part ii. p. 419.

{258b} _The Merry Devill of Edmonton_, a comedy which was first
published in 1608, was also re-entered by Moseley for publication on
September 9, 1653, as the work of Shakespeare (see p. 181 _supra_).

{259a} Dyce thought he detected traces of Shirley's workmanship, but it
was possibly Theobald's unaided invention.

{259b} The 1634 quarto of the play was carefully edited for the New
Shakspere Society by Mr. Harold Littledale in 1876. See also Spalding,
_Shakespeare's Authorship of_ '_Two Noble Kinsmen_,' 1833, reprinted by
New Shakspere Society, 1876; article by Spalding in _Edinburgh Review_,
1847; _Transactions_, New Shakspere Society, 1874.

{260} Cf. Mr. Robert Boyle in _Transactions_ of the New Shakspere
Society, 1882.

{261} _Reliquiae Wottonianae_, 1675, pp. 425-6. Wotton adds 'that the
piece was set forth with many extraordinary circumstances of Pomp and
Majesty, even to the matting of the Stage; the Knights of the Order, with
their Georges and Garters, the Guards with their embroidered Coats, and
the like: sufficient in truth within a while to make greatness very
familiar, if not ridiculous. Now King _Henry_ making a Masque at the
Cardinal _Wolsey's_ House, and certain Canons being shot off at his
entry, some of the paper or other stuff wherewith one of them was
stopped, did light on the Thatch, where being thought at first but an
idle Smoak, and their eyes more attentive to the show, it kindled
inwardly, and ran round like a train, consuming within less than an hour
the whole House to the very grounds. This was the fatal period of that
vertuous fabrique; wherein yet nothing did perish, but wood and straw and
a few forsaken cloaks; only one man had his breeches set on fire, that
would perhaps have broyled him, if he had not by the benefit of a
provident wit put it out with bottle[d] ale.' John Chamberlain writing
to Sir Ralph Winwood on July 8, 1613, briefly mentions that the theatre
was burnt to the ground in less than two hours owing to the accidental
ignition of the thatch roof through the firing of cannon 'to be used in
the play.' The audience escaped unhurt though they had 'but two narrow
doors to get out' (Winwood's _Memorials_, iii. p. 469). A similar
account was sent by the Rev. Thomas Lorkin to Sir Thomas Puckering,
Bart., from London, June 30, 1613. 'The fire broke out,' Lorkin wrote,
'no longer since than yesterday, while Burbage's company were acting at
the Globe