Chapter 4 concentrates on history plays in collection because the act of gathering and publishing texts as a bound group involves an assessment of ‘kinds’ and makes a statement about genre. It proposes that, beyond two-part plays, the first collections of commercial drama to prioritize ‘history’ as part of their design were the so-called Pavier quartos (a planned collection of ten plays published in 1619), and Shakespeare’s First Folio in 1623. The chapter argues that the 1619 collection underscores the fluidity and inclusivity of history as a genre, incorporates monarchical histories alongside citizen and legendary histories, and resembles early modern Sammelbände in its construction. Shakespeare’s Folio, in contrast, singularizes and solidifies its ‘Histories’ by creating a dramatic category that is based exclusively on English monarchical history after the Conquest. This chapter offers a new perspective on these much-discussed publication ventures: it concentrates on the statements they make about history, assesses who was responsible for their design, and shows how their presentation promotes competing notions of ‘history’ and ideas of timeliness and timelessness.

Tracks Shakespeare's emergence as a print author, noting that his first publications were a pair of narrative poems which, though intended primarily to secure aristocratic patronage, proved to be singularly successful commercially. The earliest publication history of Shakespeare's individual plays is mapped in detail, with particular attention being given to the career of Thomas Millington, who, in effect, provided 'proof of concept' that Shakespeare publishing was a worthwhile venture. Andrew Wise's subsequent success in publishing Shakespeare titles is also noted. The fact that the plays were, initially, published anonymously is registered, as is the fact that many of the earliest editions offered significantly attenuated texts. Some speculation is offered as to the derivation of these shortened texts. The chapter notes that, by the end of the first decade of the seventeenth century, Shakespeare was well established as a recognised print author as well as a successful playwright.