The confessions of William-Henry Ireland : containing the particulars of his fabrication of the Shakspeare manuscripts ; together with anecdotes and opinions (hitherto unpublished) of many distinguished persons in the literary, political, and theatrical world

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THE

. CONFESSIONS
^ WILLIAM-HENRY IRELAND.

CONTAINING

V

si THE PARTICULARS OF HIS FABRICATION

V OF THE

J / g)I)a{i£qpeateiWantt2!crij>t0;

TOGETHER WITH

ANECDOTES AND OPINIONS

(Hitherto unpublished)
OF MANY DISTINGUISHED PERSONS

IN THE

"^ ^ Literary y Politicaly and Theatrical World.

** THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH."

si

LONDON,

PRINTED BY ELLERTON AND BY\^ORTH, JOHNSON's COURT,

FLEET STREET,

FOR THOMAS GODDARD, CORNER OF PALL MALL AND

THE HAYMARKET.

1805.
(Price, 7s. 6d, in Boards.)

PREFACE-
IN the year 1796 I gave to the world a
concise pamphlet, in which I avowed my-
self the fabricator of the manuscripts at-
tributed by me to Shakspeare.

The papers themselves, and the cir-
cumstances attending their production,
had so highly excited the public curio-
sity that the whole edition was disposed
of in a few hours : and so great has since
been the eagerness to procure a copy,
that, though originally published at one
shilling, a single impression has been sold,
in a public auction-room, at the extrava-
gant price of a guinea.

250731

PREFACE.

This fact was known to many of my
friends, who in consequence have often
expressed surprise that I did not repub-
lish the pamphlet, and have frequently
importuned me to do so : but the revival
of the subject, I conceived, might rather
tend to injure than benefit me as a li-
terary character: besides, I had already
suffered much from the agitation of the
question, and had reason to wish it might
for ever rest in peace. The consideration,
however, that I do but injure my own re-
putation by silently bearing a more than
merited portion of obloquy has at length
incited me to give a narrative of the facts
in the order in which they occurred, and
a simple relation of the motives as they
arose and operated on my conduct, that
the world may be enabled to judge be-
tween my contemners and me, and that

PREFACE,

my character may be freed from the stig-
mas with which it has so undeservedly
been sullied.

In the course of the ensuing pages will
be found various anecdotes of the principal
persons who rendered themselves conspi-
cuous during the Shaksperian controversy.
These I have frequently detailed in the
circle of my friends, who have invariably
stated the entertainment they have receiv-
ed, and the full conviction that the public
would experience an equal portion of
amusement were the whole to be col-
lected and placed before them in a publi-
cation similar to the one which I have in
the present instance adopted.

Many of the poetic effusions inter-
spersed throughout the subsequent pages
were written with the intention of being
handed to Mr. S. Ireland as the composi-

PREFACE.

tions of Shakspeare; but the avowal of
the whole fabrication speedily following,
they were never transcribed in the dis-
guised hand: they have therefore re-
mained ever since in their original state,
and are now for the first time exposed to
general view.

To his Royal Highness the Prince OF
Wales I have ventured to dedicate an ef-
fusion, the genuine feelings of my soul ;
for I have ever beheld in that august per-
sonage a concentration of all the attri-
butes which confer honour on the elevated
station he was born to fill.

To George Chalmers, esq., I have ad-
dressed a letter, containing an apology
for my literary imposition, and craving
his pardon and that of the other respec-
table gentlemen who thought with him,
whose forgiveness I am anxious to ob-

PREFACE.

tain by the vindication of my own con-
duct.

In the anxious hope that nothing
herein contained may tend to my detri-
ment in the estimation of the public at
large, I shall conclude these prefatory lines
by referring my readers to the following
pages for the proofs requisite to the full
establishment of the positions stated at the
end of i;he volume, and with a sanguine
hope that my conduct will henceforth be
regarded rather as that of an unthinking
and impetuous boy than of a sordid and
avaricious fabricator instigated by the
mean desire of securing pecuniary emo-
lument.

CONFESSIONS

OF

WILLIAM-HENRY IRELAND.

INFANCY, AND MR. HARVEST'S ACADEMY.

As the period of my infancy can be pro-
ductive of no satisfaction to the public, it
will be sufficient for me to state that I was
born in London, and that the first semi-
nary to which I was sent was Mr. Har-
vest's, at the back of Kensington Square;
to whose parental kindness I am indebted
for the first rudiments of my native lan-
guage, and the mechanical art of wri^

PRIVATE THEATRICALS.

At a very early period of life I certain-
ly acquired a great fondness for theatrical
pursuits, originating, I should conceive, in
the friendship that subsisted between Mr.
Samuel Ireland and the family of Mr.
Linley (then one of the proprietors of
Drury-lane theatre) ; by which means we
had free egress at all times both behind
and before the curtain of old Drury : and
a circumstance which tended perhaps as
much as any other to root this partiality
was a private play which was performed at
the then mansion of R. B.Sheridan, esq., in
Bruton Street, at which was present a large
party of the nobility. The piece selected
on the occasion was the opera of The Gen-
tle Shepherd, with Bon Ton 3 the parts be-
ing filled by young persons. My charac-
ter, though of a trivial nature, did not di-
minish the zest I felt on that occasion ; but,
on the contrary, rendered my predilection
for theatrical pursuits even more deter-
mined.

STUPIDITY WHEN A CHILD,

During my childhood I was ever fond
of making pasteboard theatres, but very-
averse to every thing like study and ap-
plication. When at Mr. Shury's academy,
at Ealing, I was so very backward, that
once, on going home for the vacation, I
was made the bearer of a letter from Mr.
Shury, wherein he acquainted my father,
Mr. Samuel Ireland, that I w^as so stupid
as to be a disgrace to his school, and that,
as he found it impossible to give me the
least instruction, he w^ould much rather I
should not return after the holidays, as he
(Mr. Shury) conceived it was no better
than robbing Mr. Ireland of his money.

SOHO SCHOOL.

I was for about twelve months at Dr.
Barrow's academy in Soho Square ; but
my constitution being very weakly, and
the town air but ill according with my
then state of health, it was deemed expe-
dient to send me to a country academy.
B 2

. 4

I have mentioned this seminary, as one
curious circumstance occurred. The an-
nual play performed by the scholars of
Soho school, at the breaking up for the
vacation, happened to be Shakspeare's tra-
gedy of King Lear 3 and on my produc-
tion of the spurious manuscripts, some
years afterwards, the very drama fixed
upon by myself, and which I WTote on
old paper and in the disguised hand, with
alterations, happened to be the tragedy
of King Lear; not that I recurred in the
least to the piece so performed at the Soho
academy : and Ihis circumstance is noticed
merely to show the strange coincidence
of events which will frequently occur aft
dijfierent stages of our lives.

RESIDENCE IN FRANCK

The happiest period of my life was spent
in France, where I continued for about
four years. My first residence was at
Amiens in Picardy; from whence I was
removed to the college of Eu in Nor-
mandy ; after which I visited Paris, &c. —

When Mr. Ireland (after so long an ab-
sence from my native country) visited the
continent in order to conduct me to En-
gland, I felt pained on quitting France; and
as if a presentiment had hung over me, I
would fain have continued there for years.
On my arrival in England I could scarce-
ly speak my native language ; and for a
length of time my conversation was so
loaded with Gallicisms as frequently to
render my meaning incomprehensible.

ARTICLES ENTERED INTO WITH MR. WILLIAM BINGLEY,
OF NEW INN.

A certain period having elapsed after
my return from France, Mr. Samuel Ire-
land deemed it expedient that I should be
articled to a practitioner of the law; and
application was in consequence made to
Mr. Bingley, of New Inn, who follows the
profession as a conveyancer in chancery ;
when, the terms being entered into, the
articles were signed ; and I from that mo-
ment attended his chambers, in order to ac-
quire the necessary knowledge to enable
b3^

me, at a future period, to practise in the
same branch of the profession.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS.

As many circumstances conjoined, , du-
ring some months, to urge my production
of the first documents, I shall relate a few
of those events ; Avhich will tend to prove
that the idea of imitating the hand-writing
of Shakspeare gradually took possession of
my mind, without my having been aware
of the fact.

From the period of my arrival from
France I had daily opportunities of hear-
ing Mr. Samuel Ireland extol the genius of
Shakspeare, as he would very frequently in
the evening read one of his plays aloud,
dwelling with enthusiasm on such passages
as most peculiarly struck his fancy. At
such periods, there was no divine attribute
which Shakspaare did not possess, in Mr.
Ireland's estimation : in short, the Bard of
Avon was a god among men. However
young I might be at that period, these
very frequent praises lavished on our poet

7

led me to the perusal of his matchless
works: and, although silent myself upon
the subject, I nevertheless paid the greatest
attention to every statement made by Mr.
Ireland ; thus gradually imbibing a similar
fondness and veneration for every thing
that bore a reference to the mighty father
©f the English stage.

PREDILECTION FOR OLD BOOKS.

As Mr. Samuel Ireland was very partial
to antiquities of every description, and
particularly old books, I had hourly op-
portunities of remarking the satisfaction
which the possession of any rarity gave
Mr. Ireland. This naturally impressed it-
self on my mind; and in consequence
I became a follower of similar pursuits:
which was soon a 'source of the greatest
emulation, as nothing gave me so much
gratification as exciting Mr. Ireland's as-
tonishment on my production of some
rare pamphlet which chance or research
had thrown in my way. Even Mr. B*ndl*y
of the Stamp office, a well-known col-
b4

B

lector^ who frequently called In Norfolk
Street, on learning the rare tracts, &c.,
which I had collected, would request me
to produce some of them; and on such
occasions he would commend my pursuit,
and express his astonishment at my good
fortune. From these circumstances I ac-^
quired a real taste for the pursuit, which I
followed with indefatigable zeal.

LOVE OF CHIVALRY.

T)' fondness for ancient books con-
i*equ' 'ty led me to peruse their con-
tents ; Chaucer being among the first :
after which, various old romances and tales
of knights-errant excited my attention, to
such a degree that I have often sighed to
be the inmate of some gloomy castle ; or
that having lost my way upon a dreary
heath, I might, like Sir Bertram, have
been conducted to some enchanted man-
sion. Sojnetimes I have wished that by
the distant chime of a bell I had found
the hospitable porch of some old monas-
tery, where, with the holy brotherhood.

having shared at the board their homely-
fare, I might afterwards have enjoyed up-
on the pallet a sound repose, and, whh the
abbots, blessing the ensuing morn, have
hied me in pursuit of fresh adventures.

GOEFFREY CHAUCER.

The following is a specimen of one of
my early imitations of the versification of
that period.

ACROSTIC ON GEOFFREY CHAUCER,

In the style of John Lydgate, a writer of that period, and a

disciple and friend of the Father of English poetry.

hynes hy thilke lerned clerke Dan Jcin Lydgate, a inonke of
Burye, wrotenn on Ids freynde and maisterr Geqffrey
Chaucer,

Con I yn rythms thilke clerke^s fame make knowen,
Hondlynge sopoorlee thys my quille
As rathere makes me hys fame kille ;
Unlesse yt bene that gratefull minde alone
Con trumpe hys praise ; since butt for hym I owne
Endlesse indeede had bene the travaile untoe mee
Ryghte praisse and thankes to offerr thus yn poesie.

b5

10

FONDNESS FOR OLD ARMOUR.

As knights were always clad in steel, I
did not merely confine myself to that sim-
ple knowledge ; but, having perused Grose's
volume on Ancient Armoury, I became a
collector of helmets, breastplates, gorgets,
cuisses, &c. ; and any part of the suit which
was deficient, I, like a second Quixote,
made up for with pasteboard. Thus was
my bedchamber a regular armoury ; and
on many occasions, when the moon has
shone upon a full suit, I have sat upright
in my bed, and pictured scenes from my
lord Orford's Castle of Otranto, &c.

PERCY'S BALLADS.

Although not partial to modern printed
books, the subject matter of Dr. Percy's
Relics of Ancient Poetry was a sufficient
inducement for my becoming its possessor:
nor has the infinite gratification I experi-
enced on its first j3erusal diminished even
to the present moment. I need scarcely
add, that the poems contained in the vo-

II

lumes here alluded to gave additional zest
to those pursuits whereto my mind was so
entirely riveted.

LOVE AND MADNESS.

I cannot call to mind on what occasion
Mr. Samuel Ireland read aloud some of
the letters in Mr. Herbert Croft's very
entertaining work under the above title;
but I perfectly well remember that the
conversation turned upon Chatterton ;
and, from the circumstances then curso-
rily mentioned, I was prompted to per-
use the above work; when the fate of
Chatterton so strongly interested me, that
I used frequently to envy his fate, and de-
sire nothing so ardently as the termination
of my existence in a similar cause. Little
did I then imagine that the lapse of a few
months was to hold me forth to public view
as the supposed discoverer of the Shak-
sperian manuscripts.

12

ACROSTIC ON CHATTERTON.

The following acrostic was penned
shortly after my perusal of Mr. Herbert
Croft's production.

Comfort and joy^s for ever fled :

He ne'er will warble more I
Ah me ! the sweetest youth is dead

That e'er tun'd reed before.
The hand of Mis'ry bow'd him low;

E'en Hope forsook his brain :
Relentless man contemnM his woe :

To you he sigh'd in vain.
Oppressed with want, in wild despair he cried
' No more Til live ! ' swallow'd the draught, and died.

CHATTERTON AND THE BLACK-LETTER BIBLE.

Some time after my discovery of the
whole Shaksperian imposition, I quitted
London, and remained for some weeks in
the vicinity of Bristol. Curiosity naturally
prompted me to visit the chamber in the
turret of St. Mary Redcliff church where-
in were deposited the papers to which
Chatterton must have had access, and from
which he pretended to have drawn his
Rowley's poems. It contained the old

13

chests, which were empty ; being in every
other respect a cheerless stone room. —
After inspecting this chamber, I waited
upon Mrs. Newton, Chatterton's sister;
who, as usual, produced the letters re-
ceived from her brother, which she styled
the only remaining relics of her dear
Thomas. After having given them a very
careful perusal (from which many proofs of
fraternal affection were apparent), I pro-
ceeded to make more minute inquiries
respecting Chatterton than were usually
made by the few strangers that were
prompted from curiosity to visit her. My
questions and her answers, as nearly as I
can recollect, were to the following eflfect.

" Do you call to mind any circumstance
of a particular nature respecting your
brother when a child ? "

" He was always very reserved, and
fond of seclusion : we often missed him
for half a day together ; and once I well
remember his being most severely chas-
tised for a long absence : at which he did
not, however, shed one tear, but merely

14

said ^ It was hard indeed to he ivhipped for
reading.^ ''

" Did he ever betray any extraordinary
symptoms when young ? ''

" No others, sir, than what I have stated ;
except, indeed, that he was taught his let-
ters from an old black-letter Bible, and
would not take his lesson from any book
of modern type.''

This circumstance very forcibly struck
me, and I endeavoured to acquire more
knowledge on this head, but she recol-
lected nothing at all interesting.

At the period when the Rowley papers
had first come to light (as he averred), she
informed me as follows : — " My brother,
sir, had frequently brought home old
parchments, deeds and other things, which
were accounted of no value : and one day,
having a use for them, I during his absence
cut up several of them for' threadpapers,
and others to cover the schoolbooks of
<;hildren : and while thus occupied, Tho-
mas Chatterton came home. On per-
ceiving what I had done, he threw himself

15

into the most violent passion, saying that
I had destroyed what would have been to
the family a fortune for ever; and in-
stantly seising the books and threadpa-
pers, collected them all together, and took
them up stairs into his own chamber : after
which they were never seen or heard oV*

From the contiguity of their residence
to Redcliff church, she also told me, he
continually frequented the interior of that
Gothic structure, where he would sit for
hours, reading, beside the tomb of Canning;
but this circumstance was at that time
scarcely noticed. He was also frequently
employed in ascending the towers of the
church ; where he would also read conti-
nually.

As to his person, his sister said that he
w as thin of body, but neatly made ; that
his features were by no means handsome,
and yet, notwithstanding, the tout-ensemble
was striking ; which arose, she conceived,
from the wonderful expression of his eyes,
and more particularly of the left eye,'

16

which, to lise her own words, seemed at
times, from its brilliancy, " to flash fire.''

She then proceeded to acquaint me
that some malevolent aspersions had been
thrown out as to his moral character, and
particularly his being partial to the so-r
ciety of abandoned women, which she
positively denied, with tears in her eyes ;
stating that he was the best and most
tender of brothers, never enjoying so
much satisfaction as when he could pre-
sent them some little token of his aftec-
tion; that he alwa3^s kept good hours at
night, to her certain knowledge ; and that
by day he was by far too much taken up
with books and his occupations to be a
loose character.-^As to his having a pre-
dilection for some female, she told me she
believed that to have been the case ; but,
to the best of her knowledge, and from her
soul (she assured me) she spoke it, no stain
whatsoever could attach itself to his moral
conduct.

Thus much I gleaned concerning the

17

unfortunate and neglected Chatterton ;
whose talents I revere, and whose fate I
commiserate with unfeigned tears of sym-
pathy ; who, had he lived, would have un-
doubtedly ranked w^ith the first men of
genius that have graced our isle.

CHATTERTON AND THE BOOKSELLER.

Having called upon a bookseller in a
bye street, among other topics I enter-
ed into conversation wdth the master of
the shop respecting Chatterton, when the
bookseller informed me that he well re-
membered the subject of my inquiry:
after w^hich he stated as follows respecting
him : — ^That Chatterton, after school hours,
had been in the habit of frequenting his
shop ; and that, not having money sufficient
to make purchases, but his family being
w^ell known, he w^as permitted to take from
the shelves any volume he chose to select :
that he did not confine himself to any
particular head, but perused promiscu-
ously works on religion, history, biogra-
phy, poetry, heraldry — and, in short, the

18

most abstruse treatises on every subject.
The master of the shop also informed me
that he frequently made transcripts, but
was never communicative; merely bow-
ing his head as he entered the shop, and
making a similar obeisance on retiring.

MR. SAMUEL IRELAND'S WARWICKSHIRE AVON.

Having explained the various pursuits
that occupied my boyish mind, and ac-
counted for the first predilection I imbibed
for the productions of Shakspeare, I shall
now proceed to state such circumstances
as immediately preceded my production
of the manuscripts. — When Mr. Samuel
Ireland had determined on making draw-
ings illustrative of a work which he had it
in contemplation to publish, on the pic-
turesque scenery of the river Avon, I was
made the companion of his journey ; con-
cerning which I shall state nothing ex-
cepting what relates to our bard ; which
circumstances, as will appear from the
ensuing statements, greatly conduced to
the subsequent production of the papers^

19

by riveting on my mind a thousand little
anecdotes and surmises respecting the sub*
lunary career of our dramatic lord.

, Sf i ^ ) JORDAN, THE STRATFORD POET.

On Mr. Samuel Ireland's arrival at Strat-
ford-on- Avon, he entered vy^ith the utmost
avidity upon every research which might
tend to throw any new light upon the his-
tory of our dramatic bard : and in these
excursions he was joined by a very honest
fellow of the name of Jordan, who was
bred up a carpenter, but having, or con-
ceiving himself to possess, a spark of the
Apollonian fire, he had dedicated himself
to the Muses, and was commonly deno-
minated " the Stratford Poet.'' This civil
inoffensive creature had not been idle, on
the score of Shakspeare ; and had made
frequent visits to the neighbouring villages
and ancient houses, endeavouring if pos-
sible to glean any new anecdote or tradi-
tionary tale.

The first person visited by Mr. Ireland,
accompanied by Jordan the poet and my-

20 ^

self, was an old shopkeeper, who resided
nearly opposite to our inn (but whose
name I have forgotten) ; he being in pos-
session of the remains of the mulberry
tree, together with tobacco stoppers, busts,
l\^afer seals, &c., all carved from the wood,
which (like the pieces of the i^eal cross in
catholic countries) have so multiplied that
1 much fear a dozen full-grown mulberry
trees would scarcely suffice to produce
the innumerable mementoes already ex-
tant. Mr. Ireland having purchased some
of these bagatelles^ and a goblet which had
certainly been carved many years back,
and in all probability from the original
tree, for which he gave an adequate price,
we left this manufacturer of Shaksj^erian
relics, and repaired to the church.

I think it necessary to state, that, al-
though the events which took place at
Stratford-on-Avon are arranged as if they
had occupied no more than a single day,
they notwithstanding kept Mr. Ireland a
resident at that place for a week : during
which period, I am fully convinced, not

61

one liour was spent but in the favourite
pursuit; while the conversations at our
dinners and suppers were still of Shak-
speare, the immortal and divine Shak-
speare.

STRATFORD CHURCH.

On entering the church, which contain^
the ashes of our immortal bard, it would
be impossible for me to describe the thrill
which then took possession of my soul. —
Mr. Ireland, as usual, began his delinea-
tions of the monuments of Shakspeare,
sir Thomas Lucy and John Coombe, which
are in the chancel of Stratford church, and
were afterwards engraved for Mr. Ireland's
River Avon. While occupied on these
drawings, he greatly reprehended the folly
of having coloured the face and dress of
the bust of Shakspeare; which was in-
tended to beautify it, whereas it would
have been much more preferable to have
left the stone of its proper colour. — Mr.
Ireland also made application in order
to be permitted to take a plaster cast
from the bust; which request had been

n

granted, on a previous occasion, to Mr.
Malone ; but as it was necessary to peti-
tion the corporation, and much time and
perseverance being requisite, the idea was
wholly relinquished.

THE CHARNEL-HOUSE.

As Mr. Ireland was very particular in
his delineations of the three monuments,
which occupied him for a considerable
time, I strolled about the church ; and on
returning to the spot where Mr. Ireland
was engaged, being just opposite the door
of the charnel-house, I pushed it open,
when the largest collection of human bones
I had ever beheld instantly struck my re-
gard. On mentioning this circumstance
to Mr. Ireland, he approached the spot, to
be an eye-witness of the fact ; when he im-
mediately remarked, that, if any such col-
lection of bones was there at the time of
Shakspeare, it was by no means improba-
ble that they inspired him with a horror at
the idea of so many remnants of the dead
being huddled together in a vast heap, and

23

that he in consequence caused the follow-
ing lines to be carved on the stone which
covers his grave (being to the right of the
charnel-house door, and directly under his
bust), in order to deter any sacrilegious
hand from removing his ashes. The lines,
which are thus spelt and cut, run as fol-
low : —

LINES ON THE FLAT STONE COVERING SHAKSPEARE^S
GRAVE.

Good Frend for lefus SAKE forbeare
To diGG T-E Duft EncloAfed IIERe
Blefe be T-E Man y fpares T-Es Stone*
And curft be He y moves my Bones.

QUOTATION FROM HAMLET.

That our bard had a great antipathy to
the removal of the relics of the dead is
not improbable ; since, in the grave-
diggers' scene in Hamlet, the following
remarks are so appropriate to the subject,
and highly expressive of his detestation
of such conduct.

Ham, That scull had a tongne in it, and could sing

24

once ! — How the knave jowls it to the ground, as if it

were Cain^s jaw-bone, that did the first murder !

This might be the pate of a politician, which this asa
now overreaches ; one that could circumvent God :
might it not ?

Hor. It might, my lord.

Ham. Or of a courtier; which could say. Good
■morrow, sweet lord! How dost thou, good lord F This
might be my lord such-a-one's horse, when he meant
to beg it : might it not?

Hor. Ay, my lord.

Ha7n. Why, e*en so : and now my lady worm's !
chapless, and knock'd about the muzzard with a sex-
ton's spade ! — Here's fine revolution, an we had the
trick to see't ! — Did these bones cost no more the
breeding, but to play at loggats with them ? Mine

^ache to think on't.

Act v., Scene i.

NEW PLACE.

Mr. Ireland visited the site of 4:he ground
whereon stood Shakspeare's mansion,which
was called New Place, and was burned
down at the great fire which took place at
Stratford- on -Avon, and is now walled
round. It was in the garden belonging
to these premises that the mulberry tree
stood ; which was felled, many years since,
by its then churlish owner, who conceived
himself too much importuned by the cu-

is

riosity of strangers desirous of visiting the
tree planted by the hand of Shakspeare.

That our poet must have retired from
London with a very handsome competence
there can be little doubt, as this very New
Place, wherein he had resided, was during
the civil wars selected by Charles the
First and his queen to be their residence
during the continuance of the court at the
town of Stratford-on-Avon.

SHAKSPEARE'S BIRTH-PLACE.

On visiting the lowly mansion which
had given birth to our immortal drama-
tist. Hart the butcher, the descendant of
our bard by the female line, was still liv-
ing. After much conversation with the
old man, Mr. S. Ireland proceeded to make
a correct drawing of the kitchen, wherein
it is more than probable our great poet
must have frequently been seated. A de-
lineation was then taken of a little par-
lour adjoining; over the chimney-piece
of which was a representation in plaster of
David and Goliath, encircled with two rude
C

26

poetical lines, which were then in the mo-
dern hand, but had been lately altered
from the black-letter characters in which
they had originally appeared. It was in
the tiling of this very house that the dis-
covery was made of a profession of faith
stated to be from the pen of John Shak-
speare, the father of our bard, to which I
shall allude on a future occasion.

APPLICATION FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE BIRTH-
PLACE OF SHAKSPEARE.

At a period when the Shaksperian ma-
nuscripts were in their zenith, I was given
to understand, that, by the death of old
Hart, the descendant of Shakspeare, the
tenement at Stratford-on-Avon which had
witnessed the birth of our immortal bard
was to be sold : in consequence of which I
made application, by letter, to the attorney
at Stratford-on-Avon who was appointed
to dispose of the dwelling : and for a pe-
riod it was really my intention, could I
have made it convenient, to become the
purchaser of the mansion in question, as
nothing at that period would have afforded

27

me so much gratification as the being in
possession of the avowed birth-place of
Shakspeare. A correspondence between
myself and the attorney, relative to the
purchase, in consequence took place ;
after which the affair gradually died away.

CLOPTON HOUSE.

In consequence of the various inquiries set
on foot by Mr. Ireland during his continu-
ance at Stratford-on-Avon, he was at length
given to understand, by some of the oldest
inhabitants, that a tale was formerly told
indicatory of some manuscripts having
been conveyed for safety, at the time of
the fire at Sfratford, from New Place (the
former residence of Shakspeare) to Clopton
House, situated at a little distance from
the scene of the conflagration. In conse*
quence of this intelligence Mr. Ireland pro-
ceeded to the mansion in question ; which
proved to be of great antiquity. In one
chamber was a very curious carved bed-
stead of oak, with silk hangings. This,
together with all the furniture of the apart-
C 2

28

ment, was an heir-loom to the premises ;
having been the gift of king. Henry the
Seventh to sir Hugh Clopton, who was
one of the lord-mayors of London during
the reign of that monarch. In this an-
tique mansion were innumerable chambers
furnished in a similar manner, many of
them totally darkened to obviate the ex-
pense of the tax upon window-lights ; and
in the cockloft were piles of mouldering
household goods, all of the same remote
antiquity : among the rest was an embla-
zoned representation, on vellum, of queen
Elizabeth, the wife of Henry the Seventh,
as she lay in state in the chapel of the
tower of London, after having died in
childbed; which curious relic the then
owner of Clopton House gave to Mr. S.
Ireland, as a '^picture which was in his
opinion of no service, because, being on
vellum, it would not do to light the
firer

29

CHAPEL IN A GARRET.

Near the cockloft just mentioned was a
garret, the walls of which were adorned
with rude paintings of scriptural subjects,
hieroglyphical characters, and quotations
from the New Testament. Among the de-
signs, I recollect a large fish was delineated
as being caught, and a hand drawing the
string which was attached to the hook in
the fish's mouth. Under this curious design
were the following lines of rude poetry in
black-letter characters : they may be found
in Weever's Funeral Monuments. —

JBFjetftec pou xi^t pearlpe,

<©c goe to bed Tate,
Htmtmbtt 4If)ri^t ^t^\x^,

arfiat Died ^c pour ^aht.

From the inquiries made by /Mr. Ire-
land, we were given to understand that
sir Hugh Clopton, or his descendant, being
a very staunch catholic, had gained per-
mission to have this garret consecrated at
the time of the reformation, that the cele-
bration of mass might take place in $ecteU
C 3

so

Having thus far digressed in my state-
ment respecting the antiquity and great
curiosity of this mansion, I shall again re-
vert back to the general subject, and say,

IF TRUE, WHAT A CONFLAGRATION !

The person who occupied Clopton
House, and rented the lands belonging
to the estate, was what is usually denomi-
nated a gentleman-farmer; rich in gold and
the worldly means of accumulating wealth,
but devoid of every polished refinement.

On Mr. Ireland's arrival he introduced
himself to Mr. Williams (for such was the
gentleman's name) ; who invited us into a
a small gloomy parlour; where he was
shortly given to understand, by Mr. Ire-
land, that the motive of his visit was a de-
sire to ascertain whether any old deeds or
manuscripts were then existing, in any
part of the mansion : and on a further
statement, as to any papers of Shakspeare's
being extant, the following was the reply
made by Mr. Williams. —

^^ By G — d I wish you had arrived a

31

little sooner ! Why, it isn't a fortnight
since I destroyed several baskets-full of
letters and papers, in order to clear a
small chamber for some young partridges
which I wish to bring up alive : and as to
Shakspeare, why there were many bundles
with his name wrote upon them. Why it
was in this very fire-place I made a roaring
bonfire of them..'*

Mr. Ireland*s feelings during this ad-
dress, which were fully displayed in his
countenance, may be more easily con-
ceived than expressed : and it was with
infinite difficulty he suffered Mr. Williams
to proceed thus far ; when, starting from
his chair, he clasped his hands together,
exclaiming

" My G — d ! Sir, you are not aware
of the loss which the world has sustained.
Would to heaven I had arrived sooner ! "

As my father concluded this ejaculation,

Mr. Williams, calling to his wife, who was

in an adjoining chamber, and who instantly

came into the apartment where we were

C4

S2

seated (being a very respectable elderly
lady), he thus addressed her :

'* My dear, don't you remember bring-
ing me down those baskets of papers from
the partridge-room ? and that I told you
there were some about Shakspeare the
poet?''

The old lady immediately replied as
follows, having, in all probability, heard
Mr. Ireland's address to her husband :

** Yes, my dear ; I do remember it per-
fectly well ! and, if you will call to mind
my words, I told you not to burn the
papers, as they might be of conse-
quence."

Mr. Ireland, after expressing his regrets,
requested permission to inspect the small
chamber in question ; which, however, con-
tained nothing but the partridges. Hav-
ing expressed a desire to go over the house,
two lanterns were ordered up ; when every
chamber underwent the strictest scrutiny ;
during which research the before-mention-
ed furniture, chapel, &c., came under our

33

cognisance ; but as to Shaksperian manu-
scripts^ not a line was to be found.

VILLAGE OF SHOTERY.

As the cottage was still standing from
whence our bard had married Anne Hath-
away, we repaired to the village of Shote-
ry, near Stratford, where it is situate ; still
having for our guide the indefatigable Jor-
dan, the Stratford poet. After making a
drawing of the premises, Mr. S. Ireland
conversed for a considerable length of time
with its then possessors ; from whom he
purchased a bugle purse, said to have been
a present from our great poet to the object
of his choice; as also an old oak chair,*
wherein it was stated our bard was used to
sit, during his cout*tship, with his Anne upon
his knee. The Shaksperian chair, which
had a place in Mr. Ireland's study on being
conveyed to London, was perfectly well
known to all the inspectors of the manu-
scripts; MANY of whom I have often seen
seated therein to hear the perusal of the pa-
pers; and their settled physiognomies have
C5

34

frequently excited in me a desire for
laughter which it has required every ef-
fort on my part to restrain.

THE CRAB TREE.

As I have before mentioned Jordan the
Stratford poet, I shall give the following
transcript from his own manuscript, still in
my possession, without any alteration of
language, spelling, &c. : having merely to
state, that we took a ramble to Bitford,
mentioned in the account so delivered,
where Mr. S. Ireland made a very correct
drawing of Shakspeare's crab tree, and an-
other of the town of Bitford ; both of which
appeared in his Warwickshire Avon.

JORDAN'S MANUSCRIPT.

" The following Anecdote of Shakspeare is tho a
traditional Story as well authenticated as things of this
nature generally are. I shall therefore not hesitate
relating it as it was Verbally delivered to me. Our
Poet was extremely fond of drinking hearty draughts
of English Ale and glory'd in being thought a person
of superior eminence in that profession if I may be
alowed the phrase. In his time but at what period it
is not recorded there were two Companys or fraternityg

S5

of Village Yeomanry who used frequently to associate
to gether at Bid ford a town pleasantly situate on the
banks of the Avon about 7 Miles below Stratford, and
Who boasted themselves Superior in the Science of
drinking to any set of equal number in the Kingdom
and hearing the fame of our Bard it was detirmlned to
Challenge him and his Companions to a tryal of their
skill which the Stratford ians accepted and accordingly
repaired to Bidford which place agreeable to both
parties was to be the Scene of Contendtion But when
Shakspeare and his Companions arrived at the distined
spot to their disagreeable disapointment they found
the Topers were gone to Evesham fair and were told
that if they had a mind to try their strength with
the Sippers, they were ther ready for the Contest,
jShakespT and his compainlons made a Scoff at their
Opponents but for want of better Company they
agreed to the Contest and in a little time our Bard and
his Compainlons got so intollerable intoxicated that
they was not able to Contend any longer and accor-
dingly set out on their return to Stratford But had not
got above half a mile on the road eer the found
themselves unable to proceed any farther, and was
obliged to lie down under a Crabtree which is still
growing by the side of the road where they took up
their repose till morning when some of the Company
roused the poet and intreated him to return to Bidford
and renew the contest which he declined saying I
have drank with

" Piping Pebworth*, Dancing Marston
Haunted Hillborough, Hungry Grafton

* This village is about SQ\en miles from Stratford,

36

Dfidgeing Exhall, Papist Wixford
Beggarly Broom ■^' and Drunken f Bidford/'

These eight villages, which are all per-
ceptible from the elevated ground on which
the crab tree stands, retain to the present
hour the several appellations given to thenj
in the above four lines.

DEATH OF FOSTER POWELL, THE PEDESTRIAN.

At the period of the signature of my ar-
ticles, Mr. Bingley had one hackney-writer
who constantly attended at chambers, as
well as th^ celebrated Foster Powell, the

and is to the present hour famed for the skill of its in-
habitants on the pipe and tabor.

* The above place is well known, in the present
day, for the \vretchedness of its soil : from which it is
natural to infer that at the period of Shakspeare the
other denominations given to the remaining villages
derived their origin from some traditionary tale an-
nexed to these several places.

f As to the word drunken being prefixed to Bitford,
the scene in which our bard had been engaged was
sufficient in itself to justify him in applying the epi-r
thet : in addition to which, according to the above
account, there were at that place two regular com-
panies of drinkers, under the denominations of the
Tapers and the Sippers,

S7

pedestrian, who was occupied in carrying
such letters about the town as Mr. Bing-
ley's business required. After some months
the hackney-writer was discharged, and
shortly after the death of Foster* Powell
occurred, when I was left alone at cham-
bers ; to which circumstance I attribute in
a great measure the scope which was af-
forded me in the after production of the
manuscripts ; for, had there been any com-
panion with me in chambers, it would have
been utterly impossible that I should have
accomplished the fabrication which on a
subsequent occasion met the public view.

MIXTURE OF THE SHAKSPERIAN INK.

About six months previous to my at-
tempting the Shaksperian papers, when I
had not the smallest idea of embarking in
that most arduous undertaking, I happened
to purchase a small quarto tract, written
by a gentleman of Lincoln's Inn, and de-
dicated by him to queen Elizabeth. The
work in question contained a set of pray-
ers, and was adorned round the margin of

88

each page with a very spirited wood-cut
border, in the style of queen Elizabeth's
prayer-book — a work well known to all col-
lectors of curious volumes of that nature.
These borders were carefully emblazoned,
and the tract bound in vellum, with Eliza-
beth's arms stamped in gold on the cover,
together with various other ornaments.

As the work was dedicated to the queen,
and as from the appearance of the internal
emblazoning, covers, &c., it had very pro-
bably once belonged to the library of that
queen, I determined on endeavouring to
establish it as the presentation copy from
the author, whose name has now altoge-
ther escaped my recollection. In order to
compass this, I weakened some common
ink with water ; and on a piece of old paper
wrote a dedicatory epistle, as if from the
author, to Elizabeth, requesting her gra-
cious acceptance and countenance of his
work. This letter I thrust between the vel-
lum cover and the paper, which had origi-
nally stuck to it but had then given way :
but previous to my presentation of it to Mr.

39

Ireland, I went to a bookbinder of the name
of Laurie, who had bound many books for
me, and resided in New Inn Passage, with-
in two minutes' walk of the gentleman's
chambers under whom I was articled to
study the law as a chancery conveyancer.
To this Mr. Laurie I produced the letter
in question ; and, as a proof that I had no
very bad intention in having penned it, I
unequivocally told him, with a smile, that
I had just executed it, and was desirous of
seeing how far Mr. Ireland would accredit
it. — (I should have mentioned that two jour-
neymen were present, and heard my unre-
served conversation on the subject.) — Hav-
ing requested to know what he thought of
its appearance, Mr. Laurie stated, that it
certainly seemed to him as if written many
years back ; when one of the journeymen,
looking at the manuscript, informed me
that he could give me a mixture that would
resemble old ink much more than that
which I had used ; and, in consequence of
my request, he immediately mixed toge-
ther in a phial three different liquids used

-^

40

by bookbinders in marbling the covers of
their calf bindings. These ingredients be-
ing shaken up produced a fermentation ;
^ when, the froth having subsided, the liquid
was of a dark brown colour. The young
man then wrote his name with this mix-
ture, but it was very faint on the paper ;
however, on holding it for a few seconds be-
fore the fire, the ink gradually assumed a
very dark brown appearance.

Having paid him for his trouble, I wrote
the dedicatory letter, and then presented it
with the book to Mr. Ireland, who had no
doubt as to its authenticity. It was with
the same ink I afterwards wrote the Shak-
^ sperian manuscripts. Their scorched ap-
pearance originated in my^ being compell-
ed to hold them to the fire, as before stated ;
and as I was constantly fearful of interrup-
tion, I sometimes placed them so near the
bars as to injure the paper; which was
done in order to complete and conceal them
as speedily as possible from any unexpect-
ed person who might come suddenly into
the chambers.

