BACON IS SHAKE-SPEARE.
Most fortunately before going to press we were able to see at the Record Office, Chancery Lane, London, the revealing documents recently discovered by Dr. Wallace and described by him in an article published in the March number ofHarper's Monthly Magazine, under the title of "New Shakespeare Discoveries." The documents found by Dr. Wallace are extremely valuable and important. They tell us a few real facts about the Householder of Stratford-upon-Avon, and they effectually once and for all dispose of the idea that the Stratford man was the Poet and Dramatist,—the greatest genius of all the ages.
In the first place they prove beyond the possibility of cavil or question that "Shakespeare, of Stratford-upon-Avon, Gentleman," was totally unable to write even so much as any portion of his own name. It is true that the Answers to the Interrogatories which are given by "William Shakespeare, of Stratford-upon-Avon, Gentleman," are marked at the bottom "Wilm Shaxpr," but this is written by the lawyer or law clerk, in fact "dashed in" by the ready pen of an extremely rapid writer. A full size photographic facsimile of this "so-called" signature, with a portion of the document above it, is given in Plate 38, Page 164, and on the opposite page, in Plate 39, is shewn also in full size facsimile the real signature of Daniell Nicholas with a portion of the document, which he signed, above it.
In order that the reader may be able more easily to read the law writing we give on page 167, in modern type, the portion of the document photographed above the name Wilm Shaxp'r, and on the same page a modern type transcript of the document above the signature of Daniell Nicholas.
Any expert in handwriting will at once perceive that "Wilm Shaxp'r" is written by the same hand that wrote the lower portion of Shakespeare's Answers to Interrogatories, and by the same hand that wrote the other set of Answers to Interrogatories which are signed very neatly by "Daniell Nicholas."
The words "Daughter Marye" occur in the portion photographed of both documents, and are evidently written by the same law writer, and can be seen in Plate 38, Page 164, just above the "Wilm Shaxp'r," and in Plate 39, Page 165, upon the fifth line from the top. The name of "Shakespeare" also occurs several times in the "Answers to Interrogatories." One instance occurs in Plate 39, Page 165, eight lines above the name of Daniell Nicholas, and if the reader compares it with the "Wilm Shaxp'r" on Plate 38, Page 164, it will be at once seen that both writings are by the same hand.
[Illustration: Plate XXXVIII Full Size Facsimile of part of "Shakespeare's Answers to the Interrogatories," Discovered by Dr. Wallace in the British Records Office.]
[Illustration: Plate XXXIX. Full Size Facsimile of part of Daniell Nicholas' "Answers to the Interrogatories," Discovered by Dr. Wallace in British Record Office.]
portionWhat c'tayne he. . . . . .. plt twoe hundered poundsdecease. But sayth thathis house. And they had amoabout their marriadge w'chnized. And more he canponnt saythe he can sayeof the same Interro forcessaries of houshould stuffehis daughter MaryeWILM SHAXPRTYPE FACSIMILE OF PLATE XXXVIII.
Interr this depnnt sayththat the deft did beareted him well when heby him the said Shakespearehis daughter Maryethat purpose sent himswade the plt to thesolempnised uppon pmise ofnnt. And more he canthis deponnt saythis deponnt to goe wthDANIELL NICHOLAS.TYPE FACSIMILE OF PLATE XXXIX.
Answers to Interrogatories are required to be signed by the deponents. In the case of "Johane Johnsone," who could not write her name, the depositions are signed with a very neat cross which was her mark. In the case of "William Shakespeare, of Stratford-upon-Avon, Gentleman," who was also unable to write his name, they are signed with a dot which might quite easily be mistaken for an accidental blot. Our readers will see this mark, which is not a blot but a purposely made mark, just under "Wilm Shaxp'r."
Dr. Wallace reads the "so-called" signature as Willm Shaks, but the Christian name is written quite clearly Wilm. And we should have supposed that any one possessing even the smallest acquaintance with the law writing of the period must have known that the scroll which looks like a flourish at the end of the surname is not and cannot be an "s," but is most certainly without any possibility of question a "p," and that the dash through the "p" is the usual and accepted abbreviation for words ending in "per," or "peare," etc.[12]
Then how ought we, nay how arewe, compelled to read the so-called signature? The capital S is quite clear, so also is the "h," then the next mass of strokes all go to make up simply the letter "a." Then we come to the blotted letter,
[Illustration: Plate XL. FACSIMILES OF LAW CLERKS' WRITING OF THE NAME "SHAKESPEARE," FROM HALLIWELL-PHILLIPPS' "OUTLINES OF THE LIFE OF SHAKESPEARE," VOL. 2, 1889.]
this is not and cannot be "kes" or "ks" because in the law writing of the period every letter "s" (excepting "s" at the end of a word) was written as a very long letter. This may readily be seen in the word Shakespeare which occurs in Plate 39 on the eighth line above the signature of Daniell Nicholas. What then is this blotted letter if it is not kes or ks? The answer is quite plain, it is an "X," and a careful examination under a very strong magnifying glass will satisfy the student that it is without possibility of question correctly described as an "X."[13] Yes, the lawclerk marked the Stratford Gentleman's "Answers to Interrogatories" with the name "Wilm Shaxp'r." Does there exist a Stratfordian who will contend that William Shakespeare, of Stratford-upon-Avon, Gentleman, if he had been able to write any portion of his name would have marked his depositions Wilm Shaxp'r? Does there exist any man who will venture to contend that the great Dramatist, the author of the Immortal plays, would or could have so signed his name? We trow not; indeed, such an abbreviation would be impossible in a legal document in a Court of Law where depositions are required to be signed in full.
