Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 December 2020
The play commonly known as Shakspere's Pericles first appeared in 1609, in a version so corrupt that it was clearly a piracy. Whether this was identical with the drama of the same title which was entered on the Stationers' Register in company with Antony and Cleopatra, on May 20, 1608, cannot be determined. This, however, is certain: the entry was made by Edward Blount, but the play was published by Henry Gosson, to whom no record of transfer is to be found. As to the composition of Pericles, it is now generally admitted that, with the possible exception of a few phrases, the first two acts are not by Shakspere but in all probability by George Wilkins.
page 100 note 1 Robert Boyle, On Wilkins's Share in the play called Shakspere's Pericles, Trans. N. Sh. Soc., 1882, pp. 321 ff.
page 100 note 2 Gower was represented as speaking the prologues to the acts.
page 101 note 1 A Biographical Chronicle of the Eng. Drama, London, 1891, vol. 2, pp. 206–208.
page 102 note 1 The name Pericles appeared first in Wilkins's novel, but had probably been used in the acted play.
page 108 note 1 A Shakespeare Manual, London, 1876, p. 219.
page 110 note 1 H. E. Moltzer, Shakspere's Invloed op het Nederlandsch Tooneel, pp. 34–41.
page 110 note 2 The Sources of Titus Andronicus, Pub. Mod. Lang. Asso., vol. xvi, No. 1.
page 110 note 3 Tittus and Vespacia, and Titus and Ondronicus, in Henslowe's Diary, ibid.
page 112 note 1 A Shakespeare Manual, p. 211.
page 112 note 2 Life of Shakespeare, London, 1886, p. 245.
page 113 note 1 William Shakespeare, New York, 1898, vol. 2, p. 282.