Robin Hood and Little John.
S. R. 1594, May 14. ‘A booke entituled a pastorall plesant Commedie of Robin Hood and Little John.’ Islip (Arber, ii. 649).
Arber, v. 176, describes the play as printed by Islip for E. White, to whom the copy was passed by a cancel. It appears in Rogers and Ley’s and Archer’s lists of 1656. Greg, Henslowe, ii. 190, finds an allusion to its ‘merry jests’ in Munday’s Downfall of Robin Hood, iv. 2.
Rufus I.
S. R. 1595, Nov. 24. ‘A booke intituled The true tragicall historie of kinge Rufus the First with the life and deathe of Belyn Dun the first thief that ever was hanged in England.’ W. Blackwell (Arber, iii. 54).
Greg, Henslowe, ii. 164, thinks this the Bellendon played as a new piece by the Admiral’s and Chamberlain’s for Henslowe on 10 June 1594 (cf. ch. xiii). The title curiously resembles that of another book, probably, as Greg suggests, a chap-book, entered in S. R. by T. Gosson on 17 May 1594 as ‘a book intituled The famous Cronicle of Henrye the First, with the life and death of Bellin Dunn the firste thief that ever was hanged in England’ (Arber, ii. 650). Perhaps this was the source of the play.
A Sackful of News.
S. R. 1557–8. ‘These bokes folowynge called ... a sacke full of newes.’ J. King (Arber, i. 75).
1582, Jan. 15. Transfer from S. Awdeley to John Charlwood (Arber, ii. 405).
1586, Sept. 5. ‘A sackfull of newes, beinge an old copie: whiche the said Edward is ordered to haue printed by Abell Jeffes.’ Edward White (Arber, ii. 456).