Of the relatively small number of dramas that are extant in manuscript, the majority are from the Caroline and Cromwellian era (1625–1660) rather than the Elizabethan and Jacobean era (1558–1625), and most are fair copies of plays by professional scribes like Ralph Crane.
The majority of extant dramas belong to the 17th century, particularly the Caroline and Cromwellian period (1625–1660), whereas fewer originate from the earlier Elizabethan and Jacobean era (1558–1625). These surviving plays are mostly faithful reproductions created by skilled writers like Ralph Crane.