HENRY V. Supposed to have Firft printed 1599 1600 A paffage in this play alluding to Effex's abfence in Ireland, gives the date before September, 1599. Entered at Stationers' Hall Auguft 14, 1600. Suppofed to be written after Meres published his Palladis Tamia,' in 1598, as he does not mention it. Founded on Holinfhed and 'The famous Victories of Henry V,' 1598. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING 1599 1600 Not men Entered at Stationers' Hall, August 23rd, 1600. tioned by Meres. The ftory is in Ariofto, Spenfer, and Bandello Mr. Halliwell produces evidence that Othello was written before 1600. Acted at Harefield, August, 1602, and at Court, Nov. 1, 1604. Partly founded on a story in Cinthio's 'Hecatom mithi.' TWELFTH NIGHT. 1601 1623 Acted in the Middle Temple Hall, February 2nd, 1601-2. Founded on an Italian play Gl' Inganni,' Bandello's 36th novel, and a tale in Barnaby Rich's Farewell.' See p. 129. TROILUS AND CRESSIDA 1601 1609 Entered at Stationers' Hall, February 7th, 1602-3, and again Jan. 28th, 1608-9, when it was printed. Founded on Caxton's 'Recuyel,' Lydgate's 'Siege of Troy,' and Chaucer's 'Troilus and Crefeide,' &c. HAMLET Supposed to have Firft printed 1602 1603 This date is affigned to the play in its altered form; but it was probably performed feveral years earlier. Henflow mentions a Hamlet' as having been acted at Newington Butts, June 9th, 1594, Nash alludes to it in 1589, and Lodge, in his Wit's Mifery,' 1596; but this was probably an earlier play, not by Shakespeare, but to which he was indebted. The plot is in Saxo Grammaticus, and in a French tranflation of it contained in Belleforest. The entry at Stationers' Hall is July 26th, 1602. Sonnets, and Lover's Complaint 1603 1609 Although many of these Sonnets must have been written in early life (Meres alludes to them in 1598), others belong to the period here affigned, or later. HENRY VIII. 1603 1623 By fome supposed to have been acted as the new play called, 'All is True,' when the Globe was burnt in 1613. But it was entered at Stationers' Hall, February 12th, 1604. Founded on Holinshed, with incidents from Fox's Book of Martyrs.' MEASURE FOR MEASURE 1604 1623 Acted at Court on St. Stephen's Night (Dec. 20th) 1604, and at Whitehall, December 26th, 1604. Founded on Whetstone's 'Promos and Caffandra,' printed 1578. Distinctly anti-Romish. KING LEAR 1604 1608 Acted at Whitehall before King James, December 26th, 1606. Entered at Stationers' Hall, November 26th, 1607. Founded on an old play of the fame name, printed in 1605, but acted earlier, and entered at Stationers' Hall in 1594; alfo on Holinfhed, Geoffrey of Monmouth, and Camden. With incidents from Sidney's Arcadia,' and 'The Mirror for Magistrates.' MACBETH 1623 · 1606 Founded on Performed at the Globe, April 20th, 1610. JULIUS CÆSAR Supposed to have 1607 First printed 1623 Mr. Collier adduces good reafons for prefuming that this play was acted before 1603. Founded on Plutarch's life of Cæfar. Mr. Halliwell thinks this play is alluded to in 'The Return from Parnaffus,' printed in 1606. Founded on a novel (9th of the 2nd day) in Boccacio; with incidents from Weftward for Smelts,' 1603. CORIOLANUS 1610 1623 1610 1623 Founded on Plutarch, as tranflated by North. TIMON OF ATHENS Hallam afcribes Timon' to 1602; all other critics place it in the poet's latest period. Founded on the 28th novel in Painter's 'Palace of Pleasure,' and Plutarch's life of Antony, with incidents from an old play of fame name, then in MS., but printed in 1842 for the Shakespeare Society. WINTER'S TALE 1611 1623 Acted at the Globe, May 15th, 1611, and at Whitehall, November 5th, 1611. Founded on Rob. Greene's 'Doraftus and Fawnia, 1588. TEMPEST 1611 1623 Acted at Whitehall before King James, on Hallowmas Night, 1611. It is not ascertained that Shakespeare drew his incidents from any previous publication. The fhipwreck of Sir George Somers on the Bermudas in 1609 is thought to have afforded the principal incident. Rob. Greene's 'Hiftory of Friar Bacon,' 1594, seems to have fupplied the type of Profpero. AUTOGRAPHS OF SHAKE SPEARE. HE fix autographs conventionally accepted as genuine are given on the annexed engraving, and are as follows: 1. On the counterpart of a deed of Balance and Sale, March 10, 161213, relating to a house in Blackfriars fold to Shakespeare by Henry Walker. The deed is now in the library at Guildhall. See ante p. 200. 13, ib. 2. On a mortgage-deed of the fame house, dated March 11th, 1612p. 200. This is now in the British Museum, having been purchafed, June 1858, at Sotheby and Wilkinson's auction rooms, for 315/ |