[_A few misprints in the above have been corrected in square brackets to agree with _B.]
THE ELDER BROTHER: VARIANTS IN THE EGERTON MS.
There is a manuscript version of this play in the Egerton collection, British Museum (No. 1994). It is, presumably, a transcript of one of the early copies. It differs frequently from the Folio and the Quartos in single words and, occasionally, in lines but, as its authority is of doubtful value, it has seemed best to give a collation of it here, apart from the collations of the Quartos.
Begins Actus Primus. Scaena I.
p. 1, l. 29. Omits and.
p. 2, l. 7. foolish idle. l. 14. others hands. l. 24. vertues.
p. 3, l. 9. kinde. l. 13. purposed. l. 14. state. l. 30. great mans. l. 31. kings.
p. 4, l. 28. Merry wenches.
p. 5, l. 9. Cellar dry. l. 14. knowing pallat. l. 39. ever should ask.
p. 6, l. 6. how ere. l. 20. put in act. l. 24. was addicted to. l. 31. blest with. l. 39. Omits what yet …Flatter l. 40. Omits without. Also gives stage direction in margin:—Trampling.