41

THE DILEMMA.

At a period when the public mind was
occupied with the Shaksperian papers, and
the daily newspapers teemed with para-
graphs on the subject ; when I was in the
middle of my career, my ink failed me ;
and although hazardous the procedure, I
positively applied to the very same jour-
neyman in Mr. Laurie's shop, who for a
shilling prepared a second bottle of the be-
fore-mentioned ink; which circumstance
was never mentioned either by Mr. Laurie
or his workman, although the fame of the
manuscripts was perfectly well known to
them, and that I was the person sup-
posed to have discovered them. I scarce-
ly need remark, that the circumstande
of the dedicatory letter to queen Eliza-
beth, with the having twice procured the
same liquid preparation, would in them-
selves have been quite sufficient to over-
turn the whole Shaksperian mass, and dis-
play to the world the naked truth ; in the

42

research after which so much labour and
criticism were expended.

RELIEVO OF OLIVER CROMWELL.

A very short time previous to the com-
mencement of the suppositious manu-
scripts, I found at an old broker's shop a
very spirited head of Oliver Cromwell, mo-
delled in terra cota^ which I was given to
understand was the workmanship of a young
man who had been bred up as a statuary,
but had early fallen a victim to a putrid fe-
ver, which terminated his existence. To
the back of this relievo, which was about
the size of two hands when open, I aflixed
a piece of paper; whereon I wrote, with
some of the ink before described, a label,
intimating that the head in question had
belonged to Cromwell, and was a gift from
himself to Bradshaw, whose signature I af-
fixed to the superscription.

On producing this plaster head to Mr. S.
Ireland, it was shown to several persons
eminent for their knowledge in sculpture.

43

who pronounced it as their firm opinion
that the head in question must have been
modelled by Simon ^ the justly celebrated
artist who lived during the protectorship.

One very extraordinary circumstance at-
tending this transaction was, that the name
of Bradshaw, which I had affixed at ran-
dom to the label on the back of the bust,
when compared with the autograph en-
graved from the original death-warrant of
Charles the First, proved to be as similar
as possible.

I need scarcely add that the relievo was
deemed a very great curiosity ; and com-
ing, as was supposed, from such hands as
Cromwell's and Bradshaw's, was naturally
conjectured to be a very striking resem-
blance of the original.

AN OPINION HAZARDED.

Your rigid critics will undoubtedly be
prompted to smile at the above statement,
and ever after be led to deride the opinion
of sculptors as to ancient performances. I

44

certainly will so far coincide with that opi-
nion as to assert, that, if the model had
been produced as the performance of the
young man who really modelled it, a slight
commendation would have been passed
upon his merits by those very persons who
attributed it to Simon, and there the mat-
ter would have terminated.

Now let me submit a simple proposition.
The workmanship was produced as from the
hands of Simon. Either it possessed merit,
or it did not. If it did possess merit suffi-
cient to entitle it to the name of that sculp-
tor, the young artist was certainly a rising
genius as a modeller : if it did not possess
sufficient spirit, it was .the name of Simon
being annexed which made it pass current.
• — I am myself no modeller ; but, as far as
nature goes, I can certainly form a judge-
ment as to the execution of a relievo ; and,
in my humble opinion, the hand of Simon
could not have executed a more masterly
and spirited head than that before men-
tioned of the protector Cromwell.

45

So purblind, so unfeeling, is mankind.
That living genius vainly boasts its mind;
But, 'ray'd in Time's erugo, sages praise.
And give a modern Simon, Simon's bays.

CONSEQUENCES OF THE TOUR.

On Mr. S. Ireland's return from his tour
down the Warwickshire Avon, the circum-
stances before related had taken such root
in my mind, that I was more partial than
ever to the pursuit after antiquities of every
description, and more particularly to every
thing that bore the smallest affinity to our
bard. Mr. S. Ireland's predilection for the
name of Shakspeare seemed also to have in-
creased by this visit to the birth-place of
our mighty dramatist : his encomiums were
unceasing; and he would frequently * as-
sert, that such was his veneration for the
bard that he would willingly give half his
library to become possessed even of his
signature alone.

46

A FRUITLESS HUNT.

These conversations, so frequently re-
peated, led me to search all the' old deeds
at the gentleman's chambers where I was
articled, in order to see whether chance
might not throw some instrument in my
way bearing the autograph of Shakspeare.
This step proved abortive ; in consequence
of which I frequented the stalls of several
venders of old paper and parchment, but
all to no effect ; till, wearied at length, I
relaxed in my pursuit, and for a short pe-
riod thought no more of the business.

FIRST STEP.

I cannot recollect upon what particular
occasion, but I rather think I had been oc-
cupied in the perusal of the mortgage-deed
formerly in the possession of David Gar-
rick, esq., which is to be found printed in
Johnson and Steevens's Shakspeare, when
the idea first struck me of imitating the
y^ signature of our bard, in order to gratify
Mr. Ireland. In consequence of this, I

47

made a tracing of the faC'Similes of Sliak-
speare's signature, both to his will in the
Commons and the deed before mentioned,
which are to be found in the aforesaid edi-
tion of Shakspcare's works. I also hastily
noted down the heads of this deed; and ^
thus fortified I repaired to chambers, in
order to produce the instrument which
speedily followed.

WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE AND MICHAEL ERASER.

Having cut off a piece of parchment from
the end of an old rent-roll at chambers, I ^
placed a deed before me of the period of
James the First, and then proceeded to
imitate the style of the penmanship as well
as possible, forming a lease as between
William Shakspeare and John Tleminge
with one Michael Fraser and Elizabeth
his wife, whereto I affixed the signature "^

of Shakspeare, keeping the transcript of
his original autographs before me; while
the superscription of Michael Fraser was
executed with my left hand, in order the

>

48

better to conceal it as being from the
same pen.

FORMATION OF SEALS.

The contents of the lease being finished,
and the signatures subscribed, I found much
difficulty in annexing the seals, which, at
the period of James the First, were not si-
milar to those of the present day, being
formed of malleable wax, and stamped upon
narrow pieces of parchment hanging from
the deed directly under the signatures.
Having affixed the strips of parclwjaent ac-
cording to the method adopted in the reign
of James, I in the first instance endeavour-
ed to heat in a shovel the wax of some old
seals which I had cut from deeds ; but this
proved impracticable, as the wax, from age,
having lost its moisture in a great degree,
instead of melting rather crumbled over the
heat. At length I adopted the expedient
of heating a knife, with which I cut an old
seal in two without its cracking ; and hav-
ing with a penknife carefully scooped a ca-

49

vity on the opposite side to that bearing
the impression, I therein placed th^ strip
of parchment pendent from the deed; and
having heated some wax of a less ancient
date, I placed it when hot within the re-
maining part of the cavity, and thus form-
ed a back to, the seal ; but as the fore and
hind part of the seal, on account of the
different ages of the wax, varied in co-
lour, I again moistened the seal before the
fire, and in that state rubbed soot and
(^oal-ashes over it, which thereby became
incorporated with the seal, and in a great
measure screened the colour from obser-
vation.

Having with much labour and contri-
vance accomplished the two seals, I deter-
mined on presenting this first specimen to
Mr. S. Ireland.

I should not omit stating the reason
why a deed was produced in preference
to any loose paper Avhich I might have
formed without so much pains. The fact
is, that I had no idea w hatsoever of imi-
tating the hand-writing of Shakspeare fur-
D

50

ther than the autograph in question ; nei-
ther had I then the vanity of attempting
any imposition in imitation of his style.
In addition to these circumstances, a law-
instrument was assuredly the most calcu-
lated to stamp validity on the signature
produced.

PRESENTATION OF THE DEED.

It was about eight o'clock, being after
my evening's attendance at chambers, that
I presented the deed in question. Mr. S.
Ireland's family w^ere present ; and, if I
mistake not, another person; — the fact
being precisely as follows : — -I had placed
the deed wdthin my bosom ; when, after
informing Mr. Ireland that I had a very
great curiosity to show him, I drew it
forth and presented it, saying — ^^ There,
sir! w^hat do you think of that?" Mr.
Ireland, opening the parchment, regard-
ed it for a length of time w^ith the strictest
scrutiny: he then examined the seals; and
afterwards proceeded to fold up the in-
strument; and on presenting it to me he

51

replied' — " I certainly believe it to be a
genuine deed of the time." Returning it
immediately into Mr. Ireland's hand, I
then made answer - — " If you think it soj
I beg your acceptance of it." Mr. Ire-
land, immediately taking the keys of his
library from his pockety presented them
to me, saying-^-— ^* It is impossible for me
to express the pleasure you have given
me by the presentation of this deed : there
are the keys of my book-case; go and
take from it whatsoever you please ; I
shall refuse you nothing." I instantly re-
turned the keys into Mr. Ireland's hand,
saying — " I thank you, sir \ but I shall ac-
cept of nothing*" Mr. Ireland, rising from
his chair, selected from his books a scarce
tract, with engraved plates, called " Stokes
the Vaulting Alaster," which he peremp-
torily insisted I should accept. And such
was tiie precise manner of my presenta-
tion of the fictitious deed between Shak-
speare and Fraser, that being the first do-
cument produced.

D 2

52

THE QUINTIN.

The morning after my presentation of
the lease^ the first person sent to by Mr.
Samuel Ireland was sir Fr*d*r**k Ed*n,
who, after a very strict examination of the
deed, gave it as his decided opinion that
the instrument was valid ; and on looking
at the impressions on the seals, that under
the signature of Shakspeare he affirmed
was a representation of a machine called
the Quintin; for an account of which Stow
the historian was referred to; who states
that the Quintin was used by the young
men, in order to instruct them in the art
of tilting on horseback with the lance; the
machine being constructed as follows :—
An upright beam was firmly fixed in the
earth, at the top of which was a bar placed
horizontally, moving on a pivot. To a
hook at one end of the bar was hitng a
large iron ring; while from the other ex-
tremity was suspended a large bag filled
with sand. The object of the tilter was
to unhook the ring, and bear it off upon

65

the point of his lance when at full gallop,
which if he failed to accomplish with dex-
terity, the bar moving swiftly on the pi-
vot swang round the bag, which, coming
in contact with the rider's back, was al--
most certtiin of unhorsing him. As this
amusement seemed to bear so great an
analogy to the name Shake-spear^ it was
immediately conjectured that the seal
must have belonged to our bard; and
from that moment the Quintin was grave-
ly affirmed to be the seal always used by
our monarch of the drama.

I shall merely st^te, that, on cutting the
seal in question from an old deed at cham-
bers, I never even looked at the impres-
sion; and, if such had been the case, I
should not have known that the stamp on
the wax represented the Quintin — a ma-
chine of which I had never heard until
after the delivery of the deed as before
stated.

D 3

54

ORIGINAL MORTGAGE-DEED.

Upon the full discovery of every cir-
cumstance being made to Albany Wallis,
* esq., and my informing him, that, with the
alteration of the names only, I had nearly
worded my lease from the mortgage-deed
formerly in the possession of David Gar-
rick, esq. (which has . been so frequently
printed, and the words I had taken down,
as before stated), Mr. Wallis in conse-
quence referred to a copy of that deed ;
and, on comparing it with Mr. Ireland's
publication of the Miscellaneous Papers,
wherein the spurious deed of Shakspeare
and Fraser is printed, he was astonished
on finding the similarity that existed be-
tween them; and expressed his wonder,
that, out of so many persons conversant
with every thing relating to Shakspeare,
and who had examined the papers, no one
should have remarked the obvious pla-^
giary throughout the deed in questiou..

55

INCITEMENTS.

Numerous persons flocked to Mr. Ire-
land's house in order to inspect the deed,
who all coincided with sir F. Ed*n in be-
lieving the instrument valid; and^ after
the lapse of some few days, it w^as hinted,
that in all probability many papers of
Shakspeare's might be found by referring
to the same source from whence the deed
liad been drawn. This suggestion was fre--
quently uttered in my presence : and be-
ing thus urged forward to produce what
really was not in existence, I then deter-
mined on essaying some composition in
imitation of the language of Shakspeare.
I must, how^ever, solemnly affirm, that had
not such incitements been used, I never
should have attempted a second docu-
ment— ^my real object having been to give
Mr. S. Ireland satisfaction : that wish ac-
complished, my purpose was fully an-
swered.

D4

JOHN SHAKSPEAHE'S PROFESSION OF FAITH.

Having frequently heard of the bigoted
profession of faith found at the birth-place
of Shakspeare, and said to have been viTit-
ten by John Shakspeare, our poet's fa-
ther, wlierein the effusions of the most de-
termined catholic are expressed, I had re-
course to the plan of writing a profession
of faith for our bard, which I executed
accordingly.

A SHEET OF OLD PAPER.

The sheet of paper on which the pro-
fession of faith was written was the outside
of several others, on some of which ac-
/" counts had been kept in the reign of
Charles the First ; and being at that time
wholly unacquainted with the water-marks
used in the reign of queen Elizabeth, I
y^ carefully selected two half sheets not hav-
ing any mark whatsoever, on which I
penned my first effusion ; keeping the fac^
similes of Shakspeare's original autographs
before me.

/57

SHAKSPEARE A CATHOUC.

' Having the most rooted antipathy to
every thing like superstition and bigotry,
and having heard it very frequently sur-
mised that our great poet, like his father,
was no protestant, but of the catholic per-
suasion (particularly on account of the
language made use of by the Ghost in
Hamlet as to purgatory*, &c.), I deter-
mined, if possible, to decide the point on
the other hand, by making the profession
of faith appear to be written by a sincere
votary of the protestant religion.

* Ghost. I am thy father's spirit,
DoomM for a certain term to walk the night.
And for the day confinM to fast in fires.
Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature
Are burnM and purg'd away. But that I am forbid
To tell the secrets of my prison-house,
I could a tale unfold whose lightest word
Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood.
Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres.
Thy knotty and combined locks to part.
And each particular hair to stand on end
Like quills upon the fretful porcupine.

Act. I., Sc. V. •
J^5

^s

A COMPOSITION UNSTUDIED.

As many encomiums were passed uporr
the following composition, I have thought
it necessary to state, that the effusion was
altogether unstudied, being committed to
paper, in the disguised hand and redun-
> dancy of letters in the spelling, just as the
thoughts arose in my own mind, without
any previous transcript or subsequent al-
teration whatsoever.

The word lej^ee, which appears in this ar-
' tide, and which was so much the subject of
cavil, was intended to be leafless j and to
the perturbation of the moment only is to
be attributed that literal error, which waS'
afterwards swelkd into a flagrant proof of
the invalidity of the composition as conv-
ing from the pen of Shakspeare.

WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE'S PROFESSION OF FAITH.

I beynge nowe ofFe sounde Mynde doe hope thatte
thysmye wysbe wille atte mye deathe bee acceeded toe
as I nowe lyve in Londonne ande as mye soule maye
perchance soone quitte thys poore Bodye it is mye
desire thatte inne suche case I maye bee carry ed toe

59

mye native place ande thatte mye Bodye bee there
quietlye interred wythe as little pompe as canne bee,
ande I doe nowe inne these mye seyriouse moments
make thys mye professione of fayth and which I doe
moste solemnly e believe I doe fyrste looke toe oun«
lovynge and greate God and toe hys gloriouse sonne
Jesus I doe alsoe beleyve thatte thys mye weake
ande frayle Bodye wille retturne toe duste butte forre
mye soule lette God judge thatte as toe hymselfe shalle
seeme meete O omnipotente and greate God I am
full offe Synne I doe notte thynke myselfe worthye
ofle thye grace ande yette wille I hope forre evene
the poore prysonerre whenne bounde with gallyng
Irons evenne hee wille hope for Pittye ande whenne
the teares offe sweete repentance bathe hys wretched
pillowe he then looks ande hopes forre pardonne
Ihenne rouse mye Soule ande lette hope thatte sweete
cherysher offe alle afforde thee comforte alsoe O
Manne whatte arte thou w^hye considereste thou
thyselfe thus gratelye where are thye greate thye
boasted attrybutes buryed loste forre everre inne colde
Deathe O Manne whye attemptest thou toe searche
the greatnesse offe the Almyghtye thou doste butte
loose thye labourre more thou attempteste more arte
thou loste tille thye poore weake thoughtes arre
elevated toe theyrc summite ande thenne as snowe
fromme the leffee tree droppe ande dystylle themselves
tille theye are noe more O God manne as I am
frayle bye nature fulle offe Synne yette greate God
receyve me toe thye bosomme where alle is sweete
contente ande happynesse alle is blysse where
dyscontente isse neverre hcarde butte w^here oune

^

60

Bonde offe freyndshippe unytes alle Menne forgyvc
O Lorde alle cure Synnes ande withe thye greate
goodnesse take nsse alle to thye Breaste O cheryshe
usse like the siveete Chickenne thatte under the
coverte olTe herre spreadynge Wings Receyves herre
lyttle Broode ande hoverynge overre themme keepes
themme harmlesse ande in safetye

W"* Shakspeare

FORMATION OF LETTERS-

In penning this profession of faith I
formed the twelve different letters con-
tained in the christian and sir names of
Wm. Shakspeare as much as possible to
resemble the tracings of his original au-
tographs; and I was also particular in
introducing as many capital douhleyous
VivA esses as possible. The other letters
w^ere ideal, and written to correspond as
nearly as might be with the general style
of the twelve letters used in Shakspeare^s
names as written by himself.

VARIETY IN THE PENMANSHIP.

As the penmanship of the profession of
faith was my first essay beyond a simple

61

autograph, it was written with some cau-
tion : but had any person minutely com-
pared the style of writing therein produced
with those manuscripts which were penned
after I had acquired a facility in commit-
ting to paper the disguised hand, he must
instantly have discovered the difference ;
which was, indeed, so obvious, that the
hand producing the profession of faith
M ould scarcely be thought, upon exami-
nation, to have been the same that com-
mitted to paper the great bulk of the ma-
nuscripts.

GENERAL OPINIONS.

The opinions delivered as to the lan-
guage of the profession of faith were una-
nimous— every person allowing the ge-
nuine feeling that breathed throughout
the whole composition ; which, it was
stated, fully evinced it to be from the
pen of our great dramatist : nor vras my
satisfaction a little heightened on finding
that this effusion banished at once every
idea of Shakspeare's Catholicism from the
minds of those whom I had frequently

?

62

heard hazarding that opinion as to his re-
ligious tenets.

"THUS BAD BEGINS, AND WORSE REMAINS BEHIND.''

After the production of the profession
of faith, I was much questioned as to the
source from whence the manuscripts were
drawn ; and it was then for the first time
I began to discover the unpleasant predi-
cament in which I had involved myself
by the production of the papers ; for to
screen a falsehood it was absolutely ne-
cessary to have recourse to a second du-
plicity : in consequence of which the fol-
lowing story was framed, which was inva-
riably told to every individual who re-
quested satisfaction on that head.

STORY OF THE UNI^OWN GENTLEMAN.

I informed the public, that, having made
an acquaintance at a coffeehouse with a
gentleman of fortune, who was from my
conversation given to understand that I
had a great predilection for every thing
like antiquity, he had in consequence re-

6S

quested that I would pay him a visit;
stating at the same time that he had
many old papers, which had descended to
him from his ancestors, who had practised
the law, among which some might in all
probability be found worthy my notice,
in which case he would willingly make
me a present of them. I further added
that a morning was appointed for my
waiting upon him, but that, conceiving
he might have only stated the above in
order to turn me into ridicule, I did not
pay any attention to the day specified;
but happening, some mornings after, to
pass near his chambers, the circumstance
came to my recollection, and I in conse-
quence determined on paying my friend
a visit. I then observed, that on my en-
trance into the apartment the gentleman
appeared rather hurt at my remissness in
not having kept my appointment with
him; when, after a suitable apology, he
desired me to go into an adjoining apart-
ment, where I observed a vast collection
of old deeds and papers tied up in bundles

/

64

and numbered, which I instantly began to
inspect, when, after having looked over
some parcels, I discovered, to my utter
astonishment, the deed between our bard
and Michael Fraser, bearing the signature
of Shakspeare. I then proceeded to state,
that, my first surprise having subsided, I
took the above-mentioned deed to my
friend, who also appeared much asto-
nished, not conceiving any such docu-
ment had been in his possession ; that he
remarked it was certainly a very curious
instrument, but that having promised me
every thing I should find worthy my no-
tice, be would not be worse than his word,
and, desiring only that I would make him
a fair transcript in my own hand-writing,*
he told me the deed was at my service.

Such was the manner in which I ac-
counted for my having become possessed
of the manuscripts, till further qviestioning
produced the following additional tale.

65

ANSWER TO FURTHER DOUBTS.

As the manuscripts became rather vo-
luminous, great stress was laid upon their
value, and it was thought a matter of as-
tonishment how any man in his proper
senses could think of giving away such a
treasure. In order to reconcile inquirers
to this objection, I stated that during my
research among the deeds of my friend I
had discovered one which established his
right to certain property that had long
been a subject of litigation ; on which ac-
count he conceived the giving me the
Shaksperian manuscripts no other than a
just recompense for the service I had thus
Tendered him.

CONCEALMENT OF THE SUPPOSED DONOR'S NAME.

As every individual inspecting the pa-
pers remarked that it would have been his
pride to be known as the original possessor
of the documents produced, I was in con-
sequence questioned as to the name of the
donor ; my reply to which was to the fol-

66

lowing effect : that the gentleman being
possessed of a large fortune, and being
well aware of the inquiries which must
take place on the production of the papers,
did not think fit to subject himself to the
impertinent questionings of every indivi-
dual who conceived himself licensed to
demand an explanation concerning them ;
that he in consequence gave me the docu-
ments as mere curiosities, exacting from
me at the same time a most solemn asse-
veration that I would keep his name for
ever concealed.

And such was the method adopted to
preclude every future inquiry as to the
name and residence of the supposed ori-
ginal donor of the manuscripts.

I^RS. P*RR AND WH*RT*N ON THE PROFESSION OF
FAITH.

Of the persons who visited Mr. Samuel
Ireland when the manuscripts were not
very voluminous, the above gentlemen
were among the most conspicuous. On
their arrival, Mr. Ireland was alone in his

67

study to receive them ; but, by the desire
of the visitants, I wbs shortly after sum-
moned before them, to answer interroga*
tories. I confess I had never before felt
30 much terror, and w^ould almost have
bartered my life to have evaded the meet-
ing : there was, however, no alternative,
and I was under the necessity of appearing
before them. Having replied to their
several questionings as to the discovery of
the manuscripts and the secretion of the
gentleman's name, one of these two in-
spectors of the manuscripts addressed me,
saying,

*^ Well, young man ; the public will
have just cause to admire you for the re-
search you have made, which will afford
§0 much gratification to the literary
world/'

To this panegyric I bowed my headj,
g^nd remained silent.

PERUSAL OF THE PROFESSION OF FAITH.

While Mr. Ireland read aloud the pro-
fession of faiUii Drs. P*rr and Wh*rt*a

68

remained silent, paying infinite atten-
tion to every syllable that was pronounced;
while I continued imnnovable, awaiting to
hear their dreaded opinion. This effusion
being ended, one of the above gentlemen
(who, as far as my recollection can recal
the circumstance, I believe to have been
Dr. P*rr) thus addressed himself to Mr.
Ireland :

^^ Sir, zve have verxffine passages in our
church service^ and our litamj abounds with
beauties J but Iiere, sir, here is a 7nan ivho
has distanced us all!''

When I heard these words pronounced
I could scarcely credit my ov/n senses ;
and such was the effect they produced
upon me, that I knew not whether to
smile or not. I was, however, very for-
cibly struck with the encomium; and
shortly after left the study, ruminating on
the praise which had been unconsciously
lavished, by a person so avowedly erudite,
on the unstudied production of one so
green in years as myself.

69

INCITEMENT OF VANITY.

On entering the back dining-room,
which was contignous to Mr. Ireland's
study, I reclined my head against the
window frame, still ruminating on the
words I had heard ; when vanity first took
possession of my mind, to which every other
consideration yielded : fired with the idea
of possessing genius to which I had never
aspired, and full of the conviction that
my style had so far imitated Shakspeare's
as to deceive two persons of such allowed
classical learning as Drs. P*rr and Wh*r-
t*n, I paid little attention to the sober
dictates of reason, and thus implicitly
yielded myself to the gilded snare which
afterwards proved to me the source of in-
describable pain and unhappiness.

MR. P*WS*N AND THE PROFESSION OF FAmi.

For the accuracy of the following state-
ment I cannot avouch, not having been
present upon the occasion ; but, from
what was frequently stated, I was given to

70

understand that the above gentleman, aftei'
inspecting all the manuscripts then in Mr*
Ireland's possession, appeared so perfectly
well satisfied respecting them that Mr.
Ireland was emboldened to demand of him
whether he felt reluctance to subscribing
his name among the list of believers in the
validity of the manuscripts; upon which
occasion Mr. P*ws*n very drily made
answer,

" I thank you, sir; but I never sub*
scribe my name to professions of faith of
any nature whatsoever."

PURCHASE OF OLD l^APER.

Being thus urged forward to the pro-*
duction of more manuscripts, it became
necessary that I should possess a sufficient
quantity of old paper to enable me to pto*
ceed : in consequence of which I applied
to a bookseller named Verey, in Great
May's Buildings, St. Martin's Lane, who,
for the sum of five shillings, suffered me
to take from all the folio and quarto vo*
lumes in his shop the fly-leaves which

^

1

they contained. By this means I was
amply stored with that commodity: nor
did I fear any mention of the circumstance
by Mr. Vere}^, whose quiet unsuspecting
disposition I was well convinced would
never lead him to make the transaction
public : in addition to which, he was not
likely even to know any thing concerning
the supposed Shaksperian discovery by
myself; and even if he had, I do not ima-
gine that my purchase of the old paper in
question would have excited in him the
smallest degree of suspicion.

THE JUG WATER-MARK.

As I was fully aware, from the variety
of water-marks which are in existence at
the present day, that they must have con-
stantly been altered since the period of
Elizabeth, and being for some time wholly
unacquainted with the water-marks of that
age, I very carefully produced my first
specimens of the writing on such sheets
of old paper as had no mark whatsoever.
— Having heard it frequently stated that

7S

the appearance of such marks on the pa-
pers would have greatly tended to esta-
blish their validity, I listened attentively
to every remark w^hich was made upon
the subject, and from thence I at length
gleaned the intelligence that a jug Avas
the prevalent water-mark of the reign of
Elizabeth : in consequence of which I in-
spected all the sheets of old paper then in
my possession ; and having selected such
as had the jug upon them, I produced
the succeeding manuscripts upon these;
being careful, however, to mingle with
them a certain number of blank leaves,
that the production on a sudden of so
many water-marks might not excite su-
spicion in the breasts of those persons
who were most conversant with the ma-
nuscripts.

THE WITTY CONUNDRUM.

Previous to the execution of the letter
as from Shakspeare to Cowley the player,
I had delineated the curious sketch of his
head, with its appurtenances, which I pro-

73

duced it to my father, who seemed in-
clined to turn it into ridicule as an inex-
plicable paper and of no consequence.
Finding such to be the case, I had re-
course to the expedient of writing a letter
as from Shakspeare to maister Cowley the
player, which I pretended to have found
during my research of the ensuing day,
and which epistle instantly reflected a de-
gree of consequence on the witty conun-
drum in question.

DISQUISITIONS ON THE WITTY CONUNDRUM.

As it w^as supposed that nothing could
possibly come from the hand of Shakspeare
which did not possess some sterling good,
the witty conundrum became an object of
learned investigation ; but all to no effect :
for although many sapient opinions were
hazarded as to its real meaning, nothing
conclusive was decided upon : which is, in-
deed, not at all to be wondered at, as when
it was by me committed to paper I had
no particular end in view, neither was
there any meaning whatsoever annexed to
£

^ . 74

the drawing of the supposed witty conun-
drum.

IMPROMPTU.

How oft we find the wisest doat.

And deem mere nought a treasure !
Age still admires a petticoat.
As toys give infants pleasure.
By this we must confess, however loth.
Men are but babies of a larger growth.

LETTER TO MAISTER COWLEY.

By the very familiar style I adopted in
the letter from our bard to Richard Cow-
ley, supposed to have enclosed the witty
conundrum, it was by all inspectors of the
manuscripts asserted that Shakspeare must
have been a kind good-natured character,
and of a very playful disposition : nor can
I omit making mention of the superscrip-
tion to this epistle, which frequently ex-
cited risibility : it ran as follows. —

THE SUPERSCRIPTION.

Toe Masterre Richard Cowley
dwellinge atte oune Masterre
IloUis a draperre inne
the Wattlynge Streete
Londoune,

15

QUEEN ELIZABETH'S LETTER.

During the frequent conversations that
took place after the production of the first
documents, I heard peculiar stress laid by
the honourable Mr. B***g on a letter sup-
posed to have been written by James the
first to Shakspeare, and which it was stated
might be found arnong the papers ; but as
so many conversations were held upon
that subject, I thought the production of
such a letter would be too obvious: in
addition to which, I was totally unac-
quainted with the writing and autograph
of that monarch. I therefore determined
on fabricating a letter from queen Eliza-
beth to our bard : in the execution of
which I was greatly facilitated by an ori-
ginal autograph of that princess in Mr. S.
Ireland's possession, which I could always
proctire without his knowledge, and from
which I made a hasty tracing when alone.
From the same facsimile I also formed
the letters throughout my spurious epistle
from that queen to Shakspeare.
E 2

76

My principal object in the production
of tliis letter was to make our bard appear
of so much consequence in his own time
as to be personally noticed by so great
and politic a princess as our Elizabeth.' —
As to the verses alluded to in my gra^
cious epistle, they certainly never had ex-
istence, to the best of my knowledge : at
any rate I may safely assert they could
not have been one half so despicable as
the wretched attempts at te he versifica-
tion so facetiously introduced in Mr. Ma-
lone's Inquiry — vide page 100. —

" Each titled dame deserts her rolls and tea.
And all the maids of honour cry it he!"

However, for the sake of proving how
far commentatorship is of utility, I refer
the public to pages 101 and 102 of Mr.
Malone's Inquiry, which are literally filled
with notes upon twenty-two lines of Grub-
street poetry, of which the above couplet
is a part. These lines are meant to convey
sarcasm ; in which the writer has as well
succeeded as in his attempt at poetry.

77

THE LAUNDRESS.

It is a very curious fact, that the female
who attended at the chambers where I was
articled was present during the whole of
my fabrication of Elizabeth's supposed
letter ; which, when completed, I gave
into her hands, and requested to know
whether she would not have conceived it
very old ; to which she replied in the affir-
mative ; adding, with a laugh, that it zvas
very odd I could do such unaccountable
strange things.

Had this circumstance been generally
known, it would unquestionably have led
to the developement of the whole Shakr
sperian forgery. Indeed, the same effect
might have been produced by the disclo-
sure of my fabrication of the dedicatory
letter to the religious tract in the time of
Elizabeth ; or of my procurement of ink
from the bookbinder's man: not to men-
tion the quantity of old paper purchased
by me : all which were facts known to in-
dividuals who would have come forward
£3

78

had not their pursuits been so diametri-
cally opposite to every thing like litera-
ture and a Shaksperian controversy,

A SECOND HINT.

To the same gentleman who gave me
the first idea of writing a letter as from
queen Elizabeth to our bard, by his fre-
quent mention of the letter said to have
been written by James (her successor) to
3hakspeare, I am also indebted for the
idea of writing a letter to lord South-
ampton, with its answer, which origin
ginated in that gentleman's so frequently
laying a stress on the supposed bounty of
that nobleman to our bard, and the light
which would be thrown on the fact should
any document be discovered denoting the
sum so given by his lordship. Profiting
by this information, I took a fit oppor-
tunity, and then produced

COPY OF MY LETTER TO HIS GRACE OF SOUTHAMPTON.

On WTiting this letter, as in the case of
the profession of faith, I kept the tracings

79

from Shakspeare's original autographs be-
fore me, and so penned the epistle, with-
out making any studied transcript, but
merely committing my thoughts to paper
in the disguised hand as they occurred to
my mind. As I was, however, fearful
♦hat some document might afterwards be
discovered tending to prove the exact sum
sent by lord Southampton to Shakspeare,
I thought it most expedient not to make
mention of any specific donation, and
therefore said, in the letter in question,

•' Doe nolle esteeme me a sloggarde nor lardye for
thus havynge delayed to answere or rather toe th^Jlk
you for youre greate Bountye " ^c.

Having completed the letter in que-
stion, I was on the point of folding it up,
and directing it to lord Southampton,
when suddenly the following idea struck'
me. —

A SECOND THOUGHT.

As this letter of thanks was supposed to
be sent by Shakspeare to lord Southamp-
ton, how could it possibly revert back into
the possession of our bard? — After some
e4

80

cogitation, I had recourse to the expedient
of writing at the top of the letter " Copye
of mye Letter toe hys Grace offe South-
ampton : '' to which transcript (supposed
to have been kept by William Shakspeare)
from the epistle believed to have been sent
to his lordship, I affixed lord Southamp-
ton's spurious answer.

LORD SOUTHAMPTON'S ANSWER.

As I had not the smallest conception
that any correspondence or autographs of
Jord Southampton were in existence, and
being indeed at that time totally unaware
of the immense collections of ancient pa-
pers that are extant throughout the king-
dom, I conceived that I might with impu-
nity give the letter in question in any
style of writing I thought fit, and there-
fore penned his lordship's gracious commu-
nication with my left hand, that no simili-
tude might appear between it and the copy
of Shakspeare's epistle accompanying it.
The mode of writing adopted by me in his
lordship's letter will not, however, upon ex-

$1

atnination,be found so very dissimilar to the
signature of Fraser on the spurious lease
written with the same hand. Every per-
son viewing the manuscripts was surprised
at his lordship's miserable penmanship :
and indeed, when compared with the /ac-
simile of his original autograph given by
Mr. Malone in his Inquiry, nothing can
be more opposite, as lord Southampton in
reality did write a very neat intelligible
hand.

GlENERAL OPINION.

The letters in question were deemed
highly curious and valuable, and the style
of Shakspeare's was applauded beyond
measure : but it was on all hands lament-
ed that the exact sum so beneficently given
by his lordship to Shakspeare was not
therein specified, as in that case all doubts
opon the subject would have been ended^

LOVE-LETTER AND VERSES TO ANNE HATHAWAY.

As our great dramatist was married very
early in life to one Anne Hathaway of the
village of Shotery (at no great distance

/

/

89

from Stralford-on-Avon), I became desirous
of introducing to the world one of his love
effusions of that early period : on which
account M^as penned his epistle to that
lady, including five stanzas of poetry and
a braid of hahr supposed to have been sent
to her as a token of his unalterable affec-
tion.

LOCK OF HAIR.

As the engraving of Shakspeare prefixed
to the folio edition of his plays, and exe-
cuted by Droeshout, represents our bard
as having short, straight, and wiry hair, I
selected a lock of a similar kind, then in my
possession (which in my boyish daj^s had
been given me as a gage cTamour)^ con-
ceiving it very appropriate to my purpose,

SILK TVVI^.

. Having purchased of one Yardley, a
vender of old parchments in Clare Market,
some patents of the reigns of Henry VIII.,
Mary, and Elizabeth, v/ith the great seals
of England pendent thereto (being affixed
to the parchmrent with thick v/oven silk^

83

as was usually the custom at those periods,
and being about four inches in length),
the idea struck me that the use of one of
the pieces of woven silk in question would
give an imposing air of genuineness to the
lock of hair. After putting this expedient
into effect I wrote the letter to Anne Hath-
away, wherein I laid great stress on the
workmanship of the silk, as if executed by
the hand of Shakspeare : the words ran as
follow :

" I doe assure thee no rude hande hathe knottedde
itte, thye Willys alone hathe done the worke neytherre
the gyldedde bauble thatte envyronnes the heade of Ma-
gestye noe norre honourres moste weyghtye woude give
niee halfe the joye as didde thysse mye lyttle worke
forre thee " ^c. Sfc.

I must confess that when I call to my
recollection the numerous persons who in-
spected the papers, and of course the lock
of hair with its silken appendage, and wha
were in the daily habit of inspecting
grants, charters, patents, &c., most of them
having a similar twist in order to affix the
great seal to the parchments, I am much

84

astonished that the silk in question should
have never been remarked by any one
frequenting Mr. Ireland's house.

Small quantities of the hair being care-
fully taken from the original lock, were
distributed into several rings ; but I shall
refrain from making mention of their
wearers : it is sufficient for me that they
were believers in the authenticity of the
manuscripts.

MR. COLLET AND EDWARD THE FOURTHT.

A short time after the letter and the*
lock of hair had appeared, it was by some
persons most ridiculously asserted that hu-
man hair could not have resisted the lapse
of time from Shakspeare's days to the pre-
sent aera ; and in order to ridicule the af-
iair, it was stated that one Mr. Collet, a hair
merchant, was to come in all the pomp of
his trade and scrutinise the ShaksperiarL
airL However, to terminate the dispute in
question, it is well known that human hair

85

has been discovered in abundance on the
heads of embalmed bodies which have re-
mained centuries in the earth; and in many
instances it has even been found to grow
after death : one proof of this is to be ad-
duced, which was witnessed by many per-
sons still living ; for when the vault of Ed-
ward IV., who died in the year 1483, was
discovered by chance in the chapel at
Windsor, the hair of the head and the beard
were found flowing, and as strong as hair
cut from the head of a living person. I
myself saw a piece of the hair taken from
the beard of that monarch, which was very
strong, and of a reddish colour.

PROMISSORY NOTE OF HAND TO JOHN HEMINGES.

One of the earliest documents produced
to strengthen the validity of the fabricated
mass, was a promissory note of hand ap-
pearing to have been given to John He-
minges by William Sbakspeare as a com-
pensation for business done at the Globe
theatre, and for his great trouble in going
down for him to Stratford-on-Avon. The

86

note of hand was payable at one months
and was for the sum oi ^five pounds andjixc
shillings English money,

X)HN HEMINGES* RECEIPT.

