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John Collins [1779], Notes and various readings to Shakespeare (Printed by Henry Hughs, for the author, London) [word count] [S10601]. To look up a word in a dictionary, select the word with your mouse and press 'd' on your keyboard.
NOTITIA DRAMATICA; or, TABLES of ANCIENT PLAYS
NOTITIA DRAMATICA; or, TABLES of ANCIENT PLAYS,
(from their Beginning, to the Restoration of Charles the second)
so many as have been printed, with their several Editions:
faithfully compiled, and digested in quite new Method,
By E. C. With a PREFACE.
A Collection of what may be call'd—The Stage's Antiquities having pass'd some years since through the hands of this “Notitia's” compiler, he immediately saw in it an occasion of presenting the Publick with what he thinks will be acceptable: namely, a knowledge they may rely-on of nearly every dramatic piece, of what kind soever, which the press sent forth down to the Restoration and to a small period after; the period stopt at being a distinguish'd one in the annals of our printing, from it's taking into it then a paper of larger size: to which knowledge is added that of the pieces' several editions, their dates, and their printers; their writers too, where it was to be had,—either from the piece's own title-page, from Langbaine, or from certain old catalogues that accompany some of them; a gothick letter distinguishing what are taken-up upon the latter authorities from names assur'd by the first. Foremost in that “Table” which exhibits authors and plays in chronological order, stand a couple of names that raise the list of our dramatists higher than has been seen 'till this present, so far as the writer knows; their pieces (together with some that join them) being without date, reasons will be expected why they are assign'd to such periods as they appear to be there:—The date of each author, severally, is taken from the Table preceding, in which the play that gives him that date is pointed-out by a star; all further precision relating to his chronology is left to his particular biographer, or to the historian who shall treat of such matters: but in the articles refer'd-to even this knowledge failing us by reason of their defect, another course becomes necessary; and the one that we are in manner pin'd down to, is subject to much uncertainty: This one is-the presses these same articles came from: which, for the second, is that of Wynkin de Worde; for the third, that of Rycharde Pynson; and for the three next in order, that of Johannes Rastell: the latter too had the printing of that author's piece who stands first in the Table, and of that which is assign'd to 1520, and appears to be of that year from what is said of it in a note: the commencement of his printing is dated three years before; of Pynson's, 1493; and of Wynkyn de Worde's, the second year before Pynson; and the early years of these printers having title to these publications as well as those that came after them, it seem'd right to adjudge the pieces' production to some year within the æra set down; that is, between 80 & 1500, and between that and the twentieth of that century: Skelton dy'd in 29; and the inducement for raising Medwal to the station of first dramatist is a title his piece gives him, of “chapleyn to the ryght reverent father in god Johan Morton sometyme Cardynall and archebyshop of Canterbury,” dignities enjoy'd by that Morton in 1487. at latest: The dates too of all the pieces that follow, down to Shakespeare, that have none in their title-page, are taken-up upon similar evidence; collected, as are those that preceed them, out of that account of their printers which is left us by Ames. In placing Shakespeare so early as is done in that same Table, we but follow a rule observ'd in all cases—of taking what is imputed to each of the authors in it, as well as what is acknowledg'd by them and has the evidence of a preface or title-page; and where it happens that an imputed play's date is prior to the acknowledg'd, of commencing æras from that: the observance is general; but is render'd instantly obvious in the plays of this Author only, through means of the seperation that's made in them: But was this authority question'd (as it may be, upon pretty good grounds) and alteration the consequence, removal to a year he has certain claim to (the year 91.) sets above him no additional playwright of any note except the parler of Euphuism, which he parles also in his plays, the famous John Lilly:—and this brings me to the occasion of making this present Catalogue (for such it is, meerly) parcel of what is meant to illustrate the works of this great Poet. Nothing can raise the wonder we hold him in to a pitch exceeding what it has stood-at and stands at this time, sooner than would a knowledge which is pointed-to here,—that of the English stage's condition when this star rose on it, or shall we call it this sun: Mysteries, and Moralities, with here and there a translation, make up something the better half of what had then been produc'd on it; and the few attempts at original in the comic and tragic line, fall beneath a couple of pieces the world is acquainted with—“Gorboduc” and “Gammer Gurton's Needle,” which is saying all that is necessary relating to his preceders. But would he be loser, were his successors look'd into? much the contrary; And that all may sift the truth of this judgment, who are so dispos'd, and have means, lists shall be lay'd before them; one, of what the writer thinks good, (simply, good; it's faults outweigh'd by it's merits) among the plays of this period; a second, of others that rise above them, and indeed deserve a critical publisher, for such only can make discernable their beauties in all parts, their sense in many: the rival (if such there be) of his excellence, must rise out of the second list's pieces, or out of Jonson's, or Fletcher's; which being in most readers' hands, are put in a scale apart; for that no other has chance for it, the whole “Notitia” throughout, may be affirm'd with great boldness:—These are the Lists:— London. 1602.
