Page:The Plays of William Shakspeare (1778).djvu/313

[ 297 ] lowers of the Earl of Eex, on the 7th of February 1600—1, deired a company of actors to perform King Richard II. they alleged “ that the play was old, and that they hould have a los in playing it.” Our author’s performance, however, might have been intended; and the players, perhaps, conidered a play as old, that had been three or four years in poSS undefinedeSS undefinedion of the tage. They might have only meant, that it was not of that eaon. Indeed, I the rather think that this was their meaning, becaue there is no trace in the Stationers’ books, nor in any ancient catalogue that I have een, of any play on this ubject, except that of Shakpeare. In further upport of his hypotheis, Dr. Farmer relies on the doctrines of indefeaable right contained in this play, which, he thinks, could not have been agreeable to the inurgents abovementioned. But they do not appear to have been o much concerned about the entiments of the piece, (with which, perhaps, they were unacquainted) as deirous to behold the catatrophe that it exhibits.—This, I conceive, may be collected from the paragraph ubjoined to that which Dr. Farmer has quoted—“ So earnet hee (Merricke) was, to atisfy his eyes with a fight of that tragedie, which he thought oone after his Lord hould bring from the tage to the tate .”

Entered at the Stationers’ hall, Oct. 20, 1597. Printed in that year.

Entered Feb. 25, 1597, according to our preent reckoning, 1598. Written therefore probably in 1597. Printed in 1598.

Entered July 22, 1598; and mentioned by Meres in that year. Publihed in 1600.

All’s Well that Ends Well was not regitered at Stationers’