With reference to the other so-called Shakespeare's signatures we must refer the reader to our Chapter III. which was penned before these "New Shakespeare Discoveries" were announced. And it is perhaps desirable to say that the dot in the "W" which appears in two of those "so-called" signatures of Shakespeare, and also in the one just discovered, is part of the regular method of writing a "W" in the law writing of the period. In the Purchase Deed of the property in Blackfriars, of March 10th 1612-13, mentioned on page 38, there are in the first six lines of the Deed seven "W's," in each of which appears a dot. And in the Mortgage Deed of March 11th 1612-13, there are seven "W's" in the first five lines, in each of which appears a similar dot. The above-mentioned two Deeds are in the handwriting of different law clerks.
It may not be out of place here again to call our readers' attention to the fact that law documents are required to be signed "in full," and that if the very rapid and ready writer who wrote "Wilm Shaxp'r" were indeed the Gentleman of Stratford it would have been quite easy for such a good penman to have written his name in full; this the law writer has not done because he did not desire to forge a signature to the document, but desired only to indicate by an abbreviation that the dot or spot below was the mark of William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon.
Thus the question, whether William Shakespeare, of Stratford-upon-Avon, Gentleman, could or could not write his name is for ever settled in the negative, and there is no doubt, there can be no doubt, upon this matter.
Dr. Wallace declares "I have had no theory to defend and no hypothesis to propose." But as a matter of fact his whole article falsely assumes that "William Shakespeare, of Stratford-upon-Avon, Gentleman," who is referred to in the documents, is no other than the great Dramatist who wrote the Immortal plays. And the writer can only express his unbounded wonder and astonishment that even so ardent a Stratfordian as Dr. Wallace, after studying the various documents which he discovered, should have ventured to say:
"Shakespeare was the third witness examined.Although, forsooth, the matter of his statementsis of no high literary quality and the manner islacking in imagination and style, as the Rev.Joseph Green in 1747 complained of the will, wefeel none the less as we hear him talk that wehave for the first time met Shakespeare in theflesh and that the acquaintance is good."
As a matter of fact none of the words of any of the deponents are their own words, but they are the words of the lawyers who drew the Answers to the Interrogatories. The present writer, when a pupil in the chambers of a distinguished lawyer who afterwards became a Lord Justice, saw any number of Interrogatories and Answers to Interrogatories, and even assisted in their preparation. The last thing that any one of the pupils thought of, was in what manner the client would desire to express his own views. They drew the most plausible Answers they could imagine, taking care that their words were sufficiently near to the actual facts for the client to be able to swear to them.
The so-called signature "Wilm Shaxp'r," is written by the lawyer or law clerk who wrote the lower part of Shakespeare's depositions, and this same clerk also wrote the depositions above the name of another witness who reallysignshis own name, viz., "Daniell Nicholas." The only mark William Shakespeare put to the document was the blot above which the abbreviated name "Wilm Shaxp'r" was written by the lawyer or law clerk.
The documents shew that Shakespeare of Stratford occasionally "lay" in the house in Silver Street, and Ben Jonson's words in "The Staple of News" (Third Intermeane; Act iii.), to which Dr. Wallace refers viz., that "Siluer-Streete" was "a good seat for a Vsurer" are very informing, because as we have before pointed out the Stratford man was a cruel usurer.
Dr. Wallace's contention that Mountjoy, the wig-maker, of the corner house in Silver Street where Shakespeare, of Stratford-upon-Avon, Gentleman, occasionally slept, was the original of the name of the Herald in Henry V.[14] really surpasses, in want of knowledge of History, anything that the writer has ever previously encountered, and he is afraid that it really is a measure of the value of Dr. Wallace's other inferences connecting the illiterate Stratford Rustic with the great Dramatist who "took all knowledge for his province."
Dr. Wallace's "New Shakespeare Discoveries" are really extremely valuable and informing, and very greatly assist the statements which the writer has made in the previous chapters, viz., that the Stratford Householder was a mean Rustic who was totally unable to read or to write, and was not even an actor of repute, but was a mere hanger-on at the Theatre. Indeed, the more these important documents are examined the clearer it will be perceived that, as Dr. Wallace points out, they shew us that the real William Shakespeare, of Stratford-upon-Avon, gentleman, was not the "Aristocrat," whom Tolstoi declares the author of the plays to have been, but was in fact a man who resided [occasionally when he happened to revisit London] "in a hardworking family," a man who was familiar with hairdressers and their apprentices, a man who mixed as an equal among tradesmen in a humble position of life, who referred to him as "One Shakespeare." These documents prove that "One Shakespeare" was not and could not have been the "poet and dramatist." In a word these documents strongly confirm the fact that
BACON IS SHAKESPEARE.
[Illustration: Plate XLI. Facsimile of the Dedication of Powell's "Attourney's Academy," 1630]
The facsimile shewn in Plate 41, Page 176, is from "The Attourney's Academy," 1630. The reader will perceive that the ornamental heading is printed upside down. In the ordinary copies it is not so printed, but only in special copies such as that possessed by the writer; the object of the upside-down printing being, as we have already pointed out in previous pages, to reveal, to those deemed worthy of receiving it, some secret concerning Bacon.
In the present work, while we have used our utmost endeavour to place in the vacant frame, the true portrait of him who was the wonder and mystery of his own age and indeed of all ages, we have never failed to remember the instructions given to us in "King Lear":—
"Have more than thou showest,Speak less than thou knowest."
Our object has been to supply exact and positive information and to confirm it by proofs so accurate and so certain as to compel belief and render any effective criticism an impossibility.
It may however not be without advantage to those who are becoming convinced against their will, if we place before them a few of the utterances of men of the greatest distinction who, without being furnished with the information which we have been able to afford to our readers, were possessed of sufficient intelligence and common sense to perceive the truth respecting the real authorship of the Plays.
LORD PALMERSTON, b. 1784, d. 1865.
Viscount Palmerston, the great British statesman, used to say that he rejoiced to have lived to see three things—the re-integration of Italy, the unveiling of the mystery of China and Japan, and the explosion of the Shakespearian illusions.—From the Diary of the Right Hon. Mount-Stewart E. Grant.