To this curious note I affixed a receipt
with some wax^ as from John Heminges,
specifying the payment of the money on
the very day the month expired ; from
which it was generally conjectured that
Shakspeare, in addition to his other good
qualities, was very punctual in all pecu-
niary transactions. This document was
signed with my left hand ; and, however
trivial it may be esteemed, proved in the
end of infinite consequence, as will appear
from the ensuing statements.

JOHN HEMINGES' ORIGINAL SIGNATURE.

When the manuscripts became volumi-
nous and had excited general attention,,
having onq day returned to Mr. Samuel
Ireland's house at three o'clock (the pe^
riod of my leaving chambers), I was, to my
jno small astonishment, informed as follows*^

87

— ^That Mr. Albany Wallis had been with
Mr. Ireland about half an hour before, and
had stated^ with a smile, that he came to
overturn at once all the Shaksperian d'ur-
covery : that he (Mr.Wallis) then produced
a deed signed by John Heminges, in a hand
altogether different from that of the signa-
ture affixed to my receipt; which signa-
ture, as before stated, had been committed
to paper with my left hand, for at the
period when it was fabricated I did not
conjecture that any document bearing the
autograph of John Heminges would ever
appear to invalidate the suppositious one
annexed by me to the receipt.

On learning this circumstance I was ter-
ror-struck, and immediately requested Mr.
Ireland to accompany me down to Mr.
Wallis's, in order that I might inspect the
instrument in question, which had been
discovered among the numerous law docu-
ments in Mr. Wallis's possession; to whom
the public is also indebted for the mort-
gage-deed bearing the autograph of Shak-
speare, which was discovered among tlie

88

papers of the Featherstonehaugh family,
and presented to the late David Garrick,
esquire, who bequeathed it to the British
Museum.

A DAMNING PROOF.

On our arrival at Mr, Albany Wallis's
he instantly produced the document so re-
cently discovered, which he kept in his own
hand, showing the signature of John He-
minges to myself and Mr. Samuel Ireland.
From the appearance of the instrument I
was fully assured that there could not be a
doubt as to its authenticity ; and from the
style of the hand-writing I also knew that
the meanest capacity would have at once
decided that the autograph affixed to the
deed was not from the same hand as had
subscribed that which was to the receipt,
so totally different was the penmanship in
every respect. Having examined the au-
tograph with infinite attention, I quitted
Mr. Ireland and Mr. Wallis, stating that I
would see the supposed gentleman during
the morning, and acquaint him with the
whole event.

89

A BOLD EXPEDIENT.

From Norfolk Street I instantly repaired
to chambers, retaining in my recollection
the form of the original autograph of John
Heminges which I had just inspected ; and
on my arrival there I committed the sig-
nature to paper in a form as similar to
the original as my memory would enable
me to give to it. After which I penned a
receipt with the Shaksperian ink, and upon
old paper, as for theatrical disbursements,
forming the letters as similarly as possi-
ble to those in the name I had thus noted
from recollection. With this document I
hurried back to Mr. Albany Wallis, to
whom I produced it with the following
statement.

THE TALL AND SHORT JOHN HEMINGES.

Mr. A. Wallis, having compared the sig-
nature to my receipt, thus hastily formed,
with the original autograph subscribed to
the deed, was immediately struck with the
similaiity^ when I gave the following rela-

90

tion : that on quitting him I had imme-
diately hastened to the supposed gentle-
man, whom I very luckily found at home :
that I expressed to him my astonishment at
the discovery which had been made by
Mr. Wallis, of a deed signed by John He-
minges in a hand not resembling in the least
the signature subscribed to the receipt ;
that upon witnessing my embarrassment
he smiled, and, opening the drawer of his
writing-table, drew from thence this second
receipt, which was found correspondent to
the signature on the deed, saying, *' Take
that to Mr.AVallis's, and see if it does not
correspond with the hand-writing to his
deed : " that my friend then further in-
formed me, that, although not known to
the world, there were two John Heminges
in the time of Shakspeare; the one con-
nected with Shakspeare and the Globe the-
atre, and the other being concerned for
the Curtain theatre, w^hich was another
playhouse of the period of James I. : that
the signatures of John Heminges to Mr.
Wallis's deed and to the second receipt

91

thus given me by the gentleman, were the
autographs of Shakspeare*s friend ; while
the name affixed to the first receipt, which
bore no resemblance to that on the deed,
was the signature of John Heminges of
the Curtain theatre, who was in some mea-
sure connected with Shakspeare and the
Globe theatre. I also further added, that
the gentleman acquainted me that it would
appear, from further documents to be pro-
duced, that these two John Heminges were
distinguished by the appellations of the
tall John Heminges of the Globe and the
short John Heminges of the Curtain thea-
tres.

FABRICATION NEWLY FABRICATED.

However apt I might have been in car-
rying this signature in my recollection,
and thus speedily producing a document
at chambers to resemble the signature on
Mr. Wallis's deed, I nevertheless, upon
this further examination of the original
autograph to the deed, did imagine that I
could execute a fresh receipt that would
more strikingly resemble the genuine sig-

92

nature of John Heminges. In consequence
of which, having fully satisfied Mr.Wallis's
mind at this trying juncture, I again
hastened back to chambers ; where I once
more penned the receipt verbatim which
I had so lately written : and bearing the
recollection of the original signature more
strongly in my mind, this duplicate fabri-
cation proved a very strong resemblance
to the authentic autograph on the deed :
of course the first, which I had taken to
Mr.Wallis, was destroyed, and the second^
thus executed, was substituted in its stead :
such being the method adopted in order
to reconcile the difference between the
name written with my left hand and that
which appeared on the deed newly dis-
covered by Mr. Albany Wallis of Norfolk
Street.

REMARKABLE EXPEDITION.

It is a circumstance perhaps not un-
worthy remark, that the whole period of
time taken up in first seeing the deed at
Mr. Wallis's, hastening to chambers in or-

der to form the receipt, returning back to
Mr. Wallis's with the receipt so fabricated
and there framing and telling the story of
the tall and short John Heminges, and
finally the second return to chambers and
re-execution (if I may be allowed the ex-
pression) of the receipt, did not actually
occupy more than the space of one hour
and a quarter. It will here be necessary
to note, that Mr. Wallis's dwelling was at
the bottom of Norfolk Street in the Strand,
and the chambers to which I went were in
New Inn. — This remarkable expedition
was aftervvards alleged as a convincing
proof that the documents could not be
other than original, as it was affirmed to
be out of all human probability that such
a succession of events could have taken
place in so limited a space of time.

MORE AUTOGRAPHS OF JOHN HEMINGES.

After the production of this first receipt,
to resemble the autograph affixed to Mr.
Wallis's deed, I within a few days executed
several others, and annexed a similar sig-

94

natnre to some of the books which I pro-
duced, as a further proof that the docu-
ments were genuine.

In order, however, to give some idea of
the opinions excited by this transaction,
the following head, taken from Mr. Chal-
mers's Apology for the Believers (being a
note in pages 18 and 19)^ will at once dis-
play his thoughts upon the subject.

MR. CHALMERS ON JOHN HEMINGES^ SIGNATURE.

" I was present when the genuine deed of John He-
minges, which is printed by Mr. Malone in the In-
quiry (page 409), was produced in evidence ; when
there was produced at the same time a black-letter
pamphlet having the name 'John Heminges ^ written
at the top of the title-page, so like as to be a perfect fac-
simile; and at the bottom of the same page was written
the name ' Wm. Shakspeare.' On the back of the
title-page was written * This was the book of John
Heminges, which he gave unto me, Wm. Shakspeare.'
Now had there been an issue, on an action at law,
whether these were the signatures of Heminges and of
Shakspeare, the genuine deed of Heminges would have
been given in evidence, as the certaijitj/ from which the
iincertainty would have been inferred. Here is legal or
admissible proof: and the jury who had been sworn
to try that issue * according to the evidence given them,*
must have delivered their verdict for the genuineness

95

49fthc signatures ofHemingcs and Shakspeare on th«
black-letter pamphlet before mentioned. This example
proves how difiicult it is to detect some forgeries by fair
discussion. First, I believe that the deed of Heminges
is genuine : Secondly, I believe that the signature of
Ileminges, on the black-letter pamphlet, was copied
by the pen of a forger from the real signature on the
deed ; and that the signature of Shakspeare was copied
by the same pen from fancy in some measure : yet am
I of opinion that these forgeries cannot be detected by
fair discussion/'

MR. JAMES BOSWELL.

As the circumstances attending Mr.
James BoswelFs inspection of the manu-
scripts have been variously represented,
and as I was present on that occasion, I
shall state the facts as they really occurred.

On the arrival of Mr. Boswell, the pa-
pers were as usual placed before him :
when he commenced his examination of
them; and being satisfied as to their an-
tiquity, as far as the external appear-
ance w^ould attest, he proceeded to exa-
mine the style of the language from the
fair transcripts made from the disguised
hand-writing. In this research Mr. Bos-

96 -^

Well continued for a considerable length
of time, constantly speaking in favour of
the internal as well as external proofs of
the validity of the manuscripts. At length,
finding himself rather thirsty, he requested
a tumbler of warm brandy and water;
which having nearly finished, he then re-
doubled his praises of the manuscripts ;
and at length, arising from his chair, he
made use of the following expression :
" Well ; I shall now die contented, since
I have lived to witness the present day."
Mr. Boswell then, kneeling down before
the volume containing a portion of the
papers, continued, " I now kiss the inva-
luable relics of our bard: and thanks to
God that I have lived to see them ! " Hav-
ing kissed the volume with every token of
reverence, Mr. Boswell shortly after quit-
ted Mr. Ireland's house : and although I
believe he revisited the papers on some
future occasions, yet that was the only
time I was honoured with a sight of Mr.
James Boswell,

97

STRING.

As old papers containing trivial accounts
are usually bound together, it was deemed
extraordinary that the numerous play-
house receipts, which w^ere written on
small slips of paper, should be brought
forward without being tied up. I was for
some time anxious to obviate this objec-
tion, yet dreaded a discovery, by produ-
cing a thread or string of the present day,
the texture and weaving of which I con-
ceived might betray me : in consequence
of this a considerable period elapsed ere
I was able to compass my point, which
was at length effected in the following
manner. —

OLD TAPESTRY.

As Mr. S. Ireland very frequently made
it a point to go to the house of lords in
order to hear his majesty's speech and be
present when he was robed, I happened
to be in company with him on one of
those occasions ; when, having to pass
F

98

through some adjoining apartments, where
many persons were waiting, and wherein
we were also detained for a short time, I
observed that the walls of the chambers
were hung with very old and mutilated
tapestry; when the idea suddenly struck
me, that, by procuring a small remnant
(knowing its antiquity), I might unravel
the worsted and turn it to my immediate
purposes. In consequence of this conjec-
ture, I took up a loose piece (being about
half the size of my hand) which was worn
by time from the hangings of an apart-
ment ; and on returning to my Shakspe-
rian occupation I drew out the worsted
thread, which afterwards served me when-
soever I had occasion to attach any of the
receipts or other papers together. — The
remains of the small piece of tapestry in
question were vested in the hands of Al-
bany Wallis, esq., on my disclosure of
every fact appertaining to the suppositious
papers.

99

PLAYHOUSE RECEIPTS.

As I heard it unceasingly stated that
" the more bulky the papers were, the <
more probable would their authenticity
appear/' I began to consider what would
be the best expedient to accomplish this ^
end without milch labour of the brain;
for as my muse was not so very prolific as
to *^spin and weave*' poetry as fast as it
was required, I really began to loath the
very idea of the manuscripts, which be-
came to me an insufferable burden. At
length the idea of playhouse receipts, or <
memorandums of theatrical expenditures,
struck my fan^y : in consequence of which,
when my brain was not actually accor-
dant with the temper of the Heliconian
Nine, I had recourse to the drudgery of
memorandum writing : by which means I
added to the mass of the papers, and at
the same time calmed the voice of re-
proof> which was so constantly lavished
ivpon me for not producing .... that which
f2

100

was not to be produced because I was not
in the humour to compose it.

These documents were written on small
slips of paper, and strung together by the
dozen ; being fastened with pieces of wor-
sted unraveled from the tapestry.

MEMORANDUM FOR PLAYING BEFORE LORD LEICESTER.

The memorandum deemed the most cu-
rious I shall here notice : it was worded as
under.

In the Yeare o Chryste
Forre cure Trouble inne goynge toe playe before
the Lorde Leycesterre ats house ande oure greate
expenneces thereuponne 19 Poundes
Receyvedde ofs Grace the Summe o 50 Poundes

Wm Shakspeare

From this receipt it was inferred that
Shakspeare's company of players must
have ranked foremost in that r^ay; it hav-
ing been selected, in preference to any
other, by so renowned a favourite of queen
Elizabeth as the lord Leicester. — It should
be recollected that there were a variety
of playhouses open at that time in the

101

city of London. In addition to which^
the sum of fifty pounds was deemed
a very exorbitant payment' for that pe-
riod.

SUBSTITUTING A BLANK FOR A DATE.

I here think it necessary to refer my
readers to the head-line of the receipt
above quoted. The blank after the word
" Chryste " was originally filled up with a
date ; but so careless was I at that period
as positively to have neglected making
any reference to the period when lord
Leicester died : in consequence of which
the date originally standing there was two
years subsequent to the demise of that no-
bleman. Having acquired this knowledge,
I did not think it requisite to destroy the
memorandum altogether, but satisfied my-
self with tearing off the corner of the re-
ceipt bearing the numericals ; thus leaving
it as a torn document, and making a blank
where the erroneous date had originally
stood ^ which must, if known, have at,
f3

<.

102

once stamped the signet of invalidity on
all the papers produced.

EXTRA PAYMENT TO MASTER LOWIN.

Upon a second memorandum relative to
the playing before lord Leicester, I noted
down a payment of two shillings extra,
made by William Shakspeare " toe masterre
Lowinne " for his " goode servyces ande
welle playnge." And as upon many other
of the playhouse receipts the names of the
performers of that period were mentioned,
the following head will account for my
knowledge of them*

NAMES OF THE PLAYERS IN SHAKSPEARE'S DRAMAS.

Although the first and second editions
in folio of Shakspeare's plays were in my
possession, I had totally forgotten that on
one of the first leaves of those editions are
printed the names of the several perfor-
mers in his dramas; and it was on this
account that I remained for a Considerable
time without producing any manuscripts

103

relative to the players of that period. At
length I accidentally heard the fact men-
tioned by some person inspecting the ma-
nuscripts, and in consequence referred
immediately to the folios in question,
whence I procured the information re-
quired, and which, without my knowledge,
had been for so long a period within the
;scope of my attainment.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN SHAKSPEARE AND LOWIN
THE PLAYER.

As it was generally allowed that law
documents were the most convincing evi-
dences of the validity of the manuscripts,
the idea entered my mind of producing
agreements as entered into between some
of the players and William Shakspeare.
In consequence of which I formed a deed
as between Lowin and our bard, wherein
the former agreed to perform during four
years at the weekly salary of one pound
and ten shillings : which payment was very
exorbitant for that period; but as I had
heard it surmised that Lowin was the
f4

104

chief performer of his age, I consequently
was not sparing in my allowance to him.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN SHAKSPEARE AND CONDELL
THE PLAYER.

By this document Henry Condell the
player covenanted to perform for the fur-
ther space of three years, at the weekly
salary of one pound and one shilling, to
be paid every Saturday before twelve
o'clock at night whether sick or well 3 it
being covenanted " that he would play
upon the stage for the said Wm. Shak-
speare alle comedys ande tragedyes whiche
he the said Wm. Shakspeare may at any
tyme during the said terme cause to be
played not written or composed by hym-
selfe butte are the writings or composy-
tyons of others."

VALIDITY ATTACHED TO THE MANUSCRIPTS BY THE
AGREEMENTS BETWEEN SHAKSPEARE, LOWIN, AND
CONDELL.

These surreptitious agreements, purport-
ing to be made between Shakspeare and

105

Lowin and Shakspeare and Condell, were
written on parchment, in the same manner
as the first document purporting to be be-
tween Shakspeare and Fraser, with this
difference, that the latter two agreements
were much better executed than was the
first fabricated deed. With respect to the
seals, I had also recourse to the same
means of affixing them to the parchment
slips appendent to the agreements as on
the fabrication of the instrument between
Shakspeare and Fraser.

As these documents were supposed to
throw great light upon the theatrical affairs
of that period, they were highly prized by
the visitants at Mr. S. Ireland's mansion :
in addition to which, as legal instruments,
bearing the seals on which so great a stress
had been laid in the case of Fraser's lease,
they were deemed the most indisputable
evidences of the originality of the whole
mass of papers produced.

F5

;^

106

A BROKEN SEAL.

As one very curious circumstance oc-
curred respecting one of the seals (but to*
which of the documents affixed has now
totally escaped my recollection}, I shall
here give a relation of the event precisely
as it occurred.. I have, under a previous
head [tide " Seals " of the deed supposed
to have been executed between Shakspeare
and Fraser] stated that two kinds of wax
were used in affixing the seals to the strips
of parchment : that is to say, tlie front
side, bearing the impression, was not melt-
ed; whereas the back part of tl>e sea> was
formed of fresh melted wax. Now it un-
fortunately happened that some person in-
specting one of the deeds suffered the same
to fall from his hands upon Mr. S. Ireland's
mahogany writing-desk : on which occa-
sion, such was the brittle property of the
wax, that the front side of one of the seals
severed from the back part, which had
held it to the strip of parchment appen-
ding from the deed ^ by which any shrewd

107

observer would have instantly recognised
the difference in the colours of the wax. —
However, this circumstance being commu-
nicated to me, I instantly advised the
binding of the two parts together with
black silk : and thus was the deed shown
for a short time, without any scrutinising
research being made of the mutilated parts
of the seal ; which might have been done
by any person untwisting the silk that held
the broken parts together.

CEMENTING A BROKEN SEAL.

As I dreaded lest some shrewd observer
of the manuscripts should wish to examine
with care this broken seal, I took an op-
portunity of informing Mr. S. Ireland that
the supposed gentleman was desirous of
inspecting that very document for an hour 3
and as nothing was denied to the myste-
rious donor of the papers, the instrument
in question was consequently committed
to my charge ; with which I speedily has-
tened to chambers; and, having heated
some fresh wax, firmly riveted the broken

108

parts together : after which, placing the
black silk round the seal, I redelivered it
to Mr. Ireland. Thus had any after visi-
tant at Mr. Ireland's house been desirous
of inspecting the broken seal, and had
withdrawn the silk for that purpose, he
would have found the parts adhering: in
which case, whatsoever might have been
the surprise, it would not have been tanta-
mount to the conviction which must have
flashed upon the mind of any shrewd ob-
server on examining the parts of the seal
disunited, which would at once have dis-
played the contrivance to which I had had
recourse in affixing the seals to the deed.

PURaiASE OF A DRAWING IN BUTCHER ROW.

As I one day chanced to pass through
Butcher Row, I saw a curious old drawing
hanging up for sale. It was framed, and
placed between two glasses, in order to
display the back and front of the paper ;
on one side of which was the representa-
tion of an aged figure in the habit of a
Dutchman, while on the reverse appeared

109

d young man gaily attired in an English
dress of the period of James the First.
As it suddenly struck me that the limning
might be of utility to me in my Shaksperian
employment, I made a purchase of it, and
took it with me to chambers ; where, taking
out one of the glasses, I turned my pur-
chase to the following account.

ALTERATIONS MADE IN THE DRAWING.

On the side bearing the representation
of the old Dutchman I painted a pair of
scales and a knife, in order that it might
pass for the representation of Shylock in
the Merchant of Venice; and on the re-
verse, whereon appeared the gaily dressed
youth, I delineated, in one corner, the
arms of Shakspeare ; on the shield of which
I from thoughtlessness reversed the spear,
making the point directed to the right
hand, whereas it really* ought to have
pointed to the left corner. On the oppo-
site side I introduced the initials W S, with
the titles of a few of Shakspeare's plays :
and having before me a copy of Droeshout's

110

print, I altered the lineaments of the face
of the figure represented, giving it as much
as possible a resemblance to the print be-
fore me. Having made these alterations,
I replaced the drawing in the frame, and,
after fastening down the glass, presented it
to Mr. Ireland.

BASSANIO AND SHYLOCK THE JEW.

The drawing of the old Dutchman was
instantly construed to represent Shylock
the Jew, although it was deemed rather
extraordinary that the character should
have been arrayed in the costume of a
North-Hollander, which was really the case.
The figure on the reverse (having the coat-
of-arms of Shakspeare, the initial letters of
his name, with the titles of some of his
dramas, and bearing the faint resemblance
which the altered physiognomy held to the
print of Droeshout) was soon conceived to
represent our bard in the character of
Bassanio in the Merchant of Venice : and
so far did conjecture go on this head, that
it was gravely stated the drawing had m

Ill

all probability graced the green-room of
the Globe theatre.

MR. H*WL*TT AND JOHN HOSKINS THE PAINTER.

In order to stamp the drawing as co-
eval with the time of Shakspeare, one Mr.
H*wl*tt of the Temple, who was perfectly
conversant with the mode of writing for
centuries back, conceived that he had dis-
covered, by the aid of magnifying glasses,
in one corner, at the bottom of the draw-
ing, faint traces of the name of John Hos-
kins, who, upon research, proved really to
have been an artist of the period of James
the First. For my own part, I must can-
didly confess, although my eyes are not of
the weakest, that even with the aid of mag-
nifiers I could never perceive any thing
like a resemblance to the name in que-
stion ; the whole originating, in my opi-
nion, in the Indian ink of the back ground
having assumed a deeper and blacker dye
in some of the veins of the paper on which
the design was executed than on others.

112

MR. MALONE»S STATEMENT.

This commentator, in page 243 of his
ponderous Inquiry, speaking of the draw-
ing in question, states as follows.—

" The originals of the two following coloured prints,
one of which presents us with the portrait of an actor
(Shakspeare, if you will) in the part of Bassanio in the
Merchant of Venice, and the other with that of Shy-
lock in the same play, I have not seen ; and if I had
seen them, I am not entitled, by any knowledge of the
art, to decide upon their merit or authenticity. But
by those who are perfect and indisputable judges in
such matters, I have been informed, that, in spite of the
process of discolouration by tobacco-water, and of fuini-
gatimi by smoke and brimstone, which they appear to
y have undergone in that unknown repository in the

country from whence all these curiosities have been
issued, they are manifestly ivashed drawings of a recent
date,'' ifc,

FUTILITY OF THE ABOVE STATEMENT.

Ever happy to contribute my mite in
order to show the upstart pretensions of
Mr. Malone as a critic, I shall now, by a
simple statement, prove the fallacy of his
assertion, and the ignorance of his friends>
who, like himself, appear to have been

113

perfect and indisputable judges in such mat-
ters.

In the first place, the drawing in que-
stion, as purchased by me, was most in-
disputahli) as old as the period of James
the First : secondly, its real antiquity
precluded the necessity of giving to it
the appearance of age; nor was it either
discoloured with tobacco-ivater or fumi-
gated with smoke and brimstone^ as as-
serted by Mr. Malone's sapient friends:
and, thirdly, with respect to the colouring,
excepting in the trifling alterations made
by m^ as before stated, the drawing, in-
stead of being executed in ivater colours^
were made in body colours. And with this
statement I shall for the present dismiss
the erudite commentator and his friends
the limners.

SUPPOSED MEANING OF THE BASSANIO AND SHYLOCK
DRAWING.

After the conclusions drawn from the sci-
entific researches of Mr. Malone's friends,
I fear that I shall be thought presump-

lU

tuous in hazarding an opinion with re-
gard to the drawing in question : I shall,
notwithstanding, deliver my sentiments
on the subject; which are simply as fol-
low :

That the drawing was as ancient as the
period when Shakspeare lived; and that it
was meant to represent the contrast be-
tween a penurious money-getting father
and the extravagance of his heir, who
dissipated on dress and other fooleries
those sums which had been amassed with
so much industry and unremitting toiL

CERTIFICATE SUBSCRIBED BY STAUNCH BEUEVERS OF
THE MANUSCRIPTS.

When the influx of persons to inspect
the manuscripts was very great, Mr. Sa-
muel Ireland, by the advice of several
gentlemen who were most strenuous in
their belief of the papers, drew out a kind
of certificate, stating that the under-
signed names were affixed by gentlemen
who entertained no doubt whatsoever as
to the validity of the Shaksperian praduc-

115

tion, and that they voluntarily gave such
public testimony of their ideas upon the
subject. To this certificate several names
were affixed by persons as conspicuous for
their erudition as they were pertinacious
in their opinions.

There is scarcely need to add, that,
upon my confessioa of facts, I had no
right to expect mercy from the above
gentlemen, who were by that means held
up to the taunts of Mr. Malone and his
inveterate friends the critics.

RE-WRITING ONE OF SHAKSPEARE'S DRAMAS.

As it was generally deemed extraordi-
nary that the productions of Shakspeare
should be found so very unequal, and in
particular that so much ribaldry should
appear throughout his dramatic composi-
tions, I determined on the expedient of re-
writing, in the old hand, one of his most
conspicuous plays, and making such alte-
rations as I conceived appropriate. For
some time, however, I delayed putting

116

my plan into execution, through an anx^
ious desire to procure a copy of some
play of Shakspeare's published during his
life-time ; for although I had in my pos-
session the first folio edition of his works,
-^ dated in 1623, I v/as well aware that there
existed much earlier copies of each sepa-
rate drama in quarto.

THE QUARTO EDITION OF KING LEAR.

Having at length discovered that Mr.
Samuel Ireland possessed a rare quarto
copy of the play of King Lear, and being
at liberty to resort to his library whenever I
thought proper, I in consequence selected
that drama for my purpose; and at conve-
nient opportunities, when unobserved, I
took the quarto play in question to the
chambers, and there transcribed the same,
making interpolations where I conceived
they would answer my purpose.

I cannot but advert in this place to Mr.

Malone's observation on the present topic,

s who states that the rare quartoes of any of

117

Shakspeare*s plays were without doubt be-
yond the reach of the fabricator; who, he
conceives, must have transcribed the Lear
from the second edition in folio ; whereas
the manuscript of this play, as above
stated, was really copied from one of those
rare editions mentioned by Mr. Malone
as out of the scope of the forger's pro- '
curing.

As a duplicate of this quarto, which
bears date A. D. 1608, is doubtless among
the curiosa of Mr. Malone, it is a matter
of astonishment that he did not, with his
usual pomposity, acquaint the public with
that circumstance, as " Vanity, my cou-
sin, is your blind side.'*

SPECIMEN OF ALTERATIONS MADfi IN KlfNG LEAR.

In the old quarto above mentioned, and
in every subsequent edition of the play of
King Lear, the following lines are spoken
by Kent after the king's death:

*' I have a journey, sir, shortly to go :
My master calls, and I must not say no.^^

118

As I did not conceive such a jingling
and unmeaning couplet veiy appropriate
to the occasion, I composed the following
lines, which I was so arrogant as to believe
would not injure the reputation of Shak-
speare. —

Thanks, sir; but I goto that unknown land
That chains each pilgrim fast within its soil ;
By living men most shunned, most dreaded.
Still my good master this same journey took :
He calls me; I am content, and straight obey:
Then farewell, world ! the busy scene is done :
Kent livM most true, Kent dies most like a man.

CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FROM THE ALTERATIONS IN
KING LEAR.

As I scrupulously avoided, in copying
the play of Lear, the insertion of that ri-
baldry which is so frequently found in the
compositions of our bard, it was generally
conceived that my manuscript proved be-
yond doubt that Shakspeare was a much
more finished writer than had ever before
been imagined. It was also further sug-
gest€d, that the numerous passages un-

119

worthy the sublime genius of Shakspeare
which appear throughout all his dramas,
were merely introduced in the representa-
tion, by the players of that period, and
afterwards inserted in the playhouse copies
of his productions ; fi'om which they were
literally printed, tmd thus given to the
worid with the numerous alterations so
foisted in by the performers to please the
taste of the times.

THE TRANSCRIPT OF HAMLET.

Another of Shakspeare's dramas on which
I ventured my trifling alterations, while
copying it over in the old hand, was the
popular tragedy of Hamlet. However, as
I soon became weary of this plodding busi-
ness, I only produced a few leaves of this
second drama ; whereas the Lear was com-
pleted within a few lines. The variations
introduced by me in the pages of Hamlet
thus executed, tended to strengthen the
former opinions as to Shakspeare's correct-
ness as a writer, while every thing appear-
ing unworthy our bard was laid to the

120

charge of the players and printers of that
period.

FIRST ACQUAINTANCE WITH MR. TALBOT.

I shall now advert to a very momentous
period, when the whole Shaksperian fabric
might instantly have been overturned, as
I was then placed at the mercy of a gen-
tleman who had it in his power to betray
me.

Some months after my articles had com-
menced, I formed an acquaintance with
Mr. Montague Talbot ; who, like myself,
was placed with a conveyancer, in order
to his studying the law, but whose pursuits
were much more calculated to fit him for
the business of the theatre. As our meet-
ings were very frequent, I became desirous
of introducing Mr. Talbot to Mr. Samuel
Ireland j which circumstance soon took
place ; when Mr. Talbot became a con-
stant visitant in Norfolk Street,

121

MR. TALBOT S SHREWD SURMISE.

The close connexion which took place
between Mr. Talbot and myself made that
gentleman perfectly well acquainted with
my research after antiquities, &c. : on
which account I was frequently the object
of his ridicule.

Some time after this friendship was
formed, Mr. Talbot quitted London for a
few weeks, and during his absence I em-
barked in the Shaksperian fabrication; for
had I been subject, as usual, to the fre-
quent calls of Mr. Talbot, I could never
have followed up my plans with such per-
severance and escaped detection. On the
return of Mr. Talbot, he visited as usual in
Norfolk Street; where he inspected the
several documents at that time given in to
Mr. S. Ireland. At our next meeting
(being, as before stated, well acquainted
with my pursuits, and having seen me
imitate old hand-writings) he laughingly
told me that he was well convinced the
deed of Fraser and the other papers were

G

122'

my own fabricating. To this charge I
boldly pleaded the negative; though all
my assurances were insufficient to con-
vince him to the contrary of his own
assertion.

MR. TALBOT'S DISCOVERY OF THE FORGERY.

For some days the business went on as
usual, and I was particularly guarded as to
the keeping a watchful eye upon every
individual who approached the chambers ;
for I was well convinced that Mr. Talbot's
perseverance would not be easily lulled, as
he frequently came in upon me so sud-
denly that I was with infinite difficulty
enabled to conceal from his observation
the manuscript on which I then chanced to
be engaged. One day, however, Mr.
Talbot found means to elude my observa-
tion, by bending himself double, and in
that position creeping beneath the window
at which I was accustomed to write: thus
unobserved he suddenly darted into the
chambers, and ere I could find means to
conceal the document whereon I was then

123

occupied, he arrested my arm, and by this
stratagem became at once acquainted
with the whole mystery. Fuhy aware
that the anger of Mr. S. Ireland would be
directed against me in full force were the
fabrication discovered to him, I suppli-
cated Mr. Talbot to pledge me his honour
that he would never divulge the truth, un-
less I was desirous that the fact should be
made public; to which request he acceded;
and it is but justice in me to state, that
he never in any one instance was led to
divulge the fact, although in the sequel of
the transaction he had almost sufficient
ground to warrant such a procedure, from
the disagreeable circumstances attendant
on his having interfered for me in the pro-
gress of the fabrication.

MR. TALBOT'S MYSTERIOUS METHOD OF CORRE-
SPONDING.

After some time had elapsed from Mr.

Talbot's becoming acquainted with the

fact, his attachment to theatrical pursuits

prompted him to relinquish the study of

G 2

124

the law, and he in consequence deter-
mmed on visiting Dublin; whither he at
length set out, after a promise on my part
that I would regularly correspond with
him, and give a detail of the various do-
cuments which I should fabricate during
his absence. After two letters had passed
between us, wherein I mentioned without
disguise every composition in which I was
engaged, Mr. Talbot recommended that
we should in future correspond in a man-
ner that would be unintelligible to any
other person but ourselves, should any
letter be by chance mislaid or miscarry.
'^I'lie falismaii adopted on this occasion
w-as a sheet of paper having several pieces
cut from ditTerent parts of it ; which, when
desirous of writing, was placed on a sheet
of post paper ; when the communication
to be made was written on the parts of the
post paper appearing through the holes so
made in the mutilated sheet ; after which
the blanks left were filled up with any
words, so as to render the whole unintelli-
gible. Mr. Talbot and myself, having each

125

a sheet of paper cut precisely the same,
upon receipt of any letter had only to
place the same upon the correspondence
received, when that part of the epistle
which it was intended should be under-
stood became instantly apparent, while
the farrago of nonsense with which the
remainder of the lines was filled up was of
course hidden from observation, leaving
the sense only of the letter apparent to
the eye, as before stated.

MR. TALBOT'S RETURN FROM IRELAND.

Having so much penmanship to exe-
cute, I became less frequent in addressing
Mr. Talbot; so that a small portion of
the play of Vortigern and Rowena was
composed ere Mr. Talbot heard that I
had embarked in any such daring enter-
prise. Upon this occasion Mr. Talbot
(having heard it reported in Dublin that
such a drama was coming forward, which
had been discovered with the other Shak-
sperian manuscripts) dispatched a letter to
me indicatory of his astonishment that I
G3

126

should not have confided the fact to him ;
which also concluded with informing me
that he was then on the very eve of quit-
ting Dublin, on his return to this coun-
try; and, indeed, scarcely were ten days
elapsed from the receipt of this epistle ere
Mr. Talbot in person presented himself
to me j w^hen I made every apology for my
remissness in not having written, stating,
in extenuation of my conduct (what was
no other than fact), that I was literally
so harassed in mind, from the various
compositions in w^hich I had embarked, as
to be wholly unmindful of every other
consideration : and indeed, on Mr. Talbot's
inspection of the papers at Mr. Ireland's
house, even he himself was astonished at
the numerous manuscripts produced, and
the variety of the documents which I had
composed during his absence.

VOLUNTARY OFFER OF MR. TALBOT'S LITERARY
ABILITIES.

As Mr. Talbot was a friend of the Muses,
he became anxious to add a portion of his

127

own composition in the course of the pro-
duction of the Vortigern; and as his conti-
nuance in London was but for a few days,
I promised that I would send to him, when
at Dublin, the plan of some of the scenes of
the Vortigern, leaving the language to
himself; which, when remitted to me, I was
to copy in the disguised hand upon the old
paper. — Having entered into this agree-
ment, Mr. Talbot shortly after quitted
London for Dublin; but I refrained from
dispatching such plans of the scenes as
promised, from a conviction that the style
of what should be remitted to me by Mr.
Talbot would differ from my own most
materially: in addition to which, as Mr.
Talbot had not been so accustomed to the
old method of composition as myself, I
thought the introduction of two such op-
posite styles of writing must tend to a
discovery of the fabrication of that dra-
ma : and under these assurances, se-
conded by a degree of vanity which
prompted me to aspire solely to the pro-
duction of the piece, I did not consult

G 4

128

Mr. Talbot on the subject, but completed
the play without any aid whatsoever on
his part.

PRIVATE INTERVIEW WITH MR. TALBOT, AND OUR
AGREEMENT, &c.

During Mr. Talbot's short continuance
in London, as various doubts were then
hazarded in opposition to the validity of
the manuscripts, I prevailed upon that
gentleman to join me in the story related :
in consequence of which it was agreed
between us, that he should forward a letter
to Mr. Samuel Ireland, after his departure
from London, acquainting him that ^^ he
was likewise present with me on the dis-
covery of the papers.'* And it was also
settled between us, that the name of the
supposed donor of the manuscripts should
be stated in future as commencing with the
letter H.-— At this private interview, when
the above agreement took place, we also
mutually destroyed every letter which had
previously passed between us ; so that no
one document then existed to prove the

129

fact respecting the fabrication of the papers
by myself And immediately after this
meeting, Mr. M. Talbot again set out for
Dublin.

Under the foregoing heads is contained
rvery statement with regard to Mr. Monta-
gue Talbot's discovery of the transaction
and his subsequent connexion with me in
the business : and it is but justice in me to
remark, in the present instance, that every
step thus taken by Mr. Talbot was only
done at my most earnest request, in order
that he might in some measure extricate
me from the labyrinth of perplexity where-
in I had so innocently involved myself.

PRELUDE TO A PROOF.

After the completion of the play of Vor-
tigern and Rowena, without the interfe-
rence of Mr. Talbot, notwithstanding l>is
request made to that effect previous to his
departure from London [see the head
" Voluntary offer of Mr. Talbot's literary
abilities," page 126], a letter came to me
from Ireland, part of which I have here
G5

130

deemed it necessary to insert^ as it not
only goes to prove the statement as to our
mutual agreement respecting H previous
to his departure, but also tends to esta-
blish the veracity of my assertion ; as will
be explained under the article which fol-
lows the ensuing quotation.

QUOTATION FROM MR. M. TALBOT'S LETTER.

" Bear friend, 6th Jan., 1796.

- *' It is now a month, I believe, since I wrote to your
fether a particular account of the discovery of Vorti-
gern, with every thing that has passed before and since
the fortunate finding it at H's. I wrote by the same post
to yourself: begged you to show H the letter I wrote
your father, and keep a copy yourself. Now I think it
rather hard I am not favoured with an answer, and that
my particular request is not complied with. I asked for
a copy of Vortigern and Rowena, as curtailed for repre-
sentation : now, although you neglect me so much as
to withhold the copy of the play, which you know
when in London I had not time to read, and which
you may naturally suppose I would wish to know
almost as I would all Shakspeare^s works, yet mark
how lam situated, and then you will not blame me for
renewing my request: Every one knows here the con-
cern I have with Vortigern and Rowena, and every one
asks for the particulars : I then show the copy of the
letter sent your father; but when I am asked as to the
play and its merits, plot, beauties, ^'c, / knoiv nothing.

131

It is much wondered at that I can give no account of
its coming out. Some ask me if I have not in my pos-
session any scrap of the writings of Shakspeare. So I
request you will send me some bill, receipt, or letter of
his,^' 8fc.

PROOFS THAT 1 ALONE AM THE AUTHOR OF THE
MANUSCRIPTS.

