EXTRACTS of ENTRIES ON THE BOOKS of the STATIONERS-COMPANY. A CHARTER was granted to the Company of Stationers, on the 4th of May 1556 (third and fourth of Philip and Mary), and was confirmed by Queen Elizabeth in 1560. The first volume of these Entries has been either lost or destroyed, as the earliest now to be found is lettered B. The hall was burnt in the Fire of London. The entries begin July 17, 1576. Feb. 18, 1582. M. Tottell.] Romeo and Juletta *. Vol. B. p. 193. N. B. The terms book and ballad were anciently used to signify dramatick works, as well as any other forms of composition; while tragedy and comedy were titles very often bestowed on novels of the serious and the lighter kind. * Perhaps the original work on which Shakspere found, ed his play of Romeo and Juliet. April 3, 1592. Edw. White.] The Tragedie of Arden of Fever sham and Black Will *. April 18, 1593. Rich. Field.] A booke entitled Venus and Adonis †. Afterwards entered by 286 297 b. Harrison, sen. June 23, 1594: by W. Leake, June 23, 1596: by W. Barret, Feb. 16, 1616: by This play was reprinted in 1770, at Feversham, with a preface attributing to Shakspere. The collection of parallel passages which the editor has brought forward to justify his supposition, is such as will make the reader smile. The following is a specimen. Arden of Feversham, p. 74. 66 Fling down Endymion, and snatch him up." Merchant of Venice, A&t V. Sc. i. "Peace! how the moon sleeps with Endymion!" Arden of Feversham, p. 87. "Let my death make amends for all my sin." Much Ado about Nothing. A& IV. Sc. ii. "Death is the fairest cover for her shame." The last stanza of a poem entitled, "Mirrha, the "Mother of Adonis; or Lustes Prodegies, by William "Barksted," 1607, has the following praise of Shak spere's Venus and Adonis. "But O&. 19, 1593. Symon Waterson.] A booke entitled the Tragedie of Cleopatra *. Feb. 6, 1593. John Danter.] A booke entitled a noble Roman Entered also unto him by warrant from March 12, 1593. 801 b. 304 b. Tho. Millington.] A booke entituled the First 305 b. "But stay, my Muse, in thy own confines keepe; "And wage not warr with so deere lov'd a neighbor; "But having sung thy day-song, rest and sleepe, "Preserve thy small fame and his greater favor. "His song was worthie merit (Shakspere hee) "Sung the fair blossome, thou the withered tree: "Laurel is due to him; his art and wit "Hath purchas'd it; cypres thy brow will fit." suppose this to be Daniel's tragedy of Cleopatra. Simon Waterson was one of the printers of his other works. May May 2, 1594. Peter Shorte.] A pleasaunt conceyted hystorie called the Tayminge of a Shrowe *. May 9, 1594. Mr. Harrison, sen.] A booke intituled the Ra vyshement of Lucrece. January 16, 1625. 306 b. B. 306 b. Francis Williams.] Lucrece by Shakspere. D. 112 b. May 12, 1594. Tho. Strode.] A booke entituled the famous Vic tories of Henry the Fift, containing the ho- May 14, 1594. Edw. White.] A booke entituled the famous Chronicle Historye of Leire, King of England, and his three Daughters . May 22, 1594. Edw.White.] A booke intituled a Winter Nyght's Pastime §. 306 b. 307 307 b. * I conceive it to be the play that furnished Shakspere with the materials which he afterwards worked up into another with the same title. + This might have been the very displeasing play mentioned in the epilogue to the second part of King Henry IV. I suppose this to be the play on the same subject as that of our author, but written before it. Query, if the Winter's Tale. June June 19, 1594. Tho. Creede.] An enterlude entituled the Tragedie of Richard the Third, wherein is shown the Death of Edward the Fourthe, with the Smotheringe of the twoo Princes in the Tower, with the lamentable End of Shore's Wife, and the Contention of the two Honses of Lancaster and York *. July 20, 1594. 309 b.. Tho. Creede.] The lamentable Tragedy of Locrine, the eldest Son of K. Brutus, discoursinge the Warres of the Britains, &c. 310 b. Before the beginning of this volume are placed two leaves, containing irregular entries, prohibitions, notes, &c. Among these are the following: Aug. 4. As You Like It, a book, Henry the Fift, a book †. Comedy of Much Ado about Nothing. Vol. C. to be staied. The dates scattered over these pages are from 1596 to 1615. * This could not have been the work of Shakspere, as the death of Jane Shore makes no part of his drama. + Probably the play before that of Shakspere. Dec. |