LORD HOUGHTON, b. 1809, d. 1885.
Lord Houghton (better known as a statesman under the name of Richard Monckton Milnes) reported the words of Lord Palmerston, and he also told Dr. Appleton Morgan that he himself no longer considered Shakespeare, the actor, as the author of the Plays.
SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE, b. 1772, d. 1834.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the eminent British critic and poet, although he assumed that Shakespeare was the author of the Plays, rejected the facts of his life and character, and says: "Ask your own hearts, ask your own common sense, to conceive the possibility of the author of the Plays being the anomalous, the wild, the irregular genius of our daily criticism. What! are we to have miracles in sport? Does God choose idiots by whom to convey divine truths to man?"
JOHN BRIGHT, b. 1811, d. 1889.
John Bright, the eminent British statesman, declared: "Any man that believes that William Shakespeare of Stratford wrote Hamlet or Lear is a fool." In its issue of March 27th 1889, theRochdale Observerreported John Bright as scornfully angry with deluded people who believe that Shakespeare wrote Othello.
RALPH WALDO EMERSON, b. 1803, d. 1882.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, the great American philosopher and poet, says: "As long as the question is of talent and mental power, the world of men has not his equal to show.... The Egyptian verdict of the Shakespeare Societies comes to mind that he was a jovial actor and manager. I cannot marry this fact to his verse."—Emerson's Works. London, 1883. Vol. 4, p. 420.
JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER, b. 1807, d. 1892.
John Greenleaf Whittier, the American poet, declared: "Whether Bacon wrote the wonderful plays or not, I am quite sure the man Shakspere neither did nor could."
DR. W. H. FURNESS, b. 1802, d. 1891.
Dr. W. H. Furness, the eminent American scholar, who was the father of the Editor of the Variorum Edition of Shakespeare's Works, wrote to Nathaniel Holmes in a letter dated Oct. 29th 1866: "I am one of the many who have never been able to bring the life of William Shakespeare and the plays of Shakespeare within planetary space of each other. Are there any two things in the world more incongruous? Had the plays come down to us anonymously, had the labor of discovering the author been imposed upon after generations, I think we could have found no one of that day but F. Bacon to whom to assign the crown. In this case it would have been resting now on his head by almost common consent."
MARK TWAIN, b. 1835, d. 1910.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, who wrote under the pseudonym of Mark Twain, was,—it is universally admitted,—one of the wisest of men. Last year (1909) he published a little book with the title, "Is Shakespeare dead?" In this he treats with scathing scorn those who can persuade themselves that the immortal plays were written by the Stratford clown. He writes, pp. 142-3: "You can trace the life histories of the whole of them [the world's celebrities] save one far and away the most colossal prodigy of the entire accumulation—Shakespeare. About him you can find outnothing. Nothing of even the slightest importance. Nothing worth the trouble of stowing away in your memory. Nothing that even remotely indicates that he was ever anything more than a distinctly common-place person—a manager,[15] an actor of inferior grade, a small trader in a small village that did not regard him as a person of any consequence, and had forgotten him before he was fairly cold in his grave. We can go to the records and find out the life-history of every renownedrace-horseof modern times—but not Shakespeare's! There are many reasons why, and they have been furnished in cartloads (of guess and conjecture) by those troglodytes; but there is one that is worth all the rest of the reasons put together, and is abundantly sufficient all by itself—he hadn't any history to record. There is no way of getting around that deadly fact. And no sane way has yet been discovered of getting round its formidable significance. Its quite plain significance —to any but those thugs (I do not use the term unkindly) is, that Shakespeare had no prominence while he lived, and none until he had been dead two or three generations. The Plays enjoyed high fame from the beginning."
PRINCE BISMARCK, b. 1815, d. 1898.
We are told in Sydney Whitman's "Personal Reminiscences of Prince Bismarck," pp. 135-6, that in 1892, Prince Bismarck said, "He could not understand how it were possible that a man, however gifted with the intuitions of genius, could have written what was attributed to Shakespeare unless he had been in touch with the great affairs of state, behind the scenes of political life, and also intimate with all the social courtesies and refinements of thought which in Shakspeare's time were only to be met with in the highest circles."
"It also seemed to Prince Bismarck incredible that the man who had written the greatest dramas in the world's literature could of his own free will, whilst still in the prime of life, have retired to such a place as Stratford-on-Avon and lived there for years, cut off from intellectual society, and out of touch with the world."
The foregoing list of men of the very greatest ability and intelligence who were able clearly to perceive the absurdity of continuing to accept the commonly received belief that the Mighty Author of the immortal Plays was none other than the mean rustic of Stratford, might be extended indefinitely, but the names that we have mentioned are amply sufficient to prove to the reader that he will be in excellent company when he himself realises the truth that
BACON IS SHAKESPEARE.
Eternall reader, you haue heere a new play, neuer stal'd with the Stage, neuer clapper-clawd with the palmes of the vulger, and yet passing full of the palme comicall; for it is a birth of your braine, that neuer under-tooke any thing commicall, vainely: And were but the vaine names of commedies changde for the titles of Commodities, or of Playes for Pleas; you should see all those grand censors, that now stile them such vanities, flock to them for the maine grace of their grauities: especially this authors Commedies, that are so fram'd to the life, that they serve for the most common Commentaries, of all the actions of our Hues shewing such a dexteritie, and power of witte, that the most displeased with Playes are pleasd with his Commedies.....
And beleeue this, that when hee is gone, and his Commedies out of sale, you will scramble for them, and set up a new English Inquisition. Take this for a warning, and at the perrill of your pleasures losse, and Judgements, refuse not, nor like this the lesse, for not being sullied, with the smoaky breath of the multitude.[16]
Footnote to page 45. There was a forest of Arden in Warwickshire.
