James Halliwell: A Life of William Shakespeare (1848), Additional Notes, pp.327-334.

ADDITIONAL NOTES.

    P. 5. Shakespeares are mentioned in the registers of Old Swinford. In the church of Little Packington there is a tablet to the memory of a Shakespeare. In fact, the name is found in nearly every part of Warwickshire, and scattered over the adjoining counties.

    P. 20. The erroneous date here corrected has been previously detected by Mr. Hunter. All biographers have been so careless in this respect that I have found it necessary to compare the regnal years in every instance, and the large number of mistakes thus discovered will be apparent to any one who will take the pains of comparing the dates here given with those in former works.

    P. 33. The notice in Gildon to which Oldys refers occurs in the edition of Langbaine, 1699, p. 126, "I have been told that he writ the scene of the Ghost in Hamlet at his house which bordered on the charnel-house and church-yard." This looks like a silly invention. Oldys, in one of his MSS., asserts that Shakespeare received but £5 for his Hamlet.

    P. 49. Mr. Wheler has, with the most obliging courtesy, furnished me with the following curious extracts from a Subsidy Roll of 9 Eliz. 1567, in the possession of William Staunton, Esq., of Longbridge House, near Warwick. We here find John Shakespeare assessed on goods of the value of £4, and Richard Hathaway, of Shottery, on goods of the same amount.

Stratford Burgh.	}	Adryan Quyney in bonis - - John Shakespere in bonis - -	viij.l.—vj.s. viij.d. iiij.l.—iij.s. iiij.d.
Rowington	}	John Shakespere in terris - - Thomas Shakespere in bonis -	xx.s.—xvj.d. iij.l.—ij.s. vj.d.
Shottery, Bishopton, & Welcome.	}	Richard Hatheway in bonis - John Combes gent. in bonis -	iiij.l.—iij.s. iiij.d. viij.l.—vj.s. viij.d.

P. 75. I have seen a long and curious statement of the complaints made against Dethick for granting arms improperly, but Shakespeare's grant is not mentioned. "He committed very many and grosse abuses, as namely the giveing of armes, yea and of some of the nobilitie, to base and ignoble persons, as Yorcke Heraulde hath at large sett downe in a booke delivered to the King's majesty. He falsefyed pedegrees alsoe, as that of Harbourne being of xij. descents, wherein hee made vj. knights, which God nor man never knewe ; nor the name himselfe, when hee was called before the deputy commissioners, could justify no further then his grandfather, who was reputed to be an honest man, but of meane fortune."—Ashmolean MSS. It is quite apparent from this that statements in Dethick's grants are not historical evidence of any worth.

/ p.328 /

    P. 78. The following version of this statement, relating to the arms of Shakespeare, is in a contemporary MS. in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford :

    "The answeres of Garter and Clarencieux Kings of Arms to the Scrowle of Arms exhibited by Raffe Brokesmouth caled York Herauld.

    "Shakespere. It maye as well be said that Harley, who bearethe Gould a bend 2 cotizes sable or Ferrers &c., or any other that beare silver or gould a bend chargd in like manner, usurpe the coate of the Lo. Mauley. As for the speare on the bend is a patible difference, and the man was a magistrat in Stratford upon Avon, a justice of peace. He maryed the daughter and heyre of Ardern, and was of good substance and habelité."

    It is but fair to state that I am indebted for my knowledge of this to the recently published Catalogue of the Ashmolean Manuscripts by W. H. Black, 4to., a work which unquestionably exceeds in merit every compilation of the kind hitherto completed, and is distinguished by such extraordinary research, learning, and knowledge, that it will ever remain an enduring monument of its author's talent and industry. It is to be hoped every future catalogue-maker will attempt something in imitation of this. Good catalogues of MSS. are of the greatest literary importance.

    P. 99. Mouster by an error in two instances should be monster, a muster, from the Fr.

    P. 112. It has been conjectured by Malone that Anne Hathaway came from Luddington, a village near Stratford and Shottery, and it is by no means impossible that the marriage took place in that village. The church is gone, and the register was unfortunately destroyed by fire some years ago.

