THERE are few subjects in the whole range of English literature presenting greater opportunities for a variety of discursive criticism than are offered to the writer of a Life of SHAKESPEARE; so numerous, indeed, that if he accepted them all in their full extent, no one in these days of condensed learning would reasonably be expected to do justice to the labours of the biographer. Genealogical details, obscure allusions, identities, disputed readings, chronological arguments, and other matters of a like kind, some of great interest, others palpably uninstructive, afford, each in its turn, subjects for dispute which have been argued by editors writing with an especial object, and generally biassed in their consideration of evidence, to an extent altogether unnecessary; for, omitting all controversy not absolutely required by the documents on which our knowledge of the Life is established, the materials which have now been unfolded to us are sufficiently extensive to render their arrangement and discussion a formidable labour in comparison with what would be necessary to perform a similar office for contemporary poets. It is quite a fallacy in these days to repeat the extravagant dictum of Steevens, or complain how little we are acquainted with William Shakespeare's worldly career and character. We should, on the contrary, be thankful we know more of him than we do of Spenser or of many others, the history of whose lives would probably be so interesting and valuable; and most grateful for the singularly unexpected discoveries of modern times dispelling so much of the darkness and clouds that rested on his personal history. If, bearing in mind the evil above alluded to and endeavouring to avoid it, a new torch is now lighted in "the dark backward" of Shakespeare's time, which shall discover recesses yet unknown to the explorer, and again unfold every path; before its holder is accused of attempting to relumine well-known passages, let it be borne in mind no one has yet told the world the whole of the means by which discoveries have been made. In other words, the evidences on which the history of Shakespeare's life is founded have never been fully exhibited to the public, and this it shall be my endeavour to accomplish in the following pages; not, indeed, without entering into subjects of discussion that to the casual observer might probably appear irrelevant, but, I trust, without exceeding my proper duties by introducing circumstances not essential to the discourse or argument. Our earliest attention will of course be directed to the ancestry of the poet. The Shakespeares were settled in Warwickshire as early as the fourteenth century, and shortly afterwards we find the name spread through the country, appearing in most of the documentary evidence of any extent we now have relating to that part of England from the time of Henry VI. All the arguments for and against the study of pedigree and genealogy might now be repeated. Shakespeare has told us that "nature cannot choose his origin ;" and, failing in the attempt to discover with any degree of certainty the particular branch from which our poet was descended, we can at least console ourselves with the reflection, whatever consolation the knowledge may be to the curious, that we have at length obtained an approximation to the solution of the momentous question-that "great problem of all,” as it is ludicrously termed by one of those antiquaries who regard the value of inquiries of this kind in an inverse ratio to their importance,-who was Shakespeare's grandfather? Before we enter on this subject, it may perhaps not be without its use to direct the reader's attention to the following notices of the name of Shakespeare in Warwickshire* during the century immediately preceding the establishment of our poet's family at Stratford. If we are unable to indicate amongst any of these names Shakespeare's immediate ancestors, the coincidence of the recurrence of the same Christian names will afford a strong presumption that the root of the family was originally the same. They are extracted from a very valuable manuscript on vellum in the possession of Mr. Staunton of Longbridge House, near Warwick, entitled Registrum fratrum et sororum Gildæ Sanctæ Annæ de Knolle; incipiebatur in die et in festo Sanctæ Annæ anno Domini millesimo cccc.mo vij.o, a register of the guild of St. Anne of Knolle, from the year 1407 to its dissolution in 1535: (Circa 1460). Pro anima Ricardi Shakspere et Alicia uxor. ejus de Woldiche. 