie Fetcht from the
Canaries by T. L. Gent. Printed for N. Lyng,
and T. Gabbins. 1596.

The Third Edition. The first was published in 1590.
As You Like It, probably written in the autumn of 1599, is "a
dramatic adaptation of this pastoral romance."

The First Booke of Songes or Ayres of fowre partes with
Tableture for the Lute : Composed by John Dow-
land Lutenist. Printed by Peter Short, dwelling
on Bredstreet hill at the sign of the Starr e, 1597.
Dowland was mentioned in The Passionate Pilgrime :
" If Musicke and sweet Poetrie agree,
Dowland to thee is deere, whose heavenly tuch
Upon the Lute, dooth ravish humane sense."
The music is arranged on the page so that it can be read by
the singers standing on three sides of the open book.

Th' overthrow of Stage-play es, By the way of contro-
versie betwixt D. Gager and D. Rainoldes, where-
in all the Reasons that can be made for them are
notably refuted; 1599.
The First Edition.

Source Books

29

The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia. Written by
Sir Philip Sidney Knight. Now for the third
time published, with sundry new additions. Lon-
don. Imprinted for William Ponsonbie. 1598.

The Third Edition.

Edmund Malone's copy.

Sidney's sister, the Duchess of Pembroke, was the mother of
the "Incomparable Paire of Brethren," William and Philip
Herbert, to whom the First Folio was dedicated, because they
" have been pleas'd to thinke these trifles (the plays) some-thing,
heeretofore ; and have prosequuted both them, and their Authour,
living, with so much favour."

The portrait of William Herbert, Third Earl of Pembroke,
was engraved by Lucas Vorsterman, probably not long before the
Earl's death in 1630. The portrait of his brother Philip, which is
dated 1630, is mentioned in a note to No. 98.

Englands Parnassus: or The choysest Flowers of our
Moderne Poets, with their Poeticall comparisons.
Imprinted for N.L. C.B. and Th. Hayes. 1600.
Shakespeare contributed 91 of the 2350 extracts in this
dictionary of quotations. Two-thirds of these are from Venus
and Adonis, or Lucrece; nearly half the others from Romeo and
Juliet; the remainder from Richard II, Richard II 7, Henry IV,
part I, and Love's Labor's Lost.

The Civile Wares betweene the Houses of Lancaster
and Yorke corrected and continued by Samuel
Daniel. Printed by Simon Water sonne, 1600.
This edition is not mentioned in Dr. Grosart's reprint, for the

Spencer Society, in 1885. First printed in 1595, and with additions

in 1599.

A Declaration of the Practices and Treasons attempted
and committed by Robert late Earle of Essex and
his Complices, against her Maiestie. Imprinted
by Robert Barker, 1601.

Essex, Southampton and their fellow-conspirators paid one of
the actors in Shakespeare's company to arrange a performance
of Richard 77, with the deposition scene, on February 7, 1601,
the day preceding the projected uprising.

No. 66

Sidney's
Arcadia

Shakespeare's
acquaintance
with Sidney's
family

No. 67

No. 68

No. 69

Robert Allot's
England's Par-
nassus

No. 70

Daniel's
Civil Wars

No. 71

Essex
Conspiracy

See No. S

William Shakespeare

No. 72

Essex's
Apologie
Published by
Lord Bacon

No. 73

Florio's
Montaigne

See No. 47

No. 74

England's
Mourning
Garment

No. 75

Dekker

An Apologie of the Earle of Essex, against those which
jealously and maliciously tax him to be the hin-
der er of the peace and quiet of his country.
Penned by himself in Anno 1598. Imprinted by
Richard Bradocke, 1603.

The Essayes or Morall, Politike and Millitarie Dis-
courses of Lo: Michaell de Montaigne, now done
into English By John Florio. Printed by Val.
Sims for Edward Blount dwelling in Paules
church yard. 1603.
The First Edition.

