. 'psury ■ • :•■■-.; ■ ■■■%&k4& :■■■'): ::■:::■;■■■ .■;:'■ : : ;.■-.■• II n ■'■ .■■■■.■■' ■■ r \: ■ : • ' . ■'''' : j;'-';''j '•■'■•"' ; • -' - ; ! 'm : : '..'^" l' w ■ <*> ° a o **■ -N X, ^ '/ ■\* 'H. ■ -A ; .^'%. c> .0' s <- V, * t • ** N r. ,V" ■>V * v ^'%, * o * . ^ " . o. ^ ,A •A *£. v. ,0* ■> „ // ,,N % V X^ V-_ ' ' ^^ V' ^ '- V ^ A . \ N * V.' A* >^ : ? ^ •>- ->. >- A > A' ^n -'• •5- A * .A v. ^ > <■ -■ ,V 0^ , ,X G *, % .# v« . v ^ . •S,v* t* ^ A x ' * ^ ^ ,v ^\ ,^ v* v 7*^ * : ^-o* ^/ \ -/- %<^ -^ . v \ v ^ -/■ A - - ^ V ■f- A' - ■ - •^ o> ^ — o _. o- Va •^ >-. - -. . ^ ■ . " L .^" V/- r. ■ -. ■ if : W 'o N -, - ^ AN Kc - v. ^ '\ V> \ - \ : %^ ^ ^ - - ^, = ,\ \ vV A^ s v0 ^ ■' I hereby certify that the impression of the following Catalogue of Antiquities, dec, illustrating the Life and Works of Shakespeare, has been most strictly limited to eighty copies. J/ Facsimile from ifa Ordinal M.S. cmluiniryr Traditional- Aneakfrs af SAa/cespeare collated- m, tAe year 1S23. _ SeeTa^ s/.. J.Nemenu£scS m Jaam.- : my ^il^^^^P" am lcc0Hnt irf \\t Intimities, Cniti0 r 3!!atiU0rrift0, Unit SonkB, Stated DnmrratB, atifr ntjpr fUliqra, Illustrattbe of tfjc life an* igorfts of latepam En tf)e possession of Barnes <£rf&ar& ©allttoefl, <££q,, $&.&. Brixton ©ill: IBrinteo for ISribatr Circulation onto. m.Uccc.ltt. LONDON : T. RICHARDS, 87 GT. QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN'S INN. 2_A PREFACE. Bearing in mind that collectors are too often inclined to place an extreme value on what has cost great time, labour and expence to bring together, it has been my endeavour, in the following pages, to avoid in every case an undue apjDreciation of either rarity or importance ; feeling convinced every lover of Shakespeare will be enabled, from the brief descriptions here given, to estimate the degree of consequence attached to the collection, which is the only one of any magnitude yet formed, really illus- trative of the life and works of our great dramatic poet. In fact, with the exception of the few but precious documents in the pos- session of Mr. Wheler of Stratford-on-Avon, and the museum of supposititious Shakespeare reliques in the same town, I am not acquainted with any collection specially formed for a similar VI PREFACE. purpose. Our public libraries and museums are remarkably deficient in the department of Shakespearian curiosities ; and although Eng- land derives much of her moral renown from being the birth-place of the greatest of all un- inspired authors, no one yet seems to have considered it worth while to have completed a series of authentic materials in illustration of his life and writings. It is almost unnecessary to say there were many difficulties in the way of accomplishing such a design ; and so few are the opportunities of procuring genuine Shakespearian reliques, my pursuit commenced rather from an intense regard of the importance of the subject, than from a hope of accumulating a collection worthy, in any respect, to be considered ap- propriate to the greatness of its object. Such a hope would unquestionably have been futile, but still the partial success has surpassed all expectation ; and if I can neither produce letters nor autographs, there are yet recorded in the following pages a sufficient number of important illustrative objects to render the whole PREFACE. Vll well deserving the attention of every Shakes- pearian student. The formation of the collection has occupied my earnest attention for several years, and I believe scarcely any article of real importance to the series, which has occurred in the market, has escaped my notice. A fatality seems to have passed over all the contemporary memorials of Shakespeare. Not a single autograph of his exists even in the place of his nativity, and of the five indisputable signatures known to exist, three are appended to his will at Doctors' Commons, and only one of the other two is in private hands. Not a solitary line of his handwriting is known to be preserved, and the present collection contains (No. 112) the only manuscript fragment of any of his works, indubitably written in his life-time, which has yet been discovered. On these accounts, the early MS. copies of some of his writings, described in the following pages, and which are more numerous here than in any other library, public or private, may fairly be considered of high interest. In connexion with these, the MS. of the Merry Wives of Windsor Vlll PREFACE. (No. 49), and the play-house copy of Twelfth Night (No. 91), may be noticed as curious illustrations of Shakespearian literature in the age succeeding the era of the poet himself. The Catalogue is sufficiently descriptive to render any further indication of its contents unnecessary. It will suffice to say that every article has been selected with the profoundest regard to authenticity, and that, in cases where any doubt can possibly arise, it has been honestly stated. The majority, however, are beyond the reach of scepticism. The woodcuts, with the exception of those at pp. 53 and 71, are from the careful pencil of F. W. Fairholt, Esq., F.S.A., and the very faith- ful facsimile at the commencement of the volume was made by Mr. F. Netherclift, whose accuracy is deserving of all praise. Avenue Lodge, Brixton Hill. May 6th, 1852. & Catalogue of i. A jetton, or counter, used for the purposes of calculation, especially in cases of complex and difficult adjustment. All reckonings were anciently adjusted among the illiterate and vulgar, by the help of these small circular pieces of base metal. Iago, in contempt of Cassio, calls him a counter-cadcr ; and the clown in the Winter's Tale cannot manage with- out its assistance. " What comes the wool to ? I cannot do't without counters." 2. A half-faced groat, in silver, of the reign of Henry VIII. This coin, which was seldom issued before the time of Henry VII, is thus alluded to by Shakespeare. — With that half-face would he have all my land : A half-fac'd groat five hundred pound a year ! 3. A silver penny and a silver twopence of the period of Queen Elizabeth. These become illustrative of Shakespeare, and are engraved as such by Mr. Knight. It is useful to bear in mind that the penny of Shakespeare's time, instead of being a large copper coin, was a very small silver one. 4. Peasant Canute, Mtvtn Cain*, fflotimtr $r£tsi, ni\i OTlttg $Cm$ f part of a jest-book printed about the year 1620, presumed to be unique, no copy being mentioned by any bibliographer. 12mo. This work enters into the Shakesperian collection, as it contains a curious notice of Shakespeare at p. 157, which shows how early Stratford on Avon was dis- tinguished as his birth-place. Some of the jests are extremely curious, and illustrative of manners and customs. One, at p. 57, relates to Kempe, the actor ; and another, at p. 64, to William Rowly at the Curtaine Theatre. A few extracts from this very rare and curious little volume, may not be unacceptable to the reader : 28. A Boy that Cryed Fire. An unhappy Boy lying in the streets on a cold winter night, cryed, Fire, Fire : the people lookt out of their windowes, and cryde, Where, where ? Marry, quoth the Boy, I would I knew myselfe, for I would gladly warme me. 50. The Marriage of Arts. The play called the Marriage of the Arts being presented before King James at Woodstocke, hee, in regard that it was somewhat tedious, and himselfe weary with so long sitting, offered twice or thrice to go away, which being observed by an ingenious scholler of the other University, he writ these verses : When Christ Church shew'd their Marriage to the King, Lest that their match should want an offering, The king himselfe did offer: what, I pray 1 He offered twice or thrice to goe away. 62. A cleanely lye. Will. Kempe, by a mischance, was with a sword run quite through the legge ; a countrey gentleman, comming to visite him, asked him how he came by that mischance : he told him, and withall, troth, saith he, I received this hurt just eight weekes since, and I have line of it this quarter of a yeare, and never stirr'd out of my chamber. 102. A sleepy drawer. A drawer, sleeping under the Pulpit, the Preacher beat his deske so hard, that he, being suddenly awaked, start up, and cryed openly in the Church, Anon, anon, sir. (See Shakespeare's Henry IV., First Part, Act ii, sc. 4.) 159. Stratford upon Avon. One travelling through Stratford upon Avon, a towne most remarkable for the birth of famous William Shakespeare, and walking in the Church to doe his devotion, espyed a thing there worthy observation, which was a tombestone laid more than three hundred yeares agoe, on which was engraven an epitaph to this purpose : I Thomas such a one, and Eli- zabeth my wife here under lye buried, and know, reader, I, R. C. and I, Christoph. Q, are alive at this houre to witnesse it. 171. One begd for a foole. A Knight, held to be a very wise man in his life, left behind him a sonne and heyre that was none of the best witted, to inherit his land, who was beg'd for a foole, and summoned into the Court of Wards for his answer : When question was made unto him what hee could say for himselfe, why his lands should not be taken from him, hee said, It is reported that my Father was a wise man, and begot a foole to inherit his estate after his death ; who can tell but that I, a foole, may beget a wise man to inherit after me. His answer caried it, and he and his remaine in possession of the same revenues unto this day. This anecdote is a good illustration of the "fool-begg'd patience", Comedy of Errors, Act ii, sc. 1. 5. Original Impression of the Seal of John Shakes- peare of Stratford on Avon, Father of the Great Dramatist, in most perfect preservation, attached to a slip of parchment ; a most singular and unique Shakes- pearian relique. Only one other impression from John Shakespeare's seal, and that damaged, is known to exist, and is now preserved in the archives of Stratford, having lately been presented to the corporation by Mr. Shirley, attached to a deed respecting property in Warwickshire. On the whole, it would be difficult to name a similar relique connected with Shakespeare's family of more interest than the present. The " boy Shakespeare" may have been present when this seal was impressed with due formality in the parlour at Henley Street. 6. An Apostle's Spoon, the han- dle of silver, and the bowl of wood ; a fine specimen of the time of Queen Elizabeth. It was the custom, long be- fore the time of Shakespeare, for the sponsors at christenings to offer spoons as a present to the child. These spoons were called apostle spoons, because the figures of the apostles were carved on the tops of the handles. Such as were at once opulent and generous, gave the whole twelve ; those who were either more moderately rich or liberal, escaped at the expense of four, or even sometimes contented themselves with presenting one spoon only, which exhibited the figure of any saint, in honour of whom the child received its name. Apostle spoons are alluded to in Henry VIII, Act v, sc. 2. 6 7. Polimanteia, or the meanes lawfull and unlawfull to judge of the fall of a commonwealth against the frivolous and foolish conjectures of this age. Printed by John Legate, and are to be sold at the signe of the Sunne in Pauls Church-yard in London, 1595. 4to. * # * This work is curious as containing the first printed notice of Shakespeare by name to be found in English literature. It occurs in a marginal note on the reverse of sig. R. 2, "All praise worthy Lucrecia, sweet Shake- speare". The present is not a bad copy of this interesting volume, but it wants sheet C. The part relating to Shakespeare and the other English writers is quite perfect. 8. Manuscript Poems, Temp. Charles I., Upon Mistris Mallet, by R. C.,— Upon the Mislike of Christ-Church Mariage of the Artes at Woodstock. — Upon an houre- glasse. — A Godly Exhortation to Mr. John Haymond, Minister of the Word in the Parish of Beudly, for the battering downe of those vanityes of the Gentiles, which are comprehended in a May-Pole, written by a zealous Brother from the Black -ffriers. — The Distracted Puritan, to the Tune of Tom of Bedlam. — A very curious ballad on the visit of King James I. to Oxford. — Early Copies of Two Poems in Shakespeare's Passionate Pilgrim. — On a Gentleman looking in a Glass. — Upon a faire Ladyes Picture. — On the Recovery from the tooth-ach by a kiss from a faire Lady. — Ben Jonson's "Drinke to me, Cselia, with thine eye." — And many others of great curiosity and interest, fol. *#* The two songs from the "Passionate Pilgrim" have numerous variations from all the printed editions. The first is the one commencing, "Venus and young Adonis sitting by hir". The second is, "Faire Citherea sitting by a brooke". As an example of the variations, we may select the following four lines from the last-mentioned poem : — But whether unripe years did want conceit, Or he refused to take her figur'd proffer, The tender nibbler would not touch the bait, But smile dxi&jest at every gentle offer. The Passionate Pilgrim, Collier's edition. But whether unripe yeares did want conceite, Or he did scome to take hir ffigur'd proffer, The tender nibbler wolld not take the baite, But blusht and smiVd at every gentle offer. Copy in the present 3IS. A small poetical MS. containing an earlier copy of only one poem in the Passionate Pilgrim, sold at the sale of Mr. Bright's Library of MSS. in 1844, No. 239, for £12. 9. A gold memorial ring, dated 1592, with the following curious posy inside, — The cruell seas, remember. Took him in November. 8 On the top under a pebble is a death's head and a skeleton. This curious relic thus becomes a double illus- tration of Shakespeare, of the posy of a ring, and of "a death's face in a ring" mentioned in Love's Labour's Lost. 10. Lucy. Autographs and original seals of the second Sir Thomas Lucy, son of the magistrate that condemned Shakespeare for deer- stealing, and of a relative, Elizabeth Lucy, with a perfect impression of Sir T. Lucy's seal containing the three luces, interesting as being alluded to in the following passage. Slen, All his successors, gone before him, have done't ; and all his ancestors, that come after him, may : they may give the dozen white luces in their coat. Shal. It is an old coat. Eva. The dozen white louses do become an old coat well ; it agrees well, passant ; it is a familiar beast to man, and signifies love. — Merry Wives of Windsor, Act i, sc. 1. The anecdote of Shakespeare and Lucy, explaining the reason of this satirical allusion, is too well known to be repeated. The Lucys of Charlecote will ever be connected with Shakespeare's personal history. 