9. ¶The Tragidie of Ferrex | and Porrex, | ſet forth without addition or alte- | ration but altogether as the ſame was ſhewed | on ſtage before the Queenes Maieſtie, | about nine yeares paſt, vz. the | xviij. day of Ianuarie. 1561. | by the gentlemen of the | Inner Temple. Seen and allowed. &c. | Imprinted at London by | Iohn Daye, dwelling ouer | Alderſgate.
This play, drawn from Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of Britain, and telling the story of King Gorboduc's efforts to divide his realm between his sons Ferrex and Porrex, was the first tragedy written in English. Before this authorized edition, one unauthorized by the writers, though regularly licensed by the Government, had appeared in an octavo volume of thirty-six leaves, printed in black letter, with a title-page which reads as follows:
The | tragedie of Gorboduc, | where of three Actes were wrytten by | Thomas Nortone, and the two laste by | Thomas Sackuyle. | Sette forthe as the same was shewed before the | Qvenes most excellent Maiestie, in her highnes | Court of Whitehall, the XViii day of January | Anno Domini, 1561. By the Gentlemen of Thynner Temple in London. | Imprynted at London | in Flete strete, at the Signe of the Faucon by William Griffith; and are | to be sold at his shop in Saincte | Dunstones Churchyarde in | the West of London. | Anno. 1565. Septemb. 22.
Day, in his introductory note to the present volume, entitled "The P to the Reader," explains very satisfactorily the reason for the new edition, but lets us only infer why he dropped the authors' names from the title-page. He says:
"Where this Tragedie was for furniture of part of the grand Chriſtmaſſe in the Inner Temple firſt written about nine yeares agoe by the right honourable Thomas now Lorde Buckherſt, and by T. Norton, and after ſhewed before her Maieſtie, and never intended by the authors therof to be publiſhed: yet one W. G. getting a copie therof at ſome youngmans hand that lacked a little money and much diſcretion, in the last great plage. an. 1565. about V. yeares paſt, while the ſaid Lord was out of England, and T. Norton farre out of London, and neither of them both made priuie, put it forth exceedingly corrupted."
Then, the worthy printer goes on to say in a very allegorical vein, that being so dishonored, her parents, the authors, very much displeased, gave her into his hands to be sent forth honorably; and he hopes she will be well received, else he will wish that she had tarried at home with him "for ſhe did neuer put me to more charge, but this one poore black gowne linèd with white that I haue now geuen her to goe abroad among you withall."
Quarto. The first authorized edition. Roman.
Collation: A-H3, in fours.