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lived to witness the success of her eldest son, had also passed away. Mary Shakespeare was buried at Stratford on September 9th, 1608. Mr. Collier believes that the dramatist was at Stratford at this period, and attended the funeral of his mother. This is probable enough; but when the same writer tells us that "filial piety and duty would of course impel him to visit Stratford on the occasion," he forgot that had Shakespeare been in London at the time of his mother's death, her funeral would have taken place before the announcement of her decease could have reached him. On October 16th, in the same year, Shakespeare was godfather to William Walker, of Stratford, who is mentioned in his will; but this circumstance is hardly of itself sufficient to prove he was then at Stratford, for the office was one that was frequently performed by proxy.

Mom Walker

At this period, 1608, Shakespeare had retired from the. stage. This important fact is ascertained from a letter signed H. S., on behalf of the players of the Blackfriars Theatre, which was then attempted to be suppressed by the corporation of the city of London. These initials are presumed by Mr. Collier to belong to Henry Earl of Southampton, and the letter itself is perhaps the most interesting document relating to Shakespeare yet discovered. Unfortunately the original is not in existence, but a contemporary copy of it was found by Mr. Collier among the Egerton papers. It is without date, but it may safely be assigned to the year just mentioned, at which time we know from other sources how active the authorities of the city were in endeavouring to suppress the theatre.

mentioned in his will of which he was not possessed in 1605, supposing that the two houses in Henley street were inherited by him on his father's dying intestate in 1601, and there is every reason for believing that to have been the case. Shakespeare's property has been differently valued. According to Gildon, his income was £300 a year, but Malone computes it at £200, not having all the evidence before him that has now been made attainable. An exact opinion on this subject is difficult to form, for a portion of his property was perhaps employed before his death in making provisions for those members of his family who have been thought by some biographers to have been neglected by him in his will.

The exact period at which Shakespeare retired from the stage is not known, but he was one of the original actors in Ben Jonson's Sejanus, which was produced in 1603, and in a letter, hereafter quoted, supposed to have been written in 1608, he is described as "till of late an actor of good account in the cumpanie." His name also occurs in a list of the king's company appended to a letter dated April 9th, 1604, found by Mr. Collier at Dulwich College, but I have some doubt whether he might not have been retained in such a list as long as he continued to possess an interest in the profits of the theatre, even although he had relinquished his profession as an actor. It seems evident, from the curious document quoted at p. 208, that, in 1604, Shakespeare was occupied in pursuits of quite a different kind at Stratford, and the transactions there mentioned are of a character to lead us to believe he was then a resident in that town, especially as they are spread over a considerable period; but it must be kept in mind that the evidence in this respect is not sufficiently complete to enable us to decide with certainty the period of his permanent establishment at Stratford, for Aubrey's assertion that "he was wont to

goe to his native countrey once a yeare" sufficiently explains the circumstances above alluded to, if we can venture to adopt the opinion of a writer whose other statements are so improbable.

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It is beyond doubt that Shakespeare made, for those days, frequent journeys between Stratford and London. In the Corn-market, Oxford, a very few yards from Carfax church, may yet be seen an inn which has for centuries been known by the sign of the Crown. Its front is now quite modernised, but from a yard at the back may still be accurately traced considerable portions of the older building, and sufficiently distinct to enable the observer to bring to his mind the portraiture of a large rambling substantial hostelry of the Elizabethan period. The present frequenters of this establishment are little aware of the associations that have been conferred upon it by the antiquarian gossips of the seventeenth century. It was here, according to Anthony

Oxford was in the high road between London and Stratford, the route passing through Islip. Shakespeare was probably well acquainted with Oxford