    P. 123 The date of the death of Davies has hitherto been incorrectly given. He was buried at Sapperton on June 19th, 1708, having been inducted into that living on March 5th, 1695. Fulman was buried at Meysey Hampton on June 29th, 1688, his wife Hesther having died in April, 1686, and his son Thomas Mainwaring in January, 1683.

    "Our poet was the son of Mr. John Shakespeare, woolstapler. Was the eldest of ten children, born April 23, 1563. Was brought up in his youth to his father's business ; married, very young, the daughter of one Hathaway, a substantial yeoman in his own neighbourhood. 'Tis a tradition, descended from old Betterton, that he was concerned with a parcel of deer-stealers in robbing Sir Tho. Lucy's park at Charlecot, which drove him to London among the players. The Queen had his plays often acted before her, and shewed him some gracious marks of favour, and King James gave him and others a patent for a company in 1603. See it in Rymers Fœdera. Thomas [Henry] Wriothesley E. of Southampton gave him £1000 to complete a purchase."—Oldys MSS.

    P. 138. The original prologue to Circe was written by Dryden, and is printed under his name in 1677, and in all the subsequent editions of that play ; but the lines mentioning Pericles only occur in a corrected prologue, published separately. Sir W. Scott erroneously attributes the earlier version to Charles Davenant.

    P. 142. We learn from Heywood that Shakespeare was familiarly termed Will by his friends, not Willy. "Willes newe playe" is thus mentioned in a MS. found by Mr. Collier at Dulwich College, here collated with the original :—

/ p.329 /

" Sweete Nedde, nowe wynne an other wager
ffor thine olde frende and fellow stager !
Tarlton himselfe thou doest excell,
And Bentley beate, and conquer Knell,
And nowe shall Kempe orecome as well.
The moneyes downe, the place the Hope,
Phillippes shall hide his head, and Pope.
ffeare not, the victorie is thine !
Thou still as macheles Ned shall shine !
If Roscius Richard foames and fumes,
The Globe shall have but emptie roomes,
If thou doest act ; and Willes newe playe
Shall be rehearst some other daye.
Consent then, Nedde, doe us this grace !
Thou cannot faile in anie case,
ffor in the triall, come what maye,
All sides shall brave Ned Allin saye !"

    P. 148. It has generally been supposed that Charles Hart, the actor, was descended from Shakespeare, but such is not the fact. He died in 1683, and was buried at Stanmore, "Aug. the 20th, 1683, Mr. Charles Hart was here interred according to the act for burying in woolin." His will is in the Prerogative Office.

    P. 154. "Old Mr. Bowman the player reported from Sir William Bishop that some part of Sir John Falstaff's character was drawn from a townsman of Stratford, who either faithlessly broke a contract, or spitefully refused to part with some land for a valuable consideration adjoining to Shakspeare's in or near that town."—Oldys MSS.

    P. 162. The following curious order, dated Jan. 21st, 1618-9, alludes to the complaint made against the Blackfriars Theatre in 1596. It is preserved in the archives of the city of London.

    "Item, this day was exhibited to this Court a peticion by the constables and other officers and inhabitantes within the precinct of Blackfryers, London, therein declaring that in November, 1596, divers honorable persons and others, then inhabiting in the said precinct, made knowne to the Lordes and others of the Privy Councell what inconveniences were likely to fall upon them by a common playhowse then preparing to be erected there, and that their honors then forbad the use of the said howse for playes, and in June, 1600, made certaine orders by which, for many weightie reasons therein expressed, it is limitted there should be only two playhowses tolerated, whereof the one to be on the Banckside, and the other in or neare Golding Lane, exempting thereby the Blackfryers ; and that a lettre was then directed from their Lordships to the Lord Maior and Justices, strictly requiringe of them to see those orders putt in execucion, and so to be continued : And nowe, forasmuch as the said inhabitantes of the Blackfryers have in their said peticion complayned to this court, that, contrarie to the said Lordes orders, the owner of the said playehowse within the Blackfryers, under the name of a private howse, hath converted the same to a publique playhowse, unto which there is daily so great resort of people, and soe great multitudes of coaches, whereof many are hackney coaches, bringing people of all sortes, that sometimes all their streetes cannot conteyne them, that they endanger one the other, breake downe stalles, throw downe mens goodes from their shopps, hinder the passage of the inhabitantes there to and from their howses, lett the bringing in of their necessary provisions, that the / p.330 / tradesmen and shoppkeepers cannot utter their wares, nor the passengers goe to the common water staires without danger of their lives and lyms, whereby manye times quarrells and effusion of blood hath followed, and the minister and people disturbed at the administracion of the Sacrament of baptisme, and publique prayers in the afteernoones ; whereupon, and after reading the said order and lettre of the Lordes shewed forth in this court by the foresaid inhabitantes, and consideracion thereof taken, this court doth thinke fitt and soe order that the said playhowse be suppressed, and that the players shall from henceforth forbeare and desist from playing in that howse, in respect of the manifold abuses and disorders complayned of as aforesaid."