As the whole superstructure of the Shak-
sperian manuscripts was reared on the basis
of falsehood, and as some opinions have
erroneously gone abroad that I was not
the sole zvriter of the papers, I have conse-
quently sought every means to establish
this position, '^ that, however a man may
once act erroneously, he may at some sub-
sequent period become convinced of his
error, and seek to make atonement."

I have under this conviction made the
foregoing quotation, in order to prove that
I alone was concerned in the composition
of the manuscripts. Not that I am de-
sirous of arrogating any merit to myself
from the language contained in the manu-
scripts, but that I wish to establish my ve-
racity in this instance.

132

Mr. Talbot, in the foregoing quotation
from his letter, alludes to his having agreed
with me as to his connexion with the ma-
nuscripts. He also mentions the supposed
donor, under the letter H : and in speak-
ing of the play of Vortigern, he confesses
that he knows nothing of its " merits^ ploty
beauties, &c. : " which would not have
proved the case had Mr. Talbot aided me
in the completion of the play.

I have only to add, that I am heartily
sorry that Mr. Talbot's kindness should
have led him to sanction the business, and
in any way connect his name with an affair
which has involved its author in so much
difficulty: and with this apology I shall
conclude the present statement.

FIRST mEA OF THE PLAY OF VORTIGERN ANI>
ROWENA.

When the idea of writing a play first
took possession of my mind, I continued
for some days undecided as to the subject
most appropriate to the purpose ; when a
large drawing, executed by Mr. S. Ireland

133

(being a copy from a design of Mortimer's)
representing Rowena in the act of present-
ing wine to Vortigern, and which hung
over the chimneypiece in Mr. Ireland's
study, suddenly attracted my attention.
In consequence, when alone I took down
Mr. Ireland's edition of Holinshed's Chro-
nicle, and referred to the story of Vorti-
gern as related by that historian ; when,
conceiving it apt to my purpose, I imme-
diately planned the outline of the play;
and with my usual impetuosity made
known to Mr. Ireland the discovery of such
a piece^ before a single line was really exe-
cuted. In consequence of which I was
unceasingly tormented for the manuscript j^
which I brought forward in small portions,
as I found time to compose it, in my own
hand-writing, pretending to have copied
it from the original : and I believe I may
with safety aver, that the play, though
procrastinated in the delivery, did not
actually occupy more than two montlis*
time in the composing; notwithstanding

134

the inconveniences I had to surmount from
Mr. Ireland's unceasing applications, from
the questionings of the numerous persons
who inspected the papers, and the difficulty
I found in snatching opportunities to pro-
ceed with the manuscript.

It is extraordinary to observe how will-
ingly persons will blind themselves on any
point interesting to their feelings. When
it was known that a play on the subject
of Vortigem was coming forward, every
person who inspected the manuscripts ad-
mired the strange coincidence of Mr. Ire-
land's having so long possessed a drawing
on the very subject of that drama; yet do
I not recollect, even in one instance, that
the drawing in question excited the smallest
suspicion of the fact above stated, which
was unquestionably more consonant with
probability.

A considerable time after the production
of this play, some believer in the papers
desired Mr. Ireland to refer to Milton's
works ; wherein it appears that he has

135

mentioned the story of Vortigern and
Rowena, with some others, as very appro-
priate for the drama.

Thus have I precisely stated every fact,
as to the first idea of the piece having
taken possession of my mind. I therefore
need scarcely add, that Milton's note upon
the subject was totally unknown to me
till after the completion of the play as be-
fore mentioned, when that fact was stated
to me by Mr. S. Ireland.

DOUBTS IN THE COMPOSITION OF VORTIGERN.

Being considerably under the age of
eighteen when I wrote the play of Vorti-
gern, the following fact will not appear
singular. I was really so unacquainted
with the proper length of a drama as to be
compelled to count the number of lines in
one of Shakspeare's plays, and on that
standard to frame the Vortigern ; and the
play I had chosen happening to be un-
commonly long, mine consequently be-
came so : when completed, it contained, to
the best of my recollection, two thousand

136

eight hundred lines and upwards. Upon
observing this, Mr. Sh*r*d*n remarked^
that " the purchase of the play was at any
rate a good one, as there were two plays
and a half, instead of one/* I believe that
fourteen hundred lines are quite sufficient
for a regular drama of the present day.

MR. H*RR*S OF COVENT GARDEN THEATRE.

When it was known that a play had been
found among the supposed Shaksperian re-
lics, Mr. H*rr*s of Covent Garden theatre,
ever anxious for the advancement of the in-
terests of that house, and naturally conceiv-
ing, that, if well received by a British au-
dience, a newly discovered play of Shak-
speare's must prove a source of great profit
to the theatre, dispatched Mr.AV*ll*ce (fa-
ther of the then actress of that name) with
a carte blanche^ in order that Mr. Ireland
might state his terms : yet the long acquain-
tance of our family with certain persons
connected with the other theatre, and the
promise made to them that the Vortigern
should be performed on that stage (not-

137

withstanding the dilatory conduct of the
managers of that house as to the com-
pletion of the business), prompted Mr.
Ireland to reject the very handsome pro-
position made by Mr. H*rr*s : at whose
theatre had the piece been represented I
have heard it generally affirmed that it
would have succeeded; for at that house
there was no jarring interest; and whether
the papers were accredited or not by
Messrs. Steevens and Malone was nothing
to the purpose — every performer would
THERE have done his duty^ and exerted
himself for the benefit of his employers.
How far such a line of conduct was pur-
sued at Drury Lane, is too generally
known for me to comment upon in the
present instance.

MR. SH*R*D*N'S OPINION OF SHAKSPEARE.

When it was agreed that Vortigern and
Rowena should be represented at Drury
Lane theatre, Mr. S. Ireland had- very
frequent conversations with Mr, Sh*r*d*n
respecting the transcendent genius of our

138

bard; and one day in particular, after
Mr. S. Ireland had been as usual lavish
in his encomiums, Mr. Sh*r*d*n remark-
ed, that, however high Shakspeare might
stand in the estimation of the public in ge-
neral, he did not for his part regard him
as a poet in that exalted light, although
he allowed the brilliancy of his ideas, and
the penetration of his mind.

OPINIONS ON VORTIGERN.

Previous to the agreement's being sign-
ed respecting Vortigern and Rowena with
the managers of Drury Lane theatre, Messrs.
Sh*r*d*n and R*ch*rds*n waited upon
Mr. Ireland, to inspect the fair copy of the
play, which had been made from the ma-
nuscript as produced in the disguised hand.
After having perused several pages, Mr,
Sh*r*d*n came to one line which was not
strictly poetic; upon which, turning to
Mr. Ireland, he remarked — " This is rather
strange ; for though you are acquainted
with my opinion as to Shakspeare, yet, be
it as it may, he certainly always MTote

139

poetry." — Having perused a few pages
further, Mr. Sh*r*d*n again paused, and,
laying down the manuscript, spoke to the
following efTect : " There are certainly
some bold ideas, but they are crude and
undigested. It is very odd : one would be
led to think that Shakspeare must have
been very young when he wrote the play.
As to the doubting whether it be really his
or not, who can possibly look at the pa-
pers, and not believe tlnem ancient?''

AGREEMENT FOR THE PLAY OF VORTIGERN.

After the most unaccountable procras-
tination, the terms of the deed, as to the
purchase of the Vortigern by Mr. Sh*r*-
d*n, were agreed upon, and the papers
drawn up by Mr. Albany Wallis of Nor-
folk Street; Mr. S. Ireland being made
trustee for me, as I was then under age.
The terms of the agreement were, that Mr.
Sh*r*d*n should pay down three hundred
pounds, and that the profits of the per-
formance for the first sixty nights [that I
believe to have been the number] should

140

be equally divided between Mr. Samuel
Ireland and Mr. Sh^r*d^'n, after deducting
the necessary expenses of the theatre ;
which sum was also specified, but has now
entirely escaped my memory.

The three hundred pounds was paid in
notes of hand, at short dates, drawn upon
Mr. H*mm*rsly the banker, out of which
I received sixty pounds, I have thought
it necessary to mention this circumstance,
that the charge of avarice may not be at-
tributed to me; such an idea having never
once entered my mind during the whole
period I was occupied in the fabrication
of the papers : and indeed I must add, it
w^ould have been diametrically opposite to
the established laws of nature, had I at the
age of seventeen years and three quarters
regularly entered upon such a scheme for
the express purpose of amassing money :
and I will boldly challenge any person to
come forward and accuse me, in any one
instance, of a desire of securing to myself
any portion of the profits which might be
derived from the manuscripts.

141

MALONE'S HANDEILL.

The following instance is in itself siifli-
cient to evince the undue influence used
by Mr. Malone, in order to establish his
own opinions, and prejudice the public
mind against the manuscripts.

For some weeks previous to the per-
formance of the play of Vortigern, ISIr.
Malone had daily given intimation that
his Inquiry into the Validity of the Papers
attributed to Shakspeare was on the eve
of publication. The volume, however, did
not appear until after the representation
of the piece. In order, therefore, that Mr.
Malone might not be backward on this oc-
casion, it was stated in the course of the
day that a handbill was to be delivered at
the several avenues leading to Drury Lane
theatre, which was to contain an affirma-
tion, that Mr. Malone, in his work, would
prove the whole to be a rank forgery; and
that, consequently, he had issued the said
paper in order to caution persons against
the fraud, and lead them to judge of the
play in it3 proper light. In consequence

142

of this intelligence, Mr. S. Ireland caused
Si handbill to be printed, wherein he stated
his knowledge of the modes that were
adopted by Mr. Malone in opposition to
the play; and requested that all persons
who should attend the representation of
the piece would lay aside any prejudices
that might arise in consequence of such
invidious attacks, and suiTer the piece to
speak for itself Such I know to have been
the purport of Mr. Ireland's printed pa-
per ; although at present I am unable to
find out one of the handbills in question,
the contents of which should have other-
wise met the eye of the public.

OVERFLOW OF DRURY LANE THEATRE.

It is almost impossible to convey an ad-
equate idea of the influx of persons who
came to behold the representation of Vor-
tisrern. Everv seat in the boxes had been
previously taken ; and so eager were the
public to witness the fate of the play, that
numerous persons paid the box prices, not
being able to pass the pit door with suffi-
cient expedition : after which, finding all

143

the places in the boxes m keeping for the
various parties who had bespoken them for
weeks previous, they dropped down from
tlie lower tier of boxes into the pit, in
order to procure seats.

THE DRAMATIS PERSON.^: OF VORTIGERN.

The names of the characters introduced
in the play of Vortigern were as follow :

CoNSTANTius, personated by Mr. Bensley.

AuRELius Mr. Barrymore.

Uter Mr. Caulfield.

Vortigern Mr. Kemble.

WoRTiMERus Mr. Whitfield.

Catagrinus ........ Mr. Trueman.

Pascentius Mr. C. Kemble.

Hengist Mr. Benson.

HoRsus . , Mr. Phillimore.

Fool Mr. King.

Servant Master De Camp.

Patre Master Gregson.

Edmunda Mrs. Powell.

Flavia Mrs. Jordan.

RowENA Miss Miller.

rMiss Leake.
Attendants on Edmunda . . ^ Miss Tidswell.

t Miss Heard.

Barons, Officers, Guards, S^c,

144

MR. IRELAND'S BOX.

The box occupied by Mr. Samuel Ire-
land and his friends was in the centre of
the house. It was even stated, though (I
imagine) erroneously, that on Mr. Ireland's
appearance in the theatre there was some
indication of applause from different parts
of the house. I did not enter the theatre
till a very short period previous to the
rising of the curtain ; and the box being
so very conspicuous, I soon retired from
observation behind the scenes; where I
continued the greater part of the time of
representation, engaged in conversation
with Mrs. Jordan.

PROLOGUE TO VORTIGERN.

WRITTEN BY SIR JAMES BLAND BURGESS, BART.

SPOKEN BY MR. WHITFIELD.

No common cause your verdict now^ demands :
Before the court immortal Shakspeare stands ;
That mighty master of the human soul.
Who rules the passions, and with strong controul
Through evVy turning of the changeful heart .
Directs his course sublime and leads his powerful art.

145

When on his birth propitious Nature smiPd,

And hung transported o'er her favorite child;

While on his head her choicest gifts she show'rd.

And o'er his mind her inspiration pour'd ;

*' Proceed ! " she cried ; " the high decree fulfil !

*' 'Tis thine to rule with magic sway the will ;

" On Fancy's wing to stretch o'er boundless space,

" And all creation's varied works to trace :

*' 'Tis thine each flitting phantom to pursue,

" Each hidden pow'r of verse to bring to view ;

" To shed o'er British taste celestial day,

*' And reign o'er genius with unrival'd sway/'

Such was the high behest. — The sacred choice

Long has been sanction'd by your candid voice.

The favour'd relics of your Shakspeare's hand

Unrival'd and inimitable stand.

If hope of fame some modern bards has led

To try the path where Shakspeare wont to tread.

If with presumptuous wing they dar'd aspire

To catch some portion of his sacred fire.

Your critic powers the vain attempt repell'd ;

The flimsy vapour, by your breath dispell'd,

Expos'd the trembling culprit to your sight.

While Shakspeare's radiance shone with doubled light.

From deep oblivion snatch'd, this play appears :
It claims respect, since Shakspeare's name it bears ;
That name, the source of wonder and delight.
To a fair hearing has at least a right.
We ask no more. With you the judgement lies f
No forgeries escape your piercing eyes I

H

146

UnbiassM, then, pronounce your dread decree.

Alike from prejudice or favour free.

If, the fierce ordeal pass'd, you chance to find

Rich sterling ore, though rude and unrefin'd.

Stamp it your own, assert your poet's fame.

And add fresh wreaths to Shakspeare's honoured name.

MRS. JORDAN'S SONG.

As the native sweetness of Mrs. Jordan's
voice had so invariably excited public
approbation, I conceived that by writing a
ditty expressly for that lady I should in
a great measure benefit the piece when
represented. In consequence of this sup-
position, I composed the annexed verses,
which were very ably set to music by
William Linley, esq., and were received
with unbounded plaudits, when sung by
the inimitable actress above mentioned,
on the night of the representation of the
play.

I should here acquaint the reader, in
order to account for the statement above
(that the ditty ivas expressly composed for
Mrs. Jordan) y that every leading character
introduced in the Vortigern was positively

147

written for some certain performer : and it
was for the same reason that I caused Mrs.
Jordan to assume the male attire, as she
was so uniyersally allowed to become the
male costume.

She sung, while from her eye ran down

The silv'ry drop of sorrow :
From Grief she stole away the crown ;
Sweet patience too did borrow.
Pensive she sat.
While Fortune frown'd.
And smiling woo'd sad Melancholy.

Keen Anguish fain would turn her heart.

And sour her gentle mind ;
But Charity still kept her part.

And meekness to her soul did bind.
She bow'd, content,
HeavM forth one sigh.
Sang, wept, then turn'd to Melancholy.

Careless her locks around her hung.

And strove to catch each dewy tear; .^-"^

The plaintive bird in pity sung, /

And breathM his sorrow in her ear:
Amazed, she look'd.
And thank'd his care.
Then sank once more to Melancholy.

H 2

148

MISS LEAKE S SONG.

The following verse was written for this
part of Edmunda, the wife of Vortigern;
supposed to be an effusion during her
mental derangement, and alluding to her
children, who had been compelled to fly
their father's palace on account of his bar-
barity. The part of the queen being,
however, sustained by Mrs. Powell, who
has never appeared in the vocal line, the
verse was sung by Miss Leake (who per-
formed the part of an attendant), at the
request of her royal mistress.

The music of this stanza was also com-
posed by W. Linley, esq., and received
that tribute of praise to which its plaintive
melody so justly entitled it.

Last Whitsuntide they brought me

Roses and lilies fair;
Violets too they gave me.

To bind my auburn hair :
But then my face looked smiling,

Tause that my babes were near.
Now yon stinging nettle bring:

'Twill better suit this tear!

149

PRESENTIMENT. ^

There is something so appalling in the
conviction that a man does not stand upon
the basis of truth, that he shrinks with
terror when circumstances appear most
favourable to his wishes. On the impor-
tant night which was to seal the fate of
my long-expected Vortigern and Rowena,
I spent the greater part of the time of its
representation in the green-room of the
theatre ; where , I conversed for the most
part with Mrs. Jordan^ who, at the com-
mencement of the third act (at which
period not a dissenting voice had been
heard) congratulated me on the success of
the piece, and gave it as her opinion that
it would succeed. I am by no means su-
perstitious, but a presentiment had taken
possession of my mind (originating in the
knowledge of the deception which charac-
terised the whole production), which led
me to augur very differently : and I then
returned for answer, " That, notwith-
standing appearances were auspicious to
H3

150

the success of the play, I felt a full con-
viction that it would not be a second time
represented.'' How far my conjecture
proved just, was fully demonstrated by
the event of that night's representation.

EPILOGUE TO VORTIGERN.

WRITTEN BY THE LATE ROBERT MERRY, ESQ.

SPOKEN BY MRS. JORDAN.

Yc solemn critics, wheresoever you're seated.
To grant a favour may you be entreated ?
For which Til pay you proper adoration.
And strive to please you — that is my vocation.
Then do not frown, but give due share of praise.
Nor rend from Shakspeare's tomb the sacred bays.
The scatter'd flow'rshe left, benignly save:
Posthumous flowVs ; the garland of the graye !

What though he liv'd two hundred years ago.
He knew you very well, as I will show :
His pencil sketched you, and that seldom errs :
You're all, whatever you think, his characters.
How ! — do you doubt it ? Cast your eyes aroun J :
In every corner of this house they're found.
Observe the jolly grazier in the pit :
Why, h2 is Falstaff, fat and full of wit :
In fun and feasting places his delight.
And with his Dolly emulates the knight.
Look at that youth, whose countenance of woe
Denotes a tender-hearted Romeo;

151

Me only wishes, though he dare not speak.
To be a glove to touch liis Juliet's cheek :
While she from yonder terrace smiles serene.
And longs with him to play the garden scene.
But — oh, I tremble now ! — there sits a man.
Ragged and rough ; a very Caliban !
He growls out his displeasure. 'Tis a shame :
Do, dear Miranda, make the monster tame,
^nd, you my pretty Beatrice, don't fret
Your Benedick is fond of a coquette ;
For though he vows he'll think no more about you.
He means to marry : — he can't live without you.
Kind faithful Imogens are here to charm us ;
Mad Edgars, ancient Pistols, to alarm us ;
And Hotspurs too, who seek the glorious boon
•* To pluck bright honour from the pale-fac'd moon."
Besides, we have our Touchstones, Shylocks dire,
lagos false, and many a "Shallow" squire :
Nay, there are ladies who in their own houses
Are Desdemonas, plagued with jealous spouses.

^Tis true there is some change, I must confess.
Since Shakspeare's time; at least in point of dress :
The rufFs are gone, and the long female waist
Yields to the Grecian more voluptuous taste ;
While circling beads the copious tresses bind.
And the bare neck spreads beautiful behind.
Our senators and peers no longer go.
Like men in armour, glitt'ring in a row;
But, for the cloak and pointed beard, we note
The close-cropt head and little short great-coat.
Yet is the modern Briton still the same:
Eager to cherish and averse to blame ;

152

> Foe to deception ; ready to defend ;
A kind protector and a generous friend.

OPPOSITIONS TO THE PLAY OF VORTIGERN.

The following are the obstacles which
were purposely opposed to the final suc-
cess of the play of Vortigern.

MR. DIGNUM.

I do not mean to detract from the me-
rits of Mr. Dignum as a vocal performer ;
but the idea of beholding that gentleman
strut forth in tragedy is quite sufficient to
excite risibility even in Melpomene her-
self. I have no doubt that that circum-
stance was justly appreciated by the acting
manager of the day, who in consequence
suffered Mr. Dignum to ^bellow on"^'^ which
he did so effectually, by his guttural pro-
nunciation, as to set the whole house in a
convulsive peal of laughter — a circum-
stance highly conducive to the success of
a tragedy ! !

* In a particular speech Mr. Dignum had to order
the sounding of the trumpets ; the words being,
..p— .^ — let them bellow on !

153

MR. PHILLIMORE.

The date facetious Mr. Phillimore, of
large-nosed memory, was also placed by
the manager in a prominent point of
view, having, if I recollect aright, to per-
form the part of the Saxon general Horsus,
whom I unfortunately killed in combat.
That gentleman, on receiving the deadly
wound (which proved, indeed, a deadly blozu
to my play), either from prior tuition or
chance (I will not pretend to decide which)
so placed his unfortunate carcass that on
the falling of the drop-curtain he was li-
terally divided between the audience and
his brethren of the sock and buskin; his
legs, &c., being towards the spectators,
and his head, &c., inside the curtain, which
concealed them from observation. This,
however, was not the only calamity : for
. as the wooden roller at the bottom of the
curtain was rather ponderous, Mr. Philli-
more groaned beneath the unwelcome bur-
den ; and finding his brethren somewhat
dilatory in extricating him, he adopted
H6

154

the more natural expedient of extricating
himself; which, for a dead man, was some-
thing in the style of Mr. Bannister, jun.,
ii> the Critic, who tells Mr. Puff " that he
cannot stay there di/ing all day.'^

Mr. Phillimore's acceptation of the part
was, however, very appropriate, and high-
ly gratifying to an audience that came for
the express purpose of using their pocket-
handkerchiefs in the affetuoso^ instead of
wiping away the drops which overflowed
fcom excess of laughter.

CH*RL*S ST*RT, ESQ., M.P.

I had almost forgot to mention the con-
duct of Ch*rl*s St^rt, esq., M.P., who was
seated in a private box even with the
stage, and who w^as so exasperated at the
pointed ill conduct and buffoonery of Mr.
Phillimore, as to make several attempts to
seize him by the robe 3 in which case that
gentleman might have had to encounter
even a worse antagonist than was allotted
to Jiim in my play.

' 155

QUOTATION FROM MR. IRELAND'S PREFACE TO THE
PLAY OF VORTIGERN.

" No man who recollects what was said and written
in the public prints concerning this piece on the eve
of its representation, and the ludicrous manner in
which the principal character was sustained, can deny
that the editor has a right to complain of the most illi-
beral and injurious treatment.

" Every undue stratagem, and every mean and petty
artifice, was resorted to, within doors and without, to
prejudice the public mind; and one more deeply in-
terested than had then or has yet appeared, though a
professed trader on the subject of Shakspeare, on the
day before the representation, under the title of An In-
quiry into the Authenticity of certain Miscellaneous
Papers, ^c, with this view, and the further expecta-
tion of helping off a few copies, sent into the world a
volume long before promised, and long since for-
gotten.

" This mass of dulness and selfconceit, consisting of
about four hundred and thirty pages, established nor-
thing ; and was built on principles — if it is not an abuse
to apply to such trash a term so respectable — that could
not possibly establish any thing. In every one of
the instances which, with such a weak and overwean-
ing confidence he so very idly brought forward, he
has been exposed ; and in some of them has been him-
self the author of his own childishness, incapacity, and
ignorance.

" In this state it was delivered to the theatre, with a

156

request, or rather entreaty, that all further alteration
deemed necessary should be made by the acting ma-
nager or any other person competent to the business.
To this request he received the following oificial an-
swer from Mr. Kemble : — ' That the play would be
acted faithfully from the copy sent to the theatre.^ And
it was accordingly acted literally from the manuscript
delivered to the house. This conduct was, as the editor
believes, unprecedented in the management of a thea--
tre ; and must warrant him in concluding, that, in the
judgement of the acting manager, the play wanted no
aid or alteration.*'

MR. KEMBLE.

The conduct of this gentleman was too
obvious to the whole audience to need
much comment: I must, however, re-
mark, that the particular line on which
Mr. Kemble laid such a peculiar stress
was in my humble opinion the ivatchzvord
agreed upon by the Malone faction for
the general howl. The speech alluded to
ran as follows; the line in Italics being
that so particularly noticed by Mr. Kem-
ble.—

Time was, alas ! I needed not this spur :
But here's a secret and a stinging thorn.

157

That wounds my troubled nerves. — O conscience, con-
science !
When thou didst cry, I strove to stop thy mouth.
By boldly thrusting on thee dire Ambition.
Then I did think myself indeed a god !
But I was sore deceivM : for as I passed.
And traversed in proud triumph the basse court.
There I saw Death clad in most hideous colours.
A sight it was that did appal my soul,
Yea curdled thick this mass of blood within me.
Full fifty breathless bodies struck my sight;
And some with gaping mouths did seem to mock me ;
Whilst others, smiling in cold death itself,
Scoffingly bade me look on that, which soon
Would wrench from ofF my brow this sacred crown.
And make me too a subject like themselves.
Subject ! — to whom ? — to thee, O sov'reign Death !
Who hast for thy domain this world immense.
Churchyards and charnel-houses are thy haunts.
And hospitals thy sumptuous palaces.
And when thou wouldst be merry, thou dost choose
The gaudy chamber of a dying king.
O then thou dost ope wide thy hideous jaws.
And with rude laughter and fantastic tricks
Thou clapp'st thy rattling fingers to thy sides.
And when this solemn mockery is o'er.
With icy hand thou tak'st him by the feet.
And upward, so, till thou dost reach the heart.
And wrap him in the cloak of 'lasting night.

No sooner was the above line uttered in
the most sepulchral tone of voice possible.

158

and accompanied with that peculiar em-
phasis which on a subsequent occasion so
justly rendered Mr. Kemble the object of
criticism [viz.^ on the first representation of
Mr. Coleman's Iron Chest), than the most
discordant howl echoed from the pit that
ever assailed the organs of hearing. After
the lapse of ten minutes, the clamour sub-
sided; when Mr. Kemble, having again
obtained a hearing, instead of proceeding
with the speech at the ensuing line, very
politely, and in order to amuse the au-
dience still more, redelivered the very line
above quoted with even more solemn
grimace than he had in the first instance
displayed. — This remark is not meant as
invidious: foes as well as friends to the
manuscripts allowed it; and, according
to the trite adage, " what is by all allowed^
must be true."

MR. SH*R*D*N'S DISAPPROBATION OF MR. KEMBLES
CONDUCT.

As in case the play of Vortigern bad
met with success a very considerable pro-

I

159

fit must have accrued to the managers,
Mr. Sh*r*d*n was much displeased at the
conduct of the gentleman mentioned in
the preceding paragraph, and, if I mistake
not, gave vent to his feelings in nearly the
following terms : that "he '* (Mr.Sh*r*d*n)
" had nothing to do with the private piques
and animosities of Mr. Kemble, or whether
he approved of the manuscripts or not :
that he regarded that gentleman merely as
tt servant of the theatre ; and that it was
consequently his duty to have exerted
himself to the utmost for the benefit of
his employers."

APATHY.

When the fate of Vortigern was de-
cided, I returned, in company with Mr. S.
Ireland, to Norfolk Street, where a few
gentlemen shortly after arrived to converse
on the events of the evening. As I found
it more than probable that they would
remain in conversation till a late hour,
I retired to bed, more easy in my mind
than I had been for a great length of time.

160

as flie load was removed which had op-
pressed me.

I that night slept most profoundly,
and even awoke in the morning much
later than usual: and, on descending to
breakfast, I was upbraided for my want of
feeling on so momentous an occasion ; and
the general wonder was, how I could pos-
sibly sleep at all after such an event,
which had deprived me of so great an
emolument as would have accrued in case
the play had been attended with success.

RECEIPT FOR THE PLAY OF VORTIGERN.

On applying to the treasurer of Drury
Lane theatre, the morning after the fate of
the Vortigern had been decided, Mr. S.
Ireland was given to understand that there
were two hundred and six pounds in the
treasury, after the payment of all ex-
penses : consequently the division of that
sum took place between the manager and
Mr. S. Ireland, who received one hundred
and three pounds; out of which I had the
sum of thirty pounds, which, together with

161

the sixty pounds received out of the three
hundred pounds paid by Mr. Hammcrsly,
conformably to the agreement on the deli-
very of the manuscript of Vortigern and
Rowena, made me a gainer of ninety
pounds by the papers: and if I ever re-
ceived one farthing in addition, let those
who can controvert this statement boldly
challenge me as to the fact, and establish,
if possible, the falsehood of my position,

MRS. POWELL.

In the play of Vortigern, Mrs. Powell
accepted the part of Edmunda (which had
been previously offered to, but rejected bt/y
Mrs. SiddonSy on account of a cold under
which she laboured). The discrimination
of the character evinced by Mrs. Powell
called forth the reiterated peals of applause
she so justly merited for her generous en-
deavours on the night of representation:
and on its being withdrawn, she expressed
herself to Mr. Samuel Ireland with real
sorrow; stating, that, from theatrical cab al^
it was so very seldom she had a part

162

allotted to her wherein she might exert
herself to effect^ that on the occasion of her
flattering reception in the part of Ed-
munda^ she had hoped to experience a
continuance of those testimonies of public
favour which had been lavished upon her,
by an uninterrupted run of the piece.

MR. JOHN PALMER.

The late Mr. John Palmer, the per-
former, on the perusal of the jilay of Vorti-
gern, was most particularly struck with
the following lines in that drama; which,
he was pleased to say, conveyed all the
spirit of the writer to whom I had attri-
buted them. They were delivered by Mr.
Kemble, inthe part ofVortigern; being as

follows:

Give me a sword!
I have so cloggM and badged this with blood
And slippery gore, that it doth mock my gripe.
A sword ! I say.

Vortigern was supposed to be returning
hastily from the thickest of the battle,
where he had been engaged in dreadful

^ 16s

PUBLICATION OF THE PLAY OF VORTIGERN.

It is astonishing to observe how very
frequently persons neglect opportunities
which present themselves of realising
money. Either from bad advice or some
secret motive, Mr. Samuel Ireland, instead
of publishing the play of Vortigern on the
night of its representation, deferred the
bringing of it forward until after I had con-
fessed that the manuscripts were the pro-
ductions of my own pen ; whereas had Mr.
Ireland followed a different line of con-
duct, the profits of the piece would have
been exceedingly great; for having somqi
time after demanded the opinion of Mr.
Barker, the bookseller, of Russel Street,
Covent Garden, respecting the publication
of that play, he stated to me as follows : —
" Sir, had Mr. Samuel Ireland applied to
me ten days previous to the night of the
performance of the piece, and desired to
know what I would have given for tlie
manuscript of the Vortigern, I would have
bound myself under any penalty not to

have made one copy public before the
hour of four on the night of its representa-
tion ; and, under such a restriction, I
would gladly have paid him one thousand
guineas for the copy-right, taking every
risk upon myself as to the future sale of the
production/'

PRINTING OF THE PL.\VS OF VORTIGEKN AND
HENRY THE SECOND.

A considerable period having transpired
from the representation of Vortigern at
Drury Lane theatre, Mr. Samuel Ireland
applied to Mr. Barker to become the pub-
lisher of that drama, as well as the Henry
the Second, w^hich soon afterwards appear-
ed, and is at the present moment to be
purchased at his shop in Russel Street.

I cannot close this statement respecting
Mr. Barker without offering him my sin-
cere thanks for many curious facts con*
tained in these volumes which would have
otherwise escaped my recollection, as well
as for his kindness in having obliged me by
the loan of several pamphlets on the sub-

165

ject of the manuscripts, which are now out
of print and very rarely to be found.

CONCLUSIVE STATEMENT RELATIVE TO VORTIGERN.

As internal tranquillity is the most es-
timable blessing human nature can enjoy,
I think it requisite, ere I close the state-
ments respecting the play of Vortigern, to
insert the ensuing stanzas, which were
composed after the condemnation of that
piece, which had for so long a period
occupied the public attention, and had
so unceasingly preyed upon my feelings as
to render my life burdensome to me.

ON BEING RELIEVED PROM THE WEIGHT WHICH
OPPRESSED MY MIND.

'Tis not the bolt, the bar, and cell.

That can controul mankind :
That which alone creates his hell

Is a tormented mind.

^Tis not the genius fraught with fires

That galling fetters bind.
But 'tis that wretch whose vile desire?

Have gangTen\l o'er his mind.

166

*Tis not the prison's baleful gloom,

Nor jailer's mien unkind ;
No; not all these can ever doom

The free and guiltless mind.

*Tis not the terror of disgrace

That keeps the soul confined:
All ills the sufFVer may efface.

So he be free in mind.

Such is my plea : with this Tm bless'd :

For, after all, I find
With sovereign Truth my soul's at rest;

All's tranquil in my mind.

THE PLAY OF HENRY THE SECOND.

Having heard with attention the diver-
sity of opinions which had been given re-
specting the play of Vortigern, I conceived
that I might profit by the information
thus acquired, and therefore determined
on writing another drama, which I planned
fromi the story of Henry the Second and
fair Rosamond; a subject that appeared
to me amply stored with incident for the
structure of a dramatic performance : and
to the selection of that monarch's reign
I was the more incited, as the genius of
William Shakspeare had been so amply

167

displayed in dramatising the histories of
our Henries — the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth.
On the completion of this play, it was by all
allo^ved to be a more finished composi-
tion than the Vortigern; and the only
regret was that I had not brought it for-
ward prior to that play. There is however
a very conclusive reason on that head :
for as it had never been thought of till a
considerable time after the production of
Vortigern, I might exclaim, with the Go-
vernor in the Critic,

*' The Spanish fleet thou canst not see . . . because . . .
It is not yet in sight."

The plan of the play of Henry the Se-
cond I formed from a thin folio containing
the life and reign of that monarch : and I
was about ten weeks occupied in its com-
position. It w^as delivered to Air. Samuel
Ireland in my own hand-writing : nor was
I ever at the trouble of reproducing it in
the disguised hand, upon old paper, as my
confession of the transaction intervened,
and thus prevented my being put to that
unnecessary trouble.

168

QUOTATIONS FROM THE PLAY OF HENRY THE SECOND.

As the composition of Henry the Se-
cond was esteemed so far superior to my
Vortigern, I shall in the present instance
insert a few passages which were deemed
most striking by those gentlemen who
were in the habits of frequenting Mr. Sa-
muel Ireland's mansion.

The following lines appear in that scene
where the King is first supposed to meet
Rosamond de Clifford ; being meant as de-
scriptive of himself.-^

Ilenjy. O that I could mellow this iron tongue.
And fashion it to music of soft love !
But so it is, from my childhood upwards
I have been bred in hoarse and jarring war :
My spring of youth within a camp was spent:
There have I sat upon a soldier's knee ;
Whilst round my neck was twin'd a giant arm.
So toughly set that one might say indeed
The sinews that did work it were of brass :
There 'twas 1 learnt the soldier's untunM song.
The morning's onset, and the bloody 'fray.
Here cours'd the bristly man'd and foaming steed.
With fire-spitting eyes and trampling hoof;
Upon whose back bestrode an English knight.
Unnumbered were the youths of France he slew.

169

Of Bourbon's sons or Orleans* proud heirs.

llow many pedigrees and cotes d*armures

Beneath his mighty arm were blotted out !

Whilst smoking from their horses' flanks ran do^Tn

The blood of all their proud nobility.

Then would he tell how long the fight did last,— •

From six i*the morn till ev'ning clocks tollM eight}

How then they bore from off the blood-stain^ field

Their clay-cold fathers, brothers, countrymen. —

Here would he pause awhile

(For memory did whisper pleasures past).

Till I with childish innocence lookM up.

And bade him to go on. — But, oh ! the sight

Turn'd towards, was his glittering eyes.

Whilst the big tears from off his rugged chin

Rain'd down upon my young and beardless face,

I would have chid his silence, but could not ;

For if such sturdy hearts as his could melt.

Why, then n>ethought there must be cause indeed. —

This, lady, was my school ; thus was I taught :

And if such tales can please thy tender ear.

Rough and unpolishM as most true they are.

Behold the man will sit the live-long day.

Of lingering sieges, marchings, battles, tell ;

Where thirsty Mars so glut hath been with blood.

That sickening appetite yearn'd out " no more ! *'

The ensuing lines were given to the
King, in one of the scenes where he is
supposed to express his ardent passion for
the object that enslaved his mind.

1

' 170

ttenry. Yes, sweel love ! but Ventis too was busy ;
And whilst she did bedeck thee with her charms,
Was pleasM so with the work, that she ne'er thought
How she herself had strippM, giving thee all !
As I kiss thee, methinks sweet Love himself
Sits on thy front, and waves thy silv'ry hair.
As, jealous, he would keep me from the theft.
Yet he ne'er thinks how evVy gentle touch.
From these, his silken whips, make it more sweet ;
For, gliding o'er my lips, they do distil
Thick golden odours, to the taste as sweet
As sleepy dove's e^ s to the love-sick heart.

The annexed speeches were given to
the haughty Becket, in different parts of
the play of Henry the Second, and were
much dwelt upon by numerous persons
who esteemed themselves perfect judges
of Shakspeare's style and his mode of ex-
pression.

Becket, Why, thus and thus it is : the mattef argu'd.
Both parts justly weigh'd and well consider'd.
Judgement too given with no partial tongue.
Will speak this verdict : —
Happiness with Ambition bears no kin :
For thus : Content dwells not with Ambition';
And he who lacks content lacks happiness.
This lab'ring mind, then, tells me 'twould be happy,
Yet whispers " I w^ould fain be greater too." —

171

Peace ! thou vile intruding mass of folly !

Thou'dst willingly embrace two properties

Which bear such hatred and dread enmity

That soon they'd kindle, blaze, and burn thee up.

Of one then make thy choice : more thou canst not. —

Give me, then, greatness. Hath not Fortune boVd,

StoopM, cring'd, yea knelt, that I should raise her up ?

For what was Becket but a poor man's son.

That walks the common vulgar road of life :

Dies : when dead, is quite forgotten ?

What is Becket now ? — ^the friend of Theobald !

Who ranks in station and in dignity

Next to the king himself; yea, and more too.

For he doth bear the crown of holy church.

Is king and sovereign o'er the souls of men.

And not of earthly matters the frail judge.

