recusants as staying away from church, for fear of being arrested for debt. To this has the prosperous man been reduced. It is a sad history. Then suddenly comes the wonderful change. In 1596, we find the man, who was almost beggared but four years before, applying to the herald's office for a grant of arms. There can, I think, be but one solution, that the son was now prospering and helped him. And this is corroborated by the fact that we know that in the following year the poet bought New Place. A few more years pass by, and, in 1601, John Shakspere dies, having lived to see the success of his son. It is, indeed, a strange eventful history. And I have told the story in its barest shape, without conjecture or remark, just as it may be read in the Chamberlain's and Corporation books of Stratford, for it needs no comment, no filling up of outlines, to give it pathos and interest.

And of Shakspere himself, we know less than even this. A few anecdotes by Aubrey and others,* all probably with

*Gossiping old Aubrey's account is as follows:-"Mr. William Shakspere was borne at Stratford-upon-Avon, in the county of Warwick. His father was a butcher; and I have been told heretofore by some of the neighbours, that when he was a boy he exercised his father's trade; but when he kill'd a calfe, he would doe it in a high style, and make a speech. There was at that time another butcher's son in this towne, that was held not at all inferior to him for a naturall witt, his acquaintance and coetanean, but dyed young. This Wm., being inclined naturally to poetry and acting, came to London, I guesse about 18, and was an actor at one of the play

some little glimmering of truth, but all going to prove his extreme poverty when first turned adrift in the world; a few obscure passages in contemporary writers, showing how quickly he rose to fame, is all that we know of him. In a manuscript list of the quantity of corn and malt in

1597

Stratford, in February, 15, a time of great dearth, we find

15989

In the Chamberlain's books

1597

--

xd."

Shakspere possessing the large quantity of ten quarters, and learn from the ward in which his name appears that he was living at New Place. for the same year we meet with the following:"Pd. to Mr. Shaxspere for on lod of ston. And in a letter of the date of January, 15089 preserved amongst the documents of the Stratford Town Council, we find his name mentioned as likely to purchase land at Shottery, proving that he was now a man of wealth and means. And this, with one or two other incidental notices in other letters, is all we know of him. No document belonging to Shakspere ever turns up, with one exception, a letter to him from Richard Quiney, which, when I last saw it, was in

houses, and did act exceedingly well. Now, B. Johnson was never a good actor, but an excellent instructor. He began early to make essayes at dramatique poetry, which at that time was very lowe, and his plays took well. He was a handsome, well-shap't man, very good company, and of a very readie and pleasant smooth wit," &c.

* This list, as well as the next letter, is quoted in full by Mr. Halliwell, pp. 167, 172.

the possession of the late Mr. Wheler, of Stratford, and which I shall venture to give in full :—

"Loveinge contreyman, I am bolde of you, as of a ffrende, cravinge your helpe with xxx. li. uppon Mr. Bushells and my securitee, or Mr. Myttens with me. Mr. Rosswell is nott come to London as yeate, and I have especiall cawse. You shall ffrende me muche in helpeinge me out of all the debettes I owe in London, I thanck God, and muche quiet my mynde, which wolde nott be indebted. I am nowe towardes the Cowrte, in hope of answer for the dispatche of my buyseness. You shall nether loose creddyt nor monney by me, the Lorde wyllinge; and nowe butt perswade yourselfe soe, as I hope, and you shall nott need to feare, butt, with all hartie thanckefullnes, I wyll holde my tyme, and content your ffrende, and yf we bargaine further, you shal be the paie-master yourselfe. My tyme biddes me hastin to an ende, and soe I committ thys (to) yowr care and hope of yowr helpe. I feare I shall not be backe thys night ffrom the Cowrte. Haste. The Lorde be with yow and with us all, Amen! ffrom the Bell in Carter Lane, the 25 October, 1598.

"Yowrs in all kyndenes,

"RYCH. QUYNEY.”

"To my lovinge good ffrend and contreyman Mr. Wm.

Shackespere deliver thees."

This is the only scrap of paper which we know for certain that we possess that Shakspere ever read. It is a precious document-one short glimpse which we catch of the poet. I see not the slightest ground for the conjecture, which has been founded upon it, that Shakspere at one period of his life was a money-lender. "Loving good friend," and "loving countryman," is not quite, I should suppose, the way in which a usurer would be addressed upon money matters at any period of the world's history. Nor does the tone of the rest of the note countenance the supposition. Better, surely, is it for us to regard this letter as showing Shakspere in the light of a friend helping a friend, possessed with that love, which is so marked in all his writings, and that sympathy which is the finest trait in our human nature.

.

As I noticed in the first chapter, how happy a circumstance it was that Shakspere's birth should have fallen in the very heart of England; so, too, do I think it was no less a happy event that it should have happened in the month of April, in "the sweet of the year," and that the flowers should both be blooming when he was born and when he died. It is no mere idle fancy. If there be any truth in the