† ‘An impression of 1622 is mentioned in some lists, but the existence of a copy of that date is more than doubtful.’ Collier, Ed. 2, Vol. iv. p. 217.
THE | TRAGEDIE | OF | KING | RICHARD | THE THIRD. | Contayning his treacherous Plots against | his brother Clarence: The pittifull murder of his innocent | Nephewes: his tyrannicall Vsurpation: with the whole | course of his detested life, and most | deserued death. | As it hath been lately Acted by the Kings Maiesties | Seruants. | Newly augmented. By William Shake-speare. | LONDON, | Printed by Thomas Purfoot, and are to be sold by Mathew Law, dwelling | in Pauls Church-yard, at the Signe of the Foxe, neere | S. Austines gate, 1622.
This edition we call Q6. It is printed from Q5.
Another edition in Quarto was printed in 1629, not from the first Folio, but from the sixth Quarto. It was printed by Iohn Norton for Matthew Law. Except in the name of the printer and the substitution of the word ‘tiranous’ for ‘tyrannicall’ the title-page does not differ from that of Q6. We call it Q7.
The eighth and last Quarto, our Q8, copied from the seventh, was printed by Iohn Norton in 1634. There is no bookseller’s name on the title-page, if we may trust that which Capell has supplied in MS. ‘from a copy in the possession of Messrs Tonsons and Draper.’
In quoting the readings of the Quartos and Folios, we have, in all cases where the spelling is unimportant, given that of the earliest copy.
In 1766 Steevens published a reprint of the Quarto of 1612, ‘collated’—to use his own words—‘with the following editions.’
1598. Thomas Creede, for Andrew Wise.
1602. Ditto.
1624. Thomas Purfoot, Thomas Purfoot, &c.