My verie honored Lord. The manie good offices I have received at your Lordships handes, which ought to make me backward in asking further favors, onely imbouldeneth me to require more in the same kinde. Your Lordship wilbe warned howe hereafter you graunt anie sute, seeing it draweth on more and greater demaunds. This which now presseth is to request your Lordship, in all you can, to be good to the poore players of the Blacke ffryers, who call themselves by authoritie the Servantes of his Majestie, and aske for the proteccion of their most gracious Maister and Soveraigne in this the tyme of theire troble. They are threatened by the Lord Maior and Aldermen of London, never friendly to their calling, with the distruccion of their meanes of livelihood, by the pulling downe of their plaiehouse, which is a private theatre, and hath never given ocasion of anger by anie disorders. These bearers are two of the chiefe of the companie; one of them by name Richard Burbidge, who humblie sueth for your Lordships kinde helpe, for that he is a man famous as our English Roscius, one who fitteth the action to the worde and the word to the action most admirably. By the exercise of his qualitie, industry, and good behaviour, he hath become possessed of the Blacke ffryers playhouse, which hath bene imployed for playes sithence it was builded by his ffather now nere 50 yeres agone. The other is a man no whitt lesse deserving favor, and my especial friende, till of late an actor of good account in the cumpanie, now a sharer in the same, and writer of some of our best English playes, which, as your Lordship knoweth, were most singulerly liked of Quene Elizabeth, when the cumpanie was called uppon to performe before her Majestie at Court at Christmas and Shrovetide. His most gracious Majestie King James alsoe, since his coming to the crowne, hath extended his royall favour to the companie in divers waies and at sundrie tymes. This other hath to name William Shakespeare, and they are both of one countie, and indeede allmost of one towne: both are right famous in their qualities, though it longeth not of your Lo. gravitie and wisedome to resort unto the places where they are wont to delight the publique eare. Their trust and sute nowe is not to bee molested in their waye of life whereby they maintaine themselves and their wives and families (being both maried and of good reputacion) as well as the widowes and orphanes of some of their dead fellows. Your Lo. most bounden at com.

Copia vera.

H. S.

The notice of Shakespeare in this manuscript is extremely interesting, not so much from the information it imparts, which is but trifling, but from its being nearly the only contemporary document in which the poet is thus familiarly introduced. This letter was discovered by Mr. Collier in the valuable collection of manuscripts belonging to the Earl of Ellesmere, and the fac-simile of that portion of it relating

to Shakespeare, which the reader will find at the commencement of this volume, will suffice to convince any one acquainted with such matters that it is a genuine manuscript of the period. No forgery of so long a document could present so perfect a continuity of design; yet it is right to state that grave doubts have been thrown on its authenticity. A portion of the fac-simile will exhibit on examination a peculiarity few supposititious documents would afford, part of the imperfectly formed letter h in the word Shakespeare appearing by a slip of the pen in the letter f immediately beneath it. It is of importance to decide upon the character of this paper, for on the degree of credit we may give to it depends the value of the other MSS. relating to Shakespeare discovered in the same collection; and it would be satisfactory were Mr. Collier to furnish the public with fac-simile copies of all of them.* At the same time, it must be admitted, in fairness to Mr. Collier, that, when the doubt of their authenticity was raised, he produced the letter of H. S., the one most severely attacked, before a council of the Shakespeare Society, and several competent judges, including Mr. Wright, fully concurred in believing it to be genuine. Mr. Hunter has systematically argued against the authority of all the Shakespearian documents. found by Mr. Collier in Lord Ellesmere's collection, but how much reliance is to be placed on his conclusions may be inferred from the fact that the paper of the spuriousness of which he is most positive is preserved, not in that nobleman's library, but in the archives of the city of London, enrolled in books unquestionably authentic. No reasons

Mr. Knight seems to think it strange that a copia vera should want date and signature, but there is nothing very remarkable in such a circumstance. In the Library of the Society of Antiquaries, No. 201, art. 3, is preserved a copye of the comyssion of sewers in the countye of Kent," marked as rera copia, and, singularly enough, written apparently by the same hand that copied the letter of H. S.

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I refer to the paper relating to Kemp and Armin, 1605.

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