Bartholmew Fairing. 1649.
Broken Heart. 1633.
City Wit. 1653. 8o.
Covent-Garden weeded. 1658. Do.
Cure for a Cuckold. 1661.
English Traveller. 1633.
Fancies chast and noble. 1638.
Fatal Contract. 1653.
Floating Island. 1655.
Grateful Servant. 1630.
Grim the Collier of Croydon. 1662. 12o.
Hannibal and Scipio. 1637.
Hectors. 1656.
Hey for Honesty. 1651.
Hide-park. 1637.
Imperiale. 1655.
Look about you. 1600.
Love's Mistress. 1636.
Monsieur d'Olive. 1607.
Old Couple. 1658.
Old Fortunatus. 1600.
Perkin Warbeck. 1634.
Rebellion of Naples. 1651. 12o.
Revenge for Honour. 1654.
Scots' Figgaries. 1652.
Sir Gyles Goose-cap. 1606.
Sophister. 1639.
Sparagus Garden. 1640.
Traitor. 1635.
Trial of Chivalry. 1605.
Tyrannical Government. 1642.
Changeling. 1653.
City Match. 1639. fol.
Clouds. 1655. Do.
Constant Maid. 1640.
Country Girl. 1647.
Cutter of they are form'd out of minutes, taken many years since, and after one
reading only, which ought to be had in memory: to the first, may be
added—“Gorboduc,” which has been mention'd before; “Arthur,” a piece
in no other catalogue; the “Wars of For the better prompting of such as are curious to attempt an absolute
completion of what they will see approaching so near to it in the
following sheets, the whole insignificant number of what is wanted to
compass it, though pointed-out in those sheets, shall be drawn together
in this place and lay'd before them; ending with a memento upon
some of those pieces, and a doubt about other some, which, if well-founded,
may save a fruitless search after things that exist not. The
translations of two plays of Seneca's,—the “Thebais & Troades,”—and
two of Terence's,—“Andria & the Eunuch,”—ascrib'd to Webbe & to
Sherburne, should be of easy procuring; the rest are these:—“
Sacrifice. Albion. Beauty and good Properties of Women. (Ames.)
Aminta. p. 1628. 4o. Aug. Mathewes
for William Lee.
Amorous' Fantasme. t. c. Lower.
(v. COL.)
—War. t. c. Mayne. 1659.
8o. Henry Hall, for Ric. Davis.2 note.
(v. COL.)
Amyntas. p. Fraunce. 1591. 4o.
Thomas Orwyn for William
Ponsonby.3 note.
Do. Randolph. 1638. 4o.
Leonard Lichfield, for Francis
Bowman.4 note. (v. COL.)
Andria. c. anon: no date. fol. b. l.5 note.
Do. Bernard. (v. COL.)
Do. Kyffin. 1588. 4o. b. l.
T. E. for Thomas Woodcocke.
Do. Newman. (v. COL.)
Do. Webbe. *
Andromana. t. J. S. 1660. 4o. for
John Bellinger.