11. The broad shilling of Edward VI, the "shove-groat 9 shilling" of Falstaff, and the "Edward Shovel-Board" of Master Slender in the Merry Wives of Windsor. A tolerably fine specimen. 12. & Bofce or Coun^etll against fte BtsieaSc commonlg callcti tlje Placate, or <#lDcatgms; MtMt$$t, niatic fcg Mon Caiti3, Boctour m 33Jri£trftt» i2mo. 1552. It is supposed that only two other copies are known of this extremely rare book, and, till lately, the copy in the library of the College of Physicians was believed to be unique. One other, however, has since been discovered, wanting, I am told, the last leaf containing the woodcut. It is of interest in connexion with Shakespeare, as being the only English medical work by Dr. Caius, the cha- racter who is introduced in the Merry Wives of Windsor. It is dedicated "to the Righte Honourable William Earle of Pembroke, Lorde Harbert of Cardife, knight of the honourable ordre of the Garter, and president of the Kynges highnes counseill in the Marches of Wales, Jhon Caius wisheth helth and honour". He says at fol. 5, b, he was born at Norwich, and that, at one time, "I beganne a chronicle of the citie of Norwiche, of the beginninge therof, and thinges done ther from time to time, the matere wherof, yet rude and undigested, lyeth by me, which at laisure I minde to polishe, and to make an end of that I have begunne. And, to be shorte, in phisicke diverse thynges I have made and sette furth in print bothe in Greke and Latine, not mindyng to do 2 10 otherwise, as I have before said, al my life ; for which cause al these thinges I have rehersed, els superfluous in this place. Yet see, meaning now to counseill a litle agaynst the sweatyng sickenes for helpe also of others, notwithstandyng my former purpose, two thynges compell me, in writynge therof, to returne agayne to Englishe, necessite of the matter, and good wyl to my countrie, frendes, and acquaintance, which hereto have required me, to whome I thinke myselfe borne". There is rather a curious allusion to the sports of the age at fol. 28, — "For consuming of evel matter within, and for 1 making our bodies lustye, galiard, and helthful, I do not a little commende exercise, whiche in us Englishemen I allowe quick and livishe : as to runne after houndes and haukes, to shote, wrastle, play at tennes and weapons, tosse the winde balle, skirmishe at base, (an exercise for a gentlemanne muche used among the Italianes), and vaughting upon an horse. Bowling, a good exercise for women : casting of the barre and camping I accompt rather a laming of legges than an exercise." On the last leaf but one, it is stated to be "Imprinted at London by Richard Grafton, Printer to the kynges Majestie, Anno D\ 1552" ; and on the last leaf is a large woodcut of the sciences. This work is not mentioned by Ames or Herbert, nor is it in the large collection of this author's works in the Bodleian Library. On this account, the reader may be interested in the accompanying facsimile of the title-page. 11 8fco&e,m:aron* grill against tfje titsrasc commonly calico ttre storatr, or sfrica= tpg stcfenrssc fEtaor bv 3i)on Cams. Hottanr in pfjisirfo. 23rrrj nccrssaro for rurrpc pcrsonnr, ant murijc rtqat= site to bt fjao in tijr ijanors of al sortcs, for rrjrir better instrartion, preparation ant orfrnre, against tijt soub= orin rotnpng, ana fcar= fnl assaulting of tijc samr Disease. 1502 13. Joaimis Caii Britanni Opera aliquot et versiones, partim jam nata, partim recognita atque aucta. - Eorum Catalogum versa pagina exhibet. Lovanii, 1556. 8vo. This work is chiefly interesting as having a portrai of Dr. Cains, "astatis suae 43". A copy of this portrait should unquestionably be given in any future illustrated edition of the Merry Wives of Windsor. 12 14. A very interesting and curious collection of the original forgeries of W. H. Ireland, prefaced by the following note. — "These Specimens of my Shaksperian Productions were presented to Mrs. Ireland at her particular request in 1805, the period when I published my Confessions, in which will be found a full account of every document herein contained, W. H. Ireland." The volume contains the following papers : — (a) Four tracings from well-known and authentic signatures of Shakespeare. (b) Three of Ireland's original fabricated signatures of Shakespeare. (c) Tracing from an original autograph of Elizabeth, and a spurious signature introduced as the Queen's sign manual. (d) Original forgery of the following note attached to the letter, purporting to be from Elizabeth to Shake- speare, — Thys Letterre I dydde receyve fromme mye moste gracyouse Ladye Elyzabethe ande I doe requeste itte maye bee kepte withe alle care possyble W m Shakspeare (e) Original Forgery of the playhouse receipt for money paid in consequence of playing before Lord Leicester : 13 Inne the Yeare o Chryste FORRE oure Trouble inne goynge toe Playe before the Lorde Leycesterre ats house and oure greate Expenneces thereuponne 19 poundes Receyvedde ofs Grace the Surmne o 50 Poundes W m Shakspeare (/) Receipt for money paid and memorandum con- cerning disbursememts in having plaid before Lord Leicester, signed "W m . S." {g) Fabricated document, purporting to be a pro- missory note of hand from Shakespeare to Heminges for services performed by the latter. (h) A tracing from the original signature of Heminges, and his fabricated signature. (i) The original forgery of the celebrated love-letter from Shakespeare to Anne Hathaway : Dearesste Anna AS thou haste alwaye founde mee toe mye Worde moste trewe soe thou shalte see I have stryctlye kepte mye promyse I praye you perfume thys mye poore Locke withe thye balmye Eysses forre thenne indeede shalle Kynges themmeselves bowe ande paye homage toe itte I doe assure thee no rude hande hathe knottedde itte thye Willys alone hathe done the worke Neytherre the gyldedde bawblethatte envyronnes the heade of Majestye noe norre honourres moste weyghtye wulde give mee 14 lialfe the joye as didde thysse mye lyttle worke forre thee The feelinge thatte dydde neareste approache untoe itte was thatte whiche commethe nygheste untoe God meeke ande Gentle Charytye forre thatte Virrtue O Anna doe I love doe I cheryshe thee inne mye hearte forre thou arte ass a talle Cedarre stretchynge forthe its branches ande succourynge smaller Plants fromme nyppynge Winneterre orr the boysterouse Wyndes Farewelle toe Morrowe bye tymes I wille see thee tille thenne Adewe sweet e Love Thyne everre W m Shakspeare Anna Hatherrewaye (k) The original forgery of Shakespeare's verses to Anne Hathaway, and the fabricated copy of the letter purporting to be from Shakespeare to Lord Southampton. Verses to Anna Hatherrewaye. 1. IS there inne heavenne aught more rare Thanne thou sweete Nymphe of Avon fayre Is there onne Earthe a Manne more trewe Thanne Willy Shakspeare is toe you 2. Though fyckle fortune prove unkynde Stille dothe she leave herre wealthe behynde She neere the hearte canne forme anew Norre make thye Willys love unnetrue 15 3. Though Age withe witherd hand doe stryke The forme moste fayre the face moste bryghte Stille dothe she leave unnetouchedde ande trewe Thy Willys love ande freynshyppe too 4. Though deathe with neverre faylynge blowe Dothe Manne ande babe alyke brynge lowe Yette doth he take naughte butte hys due Ande strikes notte Willys hearte stille trewe 5. Synce thenne norre forretune deathe norre Age Canne faythfulle Willys love asswage Thenne doe I live ande dye forre you Thy Willye syncere ande moste trewe Letter to the Earl of Southampton. Copye of mye Letter toe hys grace offe Southampton Mye Lorde DOE notte esteeme me a sluggarde nor tardy e for thus havynge delayed to answerre or rather toe thank you for youre greate Bountye I doe assure you my graciouse ande good Lorde that thryce I have essayed toe wryte and thryce mye efforts have benne fruitlesse I knovre notte what toe saye Prose Verse alle all is naughte gratitude is alle I have toe utter and that is tooe greate ande tooe sublyme a feeling for poore mortalls toe 16 expresse O my Lord itte is a Budde which BUossommes Bllooms butte never dyes itte cherishes sweete Nature ande lulls the calme Breaste toe softe softe repose Butte mye goode Lorde forgive thys mye departure fromme mye Subjecte which was toe retturne thankes and thankes I Doe retturne O excuse mee mye Lorde more at present I cannotte Yours devotedly and withe due respecte W m Shakspeare (I) Fabricated signature attached to the letter of Lord Southampton. (m) The original forgery of the celebrated Profession of Faith, and the jocular letter from Shakespeare to Cowley the player. Profession of Faith. I BEYNGE nowe offe sounde Mynde doe hope thatte thys mye wyshe wille atte mye deathe bee acceeded toe as I nowe lyve in Londonne ande as mye soule maye perchance soone quitte thys poore Bodye it is mye desire thatte inne suche case I maye bee carryed to mye native place ande thatte mye Bodye bee there quietlye interred wythe as little pompe as canne bee ande I doe nowe inne theese mye seyriouse Moments make thys mye professione of fayth and whiche I doe moste solemnlye believe I doe fyrste looke toe oune lovynge and greate God ande toe hys gloriouse sonne Jesus I doe alsoe beleyve thatte thys 17 mye weake ancle frayle Bodye wille retturne toe duste butte forre mye soule lette God judge thatte as toe hymsselfe shalle seeme meete oninipotente ancle greate God I am fulle offe Synne I doe notte thynke myselfe worthye offe tliye grace ande yette wille I hope forre evene the poore prysonerre whenne bonnde with gallyng Irons evenne hee wille hope for Pittye ande whenne the teares offe sweete repentance bathe hys wretched pillowe he then looks ande hopes forre pardonne thenne rouze mye Soule ande lette hope thatte sweete cherisher offe alle afforde thee comforte alsoe nianne whatte arte thou whye considereste thou thyselfe thus greatelye where are thye greate thye boasted attrybutes bmyed loste foiTe everre inne colde Deathe. Manne whye attemptest thou toe searche the greatenesse offe the Ahnyghtye thou doste butte loose thye labourre more thou attempteste more arte thou loste tille thye poore weake thoughtes arre elevated toe theyre summite ande thence as snowe fronmie the leeffe Tree droppe ande disstylle themselves tille theye are noe more O God Manne as I am frayle bye Nature fulle offe Synne yette greate God receyve me toe thye boso m me where alle is sweete contente ande happynesse alle is blysse where discontente isse neverre hearde butte where oune Boncle offe freyndshippe unytes alle Menne Forgive Lorde alle oure synnes ande withe thye grete Goodnesse take usse alle to thye Breaste cherishe usse like the sweete Chickenne thatte under the coverte offe herre spreaclynge Wings Receyves herre lyttle Broode ande hoveringe 18 oerre themme keepes themme harmlesse ande in safetye W m Shakspeare Letter to Richard Cowley. Worthye Freynde HAVYNGE alwaye accountedde thee a Pleasaynte ande wittye Personne ande oune whose Companye I doe mnche esteeme I have sente thee inclosedde a whymsycalle conceyte whiche I doe suppose thou wilt easylye disco verre butte shoudst thou notte whye thenne I shalle sette thee onne mye table offe loggerre heades Youre trewe Freynde Marche nynthe W m Shakspeare Toe Masterre Richard Cowleye dwellynge atte oune Masterre Holliss a draperre inne the Wattlynge Streete Londonne (n) The Witty Conundrum. (o) The Jug water-mark. (p) Print of the house in Butcher Row, in which was purchased the drawing subsequently converted into a representation of Shylock, and Shakespeare as he appeared in the character of Bassanio. 19 (q) Fabricated signature to the deed between Shake- speare and John Lowin. (r) Signature to the deed purporting to be between Shakespeare and Henry Condel. (s) Signature to the first deed purporting to be a mortgage from Shakespeare to Michael Fraser. (t) Signature to the Fraser deed and representation of the Quintin Seal. (u) Signature to the deed of trust from Shakespeare to John Heminges. (v) Acrostic on Earl Rivers, the great patron of Caxton, and portrait of Caxton. (w) Fabricated acrostics on the Earl of "Warwick, Sir Robert Dudley, and Henry Prince of Wales. (x) Signature of Shakespeare to the deed of gift to W. H. Ireland. (y) Notes on Vortigern in the autograph of Samuel, father of W. H. Ireland. (z) Various original papers by members of the Ireland family, private plate representing A. M. Ireland and Miss Jane Linley, sister of the first Mrs. Sheridan. (a b) First leaf of the transcript of King Lear, the original forgery. Isse fromme Massterre Hollinneshedde I have inne sonime lyttle deparretedde fromme hymme butte thatte Libbertye will notte I truste be blamedde bye mye gentle Readerres W m Shakspeare 20 (a c) Specimen of alterations introduced in the tran- script of King Lear. (a d) "Ballad introducedde ynne mye Playe of Vor- tigerne," and another leaf of fabricated verses from that play, including the original of the celebrated line, — Ande whenne this solemn mockerye is oore. It is said that when Kemble arrived at this line, the audience applied it to the piece itself, and commenced the strong marks of disapprobation under which the curtain fell. Vortigern was represented at Drury Lane on the 2nd of April (surely a day too late), 1796, to a most crowded and respectable audience. All the avenues leading to the theatre were filled at an early hour, and thousands were compelled to return, not having been able to gain admittance into any part of the house. This impertinent attempt to deceive the public at once settled the fate of the "Shakespeare Papers", which must ever be considered as the results of one of the most extra- ordinary efforts in literary forgery, and perhaps the greatest "Curiosity of Literature". 