Date of a warrant dormer from the Queen to the Master of her Revels. [Reprinted in _The Loseley MSS._ Ed. by A. J. Kempe, F.S.A. London. 1836.] The warrant runs thus-- ‘Whereas our wellbeloued Nicholas Udall hath at soondrie seasons convenient heretofore shewed and myndeth hereafter to shewe his diligence in setting foorth of Dialogues and Enterludes before us fo’ ou’ regell disporte and recreacion.’ ... And then goes on to authorize the loan of apparel for those purposes. Did the popularity of the Dramatist, and her personal acquaintance with him, since they had worked together on Erasmus’ _Paraphrase_, lead the Queen to condone the intense Protestantism of the Preacher, even to the continuing of him in favour? Udall and Ascham, two noted Protestants, are both favoured by Mary. *1555. 1556. Nov. Udall is appointed Master of Westminster School, and so continues until Mary re-establishes the Monastery at Westminster. 1556. Dec. Udall dies. ----. ---- 23. He is buried in St. Margaret’s, Westminster. _Cooper, as above._ ROISTER DOISTER. INTRODUCTION. The author and early date of the present Comedy are ascertained by a quotation in Sir Thomas Wilson’s _Rule of Reason_ of Roister Doister’s letter to Dame Custance. The first edition of the _Rule of Reason_, 1550-1, is a very scarce work; of which I have been unable to see a copy. The second edition, 1552, 8vo, ‘newely corrected by _Thomas Wilson_,’ has _not_ the quotation: which apparently first appears in the third edition of 1553, 4to, the title of which runs, “The Rule of Reason, conteinyng the Arte of _Logique_. Sette furthe in Englishe, and newly corrected by Thomas Wilson. _Anno Domini. M.D.LIII._ Mense Ianuarij.” At folio 66 of this edition, Wilson, in treating of _The Ambiguitie_, adds to his previous examples, Roister Doister’s letter, with the following heading: ¶ An example of soche doubtful writing, whiche by reason of poincting maie haue double sense, and contrarie meaning, taken out of an entrelude made by Nicolas Vdal. The present comedy was therefore undoubtedly written before the close of the reign of Edward VI., who died 6 July 1553. If it was then printed, that entire edition has perished. The prayer for the Queen at _p._ 86, can be for no other than Queen Elizabeth: and therefore, although the title-page is wanting and there is no conclusive allusion in the play, it may confidently be believed that the extant text was printed in Elizabeth’s reign: and that it had possibly in some respects been modified. There now comes the evidence of the Stationers Co.’s Register, as quoted by Mr. Collier, _Extracts_, _i. 154_, _Ed. 1848_: Rd of Thomas Hackett, for hys lycense for pryntinge of a play intituled auf Ruyster Duster, &c. iiijd