Becket. What! e'en so ? archdeacon of my church?
Aye, and, if my senses do not mock me.
More shall be thine ere long. So went the tune ;
And in conclusion, '^ Thou mayst command me."— ^
Now, Becket, say to thyself, Wouldst be poor ?
Wouldst shun ambition ? Wouldst spurn at greatness }
No ! no ! thou'rt anhunger'd, and I will feed thee.
Off, then, vile suit ! go cover silly knaves, .
That know to cringe whene'er the great man frowns. —
Henceforth be thou stubborn, proud, and haughty.
If majesty do frown, knit thou thy brow ;
If he do smile, why then be thou placid :
Yet always bear in mind thy dignity. —
But hold ! Who is't comes hither to lord me >
Brave Harry ! proud, and haughty too, as I.

I 2

172

Koble his spirit as his mind is great :
Distant to those whom most he doth esteem ;
Yea, in so much that no man e'er could say
" I was the friend, the favoured, of my prince/*
If so, Becket, how compass thy great ends ?
Shame ! thou fickle mind, wilt thou flag at last ?
Doth not the seaman, for some hundred marks.
Plough the rude waves, and in a little case.
In compass scarcely bigger than a needle's eye
When floating on this vasty element.
Doth he not risk both life and wealth to boot ;
And shall Becket be afraid ? Fie ! shame on't j
Oh, attend then, each organ of the soul :
Hear thy stern lord's peremptory decrqe.
And on thy coronet 'grave thou these words, —
'* If Becket lives, then lives he in greatness ;
" If not, why then content let Becket die/'
Life sans renow n a thing so lowly is.
That dusky oblivion were sweeter far.

Becket. The dying man that can thus sweetly sleep.
Must wear a soul within his outward flesh
That knows no sin. — How gently heaves his breast
All cover'd with the silky snow-white beard !
He smiles, 'os if an angel kiss'd his lips.
And whispered him of joys that were to come.
Sweet soul ! thou hast an everlasting seat,
A throne in Heav'n above. — Could men but look.
And see a sight like this, they were all blest :
Sin would groAv out of date, would be forgot.

Meckel, Man hath his day of joy and misery.

173

How short the one ! how lasting is the other !

With me, the first is long blown o'er, and now

The second comes, to mock my tortured soul

With ideot laughter, ringing to mine ears

My loss of power, my faded glory ! —

This o*erpeering front, that bore a sun

Outshone the girdled brow of majesty.

Now clouded, dim, and pale ! Oh, I am sick ! —

Tush! tush ! the sleep of death will cure all thoughts.-

And yet, must this my wholesome goodly flesh

Rot, and serve to feed the crawling earth-worm.

Who nothing savours but of dust and clay ? —

I tremble at the thought ! And e^en but now

They wind about my flesh, and to the feel

Are damp and cold as that same humid sweat

Which frets^rom out the front of dying man ! —

Yet it must be so: Death will have his due ;

The worm will feast his fill, and man must rot.

Thus much for the body corruptible.

As for the soul ! — I would, but cannot, speak;

And were 1,^11 would be conjectural;

.My account would stand as clear at last

As now that I have nothing utter'd.

EPILOGUE TO KING HENRY THE SECOND.

The following lines were composed in
imitation of the choruses introduced in
many of Shakspeare's historical plays, and
in order to apologise to the audience for
the change of time and place; which must
13

174

necessarily occur in composing a drama
comprising many years of the life of the
principal character of the scene. I need
scarcely add, that the two concluding
lines were meant to allude to myself,
though the believers in the papers sup-
posed them to intimate that it was our
bard who was young when the drama
in question was written. The introduc-
tion of such a couplet was assuredly
incautious; but I then conceived myself
so secure from detection that I was not
deterred from producing them : and in-
deed, when the story relative to one Wil-
liam-Henry Ireland, which will appear in
a subsequent part of this work, is taken
into consideration, every reader must con-
fess that there could be no hazard in the
introduction of the two lines in question.

If from our play returning to your homes.

Ye chance to read the story as ^tis writ.

And find our Harry cross the seas for France ;

Our Becket unto Rome for succour fly ;

Thence unto Louis* court, to meet his king;

Where, friends, ye find this haughty priest once more '

I

175

Invited home unto his dignities:
When this ye read, do not your author blame :
He could not bear ye on swift lightning's wing,
O'er billowy seas, deserts, and gay towns ;
Or show within the compass of one hour
The business of a twenty summers' course.
Yet, should ye frown, look back upon his play.
And let our Harry's courage and sweet love
Forgiveness beg for his o'erieaping time.
Our haughty and ambitious Becket, too.
Shall plead the lack of time. Yet, after all.
Should any present still remain unkind.
And carry with him to his nightly couch
The frown of discontent: Oh, should this be.
Then think how much the writer here hath toil'd
To please, and show, in this our Harry's reign.
The pride and glory of our English land.
The unstain'd thunder of our regal lion.
No brow so rough but sure will smooth at this;
No frown so black but will to sweetness turn.
And, bright as sun when bursting from the east.

Drive night away. ^Yet why entreat ye thus ?

No more, no more : ye smile, and look so sweet,
I'll to our young and trembling author say.
Ye heard, ye smil'd, and did applaud his play^

BIOGRAPHIA DRAMATICA.

Some time after the production of the
play of King Henry the Second, Mr. S,
Ireland accidentally met with a passage in
14

176

the Biograpkia Dramatica which tended
greatly to strengthen the believers in the
manuscripts in their opinion of the ori-
ginality of the play of Henry the Second.
The words in the Biographia were as fol-
low:

" Henry I. and Henry II., by Wm. Shakspeare and
Rob. Davenport. — In the books of the Stationers' com-
pany, the 9th of Sept. 1653, an entry is made of the
above title; but what species of the drama it was, or
whether one or two performances, are facts not ascer-
tained. Whatever it might be, it suffered in the gen«raj
havoc made by Mr. Warburton's servant.^'

PUBLICATION OF HENRY II.

On the 14th of June 1796 I wrote a
letter to Mr. Samuel Ireland, of which one
paragraph will plainly prove how uncon-
nected my actions were with any thing
like a desire of gain. The passage is as
follows :

" As you have yet no proof but my
parole for the gift of Henry the Second, I
now tell you that I beg your acceptance of
the publication of Vortigern, and the whole
of the profits of Henry the Second."

177

The above circumstance would have
escaped my recollection did it not appear
in Mr. S. Ireland's printed advertisement at
the beginning of the play of Henry the
Second [vide page 2), v^here it was pur-
posely inserted to prove Mr. Ireland's
right to the publication of the dramas
in question.

A SERIES OF DRAMAS FROM WILLIAM THE CON-
QUEROR TO QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Had the play of Vortigern succeeded
with the public, and the manuscripts been
acknowledged as genuine, it was my inten-
tion to have completed a series of plays
from the reign of William the Conqueror
to that of queen Elizabeth; that is to say,
I should have planned a drama on every
reign the subject of which had not been
treated of by Shakspeare.

PLANS OF CERTAIN PLAYS DEPOSITED IN THE HANDS
OF ALBANY WALLIS, ESQ.

Upon my confession of the whole trans-
action to Mr. Albany Wallis (as will be
15

178

hereinafter stated), I placed in that gentle-
man's hands the written outlines of dramas
on some few of our monarchs' reigns which
had not occupied the genius of our bard.
The theatrical production descriptive of the
reign of queen Elizabeth I intended to
have entitled The Virgin Queen. The
subject of William the Conqueror had,
however, greatly occupied my attention:
and some portion of the play having been
written, I shall give, under the following
head, a specimen of the style.

SPEECH FROINI THE PLAY OF WILLIAM THE CON-
QUEROR, IMITATIVE OF SHAKSPEARE'S STYLE.

The ensuing lines were to have been
delivered by Earl Edwyn (who entered into
a conspiracy against the Norman invader),
after waiting for Marcarus, another con-
spirator, near Westminster Abbey.

Oh my good lord, how irksome passed the time
While in yon porch I did await your coming!
Yet as this crystal arch, this bright heaven.
Doth shine upon the emerald-tipped wave.
And paint upon the deep each passing cloud ;
E'en so the smallest and most gentle plant

179

That waves before the breath of thee, sweet heaven^

To man gives food for contemplation.

And shows how soon his blazing flame of youth

Must sink on age's chilling icy bed.

And dwindle down to second nothingness.

Look but on yon clock, whose lanky fingers.

The tolling heralds of swift-winged Time ;

Whose clapper wakens men from drowsy sleep.

Changing the dreary stillness of black night

To day's first infancy, the blushing morn ;

While blest Aurora rears her purple crest.

And tip-toe stands, shaking her golden hair.

Eager to visit the busy sons of men:

Her blazing journey ended, down she sinks:

And so I liken her to man's strange end.

Look on yon pile, under whose fretted roof

So many kings have seiz'd the precious gem

Of royalty, and suck'd the courtiers'

Lip-labour'd lies

Where are ye now ? — dead, alas ! and rotten !-—
Oh, my good lord, let us from hence away :
This spot doth smell too strong of royal dust;
Throwing its lures to catch the minds of men;
Blowing in their ears the fev'rous blast
Of mirth, feasts, merriment, prosperity;
Till on a sudden grappling with their souls.
Thou knittest them at once ia death eterne.

180

THE DEyiL AND RICHARD.

Having perused several curious inter-
ludes and sacred mysteries, from the pen
of Bayle, &c., I determined on producing
a performance of the same nature, and se-
lected the subject of the Devil and Richard
the Third ; supposing it to have been per-
formed, immediately after the coronation
of king Henry the Seventh, by the singing
boys of St. Paul's cathedral. I made a con-
siderable advance in this interlude 3 which
I had written fair upon vellum, emblazon-
ing the margins and capital letters in the
missal style. Upon my discovery of the
whole Shaksperian business, as much as
was executed of the performance in que-
stion fell into the hands of Mr. George
Steevens, w^ho procured it from Mr. Ri-
chardson, printseller, in the Strand. As I
have no transcript of the piece in question,
the following plan of the title of the inter-
lude as written, is merely from recollec-
tion : the four lines succeeding I remembej

181

were spoken by Richard the Third, on the
appearance of the Devil.

" An Enterlude

off the

Divil ande Richarde

As yt was don by the Boyes of Powles

Att the Crownacion of owr Soveraine Lorde Kynge

Henrye^seven afterr the Kyllynge off the Bloode Traitor

Richarde att the Battaile off Bosworthe feeld/' ^c.

** O maisterr Divil, I wouM crownedd bee,
Ande toe my wife tak faireste Elsabethe.

Wiltethou wi"" awl thye myghte and mayne ayde mee,
Ande kynge's sonns straite laye in coldenn dethe ? "

The principal characters in this curious
performance were King Richard the Third,
King Henry the Seventh, the Archangel
Gabriel, the Devil, &c.

FIRE AT MR. WARBURTON'S.

Many objections continued to be raised
against the scorched appearance of all the
papers (which I have fully accounted for
under the head " Shaksperian Ink "), till a
circumstance occurred, at a period when
the papers were very voluminous, which
seemed to throw a new light on the busi-

18^

ness, and even more strongly to validate
the authenticity of the manuscripts. Mr*
S. Ireland, upon inquiry, was credibly in-
formed, by persons who had known Mr,
Warburton, that a fire happened at his
house, in the neighbourhood of Fleet Street,
about thirty-six years before, that destroyed
all his effects, amongst which were many
books and manuscripts. Many of these
papers were shrewdly surmised to have
been the writings of Shakspeare : so that
when that circumstance was stated to me,
who was anxious to catch at any substan-
tiated fact which might apply to the pa-
pers, I consequently stated " that the world,
I trusted, would no longer entertain a
doubt as to the validity of the papers, as
their burned appearance was now ac-
counted for by their having been rescued
during the conflagration of Mr. Warbur-
ton's property."

ADMISSION TICKET.

The influx of persons to see the manu-
scripts increased to such a degree as to

183

render it necessary that some regular plan
should be adopted, in order that Mr. Ire-
land's house might not be an exhibition at
all hours of the day : in consequence of
which, cards were printed in the following
terms, which were distributed among the
subscribers to the Shaksperian volume;
each of whom was entitled to bring with
him one gentleman or lady, to inspect the
papers, on the days appointed (being
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays), be-
tween the hours of twelve and three.

" SHAKSPEARE.

" Admit a subscriber, to view the Shak-

speare papers, at No. 8, Norfolk Street, Strand,
day of 1795.''

PUBLICATION OF THE MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS.

As the papers at this period had excited
universal attention, and as Mr. S. Ireland
conceived, that, if published, they would
give infinite satisfaction to the public, and
prove a source of benefit to his family, I
was of course applied to, in order to know
whether the supposed gentleman would

184

have any objection to the manuscripts
being printed : my reply was immediately
as follows: " they were only given to me
as curiosities; and by no means will the
gentleman agree to their being made pub-
lic/' From that period the above question
was unceasingly put to me ; and with some
degree of warmth Mr. Ireland would fre-
quently remark, " If the gentleman be a
friend of yours, why does he set his face
against a publication which it is admitted
on all hands would be productive of a for-
tune to you ? '* My reply was still inva-
riably the same. — At length these constant
importunities rendered life almost insup-
portable; and I then for the first time
ventured to question Mr. Ireland in the
following manner : " Suppose they should
hot be really manuscripts of Shakspeare's? ''
The reply was : " If all the men of abilities
living were now to come forward and seve-
rally attest that each had undertaken his
particular part to produce those papers,
I would not believe them.'' — ^The fact was,
I had an idea of hazarding every pppro-

I

185

brium, and confessing the fact, rather than
witness the publication of the papers : but
when such an answer was made to my fn^st
inquiry, I very naturally concluded, if Mr.
Ireland be of such an opinion, how will
he credit the aflirmation that I have alone
planned and executed the papers ? — From
that period I became even more uncom-
fortable: and one day after dinner, some
warm conversation having transpired, I ex-
claimed, in the heat of the moment, and
to procure some peace, " Well, sir, if you
are determined on publishing the papers,
remember, I deliver this message from the
gentleman — * You do it at your own risk';
as he will have no concern in the business,
or ever give up his name to the world." —
*^ On those terms I very willingly accept
his acquiescence y' was Mr. Ireland's reply;
and from that moment the intended pub-
lication of the work was announced to the
world.

PROSPECTUS.

The following was the plan of the pro-
posal delivered to such persons as came to

186

view the manuscripts when the publication
of the papers was decided upon by Mr.
Samuel Ireland. —

'' SHAKSPEARE.
«' Norfolk Street, Strand, March 4, 1795.

** Mr. Samuel Ireland begs leave to acquaint the
public, that the literary treasure which has recently
fallen into his hands, forming an interesting part of the
v/orks of our divine bard, Shakspeare, is now arranging^
and will speedily be put to press.

''This publication will consist of a variety of authen-
tic and important documents respecting the private and
public life of this wondrous man; an original compli-
mentary letter from queen Elizabeth, under her own
hand, and authenticated by that of the bard ; original
deeds, contracts, and other instruments relative to his
theatrical concern; an original correspondence with a
noble personage upon a transaction nearly interesting to
himself; a letter, and five stanzas inverse, written in his
own hand when very young, and addressed to the lady
whom he afterwards married ; together with the expres-
sion and feeling of his very soul upon a subject the most
momentous that can occupy the thoughts of mortal man.

" All these papers, except the legal iustruments, are
in his hand-writing, and these are under the hand and
seal of himself, and the parties concerned.

*' In this publication will likewise be given a copy of
the tragedy of King Lear, from the original manuscript,
in the hand- writing of Shakspeare. This copy will be
found materially to differ, in various particulars of much
curiosity and interest, from any edition of that play
now extapit.

187

* In this yo]ume faC'Similes will be given of the aborfe
miscellaneous manuscripts, and of the title-page, and
first and last leaves of the play, which, Mr. Ireland pre-
sumes, will be deemed sufficient specimens of the whole,

"The work will be further illustrated with engra-
vings from original drawings which have been found
among the manuscripts above mentioned, and which
will add new lights to the history of the British stage,
of which Shakspeare may truly be denominated the
mighty father.

" This publication will be comprised in one volume,
to correspond with the folio edition of Shakspeare now
printing at the Shakspeare press, and will be forwarded
for publication with all possible dispatch.

'^ As this work will be attended with considerable
expense and trouble, Mr. Ireland receives subscriptions
at his house in Norfolk Street; Mr. Faulder's, in New
Bond Street; Mr. Egerton's, at Whitehall; Mr. Payne's,
at the Mews Gate; Messrs. White's, in Fleet Street;
and at Messrs. Leigh and Sotheby's, York Street, Co-
vent Garden.

*♦ The price to subscribers will be four guineas.

"Any gentleman, on sending his address in writing^
or being introduced by a subscriber, may view the MSS.
at No. 8, Norfolk Street, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Fridays, between the hours of twelve and three.

" Mr, Ireland acquaints every gentleman who has paid
his subscription, and who has not seen the papers, that if
on viewing them he feels any doubt respecting their autherih
ticity, he may instantly have his subscription returned.

" Mr. Ireland informs the public, that with the above
papers was discovered an historical play, founded on the

188

€tory of Vortigern and Rowena, taken from Holmgshed,
and which is in the hand- writing of Shakspeare. — This
play being intended for theatrical representation, will not
Jbe printed till the eve of its appearance on the stage/*

TO THE MANES OR THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
LATE EARL OF CHARLEMONT.

To the letter addressed to the earl of
Charlemont, at the commencement of
Mr. Malone's Inquiry into the authenti-
city of the supposed Shaksperlan MSS.,
page 1, is the following note, reflecting as
much honour on his late lordship as on the
writer of the paragraph in question. —

"As my noble friend's name (lord Charlemont)
appeared in the list of subscribers prefixed to the
Miscellaneous Papers, Sfc, here examined, I am au-
thorised by him to say, that he subscribed to that work
at the request of a gentleman who furnished him with a
splendid prospectus of it, which he carried from hence
to Ireland; and that, if lord Charlemont had known as
much of it as he now does, he would not have given
either his name or his money to the publication/'

As Mr. Malone was warranted by his
lordship to insert the above, I think the
earl of Charlemont, who confessedly had
the prospectus, might have perused the

189

lines which appear in italics; as his lordship
would not in that case have had to bemoan
the payment of his money: but should he
still lament the imposition practised upon
his purse, the sum is not so exorbitant but
he may redeem it, by returning the volume
to W. H. Ireland, who is always to be
heard of, among the Nine, in Grub Street;
though not exactly amusing himself in
playing at bozvls^ as was Willy Shakspeare,
according to the rhapsody of Mr. Malone.

APOLLO AND MALONE.

At the close of the celebrated Inquiry in-
to the authenticity of the supposed Shak-
sperian manuscripts (consisting of upwards
of 400 pages, written expressly to prove
that a forgery which the author asserts was
so palpable a one as to be discoverable at
the first glance), Mr. Malone falls into one
of his Hibernian slumbers, and in that som-
niferous state supposes himself wafted to
the court of Apollo, to hear the judge-
ment of that god on the daring impostor.
Jhlaving perused the farrago of nonsense.

190

in the dream alluded to {vide p^ge 565^ &*c.,
of the work above quoted), Mr. Ireland
wrote the following impromptu.

"With a sorrowful phiz, sage Minerva, one morn,
Apollo bespoke, on Parnassus* high steep :

*' *Tis stated Malone is come here !" With just scorn
Apollo replied, " He was here in his sleep.'*

THE CHANDOS PICTURE.

In the above-mentioned dream Mr. Ma-
lone is honoured with the sight of several
of our poetic ancestors, who are facetiously
engaged in a game at bowls ; and among
the rest he instantly recognises his dear
friend William Shakspeare, occupied with
the same amusement, from the strong
resemblance he bore to the ojili/ aitihentic
portrait of him^ xvhich belonged to the late
duke of ChandoSy and of xohich, says the
egotist, " / have three copies by eminent
masters'^ This circumstance produced
the annexed jeu d' esprit, —

I knew our Shakspeare's gentle face :
The reason why you'll plainly see :

His picture 'long'd to Chandos' Grace;
Of which PvE got rare copies three.

191

THE COMMENTATOR COMMENTED UPON.

There are certain persons so attached
to the word ego^ that, for the sake of in-
troducing the following couplets with eclat,
I shall suppose the critic alluded to pen-
ning as follows :

*' Lines addressed to me upon my learned and very
deep researches, emendations, corrections, and the
new light which I have thrown upon the readings
of our immortal bard in my last celebrated editioa
of the works of William Shakspeare, Sfc,

An Irish critic, stor'd with brains of wool.
Produced an Irish brat, — an Irish bull;
Made notes on him whose genius we adore ;
Besmear'd of Avon's bard the sterling lore ;
ProvM by his notes what Shakspeare was at once,
— A godlike bard — himself, an Irish du7ic€,''

MR. MALONE'S WISH.

1 will not exactly vouch for the truth
of the following statement, but I was abso-
lutely informed that after Mr. Mai one had
perused the above lines, in a volume rela-
tive to my Shaksperian fabrication, which
was placed in his hands, he returned the

192

book in question stating, " There is but
one more document I wish to see respect-
ing him/' alluding to myself: " and what
is that, sir?'* was the interrogatory. "His
last dying speech and confession," an-
swered the commentator with petulance,
delivering the volume into the hands of
the person to whom he had so addressed
himself.

MAISTER COWLEY'S DRAWING.

Among the rest of my productions was
a large head of our bard, which I executed
on vellum, in body colours, affixing his
arms in one corner and his name and age
in another. This performance, I know
not why, was supposed to be from the hand
of the facetious master Cowley, the player;
and was gravely stated to have formerly
adorned the green-room of the Globe
theatre, in all probability as a companion
to the Shylock and Bassanio drawing which
has been before mentioned.

193

BEN JONSON.

As I had left a broad space beneath the
painting, I conceived that I might turn it
to account, and for that purpose wrote the
following lines, as from the pen of Ben
Jonson, whereto I affixed his name: but,
as the composition did not exactly please
me, I took care to efface the whole pre-
vious to its delivery to Mr. Ireland; leav-
ing, however, the signature of Jonsoa
legible, which I had copied from his hand-
writing affixed to the first edition in folio of
Shakspeare's plays, which I had purchased
of White, in Fleet Street, for thirty guineas,
at which high price it was sold because
conceived to be (and I have no doubt that it
really was) the presentation copy from the
editors of Shakspeare's plays to Ben Jonson :
in confirmation of which, some lines in La-
tin had been written over the signature of
Jonson, which the binder of an earlier
period had cut through, but from the
remains of which the words ex donOy cVc,
were obvious.

K

7

194

LINES AFFIXED TO THE DRAWING OF SHAKSPEARE.

Behold this face; and, if thou read'st aright.

His eyes should beam Apollo's radiant light :

Deep penetration should his look impart.

And Pity's touch, to thrill the feeling heart.

Or wouldst thou Mars behold, thou still mayst find

The rugged soldier's daring dauntless mind.

Philosophy, religion, vice, and wit:

Of passions here the mastery is writ.

Envy in vain, with pois'nous Slander's breath.

Would on his temples blast the verdant wreath :

For long as Fame shall sound th* applauding blast.

So shall his blooming crest for ever last.

SHAKSPERIAN LIBRARY.

In order to augment the bulk of the
Shaksperian papers, I had recourse to the
introducing of volumes and tracts (to about
the number of eighty), containing notes
written in the disguised hand, while on the
title-page of each appeared the signature
of William Shakspeare ; by which I meant
to infer that the books in question had
originally been in the possession of our
bard: of which volumes, the ensuing were
the most conspicuous, as containing a

195

variety of annotations, presumed to be
from the pen of our dramatist, relative to
the authors of the works in question.

CHURCHYARD'S WORTHINESS OF WALES.

This tract was a small quarto, and, inde-
pendent of the notes on its margin, annex-
ed by myself (that were thought to render
it invaluable), was a very curious poem,
printed in 1587; and being one of the first
documents of this nature produced, was
esteemed highly interesting by the in-
spectors of the fabricated papers.

CARIONS CHRONICLES.

This work, bearing date A. D. 1550,
records, in poetry, the prominent features
of all our monarchs' reigns to that period.
— Upon the margin of this production I
annexed several manuscript notes; and, to
the best of my recollection, was particular
in affixing the same to those particular
monarchs' reigns which have been dra-
matised by our immortal poet.
K 2

-^

?

196

SPENSER'S FAERIE QUEENE.

Upon the margins of this poem, printed
in two volumes quarto, bearing respec-
tively the dates 1590 and 1596, 1 was most
particular in my comments; well aware
that a writer of such celebrity as Spenser
must have attracted the notice of Shak-
speare ; in addition to which, I was fully
convinced that such notes would be re-
garded with the strictest scrutiny by every
visitant in Norfolk Street. — The subse-
quent event fully established the justness
of my supposition: and so much were the
notes esteemed, and such was the value
conceived to be thereby attached to the
two volumes, that a gentleman (who shall
be nameless), positively made an offer to
Mr. Samuel Ireland of sixty pounds for
this edition of Spenser's Fairy Queen,
with the marginal notes so introduced by
myself as the comments of William Shak-
speare.

197

RELATION OF THE IMPRISONMENT AND EXECCTlbN
OF THE TRAITORS.

This tract, bearing date A. D. 1606, is
comprised in about twenty pages octavo,
and gives a circumstantial detail of the
manner in vy^hich Guy Fawkes and his
associates suffered the punishment awarded
them for their diabolical attempt against
their sovereign and his parliament. My
annotations upon this little pamphlet were
very diftuse. I particularly remember that
on the margin of the page in which it is
stated that Guy Fawkes was so emaciated
as scarcely to be able to ascend the scaf-
fold, I wrote a very feeling note, indica-
tive of the philanthropy of Shakspeare;
who at the conclusion of the note was sup-
posed to make the following remark. —

SHAKSPERIAN REMARK ON THE EXECUTION OF THE
TRAITORS.

" Thatte hee *' (William Shakspeare) " hadd been©
intreatedd bye hys freynde John Hemynges to attende
sayde executyonne, butte thatte he lykedde notte toe
beholde syghtes of thatte kynde.'*

198

GUY FAWKES INSTEAD OF GUY JOHNSON.

I believe on the margin containing the
last quoted I wrote another note, purport-
ing that Shakspeare remembered to have
seen and conversed w^ith "maisterre Guy
/ Favi^kes " at the Globe theatre; and that
from his manners he should not have taken
him for such a man as he afterwards proved
to be. Upon mentioning this circum-
stance to Mr. James Caulfield, well known
for his research into the history of this
conspiracy, he convinced me that I had
been guilty of a most flagrant error, by
assuring me, that, if Shakspeare had really
remembered him, it must have been by the
/ name of Guy Johnson, as that of Fawkes
was only an assumed name when he en-
tered into the conspiracy.

I need scarcely add that this fact was till
then wholly unknown to me; as when I
wrote the annotations in question I had no
idea whatsoever but that the name of
Fawkes was the real appellation of that
celebrated traitor, whose sanguinary cha-

199

racter is still preserved to public detesta-
tion on the fifth day of each succeeding
November.

IL\RITy OF THE TRACT RELATIVE TO THE CON-
SPIRATORS.

After this tract had been displayed to
the inspectors of the papers, some of them,
who w^ere notorious as collectors of rare
books, declared to Mr. Ireland that they
had never before seen a copy of it. This
declaration conferred additional value on
the document in question : and many
black-letter collectors visited Norfolk Street
for the sole purpose of viewing the tract
as a typographical rarity.

DUPLICATE COPY OF THE TRACT.

Notwithstanding the acknowledged cu-
riosity of this pamphlet, it is not a little
wonderful that within a month from my
delivering to Mr. Samuel Ireland the copy
illustrated with the marginal notes before
described, a second happened by chance to
k4

^^"T*

200

fall into my hands, bound up with sever^
other miscellaneous pamphlets. To the
title-page of this duplicate copy I annexed
the name of Shakespeare, with the follow-
ing note : " Thys lyttle booke I ha hadde
ownce befoure ; " evidently alluding to the
former copy.

Such are the facts relative to the two
impressions of the rare tract explanatory
of the imprisonment and execution of the
gunpowder conspirators, which created so
much astonishment in the mind of every
collector of black-letter rarities.

MESSRS. WHITE AND OTRIDGE, BOOKSELLERS.

Ere I close the statement respecting the
Shaksperian library, it will not be amiss to
acquaint the world that to Messrs. White
in Fleet Street, and Mr. Otridge in the
Strand, I am indebted for many of the vo-
lumes whereto I afterwards annexed the
Shaksperian notes ; as it was from these
.gentlemen I made many large purchases.
From numerous volumes of tracts procured

201

from them, I selected those particular pam-
phlets whereto I penned the annotations.
It was therefore utterly impossible for
them to make any affidavit of the books
having been recently in their libraries
without the strictures so introduced by me
on the margins.

HOLINGSHED'S CHRONICLE.

One of the books promised, and which
I in vain endeavoured to procure with
margins sufliciently broad to enable me to
affix manuscript notes, was Holingshed's
Chronicle, which our bard consulted on
writing so many of his dramas. As it was
supposed the observations in question
would have been remarkably curious, I
was no less importuned on account of this
Chronicle than for the Shaksperian por-
trait after mentioned, and the edition of
his works in folio.

WHOLE-LENGTH PORTRAIT OF SHAKSPEARE.

One day being seated at Mr. Samuel
Ireland's after dinner, during the exhilira-
K5

202

tion of the moment I was so bereft of my
senses as to inform Mr. Ireland that a
whole-length portrait, as large as life, and
painted on board, would be forthcoming
among the various other documents. I
had soon sufficient cause to rue this effer-
vescence of the moment; for scarcely a
day transpired but I was hourly impor-
tuned respecting the whole-length portrait;
the production of which, it was stated,
would infallibly stamp the validity of the
manuscripts.

FIRST EDITION OF SHAKSPEARE'S WORKS IN FOLI^.

Another very ridiculous assurance made
by myself to Mr. Ireland, without a possi-
bility of its realisation, was the promise of
two copies in folio of Shakspeare's works
with uncut leaves, for which I was equally
tormented as for the whole-length portrait
of our bard above alluded to.

NELL RUMMIN.

In a very scarce edition of the works of
Skelton, poet-laureat in the reign of Henry

203

the Eighth, which was in my possession,
were several miserable stanzas in com-
memoration of a celebrated ale-wife of the
name of Eleanor Rummin, whose filthy
debaucheries are therein sufficiently dis-
played. After the perusal of the stanzas
I penned the following

EPITAPH.

An thou'wouldst know who lies this stone beneath,

ril tell thee, gentle friend : —
'^Tis England's ale-wife : who one day with Death,
Forsooth, would make an end.
Thou'lt ask. perhaps, of what? — ,
Of ale and ailings,
Of jibes and railings.
And ranting pleasures of the brim-full pot.

Quoth old Nell Rummin to her bony guest,

'^ In troth I have no ail."
" Ailings thou hast,*' quoth he ; " and at my feast
" Thy tun, Fm sure, wont fail
*' To give me ... . .'*— " what ? '' quoth Nell :
" The ail of ailing,
'' Thy souPs bewailing;
" For earthly ale hath bought thee ail in hell.'*

SIR THOMAS MORE'S JESTER.

As the play upon words was much in
vogue in the reign of Elizabeth, I wrote

204

the following lines upon Henry Patenson,
who was the fool, or jester, of sir Thomas
More, lord chancellor of England in the
reign of Henry the Eighth ; which were of
course intended to swell the bulk of the
Shaksperian olio.

LINES UPON HENRY PATENSON, SIR THOMAS M0RE»S
JESTER.

More wit thou hadst than wits by rule :
Thou didst fool More, who was no fool.
More jibes thou told'st to judging More
Than fool ere told to judge before.
More wit More heard from Folly base ;
More forgot more the sage's face.
Since more from Folly's cup More quaff'd.
Still more sage More at folly laugh'd.
Now which had most the sage's head —
Wise More, or Hal, who more wit said?

EPIGRAM ON SIR THOMAS MORE.

The following epigram is supposed to
have been written by the great lord Bacon;
the fact being well recorded. —

When More some time had chancellor been

No more suits did remain.
The same will never more be seen.

Till More be there a^in.

205

t;PITAPH ON WILLIAM MORE.

In Stepney churchyard appears the
ensuing epitaph on one William More. —

Here lies More, and no more than he. —
*' More and m) more! — how can that be?'*

BLOODY BISHOP BONNER.

In Fox's Book of Martyrs is a wood-cut
representation of bishop Bonner scourging
a man with rods in his garden at Fulham.
As I had early imbibed a peculiar hatred
for the sanguinary character of that bigoted
minister of a more bigoted queen, I wrote
the following stanzas; which, as they
were intended to have been brought for-
ward> I shall give in their spurious dress.

O Bonnerr! thyne was fylthy witte.
So harde the breeche of mann to hytte,

Norr blush att suche dysplaye:
Butt thou alle blushy nge hadst foreswore ,
Thatte menn myghte blush forr thee: therefoarc.

Thou took^st thys fylthy waye.

Butte hadste thou beene as breechelesse too,
Ande I the whipperr overr you.
Bye Charon and his floode !

206

Soe lustilye would I ha' hytte
Thou shouldste have homage payde mye 'wytte.
Bye blushyiige redd withe bloode.

ACROSTICS.

As it was very common, in the reign of
queen Elizabeth, to prefix to a work a
complimentary acrostic on the author's
name, written by some friend in com-
mendation of his genius or talents, it Avas
my intention to have produced a set
of acrostics on various persons, and to
have entitled the manuscript " A Crown
Garlande daintilye besette withe costlye
Gemmes." — ^The following are such as
were already composed for that pur«
pose.

ACROSTIC UPON KING RICHARD THE SECOND.

Ring a peal, whose doleful knell,
Injur'd prince, thy woes shall tell ?
Come clear gem from Pity's eye:
Human feeling vents the sigh;
Angels, weep for charity.
Rueful chance that Death's dire frown
Doom'd the monarch and his crown I

207

ACROSTIC ON QUEEN ELIZABETH.

England, thrice happy earth !
Let me my notes upraise : —
I sing a maiden's birth —

Zealous to breathe her praise.
All sage and blooming queen.
Bounteous as Heaven serene,
Eliza, let me echo round
Thy matchless worth with clarion sound :
Heaven's thy soil: thou'rt goddess of this ground.

ACROSTIC UPON THE UNFORTUNATE MARY QUEEN OF
SCOTS.

Morning^s rose at eve will fade.

And waste its perfume on the wind.
Ruder than all is Fate unkind —

You, the sweet rose, by Death bewrayM.

ACROSTIC UPON THE ACCOMPLISHED SIR PHILIP
SIDNEY,

WTio was unfortunately killed at the battle of Zutphen, in the Low
Countries.

Sweet was thy song. Arcadian swain.

In valley, mountain, wood, and plain!

. Darling of the Sisters Nine,

Nature moulded thee divine:

Each heav'nly radiance thus shone forth in one:

Youth was perfection ; — and life's race was run.

208

ACROSTIC ON HENRY PRINCE OF WALES.

The following lines were written to be
placed under the portrait of Henry prince
of Wales, the eldest son of king James the
First, whose untimely death frustrated the
darling hopes of the English nation, which
beheld in this prince every glowing quali-
fication that confers honour on the human
mind.

Here Wisdom, Honour, Grace serene; —

Ev'ry attribute combines :

Noble prince, your valour shines
Resplendent in your martial eyne ;
Your virtue's stampM upon your heavenly mien.

ACROSTIC ON DUDLEY EARL OF WARWICK.

Warwick, framM to feats of arms.

All thy vaProus acts I'd sing;

Rouse to war with clarion string —
Warwick scorns Death's dire alarms.

In fight, the lion ; peace, the dove;

Constant to Mars, and link'd to Love ;

Kindred to heav'n and saints above.

209

ACROSTIC ON SIR ROBERT DUDLEY.

This yOung nobleman was the illegiti-
mate son of Robert Sutton de Dudley, earl
of Leicester. He was created duke of
Northumberland by the emperor, for his
services in making Leghorn a town of
free trade. See Dugdale's Baronage.

Dudley, youth of Britain's isle.

Unto Venus' boy allied :
Dudley, crown'd with Wisdom's smile,

Long the God of Battles' pride :
Ev'ry strain shall join with me;
You taught my muse her minstrelsy.

ACROSTIC ON LORD SOUTHAMPTON.

The following lines will be found to bear
an allusion to the supposed donation pre-
sented by that nobleman to our great dra-
matic lord.

Strains, noble friend, I waft to thee :
O let me sing in numbers free :
Ungrateful, if unmindful, I,
Traitor to truth, should give the lie;
Honour forgetting, if forgot
All which thy bounty made my lot;
Most Judas like, if in my breast
Polluted Treach'ry built its nest ;

210

Turning to nought that praise which now,

O peerless lord, T must allow.

Nor check what Truth bids me avow.

ACROSTIC ON EARL RIVERS.

This j'^oung nobleman was the brother
of Elizabeth Widvile, the consort of king
Edward the Fourth, and shortly after the
demise of that monarch was beheaded at
Pomfret castle, by order of Richard duke
of Gloucester, together with lord Grey
and sir Thomas Vaughan. He was a great
patroniser of literature; and to him we
are indebted for some of the earliest pro-
ductions of the first English printing-press,,
under the direction of William Caxton.

Rivers from their sources flow.

In the raging seas are lost ; *

Virtue meek receives the blow;
Envy nips the bud with frost :—

Rivers, Wisdom's choicest swain.

Saw life, met death, to live again.

£111

ACROSTIC ON SHAKSPEARE.
To be placed under the portrait of our great dramatic lord.

Softly gliding down the stream.

Hear the dying swan divine,
Avon's bard, Apollo's beam.

Kindred of the muses nine.
Shakspeare's face, by skill array 'd.

Poorly shows the painter's art :
Ev'ry touch should have display'd

All that sweetness can impart.
Rich in mind, in feeling true,
E'en Envy dies at thought of you.

ACROSTIC ON MAISTER WILLIAM-HENRY IRELAUNDE.

The subject to which these lines bear
reference will be fully explained by the
subsequent statements in this work apper-
taining to William Shakspeare and the
supposed " maisterre Will^am-Henrye Ire-
launde, who savedde Shakspeare's lyfe
fromme drownynge whenne onne Thames."

In vain my muse the lyre essays :
Ruder than Boreas is the sound.
Ev'ry touch doth echo round
Louder his worth whom I would praise.

And how shall I my gratitude impart? —
Ko verse can paint my grateful lays ;

Doom'd to be inmates of this swelling heart.