    P. 165. In the plan, B. is a house adjoining New Place belonging to the Corporation; C. house in which Julius Shawe formerly lived ; D. two freehold messuages ; E. a freehold messuage and garden.

    P. 209. It has been stated that Shakespeare was in London in October, 1603, on the strength of a letter printed in Mr. Collier's Memoirs of Alleyn, p. 63, but having carefully examined the original, I am convinced it has been misread. The following is now all that remains of a postscript to the letter from Mrs. Allen to her husband, dated October 20th, 1603. The portion of this before the words and inquire is at the bottom of the first page, which is much torn, so that a few words only can be traced, but these are quite sufficient to show that Mr. Collier's interpretation cannot be correct.

    "Aboute a weeke agoe there . . . . e a youthe who said he was Mr. Frauncis Chalo . . . . . s man . . . . . . ld have borrow.d x . . to have bought things for . . . . . s M.^r . . . . . . . . . . . t hym cominge without . . . . . . token . . . . . . . . . . . . d I would have . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I bene sur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and inquire after the fellow, and said he had lent hym a horse. I feare me he gulled hym, thoughe he gulled not us. The youthe was a prety youthe, and hansom in appayrell : we know not what became of hym. Mr. Bromffeild commendes hym ; he was heare yesterdaye. Nicke and Jeames be well, and commend them : so dothe Mr. Cooke and his weife in the kyndest sorte, and so once more in the hartiest manner farwell.

	Your faithfull and lovinge weife,
		JOANE ALLEYNE."

P. 218. The following is a copy of the letter at Dulwich College here alluded to :

" After our hartie . . . . . to your Lo. Wheras the Kings Majesties plaiers have given . . . . . highnes good service in ther quallitie of playinge, and for as moch lickewise as they are at all times to be emploed in that service, whensoever they shalbe comaunded, We thinke it therfore fitt, the time of Lent being now past, that your L. doe permitt and suffer the three companies of plaiers to the King, Queene, and Prince, publicklie to exercise ther plaies in ther severall usuall howses for that purpose, and noe other, vz. the Globe scituate in Maiden Lane on the Banckside in the countie of Surrey, the Fortun in Goldinge Lane, and the Curtaine in Hollywelle, in the cowntie of Midlesex, without any lett or interrupption in respect of any former lettres of prohibition heertofore written by us to your Lop. except ther shall happen weeklie to die of the plague above the number of thirtie within the cittie of London and the liberties therof, att which time wee thinke itt fitt they shall cease and forbeare any further publicklie to playe untill the sicknes be again decreaced to the saide / p.331 / number. And so we bid your Lo. hartilie farewell. ffrom the court at Whitehalle, the ix.th of Aprille, 1604.

Your very loving ffrends,

To our verie good L. the Lord Maior of the cittie of London, and to the Justices of the Peace of the counties of Midlesex and Surrey.

Nottingham.
Suffock.
Gill Shrowsberie.
Ed. Worster.
W. Knowles.
J. Stanhopp."

