A

SELECT COLLECTION

OF

OLD PLAY S.

IN TWELVE VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

A NEW EDITION:

WITH

ADDITIONAL NOTES AND CORRECTIONS,

BY THE LATE

ISAAC REED, OCTAVIUS GILCHRIST,

AND THE EDITOR.

JP Collia?

LONDON:

SEPTIMUS PROWETT, 23, OLD BOND STREET.

M.DCCC.XXV.

1825

:

OLD PLAYS.

VOLUME I.

PREFACES.

HISTORIA HISTRIONICA.

GOD'S PROMISES.

THE FOUR P's.

FERREX AND PORREX.

DAMON AND PITHIAS.

NEW CUSTOME.

M.DCCC.XXV.

ADVERTISEMENT

ΤΟ

THE PRESENT EDITION.

THE length of the prefatory matter to the Editions of this Collection of Old Plays by Mr. Dodsley, in 1744, and by Mr. Reed, in 1780, renders it unnecessary now to add more than a very short statement of what has been done to make the present undertaking acceptable.

Five and forty years have elapsed since the last reprint was published, and during that interval ardour of pursuit in this particular department has considerably increased the stock of knowledge previously obtained regarding the early drama and poetry of England. Mr. Reed, by his laborious industry, acquired additional information, appended by him in MS. to a copy of the Old Plays of 1780, which subsequently devolved into the possession of the late Mr. Octavius Gilchrist, long known as a tasteful and patient literary antiquary. He joined his acquisitions to those of Mr. Reed, and their latest notes and illustrations are here inserted,

b