Chapter XII: Appendix: V. Warburton’s List

(_Lansdowne MSS., B. M., 807._)

This volume contains three plays, the only survivors of Warburton’s collection: _The Queen of Corsica_, by Fran. Jaques, _The Second Maiden’s Tragedy_, and _The Bugbears_, together with a fragment of a fourth, R. Wild’s _Benefice_.

On the back of the first leaf of this volume is attached the list of Warburton’s collection, in his own hand. The entries referring to Massinger are as follows: I preserve the spelling.

_Minerva’s Sacrifice._ Phill. Masenger. _The Forc’d Lady a T._ Phill. Massinger. _Antonio & Vallia_, by Phill. Massinger. _The Woman’s Plott._ Phill. Massinger. _The Tyrant_, a tragedy, by Phill. Massenger. _Philenzo and Hipolito_, a C. by Phill. Massenger. _The Judge_, a C. by Phill. Massenger. _Fast and Welcome_, by Phill. Massinger. _Believe as You List_, C. by Phill. Massinger. _The Honour of Women_, a C. by P. Massinger. _Alexius or the Chaste Gallant_, T. P. Massinger. _The Noble Choise_, T.C. P. Massinger.

_The Parliament of Love_ is attributed to Wm. Rowley. The versification of the play which we have under that name is far above Rowley’s powers, nor are there signs of collaboration in the play, as far as we can tell.

The list has been carefully discussed by Mr. W. W. Greg in his article, “The Bakings of Betsy,” in _The Library_ (July, 1911).

He puts the matter thus: Warburton enters _Minerva’s Sacrifice_ and _The Forc’d Lady_ as above. In the _Stationers’ Register_, Sept. 9, 1653, these titles are given as alternatives for the same play. This might mean that Moseley was trying to smuggle through two plays for a single fee. Mr. Greg is inclined to give Moseley the benefit of the doubt, and to suppose that there were plays existing in divergent versions, which would justify the double titles. If, however, Moseley was honest, Warburton cannot be correct. Mr. Greg suggests that Warburton, being interested in old plays, and having access to the _Stationers’ Register_, drew up for his own use a list, mainly based on Moseley’s entries, containing the titles of such pieces as he thought it might be possible to recover, and added the names of those in his possession. The cook destroyed some of the plays, and Warburton, discovering his loss, added the famous memorandum to the text without remembering that it contained the names of plays which he did not possess. In this case the damage done by “Betsy” would not be so extensive as has been believed.