Florio's translation was quoted in The Tempest,
A copy of this edition in the British Museum contains Shake-
speare's name in what looks like his autograph.

Inglandes Mourning Garment'. Worne here in Mem-
orie of their sacred Mistresse, Elizabeth, To which
is added the true manner of her Emperiall Fu-
nerall. After which foloweth the Shepheards
Spring-Song, for entertainment of King James.
Printed by V. S. for Thomas Millington, under
saint Peters Church in Cornhil.
Queen Elizabeth died March 24, 1603.

The Magnificent Entertainment: Given to King James,
Queene Anne his wife, and Henry Frederick the
Prince, upon the day of his Maiesties Triumphant
Passage (from the Tower) through his Honour-
able Citie (and Chamber) of London, being the 15.
of March. 1603. With the speeches and Songes,
delivered in the sever all Pageants. Tho. Dekker.
Imprinted by T. C. for Tho. Man the yonger.
1604.

The Royal procession through London, on the coronation of
James I., had been postponed from the previous July, on account
of the plague which was prevalent in the city. During the inter-
val Shakespeare's Company gave a number of performances be-
fore the King and court at Hampton Court.

Shakespeare is named first in the list of the Company of Actors
who received each four and a half yards of scarlet cloth, as mem-
bers of the Royal household, for use on the day of this procession.

Contemporaries

Relation de la Jornada del Excmo. Condestable de
Castilla, a las pazes entre Hespana y Inglaterra,
que se concluyeron y firaron en Londres, por el
mes de Agosto. Ano M. DC. iiii. En Anveres,
1604.

The Spanish Constable and the members of his suite who
visited London in August, 1604, to ratify the treaty of peace
with England, were entertained with elaborate festivities.
Shakespeare and the other members of his company were
specially ordered to attend at Somerset House, where the
Spaniards were lodged, during the eighteen days that the mis-
sion remained in London.

Seianus his Fall. Writen by Ben : Jonson. A t London
Printed by G. Elide, for Thomas Thorpe. 1605.

The First Edition.

In the list of actors who took part in the first performance of
this play, Shakespeare's name heads the second column.

Thorpe, a few months later, printed the first edition of Shakes-
peare's Sonnets,

The Returne from Parnassus: Or The Scourge of
Simony, Publiquely acted by the Students in St.
Johns College in Cambridge. Printed by G. Eld,
for John Wright, at Christ church Gate. 1606.
The First Edition.

This college play contains numerous references to Shakespeare.
In Act 4, Scene 3, which is a dialogue between two characters
with the names of the two principal actors in Shakespeare's Com-
pany, Burbage and Kemp, the latter remarks: "Our fellow
Shakespeare put them all downe, I (/". e., Aye) and Ben Jonson
too. O that Ben Jonson is a pestilent fellow, but our fellow
Shakespeare hath given him a purge that made him beray his
credit."

The Queenes Arcadia. A Pastorall Trage-comedie pre-
sented to her Maiestie and her Ladies, by the
Universitie of Oxford in Christs Church, in August
last. 1605. At London. Printed by G. Eld, for
Simon Waterson, 1606.
The First Edition.

Bound with the 1609 edition of Pericles, No. 6.
Dr. Grosart in his edition of Daniel's Works, speaks of the
exemplar in the Malone collection at Oxford as "probably
unique."

No. 76

Spanish Treaty

Antwerp

Juan Fernandez
de Velasco

No. 77

Jonson 'sSejanus
1603

No. 78

Return from
Parnassus.
Probably acted
in 1601

No. 79

Samuel Daniel's
Queen's Arcadia

32

William Shakespeare

No. 80

Chapman's
Homer, 1609

Homer Prince of Poets: Translated according to the
Greece; by Geo: Chapman. At London printed
for Samuel Macham.
Some writers have thought that Chapman was the rival for
Southampton's favor, who is referred to in the Sonnets.

