John Manningham: Diarist

John Manningham was a law student at the Middle Temple, and while there, during the period 1601-1602) kept a "diary" or notebook of events, witticisms and so forth.  The original manuscript is housed in the British Museum, and was first noticed for its references to Shakespeare by the infamous forger John Payne Collier.  This, however, was one of his legitimate discovery, of which there were not a few, and is not suspect as a genuine document.  The diary is remarkable for its two references to Shakespeare.  One, helping to date the play, is a reference to Twelfth Night, as it was performed for Candlemas Day at the Middle Temple.  The other, more famous reference, is to Shakespeare and Burbage and an assignation the one made and the other enjoyed.  Thanks to the good folks at Google Book Search, we now have access to an edited version of the diary: Diary of John Manningham, of the Middle Temple, and of Bradbourne, Kent, Barrister-at-Law, 1602-1603, ed. John Bruce, J. B. Nichols, 1868, from Google Book Search, full view and PDF, 188 pages.  I give below the two critical references from the diary:

Febr. 1601

Feb. 2	At our feast wee had a play called " Twelue Night, or What you Will," much like the Commedy of Errores, or Menechmi in Plautus, but most like and neere to that in Italian called Inganni? A good practise in it to make the Steward beleeve his Lady widdowe was in love with him, by counterfeyting a letter as from his Lady in generall termes, telling him what shee liked best in him, and prescribing his gesture in smiling, his apparaile, &c., and then when he came to practise making him beleeue they tooke him to be mad.
March 1601
	Vpon a tyme when Burbidge played Richard III. there was a citizen grone soe farr in liking with him, that before shee went from the play shee appointed him to come that night vnto hir by the name of Richard the Third. Shakespeare ouerhearing their conclusion went before, was intertained and at his game ere Burbidge came. Then message being brought that Richard the Third was at the dore, Shakespeare caused returne to be made that William the Conqueror was before Richard the Third. Shakespeare's name William. (Mr. Touse.)

The identity of Mr. Touse, who must have been Manningham's informant, is not known, and in fact, because the name is so difficult to read in the original (see The Norton Shakespeare, p. 3334), it is not truly known that it is "Touse"). 

Note on the dates:  Manningham was writing before the reform of the calendar, so February and March dates are given old style, as occurring in 1601.  We would render them in 1602 new style.

For more information on Manningham, see Joseph Hunter, New Illustrations of the Life, Studies and Writings of Shakespeare, vol. I, J. B. Nichols, 1845, p. 373, also from Google Book Search.