15. Two specimens of ancient knives, engraved with verses. The first, the blade of which is probably nearly as old as the time of Shakespeare, (a bone handle having been given to it at a comparatively recent period) is slightly illegible at the commencement, but may be read as follows, — 21 Lend mee not, least wrong'd bee I, But let all borrowers gooe and buye. \is7i rj\ Ji|lfn3> nv2t met- Izak wronWbtf '^\Uf all hovYourers "boo? frluv The other, which is old but more recent than the first, is a small clasped knife in the form of a boot, with the lines, — . Hear is a leg and foot, And a good blade too't. The blade of this specimen is rusted, and one side is broken, but, on the whole, it is in tolerable preservation, and the verses are distinctly legible. The custom of cutlers' inscribing poetry on knives is alluded to by Shakespeare, but specimens are now of great rarity, these being the only ones I have heard of during a search of several years' duration. 22 About a hoop of gold, a paltry ring That she did give me ; whose poesy was For all the world, like cutlers' poetry Upon a knife, "Love me, and leave me not." Merchant of Venice, Act v, sc. 1. 16. The Eglogs of B. Mantuan turned into English verse by George Turbervile, 12mo. Imprinted at London in Pater Noster Rowe at the signe of the Marmayde, by Henrie Bynneman, 1567. * # # The first English translation of Mantuan, of excessive rarity. The first few leaves have been un- fortunately damaged, apparently gnawn by a mouse or rat. Blight's copy, which was damp-stained, produced £6. "Ah, good old Mantuan ! I may speak of thee as the traveller doth of Venice, — Old Mantuan, old Mantuan ! who understandeth thee not, loves thee not." — Love's Labour's Lost. 17. A Table-Book, or memorandum book on prepared paper, for the facility of erasures, 12mo. 1701-2. * # # Some of the memoranda have evidently been rubbed out to make way for fresh entries. Old table- books are of the greatest rarity. The late Mr. Douce possessed one, but only two others appear in private museums. Shakespeare alludes several times to these little memoranda books, in the Winter's Tale and in 23 Hamlet. In one place he speakes figuratively, also referring to them, — Yea, from the table of my memory I'll wipe away all trivial fond records. 18. C£e fcflfce Ot QOOti iHaner£. Here endeth and fynyssked the boke named and Intytled good maners. Enprynted at London in y e Flete Strete at the sygne of the Sonne by Wynken de Worde. In y e yere of our lorde. M. ccccc. and vii. The x. daye of December. The xxiii. yere of the reygne of our souerayne lorlde kynge Haiy the seuenth. 4to. The present copy of this most rare work belonged to Herbert, and is described by him in his edition of Ames, vol. i. p. 145. It has no title-page, or signature L, the latter of which, according to Herbert, is omitted by mistake. The only other copy known, that in the Public Library at Cambridge, is still more imperfect, wanting several leaves at the commencement. The work treats of vertues and vices ; of churchmen and their duties ; of princes, lords, and knights ; of the duties of commoners ; of death. An extract of one of the chapters will be sufficient to shew the nature of the work. 24 How no man ought to stryue ne engendre noyses. Capitulo viii. By stryfe maye come noo good, but it engendreth noyses, whiche oftymes may not well be appeased. And therfore Cathon sayth to his sone, my sone thou oughtest to flee noyses and stryues. For moche people have had harme by spekynge but by beynge styl and not to speke fewe or none haue had ony harme. And to this purpose sayth Juuenall in his iiii. boke that stryuynge langage bereth venym in hymselfe and corrupteth good maners and empessheth and letteth frendshyp. And me semeth that who that may haue pease by his lytel spekynge or beynge stylle hath not gretely cause to speke. For for to speke well is a grete maystry, but for to be stylle and saye lytell is noo grete payne, and oftyme scylence causeth to haue pease. And this wytnesseth Ouyde in his boke of the arte of loue. Moreouer by reason it well appereth that contencyon ne stryfe is no thynge worth. For if thou stryue for to susteyne trouth and bounte, it is no grete wysedome. For trouth and bounte susteyne them- self wherfor it suffiseth to knowe without ony thyng to stryue for who y* understandeth trouth and wyll not consente therto, by his stryue he shall not chaunge his purpose. And yf thou stryue for false hede and for euyll, the synne is moche grete and so lesest y u thy payne, for of so moche as thou the more stryuest of so moche thy false hede more clerely shewethe and this wytnesseth a philo- sophise named Exenophon. And Seneca in his fyrste epystle to Lucylle sayth that a man sholde not stryue 25 agaynst a fole. And to a wyse man for to stryue it is a folye. For the wyse man hateth noyse and stryue, and empressheth the pease of hertes and conscyences. Therfore sayth y° wyse man that fayre and swete spekynge maketh a man to haue pease and frendes. Thenne is good to enquyre fro whens comen the noyses and stryues, and me semeth y* they be ofte engendred of pryde. For we rede how Amalech made warre agaynst the chyldern of Israeli for fere that he had to lose his seygnourye, as it appereth in the xvii chapytre of Exodye. And somtyme the noyses comen by Impacyence nnd (sic) by fyers wordes as it is aboue sayd, by whiche it appereth that nothynge or lytel to speke is souerayne moyen for to haue pease and flee noyses. Allso we rede how Saull dyssymyled of theym y* myssayde or spaken euyl of hym, as it appereth in y e fyrst boke of kynges the xi chapytre. And Thobye sayd not a worde to his wyfe whan she sayd many injuryes to hym, as it appereth the seconde and thyrde chapytre of Thobye. In lyke wyse ought the wyse man to doo in herynge without ony stryuynge. This work is alluded to by Shakespeare in As You Like It, Act v, sc. 4 : " O, sir, we quarrel in print by the book, as you have books for good manners" . The com- mentators quote no book under this exact title, and were do doubt unacquainted with the present one. 19. Shaksperian Sketches by James W e, B.A., late of 4 26 Christ College in the University of Cambridge, anthor of Savillon's Elegies or Poems, &c. London, Printed by Hookham and Carpenter, New Bond-Street, for the Author's Private Use, 1795. 8vo. This privately printed work is not mentioned by Shakspearian bibliographers. 20. A. Pilgrimage to Stratford-npon-Avon, the Birthplace of Shakspeare, 8vo. 1850. Large Paper, only twenty-five copies printed, with autograph letter of the publisher, stating that all the copies were sold, and that £4 could not purchase another. 21. Grange (John) Poetical Miscellanies, temp. Charles I., a MS. very neatly written, containing, Mr. John Grange his Ballet. — On a faire Child. — On the Lady Harrington who dyed of the small pox. — Upon the death of Hobson. — An Eclogue to his worthy Father, Mr. Ben. Johnson, b}^ T. Randolph. — A commendation and censure of beards. — An Expostulation with Inigo Jones. — An Imitation of, Come, live with mee, and bee my love, the celebrated Sonnet quoted in the Merry Wives of Windsor ; and various other pieces of interest, 8vo. Come, live with mee, and bee my love, And wee will some sweet pleasures prove In guilded sands and silver brooks, With silken lynes and silver hooks. 27 There will the river murmuring rurm, Warm'd by thyne eye more then the sunn. And there the enamor'd fish will play, Begging themselves they may betray ; If thou wilt swim in that cleare bath, Each fish that every channell hath Will amorously to thee swimme, Gladder to catch thee then thou him. Nor to be seene, sweet, bee thou loath By Sun or Moone. Thou darken'st them both And if myselfe have leave to see, I need not their light, haveing thee ; Lett others freeze with angling reeds, And hurt their leggs with shells and weeds, Or trecherously poore fish besett With strangling snare, or wynding nett ; Lett course bold hands from slymie nest The bedded fish from banks out wrest ; With curious traiterous sleath silke flyes, Bewitch poore fishes' wandring eyes. Ffor thee, thou need'st noe such deceipt, Thou to thyselfe art thyne owne baite ; That fish which is not caught thereby, Alas ! is wiser far then I. Ode to Shakespear, in honor of the Jubilee. By Henry Jones, Author of the Earl of Essex, Kev Garden, and Isle of Wight. 1769. 8vo. This tract, of three leaves only, is probably unique. It was privately printed, and no mention of it occurs in any 28 collection of Shaksperiana, nor is it even given in the list of works of this author in the Bibliotheca Britannica. 23. The Causes of the Decay and Defects of Dramatick Poetry, and of the Degeneracy of the Publick Taste, by John Dennis : autograph unpublished MS., fol. This very curious volume, which contains much valuable information respecting the history of the early English stage, was probably written late in Dennis's life, when he was so embarrassed by debt. One sheet of the MS. is endorsed, " Copies of Mr. Dennis, lodg'd for money borrowed/' It contains interesting notices of Shake- speare, and other dramatists. Dennis, it will be re- membered, was one of the earliest critics on Shakespeare, and author of a critique on Pymer, published in 1693. He was a member of Caius College, Cambridge. 24. Miniature image in silver of a domestic fool, with the winged cap, a curious relic of the time of Queen Eli- zabeth. 25. A silver medal of Shakespeare's House at Stratford-on- Avon, with a copy of the monumental bust on the reverse ; a fine impression, struck in 1842. 26. Another impression, in bronze. 29 27. A very curious and interesting collection of manuscript poetiy of the time of Charles I., containing upwards of two hundred poems, epigrams, epitaphs, pieces of wit and humour, by F. Atkins, Ben Jonson, Derrick, Corbet, Dr. Juxon, Dr. Donne, W. Stroud, Warmestry, Dr. Lewis, Randolph, and other wits of the day, many unpublished, 12mo. A neatly written volume, rendered interesting to the Shakspearian collector as containing a copy of Corbet's poem on Bosworth Field, differing from the printed editions, and what is, perhaps, of greater literary interest, a long epitaph on Burbage, mentioning the characters he performed in Shakespeare's plays, varying materially from that printed by Mr. Collier from the Heber MS. This latter poem is sufficiently curious to be given entire. On Mr. Richard Burhidg an excellent both player and painter. Some skillful limmer aid niee ; if not so, Som sad tragoedian helpe to express my wo : But, oh ! hee's gone, that could the best both limine And act my greif ; and it is only him That I invoke this Strang assistance to it, And on y e point intreat himself to doe it ; For none but Tully Tully's prais can tell, And as hee could no man could doe so well This part of sorrow for him, nor here shew So truly to the life this mapp of woe, 30 That greifs true picture w ch his loss hath bred, Hee's gone, and w tu him what a world is dead, W ch hee reviv'd ; to bee revived so No more : Young Hamlet, old Hieronimo, And Leir, the greived Moor, and more beside, That livd in him, have now for ever died. Ought {oft ?) have I seene him leape into y e grave, Suiting the person (that hee seemd to have) Of a sad lover w th so true an eie, That then I would have sworn hee meant to die So lively, that spectators and the rest Of his sad crew, whilst hee but seemd to bleed, Amazed thought ev'n that hee died indeed. And did not knowledg cheke mee, I should sweare Even yet it is a fals report I heare, And think that hee that did so truly faine Is still but dead in jest, to live againe : But now hee acts this part, not plaies, tis knowne ; Others hee plaid, but acted hath his owne. Poets, whos glory whilome twas to heare Yo 1 ' leines so well expresd, from henc forbear And write noe more, or, if you doe, left bee In Comick sceanes, scince tragick parts you see Dy all in him : Nay, rather sluce your eies, And hencforth write nought els but tragedies, Or dirges, or sad elegies, and those Mournfull laments that least accord to prose. Englands great Roscius (for what Roscius Was unto Roome, that Burbidg was to us) How did thy speech become thee % and thy place Sute w th thy speech, and every action grace 31 Them both alike, whilst not a word did fall W th out just weight to ballast it w th all. Hadst thou but spak to death, and usd thy power Of thy enchanting toung at the first hower Of his assault, hee had let fall his dart, And quite beene charmd by thy all-charming art : This hee knew well, and, to prevent the wrong, Hee theirfor first made seizure of thy toung Then on the rest most easily by degrees ; The tendrest ivy tops the fairest trees. Blurr all yo r leaves w th blotts, y 1 all you write May bee one sad black, and then upon it Draw marble leines, that may outlast the sunne, And stand like trophies when the world is done, Turne all yo r ink to blood, yo r pens to speares, To peirce and wound y r hearers hearts & eares. Enragd, write stabbing leines, that every word May bee as apt to murther as a sword, That noe man may survive after this fact Of ruthless death, either to hear or act. And you, his sad companions, to whom Lent Becomes more Lenten by this accident, Hencforth yo r waving flag no more hang out ; Play now no more at all : when round about Wee look, and miss the Atlas of yo r sphear, What comfort have wee, think you, to bee there 1 And how can you delight in playing, when Such mourning so arTecteth other men ? Or if you still will put it out, let't weare No more light colours, but death's livery beare ; Hang all yo 1 ' round w th blacks y e eaves it bears 32 W th Isicles of ever melting teares ; And if you ever chance to play againe, Let nought but tragedies afflict yo r scene ! And thou, deare earth, that must enshrine that dust, By heaven now committed to thy trust, Keepe it as precious as the richest mine, That lies intombd in that rich womb of thine, That after times may know that much lovd mold From other dust, and cherish it as gold : On it be laid some soft but during stone, W th this short epitaph endoss'd theron, That every eie may read, and reading weepe, Tis Englands Roscius, Burbidg, that I keepe. Exit Burbige. The copy printed from the Heber MS. in Collier's Memoirs of the Principal Actors in the Plays of Shake- speare, p. 52, will be well corrected in several readings by means of the above. There is much interesting unpublished poetry in this little volume. 