composition, though this may, I think, be fixed as probably not earlier than 1545, but before 1552. The allusions to usury seem to point to a period anterior to the repeal by Edward VI. in 1552 of the Usury Act of 37 Henry VIII., which was re-enacted by Elizabeth in 1570. Yet the reference to "the Queen" (347,_d_), unless a later interpolation, is obviously to Queen Elizabeth, and not to Queen Mary. The play is too distinctly and settled Protestant--indeed, the tone is even that of "the new learning" victorious--to admit of a Marian chronology. In this latter case the downward limit would be extended at least to 1558. Other allusions are likewise scanty or unilluminating--"Joy and solace be in this hall" (321,_a_), seems suggestive of a College or Inns of Court audience, as distinguished from a purely Court performance; the joining of simony with covetise (325,_c_) recalls the Edward VI. Act against simony (1552); "Conscience, the high judge of the law" (328,_b_), is reminiscent of _Respublica_: cf. 227,_d_; other references are to Newgate, Tyburn, the Fleur de Lys, etc., but they do not appear to have any special meaning. The present text is transcribed direct from a rotary-bromide copy of the original, and having been twice collated, once with the photo-text, and again finally with the original, it will, I hope, be found as accurate as human care can make it. _Variations and Corrigenda_ are as follows: The colophon (312,_d_) is in original given on Eii. v. at the end of the play--The text begins at the top of Aii _r_ without title--The stage directions in brackets do not appear in the original--The names of the speakers are in the present text systematised a little, and are consequently, in some cases, slightly different to the original--"What people are tho[se]" (314,_a_), in original _tho_ (A.S. = those)--"for shame thou _shouldst_ bear" (315,_a_), in original _shuls_--"that with _humility_" (316,_b_), in original _humyly_--"Thy very duty" (317,_a_), in original _They_--"this _well_ I knaw" (317,_a_), in original _wyll_--"Let it be _tryd_ by manhood, and _thereto_ I give thee my glove" (317,_c_), in original _tryet_ and _thertho_--"I pray _you_ sir" (317,_d_), in original _your_--"I hold it _punishment_" (318,_a_), in original _punisshment_--"Nay by _God_! there _ho_!" (318,_d_), in original _good ... hoo_--"I break your _head_" (319,_a_), in original _heed_--"_Pater dimitte illis_" (319,_b_), in original misprinted _dimitie_--"_beati_ _pauperes spiritu_" (319,_b_), in original _beaty pauperes_ _spiritu_--"As it _doth_ often" (320,_c_), in original _doeth_--"_Exeunt ambo_" (320,_d_), in original _Exiunt_ _ambo_--[_Enter_ ABUNDANCE] (321,_a_), throughout this is _Haboundaunce_--"_though_ he would" (321,_d_), in original _thought_--"_be_ openly known"