[Transcriber’s Note: This text includes characters that require UTF-8 (Unicode) file encoding. If the œ ligature or characters in Greek do not display properly, or if the apostrophes and quotation marks appear as garbage, make sure your text reader’s “character set” or “file encoding” is set to Unicode (UTF-8). You may also need to change the default font. Additional notes are at the end of the book.] A SELECT COLLECTION OF OLD ENGLISH PLAYS. ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY ROBERT DODSLEY IN THE YEAR 1744. _FOURTH EDITION_, NOW FIRST CHRONOLOGICALLY ARRANGED, REVISED AND ENLARGED, WITH THE NOTES OF ALL THE COMMENTATORS AND NEW NOTES BY W. CAREW HAZLITT. BENJAMIN BLOM, INC. [Illustration] New York NOTICE. Since the Preface to this Work appeared, a very important augmentation of the new matter has been decided on, and the following early Dramas, never hitherto reprinted, have already been transcribed for insertion in our series under their respective dates. All are of the greatest rarity; and each, in its own way, seemed to possess literary and illustrative value:-- Life and Death of Jack Straw, 1593. ⁂ _The first dramatisation of the story of Wat Tyler._ Mucedorus, 1598. Look About You, 1600. The Contention between Liberality and Prodigality, 1602. The London Chanticleers, 1659. Lady Alimony; or, The Alimony Lady, 1659. ⁂ _Both of the two last named are earlier than the period of publication._ On the other hand, new collected editions of Randolph and Suckling have quite recently been announced; and, in consequence, the “Muses’ Looking-Glass,” by the former, and Suckling’s “Goblins,” will be excluded from the present Collection, agreeably to the principle explained in our Preface. W. C. H. KENSINGTON, _May 1, 1874_. DAMON AND PITHIAS. _EDITIONS._ _For the titles of the two old copies, see Hazlitt’s “Handbook,” p. 177._ MR HAZLITT’S PREFACE.[1]