28. A manuscript collection of early English poetry, systematically arranged, part of the volume being in a handwriting of the beginning of the reign of Charles I.; the other portion of the volume in English and Latin, in verse and prose, was written during the latter part of the Commonwealth, and in the reign of Charles II. The following notice of the volume (made by Mr. Evans, the 33 well known auctioneer) is extracted from the sale catalogue : — "Old English Poetry. A Manuscript Collection of early English poetry, systematically arranged, part of the volume is in a handwriting of the beginning of the reign of Charles I, the other portion of the volume in English and Latin, in Verse and Prose, is written during the latter part of the Commonwealth. " This most curious Manuscript contains a Collection of Poems arranged under the heads of " Epitaphs Laudatory", 'Epitaphs Merry and Satyricall', 'Love Sonnets', 'Pane- gyricks', 'Satyrs' and 'Miscellanea'. It is in a hand- writing of the early part of the reign of Charles I ; it appears probable that it was compiled by a person educated at Winchester School and the University of Oxford. The Epitaphs Laudatory commence with Epi- taphs on Queen Elizabeth, Queen Anne (wife of James I), Prince Henry. Immediately after an Epitaph on Sir W. Ralegh follows one 'On Mr. William Shakespeare by Basse', but the Collection possesses extraordinary interest and curiosity by containing two Epitaphs, one, 'Epitaph on Sir Edward Standly, Ingraven on his Tomb in Tong Church', with the name of Shakespeare affixed, followed by another ' On Sir Thomas Standly' also with the name of Shakespeare affixed. We have here a testimony, a quarter of a Century earlier than that of Dag dale, to these Poetical Epitaphs being the Productions of Shakespeare. Among the Satires are Verses on the Countess of So- merset, who assisted in the poisoning of Overbury : and 34 on Sir Giles Mompesson, the Sir Giles Overreach of Massinger. The Volume contains poems by Sir W. Ralegh, Donne, Corbet, St. Clive, Strowd of Christchurch, Cole of King's College, Cambridge, &c. &c. &c. The Compiler has carefully marked the names of the Writers when he was acquainted with them." The copy of the epitaph on Shakespeare by Basse is evidently very early, and on that account I give a copy of it in the exact form in which it appears in the MS. Mr. Basse. On Mr. William Shakspeare. Renowned Spencer lie a thought more nigh To learned Beaumont, and rare Beaumont ly A little nearer Chawcer, to make rome For Shakspeare in your threfold, fourefold tombe. To lodge all fouer in one bed make a shifte Untill domes day, for hardly will (a) fifte Betwixt this day and that by fate bee slaine, For whom the curtains shal bee drawne againe. But if Precedencie in death doe barre A fourth place in your sacred Sepulcher, In this vncarved marble of thy owne, Sleepe, brave Traiedian, Shakspeare, sleepe alone ; Thy unmolested rest, unshared cave, Possesse as lord, not tenaunt, to thy grave, That vnto others it may counted bee Honour heereafter to bee layd by thee. 35 The most important feature, however, in the volume, is the very early copy of the epitaphs in Tonge church, which are here ascribed to Shakespeare long before the publication of Dugdale's work. This evidence, which has not been accessible to any of the Editors of Shakespeare, is so valuable, that a facsimile of it is here presented to the reader. V-^ 5D v rei bj Stetdbj for, wgorHtfitJbfr jULti^L^^, ^e ts ynoTe. yevyepuastf fan- thAL jftmes* A collection of " Epitaphs merry and satyricalT' follow the first portion of the volume. Amongst the persons enumerated are Sir Walter Jtawley, Sir John Spencer, the Porter of Winchester, Owen Butler of Christ Church, Sir Anthony Benn, Sir John Calfe, Mr. John DaVnant, "who died on Thursday Aprill the 18, 1622, being then Major of Oxford, dedicated to the worthlesse and witlesse 36 townsmen", Sir Stephen Some, &c. After these follow a large number of " Love Sonnets", including several (I believe unpublished) by Sir Walter Raleigh, and other poets. The volume is, indeed, of great literary interest, indejDendently of its Shaksperian illustrations. 29. A volume of tales of the seventeenth century, written in the year 1670, entitled, "A Collection of divers and remarkable Stories tragical and comical", containing an exceedingly curious assemblage of short stories, some perhaps abridged from printed books, but including many obtained from sources not now known, or from private relation. It commences with the following account of Macbeth and the witches : — "When Duncan was King of Scotland, A 1034, he had 2 principal noblemen whom he employed in all matters of importance, called Macbeth and Banquho ; these two tra- velling togeather through a forrest, were met by 3 withces, or Wierds, as the Scots call them ; The first whereof making obeysance to Macbeth, saluted him, Thane of Glands, (a title to w ch that of Earl succeeded afterward) the second, Thane of Cawder, the third, King of all Scotland. This, said Banquho to them, is unequal dealing to give all the honours to my friend, and none to me. To whom one of the weirds in answer to him, said, That he indeed should not be king, but out of his loines should come a race of kings, that should rule Scotland for ever ; 37 and having said thus, they all 3 suddenly vanished. Upon their arrival at Court, Macbeth was immediately created Thane of Glamis ; and not long after, some new services of his requiring further recompence, he was honoured w th the Title of Thane of Cawder ; Seeing then how happily the prediction of the 3 weirds fell out in the 2 former, he was resolv'd not to be wanting to himself in fulfilling the third, and therefore he kilM the King, and after, by reason of his commaund among the soldiers and the populass, he succeeded in his Throne. Being scarce warm in his seat, he called to mind the prediction given to his companion Banquho, whom hereupon suspecting as his supplanter, he caus'd him w th his whole Kinred to be murder d, onely one son he had, named Fleance, escaped w th much difficulty into Wales. King Macbeth, freed of this fear, built Dunsinane Castle, making it his ordinary residence ; But afterward on new fears consult- ing w th certain wizzards about his future estate, he was by one told, that he should never be overcome, till Birnam Wood (w ch was some few miles distant) did come to Dunsinane Castle : And by another, That he should never be slain by any man born of a woman. Secure then, as he thought, he omitted no kind of libidinousness or cruelty, for the space of 18 yeers, for so long he tyrannously reign'd. At last Mackduff, Governour of Fife, joyning to himself some few patriots, w ch had not as yet felt the Tyrants sword, privately met one night in Birnam Wood, and early in the morning, march'd toward Dunsinane Castle, every man bearing a bough in his 38 hand before him, the better to keep themselves from discovery, by w ch stratagem they presently took the Castle by scalado. Macbeth escaping, was pursn'd, over- taken & urg'd to fight by Mackduff, to whom y e tyrant half in .scorn reply'd, That in vain he attempted his death, for it was his destiny never to be slain by any man born of a woman ; Now then, said Macduff, is thy fatall houre come, for I was never born of a woman, but violently cut out of my mother's belly, she dying before her delivery ; Which words so daunted the tyrant, that he was easily slain, & Malcolme Canmoir, the true heyre to the crown, was seated in the throne. In the mean time, Fleance the son of Banquho thrived so well in Wales, that falling in love with a Welsh Prince his daughter, and she not rejecting his affection, he begot a son on her named Walter. This Walter, flying out of Wales for a murther, was entertained in Scotland, and his descent once known, he was preferr'd to be Steward to King Edgar, A 1100, from which office the name of Steward became as the surname of all his family. Ffrom this Walter descended that Robert Steward, who in right of his wife, that was the sister of David Bruse, King of Scotland, was King thereof, A 1371. And this Robert, being descended from y e Princes of Wales that were of ancient times, thereby restored the Brittish blood to the Scottish Throne. Since w ch time, there hath bin 11 soveraigns of this name in Scotland, this present yeer of our Lord 1670 successively ; W ch is answerable to the prediction of the Wierd, who told Banquho that his race should rule Scotland for ever." 39 The forty-eighth tale is that of Romeo and Juliet, which here appears for the first time in brief English prose, without any notice of Shakespeare's play. A facsimile from the first two lines of this will enable the reader to judge of the date of the MS. Lv tyinTlA, a, -famous Qhr 4 fta-Cy. Civ.il o. jimnq Op mid "In Verona, a famous City of Italy, lived a young Gentlewoman named Julietta, of the Noble house of the Montacutes. Her father being not willing that she should marry, when the aptness of her yeers made tender of itselfe for the disposal of her hi that way. She therefore (in her fairest flower) espous'd herself secretly, and unknown to her parents, to a gallant gentleman call'd Romeo, of the ffamily of the Capelets, who were and long time had bin, mortal enemies to the Montacutes. But this unhappy marriage was in conclusion the lamentable and tragical death of both the Lovers, in this manner. "It happened on a day, that a gentleman, uncle to Julietta, meeting Romeo by chance in the street, drew upon him and made at him, and it was his hap, in defence of himself, to kill the said uncle, Whereupon he was forct to fly, and to absent himself from Verona. Now there was a certaine ffranciscan ffrier, who was privy to the private amours of these lovers, and a man expert in the mysteries of Love, who in the infancy and whole progress of their affection and espousal, had great compassion and reall sentiments of the torments they reciprocally 40 endur d. To this honest minded ffrier the most woful gentlewoman went to mak her moan under the colour of going to confession, how irksome and dolorous the absence of her best esteemed ffriend was unto her. The ffrier then advis'd her to take a stupefactive potion when she went to bed, w ch would cause her to sleep for above 30 hours, so that she should be verily suppos'd to be dead. This counsel of the ffrier, Julietta boldly ad- ventur'd on, and taking the potion, it wrought so effectually, that her parents, immagining her to be dead indeed, caus'd her to be buried in a vault belonging to the ffamily of the Montacutes her ancient predecessors ; ffrom thence the ffryer purpos'd to fetch her, at a certain houre in the night, and to conduct her himself (in the habit of a Novice) to banish' Romeo, who lived in the Land of another jurisdiction not far from Verona. All this was possible, and easy to be perform'd, for it was the common custom in Veron, not to bury the deceased bodies of y e Nobility in graves in the earth, but in arched vaults. While these things were framing accord- ing to the honest complotment of the ffrier for the poor lovers behoofe, it fortuned that a trusty servant belonging to Romeo came to Verona, at that instant that Julietta's supposed dead corps was laid in the vault, w th letters from his Master to her, w ch the servant having seen, he return'd forthwith to him, and reported the certainty of Julietta's death, as that himself was present at her interring. Romeo, confounded w th grief and overruling passions at this news, found the means (in a disguise) to 41 enter into the City of Verona, before the shutting up of the Gates. In the dead time of the night he was conducted to the Church in w ch was the Vault wherein his deerest was laid, by his trusty servant w th a torch in his hand, by whose help he got the door of the Church open, and also forc'd an entrance into the Vault where Julietta lay. Having then the torch in his own hand, and commanding the absence of his servant, he entred into the Vault, and after infinite kisses bestow'd by him on Julietta, whom he conceited was really dead, he drank a deadly poison w dl he brought w th him, which imme- diately siezing on his vital spirits, operated so effec- tually and fatally, that he fell down dead by Julietta's side, and there slept for ever. Julietta, after the potion had wrought its full power, awoke, and by the light of the burning torch, perceiving her deer Romeo to be lying by her side quite dead ; she, enrag'd with grief, started up, and snatching a dagger that hung at his girdle, she presently sent it on a fatal errand to her heart, and so died. The honest fryer came, and (as he thought) at such a convenient hotue, as Julietta should awake out of her artificial sleep, that truly represented the Image of Death ; but when he beheld that tragical and wofnl sight, let his sorrow be express'd by such as have judgment and elocution to do it ; on the morrow after, the death of the two lovers was discover' d, and all matters related amply by ffrier Lawrence, for so was the Franciscan call'd. All which tragical and mournful disaster happen'd because Julietta's father would not 42 suffer her to marry, when both her yeers and reason required." I have some suspicions the present manuscript was composed by a member of the Archer family, the 140th stoiy relating to Mr. Henry Archer, and the papers and manuscripts of that family having been dispersed in various channels during the last few years. The writer's name, however, was not Archer, for there are in the British Museum (MSS. Harl. 4728-4730) several other volumes written by the same hand, who there signs himself by the initials R. D. The following is a copy of the " Table of the Stories contained in this Booke". Table of the Stories contained in this Booke. A strange story of 2 Scottish Noblemen and 3 wierds. A wonderful story of the Countess of Henneberg. A strange and Tragical Story of Alboinus and Ros- munda. A very wonderfull Story. A pleasant story of a duke of Brunswick. A strange story of Herais Transmutation. Two pleasant stories of the Duke of Ossuna. A strange story of an old Lord and his Lady. Two notable stories of 2 couragious women. A notable story of a king of Meth in Ireland. A very sad story of one Master Duncomb. A strange story of the Pied piper of Halberstad. A remarkable story of Panionus and Hermotinus. 