state in the theatre till after Burbage, tho' he play'd what we call second and third characters in his time, and particularly Henry the Eighth originally, from an observation of whose acting it in his later days Sir William Davenant convey'd his instructions to Mr. Betterton.' According to Downes, Betterton was instructed in the acting of the part by Davenant, who had it from old Mr. Lowin, that had his instructions from Mr. Shakespeare himself.'

Shortly before the destruction of the Globe Theatre in 1613, and in the same month of June, there was a malicious bit of gossip in circulation at Stratford-onAvon respecting Mrs. Hall, Shakespeare's eldest daughter, and one Ralph Smith. The rumour was traced to an individual of the name of Lane, who was accordingly summoned to the Ecclesiastical Court to atone for the offence. The case was opened at Worcester on July the 15th, 1613, the poet's friend, Robert Whatcot, being the chief witness on behalf of the plaintiff. Nothing beyond the formal proceedings in the suit has been recorded, but there can be little doubt that Lane was one of those mean social basilisks who attack the personal honour of any one whom they may happen to be offended with. Slanderers, however, are notorious cowards. Neither the defendant nor his proctor ventured to appear before the court, and, in the end, the lady's character was vindicated by the excommunication of the former on July the 27th." (H.-P. i. 243.)

The accounts of moneys expended by Lord Stanhope, Treasurer of the Chamber, between Michaelmas, 1612, and Michaelmas, 1613, contain the following:

"Item: paid to John Heminges uppon the Cowncells warrant dated att Whitehall xx. die Maij., 1613, for pre

sentinge before the Princes Highnes; the Lady Elizabeth and the Prince Pallatyne Elector, fowerteene severall playes; viz., one playe called Filaster, one other called the Knott of Fooles, one other Much adoe abowte nothinge, the Mayeds Tragedy, the merye dyvell of Edmonton, the Tempest, A kinge and no kinge, the Twins Tragedie, the Winters Tale, Sir John Falstafe, the Moore of Venice, the Nobleman, Coesars Tragedye, and one other called Love lyes a bleedinge, all which playes weare played within the tyme of this accompte, viz., paid the some of iiij. xiij. li. vj. s. viij. d.

"Item: paid to the said John Heminges uppon the lyke warrant, dated att Whitehall xx. die Maij., 1613, for presentinge sixe severall playes; viz., one play called a badd beginininge makes a good endinge, one other called the Capteyne, one other the Alcumist, one other Cardenno, one other the Hotspurr, and one other called Benedicte and Betteris, all played within the tyme of this accompte, viz., paid fortie powndes, and by waye of his Majesties rewarde twentie powndes. In all, lx. li."

Joseph Fletcher, in 1613, in a poem called "Christe's Bloodie Sweat," makes the following allusion to Antonio, in the "Merchant of Venice":

"He di'd indeed not as an actor dies,

To die to-day, and live again to-morrow;
In shew to please the audience, or disguise
The idle habit of inforced sorrow.

The crosse His stage was, and He plaid the part
Of one that for his friend did pawne his heart."

Only one play was published this year: -

"The History of Henrie the fourth; With the Battell at Shrewseburie, betweene the King and Lord Henrie Percy, surnamed Henrie Hotspur of the North; With the humorous conceites of Sir John Falstaffe. Newly

corrected by W. Shakespeare. London: Printed by W. W. for Mathew Law, and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Churchyard, neere vnto S. Augustines Gate, at the signe of the Foxe. 1613."

This is the copyright entry for this year:

en

"1613-4, Primo Martij, 1613. Roger Jackson, tred for his coppies, by consent of Mr. John Harrison the eldest, and by order of a Court, these 4 bookes followinge; viz., Mascalls first booke of Cattell; Mr. Dentes sermon of repentance; Recordes Arithmeticke; Lucrece."

