._ i. Of _The
pleasant Historie of John Winchcomb, in his younguer yeares called Jack
of Newbery, the famous and worthy Clothier of England; declaring his
life and loue, together with his charitable deeds and great
Hospitalitie_, &c., the earliest edition extant is the eighth, 1619,
4to: its entry in the Stationers' Books stands thus:

"7 Maii [1596].

"Tho. Millington Entered for his copie a book }
called Jack of Newbery So } vi^d."
that he haue yt lawfully aucthorised }

(_Liber_ C. fol. 19)

_The Gentle Craft, A most merry and pleasant History, not altogether
vnprofitable, nor any way hurtfull: very fit to passe away the
tediousnes of the long winters euenings_, in Two Parts, 1598, 4to., is
probably the first edition, for the following entry in the Stationers'
Books seems to relate to it:

"19^o Octobris [1597]

"Raphe Blore Entred for his copie vnder thande }
of Mr. Dix and Mr. Man a booke } vi^d."
called The gentle crafte intreatinge }
of Shoomakers.... }

(_Liber_ C. fol. 25.)

Verses of various kinds are inserted in these novels.

P. 21, l. 7, one whose imployment for the Pageant was vtterly spent, he
being knowne to be Eldertons immediate heyre.]--An allusion to Anthony
Munday. During a long life he figured in various capacities,--as a
player, an apprentice to Allde the printer, a retainer of the Earl of
Oxford, a Messenger of her Majesty's Chamber, Poet to the City,
dramatist, writer in verse and prose, and draper. He also excited
considerable attention, and drew much trouble on himself, by his efforts
in detecting the treasonable practices of the Jesuits. According to the
inscription on his monument in the church of St. Stephen, Coleman
Street, he died in his 80th year, August 10th 1633. (Stow's _Survey_, B.
iii. 61. ed. 1720.) For a fuller account of Munday and his writings, see
Chalmers's _Biog. Dict._, Collier's _Supplementary volume to Dodsley's
Old Plays_, Warton's _Hist. of Engl. Poet._, iii., 290, _seq._ ed. 4to.,
_Ritson's Bibl. Poet._, and Lowndes's _Bibl. Man._ His _Downfall of
Robert Earl of Huntington_, and _Death of Robert_, &c. (in the latter of
which, if not in the former, he was assisted by Chettle) are reprinted
by Mr. Collier in the volume