43 A pleasant story of the king of Spain and a Captain. A story of the Spaniards Cruelty in India. A story of the Murder of Turner by the L d Sanquar. A very notable story of one Harman. A tragical story of Sir George Rodney. A sad stoiy of the cruelty of Francesco Severino. A story of Anna, Empress of Constantinople. A Lamentable story of Sign 01 ' Cenci, and his children. A memorable story of Captain Coucy and his Mistress. A notable story of Cornelius Agrippa. A strange story of a Frenchman and a succubus. A tragical story of Sextus Marius and his daughter. A stoiy of Fausta, Empress of Constantinople. A very fine story of John Teutonicus. Two stories of 2 couragious women. A tragical story of the Jesuites at Aken. A notable story of the Princess of Imola and Furli. A memorable Story of a blasphemous Frenchman. A sad story of the rape of Lucretia. A story of an Athenian Courtezan. A notable story of a lascivious Spanish fryer. A very lamentable story of Andrea Casale. A tragical story of Don Julian and his daughter. A very pleasant story of some of the priests in China. A story of Magdalena Crucia's Imposture. A story of Flexio's fidelity to his Soveraign. A story of the Love of an eagle to a virgin. A story of the Imposture of some Jesuits. A pleasant story of a sacrilegious accident. 44 A story of the betraying a fair Roman lady. A story of a daughters affection to her mother. A story of a Spectrum. A strange story of an accident in Paris. A story of 2 enemies notably reconciled. A very lamentable stoiy of Romeo and Julietta, A notable story of 2 lovers. A story of Charles 8th, King of France. A pleasant story of a Buffon. A tragical story of Floris, 5th Earl of Holland. A story of a conspiracy strangely overthrown. A sad story of Philodamus and his daughter. A tragical story of a lascivious Lieu*. A strange story of a fond lover. A tragical story of Ladislaus King of Naples. A very sad story of Theoxena and her children, A story of a graceless son. A remarkable story of an Indian king. A wonderful story of an ape. A notable story of a blasphemer. A pleasant story of Elpis and a lion. A very tragical story of 3 Frenchmen. A strange story of a spectrum. A tragical story of a cruell tyrant. A sad story of an Italian Gentleman. A story of a young man falsely accus'd. A tragical story of a kind husband. A wonderful story of one Antonio. A story of Agrippina's murther. 45 A sad story of Signio r Braggadino ; also the heroyick act of a virgin A story of Candaules his death. A lamentable story of a K. of Navarr. A sad story of a boasting Italian. A very wonderfull story. A story of the death of the Marquess de Ancre. A strange story of an apparition. A story of King Pedro's Cruelty. A tragical story of Philip K. of Macedon. A strange story of a converted Jew. A sad story of Sophonisba. A tragical story of Cardinal Beton. A story of a popish Miracle. A notable story of a sagacious Chinese. A wonderful story of a Spanish Traytor. A strange story of Arius y e heretick. A remarkable story of a Scotch king. A very tragical! story. A sad story of y e Dutchess Romilda. A story of Mr. Davil's murther. A notable story of a popish prelate. A tragical story of a Bassa. A very remarkable story. A story of a popish practise. A pleasant story of 2 Drs. of Phisick. A remarkable story of a pope. A notable story of Boutevile. A sad story of Mr. Hoyle's self murther. 46 A tragicall story of St. Winifrid. A story of Caesar Borgia's Craft and Cruelty. A notable story of 2 grateful slaves. A remarkable story of the D. of Schwaben. A tragicall story of a Hector. A very strange story. A story of Aladine, and his Paradise. A notable story of Stephano Porcari. A story of a Traytor justly rewarded. A tragi-comical story. A story of an Arabian Princess. A remarkable story of a Venetian Gentleman. A notable story of a pious son. A memorable story of Antonio Perez. A story of Picardus ffoolery. A tragical story of th' empero r Henry 4th. A story of Caius Piso's Cruelty. A remarkable story of a Pope. A notable story of Boylas, a Traytor. A story of a villanous practise of y e Franciscans. A memorable story of K. Edwards murder. A fabulous story. A remarkable story of a wicked Queen. A story of a lascivious king. A story of a sleeping preacher. A notable story of an ingrateful person. A story of a citizens wife. A tragical story of 3 favourites. A very pleasant story. 47 A memorable story of 2 pious persons. A sad story of Blanca Rubea. A tragical story of the Bassa Jonusis. A stoiy of Santabarinus mischievous cunning. A memorable story of witches. A remarkable story of a Duke of Millan. A story of a facetious Gentlewoman. A sad story of Aristoclea. A pleasant story of an old man. A story of an hipocritical Courtier. A strange story of two witches' practises in trans- forming men into beasts. A notable story of Mr. Bull and a Lion. A tragical stoiy of Arria and her husband. A miraculous story. A story of a demoniack. A sad story of a Spanish ffryer. A pleasant story of a popish Miracle. A story of an Irish Miracle. A memorable story of a Non-Conformist. A very wonderful story of an Incubus. A stoiy of a Gentleman and a specter. A fine story of Dioclesianus. 30. Parasitaster, or the Fawne, as it hath been divers times presented at the Blacke Friars by the Children of the Queenes Majesties lieu els, and since at Powles, written by Iohn Marston, And now corrected of many 48 faults, which, by reason of the Authors absence, were let slip in the first edition. At London, Printed by T. P. for W. C. 1606. 4to. This very rare play contains a curious allusion to Shakespeare's Richard III, — " O yes, the confusion of tongues at the large table is broke vppe, for see, the presence filles ; a foole, a foole, a foole, my coxcomhe for a foole /" Lowndes cites only two copies of this edition. 31. A copy of Basse's Epitaph on Shakespeare, written about the year 1690, erroneously entitled, "An Epitaph upon Shakespeare, by J. Donne". 32. Sir John Fastolf. Grant of certain lands, &c. in Castre, from John Bray to Sir John Fastolf, knt., John Fitzralph, John Fastolf of Olton, and John Kyrteling, dated at Castre die Lunce prox : post festum Natimtatis Sancti Johannis Baptistw, anno regni regis Henrici Sexti post Conquestum duodecimo, (June, 1434.) This interesting original document, on vellum, is from Thorpe's Catalogue of Manuscripts, 1850, No. 143, £2 : 2. 33. Original MS. receipt of the time of Queen Elizabeth, " To make aquavitce." "Take of strong ale or strong wyne, or the lees of strong wyne and ale together, a gallon or 2 as y u please, 49 and take half a pound or more of good liquorice and as much annise seedes : scrape off the barke from the liquorice, and cutt it into thin slices, and punne the annise seedes grosse, and steepe altogether close covered 12 houres : then distill it w th a limbeck or cerpentyne, and of every gallon of the liquor y w may draw a quarte of reasonable good aquavitse, that is, of 2 gallons 2 quarts ; but see that yo r fyre be temperate, and that the head of yo r limbeck be kept cold continually w th fresh water, and that the bottome of your limbecke be fast luted with rye dowgh, that no ayre issue out. The best ale to make aquavitge of is to be made of wheate malte, and the next cleane barley malte, and the best wyne for that purpose is sacke." This aquavitse is several times alluded to by Shake- speare. The present receipt appears to have been written about the year 1580. 34. A very closely written volume of Sermons and theo- logical collections, by P. Hathaway, commencing Anno Domini 1690 ; 12mo. Some of these sermons were preached at Tewkesbury, and other places in the neighbourhood. There 10 p. geatiUxw can, therefore, be little doubt of the volume having been compiled by a lineal descendant of "Sweet Anne Hathaway," for it is well known that part of the family settled in Tewkesbury at an early period. The author's Signature is in a diminutive hand, as the above 7 50 facsimile will sufficiently show. The volume also contains a few verses, medical receipts, &c. 35. Memorable Conceits of Divers noble and famous personages of Christendome of this our moderne time. London, Printed for James Shaw, 1602 ; 12mo. This very rare little work is not even mentioned by Lowndes. It enters into the Shakspearian series as con- taining two stories, one bearing a slight resemblance to the tale of the caskets, the other the same story as the Merchant of Venice : Of the Emperour Sigismund and a Page of his chamber. The Emperour Sigismond, and one of the Pages of his chamber, passing over a certaine river at a foord on horseback : when they were in the middest of the river, the Emperour's horse stood still and began to stale ; which the Page seeing, he said unto the Emperour, Most sacred Prince, your horse is ill taught, and resembleth you very well. The Emperour answered never a word, but rode on towards his lodging : where being come, and in pulling off his bootes, he demanded of his Page, why . he had likened his horse unto him. Because (quoth the Page) the river had no need of any water, yet your horse in there, did adde water unto water : and so do you : For you give wealth and riches to them which have plenty, but to such as have none you give not any. It is 51 now a long time that I have bene in your service, and yet did I never tast of your liberality. The next morning the Emperour tooke two little iron Coffers, both of a greatnesse and like weight, the one of them being full of duckets, and the other of lead : and putting them upon a table, he said unto his page : here be two coffers, make thy choise of the two which thou shalt like best, and take it for thy wages and recompence of thy service. The Page chusing that which was full of lead, The Emperour said, Now open it, and see what is within it ; which he did, and found it to be but lead. Then said the Ertiperour, now thou knowest thy fortune : the fault was none of mine, that thy choise was no better, and that thou wert not made rich : for thou hast refused thy good fortune, when it was offered thee. Some are poore through their owne default, because when occasion is offered to enrich themselves, they know not how to take their time, and to lay hold of it. The judgement of Sultan Soliman, the great Seigneur or Emperour of Turkes. In the citie of Constantinople, a certaine Christian desired to borrow of a Jew the some of five hundred duckets. The Jew lent them unto him with condition, that for the use of the money lent, he should at the end of tearme, give him two ounces of his flesh, cut off in some one of the members of his bodie. The clay of payment being come, the Christian repay ed the five hun- dred duckets to the Jew. but refused to give him any 52 part of his flesh. The Jew not willing to loose his inte- rest, convented the Christian before the Grand Seigneur : who having heard the demaund of the one, and the answer of the other, and judging of the matter according to equitie, commaunded a razor to be brought, and to be given to the Jew, to whome he said : Because thou shalt know that justice is done thee, take there and cut off the flesh of this Christian, the two ounces which thou demandest : but take heed thou cut neither more nor lesse, for if thou doe, thou shalt surely dye. The Jewe holding that to be a thing impossible, durst not adventure, but acquitted the Christian of his in- terest. 36. The Lamentable and Tragical History of Titus Andro- nicus, with the Fall of his sons in the Wars of the Goths, with the Manner of the Ravishment of his daughter Lavinia, by the Empress's two Sons, through the means of a bloody Moor, taken by the Sword of Titus in the War : with his Revenge upon their cruel and inhumane Act. To the Tune of, Fortune my Foe, &c. London, Printed by T. Norris at the Looking-Glass on London bridge, and sold by J. Walter at the Hand and Pen in High Holborn. This curious sheet ballad is quite perfect and in fine condition, an unusual circumstance with reliques of this description. The large and hideous woodcut is not, how- ever, a good impression, and the facsimile has been 54 selected from another copy of the woodcut, attached to a ballad preserved in the Chetham Library, Manchester. 37. An impression of the Chandos portrait of Shakespeare, taken after the plate was defaced. Only fifteen copies were struck off, exclusively for members of the Council of the Shakespeare Society. 38. Philippi Galtheri Poetse Alexandreidos libri decern, nunc primum in Gallia Gallicisque characteribus editi. Lugduni, Excudebat Robertus Granton typis propriis, m. v c . lviii. 4to. This poem contains the celebrated line alluded to in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice : — Incidis in Scyllam, cupiens vitare Charybdim. 39. An original rental of the manor of Berwick in Sussex, of the fifteenth century, with a note in old English addressed "To the Lord of the Maner and Court of Berwycke in the Shire of Sussex, and to his Stuard of the same". This document is very interesting, as containing the name of Shakespeare, in one of the old orthographies cited by Dr. Drake. It has always been supposed that the name, at this early period, was confined to Warwick- shire and the neighbouring counties. Mr. Hunter, who 55 is a very good authority in a question of this kind, is quite of this opinion. The present document, however, which was written in the reign of Henry VI, shows a branch of the family to have been then living in Sussex, the following entry occurring in the rental, — Nicholas Saxper pro reddit : per annum, ijs. iiij.d. 40. A milled sixpence of Queen Elizabeth, dated 1562. A fine specimen. " Ay, by these gloves, did he, (or I would I might never come in mine own great chamber again else,) of seven groats in mill-sixpences, and two Edward shovel-boards." — Merry Wives of Windsor. The mill-sixpences coined in 1561 and 1562 were the first milled money used in this kingdom. An engraving of one like the present, of the same year, is given by Mr. Knight from a specimen preserved in the British Museum. 41. The silver Jubilee Medal, engraved by Westwood. On one side is a head of Shakespeare, " We shall not look upon his like again". On the reverse is, "Jubilee at Stratford in Honour and to the Memory of Shakespeare. Sept r . 1769, D. G. Steward." 42. Warwickshire halfpennies, 1791 and 1792, each having a bust of Shakespeare. 56 43. The Shakespeare halfpenny, 1790. On one side is the head of Shakespeare, with his name, " Shakespeare" ; and on the reverse is the date, and an allegorical figure. This token is rare. 44. A silver counter of the time of James I, with a head of the king on one side, and the prince on the other. On one side, " Give thy judgements, O God, unto the king" ; and on the other, " And thy righteousnesse unto the king's sonn". A fine and curious specimen. See p. 1. 