Table V.—TRANSFERS OF COPYRIGHT IN PLAYS, 1584-1640.

Date.Name of Play.To whom Transferred.
1584 Campaspe1591, Oct. 4, Galathea re-entered. 1597, April 12, Sappho and Campaspe transferred from T. Cadman to Joan Brome. 1601, Aug. 23, Sappho, Campaspe, Endymion, Midas, Galatea, from Mrs. Brome, deceased, to G. Potter. 1632, all six published together by E. Blount.
1585April 1Galatea
1584April 6Sappho
1591Oct. 4Midas
Endymion
1594Jan. 18Mother Bombie
1592Oct. 6Spanish Tragedy1599, Aug. 13, Spanish Tragedy and Edward Longshanks assigned from A. Jeffes to W. White. 1600, Aug. 14, Henry V., Spanish Tragedy, Edward Longshanks, Jack Straw, Looking-glass for London, "formerly printed," set over to T. Pavier. 1602, April 19, 1 & 2 Henry VI. assigned from T. Millington to T. Pavier. 1626, Aug. 4, Henry V., Spanish Tragedy, Sir John Oldcastle, and "Master Pavier's right in Shakespeare's plays, or any of them," assigned by Mrs. Pavier to E. Brewster and R. Bird. 1630, Nov. 8, his interest in Henry V., Sir John Oldcastle, York and Lancaster, and Yorkshire Tragedy assigned by Mr. Bird to J. Cotes.
1593Oct. 8Edward Longshanks
1593Oct. 23Jack Straw
1593-4Mar. 5Looking-glass for London
1593-4Mar. 12i York and Lancaster
1595 ii York and Lancaster
1600Aug. 11Sir John Oldcastle
1600Aug. 4Henry V. "stayed"
1608May 2Yorkshire Tragedy
1600July 24Maid's Metamorphosis1600, Oct. 23, Jack Drum assigned from F. Norton to R. Oliff. 1615, Nov. 6, Jack Drum, Weakest to the Wall, and Maid's Metamorphosis, from Mrs. Oliff to P. Knight. 1617, Oct. 18, Weakest to Wall and Maid's Metamorphosis assigned from P. Knight to R. Hawkins. 1627-8, Mar 1, King and no King, Philaster, and Orthello assigned from T. Walkley to R. Hawkins. 1629, Oct. 27, Maid's Tragedy from Heggenbotham and Constable to R. Hawkins. 1638, May 29, all the group except Jack Drum from Hawkins to Mead and Meredith. 1638-9, Jan. 25, the same from them to Leake.
1600Sept. 8Jack Drum's entertainment
1600Oct. 23Weakest goeth to the wall
1618Aug. 7King and no King
1619April 28Maid's Tragedy
1619-20Jan. 10Philaster
1621Oct. 6Othello
1599Aug. 281 & 2 Edward IV.1599-1600, Feb. 23, his moiety in 1 & 2 Edward IV. assigned from J. Busby to H. Lownes. 1627, May 30, his share in Poetaster and Anthonie and Mellida assigned by T. Lownes to H. Lownes and R. Young, 1628, Nov. 6, his interest in Poetaster, 1 & 2 Jane Shore, and Anthony and Melida assigned by H. Lownes to G. Cole and G. Latham. 1630, Dec. 6, their interest in the same play assigned by them to R. Young.
1601Oct. 24Antonio and Mellida
1601Dec. 21Poetaster
1597Aug. 29 Richard II.1603, Jan. 25, set over from A. Wise to M. Low.
1597Oct. 20Richard III.
1597-8Feb. 251 Henry IV.
1600Aug. 14 Every Man in his humor1605, Aug. 6, Sejanus assigned by E. Blunt to T. Thorpe. 1610, Oct. 3, Sejanus and Vulpone assigned by T. Thorpe to W. Burre. 1612, Sept. 28, Silent Woman assigned by J. Browne to W. Burre. 1622-3, Feb. 17, D'Ambois' Revenge assigned by Mrs. Browne to J. Marriott. 1630, July 3, Narcissus, Mad World, Alchemist, Silent Woman, Ignoramus, assigned by Mrs. Bur to J. Spencer. 1630, July 20, Ignoramus entered for G. Edmondson and J. Spenser (with Spencer's consent). 1635, July 4, all the seven plays by Jonson were entered for Stansby by virtue of a note bearing date 1621, June 10, under the hands of W. Burre and M. Lownes. N.B. Stansby printed the Jonson folios 1616, 1631.