On this document the following memorandum is written in another hand, perhaps by Allen :

Ks. Comp.
Burbidge.
Shakspere.
ffletcher.
Phillips.
Condle.
Hemminges.
Armyn.
Slye.
Cowley.
Hostler.
Day.

P. 227. Two copies of the following document are preserved at Dulwich College. The one here used is endorsed, " 1609. The estate of the poores booke the 8. of Aprill, ffor the Clinke."

" A breif noat taken out of the poores booke, contayning the names of all thenhabitantes of this Liberty which arre rated and assesed to a weekely paim^t towardes the relief of the poore. As it standes now encreased, this 6^o day of Aprill 1609. Delivered up to Phillip Henslowe esquior, churchwarden, by Francis Carter, one of the late Ovreseers of the same Liberty.

Phillip Henslowe esquior assesed at weekely - -	vj.d.
Ed. Alleyn assesed at weekely - - - - - -	vj.d.
The Ladye Buckley, weeklye - - - - - -	iiij.d.
Mr. Cole - - - - - - - - - - -	iiij.d.
Mr. Lee - - - - - - - - - - -	iiij.d.
Mrs. Cannon - - - - - - - - - -	iij.d.
Mrs. White - - - - - - - - - - -	iij.d.
Mr. Langwoorthe - - - - - - - -	iij.d.
Mr. Binfeild - - - - - - - - - -	iij.d.
Mr. Corden - - - - - - - - - -	iij.d.
Mr. Chauncye - - - - - - - - -	iij.d.
Mrs. Sparrowhauke - - - - - - - -	ij.d.
Mr. Mason - - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.
Mr. Watfoord - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.
Mr. Badger - - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.
Mr. Heynes - - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.
Mr. Dauson - - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.
Mr. Hovell - - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.
Mr. Griffin - - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.
Mr. Toppin - - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.
Mr. Cevis - - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.

/ p.332 /

Mr. Lyman - - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.
Mr. Louens - - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.
Mr. Simpson - - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.
Mr. Maynard - - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.
Mr. Burkett - - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.
ffrancis Carter - - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.
Mr. Stock for halfe the parke - - - - - - -	ij.d.
Huighe Robbinson for halfe the parke - - - -	ij.d.
Mr. Carre - - - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.
Gilbert Catherens - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.

Mr. Shakespeare - - - - - - - - - -	vj.d.
Mr. Edw. Collins - - - - - - - - - -	vj.d.
John Burrett - - - - - - - - - - -	vj.d.
Roger Johnes - - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.	ob.
Mychaell Elsmoore - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.	ob.
Mr. Toune - - - - - - - - - - -	ij.d.	ob.
Mr. Jubye - - - - - - - - - - -	j.d.	ob.
Mr. Mansfeild - - - - - - - - - - -	j.d.	ob.
John Dodson - - - - - - - - - - -	j.d.	ob.
Richard Smith - - - - - - - - - - -	j.d.	ob.
Richard Hunt - - - - - - - - - - -	j.d.	ob.
Simon Bird - - - - - - - - - - -	j.d.	ob.
Peter Nusam - - - - - - - - - - -	j.d.	ob.
Jeames Kiddon - - - - - - - - - - -	j.d.	ob.
Tho. Stoakes - - - - - - - - - - -	j.d.	ob.
John Facye - - - - - - - - - - -	j.d.	ob.
Phillip Philcoks - - - - - - - - - - -	j.d.	ob.
Wm. Stevens - - - - - - - - - - -	j.d.	ob.
Mr. Godfrey Richards for the long slip of ground -	j.d.	ob.

Mr. Coggen, weekly - - - - - - - - - -	j.d.
Ferdynando Moses - - - - - - - - - -	j.d.
Edw. Nevell - - - - - - - - - - - -	j.d.
John Bacon - - - - - - - - - - - -	j.d.
Mrs. Davison - - - - - - - - - - -	j.d.
Rafe Trott - - - - - - - - - - - -	j.d.
John Judkin - - - - - - - - - - - -	j.d."

P. 273. It is worthy of remark that the Halls inhabited New Place after the death of the poet.

Bylles mad to be sealed by moneys to be payd, 3 Februarii, 1617.

