THE Tragedy of Dr. Faustus was entered on the Stationers' Books January 7, 1600–1, but the 4to. of 1604 is the earliest edition yet discovered. A copy (probably unique) of this edition is in the Bodleian Library. The title is :-: -The Tragicall History of D. Faustus. As it hath bene Acted by the Right Honorable the Earle of Nottingham his seruants. Written by Ch. Marl. London Printed by V. S. for Thomas Bushell 1604. The text of ed. 1604 was first printed by Dyce, and more recently the precious 4to. has been inspected by Professor A. W. Ward, who published an edition of Faustus in 1878. A second 4to., of which there is a unique copy in the town library of Hamburg, appeared in 1609 with the following title :- The Tragicall History of the horrible Life and death of Doctor Faustus. Written by Ch. Marl. Imprinted at London by G. E. for John Wright and are to be sold at Christ-church gate. 1609. This edition agrees in almost every particular with the preceding. Its readings are reported in Wagner's edition (1877). The third 4to., which contains some scenes wholly re-written and others printed for the first time, was published in 1616 with the following title :—The Tragicall History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus. Written by Ch. Marl. London, Printed for John Wright, and are to be sold at his shop without Newgate, at the signe of the Bible, 1616. In the Introduction I have discussed fully the origin of these changes and additions. Other 4tos. agreeing in the main with ed. 1616 appeared in 1620, 1624, and 1631. In 1663 the play was issued once more in 4to. (with a very corrupt text). I have followed the text of the first 4to., recording the reading of the later 4tos. where it seemed necessary. In all cases where I have adopted a later reading, the text of the editio princeps is given in a footnote. I have printed in an Appendix the scenes that were re-cast or added in ed. 1616; but where the changes and additions are not extensive, they are given in the footnotes. As Dr. Faustus is a series of dramatic scenes rather than a regular drama, I have made a division merely into scenes-not into acts and scenes. The same arrangement has been adopted in Professor Ward's edition. VOL. I. Clown. RALPH. Vintner, Horse-Courser, Knight, Old Man, Scholars, Friars, and Attendants. DUCHESS OF VANHOLT. Devils. The Spirits representing ALEXANDER THE GREAT and his Paramour, and HELEN of Troy. Chorus. THE TRAGICAL HISTORY OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS. Enter CHORUS. Chorus. Not marching now in fields of Trasymene, Where Mars did mate1 the Carthaginians; Nor sporting in the dalliance of love, In Courts of Kings where state is overturned; ΙΟ 1 "Mate "ordinarily means "confound;" but the Carthaginians were victorious in the engagement at Lake Trasimenus. Cunningham says the meaning must be "married the Carthaginians, espoused their cause;" but I strongly doubt whether the word "mate was so used. It would perhaps be safer to suppose that Marlowe's memory was at fault. Ed. 1616 reads "the warlike Carthagens." 2 So ed. 1616.-Eds. 1604, 1609, "daunt." 3 So all the 4tos. Dyce unnecessarily printed "her." Ward compares Shakespeare's Sonnet xxi. 1-2, "So is it not with me as with that Muse Stirr'd by a painted beauty to his verse." |