212

LINES ON BEAUTY.

Beauty having been so very frequently
pictured as a mere transitory object, I
composed the ensuing stanzas ; intending
to have introduced them, v^ith the other
manuscripts, as the effusions of our im-
mortal poet.

Beauty's like bubble on the water's brim ;

Or like the gnat that round the flame doth skim ;

Or as the ice that meets the sun's hot glow.
It is a cheering ray 'mid April showers;
Or matij(i dews on summer's gaudy flowers ;

Or like the bosom of the spotless snow.

Beauty's like promis'd favour from the great;
Or like the pride and pomp of earthly state ;

Or as a glowworm to the gazer's sight.
It is as lark that sings in matin ray;
Or as the bloom that's cheer'd in early May ;

Or friendly gleam athwart the gloom of night.

The bubble breaks — the gnat is scorch'd in fires —
The sun melts ice — chill April's ray expires —

The dew dissolves — the snow pure water yields — >
The great forget — in death all pomp is lost —
The glowworm fades — the bloom is nipp'd by frost —

The moon is scarf'd — ^the lark descends i'the fields.

Yea, with all these must beauty yield its prime,
Cropp'd by the chilling hand of hoary Time.

213

THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE.

It is worthy of remark, that two years
after my discovery of the whole Shak-
sperian fabrication to the world, having
read the above lines to a friend, he stated
that some stanzas upon the same subject,
and ascribed to Shakspeare, were to be
found in the Gentleman's Magazine; and
upon my making the request, he within a
few days transcribed the poem in question ;
which, as a curious coincidence in senti-
ment and expression, I insert.
" beauty's value."

stated to have been printed from a corrected manuscript, arid
originally written by William Shakspeare.

See Gen. Mag. for Oct. 1750.

" Beauty is but a vain and fleeting good,
" A shining gloss that fadeth suddenly,

" A flow'r that dies when almost in the bud,
" A brittle glass that breaketh presently :—

" A fleeting good, a gloss, a glass, a flower,

" Lost, faded, broken, dead, within an hour,

*' As goods when lost are wond'rous seldom found,
" As faded gloss no rubbing can excite,

*' As flow'rs when dead are trampled on the ground,
" As broken glass no cement can unite ;

" So beauty blemished once is ever lost,

'* In spite of physic, painting, pains, and cost.^

214

IMITATION OP HUDIBRAS.

Upon being requested to give some
lines in the Hudibrastic style, by the
friend who favoured me with the tran-
script of the above stanzas, and who had
ever evinced much research respecting
the Shaksperian papers, I wrote the fol-
lowing lines impromptUy with a lead pen-
cil^ on the cover of a letter. —

AURORA.

Aurora visits first the clown.
In dirty dingy russet gown :
For house-maids then she 'tires anew.
In scarlet cloak and bonnet blue :
For gentlefolk then paints and patches —
No burnishM gold her beauty matches.
And thus bediz'n'd, straight she hies out.
To see, forsooth, what folks are about;
Nor cares a farthing for her honour.
But lets the rabble gaze upon her :
Till, tir'd at length, she squeamish grows.
And reddens to pull off her clothes :
Then sneaks — a jade ! — although not wed.
Into sir Neptune's large green bed :
Homps, and with him plays at bo-peep.
Until they both iall fast asleep.

215

NIGHT.

In robes of chimney-s\yeeper dight.

Comes that il]-natur*d vixen Night;

Who scowling looks, as though she'd poy'soR

The rays that linger 'bove horizon ;

And finding Sol so loth to stir.

Claps on him her extinguisher.

BUTLER'S PARALLEL OF SHAKSPEARE AND JONSON.

As the opinion of our great satirist,
Butler, on the poetical talents of Shak-
speare, must, it is conceived, be interest-
ing to every friend of literature, and as
his sentiments are not in all probability
very generally known, the ensuing quota-
tion is made, as appertaining to our bard.
Although in some respect irrelevant to the
subject-matter of this work, its contents
will, it is hoped, plead in excuse for its
present insertion.

In Mr. Thyer's edition of Butler's Re-
mains (vol. ii, p. 494), the satirical author
of Hudibras has thus expressed himself
with regard to the productions of Ben
Jonson and Shakspeare :

•* Men of the quickest apprehensions and aptest ge-

216

niuses to any thing they undertake, do not always prore,
the greatest masters in it : for there is more patience
and phlegm required in those that attain to any degree
of perfection, than is commonly found in the temper of
active ready wits ; that soon tire, and will not hold out ;
as the swiftest racehorse will not perform a long journey
so well as a sturdy dull jade. Hence it is that Virgil,
who wanted much of that natural easiness of wit that
Ovid had, did nevertheless, with hard labour and long
study, arrive at a higher perfection, than the other,
with all his dexterity of wit, but less industry, could
attain to. The same we may observe of Jonson and
Shakspeare : for he that is able to think long and judge
well will be sure to fmd out better things than another
man can hit upon suddenly, though of more quick and
ready parts ; which is commonly but chance ; and thq
other, art and judgement.^'

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES.

As Mr. Ireland was given to understand
that his royal highness was desirous of in-
specting the papers, from the variety of
opinions which he had heard upon the
manuscripts, and the natural curiosity the
subject excited in every breast, Mr. Ire-
land made it known, through the medium
of some friends, that he would cheerfully
attend upon any of the royal family with
the papers for their inspection. In con-

217

sequence of this, a day was appointed,
and Mr. Samuel Ireland repaired in a
coach to Carlton House, with all the do-
cuments he possessed : but I was not made
one of the party on that occasion. On
his return, as I was of course very anxious
to hear what had transpired, I requested a
circumstantial detail of every occurrence
attending his visit; which was to the best
of my recollection as follows.—

Upon Mr. Ireland's entrance into the
chamber, his royal highness, with that re-
finement upon affability for which he is
certainly unrivalled, arose to receive him;
and so completely divested himself of that
dignity which from his situation he was so
justly entitled to assume, as to render Mr.
Ireland as unrestrained in his manners as
if he had been in the company of his
equals. In fine, Mr. Ireland's opinion of
his royal highness, which I very frequently
afterwards heard him utter, was, that his
affability and elegant ease were such as
to enable a person to be perfectly unre-
strained ; while it was at the same time

L

218

absolutely impossible for a well-bred man
to presume, in the slightest degree, in
consequence of that easy deportment
which his royal highness adopted : but
should a presumptuous freedom be ha-
zarded, Mr. Ireland used frequently to
assert, that the prince in such circum-
stances could instantly have recourse to
a dignified deportment which must awe
the most daring effrontery.

On the production of the manuscripts,
his royal highness began to inspect them
with the strictest scrutiny; when, to Mr. Ire-
land's infinite astonishment, he not only
questioned him on every point with an
acuteness which he had never before witness-
ed from the learned who had inspected the
papers, but he also displayed a knowledge
of antiquity, and an intimate acquaintance
with documents of the period of Elizabeth,
which Mr. Ireland had conceived was con-
fined to such individuals only as had made
that particular subject the object of their
study.

Having carefully examined the manu-

219

scripts, and heard the language contained
in the profession of faith and some other
documents, which were read aloud by Mr.
Ireland, his royal highness spoke to the
following effect.

OPINION OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF
WALES.

" As far as the external appearance will
witness for the validity of the documents,
they certainly bear a strong semblance
of age : to decide, however, peremptorily
from this cursory inspection, would be un-
justifiable ; as in matters of this nature so
much is to be said pro and con^ that the de-
cision requires mature reflexion. I cer-
tainly, Mr. Ireland, must compliment you
much upon the discovery; as the name of
Shakspeare, and every thing appertaining
to him, is not confined alone to the literary
world, but to the English nation ; to which
the publication will, I trust, afford that
gratification which is expected to be de-
rived from it.'*

L2

220

MR. IRELAND'S DEPARTURE FROM CARLTON HOUSE.

While Mr. Ireland was arranging the
manuscripts in order to their being taken
back to the carriage, the prince continued
to deliver his remarks on the papers he
had inspected : and wheresoever the small-
est ground of objection was apparent to
his mind, he requested from Mr. Ire-
land an answer to his query, which was
always put with ease, although a depth of
penetration was apparent in the question ;
to which, from its novelty, Mr. Ireland
very frequently found it difficult to make
an apt reply.

Upon Mr. Ireland's quitting the prince's
^presence, his royal highness continued to
display that urbanity which had characte-
rised his conduct upon his first introduc-
tion into the chamber.

Such proved the visit of Mr. Ireland to
Carlton House, as frequently detailed by
himself.

The subject in question gave rise to the

!221

follawing lines, which had their origin ia
Mr. Ireland's frequent encomiums on the
prince, in which he was invariably joined
by every friend who visited in Norfolk
Street.

UNES ADDRESSED TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE
PRINCE OF WALES.

^is not the title, or the prince's state.

That can from subjects true attention draw ;

Pow'r may command applause from rankling hat«,
And stifF-neck'd pomp inspire with frigid awe.

How cold the homage by such art inspired !

How lukewarm the affection which it brings I
True loyalty with ardent zeal is fir'd ;

And such alone should grace the thrones of kings :

Behold the prince, whom England's sons revere ;

Whose winning manners ev'ry breast subdue;
Who reigns in hearts through love, devoid of fear;

Proclaiming thus their homage staunch and true.

Long may the Minstrel tun 3 his silv'ry chord.
And swell with clarion note the passing gales ;

Long may the bards pay tribute to their lord.
And waft due praises to their prince of Wales.

No secret joys in gloomy pomp he finds :

Mild evVy act ; while graceful ease and state

Plant love and due respect in humbler minds.
And curb the pride of the assuming great.

h3

222

Long may the prince of Albion live to share
The heart-felt plaudits of th' admiring throng !

May blooming glory nip each bud of care.
And Britain's empire join the welcome song !

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF CLARENCE.

In consequence of the general astonish-
ment and curiosity excited by the manu-
scripts, his royal highness the duke of
Clarence also became desirous of inspect-
ing the papers: which being intimated to
Mr. Ireland, a time was fixed upon; when
I was made of the party, and with Mr.
Samuel Ireland repaired to the apart-
ments occupied by his royal highness in
St. James's palace.

Having carefully inspected all the docu-
ments produced, the usual questions were
put to me respecting the original discovery
of the manuscripts, in which Mrs. J*rd*n
also joined; when my former statements
were, as usual, strictly adhered to. His
royal highness, I perfectly well remember,
made numerous objections, and particu-
larly to the redundancy of letters apparent
throughout the papers. To every question.

223

however, the same answers were made as
usual: and thus the doubts which arose in
his royal highnesses mind were obviated by
Mr. Ireland.

A JUST TRIBUTE OF PRAISE TO MRS. J*RD*N.

As the agreement for the Vortigern and
Rowena was then on the point of being
signed between Mr. Samuel Ireland, as
my guardian, and the managers of Drury
Lane theatre, much conversation took
place upon that subject ; in the course of
w^hich his royal highness was so kind as to
give Mr. Samuel Ireland many cautious
hints. — Respecting the language of the
piece, as well as the plot and characters,
numerous inquiries were made by Mrs.
J*rd*n, as well as the duke of Clarence:
and I think it but justice in this place to
offer my sincere thanks to that lady for
her kind endeavours on a subsequent
occasion, when she had to sustain one of
the principal characters in the drama. —
I also beg leave to state that I shall be ever
mindful of her particular kindness and
L4

224

affability during the visit made to his
royal highness; as also for her compla-
cency and condescension during my long
continuance in the green-room of Drury
Lane theatre on the night of the repre-
sentation of my play, when not only her
transcendent abilities as an actress were
exerted in my behalf before the curtain,
but reanimating expressions, whilst in the
green-room, continually flowed from her
lips, in order to rouse me from the mental
depression under which I so obviously
laboured on that momentous occasion.

SEARCHES AFTER THE SUPPOSED GENTLEMAN.

As it was supposed, in consequence of
my statements before mentioned, that
some unknown gentleman was the original
donor of the papers, the inquiries that
were set on foot in order to his discovery
were incalculable: neither was I forgotten
in my walks; for as it was supposed that I
must have constant meetings with him, it
was imagined, that, by tracing my steps,
the residence of my mysterious friend

225

must be discovered: which would have
undoubtedly proved the case, had there
been any such being in existence: but the
whole concentrating in myself, and it
being conjectured, on account of my
youth, that I never could be the fabricator,
little notice was taken of me when at
chambers, where the whole was executed.
If, on the contrary, such steps had been
taken, I must have been discovered ; as by
picking the lock of a window-seat the
whole of my apparatus would have been
displayed to view. I must here state, that
towards the termination of the business,
when doubts ran very high respecting the
authenticity of the manuscripts, I destroy-
ed an infinite number of unfinished papers
then in my possession, that no document
might appear in evidence against me.

MR. C*L*Y.

This gentleman, who is well known as an
excellent judge of ancient manuscripts,
and who is perfectly well enabled to deci-
pher with ease the most abbrevirted docu-
L5

Qi6

merits, the productions of centuries back,
was a frequent inspector of my manu-
scripts; and although he in many instances
raised objections to the papers, he never-
theless did upon the whole conceive them
the productions of the period to which i
ascribed them. Before stating thus much,
however, I should have premised that Mr.
C*Py inspected them merely as a judge of
the paper, parchment, and general appear-
ance of ancient documents, without any
regard to the language or particular
history of the stage during the period of
William Shakspeare.

THE LATE MR. RITSON.

Of the numerous individuals who came
to inspect the manuscripts, no one excited
my fear so much as the above gentleman^
whose keen penetration is by no means
unknown to the sapient Mr. Malone, on
whose abilities as a commentator he has
so fully expatiated as to render him con-
temptible where he conceives himself de-
serving of universal panegyric.

227

The sharp physiognomy, the piercing
eye, and the silent scrutiny, of Mr.Ritson,
filled me with a dread I had never before
experienced. His questionings were laco-
nic, but always to the purpose. No stu-
died flow of words could draw him from his
purpose: he was not to be hoodwinked:
and after satisfying his curiosity, he de-
parted from Mr. Samuel Ireland's house,
without delivering any opinion, or com-
mitting himself in the smallest circum-
stance. In fine, I do as firmly believe that
Mr. Ritson went away fully assured that
the papers were spurious, as that I have
existence at this moment.

THE LATE MR. GEORGE STEEVENS.

This gentleman, whose memory will be
handed down to posterity as long as com-
mentaries on Shakspeare exist, followed his
usual mode of conduct with respect to the
fabricated manuscripts: he did not boldly
enter the lists; but, like a mole, worked in
secret; and, when occasion served, stung
with the subtlety of a viper. — Whether this

228

gentleman lent his friendly aid to Mr. Ma-
lone, in the course of his Inquiry, I will
not pretend to say, though I rather con-
ceive, that upon that occasion, the rival
commentators, like the two kings of Brent-
ford, "smelt at one nosegay,'' and buried
their private feelings in the general attempt
to crush that w^hich would have proved so
many of their labours of non effect had
it passed current with the world.

MY RIGHT TO THE PAPERS DISPUTED.

When the multiplicity of the papers be-
came an object of wonder, it was stated,
by some of the visitants at Mr. Samuel
Ireland's house, that, if a descendant of
Shakspeare could be found, he might lay
claim to all the papers which I had pro-
duced.— Astonished at this information, I
began to think of some method which
might obviate any such step being put
into effect, even should a claimant appear;
as I conceived it would be hard indeed
that my own productions should go into
the hands of an utter stranger. After

229

many thoughts upon this subject, I had
recourse to the following expedient.

PRELUDE TO THE CLAIMING WHAT WAS MY OWN.

Shortly after the above statement, I pro-
duced some documents tending to prove
that Shakspeare had been very closely
connected with a person of the name of
Ireland ; and so very unguarded was I
upon this occasion, as to make the Chris-
tian names of the supposed Ireland similar
to my own, being William-Henry. These
papers tended to prove that our bard la-
boured under some weighty obligation to
my namesake ; whilst others were penned
in the most familiar style. And by these
means I began to pave the way to my
rightful claim to my own productions.

CHRISTIAN NAMES WILLIAM-HENRY.

In addition to the folly of my having
affixed precisely my own Christian names
to the sirname of the Ireland supposed to
have been so intimately connected with
our bard, it afterwards appeared that the

230

assumption of two Christian names was
scarcely ever used in the days of Shak-
speare, and that only in cases of persons
of the very first rank. Being on this oc-
casion, as on many others, wholly unac-
quainted with the necessary facts, I had un-
thinkingly rushed into an error at which
Mr. Malone has levelled his envenomed
shaft with his usual rancour.

DELINEATION OF THE ARMS OF SHAKSPEARE AND
IRELAND.

On one of the documents relative to
Shakspeare and Ireland I inserted a rude
pen-and-ink drawing of the armorial bear-
ings of our bard and those of the Ireland
family, which I joined together with a
chain, inserting these words in the centre :

Neverre toe parte
butte inne deathe.

Which trivial circumstance gave rise to
the attempt at an heraldic achievement
which will be found, with the other cui^ios a,
in the engraved sheet prefixed to this work.

231

JUNCTION OF THE ARMS OF SHAKSPEARE AND IRE-
LAND.

As sir Is**c H**r(l and Mr. T*vvns*nd
were frequent visitants in Norfolk Street,
they suggested to Mr. Samuel Ireland, on
account of the apparent connexion be-
tween the families of Shakspeare and Ire-
land, that a junction of the two coats-of-
arms should take place ; and that Mr. S.
Ireland ought to couple on his own
shield the bearings of Shakspeare. To
give an adequate idea of my feelings on
this occasion, is utterly impossible. I
shall therefore content myself with the in-
sertion of the succeeding lines, which were
committed to paper on that momentous
occasion.

HASTY EFFUSION UPON AN HERALDIC SUBJECT.

Sir Is**c ran, but where the Lord knows,
Pulling up his black plush small-clothes :
And T^wns*nd, knight of herald school.
In argent versed, and or, and gule;
Who could the pedigrees unravel
Of chieftains at the Tower of Babel ;

232

And tell by w horn, and where, and why
His lordship sprang from bastardy ;
Or if Bill Shakspeare usM to stray
From gentle dame Anne Hathaway ;
Or souse in Thames, but not like witches.
Be drownM — ^for he was caught by breeches ;
By which hard griping of the hand .^

Our bard was savM by this Ireland,
Which joins the spear and flower de luces
And saves from fraud and vile abuses.
Those relics, which by this appear.
To *Iong to Ireland, not Shakspeare.

GRANT OF ARMS TO IRELAND.

Having heard it asserted that the arms
of the Ireland family, which consist of six
jieurs de lis, upon a ground gules, were
gained at the ever-memorable battle of
Agincourt, I wished if possible to execute
the original grant, and for that purpose
called on Mr. Thane ; to whom I men-
tioned a supposition that such a document
was in existence, with the signature of
Henry the Fifth. Upon hearing which,
Mr. Thane said that such a document
would be a matter of great curiosity, as
no signature of that monarch had been
discovered. I made several attempts to

233

compass this point, but found the execu-
tion too arduous : and fearing also that it
might be discovered if not properly ma-
naged, I abandoned the idea ; fully aware
that the disclosure of one fabrication, at
that stage of the business, must have in-
fallibly overthrown the Shaksperian mass
already produced.

DEED OF GIFT TO WILLIAM-HENRY IRELAND.

A bold document, executed by myself
to substantiate my claim to my own pro-
ductions, was a supposed deed of gift from
Shakspeare to maister William-Henry Ire-
land ; part of the contents of which are
alluded to in the poetic lines last given.
In this instrument, which was engrossed on
parchment, and regularly sealed, like the
foregoing law documents, I accounted for
the friendship that subsisted between our
bard and Ireland, by stating that Shak-
speare's life had been saved by the exer-
tions of my ancestor, when, being in a boat
upon the river Thames, through the iri-
loxication of the watermen, the bark was

234

unfortunatly upset. For this service the be-
quests contained in the deed were sup-
posed to have been made. But that the
public may be better enabled to form a
judgement upon the subject, I shall give
the following statement, taken literally
from the spurious document in question.

QUOTATION FROM THE DEED OF GIFT.

" Whereas onne or abowte the thyrde daye of the
laste monethe beyng the monethe of Auguste havynge
withe mye goode freynde masterre William Henryelre-
lande ande otherres taen boate neare untowe myne
howse afowersayde wee didde purpose goynge upp
Thames butte those thatte were soe to conducte ut
beying muche toe merry e throughe lyqiiorre theye did
upsette oure fowersayde bayrge all butte myeselfe
savedd themselves bye swimmyng for though the
waterre was deepe yette owre beynge close nygh toe
shore made itte lyttel dyffyculte for them knowinge
the fowersayde arte masterre William Henrye Ire-
lande notte seeynge mee dydd aske for mee butte
owne of the companye dydd answerre thatte I was
drownynge onn the whyche hee puUedd ofFhys jerre-
kynne and jumpedd inn afterre mee withe much
paynes he draggedd mee forthe I beynge then nearly©^
deade and soe he dydd save mye life and for the
whyche I doe hereby e give hym as folowithe" ^c.

235

MY OWN MANUSCRIPTS PROVED TO BE MY OWN RIGHT.

In addition to the deed of gift, I ventured
to make the following assertion, which I
conceived would infallibly preclude an
attempt to deprive me of my own pro-
ductions by transferring them to any
descendant of Shakspeare who might be
disposed to urge a claim.

I informed Mr. Samuel Ireland, that, on
research being made among the family
papers of the unknown Mr. H, he had
discovered documents tending to prove
that I was the direct descendant of the
William-Henry Ireland to whom the be-
quest was made in the deed of gift; and
that consequently he no longer regarded
my possession of the manuscripts as a fa-
vour, but looked upon them as my own
right by descent.

This was not, however, the last law docu-
ment which I deemed necessary; and in con-
sequence produced the law instrument which
will occupy the following head, and which
w^as fabricated very shortly after the deed of

236

gift, in order to account for a very material
objection constantly raised in opposition
to the validity of the manuscripts.

DEED OF TRUST TO JOHN HEMINGES.

Notwithstanding Mr. Malone has so
amply expatiated on the various bequests
contained in this fabricated document, he
has nevertheless totally mistaken the real
purport for which the instrument was
composed, and which I shall now proceed
to declare.

As I had, with Mr. Talbot, adopted the
letter H as the initial of my friend's sir-
name, it was instantly conjectured that his
name must be Heminges^ and that he was
the representative of the person bearing
that name who was so closely connected
with our bard. Yet it still remained un-
ceasingly a matter of astonishment that this
gentleman should desire so scrupulously to
conceal his name, and not avow himself to
be the original possessor of the papers. At
once to still surmises on this score, was the
law document now under consideration

237

produced; for the inference which I looked
would be drawn from it was, that the an-
cestors of my friend (now concluded to be
a Heminges) had not discharged the be-
quests made in this deed; and that, in con-
sequence, my friend was averse from cast-
ing an odium on them, and of affixing an
implied stigma on himself, by a disclosure
of his name and connexions.

Besides these conclusions, which tended
to account satisfactorily for the rigid si-
lence of the supposed original proprietor
of the manuscripts, it was also conjectured,
that to the care of the same Heminges
the deed of gift to Ireland had been
entrusted; the clauses of which he had
been equally dilatory in fulfilling: so
that the property originally left to the
Ireland of the time of Shakspeare, having
remained in the family of the Heminges
for so long a period, was at length thus
providentially restored to the lineal de-
scendant of him who had saved our poet's
life, by the existing representative of his
supposed nefarious ancestor.

S38

GATHERING OF A STORM.

I shall now pass over a considerable pe-
riod of time, during which my mind was
unceasingly harassed by the constant re-
proaches of Mr. Ireland (who was then re-
garded in the light of the fabricator of the
papers), and the importunate interrogato-
ries of his friends ; who stated, that it was
a duty incumbent on me to give up the
name of any unknown friend, in order to
clear my father's character from the odium
which was so unjustly heaped upon it.
Having no name to bring forward, I of
course evaded these reiterated entreaties
by a statement of the grounds upon which
the papers had originally fallen into my
hands, and the manner in which Mr. Sa-
muel Ireland had embarked in the publi-
cation of them. This, however, was not
sufficient: the clamour increased daily;
and a committee of several gentlemen was
called to investigate the matter, and hear
my answers, publicly delivered, to every
interrogatory that might be put.

239

Mr. Talbot, who had also forwarded the
letter before mentioned to Mr. Ireland,
joining in my account of the discovery of
the manuscripts (as agreed between us),
was at this period written to by Mr. Ire-
land in a peremptory manner, in order to
his forwarding from Dublin the correct
statement of every circumstance, together
with the supposed concealed gentleman's
name, place of abode, &c. To such ap-
plications, however, Mr. Talbot continued
silent, leaving every thing to myself {hav-
ing been sufficiently harassed by the part
he had formerly taken), in order as he
conceived to befriend me, without having
any other motive whatsoever in view.

THE COMMITTEE.

At this first meeting of the gentlemen
appointed to canvass the whole production
of the Shaksperian mass, I was of course
present ; when a regular series of questions
were put to me ; to each of which I re-
plied by adhering to the story first deli-
rered to the public. It was then demanded

240

of me whether I would make oath, " that,
to the best of my knowledge and belief
(from every circumstance I knew respect-
ing the discovery of the papers), they were
genuine manuscripts from the pen of Shak-
speare."

To this interrogatory I made the follow-
ing reply :—

" It is stated that the present committee
is appointed to investigate Mr. Samuel Ire-
land's concern in the business, and ease
him from the calumnies which are heaped
upon his head ; I therefore will make oath
that he received the papers from me as
Shakspeare's, and knows nothing whatso-
ever concerning their origin, or the source
from whence they came."

Such was the purport of the business
transacted during the first meeting.

SECOND MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE.

At this second investigation I was also
present ; when Mr. Montague Talbot's let-
ter to Mr. Ireland, giving the detail of the
discovery of the papers at Mr. H's, was

241

read aloud, as well as the copies of such
communications as had been made to Mr.
Talbot in Dublin, by Mr. Ireland, since
his receipt of the above, of which Mr. Ire-
land had kept copies.

Mr. Talbot's silence having been much
reprobated by the gentlemen present, re-
course was again had to me ; when nume-
rous propositions were made and interro-
gatories put; to all of which I replied as
usual ; stating, that my solemn oath com-
pelled me never to reveal the name of the
donor of the manuscripts, unless I had his
previous permission to cancel the obliga-
tion by which I had so bound myself.

THE LATE GOVERNOR FR*NKL*N.

This gentleman was one of the persons
appointed to attend these committees.
Having heard me so peremptorily insist
on the obligation of an oath, he arose from
his seat, and, taking a Bible from his
pocket, proceeded to quote several pas-
sages from Holy Writ, in order to prove

M

242

that no son being under age was called
upon to adhere to an oath, when the cha-
racter of his parent was implicated by his
so doing. I cannot now call to mind the
particular verses read aloud by the above
gentleman on that occasion ; but I well re-
member that the generality of his auditors
regarded his conduct rather as the impulse
of passion, than the offspring of cool reason
and common sense.

LIST OF NAMES MADE OUT FOR THE SUPPOSED UN-
KNOWN GENTLEMAN.

It was, I believe, at the second meeting
of the committee above mentioned that it
was proposed to me to deliver into the
hands of my supposed unknown friend a
list of the names of several gentlemen, in
order that he might, if he should think
fit, select two persons to whom he would
confide every fact respecting himself and
the manuscripts. To this proposition I as-
sented; when several names were com-
mitted to paper, and delivered into my

243

hands, in order to be given to the un-
known Mr. H ; a future day being then
appointed for receiving his answer.

This proposition was made under the
following presumption ; that, although the
supposed unknown gentleman might not
be prevailed upon, by the two persons who
should attend him, to make himself pub-
licly known ; yet that they, being indivi-
duals of respectability and fortune, might,
upon ascertaining the facts, declare their
opinions solemnly to the world, according
to the statement that should be laid before
them, and the proofs adduced ; which
w^ould not only establish or invalidate the
papers, but also free Mr. Ireland from any
invidious remark which the world might
otherwise be disposed to make on his con-
nexion with the fabricator of the manu-
scripts.

SELECTION OF THE TWO GENTLEMEN.

As my mind was at this period a prey
to the most agonising disquietudes, I de-
bated within myself whether it would not
M 2

244

be preferable to reveal the whole transac-
tion to such two gentlemen as I chose to
select, and consult with them as to the
line of conduct it was most incumbent
upon me to pursue, rather than longer
remain in that state of dreadful anxiety,
which rendered my existence burdensome
to me. Having at length made up my
mind to brave the worst, I affixed a mark
opposite those gentlemens' names from
whom I had the least cause to expect
harsh conduct on making my confession ;
and, on the day appointed, I delivered in
the list to the committee, with the two
names so selected by myself; at which all
the gentlemen appeared perfectly well sa-
tisfied : and a fourth day was in conse-
quence named — it being agreed, that, du-
ring the intervening period, the persons so
selected by me should be applied to, in
order to know w^hether or not they were
willing to become depositories of the great
secret. — It is here requisite to mention,
that the names of the gentlemen so chosen
have now altogether escaped my memory.

245

APPOINTMENT OF MR. WALLIS TO BECOME THE DE-
POSITORY OF MY SECRET.

On the appointed day the committee
again assembled; when it was declared
the gentlemen whom I had chosen had
declined the honour intended them, and
refused to interfere in the business. A
long altercation ensued; after which I
informed the company, that, if Mr. Al-
bany Wallis (who was then present) would
take upon himself the charge of the secret,
I did not doubt that I could prevail upon
my friend to confide the whole matter to
him. Mr. Wallis having acceded to this
proposal, I acquainted the committee that
I should take the earliest opportunity of
persuading my friend to comply with my
wishes ; after which I would communicate
to Mr. Albany Wallis the day and hour
when he might expect Mr. H to make the
discovery so long and ardently called for
by the public.

M 3

246

CONFESSION MADE TO MR. WALLIS.

Having summoned sufficient resolution,
[ repaired to Mr. Albany Wallis on the se-
cond day after the above meeting of the
committee, when I explicitly detailed to
that gentleman every circumstance attend-
ing my fabrication of the Shaksperian ma-
nuscripts. Mr. AVallis vy^as infinitely asto-
nished at the discovery, and immediately
proceeded to inquire my reasons for em-
barking in the variety of papers produced ;
when I committed to paper, in the dis-
guised hand, my explicit reply to all his
interrogatories, with which he was fully
satisfied.

At a subsequent meeting I delivered
into Mr. Wallis's hands the remains of my
ink used in the fabrication, as also the
plans of several plays, with various other
documents, as collateral proofs of the ve-
racity of my confession.

247

ADVICE OF MR. WALUS, AND HIS DETERMINATION.

On consulting Mr. Wallis as to the steps
most expedient for me to adopt, he re-
quested me to continue silent as usual ; and
that, with respect to himself, he should
evade any questionings which might be
put to him upon the subject, by stating
that it was his opinion, as a professional
man, that the supposed gentleman was not
exactly safe in committing his name to the
public ; and with regard to inquiries made
respecting the validity of the papers, Mr.
Wallis determined on maintaining the
most rigid silence.

RENEWAL OF PERSECUTION.

As Mr. Malone and his inveterate pha-
lanx still continued their invidious asper-
sions ao^ainst the character of Mr. Samuel
Ireland, who was unceasingly paragraphed
in the morning prints, &c. ; and as my
communication of every circumstance to
Mr. Wallis did not tend to elucidate the
mystery, notwithstanding Mr. Samuel Ire-
M 4

248

land's frequent applications to that gentle-
man, Mr. Ireland again recurred to me;
and I was, as before, subject to the un-
ceasing and bitter reproof of himself and
friends for still subjecting him to the ill-
natured suggestions of the world. All my
arguments in opposition to these reiterated
complainings were vain; and about this
period Mr. Samuel Ireland quitted London,
in order to experience a degree of tran-
quillity with some old friends who had
given him an invitation into Berkshire.

PAINFUL RETROSPECTION.

A short time after Mr. Samuel Ireland's
departure from London I received the
following letter, the contents of which
struck deep into my soul ; and I from that
period more bitterly cursed the fatal mo-
ment which involved me in a business
fraught with misery to myself, and which
had caused an incalculable degree of un-
happiness to that being whom I had fondly
hoped to gratify by the production of the
manuscripts.

249

MR. S. IRELAND'S LETTER.

" It is now more than a week, my dear Sam, since I
left London ; and not a word or a line from you ! — In
the situation, unsettled as you are, you cannot suppose
but that my mind is much agitated, both on your ac-
count and that of the family.

" I expected, according to your promise, that you
would certainly have written to me, and have pointed
out what was your plao : and not only so, but your in-
tentions with regard to the papers. I do assure you
my state is truly wretched on both accounts. I have
no rest, cither night or day; which might be much al-
leviated by a more open and candid conduct on your
side. Surely, if there is a person for whom you can
for a moment feel, it must be for a parent who has
never ceased to render you every comfort and attention,
from your earliest moment of existence to the present.

" I think you must sometimes reflect, and place
yourself in imagination as at a future period of life, —
having a son and being in such a predicament as I
stand at present; and then judging what must be your
state of mind, and what must be mine at present,

" I do not mean reproaches by this letter, but to as-
sure you, that, if you cannot think me your friend, I
fear you will be deceived in all friendships you may in
future form. I do not recollect that any conduct of
mine towards you has been other than that of a friend
and companion — not that of a rigid or morose parent.
It is therefore doubly unnatural that I should be forced
to apply for information through any channel whatso-
ever, when I ought to hear it voluntarily from yourself.
M 5

250

" You seem to be estranging yourself, not only from
me, but from all your family and all my acquaintances.
Reflect well what you do, and what determinations you
make ; for this is the moment that may in all probabi-
lity render you comfortable in your future establish-
ment and future situation, or make you an alien to hap-
piness for ever.

" I have heard of my situation with the world, as to
the papers at Reading, from many gentlemen there;
who all agree that my state is truly a pitiable one ; and
all seem to dread the event. I know not the nature of
your oaths and engagements, nor does the world ; but it
is universally allowed, that no obligation should lead a
parent into ruin.

" If the papers are to be established as genuine, why
delay to furnish me with the documents so lately pro-
mised f But I will say no more on the subject at

present.

" By a paragraph in the Sun of Thursday last, it
should appear, that, though lam not in the secret, some
persons are. The paragraph runs thus :

" ' We are at length enabled to form a decisive
opinion with regard to the manuscripts in the possession
of Mr. Ireland, though motives of delicacy at present
prevent us from rendering that opinion public ! *

" Pray give me a line by to-morrow's post, as I am
impatient to hear from you : and believe me your very
sincere friend and affectionate father,

" SAMUEL IRELAND."

'* June 5th: Sunday,"

251

s

WHY FAMILIARLY CALLED SAM BY MR. IRELAND.

As in the above letter Mr. Ireland ad-
dresses me by the name of Sam, in order
that no fresh mysteries may arise in the
public .mind, after my having stated that
my names are William-Henry, I think it
requisite to inform my readers that I had
an elder brother baptized Samuel, after
Mr. Ireland ; who dying when young, the
names William Henry, by which I was
christened, were never adopted by Mr.
Ireland, who rather chose to call me after
his own name, I being then his only re-
maining male offspring.

DOCUMENTS INTENDED TO HAVE BEEN PRODUCED.

The papers required by Mr. Ireland,
and upon the promise of which he lays a
stress in his letter, were numerous other
documents, of which I had given in a list
as existing among the supposed manu-
scripts, and which it was my full intention
to have fabricated, in order to throw a

253

greater degree of validity on the mass al-
ready produced, had not the overthrow of
the whole business ensued, and frustrated
any further attempts.

PRECIPITATE RESOLUTION.

The painful train of reflexions which
occupied my thoughts in consequence of
the letter just quoted, and the anxiety
which pervaded Mr. Samuel Ireland's
mind, led me to have recourse to an ex-
pedient which the momentary pressure
could alone have warranted. Finding
that no step could satisfy Mr. Ireland's
anxiety but the disclosure of the whole
fact to himself, and fearful of confiding the
same to his ear, I resolutely determined
on quitting his mansion for ever, as my
life was an absolute burden to me under
existing circumstances; in addition to
which, the very method required by Mr.
Ireland to quiet his doubts (which was my
publication of every fact relating to the
manuscripts, as above stated) was, to make

253

use of a trite adage, a remedy worse than
tlie disease.

DEPARTURE FROM NORFOLK STREET.

Having worked up my mind to the
adoption of the above plan, I made a
hasty package of such articles as I could
conveniently place within a carriage;
when, seizing the opportunity of all the
family's being from home, I dispatched
one of the servants for a hackney coach,
and bade adieu to that residence which
a series of events, originating in no evil
intention whatsoever, had for many months
rendered painful to me.

MR. IRELAND'S RETURN FROxM BERKSHIRE.

Shortly after my precipitate retreat, Mr.
Samuel Ireland returned to town, being
infinitely astonished at the news of my de-
parture from Norfolk Street. He imme-
diately repaired to Mr. Albany Wallis,
%vith whom I had had frequent interviews ;
but that gentleman, conformably to my re-

254

quest, concealed the place of my abode,
and also preserved the most inviolable
secresy as to every thing which bore the
least relation to my confession respecting
the manuscripts. — Upon one of Mr. Sa-
muel Ireland's attendances on that gentle-
man, the following message was left for me
in writing; it having been previously de-
termined that an affidavit should be drawn
up, and sworn to, in order to exculpate
Mr. Ireland from having had any concern
whatsoever in fabricating the papers ;
which was the rumour after they were ge-
nerally deemed fabrications by the world,
although tiie precise fact had not at that
period met the public view; being con-
fmed to Mr. Wallis, as before stated.

MESSAGE LEFT BY MR. IRELAND.

^^That I insist on having the affidavit
drawn up by Sam, and signed and sworn
before a magistrate, in order to its being
sent to Talbot, and then to be laid before
the public : and I likewise insist on having

255

the remainder of the papers, so often pro-
mised me/'

ANXIETY ON MR. IRELAND'S ACCOUNT.