1614. "In July John Combe, one of the leading inhabitants of Stratford-on-Avon, died bequeathing Shakespeare the then handsome legacy of £5. It is clear, therefore, that at the time the will was made there was no unfriendliness between the two parties, and that the lines commencing, Ten-in-the-hundred,' if genuine, must have been composed at a later period. The first two lines of that mock elegy are, however, undoubtedly spurious, and are omitted in the earliest discovered version of it, dated 1630, preserved at Thirlestane House. There is, moreover, no reason for believing that Combe was an usurious money-lender, ten per cent being then the legal and ordinary rate of interest. That rate was not lowered until after the death of Shakespeare." (H.-P. i. 244.)

The Globe Theatre had been rebuilt, at a large cost, and recently opened. Chamberlain, writing from London on June 30, 1614, to a lady at Venice, says: "I heare much speach of this new playhouse, which is saide to be the fayrest that ever was in England."

"In the autumn there was great excitement at Stratford-on-Avon respecting an attempted enclosure of a large

portion of the neighboring common-fields. The design was resisted by the Corporation. William Combe, the squire of Welcombe, originated the movement. It appears most probable that Shakespeare was allured to the unpopular and unsuccessful side by Combe's agent, one Replingham, guaranteeing him from prospective loss. On December the 23d the Corporation addressed a letter of remonstrance to Shakespeare. The poet was then in London, having arrived there on Wednesday, November the 16th.

"We are indebted for the knowledge of the former circumstances to the diary of Thomas Greene, the townclerk of Stratford-on-Avon, who has recorded in that manuscript the following too brief, but still extremely curious, notices of the great dramatist in connection with the subject of the enclosures:

"a. Jovis, 17 Nov., my cosen Shakspeare comyng yesterday to towne, I went to see him how he did. He told me that they assured him they ment to inclose noe further then to Gospell Bushe, and soe upp straight (leavyng out part of the Dyngles to the field) to the Gate in Clopton hedge, and take in Salisburyes peece; and that they mean in Aprill to survey the land, and then to gyve satisfaccion, and not before; and he and Mr. Hall say they think ther will be nothyng done at all.

"b. 23 Dec. A hall. Lettres wryten, on to Mr. Maneryng, another to Mr. Shakspeare, with almost all the companies handes to eyther. I alsoe wrytte of myself to my cosen Shakspear the coppyes of all our actes, and then also a not of the inconvenyences wold happen by the inclosure.

"c. 9 Jan. 1614. Mr. Replyngham, 28 Octobris, article with Mr. Shakspear; and then I was putt in by T. Lucas.

"d. 11 Januarii, 1614. Mr. Manyryng and his agree ment for me with my cosen Shakspeare.

"e. Sept. (1615). Mr. Shakspeare tellyng J. Greene that I was not able to beare the encloseing of Welcombe.' "Greene was in London at the date of the first entry, and at Stratford at that of the second. The exact day on which the fifth memorandum was written is not given, but it was certainly penned before the fifth of September. Why the last observation should have been chronicled at all is a mystery; but the note has a mournful interest as the register of the latest recorded spoken words of the great dramatist. They were uttered in the autumn of the year 1615, when the end was very near at hand.

6

"Had it not been for its untimely termination, the concluding period of Shakespeare's life would have been regarded with unmixed pleasure. It was spent,' observes Rowe, as all men of good sense will wish theirs may be, in ease, retirement, and conversation of his friends.' The latter were not restricted to his provincial associates, for he retained his literary intimacies until the end; while it is clear, from what is above recorded, that his retirement to Stratford did not exclude an occasional visit to the metropolis. He had, moreover, the practical wisdom to be contented with the fortune his incessant labours had secured. He had gathered, writes his first real biographer (Nicholas Rowe), 'an estate equal to his occasion, and, in that, to his wish,' — language which suggests a traditional belief that the days of accumulation had passed. In other words, he was one of the few who know when to commence the enjoyment of acquired wealth, avoiding the too common error of desiring more when in full possession of whatever there is in the ability of money to contribute to happiness." (H.-P. i. 247.)

The articles of agreement between Shakespeare and William Replingham, by which the latter agreed to compensate the poet should loss accrue to him by the enclosures, are preserved. They are