APPENDIX A

i. Comparison of Plays Known Only Through Henslowe with Plays Otherwise Known

Total number of plays listed in the performance lists of Henslowe’s Diary113
Plays known only through Henslowe’s Diary6254.9%
Plays known only through the Diary and Henslowe’s Papers54.4
Plays known otherwise than through Henslowe’s Diary or Papers2421.2%
Plays which scholars have identified
with works otherwise known(22)
Identification is probable for108.9
Identification is improbable for1210.6
————
Plays definitely and probably unknown but for Henslowe69.9%
Plays definitely and probably otherwise known30.1%
Of those known otherwise than through Henslowe34 plays gave
403 performances
Of those unknown but through Henslowe79 plays gave
496 performances

ii. Length of Runs of Plays Listed in Henslowe’s Diary, ed. W. W. Greg, I, 13-22, 24-25, 27-28, 30, 42, 49-54

1. Number of Performances
No. of Perfs. No. of Plays between
1592–1597
(a)
No. of Plays between
1594–1597
(b)
No. of Perfs. No. of Plays between
1592–1597
(a)
No. of Plays between
1594–1597
(b)
11951332
21551443
3811522
4741622
5401721
6322111
7742222
8542522
9432910
10623211
11643610
1287

(a) Full performance list, 1592–1597: 113 plays. Average number of performances: 7.9; mean number of performances: 7.

(b) Partial performance list, June, 1594–February, 1597, limits of the most stable period. Average number of performances: 10; mean number of performances: 10.

2. Length of Time
1592–1597(c)1594–1597(d)1592–1597(c)1594–1597(d)
YearsMos.(No. Plays
and Percentage
)
YearsMos.(No. Plays
and Percentage
)
130 26.59 15.8102 ┐2 ┐
216 ┐5 ┐112 │2 │
36 │2 │132 ├8.02 ├15.8
47 ├31.03 ├22.8141 │1 │
55 │3 │171 │1 │
61 ┘0 ┘181 ┘1 ┘
77 ┐5 ┐201 ┐3.51 ┐5.3
87 │6 │223 ┘2 ┘
93 ├24.82 ├33.3321 .91 1.8
105 │4 │
116 ┘2 ┘Revived(e)6 5.33 5.2

(c) 1592–1597, 113 plays.

(d) June, 1594–February, 1597, 57 plays.

(e) Length of run is counted continuously when a play is performed regularly, there being no more than four months between performances. Otherwise the play is considered to be a revival.

iii. Summary of Court Performances, 1590–1642

Total number of plays that were or may have been presented at Court, 1590–1642144
1. Plays definitely produced publicly before appearance at Court6746.5%
2. Plays where initial performance is uncertain
(Notice of Court performance is only or first reference to play.)
3927.1%
3. Plays for which there is evidence public playing preceded Court performance85.5%
4. Uncertain. Title pages indicate performances in public and at Court64.2%
5. Plays the title pages of which refer only to public performance42.8%
6. Plays which received licenses shortly before Court performances85.5%
7. Old plays revived, possibly with additions for Court42.8%
8. Plays definitely presented at Court first74.9%
9. Plays probably presented at Court first1.1%

The total number of plays presented at Court is calculated from the lists appearing in E. K. Chambers, The Elizabethan Stage and Mary Steele, Plays and Masques at Court. The investigation of the circumstances under which the plays received their first presentations employed a wide variety of primary and secondary sources. It is beyond the scope of this book to give the evidence for each conclusion.