Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from The Works of Shakespeare, Vol. 2 of 6: The d104 Carefully Restored According to the First Editions; With Introductions, Notes Original and Selected, and a Life of the Poet
Touching the entry in the Stationers' books, it should be noted that the purpose of the proviso was, to menu the print'ng of the play, till the company's permission were given through their patron The book of the Merchant of Venice was again entered in lht same Register, by Thomas Heyes, October the Lord Chamberlain's licence having probably been obtained by that time. The same year two editions were put forth, in quarto pam phlets, one of which had thirty-eight leaves, and a title-page read ing as follows: The most excellent History of the Merchant of Venice. With the extreme cruelty of Shylock the Jew towards the said Merchant, in cutting a just pound of his ?esh: and the obtaining of Portia by the choice of three chests. As it hath been divers times acted by the Lord Chamberlain his servants. Writ ten by William Shakespeare At London Printed by J. R. To!
Thomas Heyes, and are to be sold in Paul's Chnrch-yard, at the sign of the Green Dragon. The other quarto was print cd by J. Roberts; - the same J. R., most likely, who printed the edition for Heyes. Bnt though both were by the same printer, and issued the same year, they were entirely distinct impressions Of course Roberts was both printer and publisher; Heyes only the latter. Of these two editions it seems questionable which is to be preferred: both appear to have been equally authorized, and were probably from di?'erent manuscripts; at all events. Neither was printed from the other. There was no other issue of the play, that we know of, till the folio of 1623, where it stands the ninth in the list of Comedies. The repetition of various misprints shows the folio to have been printed from the edition of Heyes. - Two other contemporary notices of the play are found in the account of expenses for the year 1605, as kept by the Master of the Revels, and preserved at the Audit Ofiice: By his Majesty's Players. On shrove-sunday a play of the Merchant of Venice. And on shrove-tuesday a play called the Merchant of Venice again, commanded by the King's Majesty. W'hich argues that the play gave good satisfaction at court. Shaxberd is set down as '4 the poet which made the play the name having been written by the same hand. No doubt, which gave as a like specimen of orthography in the case of Measure for Measure.
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