Roister Doister | Page 4

not sende in wast.
+C. Custance.+ He shal giue you thanks. +T. Trusty.+ I wil do much for his sake
+C. Custance.+ But alack, I feare, great displeasure shall be take.
+T. Trusty.+ Wherfore? +C. C.+ For a foolish matter. +T. T.+ What is your cause
+C. Custance.+ I am yll accombred with a couple of dawes.
Nay
Top of the first, odd-numbered page of folio 25.
Roister Doister.
Nay weepe not woman; but tell me what your cause is +T. Trusty.+ As concerning my friende is any thing amisse?
No not on my part: but here was Sym Suresby. +C. Custance.+
He was with me and tolde me so. +C. C.+ And he stoode by +T. Trustie.+ While Ralph Roister Doister with helpe of Merygreeke, For promise of mariage dyd vnto me seeke.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.
+Roister Doister.+
The whole of Udall's plays were supposed to have perished [see Wood. Ath. Oxon. i. 213, Ed. 1813]. The Rev. T. Briggs, an old Etonian, in 1818, became the possessor of the now famous unique copy: which he presented to the Library of Eton College, in December of that year.
1. [?1566.] Lond. 1 vol. 4to.
? First edition of a revised text. The copy, now at Eton College, consists of 33 folios. The title-page is wanting.
2. 1818. Lond. 1 vol. 8vo.
'Ralph Royster Doyster, A Comedy. London. Reprinted in the year 1818.' [Ed. and privately printed by Rev. T. Briggs. 30 copies only struck off. The printer was James Compton, Middle St., Cloth Fair, London.] At the beginning is the following Advertisement:--
'It appears from the Biographia Dramatica, that a Play called Rauf Ruster Duster was entered on the books of the Stationers' Company in the year 1566, but that it was supposed never to have been printed: this, however, is now proved to be a mistake, a copy having been found contained in a collection of plays which was lately upon sale in London. It is true that the name is spelt somewhat differently, but it is presumed there can be no doubt of its being the piece in question. The book unfortunately wants the title-page, and the author's name is not known. It is now in the Library of Eton College, and is here reprinted for the amusement of the reader.'
3. 1821. Lond. 1 vol. 8vo.
'Ralph Royster Doyster, a Comedy, entered on the books of the Stationers' Company, 1566. London: Printed by F. Marshall, Kenton St., Brunswick Sq., 1821.' [Editor not known.]
R. Southey's copy, with his autograph, and dated 1 Feb. 1837, is in the British Museum. Press-mark, 1344-k.
Neither of the above knew that Udall was the author. The editor of 1821 reprint writes, 'The author, whoever he was,' p. iv. It was Mr. Collier who connected Wilson's quotation with Roister Doister, and so proved Udall to be its author. Writing on 14th April 1865; he thus begins the Preface of his Bibl. Account of Ear. Eng. Lit. Ed. 1865.
'During my whole life, now rapidly approaching fourscore, I have been a diligent reader, and, as far as my means would allow, a greedy purchaser of all works connected with early English literature. It is nearly sixty years since I became possessed of my first really valuable old book of this kind--Wilson's "Art of Logic," printed by Richard Grafton 1551--from which I ascertained the not unimportant facts that "Ralph Roister Doister" was an older play than "Gammer Gurton's Needle," and that it had been written by Nicholas Udall, Master of Eton School: I thus learned who was the author of the earliest comedy, properly so called, in our language. This was my first literary discovery, made several years anterior, although I had not occasion to render it public, until I printed my Notes upon "Dodsley's Old Plays," soon after 1820.'*
[Footnote *: See vol. ii. p. 3. Ed. 1825.]
4. 1830. Lond. 3 vols. 18mo.
The Old English Drama, A series of Plays, at 6d each, printed and published by Thomas White. Ralph Royster Doyster is the first.
5. 1847. Lond. 1 vol. 8vo.
Shakespeare Society. Ralph Roister Doister, &c., and The Tragedie of Gorboduc. Edited, with Introductory Memoirs, by W. D. Cooper, F.S.A. The text collated with the original by J. P. Collier, F.S.A.
6. 24 July 1869. Lond. 1 vol. 8vo. English Reprints: see title at p. 1.
.��. All the previous reprints have been and now are unobtainable to most persons. It is to the most courteous and generous kindness of the present Provost and Fellows of Eton College that I am enabled to place what I hope may prove an exact text into the hands of every one. I trust also to keep it perpetually on sale: that the student of the History of our Literature may no longer lack one of the most important illustrations of the growth of English Dramatic Poesy.

The Prologue.
What Creature is in health, eyther yong or olde, But som mirth with modestie wil be glad to