As the only object I had in view was
the total exculpation of Mr. Samuel Ire-
land from having been connected in the
fabrication (Mr. Albany Wallis having
given it as his decided opinion that no
blame would attach itself to me, as a boy,
for having written the manuscripts, where-
as Mr. Ireland's character, as a man in
years, and established in the world, would
suffer from the suggestion, as it would be
inferred that the whole had been executed
by him for the purpose of gain), I request-
ed Mr. A. Wallis to draw out a proper
affidavit, in order to my swearing to the
same and its after insertion in the public
prints ; with which request Mr. Wallis
willingly complied; when the following
was the form of the oath to be administer-
ed on that occasion, as drawn out by the
above gentleman.

256

AFFIDAVIT DRAWN OUT BY A. WALLIS, E^Q/

" In justice to my father, and to remove the odiurfi
under which he labours respecting the papers published
by him as the manuscripts of Shakspeare, I do hereby
solemnly declare, that they were given to him by me as
the manuscripts of Shakspeare, and that he was totally
ignorant and unacquainted with the source from whence
they came, or with any matter relating to the same, or
to any thing save what was told him by myself; and
that he published them without any knowledge, or even
the smallest intention of fraud or imposition, but under
a firm belief and persuasion of their authenticity, as I
had given him to understand they were so.

*'W. H. IRELAND.**
" nth January, 1706."

• DISSATISFACTION OF MR. IRELAND.

Although Mr. Albany Wallis conceived
the above affidavit in every respect ade-
quate to answer the end required, it was
nevertheless deemed insufficient by Mn
Samuel Ireland; who still dwelt on the
hardship of not being made a participator
with Mr. Wallis in the fatal mystery re-
specting the manuscripts. No arguments
adduced by Mr. Wallis were sufficient to

257

pacify Mr. Ireland on that head: and it
was, I believe, solely on this account that
the affidavit in question was never required
to be sworn to by me, or inserted in the
public newspapers, notwithstanding the rei-
terated entreaties of Mr. A. Wallis and my-
self on that head.

PRESSING LETTER FROM MR. IRELAND TO MR.
TALBOT.

On a prior occasion, and to the best of
my recollection during the meetings of the
committees, several very urgent letters
were forwarded by Mr. Ireland to Mr.
Talbot (then in Dublin), in order to draw
from him a similar confirmation by oath to
that required of me by the committee-^— i?/:^;.,
" That, to the best of his knowledge and
belief, he thought the manuscripts the real
productions of Shakspeare." — ^These com-
munications of course had no effect: after
which the form of the request was changed,
though tending precisely to the same pur-
port, being fully explained under the fol-
lowing head.

258

MR. TALBOT'S AFFIDAVIT REQUIRED.

In one of the letters so dispatched to
Mr. Talbot by Mr. S. Ireland, he request-
ed to know whether Mr. Talbot had any
objection to make an affidavit as to the
truth of the contents of his letter forwarded
to Mr. Ireland, in which he gave the
account of the discovery of the manu-
scripts, as agreed upon between Mr. Talbot
and myself. In answer to this, Mr. Talbot
replied, that, if I would first enter into the
oath, he would also swear that no indivi-
dual, except ourselves and the supposed
Mr. H, knew the secret. — In this instance
Mr. Talbot was perfectly secure, being well
aware, that, as there was no such person in
existence as Mr. H, I could not enter into
an oath whereby I would have been guilty
of perjury. Upon my consequent refusal,
I need scarcely add that all the blame was
thrown upon me by Mr. Ireland: and
upon several applications being afterwards
made in order to Mr. Talbot's singly en-
tering into such an affidavit, he constantly

259

refused; actuated, I conjecture, by similar
motives to those which^eterred me.

CONFESSION OF THE FACT TO MR. IRELAND BY
LETFER.

As every endeavour to calm Mr. Samuel
Ireland's mind proved futile, I consulted
Mr. Albany Wallis on the expediency of
dispatching a letter to him averring my-
self the author of the manuscripts, and
referring him for further satisfaction to Mr.
Albany Wallis: to which suggestion Mr.
Wallis agreed 3 and I in consequence
penned a very long epistle to Mr. Ireland,
stating the whole transaction, and craving
his pardon in the most submissive terms
for the error I had committed and the
trouble I had thus unintentionally caused
him. This communication, being ap-
proved of by Mr. Wallis, was imme-
diately forwarded to Mr. Samuel Ireland
for his perusal.

260

MR. IRELAND'S INCREDULITY.

The effect produced by this letter was
diametrically opposite to what Mr.Wallis
had conjectured, although I was by no
means astonished at the impression thereby
made on Mr. Samuel Ireland's mind; who
instantly attended on Mr. Wallis, stating
it as his firm belief that there was not a
word of truth in my statement; that he
still believed the papers genuine ; that
no set of men could have produced the
mass of evidence then in his possession;
and that with respect to my assuming the
title of author of the manuscripts, he was
as fully convinced as that he then had
existence I never could have produced
them. — It was in vain that Mr. Wallis
argued the point, and endeavoured to con-
vince Mr. Ireland that I had not deceived
him by the confession in my letter: he
would not be pacified, nor examine the
similar hand-writing of the documents
then in Mr, Wallis's possession: and, still

261

adhering to his own belief, he quitted Mr.
Wallis, firmly maintaining that the manu-
scripts were indisputably the productions
of William Shakspeare.

DETERMINATION TO PUBLISH A STATEMENT OF
FACTS.

As the fact, when stated, would not be
accredited by Mr. Samuel Ireland, I was
at a loss what step should be taken ; for he
still maintained his former belief, and con-
stantly demanded of me the manuscripts
which had been promised as forthcoming
previous to my confession of the whole
transaction. Thus circumstanced, I once
more consulted Mr. Albany Wallis; giving
it as my opinion that the only means of ex-
culpating Mr. Samuel Ireland from any
censure whatsoever, would be my publica-
tion of a pamphlet stating concisely every
fact. With this opinion Mr. Wallis did
not coincide; advising me rather to suffer
the matter to die away than give such a
testimony to the public.

What was to be done in this posture of

262

affairs? Mr. Samuel Ireland still believed
the papers genuine; he demanded the
remainder, which had been promised; he
exhorted me to confess the truth, which,
though already made known, he would
not believe; and, lastly, he peremptorily
insisted on my clearing his character to
the world from every aspersion which had
been thrown upon it. Tormented by the
reflexion that whilst I remained silent my
father's character bore undeservedly an
offensive stigma, and knowing no better
mode to free him from censure than that
which I had suggested, I determined to
act in opposition to the advice of Mr.
Wallis, and give to the world a concise
statement of the facts.

PUBLICATION OF THE PAMPHLET.

No sooner was this resolution formed
than I committed to paper, in the most
laconic manner possible, the leading parti-
culars of the fabrication, which were pub-
lished, in a pamphlet consisting of forty-
three pages, under the following title :

263

"An

Authentic Account

of the

Shaksperian Manuscripts, ^c

By W. H. Ireland."

RARITY OF THE PAMPHLET.

Of the above publication, which was
sold at one shilling, only fiv^e hundred
copies were printed : and so rare have they
now become, that a single impression of
the pamphlet has been known to sell, in a
sale-room, for the sum oi one guinea. The
only copy now in my possession is deficient
in one leaf; and for this very mutilated
impression I v/as compelled to pay eigh-
teen shillings; being given to understand,
at the time of purchasing the same, that I
was favoured in its sale at that price, be-
cause I was the author of the production.

VINDICATION OF MY PAMPHLET.

After the publication of my pamphlet,
it was boldly asserted, by all the believers
in the manuscripts, that the individual who
had written it could never have been the

264

author of the language to be found through-
out the Shaksperian productions. In an-
swer to this, my reply is, that the then un-
settled state of my mind incapacitated me
even from thinking coolly on any subject.
I may further add, that I was not endea-
vouring to commit blank verse to paper :
neither was it requisite for me to soar into
the ^^ heaven of heavens,'* in order to give
the world " a plain unvarnish'd tale."
The pamphlet was the production of per-
turbed moments, and contained facts as
repugnant to my feelings as they could be
to the most strenuous advocate for the pa-
pers. With all its imperfections, let its
object be remembered : it was committed
to the press for the most laudable of pur-
poses,— to remove the odium which was
unjustly heaped upon the innocent : and
however I may have since been, by many^
condemned for this procedure, I still con-
ceive that it was the only method left me
of compassing the desired end ; and as
such, my conscience does not upbraid me.

us

A SECOND LETTER FORWARDED TO MR. S. IRELAND,

Some time after the publication of my
pamphlet, Mr. Samuel Ireland still adhe-
ring to his former opinions, and being my-
self well acquainted with the objections
raised by many against the style of my
pamphlet, I forwarded a further explana-
tory epistle to Mr. Samuel Ireland, detail-
ing every fact which might tend to unde-
ceive him in his erroneous suggestions,
and vindicating the contents of my publi-
cation, which had greatly exasperated him.
A portion of the letter alluded to, of which
I retained a transcript, being applicable
to the present topic, I shall insert under
the ensuing head, that the reader may be
enabled to form a truer judgement upon
the subject.

QUOTATION FROM MY SECOND LETTER TO MR. IRE-
LAND.

That I have been guilty of a fault in giving

you the manuscripts, I confess, and am sorry for it .
but must at the same time assure you, that it was don^

N

266

Without a bad intention, or even a thought of what
would ensue.

As you have repeatedly stated that " truth will find
its basis ; '* even so will your character, notwithstanding
every malignant aspersion, soon appear unblemished in
the eyes of the world.

r I must also appeal to the above expression : and al-
though the style of my pamphlet may, when compared
with my Vortigern, Henry the Second, &c., appear to
be the production of a different person, and for the
present confirm the public in the opinion that I am not
the author of the papers ; yet, sir, I do most solemnly
appeal to my God that a day must come when the con-
tents of my pamphlet will be allowed ; and thereby
never-erring " truth will find its basis.*'

I am extremely sorry you did not, before the publi-
cation of your book, inspect the papers which I left in
Mr. Wallis's possession, and which I now beg you will
no longer delay examining, as they contain a similar
account to that published in my pamphlet. I make
this remark, as your statement throws a degree of my-
stery on the transaction, which may give the world an
idea of some different and concealed statement being in
the hands of Mr. Wallis.

EXPLANATORY OF A SENTENCE IN INIY SECOND LET-
TER TO MR. IRELAND.

A considerable time after the appear-
ance of my confession, Mr. Samuel Ireland
produced a pamphlet in vindication of his

267

own character : in one part of which he
insinuates that other documents were
placed in the hands of Mr. A. Wallis of
Norfolk Street than those mentioned by
me. This statement induced me in my
letter to request that Mr. Ireland would
no longer delay to satisfy himself on
that head, as the casting of such a doubt
upon the subject tended to invalidate the
statement of facts given to the public in
my pamphlet. The particular words made
use of by Mr. Ireland, in his Vindication,
I cannot now call to mind, nor am I in
possession of the work in question; but
the sentence, I well recollect, was intended
to convey the idea of an inexplicable my-
stery overhung the documents vested in
the hands of Mr. A. Wallis.

FINAL STATEMENT RESPECTING MR. M. TALBOT.

I should not forget to state, that on the
morning my pamphlet was published I
forwarded a letter to Mr. Montague Tal-
bot, expressive of the disquietudes I had

N 2

ift

268

suffered and the steps I had been compell-
ed to adopt, and altogether exonerating
him from the promise of secresy made
to me on a prior occasion. In the same
communication I requested his pardon for
the painful dilemma in which I had in-
volved him, by requesting his participa-
tion in the story respecting the discovery
of the papers. To this letter Mr. M. Tal-
bot wrote me a very friendly answer : noi^
can I close this last statement respecting
that gentleman, without once more offering
him my sincere thanks for the inviolable
secresy he preserved, and his generous in-
terposition in my favour, whensoever he
conceived that his assistance would prove
beneficial to me.

A GOOD HIT.

In the Morning Chronicle was inserted
one of the most sarcastic remarks that
appeared during the whole of the Shak-
sperian controversy. The paragraph which
contained it appeared immediaiely after

269

W. H. Ireland's confession of his being tlie
writer of the manuscripts. It ran nearly
as follows :

" W. H. Ireland has come forward and announced
himself author of the papers attributed by him to Shak-
speare ; which, if true, proves him to be a liar,'*

CHARGE ADDUCED AGAINST MR. A. WALLIS,

Several months after the production of
my explanatory pamphlet, Mr. Albany
Wallis was given to understand that Mr.
Samuel Ireland attributed to him all the
blame which he attached to that publica-
tion, and that he was also desirous I should
retract the whole of its contents. In con-
sequence of this statement, and in order to
justify his own conduct, Mr. Wallis dis-
patched a note, requesting to see me. I
attended ; and upon hearing Mr. Wallis's
detail of the affair, I instantly committed
the following lines to paper, in justifica-
tion of the conduct of that gentleman on
the occasion.

N3

270

REFUTATION OF THE CHARGE AGAINST MR. WALLIS.

Dear sir.

Having heard, from very good authority, that Mr. S.
Ireland is desirous I should retract a part, if not the
w^hole, of my pamphlet, and w^ishing moreover that I
should mention you as the person who urged me to
bring it forward, I think it but just that I should contra-
dict such an assertion, and declare, that, very far from
instigating me to the business, you rather wished me to
remain totally silent, and suffer the affair " to die aivai//^
— such being frequently your expression. Yet, not-
withstanding such advice, I rather chose to come for-
w^ard with the truth than suffer the world to continue ia
ignorance.

I remain, dear sir, &c.,

W. H. IRELAND.

January 31, 1797.

MR. SAMUEL IRELAND'S PREJUDICE.

As a proof of the persecuting spirit
which was unceasingly displayed to my
detriment, I may mention that the warm
emotions of the heart were discarded by
Mr. Ireland, who dreaded any connexion
whatsoever with me; fearful lest the world
should brand him with countenancing me,
•and thereby be led to infer that he had
been secretly concerned in the fabrication

271

of the manuscripts. In the advertisement
to the play of Henry the Second, published
by Mr. Barker of Russel Street [vide p. 3),
appear, in italics, the following words of
Mr. Samuel Ireland.

QUOTATION FROM MR. IRELAND'S ADVERTISEMENT TO
HENRY THE SECOND.

'* That he " (Mr. S. Ireland) " has had no intercourse
or communication with the cause of all this public and
domestic misfortune for near three years — the period at
which the party alluded to quitted his house — except
one meeting, had at the request and in the presence of
Mr. Albany Wallis of Norfolk Street."

TWO OF SHAKSPEARE'S LETTERS DISCOVERED AT
KNOLE IN KENT.

It has been stated in the public prints,
and I conjecture with truth, that two let-
ters from the pen of Shakspeare were dis-
covered some time since at Knole in Kent,
among the papers of the Dorset family,
written by our bard to the then lord-
chamberlain upon mere official business
relative to theatrical matters. This cir-
cumstance has frequently led me to con-
jecture what would have proved the con-
N 4

272

sequence supposing that my manuscripts
had passed current, and that upon com-
parison they had been found altogether
dissimilar to the penmanship contained
in the two letters in question. A second
controversy would doubtless have proved
the case, when

^* Critics anew had vented all their rage,
And gall, in ebon streams, imbu'd the page/'

THE FOREIGN GENTLEMAN AND LAVATER THE PHYSIO-
GNOMIST.

I beg leave to premise, ere I proceed
with the subject of this head, that I do not
insert tjie following statement to sooth a
self-complacence, nor because I have con-
fidence in the physiognomical principles
of Lavater. The anecdote (which is posi-
tively true) is given solely because of its
singularity.

After having quitted my father's house,
I was frequently invited to Thomp-
son's, esq., M. P. On one particular occa-
sion he introduced me at dinner to a fo-
reign gentleman, who had frequently heard

273

of the Shaksperian fabrication^ and who
was a staunch adherent to the principles
of Lavater the physiognomist. Some tim^
after the cloth was withdrawn, the above
gentleman having riveted his eyes upon
my face for a considerable time, at length
replenished his glass, and, after drinking
my health, addressed himself to Mr.
Thompson, stating that he had carefully
examined the character of my physio-
gnomy, and that, although he could not
from the principles of Lavater have pre-
cisely indicated the subject on which I
had been occupied, he should nevertheless
have known that some circumstance of an
uncommon and public nature had for a
length of time overpowered every other
consideration in my mind.

MR. B0ADEN»S LETTER TO MR. G. STEEVENS.

A very early oppositionist to the validity
of the fabricated manuscripts was the above
Mr. Boaden, who, from being one of their
most staunch supporters, suddenly shifted

, N 5

k

274

his ground, and in a letter addressed to
Mr. George Steevens endeavoured to con-
trovert what vras at that stage of the busi-
ness generally believed, — that the manu-
scripts v^^ere from the pen of Shakspeare.

In pages 17 and 18 of his pamphlet,
under the head " Collations and Remarks,''
is the following paragraph ; which proves
that Mr. Boaden in his research went be-
yond Mr. Malone, as he there allows that
the fabricator had referred to the edition
of Lear in 1608. As to his statement with
regard to the folio of 1623, he has not,
however, proved himself so acute; that
edition being then in my possession, and
often referred to by me. —

" The first circumstance I think it necessary to re-
mark is, that diligent collation of the printed copies
with the Lear just published, has enabled me to decide,
that the writer of the manuscript at first used only the
second folio edition, with such modern impressions as
he might chance to possess — although, in the course of
the play he acquires evidently a copy of Butter's quarto,
1608, and uses it with so determined a preference over
the folio, that he preserves its readings to the absolute
injury of the sense of the passages. The folio 1623 he

275

does not appear to have seen. The first proof which is

offered occurs in the bequest of Lear to Gonerill. The

words, which we find in the folio —

* and with champaines rich'd
With plenteous rivers ' —

are in Mr. Ireland's edition, and are not in the quarto.'*

Mr. Boaden's remark with respect to the
word alaSy in page 21, I must certainly
allow to be correct. My long residence
in France had so accustomed me to spell
the word //das, that a considerable period
elapsed ere I corrected myself of that
mistake in orthography. The note in
question is as follows. —

" By this curious mode of writing the interjection
one might be tempted to believe that Shakspeare had
received a French education at the college of St. Omers."

In page 41 Mr. Boaden quotes the
w^ords that follow in italics from lord
Southampton's letter, and adds the annex-
ed comment. —

" ' Thrj/ce I have assayed to wryte, and thryce myc
efforts have hennefruitlesse' is a sentence that seems to
have been written by a reader of Milton:

* Thrice he essay 'd, and thrice, in spite of scorn,
Tears, such as angels weep, burst forth. ' "

276

On this comment I have only to re-
mark, that Milton or his works never
occurred to me at the moment w^hen lord
Southampton's letter was written. This is
one of the many instances to be adduced
of the fallacy of such criticisms, which are
as remote from truth as they must prove
uninteresting to the reader.

AVith respect to the tout-ensemble of Mr.
Boaden's pamphlet, I have little to state,
further than that its appearance stamped
that gentleman's apostacy, and brought
his name into public notice as an avowed
^nemy to the Shaksperian production.

BOADEN'S PAMPHLET ANSWERED.

Shortly after the appearance of the
above gentleman's pamphlet, Mr. Wy*tt,
who had frequently inspected the manu-
scripts, and entertained no doubts of their
genuineness, published an answer to Mr.
Boaden's publication, under the following
title — ^* A comparative Review of the
Opinions of Mr. James Boaden (Editor of
the Oracle), &c., in 1795, and of James

277

Boaden, Esq. (Author of Fontainville
Forest, &c.)/ in 1796: By a Friend to
Consistency/'

In pages 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and II, in order
to show the former opinions of Mr. Boa-
den on the subject of the manuscripts, Mr.
Wy*tt quotes some of the paragraphs
which appeared in the Oracle; being as
follow. —

'^ ' Shakspeare manuscripts. — By the obliging polite-
ness of Mr. Ireland, of Norfolk Street, the conductor of
this paper ^' is enabled to gratify, in a general way, the
public curiosity. To particularise would be fraudulent
and ungrateful. Besides the Lear and Vortigern, there
are various papers, the domesticafacta of this great man's
life, discovered.

" ' A letter to the lady he afterwards married, distin-
guished for the utmost delicacy of passion, and poetical
spirit. It incloses a lock of his hair, also preserved.

" ' A profession of his religious faith, rationally
pious, and grandly expressed.

" ' Some poetical compliments and poetical exercises
of fancy, amongst the company at whose head he is
numbered. Devises of land; receipts for money ad-
vanced, &c. ; and a discovery relative to lord Southamp-

" * For attributing to Mr. Boaden the paragraphs which appear-
ed in the Oracle relative to the Shakspeare MSS. I have one simple
reason, viz., that he was the only person concerned in the direction
of that paper that ever viewed them."

2/8

ton, which we forbear to anticipate, reflecting immortal
honour upon the bounty of the one, and the modesty of
the other. It is the intention of Mr. Ireland to publish
the first volume, with fac-similes, if possible, by the
king^s birth-day; the second volume probably within
the following year: and now, to this new information,
we have only to add, that the conviction produced upon
our mind, is such as to make all scepticism ridiculous^
and when we follow the sentiments of Dr. Joseph
\Vharton, we have no fear of our critical orthodoxy.^

"The same paper of the 2 1st contained further ob-
servations to- this effect : ' When we were favoured with
a sight of these invaluable remains, we promised the
possessor that no sneering animadversions, written by
those who had never seen them, should pass without
reply, and probably reproof. One gentleman makes
himself merry with a profession of faith from Shak-
speare; he shall be reduced at once to the plea of
iirnoramusy — there happens to be indisputable proof that
this was the custom of the age, nay, that other members
of the same family had done so.

" ' But an objection has been urged triumphantly by
those who have not seen, that a gentleman who had been
accustomed to the hand-writing of that period, was yet
unable to read them.

*' * The writer of this article is ready to prove his
acquaintance with the hand-writing of Elizabeth's
reign, in the first instance, and to read once more the
MSS. in the second. — As to the silly stuff about the
poet's courtship and the lock of hair, with recollection
of similar feelings and similar gifts —

«« We cannot but remember such things were,
And were most precious to us "

279

" ' The man who cannot, should never trust himself
with the subject of Shakspeare's life, should never by a
touch " pollute the page of inspiration.'* '

** On the 26th of February, Mr. Boaden called a
second time on Mr. Ireland, again expressed his convid-
tion of the authenticity of the MSS. and took so deep an
interest in their success, as to send, on the following
day, a letter (of which I among others have been favour-
ed with a sight) which is only remarkable for the odi-
cious zeal with which he endeavours to make himself a
party in the ultimate success of the MSS. — an extract
will be sufficient to satisfy the reader —

" ' My dear sir,

" ' Though I spoke from memory when I said that
Hunsdon was lord-chamberlain of Elizabeth's household,
it w^as correctly stated — Henry Carey, whom she created
a baron in the first year of her reign, had the charge of
her person at court — and to secure us as to the required
date, he was with her at the Tilbury camp, in the year
1388, and had there the care of her person. — I think this
ample satisfaction upon the subject, and lose no time in
sending it. This, or any deeper inquiry, will be but a
poor return for the favour of your unreserved communi-
cation.'

" On the 28th appeared the following:

" * The manuscripts of Shakspeare. — The public look
up to us for a faithful account of these important papers
— what we have opportunity to examine, we shall, from
time to time, report with the most scrupulous fidelity.
We have read a considerable portion of the MS. Lear.
In the title-page, the great bard professes to have taken
t^ie story frcm Holingshed, and has, in the true spirit of

280

modesty, apologised for the liberty he took in departing
from the exact statements of the Chronicle. — There is a
letter from queen Elizabeth to Shakspeare, when the poet
was manager of the Globe, commanding him with his best
players to perform before her, and thanking him for some
verses which her majesty much admired. — We think it
will be clearly proved that all the degrading nonsense,
of his holding horses, &c., will be found utterly fictitious,
and that this great man was the Garrick of his age,
caressed for his powers by every one great and illus*
trious,. the gentle friend of genius, and most excellent in
the quality he professed.'

" On the 23d of April, this paragraph appeared —
'' ' The Shaksperiana, w^hich have been so luckily
discovered, are now considered as genuine by all but
those who illiberally refuse to be convinced by inspec-
tion.^ ''

In pages 44 and 45, in order to expose
the wonderful change so speedily effected
in Mr. Boaden's opinions, Mr. AVy*tt con-
trasts his sentiments on the papers of the
two different periods named in the title.

'* Letter to Anna Hatherwar/e.
" Oracle. " James Boaden, esq.

" This letter is * distin- '' ' This letter must, if
guished for the utmost de- genuine, have been writ-
lieacy of passion and poe- ten at sixteen years of age.
tical spirit.' The expressions have no-

thing of the character of

981

" L€tter to Lor
** Oracle.
" 'A discovery relative
to lord Southampton, re-
flecting immortal honour
on the bounty of the one
and the modesty of the
other. The conviction pro-
duced upon our mind is
such as to make all scep-
ticism ridiculous.'

our prose in that period of
our literature. The verses
(that follow in Mr. Ire-
land's publication) are wor-
thy of no other notice than
that they are metrically
smooth.' Page 40 of a
Letter to G. Steevens, esq.

d Southa?npton,

** James Boaden, esq,
" ' The judicious critic
at once perceives the mo-
dern colouring of diction
and flow of language.*
Paoje 42."

The Profession of Faith,

** Oracle.
" 'A profession of his
religious faith, rationally
pious and grandly express-
ed.'

'' James Boaden, esq.
" ' Nothing but the pu-
erile quaintness and idio-
matic poverty of a metho-
dist rhapsody ! Exquisite
nonsense ! Execrable jar-
gon ! ' Pp. 42, 43, 44."

Of Mr. Wy^tt's pamphlet I shall only
further add, that it was at the time deemed

282

a very spirited defence^, and proved highly
gratifying to every advocate for the vali-
dity of the Shaksperian manuscripts.

MR.W*BB»S PAMPHLET.

One of the most strenuous and able ad-
vocates of the Shaksperian production, w as
Mr. W*bb, w^ho, under the assumed ap-
pellation of " Philalethes/* gave a pam-
phlet to the world vi^ith the title " Shak-
speare's Manuscripts, in the Possession of
Mr. Ireland, examined, respecting the in»-
ternal and external Evidences of their
Authenticity," &c.

Speaking of the books with Shaksperian

notes, Mr. W*bb, in pages 20 and 21,

gives the ensuing paragraph. —

" He is thus surrounded with a host of witnesses :
for not only every book, but almost every page of some
of them, declare to whom they belonged. I therefore
think I see this immortal poet rise again to life, holding
these sacred relics in one hand, and hear him say. These
were mine : at the same time pointing with the other to
these important volumes, once his own, informing us,
that these were his delightful companions in his leisure
hours of retirement and study r by conversing with

283

whom he derived pleasure, profit, and delight: who
letting fall their sparks upon his enkindling mind, light-
ed up that muse of fire, by which inspired,

' This Poet*s eye in a fine phrensy rolling,
Did glance from heav'n to earth, from earth to heav'n.* "

111 pages 23, 24, and 25, Mr. W*bb is
pleased to say that transcendent beauties
of metaphor and expression frequently oc-
cur in the manuscripts, and lavishes en-
comiums on the style prevailing through-
out. The numerous productions, he says,

" are all brought into unity by the exalted ge-
nius and boundless imagination of him to whom they
relate. They grow out of, belong to, are his appro-
priates: he gathers all to himself. They are sacred
FASCES bound together in indissoluble union by the au-
thoritative hand of Shakspeare himself; to which we
must all, sooner or later, yield ready assent, or reluctant
obedience.''

" In some cases, it is true, an author, as well as other
men, might be imitated, both in his manner and style,
as well as in the signature of his name. But that is not
the case in the present instance. All great and eminent
geniuses have their characteristic peculiarities, which
not only distinguish them from all others, but make them
what they are. These none can rival, none successfully
imitate. Of all men and poets, Shakspeare had the most
of these. He was a particular being, he stood alone.

284

To imitate him, so as to pass the deceit on the worl3,
appears to me next to an impossibility. Who could
soar with his sublime genius ? Who rove with his bound-
less imagination ? Who could rival his pregnant wit ?
Who with intuitive inspection discover the workings of
the human mind, and by the natural evolutions of the
passions interest us so deeply, as this matchless poet ?
Now these papers in question bear on them the same
strong marks of his original genius, as those with which
his acknowledged writings are deeply impressed. Is it
then an unfair inquiry to ask, if these are not Shak-
speare's, to whom do they belong ? To whom else are
they to be ascribed ? Was ever another cast in his
mould ? Or can any other be paralleled with him ? '^

" For my own part, I must confess, that, if such evi-
dences of character had appeared unsupported by any
Other, I should have pronounced upon them at once ;
and have said, that as there never was but one man
who could have produced such works, that he, and he
only, has produced them. The peculiarity, nature, and
fore© of this proof, and its fair application to the case in
question, is of such weight with me, that I am free to de-
clare, that had not Shakspeare's name appeared upon
these papers, I should not havef hesitated to have ascrib-
ed them to him.

" But these papers bear not only the signature of his
hand, but also the stamp of his soul, and the traits of his
genius. His ininxi is as manifest as his hand. The
touches of the same great master every-where appear,
and appear to advantage, as they have not been cor-
rected or chastised by a bold or unskilful hand. Here
they are with all their excellencies and all their imper-

285

fections on their head : and by, as well as with, these
they are to be judged."

In support of the authenticity of the pa-
pers, Mf. W*bb, in page 33y states the fol-
lowing fact : —

" I beg leave to mention one particular instance,
among many others, of a learned dignified divine, whom,
with two others, I introduced myself to peruse these pa-
pers; who signified his approbation and conviction in
the following strong expressions : ' Dr. Farmer has
proved, as nearly to mathematical demonstration as the
nature of the thing will allow, that Shakspeare was not
possessed of classical learning. The papers we have in-
spected this day come as near to the same sort of proof,
respecting their authenticity, as the nature of such evi-
dence can admit.' In which declaration he was sup-
ported by the ready assent of two other reverend and
learned gentlemen, by whom we were accompanied."

I trust I shall not be accused of inordi-
nate fondness of self-praise for making the
above extracts. So much has been said
and .written in reprobation of the style of
my productions by soi-disant critics, that I
hold it but an act of self-justice to give the
world the opposite sentiments of at least
one man of wit, learning, and sense, who
wrote uninfluenced by any other consi-

286

deration than regard for truth— though I
am as free to confess as my contemners,
that his enthusiastic regard for every thing
relating to bur immortal Shakspeare (which
for once overcame his better judgement)
has led him to pour forth praises as much
above my humble deserts as his own worth
is superior to any thing I could say in
grateful commendation of it.

MR. WALDRON.

This gentleman of the sock^ having put
on the consideration-cap of my lord Bur-
leigh in the Critic, threw down his gaunt-
let, and boldly entered the lists with his
brother commentators against the genuine-
ness of my manuscripts. The pamphlet
which this gentleman issued was entitled
'^ Free Reflections on miscellaneous Pa-
pers and legal Instruments, under the
Hand and Seal of William Shakspeare, in
the Possession of Samuel Ireland, of Nor-
folk Street,'*&c. This publication was
made the vehicle of a play called " The
Virgin Queen,'' intended as a continuation

287

of Shakspeare's Tempest, from the phren-
sied brain of Mr. Waldron.

As this gentleman's production, how-
ever, is for argument unworthy of a name
when compared with the colossal Inquiry
of Mr. Malone, I shall leave Mr. Waldron
and his Virgin dueen for his more re-
doubted friend,

" The hect'ring kill-cow Hercules."
MR. MALONE'S INQUIRY.

Having, in the progress of the foregoing
pages, very frequently adverted to the
above elaborate work, produced for the
purpose of overturning the whole Shak-
sperian fabric, I shall in the present in-
stance content myself with a very few
words upon the subject; as the able cri-
ticisms of Mr. George Chalmers have so
fully substantiated the futility of Mr.
Malone's judgement upon every topic, his
flimsy pretensions as an antiquary, and his
absolute want of acquaintance with the
language of the very period of Shakspeare,

288

on which he has pretended to comment with
so much ostentation.

From the perusal of Mr. Malone's In-
quiry, it must appear evident to the mean-
est capacity that the commentator never
•dreamed of an opponent, although he ven-
tured to peep into the court of Apollo
during his drowsy fit : for after his con-
clusions are drawn upon each topic of dis-
cussion, his pages are so conceitedly in-
terlarded with " Let us no longer hear of
this" — " I trust we shall hear no more of
that," and an hundred et-cetera of the
same nature, that it should appear as
if Mr. Malone's fiat were irrevocable ;
whereas, from the perusal of Mr. Chal-
mers's Apology and Supplement, the facts
in them exhibited and the just conclusions
drawn, it is obvious that Malone was not
only dreaming of Parnassus, but absolutely
in a doze from the beginning to the termi-
nation of his boasted Inquiry. O could
the mighty Shakspeare look down from '
above upon this commentator, then might

289

the bard have recourse to his own words ,

and exclaim

'' Oh but man, proud man,

Brest in a little brief authority.

Most ignorant of what he's most assur'd,

like an angry ape.

Plays such fantastic tricks before high Heav'a
As make the angels weep."

Or rather, as Mr. Malone has kindly un-
dertaken, in his celebrated dream at the
termination of his Inquirj^, to destroy (in
company with Messrs. Farmer, Steevens,
and Tyrwhitt) every vestige of the Shak-
sperian fabrication, T shall, by the laws of
retaliation, pass sentence upon the com-
mentaries and Inquiry of tliis renowned
critic; having recourse to his own pretty
jeu d' esprit on the occasion,

A PROSAIC DREAM POETISED.

Employ M on Shakspeare's theme divine.
The page all notes, save one poor line *,

* Numerous instances of this kind are to be found in
the last edition of Mr. Malone's Shakspeare, where the
unfortunate reader, in perusing one noble speech of our
Shakspeare, is under the painful necessity of turning
over a dozen pages, on account of the inexplicable

O

290

Comments with erudition deep
I conn'd, and so fell fast asleep ;
When, lo ! after such drowsy reading,
Methought I turn'd my mind to pleading
Our Shakspeare's cause, and tried the votes
Cthe Muses nine 'gainst Irish notes.

' Now Sol being there (Parnassus' master.
Great songster, and a poetaster),
With his attendant dames to boot,
ExclaimM, *' I here arrest the suit,
" Until this new opinion heard is ;
" For rashly judging most absurd is."
Around m' inquiring eye was turned ;
When, lol our Shakspeare I discerned;
Though not. Til tell thee, friend, because
A picture once of duke Chandos *
His semblance bore : 'twas, you must know,
He's like t'his print i'the old folio;
Than which no duke of high degree.
Or Irish critic having three,

trash foisted in by commentators to perplex the sense of
the poet and sivell out a neiu edition,

* I have on a former occasion alluded to the subject
of this and the ensuing four lines; but as the exposition
of such a conceited farrago of nonsense cannot be pre-
judicial, and may perhaps tend to physic the commen-
tator's egotism, I have here thought fit to give him a
second hint, in order that when the cacoethes scrihendi
again seizes him he may pay less homage to himself
and be more attentive to the dictates of con^non sense* v

291

Can boast a semblance half so true.-

Now to't again, and let's pursue
The vision. — Though I found at bowls*
No Spenser, Suckling, or such souls ;
No Hales; or, on a barrel's back.
Old surly Jonson, sad for sack :
. No; all I saw was Ritson ready,
And Chalmers " cap-a-pee** and steady.
With whose opinions mine proceeding,
Apollo straight the counsel heeding,
Exclaim'd, "My judgement in this case is, —
" An Irish comment such disgrace is,
" That, to appease the wrath o'the nation,
" There should be made one conflagration
" Of each grand copy, so misleading
" The reader from his author's reading:
" That Chalmers should each dear edition
" Consign, with Ritson, to perdition
** In blazing flame: that then full scope
" To Butler, Dryden, Swift, and Pope,

* It is infinitely to be wondered at, that an indivi-
dual like Mr. Malone, who must have so frequently per-
used the divine eflusions of our bard, should have reaped
no more advantage from his flights of fancy than to make
a set of poets occupied on Parnassus at a game of bowls.
We shall not be surprised if, on -some future occasion,
the same commentator, in a somniferous mood, should
introduce Homer, Ilesiod, Pindar, Sec, engaged in a
game at ring-taw or facetiously amusing themselves at
blindmari's huff! \

o 2

292

" Be instant giv'n, in song or satire,

" Or epigram, that may bespatter

" This Irish critic, form'd of vapour:

*' Which being done, each morning paper

^' Should publish same; that so, his life long,

" His fame be blazonM in some droll song;

*' Whence ev'ry man of taste will straight know

" His name, as birds a tatter'd scarecrow/'

This sentence, mild and just throughout.
Was hail*d with loud poetic shout
Of bards Parnassian ; which awoke me.
And from old Morpheus* bondage broke me.
So farewell all ! may Sol befriend us.
And from all Irish notes defend us !

THE PARNASSIAN VISIT.

The following verses are addressed to
Mr. J. T. M*tth**s, who entered the lists
against the manuscripts, and particularly
levelled his wretched attempt at satire
against G.Ch*lm*rs, esq.; who, at the end
of his Supplemental Apology for the Be-
lievers, has addressed a postscript to Mr,
M*tth**s, proving him deficient in every
requisite that should constitute the poet.
In the Pursuits of Literature the filthy

293

venom of the author is indiscriminately
poured forth; and it should seem^ indeed,
that

" Existence is for him bereft of charms.
When he longer sets the world at arms :
Hated, as hating, and at endless strife.
Such are the joys that bind him to this life.'*

It must be confessed, that the " leaden
mace- of Mr. Ch*lm*rs has broken the
spear of malignity and ignorance, by prov-
ing.

-" with little pains>

That heads, when open'd, may be void of brains.*'

LINES TO MR. J. T. M*TTH**S.

Poor Matty's lame nag

Had a horrible fag.
When his master upon him did ride-a:

Such a jockey before

Ne'er appeared. Til be swore,
Tq amble near Helicon's side-a.

Sure no verse-making wight.
With an ink-horn bedight.

And quill, ever made such bravado:

You'd have sworn, by his look.
That the grave was forsook

By Don Quixotte, to fight an armada,

03

294

All the Muses ran straight

To behold his strange gait i
They ran to examine the knight-a :

But mark, great and small.

What mischance did befal.
When they questioned him as to his right-a.

