Note A — PREFACE.
Reading edition
In the Registers of the Stationers' Company are the following entries with regard to a book called 'Titus Andronicus,' but it is more than doubtful whether any of them refer to the editions of the play of that name which have come down to us. It will be seen that the entry under the date, 19 April, 1602, speaks of a transference of copyright from Thomas Millington to Thomas Pavier, but as both the extant editions of the play, printed respectively in 1600 and 1611, were published by Edward White, the entry can have reference to neither of these.
6 February, 1593.
John Danter. Entered for his copye under handes of bothe the wardens a booke intituled, A Noble Roman-Historye of Tytus Andronicus. vjd.
1602. 19 April.
Tho. Pavier. Entred for his copies by assignmt from Thomas Millington these bookes folowing; salvo jure cuiuscumque—
viz.
A booke called Thomas of Reading. vjd.
The first and second pts of Henry the VIt. ij bookes. xijd.
A booke called Titus and Andronic'. vjd.
Under the date 14o Dec. 1624, among a list of 'Ballades' is mentioned 'Titus and Andronmus.' Again, on 8o Novemb. 1630, is an entry assigning to Ric. Cotes from Mr Bird 'all his estate right title and interest in the Copies hereafter menconed,' and in the list which follows is 'Titus and Andronicus.' On 4 Aug. 1626, Thomas Pavier had assigned his right in Titus Andronicus to Edw. Brewster and Rob. Birde, so that apparently the same book is spoken of here as in the entry under the date 19 April, 1602. This being the case, it is difficult to account for the fact that a book, which in 1602 was the property of Thomas Millington, should in 1600 have been printed for Edward White, and that, after the transference of the copyright from Millington to Pavier, a second edition of the same book should have been printed in 1611 for the same Edward White. No edition with Millington's name on the title has yet been found.
Langbaine, in his Account of the English Dramatick Poets, p. 464 (ed. 1691), says of Titus Andronicus, 'This Play was first printed 4o. Lond. 1594. and acted by the Earls of Derby, Pembroke, and Essex, their Servants.' Whether or not this is the same as 'titus and ondronicus' mentioned in Henslowe's Diary (p. 33, ed. Collier) as acted for the first time on the 23 Jan. 1593, it is impossible to say.