Chapter I: Preface

THE aim in the selection of the plays in this volume has been twofold: first, to present typical examples of the work of the most important of Shakespeare’s contemporaries, so that, read with Shakespeare’s own writings, they might afford a view of the development of the English drama through its most brilliant period; secondly, to present, as far as it was possible in one volume, the most distinguished plays of that period, regarded merely from the point of view of their intrinsic value. It is clear that these two purposes could not always be perfectly combined; but it is hoped that each has been in good measure achieved without undue sacrifice of the other, and that the interests of the academic student and the general reader have been fairly harmonized.

In the treatment of the text, the same principles have been followed as in the editor’s edition of Shakespeare’s works in the Cambridge Poets Series. Each play has been printed from the most authentic text accessible, and emendations have been adopted sparingly. Modern stage directions, and divisions into scenes and acts which do not appear in the original editions, have been distinguished by square brackets; modern notes of place at the beginning of scenes have been relegated to the footnotes; and indications given by the early copies of the authors’ intentions with regard to the reading of the metre have been carefully preserved, especially in the matter of elided vowels. It is probable that, in the case of most of the present plays, the final _-ed_ of verbs was intended to be pronounced as a separate syllable whenever it is spelled in full. The spelling and punctuation have been modernized throughout, except when the older spelling implied a different pronunciation.

The footnotes give the most important variant readings, and explanations of obsolete expressions; and the Additional Notes at the end of the volume supply information with regard to the circumstances of publication, date, and sources of each play. In accordance with the plan of the Chief Poets Series, to which the volume belongs, there have been added concise biographical sketches and a selected bibliography of the dramatic work of each author. In view of the full bibliographies printed recently in Professor Schelling’s _Elizabethan Drama_ and in _The Cambridge History of English Literature_, vols. v and vi, it has not seemed advisable to attempt to give exhaustive bibliographies at the expense of reducing the number of dramas. All collected editions of the dramatists concerned are, however, mentioned; all separate editions of the plays here printed; a complete list of each author’s dramas, with the dates of the original editions; and a selection of the more important critical and biographical articles and books. Attention may also be called to the complete index of all the _dramatis personae_ who have speaking parts, and to the index of songs.

In the selection of the thirty plays to be included I have received valuable advice from many friends and colleagues on the faculties of many colleges and universities; so many that a complete acknowledgment would be impracticable, a partial one invidious. For all such help I am deeply grateful. I have also received courtesies from the authorities of the Boston Public Library, the Boston Athenaeum, and the Harvard College Library, which have enabled me to add to the authority of my texts by a first-hand collation of a number of the original quartos.

Printing from so great a variety of sources and from so many different authors, I have found it difficult to preserve perfect uniformity of treatment, and have doubtless at times failed of accuracy. Any corrections which may occur to students of the Elizabethan drama who use the volume will be warmly welcomed.

W. A. N.

CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, January, 1911.

CONTENTS

ENDYMION, THE MAN IN THE MOON, _by John Lyly_ 1
THE OLD WIVES TALE, _by George Peele_ 24
THE HONOURABLE HISTORY OF FRIAR BACON AND FRIAR BUNGAY,
_by Robert Greene_ 35
TAMBURLAINE, PART I, _by Christopher Marlowe_ 57
THE TRAGICAL HISTORY OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS, _by Christopher Marlowe_ 80
THE JEW OF MALTA, _by Christopher Marlowe_ 96
THE TROUBLESOME REIGN AND LAMENTABLE DEATH OF EDWARD THE SECOND,
_by Christopher Marlowe_ 122
THE SPANISH TRAGEDY; OR, HIERONIMO IS MAD AGAIN, _by Thomas Kyd_ 153
BUSSY D’AMBOIS, _by George Chapman_ 185
EVERY MAN IN HIS HUMOUR, _by Ben Jonson_ 214
SEJANUS, HIS FALL, _by Ben Jonson_ 247
VOLPONE; OR, THE FOX, _by Ben Jonson_ 285
THE ALCHEMIST, _by Ben Jonson_ 325
THE SHOEMAKERS’ HOLIDAY, _by Thomas Dekker_ 367
THE HONEST WHORE, PART I, _by Thomas Dekker_ 393
THE HONEST WHORE, PART II, _by Thomas Dekker_ 425
THE MALCONTENT, _by John Marston and John Webster_ 456
A WOMAN KILLED WITH KINDNESS, _by Thomas Heywood_ 485
THE KNIGHT OF THE BURNING PESTLE,
_by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher_ 509
PHILASTER; OR, LOVE LIES A-BLEEDING,
_by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher_ 539
THE MAID’S TRAGEDY, _by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher_ 568
THE FAITHFUL SHEPHERDESS, _by John Fletcher_ 598
THE WILD-GOOSE CHASE, _by John Fletcher_ 625
THE DUCHESS OF MALFI, _by John Webster_ 656
A TRICK TO CATCH THE OLD ONE, _by Thomas Middleton_ 690
THE CHANGELING, _by Thomas Middleton and William Rowley_ 715
A NEW WAY TO PAY OLD DEBTS, _by Philip Massinger_ 741
THE BROKEN HEART, _by John Ford_ 770
THE LADY OF PLEASURE, _by James Shirley_ 800
THE CARDINAL, _by James Shirley_ 830

ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE PLAYS 855
BIBLIOGRAPHIES 861
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 869
INDEX OF CHARACTERS 875
INDEX OF SONGS 879
INDEX OF AUTHORS 880
INDEX OF PLAYS 880

ENDYMION, THE MAN IN THE MOON

BY JOHN LYLY

[DRAMATIS PERSONAE

ENDYMION, in love with Cynthia.
EUMENIDES, his friend, in love with Semele.
CORSITES, a Captain, in love with Tellus.
PANELION, }
ZONTES, } Lords of Cynthia’s Court.
PYTHAGORAS, the Greek Philosopher.
GYPTES, an Egyptian Soothsayer.
GERON, an old man, husband to Dipsas.
SIR TOPHAS, a Braggart.
DARES, Page to Eumenides.
SAMIAS, Page to Endymion.
EPITON, Page to Sir Tophas.

Master Constable.
First Watchman.
Second Watchman.

CYNTHIA, the Queen.
TELLUS, in love with Endymion.
FLOSCULA, her friend.
SEMELE, loved by Eumenides.
SCINTILLA, }
FAVILLA, } Waiting-maids.
DIPSAS, an old Enchantress.
BAGOA, her servant.

Watchmen; Fairies; Three Ladies and an Old Man in the Dumb Show.]

THE PROLOGUE

Most high and happy Princess, we must tell you a tale of the Man in the Moon, which, if it seem ridiculous for the method, or superfluous for the matter, or for the means incredible, for three faults we can make but one excuse: it is a tale of the Man in the Moon.

It was forbidden in old time to dispute of Chimæra because it was a fiction: we hope in our times none will apply pastimes,[1] because they are fancies; for there liveth none under the sun that knows what to make of the Man in the Moon. We present neither comedy, nor tragedy, nor story, nor anything but that whosoever heareth may say this: Why, here is a tale of the Man in the Moon.