45. Another silver counter, dated 1638. 46. Malone's Inquiry into the Authenticity of the Shake- speare Papers, 8vo. 1796. This copy belonged to T. Park, and is enriched by many curious and valuable manuscript notes, insertions, cuttings from newspapers, &c, collected by that in- dustrious antiquary. In a MS. note on the first leaf, he says, "Mr. Malone, in this volume, gave the finishing blow to Ireland's Shakespeare ; though, as Mr. Steevens observed to me, it was somewhat like Falstaff killing the dead". A few drawings are also inserted. 57 47. The Original Manuscript Account of travels in Warwickshire in the year 1693, containing the earliest authentic notices of Shakespeare's early life. 4to. This most important and curious volume came into the hands of the late Mr. Rodd, upon the dispersion of the papers of the family of Lord de Clifford, which were sold by auction in the year 1834. It is in the form of a letter addressed to Mr. Edward Southwell, and is endorsed by him, "10 Aprill, 1693, from Mr. Dowdall, Description of severall places in Warwickshire". This Mr. Dowdall was clearly a barrister, as appears from the signature at the end, and from several legal phrases that occur in the letter, and there can be very little doubt but that he was the W. Dowdall, who published a collection of Statutes relating to the revenue of Ireland, 8vo. 1710. There is, indeed, internal evidence of authenticity in all he relates, which may fairly be considered to be truthfully reported ; and the author is the first person who has recorded Stratford traditions respecting Shakespeare. His evidence, therefore, is of high value, however it may shock our fancy to be told that the best and earliest au- thority known, the parish clerk who must have been well acquainted with Shakespeare's immediate descendants, asserts that the poet was apprenticed to a butcher. It must be recollected there was nothing in the cir- cumstances of John Shakespeare, to render such an engagement for his son an improbable circumstance. 58 This MS. was printed by Mr. Rodd in 1838, under the title of, " Traditionary Anecdotes of Shakespeare, collected in Warwickshire in the year 1693". The old orthography, however, which is at least some part of the evidence of authenticity, is not preserved, and many grave errors have been committed. On this account, I am here in- duced to offer the reader a faithful transcript of the whole manuscript, bearing in mind that the accuracy of the portion respecting Shakespeare will be confirmed by the exactness of the other accounts, that can admit of being more easily tested. Butler s Mersion, in Warwickshire, Aprillf 10$, 1693. D R Cousin, The letter I sent you last post was but short in com- parison with my former ; and indeed, if I should follow your example, it ought to be much shorter : but 'tis folly to expect a ffee-farme of joys in this world ; we must downe on our marrow-bones, and thanke heaven for ■affording vs one single glance. This epistle (I suppose) you may justly call Mr. D ll's Travells into Warwick- shire, for herein you shall have such particulars as I can at p^sent call to minde, and by this prolix relation I shall partly (tho' not deseignedly) revenge the brevity of your's. On Freyday, the 10th of March last, I sett out from London, and lay y l night at Aylesbury. The next day 59 I came hither to Butler's-Merstone, w cb is eight miles from Warwicke, six miles from Stratford-super- A von, and one mile from Kineton. My friend's manshion house is verie pleasantly situated, being on the browe of an hill, and from it, downe the valley, are regular walkes of lime, chesnutt, and walnutt trees. In the extreame partes of this are two noble fish-ponds, and a verie large dove- house, from whence we are, as often as we please, plen- tifully furnished w th creatures of both elements, of water and ayre. The gardens, oarchards, meadows, and pastures are suitable : apples and peares are here still as delicious as in the moneth of August, of w ch we haue (since the last yeare) good store remaneing. The house is large enough for its demesnes, being an ancient, strong-built peice of architecture, w th all the conveniences of our modern buildings. To comfort and sollace ourselves, we haue all those necessaries that beautifie and adorne the kitchin and cellar ; and in the stables there be as stately a number of horses as a man can wish or desire to ride on. Haueing come soe farr, I may now venture to informe you off our advancess abroad ; and in ord r to that, I must acquaint you first that there is a knott in those partes that meete at Kineton everie Saturday in the afternoone, whoe are one and all, of w ch number my friend is one ; and they are as true and sincere as they are generous and hospitable. The first I shall name shall be Charles Newsham of Chadshunt, an ancient justice of the peace (tho' but 58 60 y rs old), one that is everie way a compleat gentleman. He is an excellent schollar, and as good an historian ; he is a greate admirer of your Royall-Society-learning, but not to be infatuated w th the itch of experimentall disco- veries, &c. ; but aboue all, he has made the reasons of our municipall laws his owne, especially that part w ch relates and appertaines to the crowne-side ; w th whose conversation you may imagine I take noe smale delight. In short, he has soe cleare an ensight, soe quicke an apprehension, and soe sollid a judgment, that one would haue thought he practised never any other thing but law, and [had] been all his life imployed in antiquities, &c. This gentleman Hues w th in 2 miles of vs, haueing a paternall estate of 1,000^. per annum, besides a large addition by his owne industry, &c. The next is one Mr. Peeres, of an antient family in this country, whose estate is 800Z. per annum. He lines at his manor of Alveston, lyeing on the banks of y e river Avon, w tb in 5 miles of this place ; he maried one of the aboue Mr. Newsham's daughters. He has a verie fine house built lately, &c. Another of the fraternity is Justice Bentley, an honest true-harted gent. He is verie fatt and verie rich, haueing an inheritance of 1,300Z. per annum, and besides a vast personall estate, especially in mony. He has one wife, one only son, and one maiden daughter of the age of 24. He liues at Kineton, w th iii one mile of vs. This is he that tould me y e story of y e Buff Gloves, &c. A 4 th is Mr. Loggins, a neere neighbour of ours. He 61 has a pretty estate of 7001. per annum, all contiguous about his house ; he is excellent company, and keeps as excellent scyder. To these I may add my friend and his father, whose characters I dare not take vpon me to describe, feareing least I should come short of theire meritt : but thus much I may say of y m , that that w ch makes even poverty comfortable they enjoy w th plenty, and that is, vnity and concord at home ; and to add to theire happiness, they haue 2 handsome prattleing boys, each as pritty as Phillis. but not quiet soe old. They are in coates, and yett are in theire grammers. And now I thinke of these children, pray speake to my cousin Betty (whoe knows the art of pleasing) to doe me the favour to buy some little odd thing or other to p p sent them w th . She shall be p' 1 as soone as I come to London, w th a million of thanks. From all these gentl. I haue had particular invitations, at whose respectiue houses I haue rec'd soe many favours, and soe much oblidging civilitys, that are sufficient to binde my gratitude to a perpetuall remembrance and acknowledgm 1 ; and as a marke of theire kindness and esteeme, they haue admitted me of theire society. And thus you may observe that a man may be excluded from one body polliticke, and immediatly incorporated into another ; and, in truth, 'tis but justice that a man returne w th out complaint what he rec'd gratis, and all that. Now I proceed to informe you w 1 antiquities I haue observed, and now and then, if I should prove tedious by telling stories relateing to these matters, you will, I hope. 62 excuse it, for 'tis what I thought worthy my remembrance, and by consequence my friends'. The 1 st remarkable place in this county y f I visitted, was Stratford-super- Avon, where I saw the effigies of our English tragedian, Mr. Shakspeare : parte of his epitaph I sent Mr. Lowther, and desired he w ld impart it to you, w ch I finde by his last letter he has done ; but here I send you the whole inscription. Just vnd r his effigies in the wall of the chancell is this written : " Judicio Pylum, genio Socratem, arte Maronem, Terra tegit, populus marett, olympus habet. Stay, passenger, why goest thou by soe fast ; Read, if thou canst, wliome envious death hath plac't W th in this monument, Shakspeare, w th whome Quick nature dyed, whose name doth deck y e tombe Far more then cost, sith all that he hath writt Leaves liueing art but page to serve his witt. Obij A. Dm 1 1616. jEtat. 53, Die. 23. Apr." Neare the wall, where his monument is erected, lyeth a plaine freestone, vnderneath w cb his bodie is buried w th this epitaph made by himselfe a little before his death : " Good friend, for Jesus sake forbeare To digg the dust inclosed here Blest be the man y* spares these stones, And curst be he that moues my bones." The clarke that shewed me this church is aboue eighty y rs old. He says that this Shakespear was formerly in 63 this towne bound apprentie to a butcher, but that he run from his master to London, and there was rec'd into the play-house as a serviture, and by this meanes had an oppertunity to be w t he afterwards prov'd. He was the best of his family ; but the male line is extinguish'd. Not one, for feare of the curse aboues fl , dare touch his grave-stone, tho' his wife and daughters did earnestly desire to be layd in the same graue w th him. There are other statly monuments in this church, as the moniim 1 of S r George Carew, Earl of Totnes, whoe was a considerable man in Ireland in the time of Q. Eliz., and alsoe in the time of K. Ja. I, both there and in England. He dyed tempor. Car. I. His braue actions and tittles of honour are here vpon his monument enumerated, w ch are too tedious to be here inserted. There is alsoe the nionum 1 of the Cloptons here, whoe are an ancient family : there are some of them still remaineing in this towne, I shan't trouble you any more in this place, but my next step shall be to the church of Warwicke, w ch , for its multitude of many faire and stately monuments, will afford matter enough to ffeed the most hungry penn in Europe for a considerable time. But my curiosity shall terminate in a slender ace* of a few of them. The first I shall begin w th shall be the monument of Thomas Beauchampe, E. of Warwicke, and the Lady Katherine Mortimer his wife, daughter to Roger Mor- timer, first E. of March, made by King Ed. III. Here the statues of him and his countess are excellently cutt in white marble. They both dyed in one yeare, viz., in the 64 43. Ed. 3. He dyeing at Calleys in ffrance, and being brought to this church, was interr'd w th his s rl lady. This Thomas Beauchamp was as eminent for his pub- licke services as any one of his time ; he accompany'd King Ed. 3 d in the 20th of his raigne into France, and was one of y e principall commanders that, w th the Blacke Prince, led the van of his army in that famous battaile of Cressy, wher the English gained such immortall honour. In the 29 Ed. 3, he attended the Prince of Wales into France, where, in a little time, y* memorable battaile of Poictiers happen' d, in w c)l the King of France was taken prisoner, and in this alsoe y e noble earle gained a lasting renowne, for he by his owne hands tooke y 1 day Will, de Melleun, Archb p of Seinz, and many other prisoners of note. This earle was one of the founders of the noble Order of the Garter, instituted by King Ed. 3d. There are many other extraordinary things may be related of this nobleman ; but this taste shall suffice, and being subjects of generall discourse, I thought not imper- tinent to send you. The next I came to was the monument of Thomas Beauchampe, E. of Warwicke (son to the affores d Thomas), and Margarett his wife, daughter to the Lord Ferrars of Groby : he dyed an 1401, an 2 H. 4. They lie vnder a faire monument of marble, w th this inscription vpon it : — " Hie jacent Dominus Thomas de Bello Campo quondam Comes Warwici qui obiit octavo die mensis Aprilis Anno Domini Millessimo. CCCC. primo, et Domina Margeretta 65 quondam Comitissa Warwici qui obiit xxii. mensis Januarii Afio Domini Millesimo CCCC. sexto : quorum animabus propicietur Deus. Amen/' This Earle, for his greate wisdom and prudence, was by the parliam* an 3 R. 2, chosen governour to the king, then but young ; but he was ill rewarded by that vnhappie prince, for when he gott the govemni 4 into his owne hands, he had him attainted for heigh treason ; but he granted him his life in exchange of a perpetuall banishm* to y e Isle of Man, &c. But this cloude was p e sently dissipated by the advancem* of Henry the 4th to the crown, and thereby this noble earle restored to his libertye, honours and possessions. I made my next step to the monum* of Richard Beauchamp, E. of Warwicke, son to the last mentioned Earle Thomas : he dyed at Roan, an 1439, and lyes buried in a vault here ; in memory of whome stands the noblest monument that euer my eyes beheld ; 'tis in my judgment much beyond H. 7th's. His statue in brass, double guilt, is the most exact and liuelie rep e sentation that hitherto I ere mett w th . The inscription thereon is thus litterally taken : — viz. " Preieth devoutly for y e sowel whome God assoille of one of y e moost worshipfull knights in his days of monhode and conning Richard Beauchamp, late Earle of Warwicke, L' 1 Despenser of Bergavenny, and of mony greate other Ldships, whose bodie resteth here vnd 1 ' this Tumbe in a full feire vout of stone sett on y e beare Rooch, y e which visited w th longe siknes in y e Castle of 9 66 Roan thereinne deceased full cristenly y e last day of Aprill y e yeare of our L d God A. M. cccc.xxxix. he being at y* time Lieueten 1 Generall and Governour of y e Roialme of France and of y e Dutchy of Normandy by sufficient authority of our soveraigne Lord the King Harry y e VI. The w oh body w th great deliberation and full worshipfull conduct by see and by lond was broght to Warrewicke y e iiii. day of 8 br the yeare abouesaid, and was leid w th full solemne exequies in a feir chest made of stone in this church afore y e west dore of this Chappell, according to his last will and testam 1, therein to rest till this Chappell by him devised in his leife were made, al the whitche Chappel, founded on the Rooch and alle the members thereof, his Ex rs dede fully make and apparaile by y e auc- tority of his sede last will and testam 1 and thereafter by y e same auctorite they did translate full worshipfully the seide bodie into y e voute aboue saide, honored be God therefore." Round about this tombe there are 14 statues in copper, double guilt, standing on the ends and sides of the monum* rep e senting his familie and neere relations. To recount the many noble exployts of this man w ld require a treaties of itself — nay, the stories of him w ch still continues fresh in this towne of Warwicke w ld be verie tedious ; but, in fine, in marshiall prowes and greate imploym ts he exceeded all his noble ancesters ; and amongst the many that I haue heard, take these few. He fought 3 severall clays at Gynes in France, in y e personage of these 3 knights viz 1 . 