No. 81

Histrio-Mastix

No. 82

Day's Law-tricks

No. 83

Scourge of Folly
printed about
1610

No. 84

Spenser's Faerie
Queen

Probably written
in 1594

Dray ton's copy

No. 85

Dray ton's
Poly-Olbion

Histrio-Mastix. Or, The Player Whipt. Printed for
Th. Thorp. 1610.

Law-tricks or, Who would have thought it. Written by
John Day. Printed for Richard More, in S.
Dunstanes Church-yard in Fleete-streete. 1608.

The Scourge of Folly. Consisting of satyricall Epi-
grammes, and others in honor of many noble and
worthy persons of our Land. At London printed
by E. A. for Richard Redmtr sould at his shop
at ye west gate of Paules.

Epigram 159, on page 76, is: "To our English Terence Mr.
Will : Shake-speare."

" Some say (good Will) Which I, in sport, do sing,
Had'st thou not plaid some Kingly parts in sport,
Thou hadst bin a companion for a King;
And, beene a King among the meaner sort."

Faerie Queen; the Shepherd's Calendar, together with
the other works of England's Arch Poet. Printed
by H.L.for Mathew Lownes. 1611.

The Second Folio Edition.

The lines in Colin Clouts come home againe, " Whose muse,
full of high thought's invention, Doth, like himselfe, heroically
sound." are thought to refer to Shakespeare, under the name
of " Action."

This copy belonged to Shakespeare's friend and rival dramatist,
Michael Drayton.

Poly-Olbion, A Chorographicall Description of all the
Tracts, Rivers, Mountains, Forests, and other
Parts of this Renowned Isle of Great Britain,
with intermixture of the most Remarkeable Stories,
Antiquities, Wonders, &c., Divided into two
bookes, the latter containing twelve Songs, never

Contemporaries

33

before Imprinted. London. Printed by H. L. for
Mathew Lownes: I. Browne: I. Helme, and I.
Bushie. 1613.
The First Edition.

A Stratford vicar recorded the story that Drayton and Ben
Jonson were guests at New Place in the spring of 1616 and " had
a merry meeting," but " it seems drank too hard, for Shakespeare
died of a feavour there contracted."

The Marriage of the two great Princes, Fredericke
Count Palatine and the lady Elizabeth, daughter
to King James and Queene Anne; upon Shrove-
Sonday last. With the Showes and Fire-workes
upon the Water: As also the Masks & Revells, in
his Highnes Court of White- Hall. Printed by
T. C. for William Barley, and are to be sold by
W. Wright, at his Shop on Snow-hill, nere S.
Pulchers church, at the signe of the Harrow. 1613.
The Tempest was one of nineteen plays which were presented

during May, 1613, as a part of the nuptial festivities.

The Annales, or Generall Chronicle of England, begun
first by Maister John Stow, and after him con-
tinued by Edmond Howes, gentleman. Londini
Impensis Thomae Adams. 1615.

The Workes of the most High and Mighty Prince,
James, By the grace of God Kinge of Great Brit-
taine. London Printed by Robert Barker &
John Bill. 1616.

Shakespeare is the pre-eminent figure in English
literature. For two centuries there has been an un-
bjoken succession of writers, students and critics
who have borne testimony to his greatness as poet
and dramatist. Literary styles have changed with
other fashions, but the devotees of each new vogue
have found in the writings of the great Elizabethan
the complete embodiment of their most cherished
ideals. To one he is "the bright star of Romanti-
cism," and to another the perfect realist.

No. 86

Marriage of the
Princess Eliza-
beth

No. 87

Stow's Chronicle

No. 88

King James's
Works

Shakespeare 's
acknowledged
pre-eminence

34

William Shakespeare

Basse's tribute
Written before
1623

Nos. 89 &

1633

No. 91

The Araignment
of Women

No. 92

Bacon's

Instauratio

Shakespeare's own generation expressed its appre-
ciation of him by reading his poems and plays before
they became schoolroom classics and essential li-
brary furnishings, and by praising him openly in
print. Throughout the seventeenth century he was
repeatedly spoken of in terms which match the most
extravagant enthusiasm of later generations.