1601May 23Cynthia's Revels (Narcissus)
1604Nov. 2Sejanus
1607 Volpone
1608Oct. 4 A mad world, my Masters
1610Sept. 20Silent Woman
1610Oct. 3Alchemist
1611 Catilina
1612April 17D'Ambois' Revenge
1615April 18Ignoramus
1594May 2Taming of a Shrew1606-7, Jan 22, the first three were entered for N. Ling, with C. Burby's consent. 1607, Nov. 19, all four were set over to J. Smythick. Mr. Halliwell in his Outlines omits the Shrew entry.
1598 Love's Labour's Lost
1599 Romeo and Juliet
1602July 26Hamlet
1594May 28Orlando1609, Oct. 16, assigned by Mrs. Burby to Welby. 1617-8, Mar. 2, by Welby to Snodham. 1625-6, Feb. 23, by Mrs. Snodham to W. Stansby. 1638-9, Mar. 4, the first four by Mrs Stansby to Bishop. Only half shares in the two last plays are concerned in these entries.
1595April 1George a Greene
1595Dec. 1Edward III.
1600Aug. 14Every man in his humour
1600Oct. 28Summer's last Will and T.
1600 The Shoemaker's Holiday1610, April 19, assigned from V. Symms to J. Wrighte, and agreed that "Symms shall have the workmanship of the printing thereof for the use of the said J. Wrighte during his life, if he have a printing house of his own."
1600-1Jan. 7Dr. Faustus1610, Sept. 13, assigned from T. Bushell to J. Wright.
1593July 6Edward II.1611, Dec. 16, Edward II. assigned from W. Jones to R. Barnes. 1615-6, Jan. 5, Dr. Doddipoll from Mrs. Oliffe to H. Bell. 1617, April 17, Edward II. from R. Barnes to H. Bell. 1638, Sept. 4, both plays from Henry and Moses Bell to Haviland and J. Wright.
1600Oct. 7Dr. Doddypoll
1600Dec. 11 & 2 Robin Hood1616-7, Feb. 16, all assigned from Leake to Barrett. 1626, April 3, Cromwell and Fawn from Mrs. Barrett to Parker. 1638, Sept. 4, all the plays from Parker to Haviland and J. Wright.
1602Aug. 11Lord Cromwell
1605-6Mar. 12The Fawn
1598 Mucedorus1618, Sept. 17, assigned by Mrs. Jones to J. Wright.
1605June 26Dutch Courtesan1613, April 19, "a half part" in the two last plays, all Edgar's interest in the Courtesan (which was entered originally to Hodgetts), and the whole of Sophonisba assigned from E. Edgar to J. Hodgetts.
1605-6Mar. 17Sophonisba
1607May 20Woman hater
1608Oct. 4A Mad World, my M.
1615Aug. 14The Honest Lawyer1622-3 Jan. 11, assigned by R. Woodriffe to T. Barlow.
1607April 24Fair Maid of Exchange1616, April 9, assigned by Mrs. Rocket to N. Bourne. 1635-6, Feb. 27, by Bourne to G. Edwards.
1615April 24Cupid's Revenge1617, May 8, Scornful Lady assigned by M. Patrich to T. Jones. 1619, April 15, Cupid's Revenge and the Palsgrave by J. Harrison to T. Jones. 1633, Oct. 24, all six plays by T. Jones to Matthews.
The Palsgrave
1615-6Mar. 19Scornful Lady
1621Dec. 7Virgin Martyr
1624 Nero
1633 The Heir
1600Oct. 28Merchant of Venice1619, July 8, L. Hayes, inherited from T. Hayes, his father.
1607Oct. 12Family of Love 1621, Sept. 2, Tu quoque and Fair Quarrel assigned by J. Trundle to T. Dewe. 1627, Dec. 3, all four plays by Mrs. Helme (and T. Dewe?) to W. Washington. 1628, May 21, the last three by him to Flesher.
1608April 12Humor out of Breath
1614 Greenes's Tu Quoque
1617 Fair Quarrel
1607Oct. 22Merry Devil of Edmonton1624, June 21, Assigned by A. Johnson to F. Faulkner.