1, the Greene Kt., 67 2, the Chevalier vert, 3, the Chevalier attendant. Those 3 that he fought w th were, 1, Y Chevalier Rouge, 2, 1' Chevalier Blanke, 3, Sr Collard Fines, over whome he had the better, for w ch he was much respected both at home and abroad. He was sent from England w th many other noble men to the councell of Constance in Germany, at w ch time he fought a Duke and slew him in justing. King H. 5, vpon his death, appoynted this Earle should haue the tutelage of his son H. 6, then an infant, till he were 16 y rs of age, w ch the Parliament approveing, he afterwards had, &c. There be severall other large and faire monum ts be- longeing to the family of the Nevills, that after the Beauchamps came to be Earles of Warwicke, and alsoe many noble monum ts in memory of the family of the Dudleys, whoe were Earles of Warwicke after the extinguishm* of y e Nevills. Besides this, there is the moniim* of S 1 ' Foulke Grevill, w ch , as I am informed by the learn'd in the ord rs of building, is for its architecture inferiour to none in the kingdome. The epitaph on this tombe is in my minde worth your knowing, w ch is thus, viz 1 : — " Fulke Grevil, servant to Queene Elizabeth, Councellour to King James, and Friend to Sr Phillip Sydney. Trophseum peccati." Now I will bid adiu to monum ts and cast my eye on Kenilworth, w ch I was soe pleas' cl w th the 1 st time, that I 68 made another visitt to its mines as I returned from Coleshill (from whence I writt you my former letter). This castle was first built in the time of King H. 1. by one Geoffery de Clinto ; and a greate poole, w ch was 2 miles longe, was made at the same time. There were additionall building and fortifications to this in everie king's reigne. In the 49 of H. 3 d . after the defeate off the Barons at the battle of Evesham, the scatter'd rebbells fled to this place ; and in the 50. of this king, he w th a potent army, came in person and beseiged it, w ch was verie close, for 6 moneths, but at last he was glad to grant them theire owne termes. Dureing this seige, the sword Curtana was delivered to the king in the camp. This is always since caried before the kings at theire coronation. Here the vnfortunate King Ed. 2 cl was imprisoned in the 20th of his reigne, and then deposed ; here 'twas that a surrend 1 of his regall dignity was extorted from him, and from hence he was huryed to Berkley Castle, and there some time after most barbarously murder'd. Queene Eliz 1 made a grant of this Castle to her beloved the Earle Leicester, whoe layd out on buildings and repaires vpwards of 60,000ZZ. Twas in this castle that y e s d Earle had the p e sence of Queene Eliz. for 17 days. The entertainm 1 was soe noble that, as I am informed, there was a booke then writt entittuled " The Princely Pleasures of Kenilworth Castle." This castle came afterwards to the crown, and in the late vsurpation, for its good service to the king, was 69 totally demolished, soe j l now there rernaines but the mines (w ch even still loocks noble) of a most stately fabrique. But truly they haue done one peice of service, and that is by dreineing the pond aboue mentioned, and rendring many hundreds of acres to be worth 40s. per acre, w oh before was purely matter of prospect and curiosity. This place was- by King Ch. 2 d . granted to the p e sent E. of Rochester, w th whose steward I perambu- lated this place. I am affraid I haue already trespas'd too long on y r patience, else the describeing this place, its scituation, conveniences, &c. would not be amiss, but I shall conclud this lett r w th Kenilworth, and as you like this, you shall haue more * w ch shall giue you my observations on Guy's Cliffe, the Castle of Warwicke, as Cassar's tower, Guy's tower, cum niultis aliis, &c. I am affraied y* after you haue read this over (if there be any thing in it worth your knowledg,) that you will justly say it is layd vnd 1 ' soe much heavy rubbish that it's the cynder-wenches' trade to finde it out. But tho' I am verie well assured that it is an elaborate peice of folly, yett I hope you wo'nt expose me in this vndress — for truly I am in noe fitt apparell to appeare abroad. But, if you please, 2 or 3 friends more may be diverted in a chamber w th it, if such can affect theire humours. But to make amends for all, I here inclosed send you a true copie of my friend's speech to the corporation of * A gross word in the MS. is here omitted. 70 Warwick e, at the opening of theire Charter, w ch I desire you keep for me agen I come to towne, and lett none out of your family heare one word thereof. You may in some time haue an ace* of our entertainment in the garett. The assize begins at Warwicke to-morrow morning, and in order to be there to heare y e charge, &c. from Mr. Justice Clodpate, viz. Justice Ne — 1, my friend and I ride thither this afternoone ; we shall stay there till thursday. If there be any thing there worth your knowing, I will trouble you w th it. Pray favour me w th your receipt of this. My service to all the family, and I conclude, d r Cousin, Yo r verie faithfull Kinsman and most aff* humble serv* till death JOHN AT STILES. 10. A prill. 1693 From Mr. Dowdall Description of several 1 places in Warwickshire. £ t^ CD \ } W >-j a> H— ( m ►*> o u CD e-t- The following facsimile of the first portion of the account relating to Shakespeare, was taken on wood as an experiment, by a young artist. It is not, however, quite accurate, and it is so very difficult to present exact copies of any extent of writing on wood-blocks, that I have 71 had a very careful lithographic facsimile made, of all that relates to Shakespeare. The reader will find this at the comrnencemeiit of the volume. ^(H^^^Ur^i^. ^ y^^- s^^fa^^j^. Vfy* -&y&H±L Q <&aajl V^aJU fCj^C^ h^iS^ r^yv^f 1cu. nn b <5cmm? . Tgtfce.o IPiCce-29 &vit£ is us ah had become an object of constant reference in Shake- speare's time. Even Bottom is made to refer to it for the 117 nights of moon-shine. The conjunctions of the planets, alluded to in 2 Henry IV, Act ii, sc. 4, are given in the present one, as are also weather prognostications : — " greater storms and tempests that almanacks can report", Anthony and Cleopatra, Act i, sc. 2. Shakespeare has several other allusions to the almanacs, calendars, and prognostications current in his day ; and it would be difficult to meet with a more perfect illustration of them than is afforded by the present specimen. 94. A Greek drachma, Alexander the Great. The drachma is alluded to in the Roman play of Julius Cassar. It passed current at Rome as about the value of a denarius. 95. Three specimens of old silver coins, exhibiting a cross on one side. Hence, any piece of money was called a cross. Shakespeare is fond of quibbling on this word. When Falstaff asks the Chief Justice for money, he replies, — " Not a penny, not a penny ; you are too im- patient to bear crosses." Compare, also, Love's Labour s Lost, Act i, sc. 2, and As You Like It, Act ii, sc. 4. 96. The Chandos Portrait of Shakespeare, a director's proof of the Shakespeare Society's engraving by Cousins, of which only fifty copies were taken, at £2 : 2 each. The present is No. 30, attested by Mr. Collier. 118 97. A silver posy-ring, of the early part of the seventeenth century, with the motto, Be true. E. K. Presented by T. Crofton Croker, Esq. 98. Thorny Abbey, or the London Maid. A Tragedy, written by T. W. London, Printed in the year 1662. 12mo. The author of this little play is not known. It is written in imitation of Macbeth. 99. The Heire, a Comedie, as it was Acted by the Company of the Revels, 1620. Written by T. M. The second Impression. London, Printed by Augustine Mathewes for Thomas Iones, and are to be sold at his shop in S. Dunstans Church-yard in Fleet-street. 1633. 4to. Several portions of the design of this play are borrowed from Shakespeare. The demand of the king that Leucothoe shall yield, as the sole condition upon which he would spare the life of her lover, is taken from Measure for Measure, The constable and watch who seize Eugenio seem to have had their language and manners from those in Much Ado About Nothing; and the enmity of the two houses reminds us of Romeo and Juliet. Amongst the characters is, " Shallow, a foolish gentleman/' 119 100. The Raigne of King Edward the Third, as it hath bene sundry times played about the Citie of London. Imprinted at London by Simon Stafford for Cuthbert Burby, and are to be sold at his shop neere the Royall Exchange. 1599. 4to. This rare play is unfortunately imperfect, wanting the last leaf, and another in sheet I. A perfect copy sold at Sotheby's in 1821 for £5, and another in 1824 for £4 : 18. It was attributed by Capell to Shakespeare. 101. The Pleasant History of Dorastus and Fawnia, Pleasant for Age to shun drousy Thoughts, Profitable for Youth to avoid other wanton Pastimes, and bringing to both a desired Content. By Robert Green, Master of Arts in Cambridge. London, Printed by H. Brugis for J. Clark, W. Thackeray, and T. Passinger, 1684. 4to. Black-letter. An interesting, and exceedingly rare, edition of this popular romance, well-known as the foundation of Shake- speare's Winter's Tale. The annexed woodcut, illus- trative of the story, is on the title page, and on the last page are representations of Charles the Second and his Queen. Mr. Dyce has no mention of the present edition, although he notices eleven printed between 1607 and 1735, and what is yet more remarkable, the present copy contains the lines from Dorastus to Fawnia, which Mr. Dyce says he first meets with in the edition of 1694. 120 See his edition of Greene's Works, vol. ii, p. 242. There are not many variations between the copies, but the following line may be worth giving, — " So as she shews, so seems the budding rose." This romance was originally published in the year 1588, under the title of, " Pandosto, the Triumph of Time, wherein is discovered, by a pleasant Historic, that although, by the meanes of sinister fortune, Truth may be concealed, yet by Time, in spight of Fortune, it is most manifestly revealed." No perfect copy of this first 121 edition is known, and all the early editions are of great rarity. 102. The last leaves from the old editions of ' Sej amis' and ' Every Man in his Humour/ containing the lists of the actors or "principall" tragcedians and comedians. The name of Shakespeare occurs in both these lists, in one, Will. Shakespeare, in the other, Will. Shake-speare. 103. One of the twelve mulberry-tree rtngs, manu- factured on the occasion of the Jubilee by T. Sharp, with the head of Shakespeare engraved on a piece of the mulberry tree under glass, and inscribed on the shank, Shakespeare 's Wood. T. Sharp. Supposititious reliques of Shakespeare's mulberry tree, and close imitations of known genuine ones, are so numerous, it is with extreme hesitation I admit a single specimen into this collection ; but the genuineness of the present one may be safely accepted, it being, as I am informed on the testimony of Mr. Crofton Croker, one of twelve rings manufactured by T. Sharp on the occasion of the Jubilee in 1769, only thirteen years after the mulberry tree was cut down. Sharp appears to have been the only manufacterer of these relics, whose testi- mony as to their authenticity is at all to be depended upon. In the Gentleman's Magazine for October, 1799, p. 909, there is recorded the death of Thomas Sharp, 16 122 Clock and Watch Maker at Stratford-upon-Avon, "a person almost universally known amongst the admirers of Shakespeare, as proprietor and inventor of the curious toys made of the famous mulberry tree, said to have been planted by the poet's own hand ; for which wood he had conceived such an esteem, that he considered it as an invaluable relick. And in order to confirm its value in the esteem of those who may have or may hereafter become purchasers, the day before he expired, he took his oath upon the Holy Evangelists that he never in his life bought, made up, worked, sold, or substituted any other mulberry wood than what was part of the tree which he purchased of the Rev. J. Gastrell, who cut it down in 1756, and which he had heard Sir Hugh Clopton, Knt., Barrister at Law, one of the Heralds at Arms, and a Justice of Peace for the County of Warwick, with whom he was personally acquainted, positively declare was planted by the hand of Shakespeare. His affidavit was made in the presence of Mr. Thomas Nott and Mr. Richard Allen, Magistrates of the Borough of Stratford, who, by his own request, kindly attended on him for that purpose, and signed their names, which done he declared he should die contented. He was a person of the strictest integrity." 104 A carved bone powder-flask, representing subjects connected with the chase. Long. The face of an old Roman coin, scarce seen. 123 Boyet. The pumniel of Caesar's faulchion. Bum. The carv'd bone face on a flask. Love's Labour's Lost, Act v, sc. 2. 105. A three-farthing silver piece of the time of Queen Eli- zabeth, generally called " the three-farthing rose." There is an allusion to this coin in King John, Act i, sc. 1, — — my face so thin, That in mine ear I durst not stick a rose, Lest men should say, Look, where three-farthings goes. In the coin, the rose is placed behind the head. The allusion is so minute that the coin (which is not common) becomes an interesting Shakespearian illustration. See Mr. Knight's Library edition of Shakespeare, vol. iv, p. 259. 