"In the name of God, Amen, 1591, beginninge the 19 of febreary my g. lord Stranges men, as followeth, 1591: R. at fryer bacone," the 19 of fe- . breary, (faterday) [4] O. S. d. xvii. iii. mulomurco, the 20 of febr. 6 Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay, by Robert Greene. 7 In a fubfequent entry called Mulamulluco. The play meant was probably The Battle of Alcazar. See the firft fpeech: "This brave barbarian lord, Muly Molacco," &c. 8 Orlando Furiofo, by Robert Greeffe, printed in 1599. 9 In the Differtation on the three parts of K. Henry VI, I conjectured that the piece which we now call The first part of King 2 R. at bendo and Richardo, the iiii playes in one, the 6 of the looking glafs, the 8 of fenobia (Zenobia) the 9 of 4 1. O. S. d. xvi. o. marche 1591, [1] Jeronimo, the 14 of marche 1591 [14] conftantine, the 21 of marche Henry VI. was, when firft performed, called The play of King Henry VI. We find here that fuch was the fact. This play, which I am confident was not originally the production of Shakspeare, but of another poet, was extremely popular, being reprefented in this feafon between March 3 and June 19, [1592] no less than thirteen times. Hence Nafhe in a pamphlet published in this year, fpeaks of ten thousand fpectators that had feen it. See Differtation, &c. Vol. X. p. 423. 2 Afterwards written Byndo. 3 This could not have been the piece called All's one, or four plays in one, of which The Yorkshire Tragedy made a part, because the fact on which that piece is founded happened in 1605. 4 The Looking glass for London and England, by Robert Greene and Thomas Lodge, printed in 1598. 5 Probably The Deftruction of Jerufalem, by Dr. Thomas Legge, See Wood's Faft. Oxon. Vol. I. p. 133. R. at the feconde pte of tamber-1. iii. iiii. o. the tanner of Denmarke, the a knacke to know a knave, xii. O. 10 day [of June] 1592, [3] iii. "In the name of God Amen, 1592, beginning the 29 of Defember. R. at the gelyons comedey (Julian 7. S. the comedy of cofmo, the 12 the tragedey of the guyes, 30 d. O. xxxxiiii. o. "In the name of God, Amen, beginning the 27 of Defember 1593, the earle of Suffex his men. 7 Probably The Massacre of Paris, by Chriftopher Marlowe. 8 In confequence of the great plague in the year 1593, all thea. trical entertainments were forbid. 0. xxxviii. o. R. at Richard the Confeffor, the 7. O. xxii. o. iii. i. o. xxiii. o. lii. o. the piner of wakefeild, the newary 1593, [3] the fayre mayd of ytale (Italy) [2] King lude, (Lud) the 18 of titus and andronicus, the 23 of Jenewary, [3] "In the name of God, Amen, beginninge at eafter, the queenes men and my lord of Suffex together. R. at the Rangers comedy, 2 of 1. kinge leare, the 6 of April 7 1593, [2]" o. xxxviii. o. 3 This piece fhould feem to have been written by the tinker in Taming of the Shrew, who talks of Richard Conqueror. 4 This play was printed in 1599, 5 The manager of this theatre, who appears to have been extremely illiterate, has made the fame mistake in the play of Titus and Vefpafian. There can be no doubt that this was the original piece, before our poet touched it. At the fecond reprefentation Mr. Henflowe's fhare was forty fhillings; at the third, the fame fum. 6 This old play was entered on the Stationers' books in the following year, and published in 1605; but the bookfeller, that it "In the name of God, Amen, beginninge the 14 of maye 1594, by my lord admiralls men. R. at Cutlacke, the 16 of maye 1. 1594, [1]' S. d. .O. xxxxii. o. "In the name of God, Amen, beginning at newington,' my lord admirell men, and my lord chamberlen men, as followeth, 1594. R. the 3 of June 1594, at beafter 1. 5 of June 1594, at andro- O. S. d. viii. o. O. xii. o. 6 of June 1594, at cutlacke, [12] 8 of June, at bellendon,[17] 0. xvii. o. might be mistaken for Shakspeare's, took care not to mention by whofe fervants it had been performed. 7 Five other old plays were reprefented, whose titles have been already given. 8 Two other old plays, whofe titles have been already given, on the 14th and 15th of May. 9 Howes in his Continuation of Stowe's Chronicle, 1631, mentions among the seventeen theatres which had been built within fixty years, one in former time at Newington Butts.” 2 Hefter and Ahasuerus. 3 In the Efay on the Order of Shakspeare's Plays, I have stated my opinion, that there was a play on the fubject of Hamlet, prior to our author's; and here we have a full confirmation of that conjecture. It cannot be fuppofed that our poet's play fhould have been performed but once in the time of this account, and that Mr. Henflowe should have drawn from fuch a piece but the fum of eight fhillings, when his share in feveral other plays came to three and fometimes four pounds. It is clear that not one of our author's |