the Children of Paules. Written by W. S. G. Eld. [Running-title 'The Puritaine Widdow'.] 1664; 1685. [Parts of F_{3} and F_{4} of Shakespeare.] Editions in 1734 (J. Tonson), 1734 (R. Walker), by J. S. Farmer (1911, T. F. T.), and in Sh. Apocrypha. The W. S. of the title-page was interpreted as William Shakespeare in Archer's play-list of 1656 (Greg, Masques, c). The attribution is accepted by no modern critic, and guesses at Wentworth Smith and William Smith rest similarly on nothing but the initials. Internal evidence points to an author who was an Oxford man, and familiar with the plays of Shakespeare. Middleton is preferred by Fleay, ii. 92, Bullen (Middleton, i. lxxix), and others; Marston by Brooke, who dwells on a general resemblance to Eastward Hoe, and seems inclined to think that Jonson, whose Bartholomew Fair the play foreshadows, might also have contributed. The character George Pyeboard is clearly meant for Peele, and the play uses episodes which appear in The Merrie Conceited Jests of George Peele Gent. This, though the extant print is of 1607, was entered in S. R. on 14 Dec. 1605. The Paul's plays seem to have terminated in 1606, and Fleay points out that an almanac allusion in III. vi. 289 is to Tuesday, 15 July, which fits 1606. The attack on the Puritan ministers was resented in W. Crashaw's Paul's Cross sermon of 13 Feb. 1608 (cf. App. C, no. lvi). The Revenger's Tragedy. 1606 < > 7
S. R. 1607, Oct. 7 (Buck). 'Twoo plaies, thone called the revengers tragedie.' George Eld (Arber, iii. 360). 1607. The Revengers Tragœdie. As it hath beene sundry times Acted, by the Kings Maiesties Seruants. G. Eld.
1608. G. Eld.
Editions in Dodsley^{1-4} (1744-1876), and by W. Scott (1810, A. B. D. ii) and A. H. Thorndike (1912, M. E. D.). The authorship is ascribed to 'Tournour' in Archer's list of 1656 and to 'Cyril Tourneur' in Kirkman's lists of 1661 and 1671 (Greg, Masques, cii). Fleay, ii. 264, is sceptical, thinking the work too good for the author of The Atheist's Tragedy, and inclined to suggest Webster. Oliphant (M. P. viii. 427) thinks Tourneur impossible, in view of the difference of manner, and suggests, only to reject, Middleton. E. E. Stoll, John Webster, 107, 212, points out that both plays are much under the influence of Marston, and that the date may be fixed by the borrowing of the name and character of Dandolo from The Fawn (1606). The True Tragedy of Richard Duke of York > 1592
See The Contention of York and Lancaster. 1 Richard the Second c. 1592 < > 5
[MS.] Egerton MS. 1994. The play forms a separate section of this composite MS. It has no title-page and a few lines at the end
