KING RICHARD THE SECOND

Summary

Shakespeare's “King Richard II.” was entered at Stationers' Hall, August 29, 1597, by Andrew Wise, who published the first edition that year under the title of “The tragedie of King Richard the Second. As it hath beene publikely acted by the Right Honourable the Lord Chamberlaine his Servants, 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.” 4to. This is much the most accurate copy of the play extant. Three other quarto editions were published before the first folio, one in 1598, another in 1608, “with new additions of the Parliament sceane, and the Deposing of King Richard,” and the last in 1615; each of which bears the author's name, “William Shake-speare,” on the title-page; that of 1615 being apparently the copy followed in the folio, 1623. There can now be scarcely a doubt that there was an older Richard II. than Shakespeare's, and one that kept its place as an acting drama, even at the Globe theatre, long after his had been played and printed. In a passage of Camden's Annals, it is related that Sir Gillie Merrick, who was concerned in the desperate insurrection of the Earl of Essex, was accused, among other charges, of having caused to be acted, by money in a public theatre, the obsolete tragedy (exoletum tragediam) of the abdication of Richard the Second.