UNIVERSITY OF

CALIFORNIA.

SHAKESPEARE MANUAL.

PART I.

CHAPTER I.

SHAKESPEARE'S LIFE.

JOHN SHAKESPEARE of Stratford was a resident in Henley Street in that town as early as 1552. In 1556 we find him buying copyholds of two houses and gardens (one in Greenhill Street); suing and being sued; dealing in gloves and barley. In 1557 he was a burgess, a member of the four-year-old corporation of Stratford, chosen by the court-leet as borough ale-taster; and married, or close on being so, to Mary, youngest daughter of Robert Arden of Willmecote, in the parish of Aston Cauntlow, where she inherited "land in Willmecote called Asbies." John Shakespeare had also property in Snitterfield from his father. Their first daughter, Joan, was baptized 15 September, 1558, in which year John was one of the four constables at Stratford; in 1559 he became an assessor or fixer of fines under the borough bye-laws. He was in 1561 a municipal chamberlain, and in 1564 a member of the common-hall. At this time he had lost not only his daughter Joan, but a second, Margaret. Next to them succeeded on 23 (?) April, 1564, William, son of John Shakespeare, so baptized at Stratford on April 26.

Having escaped the danger of the plague which was then ravaging Stratford, the then prosperous family in Henley Street was probably looking forward to a tranquil future. The head of it was of consequence in the borough; he could even afford to allow the chamber to be pretty largely in his debt, and to pay considerable rates for the relief of the poor. He was in this same year appointed to make up the chamberlain's accounts; and in the next, 1565, was elected one of the fourteen aldermen. In 1566 his second son, Gilbert, was born; in 1568 he was made high bailiff; and in 1571 chief alderman, which entitled him to be henceforth called "Magister," or Mr. ; in 1575 he bought two freehold houses in Henley Street. Up to this date then, to the year in which Queen Elizabeth visited Kenilworth Castle, which is but thirteen miles from Stratford, John Shakespeare is a prosperous gentleman. William may have been during this time a happy schoolboy at Stratford Grammar School, under Curate Hunt or Thomas Jenkins, enjoying his holidays and witnessing the performances of the various companies of "travelling" players who visited Stratford, and even perhaps the festivities provided by Leicester for the reception of Majesty itself.

But now things begin to change. In 1577 Mr. John Shakespeare becomes irregular in his attendance at corporation meetings; and half his borough taxes are remitted him; in 1578 the land called Asbies is mortgaged to Edmund Lambert for 40/., on condition of reversion if repaid before Michaelmas, 1580. John Shakespeare is also excused from a tax of 4d. a week for the relief of the poor. Snitterfield may have been sold; certainly Edmund Lambert was security for a debt of 57. due from Mr. John Shakespeare to Mr. Roger Sadler; and in 1579 we find a levy on him for "pikemen, billmen, and archers" unpaid and unaccounted for, reversing the state of accounts we have seen in 1564. But much remains unexplained at this period, from the fact that the registry of the Court of Record at Stratford is wanting from 1569 to 1585. We may, however, fairly take it for granted that William Shakespeare left school about 1578, and then entered on some occupation, what, it is difficult to say. Probably that of a lawyer's clerk is on the whole most likely, in spite of the entire absence of his signature as witness to any known deeds, &c., of that date.

It may be well to give here a list of the family of John Shake

For further information see Variorum Shakespeare, edition 1821, vol. ii. p. 610, &c.

Premising that I omit the mythical story of Shakespeare's deerstealing, we now come to one of the most important events of his life-his marriage with Anne Hathaway. The marriage bond in the Worcester registry is of date 28 Nov. 1582; in it Fulk Sandells and John Richardson, farmers, of Stratford, become bound in 40%. that "William Shagspere, one thone partie, and Anne Hathwey, of Stratford, in the dioces of Worcester, maiden, may lawfully solemnize marriage together, with once asking of the bannes." On May 26, 1583 (six months after), Susanna, their daughter, was baptized. As to the interpretation to be given to these dates, critics differ. It was certainly frequent at that time to regard betrothal as morally the same thing as marriage, and to act accordingly; yet on the whole I incline to De Quincey's view, that Anne (over twenty-five years old)

had entrapped Shakespeare, so much her junior (seven years), into a clcser connexion with her than he at first intended, and then obtained from his honour rather than his love an expiatory marriage to atone for the consequences of the connexion. On 2 Feb. 1585 Hamnet and Judith were baptized, his twin children and his last, which is noticeable in regard of the romantic theories that have been put out as to this period of his life.

At this time, 1586, distraint is levied on John Shakespeare; no effects. A writ is then issued against his person three times; he is deprived of his alderman's gown for not "coming to the halls of long time ;" and in 1587 he produced a writ of habeas corpus, so that he considered himself illegally imprisoned. The imprisonment may have been for debt to Nicholas Lane, to whom he had been surety for his brother Henry. In all probability his fortunes were falling rapidly.

In this same year come to Stratford Burbage's company of players, called the Queen's Company, and receive higher pay than any of the many companies who preceded them. Then or earlier began Shakespeare's London life as a player and dramatist; then certainly ceases his private isolation; it is no longer the life of a citizen of Stratford that we have to consider, but that of the poet, the cosmopolitan, everybody's Shakespeare.

SHAKESPEARE IN LONDON.

AT the time of Shakespeare's early dramatic career, the principal companies of players with whom we are concerned were Lord Strange's, the Earl of Sussex's, the Earl of Pembroke's, the Admiral's (Lord Nottingham's), the Lord Chamberlain's, the Children of the Chapel, and the Children of Paul's. The dramatic writers were Greene, Peele, Marlowe, Lilly, Nash, Lodge, Chettle, Munday, and others. Some of the works of Greene, Peele, Lodge, and Marlowe, were in 1592 produced at the Rose Theatre, where Lord Strange's company were then playing. If, as I believe, Shakespeare was at this time associated with this company, he would, if not before, then become acquainted with the greatest of his forerunners. The allu