number. And so we bid your Lo. hartilie farewell. ffrom the court at Whitehalle, the ix.th of Aprille, 1604. On this document the following memorandum is written in another hand, perhaps by Allen: Ks. Comp. Burbidge. P. 227. Two copies of the following document are preserved at Dulwich College. The one here used is endorsed, "1609. The estate of the poores booke the 8. of Aprill, ffor the Clinke." "A breif noat taken out of the poores booke, contayning the names of all thenhabitantes of this Liberty which arre rated and assesed to a weekely paimt towardes the relief of the poore. As it standes now encreased, this 6° day of Aprill 1609. Delivered up to Phillip Henslowe esquior, churchwarden, by Francis Carter, one of the late Ovreseers of the same Liberty. Phillip Henslowe esquior assesed at weekely Ed. Alleyn assesed at weekely The Ladye Buckley, weeklye Mr. Cole Mr. Lee Mrs. Cannon Mrs. White Mr. Langwoorthe Mr. Binfeild Mr. Corden Mr. Chauncye Mrs. Sparrowhauke Mr. Watfoord Mr. Badger Mr. Heynes Mr. Dauson Mr. Hovell Mr. Griffin Mr. Toppin vj.d. vj.d. iiij.d. j.d. iiij.d. iij.d. iij.d. iij.d. iij.d. P. 273. It is worthy of remark that the Halls inhabited New Place after the death of the poet. Bylles mad to be sealed by moneys to be payd, 3 Februarii, 1617. Mr. Baker, xl.li. to Mr. Hall at Newplace. Mr. Wolner, x.li. to me at Mr. Halles at Newplace. In the Books of Composition for not taking the order of knighthood at the coronation of King Charles I. 1630-2, at the Rolls House, occur the following entries: William Combe of Old Stratford, 26 0 0 Johannes Hall de Burgo Stratford super Avon gen. 10 0 0. P. 278. All the witnesses to the will were neighbours of Shakespeare, and are frequently mentioned in the records of the corporation. Julius Shaw was a near neighbour, and his house, as it now appears, is represented at p. 170. P. 297. The very curious allusion to Shakespeare in the 'Return from Parnassus,' 1606, proves how highly he was in favour with his contemporaries. Kempe is made to say, "Few of the university pen plays well; they smell too much of that writer Ovid, and that writer Metamorphosis, and talk too much of Proserpina and Juppiter. Why, here's our fellow Shakespeare puts them all down; ay, and Ben Jonson too. O, that Ben Jonson is a pestilent fellow; he brought up Horace giving the poets a pill, but our fellow Shakespeare hath given him a purge that made him bewray his credit." P. 298. The following curious anecdote occurs in Jocabella, or a Cabinet of Conceits,' 1640, 12mo. "One asked another what Shakespeare's workes were worth, all being bound together: hee answered, not a farthing. Not worth a farthing, said he; why so? He answered that his playes were worth a great deale of money, but he never heard that his workes were worth any thing at all." See Collier's Farther Particulars, 1839, p. 7. P. 298. Shakespeare had many friends. Anthony Scoloker, in his Daiphantus, 4to. 1604, speaks of his "friendly Shakespeare's tragedies." Wood, ii. 155, 576, mentions Thomas Freeman and George Chapman as esteemed and admired by the poet. Augustine Phillips, in his will dated May, 1605, gives "to my fellowe, William Shakespeare, a thirty shillings peece in gould." P. 298. It may be just worth while to make the following extract from a rare jest-book as evidence of the early period at which Stratford on Avon became celebrated as the birthplace of Shakespeare. "One travelling through Stratford upon Avon, a towne most remarkeable for the birth of famous William Shakespeare, and walking in the church to doe his devotion, espied a thing there worthy observation, which was a tombestone laid more than three hundred yeeres agoe, on which was engraven an epitaph to this purpose, I Thomas such a one, and Elizabeth my wife here under lie buried, and know, reader, I R. C. and I Christoph. Q. are alive at this howre to witnesse it."-A Banquet of Jests or Change of Cheare, 12mo. Lond. 1639. P. 298. The gold seal-ring here delineated was found some years ago in a field near the church at Stratford, and was purchased by Mr. Wheler within a few hours after it was discovered. Singularly enough, a man named William Shakespeare was at work near the spot when it was picked up. Little doubt can be entertained that this ring belonged to the poet, and it is probably the one he lost before his death, and was not to be found when his will was executed, the word hand being substituted for seale in the original copy of that document. See p. 278. The only other person at Stratford having the same initials, and likely to possess such a seal, was William Smith, but he used one having a different device, as may be seen from several indentures preserved amongst the records of the corporation. In " a vewe of the Wood Street Ward, 1598," a MS. at Stratford, occurs the initials W. S. as paying 2s. 6d. for certain rents to the Corporation, which entry probably refers to the same person. On the whole, then, I am disposed to confide in the authenticity of this relic, although confessing the evidence amounts to little more than a reductio ad absurdum, that, supposing this ring did not belong to Shakespeare, it belonged to no one, at least to no one at Stratford. We cannot well expect positive proof in matters of this kind, and, even if we are mistaken, no discredit is thrown by the error on any portion of our biography. Believing it to have belonged to Shakespeare, it is a most interesting memento of the poet, and one of the possession of which Mr. Wheler may well be proud. LIST OF DOCUMENTS. *Those articles in the following list which are marked by an asterisk have not been printed in any other work. *1. Extracts relating to the Shakespeares, from the Register of the Guild of PAGE 3 *17. Extracts from the Chamberlains' Accounts, 1564 *16. Plea relating to an action against John Shakespeare 7. Will of Agnes Arden *8. Inventory of the goods of Agnes Arden 9. Will and Inventory of Robert Arden *10. Orders made at Stratford, Oct. 8th, 1553 *11. Lease from Margery Lorde to her son 12. Fine relating to houses in Henley street, 1575 *13. Abstract of title of the Swan Inn *14. Deed of conveyance from John Shakespeare, 1596-7 *15. Extracts relating to John Shakespeare *3. Extracts from the Snitterfield registers *4. Declaration by Lane against John Shakespeare, 1587 *5. Indenture between Agnes Arden and Alexander Webbe *6. Declaration of Agnes Arden, 1580 9 10 11 12 13 15 24 29 34 36 37 40 46 47 48 18. List of contributions for the poor, 1564 *21. Fine relating to the mortage of Ashbies *20. Postscript to the will of Roger Sadler, 1578 19. Extracts from the Corporation books respecting John Shakespeare 50 52 53 *22. Fine relating to land at Wilmecote, 1579 . ib. *24. Bond for the performance of covenants *23. Indenture between John and Mary Shakespeare and Robert Webbe 54 57 *26. Extract from the King's Silver books *25. Fine relating to property at Snitterfield, 1580 58 59 ib.. *27. Note relating to the same property 28. Papers respecting the suit concerning Ashbies *29. Inventory of the goods of Henry Field, 1592 *30. Inventory of the goods of Ralph Shaw, 1592 *31. List of recusants at Stratford 60 67 69 71 72 32. Another list of recusants, 1592 ib. *33. The information of Roger Shakespeare 73 35. Draft of grant of arms to John Shakespeare, 1596 76 79 82 *37. List of tenants in Bridge-street Ward |