The Old Law was originally published with the names of Thomas Middleton, William Rowley and Philip Massinger on the title page. Scholars long struggled to find any part of the play that resembles the work of Massinger. Recent studies by MacDonald Jackson, Gary Taylor and others have demonstrated that there is indeed a third author besides Middleton and Rowley, but that it is Thomas Heywood.

When the Royal Shakespeare Company recently revived The Old Law, they presented it under its subtitle (as being more marketable) and issued an RSC edition under the subtitle as well. However, even though there are a number of copies of the RSC edition entered on LT, the actual title of this play is still "The Old Law".