vicar, Shakespeare entertained at New Place his two friends, Michael Drayton and Ben Jonson, in this same spring of 1616, and had a merry meeting,' but, itt seems, drank too hard, for Shakespeare died of a feavour there contracted.' A popular local legend, which was not recorded until 1762, credited Shakespeare with engaging at an earlier date in a prolonged and violent drinking bout at Bidford, a neighbouring village.” 1 Some Shakespearean commentators close their eyes to this unfortunate failing of the poet, others see nothing to deprecate: "Shakespeare, the drunken savage! Savage, yes, but the inhabitant of the virgin forest; drunken indeed, but with the ideal. He is a giant, beneath the boughs of enormous trees, who holds a great golden cup, and the light which he drinks is reflected in his eyes." 2 In the foregoing epitome, no notice has been taken of what the cipher has to say upon the subject. An extract from the Bishop of Worcester's report to Cecil is here given : "I have sometimes seen him (Shakspere) in his youth caper it about with a light heart, halloing and singing by the hour, and in the raggedest apparel and almost "Life of Shakespeare," p. 144. 2 "Essay on Shakespeare," Victor Hugo. "A cogitation of the highest rapture"!-BEN JONSON. naked. A bold, forward, and most vulgar boy." 1 "But I must confess," says Bacon, "there was some humour in the villain; he hath a quick wit and a great belly; and, indeed, I made use of him, with the assistance of my brother, as the original model from which we draw the characters of Sir John Falstaffe and Sir Toe-be." 2 It is not impossible that this statement may be as true as it is remarkable. It is universally admitted by commentators, that in "The Merry Wives of Windsor Shakespeare caricatured the enemy of his youthful poaching exploits, as Mr. Justice Shallow, who comes up to London to obtain redress of his wrongs. "Such an incident," says Mr. Lee, “as the tradition reveals, has left a distinct impress on Shakespearean drama. Justice Shallow is, beyond doubt, a reminiscence of the owner of Charlecote." 3 "Justice Shallow, whose coat of arms is described as consisting of 'luces,' is thereby openly identified with Shakespeare's early foe, Sir Thomas Lucy, of Charlecote." 4 If Mr. Justice Shallow be openly identified with Sir Thomas Lucy, it seems logical to infer that Shakespeare is to be identified with Falstaff, for it is against the fat knight that Shallow brings his charges. 1 "The Cryptogram, p. 812. 2 Ibid., P. 816. ▲ Ibid., p. 85. The passage is as follows: "Shallow. Is Sir John Falstaff here ? Page. Sir, he is within; and I would I could do a good office between you, Shal. He hath wronged me, Master Page. Page. Sir, he doth in some sort confess it. Shal. If it be confessed, it is not redressed: is not that So, Master Page? He hath wrong'd me; indeed, he hath ;- -at a word, he hath ;-believe me ;-Robert Shallow, esquire, saith, he is wronged. Page. Here comes Sir John. Enter SIR JOHN FALSTAFF, BARDOLPH, NYM and PISTOL. Fal. Now, Master Shallow, you'll complain of me to the king? Shal. Knight, you have beaten my men, killed my deer, and broke open my lodge. Fal. But not kissed your keeper's daughter! Shal. Tut, a pin, this shall be answered. Fal. I will answer it straight: I have done all this.-That is now answered. Shal. The Council shall know this." Merry Wives of Windsor, A&t I., Sc. 1. It will be seen from the portrait of Shakspere, which is here reproduced, that the face and figure are those of a coarse, fat individual, void of intellectuality and possessing an exceedingly sensual mouth. It is scarcely necessary to point out that this effigy and the Droeshout engraving,' which is 1 The original painting, from which this was drawn, appears to have recently come to light. 1 |