With one voice cried the Nine,

" What production divine
** Should warrant this trot to our mountain ?

" Let us know what's thy forte :

" Pr*ythee show thy passport,
" To ensure thee a draught from this fountain.

To these words Matty said

" Sure, mesdamesj ye have read
" Of my works, for of that I can't doubt-a :

" I made poor authors stare ;

*' For such rancour was there
'• That my venom has made a fine rout-a.

" My dark soul, I am sure,

'' Would far easier endure
'^ A dip in Melpomene's chalice,

" Than a poem quite new

" Should have met public view
" And not have been damn'd by my malice.

*' In malignity's guise

*' Have I dazzled men's eyes:
" With Greek all the town has been treated^ '

" So, pufF'd up with my pride,

^ I determined to ride,
" And soon was on Pegasus seated*

295

" But the steed in a crack

" Threw me plump from his back :

*' In vain I loud ranted and swore-a :
" When, in cursed despight,
" Ch*lm*rs drubbed me outright,

" And provM Td no poetic lore-a.

" From my fears somewhat freed,
" I've lookM round for my steed,

" But no Pegasus find on the grass-a;
" But behold in his stead,
" With lank ears on its head,

*' My palfrey this loud braying ass-a.

'* So unfold, I entreat,

" The true cause of this cheat.*' —
Cried the Nine, " You shall instantly know it :

'' When dry Learning's the Muse,

" You should think it no news
^' That a jack-ass should carry the poet."

LINES TO MR. J. T. M*TTH**S PROVED CONSONANT
WITH JU^ICE.

That the reader may not conceive me
over-splenetic in the foregoing lines, I
beg leave to refer him to Mr. Chalmerses
Supplemental Apology, wherein he has
proved, by incontestible evidence, the up-
start pretensions of the author of the Pur-
suits of Literature; who for a short period
04

2g6

dazzled the public with Greek quotation.^
which were not comprehensible to the ge-
nerality of the world, and thus became a
species of dictator in literature. To direct
my readers to the proofs adduced by Mr.
Chalmers (which, by the way, should be
graven in golden characters, and reared on
high to undeceive the misguided public), I
here acquaint them, that at page 495 of the
Supplemental Apology for the Believers
commences a postscript addressed to "T.
J. M*tth**s, F.R.S., S.S.A., the author of
the Pursuits of Literature ; " wherein Mr.
Chalmers attacks and confounds him under
the following heads :

" 1. Proofs of your being the author of the Pursuits of

Literature.
" 2. Proofs of your impertinence.
" 3. Proofs of your malignity.
" 4. Proofs of your jacobinism.
" 5. Proofs of your ignorance.
^* 6. Proofs of your nonsense.
*^ 7. Proofs of your inability to write poetry.
^' 8. Proofs that you cannot write at all,**

After the establishment of the forego-

297

iiig positions by Mr. Chalmers, which are
proved from the subject-matter of the very
popular work entitled Pursuits of Litera-
ture, what has its author to state? nay,
what has he to do,

" But, like the wounded viper, wreathe in death.
And 'mid Cimmerian darkness yield his breath ? "

LETTER TO GEORGE CHALMERS, ESa, F.R.S., S. S. A.

Sir,

As some years have transpired since I had the
honour of seeing and conversing with you at Mr.
S. Ireland's house in Norfolk Street, at a time
when my since-proved unfortunate production of
the Shaksperian papers excited universal regard and
gained me general attention, it is more than pro-
bable that I may have fallen totally from your re-
collection. But you, sir, have not sunk from
mine. The profundity of your learning, the acute-
ness of your judgement, and the affability of your
manners, can never be forgotten by me. Pardon,
therefore, my obtruding myself thus publicly on
your notice. There are few whose good opinion I
am now highly solicitous to obtain ; for long sub-
jection to the unjustly severe censure of the world
has rendered me to a great degree careless of its
smiles. Yet, sir, there are a few whose favourable
regard would still be pleasing to me : I wpuld stiU
0 5

298

feel gratification on the assurance of being restored
to the place I formerly held in the estimation of
those whom I unintentionally offended^ — the gen-
tlemen who yielded credence to the genuineness of
the Shaksperian papers. Allow me^ therefore, to
make to you, sir, whom I hold the chief of these,
the only amend I now can, — the expression of my
hearty contrition, and the solemn assurance (for
the truth of which I refer to the numerous proofs
adduced in the present work) that I was not im-
pelled to the commission of that which has caused
me so much sorrow by any mean or criminal mo-
tive. It was at first to me the innocent exercise
of a leisure hour in boyhood, to please an indul-
gent parent and gratify a blameless vanity. The
after dissemination, contrary to my desire, of those
things which I had given in confidence, alone
transformed the act from innocence to criminality.
But I will cease to tire your patience by repeating
what is scattered everywhere throughout the book
at present before you.

Before I take my leave, however, pennit me to
remind you of the wise old saying, that *^ out of
evil frequently ariseth good,*' and to adduce one
proof more of its truth. Had my fabrication
never existed, Mr. Malone would never have ob-
truded himself on the public as the publisher of an
Inquiry, and thus for once done good, by arousing
you, sir, to evince the result of your superior
sagacity and research, to the utter confusion in-
deed of Mr. Malone both as a critic and an anti-

299

quary, but to the enlightening of the world, whom
you have instructed in Shaksperian criticism, and
taught when to receive and when reject the prof-
fered emendations of the many commentators on
our immortal dramatist. The speciously-learned
author of the Pursuits of Literature, too, but for
the same cause would probably not have emitted
his rancorous venom at you, sir; and thus he,
likewise, might have escaped exposure. Your
complete overthrow of this pedantic gentleman
is a benefit for which the literary world owes you
many thanks : it will be placed next in rank to
the confutation of the commentating Mr. Malone.
The ill-raised fame of the Pursuits of Literature
you have shaken to its sandy foundation : of the
remembrance of that patch- work fabric

" not a rack is left behind.'*

To have been in any way the means of such
good, almost compensates me for the injuries I
have suffered, and should atone for many of my
errors. Accept, I beg of you, sir, my hearty
thanks for the pleasure, the knowledge, and im-
provement I have received from your works ; and,
if you can, forget, or tenderly judge, mine. In
the ardent hope that I may yet not be deemed
altogether unworthy your regard, I take the liberty
of subscribing myself

Your most obedient
= And very humble servant,

* , 1805. \V. H. IRELAND.

500

6ENERAL APOLOGY FOU THE PRODUCTION OF THE
SHAKSPERIAN MANUSCRIPTS.

I have been thus particular in every
statement concerning my production of
the papers, in order that it may be per-
fectly understood I did not act upon any
premeditated plan of deception, but was as
it were unwittingly led into the error; and
when a man has yielded to falsehood in a
single act, I believe it will invariably be
found that he seeks a veil from detection in
a continuation of the same impropriety.
Whatever has been my fault, my judges
unquestionably have not been lenient, nor
did they justly weigh the motive and in-
ducement before they decided on the act.
It is full time the matter were placed in a
just light ; it is time I should cease to
endure the blighting censure of Malignity
rather than the mild and convincing re-
proof of Truth.

If we descend to the lowest court of
judicature in this country, I believe it will
appear that crimes are appreciated ac-
cording to circumstances s that one man

301

guilty of murder suffers the judgement of
the law in the forfeiture of his life, while
another, who has equally bereaved a fellow-
being of existence, is permitted to re-enter
society upon the payment of a shilling.
Upon these premises I shall ground my
defence; and, under the following heads,
endeavour to place my offence in that point
of view in which every man would wish his
own conduct to be regarded. —

1st, I did not intend injury to any one.
2dly, I really injured no one.
3dly, I did not produce the papers from

any pecuniary motives.
4thly, I was by no means benefited by the

papers.
5thly, The gentlemen who came to inspect
the papers have themselves alone
to blame for the variety of pro^
ductions which came forth after
the fictitious deed between Shak-r
peare and Fraser.
Clhly, Being scarcely seventeen years and
a half old, my boyhood should
have in some measure screened

302

ine from the malice of my perse-
cutors.
Tthly, The reason why I have been so
persecuted.

First, I did not intend injury ta any one.
In the course of the preceeding pages
(under the head of the " Deed between
William Shakspeare and Michael Fraser ")
I have given a full statement of the fact that
urged me to the production of that instru-
ment, which was no other than a fervent
desire I had to afford satisfaction to Mr.
Samuel Ireland. I had then no idea of
producing any other document : as a con-
vincing proof of which, nearly three weeks
elapsed ere I gave into Mr. Ireland's hand^
the profession of faith. Had I followed
any premeditated plan, I should have taken
special care to have had a sufficient quan-
tity of the manuscripts ready for delivery;
whereas every paper given was composed
upon the spur of the moment. — I will
grant that vanity had a share in the busi-
ness; but had no fuel been heaped upon

/

303

the fire, the short-lived flame would have
died away : and even so must it at any
time have proved with my poor attempt
to imitate the style of the most sublime
genius that has ever graced this or any
other country, had not the encomiums
lavished on my productions constantly hur-
ried me on in the track of literary false-
hood.

How then stands the account ? I began
the fabrication in the belief that by an in-
nocent delusion I could please one whom
I was anxious to gratify, and the persua-
sion (which I believe will be allowed not
unnatural to a youth) that, if the deception
were even exposed, the boldness of the at-
tempt would have gained me praise for my
ingenuity rather than censure for my de-
ceit.— May it not therefore be concluded
that I was not instigated by a desire to
injure any one F

Secondly, I really injured no. one.

Under this head I must first state that the
manuscripts were produced as the hand-
writing of Shakspeare. Now even if we

304

for a moment grant that the penmanship
had deceived, yet there is still an im^
portant question to be decided: — was the
language competent to deceive the public ?
I answer unhesitatingly that it was not:
consequently credence should not have
been yielded by the believers so lightly, on
the mere external appearance of the papers:
they should have maturely considered the
internal evidence; and then, as the spurious
composition must have exposed itself, they
would not have been deceived, and of con-
sequence their mental faculties would not
have been imposed upon.

I will lay no stress upon tiie story deli-
vered by me to Mr. Ireland, and the con-
cealment of the supposed gentleman; I
will not speak of the redundancy of letters
to be found in the spelling, which has em-
ployed the erudite pens of Messrs. Malone,
Waldron, Boaden, &c., &c. : but I will
bring a stronger fact to bear me out; for it
is stated in the Inquiry, published by Mr.
Malone, that the forgery was palpable to
the meanest capacity, and that the flimsy

305

contrivance was to be seen through at the
first glance. If so, I can have done no
injury to any living creature; for that
which in itself was not capable of deceiv-
ing any one, cannot perhaps, strictly speak-
ing, be deemed a forgery: neither was it
any injury to the reputation of Shakspeare
as a poet. Now the former believers in
the manuscripts being perfectly satisfied in
their own minds, until Mr. Malone chose
to inform them that they knew nothing
about the matter, I do aver that it is at the
said Mr. Malone they should level their
shafts; as I could not have injured them ;
having, according to Mr. Malone, com-
initted no forgery.

Thus then I reason : Those who inspect-
ed the papers, with very few exceptions,
were delighted on viewing them; conse-
quently they received no injury. As to
the individuals who did not think fit to
view them, they can certainly have no
cause for complaint, as their wits were not
hoodwinked by the deception ; which was,
in fact, the only injury to be sustained.

306

Thirdly, I did not produce the papers from
any pecuniary motives,

' As extravagance or cupidity are the
usual incentives to the acquirement of
wealth, and as gold is the mighty touch-
stone of consciences in the present day, I
shall content myself, in the first instance,
M^ith proving that I was then neither extra-
vagant nor avaricious.- — Every necessary
that was requisite to existence was pro-
cured me by Mr. Ireland; and, as far as he
deemed it requisite, I was encouraged in
my pursuit after old books, &c. ; as he
would frequently state his satisfaction on
witnessing my expenditure of money in
those pursuits, rather than in the frequent-
ing of company. Green in years, I expe-
rienced no incitements to dissoluteness ;
and the hours allotted for my attendance
at chambers (being from ten till three,
and from five till eight) left me, indeed,
little time for any plans of pleasure; in
addition to which, I was sufficiently en-
gaged in the execution of the manuscripts.

307

Thus far on the score of extravagance.
With regard to cupidity : if such had been
my motive, why did I not exact from Mr.
S. Ireland certain stipulations ? why did I
not, on the production of the first docu-
ments, accept the offer of some of his
valuable books, for I was a lover of such
property? why was I contented with the
sum of ninety pounds for the Vortigern,
when four hundred and three had been ac-
tually received for my sole benefit? and,
lastly, why did I give every thing to Mr.
Ireland, without any reservation to myself,
when I constantly heard it affirmed that
the papers, if published, would prove a
source of incalculable benefit ? On the con-
trary, as before stated*, I was ever averse
to the publication of the manuscripts; be-
ing fully aware that such was the only step
which would throw a degree of infamy on
the business, as the receipt of money would
stamp it a pecuniary transaction.

After these home facts, I trust it must be

* Vide the account under the head " Publication of
the Miscellaneous Papers,"

308

candidly confessed on all hands, That I did
not produce the papers from any pecuniary
7notivesy

Fourthly, / zvas not benefited by the
papers.

In addition to the facts stated under the
preceding head, respecting what apper-
tains to pecuniary considerations, I must
further allege, that, when the manuscripts
were disbelieved, and that the most pointed
aspersions were thrown out against Mr.
Ireland's character, I had to encounter all
the opprobrium which he and his friends
chose to lavish upon me because I would
not, because I could not, give the nam^
of an original donor of the manuscripts.
It was ia vain I argued that I was bound
on oath to preserve the secret inviolable,
and recalled to Mr. Ireland's recollection
the terms on which he willingly undertook
to publish the papers: every representa-
tion proved ineffectual : his character, he
affirmed, was called in question ; it was in
my power to extricate him, and I refused

309

to do so. Wearied at length with the per-
secutions I endured, I took the resolution
of quitting Mr. S. Ireland's house ; which
event took place ere I had attained my
twentieth year : since which period I have
had to struggle against every opposition,
and Avithout the assistance of a single shil-
ling from my family. By this step I of
course violated my indenture with the so-
licitor to whom I was articled : and it was
indeed stated to me, by the late Albany
Wallis, esq., of Norfolk Street, that I
should never make any progress in the
law, as all persons w^ould imagine that I
might forge deeds at pleasure, and would
consequently be fearful of intrusting papers
to my care. Besides these circumstances,
a train of events were consequent on my
quitting Mr. Ireland's mansion which have
ever proved to me a source of the most
painful contemplation. — Let me now ask,
JFhat is the benefit I have received /toiti the
papers ? The answer I shall leave to the
breast of candour, and proceed to the fol-
lowing head.

310

Fifthly, The gentlemen who came to in-
spect the papers^ have themselves to blame
for the variety of productions which came
forth after the fictitious deed betzveen Shak-
speare and Fraser.

In treating of a variety of the papers
produced, I have, in the preceding pages,
fully demonstrated that the conversation
and questions of persons well stored with
anecdotes of the period of Elizabeth and
James frequently gave the hint of subjects
for my after employment. Here, there-
fore, I need say little on the topic: but,
as in some sort connected with it, I shall
note another instance of Mr. Malone's
gross misconception and disgustingly os-
tentatious egotism ; not to prove Mr. Ma-
lone's incapacity as a general critic — this
Mr. Chalmers has already done most com-
pletely— but because his error at this time
is on a point to which it is impossible that
any person except myself can epeak with
positiveness.

In Mr. Malone's elaborate Inquiry he

SIX

has named certain works which the forger
of the papers, he states, 77121st have had re-
course to; and in page 117, speaking of
the spelling of Shakspeare's name to the
receipt for playing before lord Leicester,
he t;e7'3/ modesilyy and with sxveet apologetic
compunction, says, " Mr. Steevens AND MY-
SELF have most innocently led the fabricator
of all these novelties into a lamentable
error ! '' &c* Now it happens, very unfor-
tunately for Mr. Malone, that most of the
books which he states to have been per-
used by the forger were unknown to me,
save by name, and many not even thus.
And with respect to Mr. Steevens and
himself, I must beg leave to acquaint the
commentator that I have in general found
his notes so contemptible, and (after Mr.
Chalmers's Apology for the Believers and
Mr. Ritson's Inquiry into his capability as
an annotator) his research to be so very
dubious, that I rather perfer reading the
works of our immortal bard without his
farrago of idle doubts and probabilities?,

312

than lose the author's sense while ratnblins
in the annotator's wilderness of nonsense.
Perhaps, indeed, if I had consulted the
notes in question, and produced every-
thing coincident with the conjectures
therein contained, the papers might have
stood some chance of praise from the
commentator: at least the forger might,
for the attention he had then evidently
paid to " MY last edition of Shakspeare's
works y

Having thus added another proof to the
enormous bulk already extant of the inca-
pacity of Mr. Malone as a commentator,
I shall dismiss the subject bj^ repeating
the assertion made at the beginning of
this article, that not infrequently I was
incited to the production of papers by the
casual information obtained from the con-
versation and queries of those persons in-
specting the manuscripts who were conver-
sant with the history of Shakspeare's age.

Sixthly, Being scareelj/ seventeen years

313

and a half old, my boyhood should have in
some measure screened me from the malice
of my persecutors.

In the introduction to these several
heads of vindication I have asserted (what
is, indeed, universally allowed) that when
the atrocity or merit of a deed is to be de-
cided upon, it is not enough to take the
act itself into consideration : all its atten-
dant circumstances (if I may be allowed
so to speak) should likewise well be weigh-
ed. In the foregoing pages I have endea-
voured clearly to inform the reader of the
steps which progressively led me to the
commission of that which has brought on
me such heavy censure. I have done so
for the purpose of proving that I was at
no time impelled by a criminal motive:
I trust I have effected this, and that from
the candid mind at least the weighty part
of my offence will by this statement be
wiped away.

Mr. Ritson has stated, with his usual
acrimony, that every literary impostor de-
serves hanging as much as a Common fe-
P

314

Ion> I do not, however, remember his spe-
cifying the age and intention of the fabri-
cator. Had he been conversant with the
process of my fabrication, he would per-
haps have mitigated the punishment to
transportation. However, should literary
imposture be rendered cognisable to a cri-
minal court of judicature, I fear many of
our commentators would tremble for their
own necks, and particularly if the law, as
no doubt it would, should have regard to
the offence of distorting the meaning of
an author, or imposing on the world the
fanciful suppositions of the commentator
for the original language of the writer.
With respect to Mr. Malone, he certainly
was unacquainted with the person who fa-
bricated the manuscripts on the publication
of his Inquiry: he consequently was justifia-
ble in conceiving the whole to be the pro-
duction of some individuals of mature age
for the express purpose of gain. His intro-
duction, therefore, of the name oi Lauder Sy
who was a man of science, and no boy, as
well as of that of P Salmanazar^ was per-r

315

fectly consistent. I cannot, however, dis-
cover any coincidence between my pa-
pers and poor dame Theodosia Ivy's deed,
who expressly forged an instrument in
order to establish her right to property
which did not belong to her. I cannot ex-
pect mercy from Mr. Malone ; but I scarce-
ly think that he would have troubled him-
self to make the researches contained in his
Inquiry into my papers, had he known
them to be the production of a boy of
seventeen years of age. As I do not,
however, intend to leave my case to the
mercy of Mr. Malone, I candidly submit
to a generous public, whether my age,
and the causes leading to my fabrica-
tion of the papers, should not be taken
into consideration, and whether I may not
be acquitted of every thing except boyish
folly.

I beg leave to state, that such was the
light in which it was regarded by Albany
Wallis, esq., who stated it as his decided
opinion that Mr. Malone and the public
ought rather to pass the business over as a
P 2

316

boyish frolic (such was his expression), than
continually heap odium upon me as a
daring and bold impostor.

Seventhly, The reason ivhy I have been
so persecuted.

Under this head I may perhaps give
offence to some individuals whose good
opinion I would fain deserve : at any rate
I shall duly appreciate the liberality of the
literary world by simply stating that the
very points to be adduced in extenuation
of my fault, are the very reasons which
operate in their minds to vilify and up-
braid me. I was a boy — consequently they
were deceived by a boy; and the imposi-
tion practised on their intellectual faculties
was therefore the more galling. On the con-
trary, had the papers been the production
of a man of known science and learning,
they then would have pardoned the abuse,
because he would have been more on a
level with themselves : and although they
would have regarded him as a dangerous
forger, they would have granted that he

317

was a very clever man: whereas I have not
(Wily been vilified by the lovers of Greek
and Latin as a bold fabricator, but even the
smallest portion of praise, as to the lan-
guage of the papers, has been scrupulously
withheld ; and that for no other reason
than because I was a boy.

P3

INDEX.

Page.

Academy, Mr. Harvest's, and infancy 1

Acrostic on Geoffrey Chaucer 9

on Chatterton 12

on king Richard the Second 200

on queen Elizabeth , 207

on Mary queen of Scots 207

on sir Philip Sidney 207

on Henry prince of Wales 208

on Dudley earl of Warwick 208

on sir Robert Dudley 209

on lord Southampton 209

on earl Rivers 210

on Shakspeare 211

on maister William-Henry Irelaunde 211

Acrostics 206

Admission ticket 182

Advice of Mr. Wallis, and his determination 247

Affidavit drawn out by A. Wallis, esq 256

, Mr. Talbot's required 258

Agreement between Shakspeare and Lowin 103

and Condell 104-

Agreement for the play of Vortigern 139

Alterations made in the drawing 109

Answer to further doubts 65

of lord Southampton 79

Anxiety on Mr. Ireland's account 255

p4

INDEX.

Page.

Apathy , 159

Apollo and Malone 189

Apology, general one for the production of the

Shaksperian manuscripts , 300

Application for purchase of Shakspeare's birth-place 26
Appointment of Mr. Wallis to become the deposi-
tory of my secret ,.,.,.. 245

Arms of Shakspeare and Ireland delineated ,. 230

, junction of ...... 231

Articles entered into with Mr. Bingley of New Inn 5

Avon, Mr. S. Ireland's Warwickshire 18

Aurora * 214<

Autographs, more, of John Heminges »... 93

Bassanio and Shylock the Jew 1 10

Beauty, lines on 212

Beauty's value 213

Ben Jonson ••• 193

Berkshire, Mr. Ireland's return from 253

Biographia Dramatica 175

Black-letter Bible and Chatterton 12

Bloody bishop Bonner 205

Boaden, Mr., his letter to George Steevens, esq. ... 273

his pamphlet answered 276

Bold expedient : 89

Bookseller and Chatterton 17

Boswell, Mr. James 95

Broken seal 106

cemented 107

Butler's parallel of Shakspeare and Jonson 215

Carion's Chronicles ,#^ ■** 195

INDEX.

Page.

Carlton House, Mr. Ireland's departure from 226

Catholic, Shakspeare a , 57

Cementing a broken seal 107

Certificate subscribed by staunch believers of the

manuscripts •• 114

Chandos picture, the • 190

Chalmers, George, esq., letter to ••.••• 297

on Heminges' signature... 94-

Chapel in a garret 29

Charge adduced against A. Wallis, esq. 269

, refuted ... 270

Charnel-house, the 22

Chatterton, acrostic on •#•••• 12

and the black-letter Bible 12

and the bookseller 17

Chaucer, Geo0rey • 9

, acrostic on • 9

Chivalry, love of 8

Christian names William-Henry 229

Churchyard's Worthi ness of Wales 195

Clarence, his royal highness the duke of 222

Clopton House 27

C*l*y, Mr 225

Collet, Mr., and Edward the Fourth 84

Commentator, the, commented upon •• 191

Committee, the 239

, second meeting of 240

Composition, unstudied 58

Concealment of the supposed donor's name 65

Conclusions drawn from the alterations in Lear ... 118
Confession of the fact to Mr. Ireland by letter ... 259

made to A. Wallis, esq 246

P5

INDEX.

Page.

Consequences of the tour ....* 45

Conundrum, the witty 72

, disquisitions on 73

Copy of my letter to his grace of Southampton ... 78

Cowley, maister, letter to 74

his drawing 192

Co vent-Garden theatre, Mr. H*rr*s of 136

Crab tree «•. .•• 34

Damn mg proof »•• *»«••..» 83

Death of F. Powell the pedestrian ...• 36

Deed, presentation of the 50

Deed of gift to William-Henry Irelaunde ....,.,.. 233

quotati<9n from • 234

of trust to John Heminges 236

Delineation of the arms of Shakspeare and Ireland 230

Departure from Norfolk Street 253

Determination to publish a statement of facts 261

Devil, the, and Richard 180

Diguum, Mr 152

Dilemma, the • 41

Dissatisfaction of Mr. Ireland 256

Drs. P^rr and Wh*rt*n on the profession of faith 66

Documents intended to have been produced 251

Doubts in the composition of Vortigern 135

Dramatis person ae of Vortigern 143

Drawing of Shakspeare, lines affixed to 194

, purchase of in Butcher Row 108

alterations made in 109

supposed to be of Bassanio and Shylock 113

Dream, a prosaic one poetised 289

Drury-Lane theatre, overflow of ^,..,,.,,..^., 142

INDEX.

Page.

Duplicate copy of the tract 199

Dudley, sir Robert, acrostic on 209

Edward the Fourth and Mr. Collet 84-

Elizabeth, queen, acrostic upon 207

Epigram on sir Thomas More 204

Epilogue to Voiiigern 150

to Henry the Second 173

Epitaphon Nell Rummin 203

on William More 205

Execution of the traitors, Shaksperian remark on 197

Expedient, a bold one 89

Expedition, remarkable 92

Explanation of a sentence in my second letter to

Mr. Ireland 2G6

Extra payment to maister Lowin 102

Fabrication newly fabricated 91

Fact, confession of to Mr. Ireland by letter 259

Facts, determination to publish a statement of ... 261

Final statement respecting Mr. Talbot 267

Fire at Mr. Warburton's 181

First acquaintance with Mr. Talbot 120

First edition of Shakspeare*s works in folio 202

First idea of the play of Vortigem and Rowena... 132

First impressions Q

First step 46

Fondness for old armour 10

Foreign gentleman and Lavater the physiognomist 272

Forgery, discovery of by Mr. Talbot 122

Formation of seals 48

of letters 60

INDEX.

Page.

Franklin, the late governor , 241

Fraser, Michael, and William Shakspeare 47

Fruitless hunt 46

Further doubts, answer to Qb

Futility of Mr. Malone's statement 112

Gathering of a storm 238

General apology for the production of the Shak-

sperian manuscripts 300

General opinions 61&81

Gentleman, the supposed, searches after 224

list of names made out for 242

Gentleman's Magazine 213

Gentlemen, selection of two 243

Good hit 268

Grant of arms to Ireland 232

Guy Fawkes instead of Guy Johnson 198

Hair, a lock of , . . 82

Handbill, Mr. Malone's 141

Hamlet, quotation from 23

transcript of 119

H^rr^^s, Mr., of Covent-Garden theatre 136

Hasty effusion upon an heraldic subject 231

Hathaway, Anne, love-letter and verses to 81

Heniinges, John, promissory note to 85

his receipt 86

his original signature 86

the tall and short 89

more autographs of 93

Mr. Chalmers on his signature 94

deed of trust to 236

H^nry prince of Wales, acrostic on 208

INDEX.

Page.

Henry II., the play of 166

, quotations from 168

epilogue to 173

publication of 176

quotation from Mr. Ireland's

advertisement to 27 1

Henry 11. and Vortigcrn, printing of the plays of 164-

Hint, a second one 78

His royal highness the prince of Wales 216

Holingshed's Chronicle 201

H*wl*t, Mr., and John Hoskins the painter 111

Hudibras, imitation of 2H

If true, what a conflagration ! 30

Imitation of Hudibras 214

Impromptu 74<

Incitements 55

of vanity 69

Infancy, and Mr. Harvest's academy 1

Inquiry, Mr. Malone's 287

Ireland, Mr. Talbot's return from 1 25

Ireland and Shakspeare's arms delineated 230

, junction of 231

Ireland, grant of arms to 232

Mr. S., his Warwickshire Avon 18

his box H't

quotation from his pref. toVortigern 155

his departure from Carlton House 220

his letter 249

liis return from Berkshire 253

message left by 254*

anxiety on his account 256

index:

Ireland, Mr. S., dissatisfact ion of 25 6

pressing letter from, to Mr. Talbot 257

his incredulity 260

second letter forwarded to 265

sentence in 2d letter to, explained 266

his prejudice 270

quotation from his advertisement

to Henry the Second 271

Irelaunde, maister William-Henry, acrostic upon 211

deed of gift to 233

Jordan, Mrs., her song 146

just tribute of praise to 223

the Stratford poet 19

's manuscript, 3 1-

Jug water-mark 71

Kemble, Mr 156

his conduct disapproved by Mr. S — n 158
Knole, two of Shakspeare's letters discovered at ... 271

Lavater the physiognomist, and foreign gentleman 272

Laundress, the 77

Leake, miss, her song 148

Lear, quarto edition of 116

specimen of alterations made in 117

conclusions drawn from alterations made in 118

Leicester, lord, memorandum for playing before ... 100

Letter, queen Elizabeth's 75

Mr. S. Ireland's 249

a second, forwarded to Mr. S. Ireland 265

quotation from 265

INDEX.

Page.

Letter, Mr. Boaden's, to G. Steevens 273

to George Chalmers, esq. 297

Letters, formation of 60

Library, the Shaksperi an 194

Lines on the flat stone covering Shakspeare's grave 23

on the mind no longer oppressed 165

upon Henry Patenson, sir T. More's jester ... 204

on beauty 212

addressed to the prince of Wales 221

to J. T. M*tth*as 293

proved consonantwith justice 295
List of names made out for the supposed unknown

gentleman 242

Lock of hair , 82

Love and madness 11

of chivalry 8

Love-letter and verses to Anne Hathaway 81

Lowin, maister, extra payment to , 102

Magazine, the Gentleman's 213

Malone, Mr., his statement 112

his hand-bill 141

his wish 191

his Inquiry 287

Manuscripts proved to be my own right 235

Mary, queen of Scots, acrostic on 207

M*tth*as, lines toJ.T 293

Memorandum for playing before lord Leicester ... 100

Message left by Mr. Ireland .^ 251

Miscellaneous papers, publication of the 183

Mixture of the Shaksperian ink 37

Mortgage-deed^ the original , 54

INDEX.

Page.

More, sir Thomas, his jester 203

epigram on 204

William, epitaph on 205

Names of the players in Shakspeare's dramas 1 02

NellRummin 202

, epitaph on 203

New Place 24

Night 215

Norfolk Street, departure from 258

Old paper, purchase of 70

Old tapestry 97

Oliver Cromwell, his relievo 42

Opinion hazarded 43

of his royal highness the prince of Wales 219

Opinions, general ones ««.... 61

on Vortigern 138

Oppositions to the play of Vortigern 152

Original mortgage-deed 54

signature of John Heminges 86

Otridge and White, Messrs., booksellers 200

Overflow of Drury-Lane theatre 142

Painful retrospection » 248

Palmer, Mr. John 162

Pamphlet, mine, rarity of -263

' vindication of 263

Mr. Webb's 282

Paper, a sheet of old 56

Papers, my right to, disputed 228^

P^rr and Wh^rt^n on the profession of faith 66

INDEX.

Page.
Parnassian visit 292

Patenson, Henry, sir T. More*s jester, lines upon 204-

P*ws*n, Mr., on the profession of faith 69

Penmanship, variety in 60

Percy's ballads 10

Persecution, renewal of 24-7

Phillimore, Mr 153

Plans of certain plays deposited in the hands of

A. Wallis, esq 177

Play of Henry the Second 166

Playhouse receipts 99

Powell the pedestrian, h is death .^ 36

Powell, Mrs 161

Precipitate resolution 232

Predilection for old books 7

Prejudice of Mr. S. Ireland 270

Prelude to a proof 129

to the claiming what was my own 229

Presentation of the deed • t# 50

Presentiment 14-9

Prince of Wales, his royal highness the, opinion of 219

lines addressed to 221

Private interview with Mr. Talbot 128

Private theatricals 2

Profession of faith by John Shakspeare 56

, William Shakspeare's •••.. 58

Drs. P^rr and Wh*rt*n on the 66

Prologue to Vortigern ....r 14'1'

Promissory note to John Heminges 85

Proof, a damning one 88

Proofs that I alone am the author of the MSS. ... 131
Prosaic dream poetised 289

INDEX.

Page.

Prospectus 185

Purchase of a drawing in Butcher Row 108

Purchase of old paper 70

Publication of the play of Vortigern 163

of Henry the Second 176

of the miscellaneous papers 183

of the pamphlet 262

Queen Elizabeth's letter 75

Quintin^ the 52

. Quarto edition of King Lear 116

Quotation froni Hamlet 25

from the play of Henry the Second ... 168

from Mr. Talbot's letter 130

from the deed of gift 234

from my second letter to Mr.S. Ireland 265
from Mr. Ireland's advertisement to the

play of Henry the Second 271

Rarity of the tract relative to the conspirators ... 199

of the pamphlet 263

Receipt of John Heminges S6

for the play of Vortigern and Rowena . . 160

Receipts for the playhouse 99

Refutation of the charge adduced against Albany

Wallis, esq 270

Relation of the imprisonment and execution of the

traitors 197

Relievo of Oliver Cromwell 42

Remarkable expedition 92

Renewal of persecution 247

Residence in France 4

INDEX.

Page.

Kesolution^ precipitate one •••••••#. 252

Retrospection^ painful «^ 248

Rewriting one of Shakspcare's dramas 115

Richard 11.^ acrostic upon 206

Rings 84

Ritson, the late Mr 226

Rivers, earl, acrostic on • 210

Sam, why familiarly called so by Mr. Ireland ... 251

Seal, a broken one 106

, cemented 107

Seals, formation of 48

Searches after the supposed gentleman 224

Second hint 78

thought 79

Second meeting of the committee 240

Selection of the two gentlemen 243

Series of dramas from William the Conqueror to

queen Elizabeth 177

Shakspeare, lines on the stone covering his grave 23

his birth-place 25

, application for the pur-
chase of 26

William, and Michael Fraser 47

a catholic 57

his profession of faith 58

lines affixed to the drawing of 194

whole-length portrait of 201

acrostic upon 211

and Jonson, Butler's parallel of .... 215

and Ireland's arms delineated 230

, junction of .... 231

INDEX.

Page.
Shakspeare, two of his letters discovered at Knole 27 1

John, his profession of faith 56

Shakspeare's dramas, names of the players in 102

rewriting one of them 115

works, first edition of in folio 202

Shaksperi an ink, the mixture of 37

library 194*

remark on the execution of the traitors 1 97
MSS., general apology for the produc-
tion of 300

Sheet of old paper 56

Sh*r*d*n, Mr., his opinion of Shakspeare 137

his disapprobation of Mr. Kemble's

conduct , ., 158

Shotery, village of 33

Shrewd surmise of Mr. Talbot 121

Shylock the Jew, and Bassanio 1 10

Sidney, sir Philip, acrostic upon 207

Signature, the original, of John Heminges 86

Silk twist , , 82

Soho school 3

Song, Mrs. Jordan's 146

miss Leake's 148

Southampton, lord, copy of my letter to 78

his answer , 80

acrostic upon 209

Specimen of alterations made in King Lear 117

Speech from the play of William the Conqueror

imitative of Shakspeare 178

Spenser's Faerie Queene 196

Statement, Mr. Malone's 112

, proved futile r. 112

INDEX.

Page.

Statement, a conclusive one, relative to Vortigern Ibo

a final one, respecting Mr. Talbot ... 267

Steevens, Mr. Boaden's letter to 273

Steevens, the late Mr. George 227

Storm, gathering of ..........; 238

Story of the unknown gentleman ...•••• 62

Stratford church 21

String , , 97

Stupidity when a child , 3

St%t, Charles, esq., M. P 154'

Substituting a blank for a date , 101

Superscription to Cowley's letter 74-

Supposed meaning of the Bassanio and Shylock

drawing 113

Talbot, Mr., first acquaintance with 120

his shrewd surmise 121

's discovery of the forgery 122

's mysterious method of corresponding 123

's return from Ireland 125

voluntary offer of his literary abilities 126
private interview with, and our agree-
ment 128

quotation from his letter 130

pressing letter from Mr. Ireland to ... 257

his affidavit required 258

final statement respecting him 267

Thought, a second one 79

" Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind" ... 62
To the manes or the representative of the late earl

of Charlemont 188

Tour, consequences t)f ..f. •»...€..#•* , 45

INDEX.

Tract, a duplicate copy of 199

Transcript of Hamlet 119

Tribute of praise to Mrs. Jordan 223

Validity attached to the manuscripts by the agree-
ments between Shakspeare^ Lowin, and Condell 104

Vanity, incitement of 69

'Variety in the penmanship 60

^ Village of Shotery 33

Vindication of my pamphlet 263

Visit, a Parnassian one 292

Unknown gentlemen, story of the 62

Voluntary offer of Mr. Talbot's literary abilities ... 126
Vortigern and Rowena, first idea of the play of ... 132

doubts in the composition of 135

opinions on 138

agreement for 139

dramatis personae of 143

prologue to 144-

epilogue to 150

oppositions to 152

quotation from Mr. Ireland's preface to 155

receipt for 160

publication of 163

conclusive statement relative to 165

and Henry the Second, printing of ... 164

Waldron, Mr 286

Wallis, A., esq., plans of certain plays deposited

in his hands 177

appointment of to become the de-
pository of my secret 245

INDEX.

Page,

Wallis, Av esq., confession made to 246

his advice and determination ... S^?

affidavit drawn out by 250

charge adduced against 269

, refuted 270

Warburton, Mr., fire at his house 181

Warwick, Dudley earl of, acrostic on 20S

Water-mark, the jug '. 71

W*bb, Mr., his pamphlet 282

Wh*rt^n and P^rr on the profession of faith 66

White and Otridge the booksellers 200

Whole-length portrait of Shakspeare 201

Why familiarly called Sam by Mr. Ireland 251

William-Henry, christian names 229

Witty conundrum 72

, disquisitions on the 73

FINIS.

Ellcrton & Byworth, Printers, Johnson's Court, Fleet Street.

UNIVERSITY or CALIFORNIA LIBRARY

THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY