*1555-1556. Nov. Udall is appointed Master of Westminster School, and so continues until Mary re-establishes the Monastery at Westminster.
1556. Dec. Udall dies.
— 23. He is buried in St. Margaret’s, Westminster. Cooper, as above.
[ Bibliography], omitting formatting complexities
Roister Doister.
The whole of Udall’s plays were supposed to have perished [see Wood. Ath. Oxon. i. 213, Ed. 1813]. The Rev. T. Briggs, an old Etonian, in 1818, became the possessor of the now famous unique copy: which he presented to the Library of Eton College, in December of that year.
1. [?1566.] Lond. 1 vol. 4to.
? First edition of a revised text. The copy, now at Eton College, consists of 33 folios. The title-page is wanting.
2. 1818. Lond. 1 vol. 8vo.
‘Ralph Royster Doyster, A Comedy. London. Reprinted in the year 1818.’ [Ed. and privately printed by Rev. T. Briggs. 30 copies only struck off. The printer was James Compton, Middle St., Cloth Fair, London.] At the beginning is the following Advertisement:—
‘It appears from the Biographia Dramatica, that a Play called Rauf Ruster Duster was entered on the books of the Stationers’ Company in the year 1566, but that it was supposed never to have been printed: this, however, is now proved to be a mistake, a copy having been found contained in a collection of plays which was lately upon sale in London. It is true that the name is spelt somewhat differently, but it is presumed there can be no doubt of its being the piece in question. The book unfortunately wants the title-page, and the author’s name is not known. It is now in the Library of Eton College, and is here reprinted for the amusement of the reader.’