Andronicus. t. 1661. 8o. for Richard Hall.
Antigone. t. May. 1631. 8o. Thomas
Harper, for Benjamin Fisher.
Antipodes. c. Brome. 1640. 4o.
J. Okes, for Francis Constable.
Antiquary. c. Marmion. 1641. 4o.
F. K. for J. W. and F. E.
Antonio and Mellida. 1st. part. t.
1601–2. 4o. Marston. (v. COL.)
Do. 2d. p. or, Antonio's Revenge.
Do. 1602. 4o. for Thomas Fisher.
Antonius. t. Pembroke.6 note. 1595.
8o. for William Ponsonby.
Antony and Cleopatra. t. Shakespeare.
(v. COL.)
Any thing for a quiet Life. c. Midleton.
1662. 4o. Tho. Johnson
for Francis Kirkman, and Henry Marsh.
Apollo shroving. c. 1627. 8o. for
Robert Mylbourne.
Appius and Virginia. t. c. R. B.
1575. 4o. b. l. William How, for
Richard Jhones.
Do. t. Webster. 1654. 4o. 2d.
1659. 4o. for Humphrey Moseley.
Arcades.7 note. Milton. (v. COL.)
Arcadia. p. Shirley. 1640. 4o.
J. D. for John Williams, and
F. Eglesfield.
Arden of Feversham. t. 1633. 4o.
Eliz. Allde.8 note.
Argalus and Parthenia. t. c. Glapthorne.
1639. 4o. R. Bishop.
for Daniel Pakeman.
Aristippus.9 note. Randolph. 1630.
4o. for Robert Allot. 2d. 1635.
4o. for Do. (v. COL.)
Arraignment of Paris. p. SHAKESPEARE.
1584. 4o. Henrie Marsh.
Arthur. t. Hughes. 1587. 4o. b. l.
Robert Robinson.
Arviragus and Philicia. t. c. CARLELL.
1st. p. 1639. 12o. John
Norton, for John Crooke, and
Richard Sergier.
Do. 2d. p. Do.
Astræa. p. Willan. 1651. 8o. R.
White, for Henry Cripps, and
Lodowick Lloyd.
As you like it. c. Shakespeare.
(v. COL.)
Atheist's Tragedy. Tourneur.
1611. 4o. for John Stepney, and
Richard Redmere.
1. “The second edition.” 2. printed at Oxford. 3. printed, with other poems, in a volume, intitl'd
“The Countess of Pembroke's Ivy church.” 4. printed at Oxford. 5. printed by John Rastell. (Ames. p. 148.) 6. “acted at Ramsbury” 26. of Nov. 1590.” 7. “part of an
entertainment presented to the countess of Derby.” 8. 1599. 4o. b. l.
(Langbaine.) 9. a dialogue; at
the end of it is a smaller piece of the same kind, call'd “The conceited
Pedler.”
4o. E. G. for Francis Eaglesfield.4 note.
(v. COL.)
Bride. c. Nabbes. 1640. 4o. R. H.
for Laurence Blaikelocke.
Britannia triumphans. m. D'avenant.
1637. 4o. John Haviland
for Thomas Walkley.
Broken Heart. t. Ford. 1633. 4o.
J. B. for Hugh Beeston.
Brothers. c. Shirley. (v. COL.)
Bussy d'Ambois. 1st. p. t. Chapman.
1607. 4o. for William Aspley.
2d. 1608. Do. 3d. 1641.
4o. A. N. for Robert Lunne 4th.
1646. 4o. T. W. for Do. 5th.
1657. 4o. for Joshua Kirton.
Do. 2d. p. or, Bussy d'Ambois'
Revenge. t. Chapman. 1613.
4o. T. S. Sold by John Helme.
Byron's Conspiracy. Chapman
(v. COL.)
Do Tragedy. Chapman.
(v. COL.)
1. “The second edition.” 2. a dramatic satire. 3. printed at Oxford; & titl'd
“Rollo Duke of Normandy.” 4. “titl'd “The discontented Colonel.” | |||