78-9.)

The text of the play presents a good many difficulties, and in some
places there is reason to suspect more or less serious lacunae. The
classical names too are often badly corrupted, and the punctuation is
the worst conceivable. There is a division into acts and scenes, but it
neither follows a consistent principle, nor exhibits a correct
numbering. A new division on the ordinarily accepted principles of the
English stage has therefore been introduced in the margin. This has
necessitated a somewhat minute consideration of exits and entrances, and
a special list of necessary stage directions has been added below after
the usual list of irregular readings.

A list of personae is given in the original on the verso of the
title-leaf. The only omission is that of a Lord who has a part in
several scenes.

The thanks of the editor are due to the Rev. H. E. D. Blakiston,
President of Trinity College, Oxford, for information to the effect that
no references to plays are traceable in the account books of the
College, unless a payment of 6s. 6d. for a 'spectaculum in festo
Trinitatis' in 1565 can be so interpreted. A similar debt is owing to
Mr. J. P. Maine, librarian to the Duke of Devonshire, for information as
to the readings of the copy of the original issue of the play preserved
at Chatsworth.

LIST OF IRREGULAR AND DOUBTFUL READINGS

The punctuation of the original is so erratic as to make it impossible
to record all irregularities. The following are particularly frequent:
comma or semi-colon for period, especially at the end of a speech,
period or other stop for query-mark, colon or, less frequently,
semi-colon where at most a comma is needed. As a rule only those cases
have been noticed which would be likely to cause difficulty to a reader
who had the above points in mind.

{TN Catchwords are not shown in this transcription.
Other possible errors, which have not been corrected, are:

718 how (How)
1181 _Phaebus_ (_Phoebus_)
1694 (unusual indentation)
1887 (not indented)
}

A 1^v _Casca._ (_Casea._ 1607)
_Augur._ (_Augur:_ 1607)
_Senators._ (_Seuators._ 1607)
_Octauian._ (_Actauian._ 1607)
_Camber._ (both)
11 which (what)
14 her (? his)
20 field
25 Heauens. O (Heauens, O)
31 sig. A2 (B2 _Dyce only_)
32 Vomit (vomit)
ills (? ills:)
34 BE
44 shild
46 greatnesse