Shortly after the poet's death, William Basse wrote
the verses which were accepted at the time as most
adequately expressing the feeling of the English
reading public. -They were repeatedly copied into
manuscript collections of contemporary poetry, and
several times printed, beginning with the first edition
of John Donne's Poems, through a mistaken ascrip-
tion of the authorship to him.

"Renowned Spencer lye a thought more nyghe
To Learned Chaucer & rare Beaumont lye
A little nearer Spencer to make roome
For Shakspear in yor threefold fourfold Tombe
To lodge all foure in one bedd, make a shifte
Untill Doomesdaye ; For hardly will a fifte
Betwixt this daye and that by Fate bee slayne
For whome your Curtaines may bee drawne againe.
If your precedencie in Death doth barre
A fourth place in your Sacred Sepulcher
Under this carved marble of thyne owne
Sleepe rare Tragedian, Shakespeare sleepe alone
Thy unmolested Peace, unshared Cave
Possesse as Lord, not Tenant of thy Grave
That unto us and others it may bee
Honour hereafter to be layd by thee."

The Araignment of Lewd, Idle, Froward, and unconstant
Women : Or the vanitie of them; choose you whether.
Pleasant for married men, profitable for young
Men, and hurtfull to none. London: Printed for
Thomas Archer, at his shop in Popes-head Pal-
lace, neere the Royall Exchange. 1617.
The picture on the title-page illustrates the costumes of the

period.

Francisci de Verulamio Summi Angliae Cancellarij,
Instauratio magna. Londini Apud Joannem
Billium Typographum Regium. 1620.

Recognition

35

Francis Bacon, whose name is frequently associated with that
of Shakespeare, was born January 22, 1561. His acknowledged
writings are of a somewhat different literary character and style
from those of the dramatist.

A Quip for an upstart courtier : or, A quaint dispute
between Velvet breeches and cloth breeches. Wherein
is plainely set downe the disorders in all Estates
and Trades. London, printed byG. P. 1620.

Swetnam. The Woman-hater, arraigned by women.

London, Printed for Richard Meighen, and are

to be sold at his Shops at Saint Clements Church

over-against Essex House, and at Westminster

Hall. 1620.

The Third Edition; not mentioned in the list in the reprint
of 1880.

The printer, Meighen, was one of the venturers in the Second
Folio.

Greenes Tu quoque, or the Citie Gallant, as it hath
beene divers times acted by the Queenes Maiesties
Servants. Written by John Cooke Gent. Printed
for Thomas Dewe in Saint Dunstans Church-yard
in Fleetstreet. 1622.
The portrait on the title is that of the popular comic actor,

Thomas Greene, who has been said to have come from Stratford.

The Essayes or Counsels, Civill and Morall, of Francis
Lo. Verulam, Viscount St. Alban. Newly written.
London, Printed by John Haviland for Hanna
Barret. 1625.

The first edition to contain the fifty-eight essays, and the last
printed during the author's lifetime.

Edmund Malone's copy, with manuscript annotations.

Considerations touching a Warre with Spaine. Written
by the Right Honourable Francis Lo. Verulam.
Imprinted 1629.

loannis Seldeni I. C. de Dis Syris Syntagmata II.
Lugduni Batavarum [Leyden] Ex Officina Bon-
aventurae & AbrahamiElsevir. 1629.
The name and motto on the tide-page are in the autograph of
Ben Jonson.

