THE FIRST SKETCHES OF THE SECOND AND THIRD PARTS OF KING HENRY THE SIXTH. EDITED BY JAMES ORCHARD HALLIWELL, ESQ. F.R.S, HON. M.R.I.A., &c. Quæ in veteribus libris reperta mutare imperiti solent, dum librariorum AMYOT, THOMAS, ESQ., F.R.S., TREAS. S. A. AYRTON, WILLIAM, ESQ., F.R.S., F.S.A. BOTFIELD, BERIAH, ESQ., M.P. BRUCE, JOHN, ESQ., F.S.A. COLLIER, J. PAYNE, ESQ., F.S.A., DIRECTOR. CRAIK, GEORGE L., ESQ. CUNNINGHAM, PETER, ESQ., TREASURER. DYCE, REV. ALEXANDER. FIELD, BARRON, ESQ. HALLAM, HENRY, ESQ., F.R.S., V.P.S.A. HALLIWELL, J. O., ESQ., F.R.S., F.S.A. HARNESS, REV. WILLIAM. MACREADY, WILLIAM C., ESQ. MILMAN, REV. HENRY HART. OXENFORD, JOHN, ESQ. PETTIGREW, T. J., ESQ., F.R.S. F.S.A. PLANCHÉ, J. R., Esq., F.S.A. THOMS, WILLIAM J., ESQ., F.S.A. TOMLINS, F. GUEST, ESQ., SECRETARY. WATSON, SIR FREDERICK BEILBY, K.C.H., F.R.S. WRIGHT, THOMAS, ESQ., M.A., F.S.A. The Council of the Shakespeare Society desire it to be understood that they are not answerable for any opinions or observations that may appear in the Society's publications; the Editors of the several works being alone responsible for the same. INTRODUCTION. On the 2nd of April, 1798, Messrs. Leigh and Sotheby, the well-known booksellers and auctioneers, were selling by auction the fourth day's division of the "curious and valuable" library of Dr. Samuel Pegge, prebendary of Lichfield, and a distinguished antiquary. There was one particular lot in that day's sale which has rendered the auction an era in Shakespearian bibliography—a very small octavo volume, without covers, purchased by the author of "Caledonia" for £5 15s. 6d., and described in the sale catalogue, No. 938, as "Shakespeare's true Tragedie of Richard Duke of Yorke, and the Death of good King Henrie the Sixt, Lond. by P. S., 1595." This little tract, so unpretendingly exhibited to competition, was no less than the unique copy of the play upon which the Third Part of Henry VI. was founded, which fetched the enormous sum of one hundred and thirty pounds at Chalmers's sale in 1842, and concerning the nature of which so much was said in the public prints at the time of its producing the above sum, at the rate of more than three guineas for each leaf. This inestimable treasure was acquired by the Bodleian Library, |