106. Gesta Inclita Tyrii Appollonit Regis, a beautiful manuscript of the fifteenth century, quite perfect and in fine preservation. Early MSS. of this romance, on which, it is scarcely necessary to observe, was founded Shakespeare's Pericles, are of the rarest occurrence, and even the few which are known to exist are chiefly to be found in public libraries. Douce, in his Illustrations, ed. 1839, p. 401, has noticed several, all of which are in colleges or public institutions. 124 107, Poems, &c. written by Sir John Suckling. Printed by his own Copy. The Lyrick Poems were set in Musick by Mr. Henry Lawes, gent, of the King's Chappel, and one of His Majesties Private Musick. London, Printed by Tho. Warren for Humphry Mosely, and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Prince's Arms in S. Paul's Churchyard, 1648. 8vo. At p. 35 is, " a Supplement of an imperfect Copy of Verses of Mr. William Shakespears, by the Author/' The copy wants three leaves in the first sheet. 108. William How's Common-place Book, temp. Charles I, including extracts from Pericles, the Merchant of Venice, and various other plays, a neatly written and very curious MS. 12mo. Early manuscript miscellanies, containing extracts from any of Shakespeare's plays, are of a high degree of rarity. 109, Five Shakespearian seals. Presented by T. Crofton Croker, Esq. F.8.A. 110. A specimen of the old brass sun-ring or ring-dial, such a one as is supposed to have been used by Touchstone in 125 the forest. The circles are quite perfect, but the ring appears to be wanting, and its construction seems to be different from that described by Mr. Knight, in his notes on As You Like It, Act ii. Its application is, however, placed beyond a doubt by the following lines, which are engraved on the inner circle, — Set me right, and use me well, And I to you the time will tell. These old ring-dials are of great rarity. Mr. Knight's is the only perfect one I know of, but the present is sufficiently complete to furnish a very interesting illustra- tion of Touchstone's Dial. 111. Two Bookes of Epigrammes and Epitaphs, dedicated to two top-branches of Gentry, Sir Charles Shirley, Baronet, and William Davenport, Esq. Written by Thomas Bancroft. London, Printed by J. Okes for Matthew Walbancke, and are to be sold at his shop in Graves Inne-gate, 1639. 4to. This copy belonged to T. Park, and has MS. notes by him. It is the same which is described in the Bibliotheca Anglo-Poetica, there valued at <£20 ; and although the price has fallen since that work was published, it still realizes a liberal sum. Skegg's copy sold for £5 : 15. 126 The work is very valuable to biographical enquirers, and enters into this collection from containing the following curious epigrams on Shakespeare, unnoticed by Malone, — 118. To Shakespeare. Thy Muses sugred dainties seeme to us Like the fam'd apples of old Tantalus : For me, admiring, see and heare thy straines, But none I see or heare those sweets attaines. 119. To the same. Thou hast so us'd thy pen, or shooke thy speare, That Poets startle, nor thy wit come neare. The second epigram, according to Park, alludes to the spear on Shakespeare's crest. It may, however, be merely a quibbling allusion to his name, proving that it was pro- nounced Shakespeare. 112. A Manuscript of Old English Poetry, written BETWEEN THE YEARS 1585 AND 1590, CONTAINING THE EARLIEST COPY OF ANY PORTION OF SHAKESPEARE'S WORKS KNOWN TO EXIST, EITHER IN PRINT OR MANUSCRIPT. 4tO. This most important volume was originally in Mr. Bright' s collection, and sold at the sale of his library of MSS., on June 18th, 1844, to Mr. Thorpe, the bookseller, 127 at the low price of £12. It was disposed of by him to the late Dr. Russell, and I procured it of his son, the Rev. J. F. Russell, of Enfield. The following account of the MS. is extracted from Messrs. Sotheby's Sale Catalogue, pp. 28 and 29 — " Shakespeare. A Poetical Miscellany of the Reign of Elizabeth, containing verses by Edward Vere, Earl of Oxford, Sir Edward Dyer, — Vavasor, G. M., Sir P. Sidney, and Shakespeare. russia. 4to. " The lines by Shakespeare are an elegant little poem, which appeared first in The Passionate Pilgrim, 1599, a surreptitious pub- lication, in which they are most incorrectly given. The present Manuscript offers not only a better arrangement of the stanzas, but also a far superior text, in proof of which we subjoin the last stanza : — Manuscript. Now hoe, inoughe, too muche I feare ; For if my ladye heare this songe, She will not sticke to ringe my eare, To teache my tounge to be soe longe ; Yet would she blushe, here be it saide, To heare her secrets thus bewrayede. Printed Text. But soft ; enough, too much I fear, Lest that my mistress hear my song ; She'll not stick to round me i' th' ear, To teach my tongue to be so long : 128 Yet will she blush, here be it said, To hear her secrets so bewray 'd. " In this reading we get rid of the harsh and false metre of the third line, and obtain a more natural imagery ; the lady wringing her lover's ear for betraying her secrets, being certainly a more ap- propriate punishment for his fault than that of merely whispering him. " Invention has been racked to account for the utter disap- pearance of the poems of Shakespeare in his own hand. The Rev. Mr. Hunter, in his recently published New Illustrations of the Life and Writings of Shakespeare, ingeniously supposes that the last descendant of the Poet, Lady Barnard, in her over-religious zeal, may have destroyed any writings that remained in her hands. To whatever cause it may be owing, it is a certain fact that, at the present time, not a line of his writing is known to exist. In the absence of his autographs, any contemporaneous manuscript is of importance; and in this view the present one may justly be deemed a literary curiosity of high interest." This account is correct as far as it goes, but the com- piler has omitted to notice the curiosity of the MS. as containing the earliest copy of any of Shakespeare's writings known to exist. The writing of the MS. is very early ; and I very much doubt if any portion Of the volume was written so late as 1590. If I am correct in this supposition, we have here a strong confirmation of Mr. Knight's opinion, that Shakespeare began to write at an earlier period than has been usually supposed. The MS. formerly belonged to Anne Cornwallis, and has her autograph, so that its descent from Vere, Earl of Oxford, is clearly deducible. 129 John Vere, 11th Earl of Oxford = Elizabeth, d. of Sir J. Howard Sir George Vere = Mary, d. of W. Stafford John Neville, = Dorothy, co-heir Lord Latimer Lord Latimer == Lucy, d. of Henry, E. of Worcester Sir W. Cornwallis == Lucy, co-heir Anne Cornwallis. The MS. commences with some verses by J. Bentley, 17 130 whose fame as an author rests solely on the present volume. It includes some poems printed in the ' Paradise of Daintie Devices' and one by G. M., supposed to be Gervase Markham. There is also a poem attributed to Sir P. Sidney, but it occurs in England's Helicon, with the name of Dyer attached to it. In conclusion, I may observe that during a search of ten years, and after a very careful examination of every collection of the kind I could meet with, either in public or private libraries, the present is the only specimen of any of Shakespeare's writings I have seen which was written in the sixteenth century. Scraps may be occasionally met with in miscellanies of a later date, but this volume, in point of antiquity, may be fairly considered to be unique in its kind, and as one of the most interesting illustrations of Shakespeare known to exist. 113. A Death's Head Ring, in Gold, with the Motto, Memento Mori. Bum. The head of a bodkin. Biron. A death's face in a ring. Love's Labours Lost, Act v, sc. 2. Bard. Why, Sir John, my face does you no harm. Fal. No, I'll be sworn ; I make as good use of it as many a man doth of a death's head, or a memento mori: 131 I never see thy face, but I think upon hell-fire, and Dives that lived in purple ; for there he is in his robes, burning, burning. — First Part of Henry IV, Act hi, sc. 3. This is a fine specimen of a death's head ring. Mr. T. Crofton Croker, who has nearly completed an elaborate work on the subject of ancient rings, describing the important collection formed by Lady Londesborough, has favoured me with the following note on the subject : — " If my opinion, after inspecting minutely some thousand rings, is of the slightest value, I can assure you that, to a collector, your death's-head ring is the very finest specimen I have ever seen, of this very rare kind of ring, so often mentioned in the writings of our old dramatists. I should not have hesitated to give <£10 for it, nor would I now for one which once was offered to me for as many pence — indeed I believe I would be tempted to turn the 10 into a 20 should such a specimen again turn up." T. Crofton Croker. 114. A Hoen-Book. Horn-books are now so completely out of use that few persons are acquainted with their precise nature. In the present one there is first a cross, the criss-cross, and then the alphabet, in large and small letters. The horn-book is mentioned by Shakespeare, in Love's Labour's Lost, v, 1 ; and we have here the la, the a, e, i, o, u, alluded to by Moth. 132 -fAabcdef ghijklmnopq rfstuvwxyz& aeiou ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO P^Q RSTUVWXYZ a e i o u ab eb ib ob ub ac ec ic oc uc ad ed id od ud a e i o u ba be bi bo bu ca ce ci co cu da de di do du In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. OUR Father, which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy Name ; thy Kingdom come, thy Will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this Day our daily Bread ; and forgive us our Trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us : And lead us not into Temptation, but deliver us from Evil. Amen. % h Cotgrave has " La Croix depar Dieu, the Christ's-crosse- rowe, or home-booke wherein a child learnes it f and Florio, ed. 1611, p. 93, " Centuruula, a childes horne-booke hanging at his girdle." " Commether, Billy Chubb, an breng tha hornen book. Gee me tha vester in tha windor, you Pal Came ! — what ! be a sleepid — I'll wake ye. Now, Billy, there's a good bway ! Ston still there, an mine what I da za to ye, and whaur I da pwint. — Now ; cris-cross, girt a, little a — b — c — d. — That's right, Billy; you'll zoon lorn tha criss - cross - lain — you'll zoon auvergit Bobby Jiff- ry — you'll zoon be a scholar d. — A's a pirty chubby bway — Lord love'n !" — Siiecimsns of the West Country Dia- lect. Horn-books are now of great rarity, and even modern ones are very seldom seen. I have been told, on good authority, that an advertisement, many times re- peated, offering a considerable sum for a specimen, failed "TTwrT 133 in producing an answer. A tale, illustrative of Lord Erskine's readiness, relates that when asked by a judge if a single sheet could be called a book, he replied, " The common horn-book, my Lord." 115. A beautiful antique ring, of niello work, with the head of Lucrece, a very interesting specimen of the Lucrece Ring. "By your leave, wax. — Soft! — and the impressure her Lucrece, with which she uses to seal." — Twelfth Night, Act ii, sc. 5. This very interesting illustration of Shakespeare's acquaintance with the works of art of his clay is in fine preservation. It will be observed that the knife is not introduced, but the head is the conventional type of Lucrece. There is another Lucrece ring, of inferior workmanship, in the collection of antique rings in the possession of Lady Londesborough, by whose kind permission I am enabled to add a representation of it to this account. Further observations on Lucrece rings are given in Mr. Croker's excellent cata- logue, previously referred to. 116. A portion of a play-house copy of Shakespeare's Henry IV, in MS., dated Kidderminster, May, 1762. 4to. 134 117. An original gold coin of Cunobelin (Cymbeline), struck at Colchester. Obverse, cam (Camulodunum, i.e. Col- chester), an ear of corn. Reverse, c v n o (Cunobelinus), a horse galloping. See Ruding, vol. iii, plate 4, fig. 7. Cunobelin reigned over the Trinobantes, Dobuni, &c. extending from the coasts of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, across the island to the Severn. He is supposed to have lived whilst Augustus Tiberius and Caligula were emperors of Rome. The emblem of the ear of corn, the type of plenty, is copied from one of the coins of Augustus. The coin described at p. 95, having, on further ex- amination, been clearly ascertained not to be one of the coinage of Cunobelin, I am pleased to substitute the present fine and undoubted specimen. Genuine Cunobelin coins produce at sales from £4 : 4 to £8 : 8, seldom under the former price. 118. A small but curious heraldic manuscript of the early part of the seventeenth century, containing a tricking of the arms of " Sir Thomas Lucy of Charlcott in the County of Warr. knight." 12mo. 119. A silver gimmal ring, of the latter part of the six- teenth century. 135 120. A Recantation of an 111 Led Life, or a Discoverie of the High Way Law, with vehement Disswasions to all (in that kind) offenders, as also many cautelous Admonitions and fall Instructions how to know, shunne, and apprehend a Thiefe. Most necessary for all honest Travellers to peruse, observe and practise. Written by John Clavell, Gent. London, Printed by A. M. for Richard Meighen, next to the Middle Temple in Fleete street. 1634. 4to. In this curious poetical tract, the author professes to discover all the villanies of his craft, that of a high- wayman. His first depredations were on Gad's-hilL See 1 Henry IV. FINIS. T. BICHAUDS, 3l, GREAT QUEEN STREET. v *V A A 5 ' • • - v V „ - , , A " - - - - / , , . , % ■ v ,.«,.., a ■ • • ■ - / s ...... v • ■ - V ' ./ -•'■■ '< a / ■■" '%. a- aiaa ■, / m ^/Jm\ o° " a , **J -' ^ .A- > „ A7\ ,- » A^-. • •:* if - = A- - rP \aa<^V-VVa«aa ; -'/* \ /-»V *~ A o5 °*< ^ / " i : s ^ ,CA O, ' r, , v "* A Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide , ■* A A N A 1 N '• « % A X ~A.' Treatment Date: Feb. 2009 -\ PreservationTechnologies 1 A fl WORLD LEADER IN COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION *o V r " ,A "-^ W W V W* W W «£> •s£