DEEP: Database of Early English Playbooks

1600 Shakespeare, William The Merchant of Venice (The Jew of Venice)

Reference Information

DEEP #: 301
Greg #: 172a
STC/Wing #: 22296
Record Type: Single-Play Playbook
Play Type: Adult Professional
Genre (Annals): Comedy
 
Book Edition: 1
Play Edition: 1
Format: Quarto
Leaves: 38
Date of First Publication: 1600
Date of First Production: 1596 [1596-1598]
Company of First Production: Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men
Company Attribution: Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men
 
Total Editions: 3 quartos, 2 folios in collection

Title-Page Features

Title: The most excellent Historie of the Merchant of Venice. With the extreame crueltie of Shylocke the Iewe towards the sayd Merchant, in cutting a iust pound of his flesh: and the obtayning of Portia by the choyse of three chests.
Author: Written by William Shakespeare.
Performance: As it hath beene diuers times acted by the Lord Chamberlaine his Seruants.
Imprint: AT LONDON, Printed by I. R. for Thomas Heyes, and are to be sold in Paules Church-yard, at the signe of the Greene Dragon. 1600.

Paratextual Material

None

Stationer Information

Printer: Roberts, James
Publisher: Hayes, Thomas
Imprint Location: A.3 (Paul's Churchyard - Northeast)
Entries in Stationers' Register: Jul 22, 1598: Entered to James Roberts: "a booke of the Marchaunt of Venyce or otherwise called the Iewe of Venyce./ Prouided that yt bee not prynted by the said Iames Robertes; or anye other whatsoeuer wthout lycence first had from the Right honorable the lord Chamberlen".
Oct 28, 1600: Transferred from James Roberts to Thomas Hayes: "A booke called the booke of the merchant of Venyce".
Jul 8, 1619: Transferred from Thomas Hayes decd. to Lawrence Hayes: "A play Called The Marchant of Venice".
Oct 17, 1657: Transferred from the widow of Lawrence Hayes and Jane Graisby to William Leake (2): "the Booke or Copie called The Merchant of Venice a Play written by William Shakespeare Gentleman".