No. 93

Quip for a
Courtier

No. 94

Joseph Swetnam

See No. 27

No. 96
Greene's
Tu quoque

No. 96

Bacon's Essays

No. 97

Bacon's War
with Spain

No. 98

Ben Jonson 's
copy of Selden's
Dis Syris

William Shakespeare

No. 99

Brath wait's
English Gentle-

No. 100
Philip Herbert'
copy of Stow's
London

See No. 66

No. 68

No. 101

Bacon's Life
and Death

No. 102

Bacon's
Advancement
of Learning

See No. 45

The English Gentleman: Containing Sundry excellent
Rules or exquisite Observations, tending to direc-
tion of every Gentleman, of selecter ranke and
qualitie; By Richard Brathwait. Printed by John
Haviland, and are to be sold by Robert Bostock
at his shop at the signe of the Kings Head in
Pauls Church-yard. 1630.
The First Edition, in its original binding.
Brathwait protested against the persistent vogue of Venus

and Adonis.

The Survey of London : Contayning The Originall, In-
crease, Moderne Estate, and Government of that
City, Methodically set downe. Begunne first by
the paines and industry of John Stow, in the yeere
1598. Printed by Elizabeth Pur slow, and are to
be sold by Nicholas Bourne, at his Shop at the
South Entrance of the Royall Exchange. 1633.

The notes on the fly-leaves and margins are believed to be in
the handwriting of Philip Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, one of the
two brothers to whom the First Folio was dedicated.

The portrait of Philip Herbert as Earl of Montgomery, shown
alongside the dedication to the Folio editions, was engraved by
Vorsterman and Webb in 1630. Later in this year he succeeded
his brother William as Earl of Pembroke.

The Historie of Life and Death Written by the Right
Honourable Francis Lo: Verulam. Printed for
Humphrey Mosley at the Princes A rmes in Paules
Church-yard. An: 1638.

Of the Advancement and Proficience of Learning Writ-
ten in Latin by the Most Eminent Illustrious &
Famous Lord Francis Bacon Interpreted by Gil-
bert Wats. Oxford. Printed by Leon: Lichfield,
Printer to the University, for Rob : Young & Ed.
Forrest. 1640.
The title and portrait were engraved by William Marshall,

who engraved the portrait for the Shakespeare's Poems printed

the same year.

Recognition

37

Bacon's signature is shown on an official letter addressed by
the Lords of the Council to the Earl of Northumberland, dated
October 25, 1620, concerning England's contribution toward the
wars in Germany. The other signers are Baron Carew of Clop-
ton and Earl of Totnes, George Abbot, Archbishop of Canter-
bury, the Earl of Pembroke, Sir Robert Naunton, Lord Lennox,
and the Bishop of Winchester.

The Workes of Benjamin Jonson. London: Printed
by Richard Bishop, and are to be sold by Andrew
Crooke, in St. Paules Church-yard. 1640.

Shakespeare's name occurs in the lists of actors who presented
several of these plays.

EIKONOKAA2TH2 In Answer to a Book IntitVd
E'IK&N BA2IAIKH', The Portrature of his
Sacred Majesty in his Solitudes and Sufferings.
The Author I. M. London, Printed by Matthew
Simmons, next dore to the gilded Lyon in Alders-
gate street. 1649.

The statement that Shakespeare was " the Closet Companion
of these his solitudes," referring to King Charles I, is on page n.

The King's copy of the Second Folio, of 1632, is now in the
Royal Library at Windsor Castle. The copy of the same edition
which belonged to his son, Charles II, is in the British Museum.

Theatrum Poetarum, or a compleat Collection of the
Poets, Especially The most Eminent, of all Ages.
Together with a Prefatory Discourse By Edward
Phillips. London, Printed for Charles Smith, at
the Angel near the Inner Temple-Gate in Fleet-
Street. 1675.

On page 194 is the account of " Shakespcar, the Glory of the
English Stage; whose nativity at Stratford upon Avon, is the
highest honour that town can boast of."

No. 103

Bacon 's
Signature

No. 104

Ben Jonson 's
Works

No. 105

Milton on
Charles I

No. 106

Phillips.'

Theatrum

Poetarum

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