1464, 4 Edw. IV. Johanna Schakespere. Radulphus Schakespeire et Isabella uxor ejus, et pro anima Johannæ uxoris primæ. Ricardus Schakespeire de Wroxsale et Margeria uxor ejus. *The numerous varieties of orthography in the case of this surname are curious. The list given below supplies some forms not hitherto noticed. There cannot be much doubt that Sharper was the pronunciation in Warwickshire, and I have heard it 30 pronounced recently by uneducated persons residing in that county. Shakespeare Hart wrote his name "Shaxpeer Hart," in a document dated 1746. (Circa 1464). Johannes Shakespeyre ejusdem villæ (Rowington) et Alicia uxor ejus. 1476, 16 Edw. IV. 1486, 1 Hen. VII. Thomas Chacsper et Christian. cons. suæ de Rowneton. Thomas Shakspere, pro anima ejus. Thomas Shakspere et Alicia uxor ejus de Balsale. 19 Hen. VII. Orate pro anima Isabella Shakspere quondam Priorissa de Wraxale. Both public and private records would enable us to increase our early notices of the Shakespeares almost indefinitely. The Shakespeares of Rowington are perhaps most frequently mentioned, and numerous documents respecting them are preserved in the Chapter House, Westminster. They continued to reside there till a late period.* Among the proceedings in the Star Chamber, 7 Feb. 44 Eliz., is a case, Holte v. Thomas Shakespeere of Rowington for being concerned in damages done in the previous May to the common of Bushwood olim Lapworth. This Thomas Shakespeare was a disciple of Jack Cade, signing with a *The Rowington papers mention the Shakespeares to the close of the last century. The early registers are unfortunately lost. A Margaret Shakespeare was married there in 1665. A MS. copy of the customs of the manor, in the possession of Mr. Lea, dated 1614, exhibits a William Shakespeare as one of the jury at that period. Thomas Shackspear, of Rowington, is assessed on goods of the value of £3 in the Subsidy Roll, 39 Eliz., and Thomas Shaxper, senior, of the same place, is assessed on land of the value of thirty shillings, in a similar roll of 7 James I. Amongst some early undated fragments of records relating to Warwickshire, preserved in the Carlton Ride, I find a mention of a John Shakeseper, of Rowington. If our poet's family had been nearly connected with this branch, it is most probable one of his brothers would have received the Christian name of Thomas. A survey of crown lands in Warwickshire, 4 Jac. I, in the Land Revenue Office, notices a Thomas, George, Richard, and a John Shakespeare, as holding property at Rowington. mark. The name occurs under various forms. In the year 1589 we find the case of "Marye Ruswell againste John Vale and Katheryn his wyefe, and Aylese Shackspire." The Alice Shakespeare here mentioned was John Vale's mother-in-law. In the same repository of records is a fine, levied Mich. 12 Jac. I, "inter Willielmum Shackespeare et Georgium Shackespeare quer. et Thomam Spencer armigerum, Christoferum Flecknoe, et Thomam Tompson deforc. de octo acris pasturæ cum pertinentiis in Claverdon alias Claredon," and this person was not the only one our poet had the fortune to honour by an identity of appellation. A William Saxspere was drowned in the Avon in 1579, as appears from the following curious entry in the parish register of St. Nicholas, Warwick, which has not yet been printed with literal accuracy: "1579, Junii: sexto die hujus mensis sepultus fuct Gulielmus Saxspere, qui demersus fuet in rivulo aquæ qui vel quæ vocatur Avona." This William Shakespeare of Warwick was probably the son of Thomas Shakespeare, of that town, whose other son is also mentioned in the same register: "1598, Junii 21. Solemnizatum matrimonium inter Thomam Shaxeper et Elizabeth Letherberrow." Thomas Shaxpere gent. was elected bailiff of Warwick on 1 Nov. 10 Jac. I, and again 1 Nov. 2 Car. I, and the family was resident at Warwick during the whole of that century. The name is spelt Shackspeere in the Black Book of Warwick, f. 243, a very valuable MS. belonging to the Corporation; and he is also alluded to in the municipal records of Stratford, but there does not appear to be any evidence that he was even remotely connected with our poet's family. Other branches of the Shakespeares were located at Wroxhall, Hampton, Lapworth, Nuneaton, Kineton, and various other places in Warwickshire; but notwithstanding the masses of evidence we possess in which the name occurs, |