Lansdowne MS 807/2

2. "The second Mayden's tragedy." fo. 28. At the end of this play is the original licence by the Master of the Revels, for its performance, in the following words; "This second Mayden's tragedy (for it hath no name inscribed) may, with the reforinations, bee acted publickly. 31 Octobr 1611. G. Buc." After the licence was written, some person has indorsed on the back of the last leaf this title, "The second Mayden's Tragedy, October 31st 1611. By Thomas. . . . . ." The name that followed has been so carefully obliterated with a pen and ink as to render it almost impossible to ascertain what it was; but a conjecture has been formed that it was "Golf." The person who endeavoured to cancel this name has substituted that of "George Chapman," which in its turn has been struck through with a pen that in its progress has added to the former mischief, and introduced, without the least foundation, the words "By William Shakspear. The judicious editor, therefore, of Baker's Biographia Dramatica seems to have had very good reason for believing that the piece was not the composition of Goff or Chapman; and he might well have added, "or Shakspeare." A specimen of this play is given in the above-mentioned work, where it is also very correctly stated that the two plots of which it consists are borrowed from the story of The curious Impertinent, in Don Quixote, and from Camoens's Lusiad.