Footnote to page 51. This Richard Quyney's son Thomas married 10th February 1616, Judith, William Shakespeare's younger daughter, who, like her father, the supposed poet, was totally illiterate, and signed the Register with a mark.
Footnote to page 62. In 1615, although nothing of poetical importance bearing Bacon's name had been published, we find in Stowe's "Annales," p. 811, that Bacon's name appears seventh in the list there given of Elizabethan poets.
P. 5. For "knew little Latin" read "had small Latin."P. 29. For "line 511" read "line 512."P. 81. For "Montegut" read "Montegut."For "Greek for crowned" read "Greek forcrown."P. 93 & 94. For "Quintillian" read "Quintilian."P. 133. For "Greek name" read "Greek word."
To these Essays I have attached a carefully collated reprint of Francis Bacon's "Promus of Formularies and Elegancies," a work which is to be found in Manuscript at the British Museum in the Harleian Collection (No. 7,017.)
The folios at present known are numbered from 83 to 132, and are supposed to have been written about A.D. 1594-6, because folio 85 is dated December 5th 1594, and folio 114, January 27 1595.
The pagination of the MS. is modern, and was inserted for reference purposes when the Promus was bound up in one volume together with certain other miscellaneous manuscripts which are numbered from 1 to 82, and from 133 onwards.
A facsimile of a portion of a leaf of the Promus MS., folio 85, is given on pages 190-91, in order to illustrate Bacon's handwriting, and also to shew his method of marking the entries. It will be perceived that some entries have lines //// drawn across the writing, while upon others marks similar to the capital letters T, F, and A are placed at the end of the lines. But as the Promus is here printed page for page as in the manuscript, I am not raising the question of the signification of these marks, excepting only to say they indicate that Bacon made considerable use of these memoranda.
"Promus" means larder or storehouse, and these "Fourmes, Formularies and Elegancyes" appear to have been intended as a storehouse of words and phrases to be employed in the production of subsequent literary works.
Mrs. Pott was the first to print the "Promus," which, with translations and references, she published in 1883. In her great work, which really may be described as monumental, Mrs. Pott points out, by means of some thousands of quotations, how great a use appears to have been made of the "Promus" notes, both in the acknowledged works of Bacon and in the plays which are known as Shakespeare's.
Mrs. Pott's reading of the manuscript was extremely good, considering the great difficulty experienced in deciphering the writing. But I thought it advisable when preparing a reprint to secure the services of the late Mr. F. B. Bickley, of the British Museum, to carefully revise the whole of Bacon's "Promus." This task he completed and I received twenty-four proofs, which I caused to be bound with a title page in 1898. There were no other copies, the whole of the type having unfortunately been broken up. The proof has again been carefully collated with the original manuscript and corrected by Mr. F. A. Herbert, of the British Museum, and I have now reprinted it here, as I am satisfied that the more Bacon's Promus—the Storehouse—is examined, the more it will be recognised how large a portion of the material collected therein has been made use of in the Immortal Plays, and I therefore now issue the Promus with the present essay as an additional proof of the identity of Bacon and Shakespeare.
EDWIN DURNING-LAWRENCE.
[Illustration: Plate XLII. Facsimile of portion of Folio 85 of the Original MS of Bacon's "Promus." see page 199]
[Illustration: Plate XLIII. Portrait of Francis Bacon, from a Painting by Van Somers. Formerly in the Collection of the Duke of Fife]
Promus of Formularies.Folio 83, front.Ingenuous honesty and yet with opposition andstrength.Corni contra croci good means against badd, homesto crosses.In circuitu ambulant impij; honest by antiperistasis.Siluj a bonis et dolor meus renouatus est.Credidj propter quod locutus sum.Memoria justi cum laudibus at impiorum nomenputrescetJustitiamque omnes cupida de mente fugarunt.Non recipit stultus verba prudential nisi ea dixerisquaee uersantur in corde ejusVeritatem erne et noli vendereQui festinat ditari non erat insonsNolite dare sanctum canibus.Qui potest capere capiatQuoniam Moses ad duritiam cordis uestri permisituobisObedire oportet deo magis quam hominibus.Et vniuscujusque opus quale sit probabit ignisNon enim possumus aliquid aduersus ueritatem sedpro ueritate.Folio 83, front—continued.For which of y'e good woorkes doe yow stone meQuorundam hominum peccata praecedunt ad judiciumquorundam sequunturBonum certamen certaujSat patriae priamoque datum.Ilicet obruimur numero.Atque animis illabere nostrisHoc praetexit nomine culpam.Procul o procul este prophaniMagnanimj heroes nati melioribus annisFolio 83, back.Ille mihi ante alios fortunatusque laborumEgregiusque animi qui ne quid tale videretProcubuit moriens et humum semel ore momorditFors et uirtus miscentur in vnum.Non ego natura nec sum tam callidus vsu.aeuo rarissima nostro simplicitasViderit vtilitas ego cepta fideliter edam.Prosperum et foelix scelus, virtus vocaturTibi res antiquas laudis et artisInuidiam placare paras uirtute relicta.Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extraHomo sum humanj a me nil alienum puto.The grace of God is woorth a fayreBlack will take no other hueVnum augurium optimum tueri patria.Exigua res est ipsa justitiaDat veniam coruis uexat censura columbas.Homo hominj deusSemper virgines furiae; Cowrting a furyeDi danarj di senno et di fedeCe ne manco che tu credjChi semina spine non vada discalzoMas vale a quien Dios ayuda que a quien muchomadruga.Quien nesciamente pecca nesciamente ua al infiernoQuien ruyn es en su uillaRuyn es en SeuillaDe los leales se hinchen los huespitalesFolio 84, front.We may doe much yll or we doe much woorseVultu laeditur saepe pietas.Difficilia quae pulchraConscientia mille testes.Summum Jus summa injuriaNequiequam patrias tentasti lubricus artes.Et monitj meliora sequamurNusquam tuta fidesDiscite Justitiam moniti et non temnere diuosQuisque suos patimur manes.Extinctus amabitur idem.Optimus ille animi vindex laedentium pectusVincula qui rupit dedoluitque semel.Virtue like a rych geme best plaine settQuibus bonitas a genere penitus insita estij iam non mali esse nolunt sed nesciuntOeconomicae rationes publicas peruertunt.Divitiae Impedimenta virtutis; The bagage ofvertueHabet et mors aram.Nemo virtuti invidiam reconciliauerit praetermort ...Turpe proco ancillam sollicitare Est autemvirtutis ancilia laus.Si suum cuique tribuendum est certe et veniahumanitatiQui dissimulat liber non estLeue efficit jugum fortunae jugum amicitiaeOmnis medecina InnouatioFolio 84, front—continued.Auribus mederi difficillimum.Suspitio fragilem fidem soluit fortem incenditPauca tamen suberunt priscae vestigia fraudisDulce et decorum est pro patria moriMors et fugacem persequitur virum.Danda est hellebori multo pars maxima avar [is]Folio 84, back.Minerall wytts strong poyson and they be notcorrectedaquexar.Ametallado fayned inameled.Totum est majus sua parte against factions andpriuate profiteGalens compositions not paracelsus separationsFull musike of easy ayres withowt strange concordesand discordesIn medio non sistit uirtusTotem est quod superestA stone withowt foyleA whery man that lookes one way and pulls anotherOstracismeMors in Olla poysoningsFumos uendere.[Sidenote up the left margin oriented at ninety degrees to the text:FOURMES COMERSATE]Folio 85, front.Dec. 5, 1594.Promus// Suauissima vita indies meliorem fierjThe grace of God is woorth a faireMors in olla F// No wise speech thowgh easy and voluble.Notwithstanding his dialogues (of one that giuethlife to his speach by way of quaestion). THe can tell a tale well (of those cowrtly giftes ofspeach w'ch. are better in describing then inconsydering) FA goode Comediante T (of one that hath goodgrace in his speach)To commend Judgments.// To comend sense of law// Cunyng in the humors of persons but not in thecondicons of actionsStay a littell that we make an end the sooner. A// A fooles bolt is soone shottHis lippes hang in his light. A. T// Best we lay a straw hearA myll post thwitten to a pudding pricke T// One swallo maketh no sumerL'Astrologia e vera ma l'astrologuo non sj truoua// Hercules pillers non vltra. T// He had rather haue his will then his wyshe. TWell to forgettMake much of yourselfeFolio 85, front—continued.Wyshing yow all &c and myself occasion to doeyow servyce// I shalbe gladd to vnderstand your newes but none// rather then some ouerture whearin I may doe// yow service// Ceremonyes and green rushes are for strangers THow doe yow? They haue a better question in cheap side w'lak ye// Poore and trew. Not poore therefore not trew TFolio 85, back.Tuque Inuidiosa vestustas. TLicentia sumus omnes deteriores. TQui dat nivem sicut lanam TLilia agri non laborant neque nent TMors omnia solvit T// A quavering tong.like a cuntry man that curseth the almanach. TEcce duo gladij his. TArnajore ad minorem. TIn circuitu ambulant impij TExijt sermo inter fratres quod discipulus iste nonmoritur TOmne majus continet in se mjnus TSine vlla controuersia quod minus est majorebenedic ... TShe is light she may be taken in play THe may goe by water for he is sure to be welllanded T// Small matters need sollicitacion great are remem-bred of themseluesThe matter goeth so slowly forward that I hauealmost forgott it my self so as I maruaile notif my frendes forgettNot like a crabb though like a snaileHonest men hardly chaung their name. TThe matter thowgh it be new (if that be new wch)hath been practized in like case thowgh not inthis particularI leaue the reasons to the parties relacions and theconsyderacion of them to your wysdome
Folio 86, front.
I shall be content my howrs intended for serviceleaue me in liberty// It is in vayne to forbear to renew that greef by// speach w'ch the want of so great a comfort must// needes renew.// As I did not seeke to wynne your thankes so your// courteous acceptacion deserueth myne// The vale best discouuereth the hill T.// Sometymes a stander by seeth more than a plaier T.The shortest foly is the best. T.// I desire no secrett newes but the truth of comennewes. T.// Yf the bone be not trew[17] sett it will neuer be welltill it be broken. T.// Cheries and newes fall price soonest. T.You vse the lawyers fourme of pleading T.// The difference is not between yow and me butbetween your proffite and my trust// All is not in years some what is in howres wellspent. T.// Offer him a booke T// Why hath not God sent yow my mynd or me your// means.// I thinke it my dowble good happ both for theobteynyng and for the mean.// Shutt the doore for I mean to speak treason T.I wysh one as fytt as I am vnfittI doe not onely dwell farre from neighbors but nearyll neighbors. TFolio 86, front—continued.