To push destruction, and perpetual shame, Straight let us seek, or straight we shall be sought, Sal. It seems you know not, then, so much as we. The cardinal Pandulph is within at rest, Who half an hour since came from the Dauphin, Bast. He will the rather do it, when he sees With whom yourself, myself, and other lords, Bast. Let it be so.-And you, my noble prince, P. Hen. At Worcester must his body be interr'd; For so he will'd it. Bast. Thither shall it then. And true subjection everlastingly. Sal. And the like tender of our love we make, To rest without a spot for evermore. P. Hen. I have a kind soul, that would give you thanks, And knows not how to do it, but with tears. Bast. O! let us pay the time but needful woe, Since it hath been beforehand with our griefs.- Lie at the proud foot of a conqueror, But when it first did help to wound itself. And we shall shock them. Nought shall make us rue, [Exeunt. "The Tragedie of King Richard the second. As it hath beene publikely acted by the right Honourable the Lorde Chamberlaine Lis Seruants. London Printed by Valentine Simmes for Androw Wise, and are to be sold at his shop in Paules church yard at the signe of the Angel. 1597." 4to. 37 leaves. "The Tragedie of King Richard the second. As it hath beene publikely acted by the Right Honourable the Lord Chamberlaine his seruants. By William Shake-speare. London Printed by Valentine Simmes for Andrew Wise, and are to be sold at his shop in Paules churchyard at the signe of the Angel. 1598." 4to. 36 leaves. "The Tragedie of King Richard the Second: with new additions of the Parliament Sceane, and the deposing of King Richard. As it hath been lately acted by the Kinges Maiesties seruantes, at the Globe. By William Shake-speare. At London, Printed by W. W. for Mathew Law, and are to be sold at his shop in Paules churchyard, at the signe of the Foxe. 1608." 4to. 39 leaves. "The Tragedie of King Richard the Second: with new additions of the Parliament Sceane, and the deposing of King Richard. As it hath been lately acted by the Kinges Maiesties seruants, at the Globe. By William Shake-speare. At London, Printed for Mathew Law, and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard, at the signe of the Foxe. 1615." 4to. 39 leaves. In the folio of 1623, "The life and death of King Richard the Second" occupies twenty-three pages, viz. from p. 23 to p. 45, inclusive. The three other folios reprint it in the same form, and in all it is divided into Acts and Scenes. INTRODUCTION. ABOVE we have given the titles of four quarto editions of "King Richard II.," which preceded the publication of the folio of 1623, and which were all published during the lifetime of Shakespeare: they bear date respectively in 1597, 1598, 1608, and 1615. It will be observed that the title of the edition of 1608 states that it contains " new additions of the Parliament Scene, and the deposing of King Richard." The Duke of Devonshire is in possession of an unique copy, dated 1608, the title of which merely follows the wording of the preceding impression of 1598, omitting any notice of new additions," though containing the whole of them1. The name of our great dramatist first appears in connection with this historical play in 1598, as if Simmes the printer, and Wise the stationer, when they printed and published their edition of 1597, did not know, or were not authorized to state, that Shakespeare was the writer of it. Precisely the same was the case with "King Richard III.," printed and published by the same parties in the same year, and of which also a second edition appeared in 1598, with the name of the author. We will first speak regarding the date of the original production of "Richard II.," and then of the period when it is likely that the "new additions" were inserted. It was entered on the Stationers' Register in 1597, in the following manner : "29 Aug. 1597. Andrew Wise.] The Tragedye of Richard the Seconde." This memorandum was made anterior, but perhaps only shortly anterior, to the actual publication of "Richard II.," and it forms the earliest notice of its existence. Malone sup There is another circumstance belonging to the title-page of the Duke of Devonshire's copy which deserves notice: it states that the play was printed "as it hath been publikely acted by the Right Honourable the Lord Chamberlaine, his seruantes." The company to which Shakespeare belonged were not called the servants of the Lord Chamberlain after James I. came to the throne, but "the King's Majesty's servants," as in the title-page of the other copy of 1608. This fact might give rise to the supposition, that it had been intended to reprint an edition of Richard II., including "the Parliament scene," but not mentioning it, before the death of Elizabeth; but that for some reason it was postponed for about five years. |