About the authorship he says nothing: perhaps he neither knew nor
cared who the author was. In our day the majority of people who tell
me about a play which they have seen, cannot tell me the name of the
author. Yet it is usually printed on the playbill, though in modest
type. The public does not care a straw about the author's name,
unless he be deservedly famous for writing letters to the newspapers
on things in general; for his genius as an orator; his enthusiasm as
a moralist, or in any other extraneous way. Dr. Forman in his queer
account of the plot of "Mack Beth" does not allude to the name of the
author (April 20, 1610). Twelfth Night was not published till 1623,
in the Folio: there was no quarto to enlighten Manningham about the
author's name. We do not hear of printed playbills, with author's
names inserted, at that period. It seems probable that occasional
playgoers knew and cared no more about authors than they do at
present. The world of the wits, the critics (such as Francis Meres),
poets, playwrights, and players, did know and care about the authors;
apparently Manningham did not. But he heard a piquant anecdote of
two players and (March 13, 1601) inserted it in his Diary.

Shakespeare once anticipated Richard Burbage at an amorous tryst with
a citizen's wife. Burbage had, by the way, been playing the part of
Richard III. While Will was engaged in illicit dalliance, the
message was brought (what a moment for bringing messages!) that
Richard III was at the door, and Will "caused return to be made that
William the Conqueror was before Richard III. Shakespeare's name
William." (My italics.) Mr. Greenwood argues that if "Shakspere the
player was known to the world as the author of the plays of
Shakespeare, it does seem extremely remarkable" that Manningham
should have thought it needful to add "Shakespeare's name William."