1592April 3Arden of Feversham1624, June 29, assigned by Mrs. White to E. Aldee. [The Leire entered with these was not the old play, but a prose history now lost] 1640, April 22, Bacon, Robin Hood, and The Owl assigned from Mrs. Aldee to Oulton.
1592Nov. 20Salomon and Bersheba
1594May 14F. Bacon and F. Bungay
Robin Hood and Little John
?The Owl (not extant; written 1613)
1608Oct. 6The Dumb Knight1610, Nov. 19, assigned by J. Bache to R. Wilson.
1603 Nero (in Latin)1626, Sept. 4, Nero and Woman's a Weathercock transferred from J. Budge to Allott. 1630, Nov. 16, Blount's interest in Shakespeare assigned to Allott. 1631, Sept. 7, Staple of News assigned by J. Waterson to Allot. 1637, July 1, all the group from Mrs Allott to Legatt and A. Crook. [N.B. 1 Henry VI, is called 3 Henry VI., Troylus is omitted, and Anthony included in the 1630 entry]
1611Nov. 23Woman's a Weathercock
1614 Bartholomew Fair
1622 Share in Shakespeare Folio
1626April 14Staple of News
1629 Roman Actor
1630Mar. 26Aristippus
1633Aug. 1 True Trojans
1623Nov. 8Share in Shakespeare Folio1627, June 19, Jaggard's share assigned by Mrs. Jaggard to T. Cotes and R. Cotes.
1609 Faithful Shepherdess1628, Dec. 8, H. Walley's share assigned to R. Meighen.
1606Nov. 12Wily Beguiled1629, Oct. 12, assigned by C. Knight to T. Knight. 1635-6, Mar. 8, by T. Knight to Alchorn.
1601-2Jan. 18Merry Wives of Windsor1629-30, Jan. 29, assigned by A. Johnson to Meighen.
1607May 19Phœnix
1607May 15Michaelmas Term
1607June 29Cupid's Whirligig
1594June 19Four London Prentises1630, Aug. 2, assigned by N. Okes to J. Okes.
1611-12Oct. 14Golden Age
1613 Silver Age
1632 Iron Age
1615April 28Albumazar
1611 Roaring Girl1630-1, Feb. 10, assigned by T. Archer to H. Perrey. 1634, Sept. 15, White Devil and Insatiate Countess assigned by H. Perrey to H. Taunton.
1612 White Devil
1613 Insatiate Countess
1621-2 Feb. 22Herod and Antipater1633, May 9, assigned by M. Rhodes to F. Smith. 1633, Aug. 3, by F. Smith to T. Lambert. 1633-4, Jan. 2, by T. Lambert to F. Smith again.
1606-7Feb. 23Lingua1635, Aug. 19, assigned by S. Waterson to J. Waterson.
1607July 31Misery of enforced M.1637, April 28, assigned by Mrs. Vincent to R. Thraile.
1607Oct. 22Merry Devil of E.1624, June 21, assigned by A. Johnson to F. Faulkner.
1608Nov. 26Mustapha.1632, Nov. 10, assigned by N. Butter to J. Seile.
1619-20Jan. 15Guy of Warwick1620, Dec. 13, assigned by J. Trundle to T. Langley.
1620May 22Two Merry Milkmaids1623, Sept. 13, assigned by L. Chapman to M. Walbanke.
1622-3Jan. 20Duke of Milan1623, May 5, Norton's share assigned to Blackmore.
1639June 18Knave in grain1639, Oct. 22, assigned by J. Okes to J. Nicholson as "new vampt" [which is not part of the title, as Mr. Haliwell supposes].
1630 Picture 1634, Aug. 8, assigned by T. Walkey to J. Waterson.
1600April 8Every Man out of his Humor1638, April 28, assigned by Smethwick to Bishop.
1629 Wedding1637, Sept. 25, assigned by J. Grove to W. Leake.
1629-30Feb. 26Grateful Servant
Hoffmann
1631-2Jan. 26Holland's Leaguer
1637-8Mar. 5Lost Lady1638, Sept. 24, assigned by J. Okes to J. Coleby. 1640, Sept. 5, by J. Coleby to R. Roiston.
1604-5Feb. 12 Henry VIII. (When you see me, &c.) 1639, May 21, assigned by N. Butter to Flessher.
1605July 51. If you know not me, &c.
1605Sept. 142. If you know not me, &c.
1607Nov. 26Lear
1608June 3Lucrece, Roman tragedy
1630June 292. Honest Whore