// As please the paynter T.Receperunt mercedem suam. T.Secundum tidem vestram fiet vobisMinisterium meum honorificaboFolio 86, back.Beati mortuj qui moriuntur in dominoDetractor portat Diabolum in lingua Tfrangimur heu fatis inquit ferimurque procellaNunc ipsa vocat resDij meliora pijs erroremque hostibus illumAliquisque malo fuit vsus in illoVsque acleo latet vtilitasEt tamen arbitrium que, rit res ista duorum.Vt esse phebi dulcius lumen soletJam jam cadentisVelle suum cuique est nee voto viuitur vnoWho so knew what would be dearNead be a marchant but a year.Blacke will take no other hewHe can yll pipe that wantes his vpper lipNota res mala optimaBalbus balbum rectius intelligitL' agua va al marA tyme to gett and a tyme to looseNee dijs nee viribus equisVnum pro multis dabitur caputMitte hanc de pectore curamNeptunus ventis impleuit vela secundisA brayne cutt with facettes TT Yow drawe for colors but it prooueth contrarieT Qui in paruis non distinguit in magnis labitur.Every thing is subtile till it be conceyuedFolio 87, front.That y't. is forced is not forcibleMore ingenious then naturallQuod longe jactum est leviter feritDoe yow know it? Hoc solum scio quod nihil scioI know it? so say manyNow yow say somewhat.s. euen when yow will; nowyow begynne to conceyue I begynne to say.What doe yow conclude vpon that? etiam tentasAll is one.s. Contrariorum eadam est ratio.Repeat your reason.s. Bis ac ter pulchra.Hear me owt.s. you were neuer in.Yow iudg before yow vnderstand.s. I iudg as I vnderstand.You goe from the matter.s. But it was to folow yow.Come to the poynt.s. why I shall not find yow thearYow doe not vnderstand y'e poynt.s. for if I did.Let me make an end of my tale.s. That which Iwill say will make an end of itYow take more then is graunted.s.you graunt lesse then is proouedYow speak colorably.s. yow may not say truly.That is not so by your fauour.s. But by my reasonit is soFolio 87, back.It is so I will warrant yow.s. yow may warrant mebut I thinke I shall not vowche yowAwnswere directly.s. yow mean as you may directmeAwnswere me shortly.s. yea that yow may comentvpon it.The cases will come together.s. It wilbe to fightthen.Audistis quia dictum est antiquisSecundum hominem dicoEt quin[18] non novit talia?Hoc praetexit nomine culpaEt fuit in toto notissima fabula celoQuod quidam facitNee nihil neque omnia sunt quae dicitFacete nunc demum nata ista est oratioQui mal intend pis respondTum decujt cum sceptra dabasEn haec promissa fides est?Proteges eos in tabernaculo tuo a contradictionelinuarum.[Greek: prin to thronein katathronein epistasai]Sicut audiuimus sic vidimusCredidj propter quod locutus sum.Quj erudit derisorem sibj injuriam facitSuper mjrarj ceperunt philosopharjFolio 88, front.Prudens celat scientiam stultus proclamat stultitiamQuerit derisor sapientiam nee invenit eam.Non recipit stultus verba prudentie nisi ea dixerisquae sunt in corde ejusLucerna Dej spiraculum hominisVeritatem eme et noli vendereMelior claudus in via quam cursor extra viam.The glory of God is to conceale a thing and theglory of man is to fynd owt a thing.Melior est finis orationis quam principium.Injtium verborum ejus stultitia et novissimum orisillius pura insaniaVerba sapientium sicut aculej et vebut clavj inaltum defixj.Quj potest capere capiatVos adoratis quod nescitisVos nihil scitisQuod est veritas.Quod scripsj scripsjNolj dicere rex Judeorum sed dicens se regemJudeorumVirj fratres liceat audacter dicere apud vosQuod uult seminator his verborum dicereFolio 88, back.Multe te litere ad Insaniam redigunt.Sapientiam loquiraur inter perfectosEt Justificata est sapientia a filijs suis.Scientia inflat charitas edificatEadem vobis scribere mihi non pigrum vobis autemnecessariumHoc autem dico vt nemo vos decipiat in sublimi-tate sermonum.Omnia probate quod bonum este teneteFidelis sermoSemper discentes et nunquam ad scientiam veritatispervenientesProprius ipsorum prophetaTestimonium hoc verum estTantam nubem testium.Sit omnis homo velox ad audiendum tardus adloquendum.Error novissimus pejor priore.Quecunque ignorant blasphemantNon credimus quia non legimusFacile est vt quis Augustinum vincat viderit vtrumveritate an clamore.Bellum omnium paterDe nouueau tout est beauDe saison tout est bonDj danarj di senno et di fedeCe ne manca che tu credjDi mentira y saqueras verdadFolio 89, front.Magna Civitas magna solitudelight gaines make heuy pursesHe may be in my paternoster indeedBut sure he shall neuer be in my CreedTanti causas sciat ilia furosisWhat will yow?For the restIt is possibleNot the lesse for thatAllwaies provydedYf yow stay thearfor a tymewill yow seewhat shalbe the end.IncidentYow take it rightAll this whileWhear stay we? prima facie.That agayne. more or less.I find that straunge It is bycauseNot vnlike quasi veroYf that be so Best of allWhat elsNothing lesseYt cometh to thatHear yow faileTo meet with thatBear with thatAnd how nowFolio 89, front—continued.Of graceas iflet it not displease yowYow putt me in myndI object, I demaund I distinguish etc.A matter not in questionfew woordes needmuch may be said,yow hauewell offred.The mean the tymeAll will not serueYow haue forgott nothing.Causa patetTamen quaere.Well remembredI arreste yow thearI cannot thinke thatDiscourse betterI was thinking of thatI come to thatThat is iust nothingPeraduenture Interrogatory.Se then how (for much lesse)NOTE.