The Editor, The Artist, and the Early Texts of Shakespeare: Moving Forward By Looking Back

Abstract

In act 2 of Merry Wives of Windsor, Mistresses Page and Ford discover that they have both been separately and secretly presented with identical love letters from Falstaff. Amidst the comical discussion that ensues between the two ladies, Mistress Page suggests,

I warrant he hath a thousand of these letters writ with blank space for different names—sure, more—and these are of the second edition. He will print them, out of doubt, for he cares not what he puts into the press, when he would put us two. (2.1.50-53)¹