SOURCE: Lever, J. W. Introduction to Every Man in His Humour: A Parallel-Text Edition of the 1601 Quarto and the 1616 Folio, edited by J. W. Lever, pp. xi-xxviii. Lincoln, Neb.: University of Nebraska Press, 1971.

In this essay, Lever offers an overview of the changes Jonson made to the original Quarto version of Every Man in His Humour.

Date

On the title page of the Folio (F [the first folio of Jonson's Works, 1616]), the date of the original version of the play (Q [the quarto of 1601]) is given as 1598. This is confirmed by a letter from Toby Matthew to Dudley Carleton dated September 20, 1598, which mentions a German who lost three hundred crowns at “a new play called, Euery mans humour.” Moreover, Cob's description of Bobadilla as “that fencing Burgullion” (III.v.15, Q) recalls a Burgundian fencer, recently arrived in England, who was executed in July, 1598, for killing an officer of...