CATO and P. SYRUS. Caton, tranflated into Englyfhe by Mayfter Benet Burgh, &c. mentioned by Caxton. Cathon [Parvus and Magnus] transl. &c. by Caxton 14831 1553 Preceptes of Cato, with Annotations of Erafmus, &c. 24mo. Lond. 1560 and 1562 Catonis Difticha, Latin and English, fmall 8vo. Lond. Ames mentions a Difcourfe of Human Nature, tranflated from Hippocrates, p. 428; an Extract from Pliny, tranflated from the French, p.312; Efop, &c. by Caxton and others; and there is no doubt, but many Tranflations at present unknown, may be gradually recovered, either by industry or accident. 9 Probably this was never printed. There is an entry of Caton at Stationers' Hall in 1591 byAdams, in Eng. and Lat. Again, in the year 1591 by Thomas Orwin. Again, in 1605, "Four Bookes of morall Sentences, entitled Cato, tranflated out of Latin into English by J. M. Mafter of Arts." $266 Efop's Fables in Englyfhe" were entered May 7th, 1590, on the books of the Stationers' Company. Again, O&t. 1591. Again, Efop's Fables in Meter, Nov. 1598. Some few of them had been paraphrafed by Lydgate, and I believe are still unpublished. See the Brit. Muf. Harl. 2251. It is much to be lamented that Andrew Maunfell, a bookfeller in Lothbury, who published two parts of a catalogue of English printed books, fol. 1595, did not proceed to his third collection. This according to his own account of it, would have confifted of "Grammar, Logick, and Rhetoricke, Lawe, Hiftorie, Poetrie, Policie," &c. which, as he tells us, "for the moft part concerne matters of delight and pleasure." EXTRACTS OF ENTRIES ON THE 119 BOOKS OF THE STATIONERS' COMPANY. N. B. The terms book and ballad were anciently used to fignify dramatick works, as well as any other forms of compofition; while tragedy and comedy were titles very often bestowed on novels of the ferious and the lighter kind. STEEVENS. A Charter was granted to the Company of Sta tioners' on the 4th of May, 1556, (third and fourth of Philip and Mary,) and was confirmed by Queen Elizabeth in 1560. The first volume of these Entries has been either loft or destroyed, as the earliest now to be found is lettered B.3 The hall was burnt down in the fire of London. The entries began July 17, 1576. 1562. [Recevyd of M. Tottle for his licence for pryntinge of the tragicall Hiftory of the Romeus and Juliett with Sonnettes. A. fol. 86. a.]4 3 Since this was written, the firft volume, marked A, has been found. MALONE. This article, within crotchets, is from Vol. I, which (as Mr, Malone obferves) has fince been difcovered. STEEVENS. ΙΑ Again, Feb. 18, 1582. M. Tottell.] Romeo and Juletta.5 Vol. B, p. 193. C. p. 12. b. Again, Aug. 5, 1596,-as a newe ballad, for Edward White. April 3, 1592. Edw. White.] The tragedy of Arden of April 18, 1593. Rich. Feild. A booke entitled Venus and 286 Adonis." 297 b. s This and the foregoing are perhaps the original works on which Shakspeare founded his play of Romeo and Juliet. STEEVENS. This play was reprinted in 1770 at Fevertham, with a preface attributing it to Shakspeare. The collection of parallel paffages which the editor has brought forward to justify his fuppofi tion, is fuch as will make the reader fmile. The following is a specimen : Arden of Feverfham, p. 74:1 Fling down Endimion, and fnatch him up." Merchant of Venice, A&t V. fc. i: "Peace, ho! the moon fleeps with Endymion." Arden of Feversham, p. 87: "Let my death make amends for all my Much Ado about Nothing, A& IV. fc. ii: fin." "Death is the faireft cover for her fhame." STEEVENS. 7 The last stanza of a poem entitled Mirrha the Mother of Adonis; or Luftes Prodegies, by William Barkfted, 1607, has the following praife of Shakspeare's Venus and Adonis: "But ftay, my mufe, in thy own confines keepe, "And wage not warre with fo deere-lov'd a neighbor; "But, having fung thy day fong, reft and fleepe, "Preferve thy fmall fame and his greater favor. "His fong was worthie merit, (Shakspeare hee) Sung the faire bloffome, thou the withered tree: "Laurel is due to him; his art and wit "Hath purchas'd it; cypres thy brow will fit." STEEVENS. Afterwards entered by Oct. 19, 1593. Symon Waterfon.] A booke entitled the Feb. 6, 1593. John Danter.] A booke entitled a noble Roman Historye of Tytus Andronicus. Entered alfo unto him by warrant from Mr. Woodcock, the ballad thereof. March 12, 1593. Tho. Millington.] A booke intituled the firfte Part of the Contention of the twoo famous Houfes of Yorke and Lancafter, with the Deathe of the good Duke Humphrey, and the Banifhment and Deathe of the Duke of Sufk, and the tragical Ende of the prowd Cardinall of Winchester, with the notable Rebellion of Jacke Cade, and the Duke of York's firft Claime unto the Crown. 301 b. 304 b. 305 b. I fuppofe this to be Daniel's tragedy of Cleopatra. Simon Waterfon was one of the printers of his other works. STEEVENS. Daniel's Cleopatra was published by Waterfon in 1594; this entry therefore undoubtedly related to it. MALone. May 2, 1594. Peter Shorte.] A plefant conceyted hyftorie called the Tayminge of a Shrowe.9 May 9, 1594. Mr. Harrison Sen.] A booke entitled the Ravyfhement of Lucrece. May 14, 1594. Tho. Creede.] A booke intitled the famous teyninge the honorable Battell of May 14, 1594. Edw. White.] A booke entituled the mofte Leire Kinge of England and his May 22, 1594. Edw. White.] A booke entituled a Wynters Nightes Paftime.3 306 b. 306 b. 306 b. 307 307 b. I conceive it to be the play that furnished Shakspeare with the materials which he afterwards worked up into another with the fame title. STEEVENS. This might have been the very difpleafing play mentioned in the epilogue to the fecond part of King Henry IV. STEEVENS. The earliest edition of this play now known to be extant, was printed in 1598. Of that edition I have a copy. This piece furnished Shakspeare with the outline of the two parts of King Henry IV. as well as with that of King Henry V. MALONE, I fuppofe this to be the play on the same subject as that of our author, but written before it. STEEVENS. 2 3 Query, if The Winter's Tale. STEEvens. |