Antonio and Mellida. 1599
S. R. 1601, Oct. 24. ‘A booke called The ffyrst and second partes of the play called Anthonio and Melida provided that he gett laufull licence for yt.’ Matthew Lownes and Thomas Fisher (Arber, iii. 193).
1602. The History of Antonio and Mellida. The first part. As it hath beene sundry times acted, by the Children of Paules. Written by I. M. For Mathew Lownes and Thomas Fisher. [Epistle to Nobody, signed ‘J. M.’, Induction, Prologue, and Epilogue.]
1602. Antonio’s Reuenge. The second part. As it hath beene sundry times acted, by the children of Paules. Written by I. M. For Thomas Fisher. [Prologue.]
Editions by C. W. Dilke (1814, O. E. P. ii) and W. W. Greg (1921, M. S. R.).
In V. i of Part i a painter brings in two pictures, one dated ‘Anno Domini, 1599’, the other ‘Aetatis suae 24’. I agree with Small, 92, that these are probably real dates and that the second indicates Marston’s own age. As he must have completed his twenty-fourth year by 3 Feb. 1600 at latest, Part i was probably produced in 1599. The prologue of Part ii speaks of winter as replacing summer, and probably therefore Part i is to be dated in the summer, and Part ii in the early winter of 1599. Clearly the painter scene cannot, as Fleay, ii. 75, suggests, be motived by a casual allusion to a painter in Cynthia’s Revels (F1) 2673 or the painter scene added on revision to Kyd’s Spanish Tragedy, since both are later. The ‘armed Epilogue’ of Part i seems to me clearly a criticism of the armed prologue of Jonson’s Poetaster (1601); it may have been an addition of 1601. Part ii, prol. 13, 23, calls the theatre ‘round’ and ‘ring’.
What You Will. 1601
S. R. 1607, Aug. 6 (Buck). ‘A commedie called What you will.’ Thomas Thorp (Arber, iii. 358).
1607. What You Will. By Iohn Marston. G. Eld for Thomas Thorpe. [Induction and Prologue.]
Edition by C. W. Dilke (1814, O. E. P. ii).—Dissertation: F. Holthausen, Die Quelle von Marston’s W. Y. W. (1905, Jahrbuch, xli. 186).