صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

66

Henry the Fifth" appears to have been a play to which additions were made by the author subsequent to its original production on the stage; so that, had the quarto of 1600 been even authorized by the company, (which could not possibly have been the case) it would not have appeared there as it stands in the folio of 1623.

Of "Titus Adronicus," which also was published in 1600, (Malone and Steevens knew of no edition prior to that of 1611) there is little to be said, but that it was the speculation of a well-known stationer, although his name has not before occurred in connexion with Shakespeare. The title-page is this; and it will be remarked that it mentions various other companies, as the performers of the tragedy, besides the players of the Lord Chamberlain.

The most lamenta

ble Romaine Tragedie of Titus

Andronicus.

As it hath sundry times beene playde by the
Right Honourable the Earle of Pembrooke, the
Earle of Darbie, the Earle of Sussex, and the
Lorde Chamberlaine theyr

[blocks in formation]

Printed by I. R. for Edward White

and are to bee solde at his shoppe, at the little
North doore of Paules, at the signe of

the Gun. 1600.

I. R. may have been, and most likely was, James Roberts, whose name as a printer has been mentioned several times

already. Edward White was also the publisher of the edition of" Titus and Adronicus" in 1611.

John Busby was a stationer, who had been partner with Millington in the publication of the surreptitious copy of "Henry the Fifth," 1600; and in 1601-2 he seems to have become possessed of an equally imperfect and mangled manuscript of "The Merry Wives of Windsor," which he assigned to Arthur Johnson. It was printed for him by Thomas] C[reede], came out in 4to., with the date of 1602, as may be what follows.

A

Most pleasaunt and

excellent conceited Co

medie, of Syr Iohn Falstaffe, and the
merrie Wiues of Windsor.

Entermixed with sundrie

variable and pleasing humors, of Syr Hugh
the Welch Knight, Iustice Shallow, and his
wise Cousin M. Slender.

With the swaggering vaine of Auncient
Pistoll, and Corporall Nym.

By William Shakespeare.

As it hath bene diuers times Acted by the right Honorable
my Lord Chamberlaines seruants. Both before her
Maiestie, and else-where.

LONDON

Printed by T. C. for Arthur Iohnson, and are to be sold at
his shop in Powles Church-yard, at the signe of the
Flower de Leuse and the Crowne.

The quarto of 1619, also published by Arthur Johnson, is merely a repetition of the quarto of 1602, with all its blunders and some additions.

The earliest quarto impression of "Hamlet" bears date in 1603, and that, like "Henry the Fifth" and "The Merry Wives of Windsor," was a fraudulent attempt to make the public believe that it was a copy of the tragedy then in a course of performance by the King's Players, as the Lord Chamberlain's theatrical servants were called after May, 1603: only a single copy of this impression has been preserved. The first leaf reads thus :-

THE

Tragical Historie of
HAMLET

Prince of Denmarke.

By William Shake-speare.

As it hath beene diuerse times acted by his Highnesse seruants in the Cittie of London: as also in the two Vniuersities of Cambridge and Oxford, and else-where.

At London printed for N. L. and John Trundell.
1603.

John Trundell, or Trundle, was a well-known publisher of ballads, chap-books, and ephemeral tracts, who did not think it necessary to mention the place where he carried on business. N. L. was Nicholas Ling, who was a printer, and whose device

precedes the imprint. How Trundell became owner of the surreptitious manuscript can only be conjectured: probably some needy person, who had made notes of the play at the theatre, offered it to him, and hence its publication in 1603; but in the next year came out a more perfect copy of the performance, obviously from a playhouse MS., and perhaps intended to supersede Trundell's most faulty impression. It will be observed, that in 1603 the hyphen was again introduced into the name of our great poet, but it was omitted in 1604, when something like an authorized edition of the tragedy was published, bearing the subsequent title:

THE

Tragical Historie of
HAMLET,

Prince of Denmarke.

By William Shakespeare.

Newly imprinted and enlarged to almost as much
againe as it was, according to the true and perfect
Coppie.

AT. LONDON,

Printed by I. R. for N. L. and are to be sold at his
shoppe vnder Saint Dunstons Church in

Fleetstreet. 1604.

I. R. in the imprint may have been, as before, James Roberts, and the device of Nicholas Ling is inserted on the title-page. The words "enlarged to almost as much again as it was, according to the true and perfect copy," are evidently very important. James Roberts had entered at Stationers' Hall"The Revenge of Hamlet," in July, 1602, and this was doubtless the tragedy, as published in 1604.

It deserves remark, although it has not hitherto received it, that according to "Henslowe's Diary," (as printed by the Shakespeare Society) p. 224, Henry Chettle received twenty shillings on 7th July, 1602, in part payment for a drama called "A Danish Tragedy," which in point of date was just anterior to the entry in the Stationers' books, by Roberts, of "The Revenge of Hamlet."

In the interval between 1604 and 1608 it is not known that anything by our great dramatist was printed, but in 1608 came out no fewer than three impressions of his "King Lear." They were all published by Nathaniel Butter, and, as they follow each other very accurately as regards the title-pages, it will not be necessary to insert more than one of them.

M. William Shak-speare:

HIS

True Chronicle Historie of the life and
death of King LEAR and his three
Daughters.

With the unfortunate life of Edgar, sonne
and heire to the Earle of Gloster, and his
sullen and assumed humor of

TOM of Bedlam :

As it was played before the Kings Maiestie at Whitehall epon S. Stephans night in Christmas Hollidayes.

By his Maiesties seruants playing vsually at the Gloabe on the Bancke-side.

LONDON,

Printed for Nathaniel Butter, and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Pide Bull neere

[blocks in formation]
« السابقةمتابعة »