If one good deed in all my life I did,

I do repent it from my very soul.

Luc. Some loving friends convey the emperor hence,
And give him burial in his father's grave.
My father, and Lavinia, shall forthwith
Be closed in our household's monument.
As for that heinous tiger, Tamora,

No funeral rite, nor man in mournful weeds,
No mournful bell shall ring her burial;
But throw her forth to beasts, and birds of prey.
Her life was beast-like', and devoid of pity;
And, being so, shall have like want of pity.
See justice done on Aaron", that damn'd Moor,
By whom our heavy haps had their beginning:
Then, afterwards, to order well the state,

That like events may ne'er it ruinate.

[Exeunt.

4 Her life was BEAST-LIKE,] The quartos read beastly for "beast-like" of the folio. In the preceding line the quartos have "birds to prey," for "birds of prey."

5 See justice done on Aaron,] So all the old editions, quarto and folio. Malone prints to Aaron," and editors since his time, apparently taking his word for it, have supposed that to be the reading of the folio, without referring to the volume to ascertain the fact. "See justice done to Aaron" is an equivocal expression.

ROMEO AND JULIET.

An excellent conceited Tragedie of Romeo and Juliet. As it hath been often (with great applause) plaid publiquely, by the right Honourable the L. of Hunsdon his Seruants. London, Printed by Iohn Danter. 1597. 4to. 39 leaves.

The most excellent and lamentable Tragedie, of Romeo and Iuliet. Newly corrected, augmented, and amended: As it hath bene sundry times publiquely acted, by the right Honourable the Lord Chamberlaine his Seruants. London Printed by Thomas Creede, for Cuthbert Burby, and are to be sold at his shop neare the Exchange. 1599. 4to. 46 leaves.

The most excellent and Lamentable Tragedie, of Romeo and Juliet. As it hath beene sundrie times publiquely Acted, by the Kings Maiesties Seruants at the Globe. Newly corrected, augmented and amended: London Printed for Iohn Smethwick, and are to be sold at his Shop in Saint Dunstanes Church-yard, in Fleetestreete vnder the Dyall. 1609. 4to. 46 leaves.

In the folio of 1623 "The Tragedie of Romeo and Iuliet" occupies twenty-five pages, viz. from p. 53 to p. 79, inclusive, in the division of " Tragedies." It fills the same space in the folios of 1632, 1664, and 1685.

INTRODUCTION.

It is certain that there was an English play upon the story of Romeo and Juliet before the year 1562; and the fact establishes that, even at that early date, our dramatists resorted to Italian novels, or translations of them, for the subjects of their productions. It is the most ancient piece of evidence of the kind yet discovered, and it is given by Arthur Brooke, who in that year published a narrative poem, called "The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet." At the close of his address "to the Reader" he observes :-"Though I saw the same argument lately set forth on stage with more commendation than I can look for (being there much better set forth, than I have, or can do), yet the same matter, penned as it is, may serve the like good effect." (Hist. of English Dramatic Poetry and the Stage, vol. ii. p. 416.) Thus we see also, that the play had been received "with commendation," and that Brooke himself, unquestionably a competent judge, admits its excellence.

We can scarcely suppose that no other drama would be founded upon the same interesting incidents between 1562 and the date when Shakespeare wrote his tragedy, a period of, probably, more than thirty years; but no hint of the kind is given in any record, and certainly no such work, either manuscript or printed, has come down to us. Of the extreme popularity of the story we have abundant proof, and of a remote date. It was included by William Paynter in the "second tome" of his "Palace of Pleasure," the dedication of which he dates 4th Nov. 1567; and in old writers we find frequent mention of the hero and heroine. Thomas Dalapeend gives the following brief" argument" in his "Pleasant Fable of Hermaphroditus and Salmacis," 1565:-" A noble mayden of the cytye of Verona, in Italye, whyche loved Romeus, eldest sonne of the Lorde Montesche, and beinge pryvelye maryed togyther, he at last poysoned hym selfe for love of her: she, for sorowe of his deathe, slewe her selfe in the same tombe with hys dagger." B. Rich, in his "Dialogue betwene Mercury and a Souldier," 1574, says that "the pittifull history of Romeus and Julietta," was so well known as to be represented on tapestry. It is again alluded to in "The Gorgeous Gallery of Gallant Inventions," 1578; and in "A Poore Knight his Palace of Private Pleasure," 1579. Austin Saker's "Narbonus," 1580, contains the subsequent passage :-" Had Romeus bewrayed his