—This folio is written in three columns. The first two are printedon page 209, and this page forms the third column. The first line, "Ofgrace," is written opposite the sixth line on page 209, "What will yow?"Folio 89, back.Non est apud aram Consultandem.Eumenes litterSorti pater equus vtriqueEst quoddam [sic] prodire tenus si non datur vltra.Quem si non tenuit magnis tamen excidit ausisConamur tenues grandiaTentantem majora fere praesentibus equum.Da facilem cursum atque audacibus annue ceptisNeptunus ventis implevit vela secundisCrescent illae crescetis AmoresEt quae nunc ratio est impetus ante fuitAspice venturo laetentur vt omnia secloIn Academijs discunt credereVos adoratis quod nescitisTo gyue Awthors thear due as yow gyue Tyme hisdew w'ch is to discouuer troth.Vos graeci semper pueriNon canimus surdis respondent omnia syluaepopulus volt decipiScientiam loquimur inter perfectosEt Justificata est sapientia a filijs suisPretiosa in oculis domini mors sanctorum ejusFelix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas.Magistratus virum iudicat.Da sapienti occasionem et addetur ej sapientaVite me redde priorjI had rather know then be knowneFolio 90, front.Orpheus in syluis inter Delphinas ArionInopem me copia fecit.An instrument in tunyngA yowth sett will neuer be higher.like as children doe w'th their babies when they haueplaied enowgh wth them they take sport toundoe them.Faber quisque fortune suaeHinc errores multiplices quod de partibus vitaesinguli deliberant de summa nemo.Vtilitas magnos hominesque deosque efficit auxilijsquoque fauente suis.Qui in agone contendit a multis abstinetQuidque cupit sperat suaque illum oracula falluntSerpens nisi serpentem comederit non fit DracoThe Athenians holyday.Optimi consiliarij mortujCum tot populis stipatus eatIn tot populis vix vna fidesOdere Reges dicta quae dici iubentNolite confidere in principibusEt multis vtile bellum.Pulchrorum Autumnus pulcherVsque adeone times quern tu facis ipse timendum.Dux femina factiRes est ingeniosa dareA long wynter maketh a full ear.Declinat cursus aurumque uolubile tollitRomaniscult.Vnum augurium optimum tueri patriamBene omnia fecitFolio 90, back.Et quo quenque modo fugiatque feratque laborem edocet.Non vlla laborum o virgo nova mi facies inopinave surgit;Omnia praecepi atque animo mecum ante peregi.Cultus major censuTale of y'e frogg that swelled.Viderit vtilitasQui eget verseter in turbaWhile the legg warmeth the boote harmethAugustus rapide ad locum leniter in locoMy father was chudd for not being a baron.Prowd when I may doe any man good.I contemn few men but most thinges.A vn matto vno & mezoTantene animis celestibus ireTela honoris teneriorAlter rixatur de lana sepe caprinaPropugnat nugis armatus scilicet vt nonSit mihi prima fides.Nam cur ego amicum offendam in nugisA skulterWe haue not drunke all of one water.Ilicet obruimur numer[o].Numbring not weighinglet them haue long mornynges that haue not goodafternoonesCowrt howresConstancy to remayne in the same stateFolio 90, back—continued.The art of forgetting.Rather men then maskers.Variam dans otium mentemSpire lynes.Folio 91, front.Veruntamen vane conturbatur omnis homoBe the day never so long at last it ringeth toeven-song.Vita salillum.Non possumus aliquid contra veritatem sed pro veritate.Sapie[n]tia quoque perseueravit mecumMagnorum fluuiorum navigabiles fontes.Dos est vxoria litesHaud numine nostroAtque animis illabere nostrisAnimos nil magne laudi egentesMagnanimj heroes nati mehioribus annisAEuo rarissima nostro SimplicitasQui silet est firmusSi nunquam fallit imagoAnd I would haue thowghtSed fugit interea fugit irreparabile temp[us]Totum est quod superestIn a good beleefPossunt quia posse videnturJustitiamque omnes cupida de mente fugaru[nt]LucrificulusQui bene nugatur ad mensam sepe vocaturfaciunt et tedi[urn finitum?][19]Malum bene conditum ne moveasBe it better be it woorseGoe yow after him that beareth the purseTranquillo quilibet gubernatorNullus emptor difficilis bonum emit opsoniumChi semina spine non vada discalzoFolio 91, back.Quoniam Moses ad duritiem cordis permi [sit] vobisNon nossem peccatum nisi per legem.Discite Justitiam monit;Vbj testamentum ibi necesse est mors intercedattestatorisScimus quia lex bona est si quis ea vtatur legitimeVe vobis JurisperitjNee me verbosas leges ediscere nee me Ingratovoces prostituisse foro.fixit leges pretio atque refixitNec ferrea Jura Insanumque forum et populitabularia viditMiscueruntque novercae non innoxia verbaJurisconsultj domus oraculum Civitatisnow as ambiguows as oracles.Hic clamosi rabiosa forjJurgia vendens improbusIras et verba locatIn veste varietas sit scissura non sitPlenitude potestatis est plenitudo tempestatisIliacos intra muros peccatur et extraProsperum et felix scelus virtus vocaturDa mihi fallere da iustum sanctumque viderj.Nil nisi turpe iuuat cure est sua cuique voluptasHec quoque ab alterius grata dolore venitCasus ne deusnefabuleque manesFolio 92, front.Ille Bioneis sermonibus et sale nigroExistimamus diuitem omnia scire recteQuerunt cum qua gente cadantTotus mu[n]dus in malingo positusO major tandem parcas insane minoriReallforma dat esseNee fandj fictor VlissesNon tu plus cernis sed plus temerarius audesNec tibj plus cordis sed minus oris inest.Invidiam placare paras virtute relicta[Greek: ho polla klepsas oliga douk ekpheuxetai]Botrus oppositus Botro citius maturescit.Old treacle new losanges.Soft fire makes sweet malt.Good to be mery and wise.Seeldome cometh the better.He must needes swymme that is held vp by the chynne.He that will sell lawne before he can fold it.Shall repent him before he haue sold it.No man loueth his fetters thowgh they be of gold.The nearer the church the furder from God.All is not gold that glisters.Beggers should be no chuzers.A beck is as good as a dieu vous gard.The rowling stone neuer gathereth mosse.Better children weep then old men.Folio 92, back.When bale is heckst boote is next.Ill plaieng w'th short dag (taunting replie).He that neuer clymb neuer fell.The loth stake standeth long.Itch and ease can no man please.To much of one thing is good for nothing.Ever spare and euer bare.A catt may looke on a Kyng.He had need be a wyly mowse should breed in thecattes ear.Many a man speaketh of Rob. hood that neuer shottin his bowe.Batchelers wyues and maides children are welltaught.God sendeth fortune to fooles.Better are meales many then one to mery.Many kisse the child for the nurses sake.When the head akes all the body is the woorse.When theeues fall owt trew men come to their good.An yll wynd that bloweth no man to good.All this wynd shakes no Corn.Thear be more waies to the wood then one.Tymely crookes the Tree that will a good Camocke be.Better is the last smile then thefirst laughter.No peny no pater noster.Every one for himself and God for vs all.Folio 93, front.Long standing and small offring.The catt knowes whose lippes she lickes.As good neuer a whitt as neuer the better.fluvius quae procul sunt irrigat.As far goeth the pilgrymme as the post.Cura esse quod audis.