The fleire
Subtitle: as it hath been often played in the Blacke-Fryers by the Children of the Reuells
By: written by Edward Sharpham of the Middle Temple, gentleman
Contributors: Marston, John, 1575?-1634; Purfoot, Thomas, -1639 or 1640, printer; Butter, Nathaniel, -1664, bookseller; Mackenzie, James, binder; Barton, Thomas Pennant, 1803-1869, former owner
Publisher: Printed [by Thomas Purfoot] for Nathaniell Butter, and are to be sold at his shop at the Pyde Bull at Saint Augustines Gate
Published: 1610
Place of publication: At London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 60
Other titles: Early English Playbooks, 1594-1799 (Boston Public Library); Shakespeare Collection (Collection of Distinction)
Notes: Borrows from: Marston, John. Parasitaster.--ESTC

Printer's name from STC.

Signatures: A℗ø B-H́þ.

Title page vignette; head- and tailpieces; initial.

A2 missigned A3. Greg cites Huntington copy as a possible variant, with quire A printed as a whole sheet with A1,4 blank; in this state A3 would be properly signed. However, although "A4" seems genuine, "A1" is not original, and this being the Hoe copy in a Club binding the pedigree of any of the constituent leaves would be obscure.

Greg, W.W. Bibliography of the English printed drama to the Restoration, I, 255 (b)

Catalogue of the Barton collection, Boston Public Library (1888 edition), Misc., p. 521

English short title catalogue, S110955

Pollard, A.W. Short-title catalogue of books printed in England, Scotland, & Ireland and of English books printed abroad, 1475-1640 (2nd ed.), 22385

Cataloged 20171117 jmoschella

condition reviewed 20171201 cletizia

Boston Public Library (Rare Books Department) copy bound in red goatskin paneled in gilt by James Mackenzie. Spine paneled and tooled in gilt. Armorial bookplate of the Barton Library. Some early pen trials and marginal annotations. "The best prat of the fleire" inscribed in the margin of H1 verso in an early/contemporary hand. Sheet H on heavier brown paper stock.