At this point we lose the aid of Mr. Arber's reprint of "The Stationers' Registers," which does not extend beyond 1640. It is, however, necessary to continue our notes to 1660, the date of the reopening of the theatres, because even at that date entries were made attributing plays to Shakespeare. The following memoranda have no pretence to completeness, and are compiled (pending an opportunity of examining the registers themselves) from the much-abused Biographia Dramatica, which is, nevertheless, much more useful than the abbreviated compilation made from it (retaining nearly all its errors) by the scissors of Mr. Halliwell, and published by him as A Dictionary of Old English Plays. Two of these entries are so important for dramatic history that they are printed in parallel columns, with the list of MSS. once in the possession of John Warburton, the Somerset Herald, but mostly destroyed by his cook. From these it will be seen at a glance that three-fifths of his collection consisted of the remainder of Moseley's stock, which contained the majority of old unprinted MSS. extant in 1660.

From these S. R. entries, taken as a whole, the reader will find that the total number of extant plays originally produced between 1576, when theatres were first opened, and their closing in 1642, is less than 500. Nor have we reason to believe that they ever numbered more than 2000 or so. Nearly all worth preserving has been preserved. The gross exaggerations of Halliwell and Collier on this matter depend on their estimating the number of contemporaneous theatres and companies at some fifteen. They really never exceeded five. They also neglect the facts that many so-called new plays were mere revisions of the old ones, "new vamped" versions slightly altered; and that the inferior theatres depended largely on extemporaneous performances, of which only the plots were committed to writing. In the palmy days of the Admiral's company, Henslow brought out a new play once a fortnight, but this was undoubtedly an exceptional instance. The best companies, such as the King's, and after them the Queen's, produced one in about two months. Taking all this into consideration, 2000 is a liberal estimate; 20,000 is a number that could only be dreamed of by an inaccurate writer intent on effect rather than truth. And of this 2000 not more than a quarter would be worth preserving: indeed, of those preserved many are quite valueless. The few good ones lost are such as The Jeweller of Amsterdam, suppressed for political reasons; or the original Henry VIII., destroyed by fire or other accident.

In these Supplementary Lists names of authors wrongly attributed are printed in italics, and names of plays occurring both in Warburton's list and Moseley's entries are asterised.

1646. Sept. 4, were entered, The Spartan Ladies, by Ludovic Carlell; The Corporal and the Switzer, by Arthur Wilson; The Fatal Friendship, by Burroughes.

1653. Sept. 23, The Bondwoman.

1653. Nov. 29 (by R. Marriot), The Black Wedding; Castara, or Cruelty without Lust; The Conceits; The Divorce; The Florentine Friend; A Fool and her Maindenhead soon parted; The Law Case; The Noble Ravishers; The Paraside, or Revenge for Honor, by Henry Glapthorne; Pity the Maids; The Proxy, or Love's Aftergame; The Royal Choice, by Sir Robert Stapylton; Salisbury Plain; Supposed Inconstancy; The Woman's Law; Woman's Masterpiece; The Younger Brother.

1654. April 8, The Apprentice's Prize, by Brome and Heywood; The Life and Death of Sir Martin Skink, with the Wars of the Low Countries, by Brome and Heywood; The Jeweller of Amsterdam, or the Hague, by Fletcher, Field, and Massinger; The Maiden's Holiday, by Marlowe and Day (see Warburton's list).