Mr. Baker, xl.li. to Mr. Hall at Newplace.
Mr. Wolner, x.li. to me at Mr. Halles at Newplace.

In the Books of Composition for not taking the order of knighthood at the coronation of King Charles I. 1630-2, at the Rolls House, occur the following entries :—

William Combe of Old Stratford, 26 0 0
Johannes Hall de Burgo Stratford super Avon gen. 10 0 0.

/ p.333 /

P. 278. All the witnesses to the will were neighbours of Shakespeare, and are frequently mentioned in the records of the corporation. Julius Shaw was a near neighbour, and his house, as it now appears, is represented at p. 170.

Autograph and seal of Julius Shaw. Published size 7.9cm wide by 3.5cm high.

    P. 297. The very curious allusion to Shakespeare in the 'Return from Parnassus,' 1606, proves how highly he was in favour with his contemporaries. Kempe is made to say,—

    "Few of the university pen plays well ; they smell too much of that writer Ovid, and that writer Metamorphosis, and talk too much of Proserpina and Juppiter. Why, here's our fellow Shakespeare puts them all down ; ay, and Ben Jonson too. O, that Ben Jonson is a pestilent fellow ; he brought up Horace giving the poets a pill, but our fellow Shakespeare hath given him a purge that made him bewray his credit."

    P. 298. The following curious anecdote occurs in 'Jocabella, or a Cabinet of Conceits,' 1640, 12mo. "One asked another what Shakespeare's workes were worth, all being bound together : hee answered, not a farthing. Not worth a farthing, said he ; why so ? He answered that his playes were worth a great deale of money, but he never heard that his workes were worth any thing at all." See Collier's Farther Particulars, 1839, p. 7.

    P. 298. Shakespeare had many friends. Anthony Scoloker, in his Daiphantus, 4to. 1604, speaks of his "friendly Shakespeare's tragedies." Wood, ii. 155, 576, mentions Thomas Freeman and George Chapman as esteemed and admired by the poet. Augustine Phillips, in his will dated May, 1605, gives "to my fellowe, William Shakespeare, a thirty shillings peece in gould."

    P. 298. It may be just worth while to make the following extract from a rare jest-book as evidence of the early period at which Stratford on Avon became celebrated as the birthplace of Shakespeare. "One travelling through Stratford upon Avon, a towne most remarkeable for the birth of famous William Shakespeare, and walking in the church to doe his devotion, espied a thing there worthy observation, which was a tombestone laid more than three hundred yeeres agoe, on which was engraven an epitaph to this purpose, I Thomas such a one, and Elizabeth my wife here under lie buried, and know, reader, I R. C. and I Christoph. Q. are alive at this howre to witnesse it."—A Banquet of Jests or Change of Cheare, 12mo. Lond. 1639.

/ p.334 /

P. 298. The gold seal-ring here delineated was found some years ago in a field near the church at Stratford, and was purchased by Mr. Wheler within a few hours after it was discovered. Singularly enough, a man named William Shakespeare was at work near the spot when it was picked up. Little doubt can be entertained that this ring belonged to the poet, and it is probably the one he lost before his death, and was not to be found when his will was executed, the word hand being substituted for seale in the original copy of that document. See p. 278. The only other person at Stratford having the same initials, and likely to possess such a seal, was William Smith, but he used one having a different device, as may be seen from several indentures preserved amongst the records of the corporation. In "a vewe of the Wood Street Ward, 1598," a MS. at Stratford, occurs the initials W. S. as paying 2s. 6d. for certain rents to the Corporation, which entry probably refers to the same person. On the whole, then, I am disposed to confide in the authenticity of this relic, although confessing the evidence amounts to little more than a reductio ad absurdum, that, supposing this ring did not belong to Shakespeare, it belonged to no one, at least to no one at Stratford. We cannot well expect positive proof in matters of this kind, and, even if we are mistaken, no discredit is thrown by the error on any portion of our biography. Believing it to have belonged to Shakespeare, it is a most interesting memento of the poet, and one of the possession of which Mr. Wheler may well be proud.