[Greek: Erga neon Bomlai de meson enchai de geronton.]Taurum tollet qui vitulum sustulerit.Lunae radijs non maturescit Botrus.Nil profuerit Bulbus; y'e potado will doe no good.Dormientis rete trahit The sleeping mans nett draweth.ijsdem e literis efficitur Tragedia et Comedia.Tragedies and Comedies are made of one Alphabett.Good wyne needes no bush.Heroum filij noxae.The sonnes of demy goddes demy men.Alia res sceptrum alia plectrumfere danides.[20]Abore dejecta quivis ligna colligit.The hasty bytch whelpes a blind lytter.Priscis credendum.We must beleeue the wytnesses are dead.Thear is no trusting a woman nor a tapp.Folio 93, back.Not onely y'e Spring but the Michelmas Spring.Virj iurejurandi pueri talis fallendj.Ipsa dies quandoque parens quandoque noverca est.Vbj non sis qui fueris non esse cur velis viuere.Compendiaria res improbitas.It is in action as it is in wayes; comonly the nearestis the fowlest.Lachrima nil citius arescit.woorke when God woorkes.A shrewd turn comes vnbidden.Hirundines sub eodem tecto ne habeas.A thorn is gentle when it is yong.Aut regem aut fatuum nasci oportet (of a free jester).Exigua res est ipsa Justitia.Quae non posuistj ne tollas.Dat veniam coruis vexat Censura columbas.Lapsa lingua verum dicit.The toung trippes vpon troth.The evill is best that is lest [best?] knowen.A mercury cannot be made of every wood (bvtpriapus may).Princes haue a Cypher.Anger of all passions beareth the age lest [best?].One hand washeth another.Iron sharpeth against Iron.Folio 94, front.Eyther bate conceyte or putt to strength.faciunt et sphaceli Immunitatem.He may be a fidler that cannot be a violine.Milke the staunding Cowe. Why folowe yow theflyeng.He is the best prophete that telleth the best fortune.Garlike and beanslike lettize like lips.Mons cum monte non miscetur.Hilles meet not.A northen man may speake broad.Haesitantia Cantoris Tussis.No hucking Cator buyeth good achates.Spes alit exules.Romanus sedendo vincit.Yow must sowe w'th the hand not w'th the baskett.Mentiuntur multa cantores (few pleasing spechestrue).It is noth if it be in verse.Leonis Catulum ne alas.He cowrtes a fury.Dij laneos habent pedes (They leaue no prynt).The weary ox setteth stronger.A mans customes are the mowldes whear his fortuneis cast.Folio 94, back.Beware of the vinegar of sweet wyne.Adoraturj sedeant.[21]To a foolish people a preest possest.The packes may be sett right by the way.It is the Cattes nature and the wenches fault.Coene fercula nostre.Mallem conviuis quam placuisse cocis.Al Confessor medico e aduocato.Non si de tener [tena?] il ver celato.Assaj ben balla a chi fortuna suona.A yong Barber and an old phisicion.Buon vin Cattina testa dice il griego.Buon vin fauola lunga.good watch chazeth yll aduenture.Campo rotto paga nuoua.Better be martyr then Confessor.L'Imbassador no porta pena.Bella botta non ammazza vecello.A tender finger maketh a festred sore.A catt will neuer drowne if she see the shore.Qui a teme [temor?] a lie.He that telleth tend [tond?] lyeth is eyther a foolehimself or he to whome he telles them.Che posce a [ci?] Cana pierde piu che guadagna.Folio 95, front.Ramo curto vindimi lungaTien l'amico tuo con viso suo.Gloria in the end of the salmeAn asses trott and a fyre of strawe dureth notPor mucho madrugar no amanece mas aynaErly rising hasteneth not y'e morning.Do yra el Buey que no are?Mas vale buena quexa que mala pagaBetter good pleint then yll payHe that pardons his enemy the amner shall hauehis goodesChi offendi maj perdonaHe that resolues in hast repentes at leasureA dineros pagados brazos quebrados.Mas uale bien de lexos que mal de cerca.El lobo & la vulpeja son todos d'vna consejaNo haze poco quien tu mal echa a otro (oster before)El buen suena, el mal buela.At the trest of the yll the lestDi mentira y sagueras verdadTell a lye to knowe a treuthLa oveja mansa mamma su madre y agenaEn fin la soga quiebra por el mas delgado.Quien ruyn es en su villa ruyn es en SevillaQuien no da nudo pierde puntoQuien al Ciel escupe a la cara se le buelveCovetousenesse breakes the sackeDos pardales a tua espiga haze mala liguaFolio 95, back.Quien ha las hechas ha las sospechas.La muger que no vera no haze larga telaQuien a las hechas ha las sospechas.Todos los duelos con pan son buenos.El mozo por no saber, y el viejo por no poder dexanlas cosas pierder.La hormiga quandose a de perder nasiente alasDe los leales se hinchen los huespitales.Dos que se conoscan de lexos se saludan.Bien ayrna quien mal come.Por mejoria mi casa dexariaHombre apercebido medio combatidoHe caries fier in one hand and water in the otherTo beat the bush while another catches the byrdTo cast beyond the mooneHis hand is on his halfpenyAs he brues so he must drinkeBoth badd me God speed but neyther bad me wellcomeTo bear two faces in a whoodTo play cold prophettTo sett vp a candell before the devillHe thinketh his farthing good syluerFolio 96, front.