Amsterdam. Aubrey, i. 213, says that John Dee 'used to distill egge-shells, and 'twas from hence that Ben Johnson had his hint of the alkimist, whom he meant'. The play was given by the King's men at Court during 1612-13.
Catiline his Conspiracy. 1611
1611. Catiline his Conspiracy. Written by Ben: Ionson. For Walter Burre. [Epistles to William Earl of Pembroke, and to the Reader, both signed 'Ben. Jonson'; Commendatory Verses, signed 'Franc: Beaumont', 'John Fletcher', 'Nat. Field'.] 1616. Catiline his Conspiracy. A Tragoedie. Acted in the yeere 1611. By the Kings Maiesties Seruants. The Author B. I. William Stansby. [Part of F_{1}. After text: 'This Tragœdie was first Acted, in the yeere 1611. By the Kings Maiesties Servants. The principall Tragœdians were, Ric. Burbadge, Ioh. Hemings, Alex. Cooke, Hen. Condel, Ioh. Lowin, Ioh. Underwood, Wil. Ostler, Nic. Tooly, Ric. Robinson, Wil. Eglestone.'] 1635. . . . 'now Acted by his Maiesties Servants'. . . . N. Okes for I. S.
Edition by L. H. Harris (1916, Yale Studies, liii).—Dissertation: A. Vogt, B. J.'s Tragödie C. und ihre Quellen (1905, Halle diss.).
Bartholomew Fair. 1614
1631. Bartholomew Fayre: A Comedie, Acted in the Yeare, 1614. By the Lady Elizabeths Seruants. And then dedicated to King Iames of most Blessed Memorie; By the Author, Beniamin Iohnson. I. B. for Robert Allot. [Part of F_{2}. Prologue to the King; Induction; Epilogue. Jonson wrote (n.d.) to the Earl of Newcastle (Harl. MS. 4955, quoted in Gifford's memoir and by Brinsley Nicholson in 4 N. Q. v. 574): 'It is the lewd printer's fault that I can send . . . no more of my book. I sent you one piece before, The Fair, . . . and now I send you this other morsel, The fine gentleman that walks the town, The Fiend; but before he will perfect the rest I fear he will come himself to be a part under the title of The Absolute Knave, which he hath played with me.'] Edition by C. S. Alden (1904, Yale Studies, xxv).—Dissertation: C. R. Baskervill, Some Parallels to B. F. (1908, M. P. vi. 109). No dedication to James, other than the prologue and epilogue, appears to be preserved, but Aubrey, ii. 14, says that 'King James made him write against the Puritans, who began to be troublesome in his time'. The play was given at Court on 1 Nov. 1614 (App. B), and a mock indenture between the author and the spectators at the Hope, on 31 Oct. 1614, is recited in the Induction and presumably fixes the date of production. One must not therefore assume that a ballad of Rome for Company in Bartholomew Faire, registered on 22 Oct. 1614 (Arber, iii. 554), was aimed at Jonson. Greg, Henslowe Papers, 78, follows Malone and Fleay, i. 80, in inferring from a mention of a forthcoming 'Johnsons play' in a letter of 13 Nov. 1613 from Daborne to Henslowe that the production may have been intended for 1613, but I think that Daborne refers to the revival of Eastward
