| PAGE | |
| The Preface | [vii] |
| King Henry VIII | [1] |
| Notes to King Henry VIII | [117] |
| Troilus and Cressida | [123] |
| Notes to Troilus and Cressida | [263] |
| Coriolanus | [271] |
| Notes to Coriolanus | [423] |
| Titus Andronicus | [429] |
| Notes to Titus Andronicus | [533] |
PREFACE.
1. 'The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight' was printed for the first time in the Folio of 1623.
2. The earliest edition of 'Troilus and Cressida' of which we have any knowledge was the Quarto which was printed in 1609 with the following title:
The | Historie of Troylus | and Cresseida. | As it was acted by the Kings Maiesties | seruants at the Globe. | Written by William Shakespeare. | LONDON | Imprinted by G. Eld for R. Bonian and H. Walley, and | are to be sold at the spred Eagle in Paules | Church-yeard, ouer against the | great North doore. | 1609. |
In the same year was issued another edition, printed from the same form as the preceding, but with the following title:
The | Famous Historie of | Troylus and Cresseid. | Excellently expressing the beginning | of their loues, with the conceited wooing | of Pandarus Prince of Licia. | Written by William Shakespeare. | LONDON | Imprinted by G. Eld for R. Bonian and H. Walley, and | are to be sold at the spred Eagle in Paules | Church-yeard, ouer against the | great North doore. | 1609. |
Besides the variations in the title-page this edition differs from the preceding in having a preface, apparently the work of the publisher, of which the heading is 'A neuer writer, to an euer reader. Newes.' In this preface the play is called a new one, 'neuer stal'd with the Stage, neuer clapper-clawd with the palmes of the vulger,' and hence it has been inferred that the edition with the preface is the earlier of the two. It appears, however, upon a close examination, that all the copies were printed from the same form, that the title which we have recorded first was the original one, and that in some copies this was cancelled, and the new title and preface inserted on a new half-sheet and with a new signature. The title-page of the edition with the preface is printed from the same form as the other title-page, as is evident from a comparison of the parts in each, from 'Written by William Shakespeare' to the end, which are absolutely identical. As the running title, 'The history of Troylus and Cresseida' corresponds with the first quoted title-page, we believe that the copies with this title-page were first issued for the theatre, and afterwards those with the new title-page and preface for general readers. In this case the expression 'neuer stal'd with the Stage, neuer clapper-clawd with the palmes of the vulger' must refer to the first appearance of the play in type, unless we suppose that the publisher was more careful to say what would recommend his book than to state what was literally true.