PREFACE. I. SHAKESPEARE'S KING JOHN was printed for the first time in the Folio of 1623. The poet adopted most of the characters, the general plot, and occasional lines, or fragments of lines, from an earlier play, in two parts, published in 1591, with the following title-page: The Troublesome Raigne | of John King of England, with the dis-couerie of King Richard Cordelions | Base sonne (vulgarly named, The Ba-stard Fawconbridge): also the death of King John at Swinstead | Abbey. | As it was (sundry times) publikely acted by the Queenes Maiesties Players, in the honourable Citie of | London. Imprinted at London for Sampson Clarke, and are to be solde at his shop, on the backe-side of the Royall Exchange. | 1591. | This play was reprinted for a different bookseller in 1611, with the words 'W. Sh.' added to the title; and a third edition in 1622, again issued by a different bookseller, has 'W. Shakespeare.' There can be little doubt that the booksellers attributed the play to Shakespeare in the hope that so popular a name might help the sale, for although the earlier play is by no means devoid of merit, the evidence of its style conclusively proves that Shakespeare had no part in the authorship. We have therefore not reprinted it, but contented ourselves with indicating the passages borrowed verbally from it. 2. Of RICHARD II. four editions in Quarto were published before the appearance of the first Folio: Q. The Tragedie of King Ri-chard the second. | As it hath beene publikely acted | by the right Honourable the | Lorde Chamberlaine his Ser-uants. | LONDON | Printed by Valentine Simmes for Androw Wise, and | are to be sold at his shop in Paules church yard at the signe of the Angel. | 1597. | Q2 The Tragedie of King Richard the second. | As it hath beene publikely acted by the Right Honourable the Lord Chamberlaine his | seruants. | By William Shake-speare. | LONDON | Printed by Valentine Simmes for Andrew Wise, and | are to be sold at his shop in Paules churchyard at the signe of the Angel. 1598. | Q. The Tragedie of King | Richard the second. | As it hath been publikely acted by the Right | Honourable the Lord Chamberlaine | his seruantes. | By William Shake-speare. | LonDON, | Printed by W. W. for Mathew Law, and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard, at the signe of the Foxe. | 1608. | The same edition was also issued in the same year with the following title-page: The Tragedie of King | Richard the Second: | With new additions of the Parliament Sceane, and the deposing of King Richard, As it hath been lately acted by the Kinges | Maiesties seruantes, at the Globe. | By William Shake-speare. | At London, | Printed by W. W. for Mathew Law, and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard, | at the signe of the Foxe. 1608. Q. The Tragedie of King | Richard the Se- cond: | With new additions of the Parliament Sceane, | and the deposing of King | Richard. | As it hath been lately acted by the Kinges | Maiesties seruants, at the Globe. | By WILLIAM SHAKE-SPEARE. | At LONDON, | Printed for Mathew Law, and are to be sold | at his shop in Paules Church-yard, at the | signe of the Foxe. | 1615. | Each of these Quartos was printed from its immediate predecessor. The third however contains an important addition, found in all the extant copies of Q,, amounting to 165 lines, viz. IV. 1. 154—319. This is what is meant |