1442700 1681 Shakespeare. Quartos. Othello, Lear and Richard II.

 

Shakespeare, William. Othello, the Moor of Venice. For W. Weak, 1681, [Jaggard, p. 422; Wing S2940], paper flaws to D3 slightly affecting text; The History of King Richard the Second Acted at the Theatre Royal, under the Name of the Sicilian Usurper. With a Prefatory Epistle in Vindication of the Author by N. Tate for Richard Tonson, and Jacob Tonson, 1681, [Jaggard p. 363; Wing S2921]; The History of King Lear Reviv’d with Alterations by N. Tate. For E. Flesher, 1681, first edition of Tate’s infamous adaptation, [Jaggard p. 356; Wing S2918] [bound with:]

 

[Pordage, Samuel.] Herod and Mariamne for William Cademan, 1674, later edition, [Wing P2970]--Settle, Elkanah. Cambyses King of Persia… the third impression. For William Cademan, 1675, final blank present, [Wing S2666], title-page cropped; Ibrahim The Illustrious Bassa. T.M. for W. Cademan, 1677, first edition (variant without 4 leaf preface inserted after A4), [Wing S2694],loss to some corners not affecting text; Pastor Fido for William Cademan, 1677, first edition, [Wing S2706]; Fatal Love for William Cademan, 1680, first edition, [Wing S2683]; The Heir of Morocco for William Bademan, 1682, first edition, preliminary blank present, [Wing S2689]--Tate, Nahum. Brutus of Alba E.F. for Jacob Tonson, 1678, first edition, [Wing T177]; The Loyal General for Henry Bonwicke, 1680, first edition, [Wing T193]; The Ingratitude of a Common-Wealth T.M. for Joseph Hindmarsh, 1682, first edition, [Wing T190]all 4to, 12 plays in one volume, contemporary mottled calf, spine in six compartments with morocco lettering piece (XII PLAYS), a few marginal tears, some worming, binding worn with upper joint split and lower joint splitting, loss to head of spine

 

Tate’s adaptations of Shakespeare for the Restoration stage are legendary. Two are included in the present collection: Sicilian Usurper(based on Richard II) and The History of King Lear. As Jaggard notes for Richard II, ‘the character of Richard is changed, and additions are made to the text in order to render the play more acceptable to the English throne’. Nevertheless, performances at Drury Lane Theatre were stopped by the Lord Chamberlain.   Tate's King Has "Lear regaining his throne, Cordelia marrying Edgar, and Edgar joyfully declaring that "truth and virtue shall at last succeed."

 

Elsewhere in the volume, there are a number of Tate’s other plays including Brutus of Alba(later adapted as the libretto for Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas). The Loyal General includes a prologue written by Mr Dryden (If yet there be a few that take delight).