either the "Sonnets" or the "Epitaphs." And yet the Sonnets are certainly hermetic enough to yield the former unlimited pasture, while the "Epitaphs"-at their vast critical distance from the "Venus and Adonis" and "The Tempest"-would certainly afford Mr. Furnivall an unlimited sweep. Was the "Epitaph on Elias James," for example, the youthful practise of Shakespeare's pen or the feeble strokes of our tired Cæsar laying that pen down forever? Does it elbow the great Poems or "The Winter's Tale?" In either case, I am disposed to think that a development of both the Cipher and the Verse-Test theories will lead to an ultimate exchange of base on the part of their adherents. Those who were driven into Baconianism because unable to accept Shakespearean miracles now called upon to swallow the greatest miracle of all-in self-defense can only fall back into the orthodox faith; while the already orthodox Shakespeareans-now ordered to discard their common-sense and blindly bolt the VerseTests under "instruction" of Mr. Furnivall, and to "look on Shakespeare's plays and poems as the product of a mind working in successive periods,"— will have nothing for it except to gallop, horsefoot and dragoons, into the Baconian camp!

INDEX.

A.

A Lover's Complaint-Who wrote it? 73.

Act of Parliament - Necessary to read Sonnets, 81.
Actors. (See THEATERS.)

Note local hits, 48, 207.

Must be under nobleman's patronage, 245.
Cautious as to utterances, 70.

Audiences maltreated, 70.

Turn up in Holland, 278, 280.

In Germany, 278.

Names printed for characters, 208.

Custom of doing country in vacation, 279.

Cut long speeches, 212.

Company of, stranded in Germany, 278.

Mouth-pieces of gossip, 205.

In Scotland with Lawrence Fletcher, 280.

Retailers of news, 205.

Permitted to improvise at will, 205.

Good opinion of, valuable, 205.

Earthly agents of the devil, 141.

Shakespeare's company of, at Barnstaple, 281.
Bath, id.

Bristol, id.

Coventry, id.

Dover, id.

Faversham, id.

Folkestone, id.

Hythe, id.

Leicester, id.

Maidstone, id.

Marlborough, id.

New Romney, id.

Oxford, id.

Rye, County Sussex, id.
Shrewsbury, id.

Saffron Walden, id.

Actresses-When first employed, 150.

Adee, Hon. A. A.-Point as to Cipher, 310

"Adventures of Five Hours," preferred to Shakespeare, 145.
"Alba," etc. Weever's poem of, 320.

-

Alençon-Fastolffe captures Duke of, 259-265.

"All for Love"- Burlesque on "Antony and Cleopatra," 150.
Allegorical Treatment-Anything susceptible of, 28.

Allerton-George. Louisa, Susan-descendants of Shakespeare, 273.

Almanac - Shakespeare writes by the, 198.

Amicus Curiæ - Portia as delegate of, 181-188.

Amleth-Translation of, 114.

Overstudied, 91.

Amleth's Heath, 133.

Amsterdam-Strolling actors stranded in, 278.

Anachronisms-Possible source of, 23, 203.

Analogy in Epilogue to "Henry IV.,'

Andrew-Played "Dogberry," 208.
Angelo-Made Beatrice's guardian, 151.
Made brother to Benedick, 151.

250.

Anglican Church - Popularly same as Roman Catholic, 226.
Antiquarian lore-In Plays, why? 203.

Antonio His bond not "single," 176.

Antony and Cleopatra - Burlesque of, 150.
Apollyon-Idea of Napoleon as, disappeared, 28.

Apostasy-Courts cannot compel, 189.

Apothecaries-Of Elizabeth's day, 195.

Argument is not evidence, 232.

Arms-Grant of, how obtained, 36, 275.

Army-Queen Elizabeth's. (See SOLDIERS.)

Ashbies Estate - Shakespeare's suit to recover, 53-

Ashley Ann, Edwin, Frederick, George, Henry, James, Nelly, Tabitha,
descendants of Shakespeare, 273, 274.

Ashmead Windle, Mrs. C. F.- Her Cipher. (See CIPHER, WINDLE,
MRS. ASHMEAD.)

Aspley, W.-Charged for printing First Folio, 138.
Was he confederate to Cipher? 309.
Atomic Theory-In the Plays, 203.

Attorney. (See LAWYER, LEGALISMS.)

Aubrey, John-First Shakespearean critic, 132.
Testimony as to Shakespeare's methods, 203.
Audiences-Preferred action to ethics, 235.
Could appreciate burlesque, 152, 237.

Author had no legal rights in work, 51, 55.
Style of an-changes in, 311.

Was not supplied with proofs, 310.
Authorship-Title-pages not presumptive of 51.

Of Plays, under theatrical conditions, 48.

B.

Bacon, Francis - His Northumberland MS., 194, 195.

Quarrel with Coke, 178.

Volunteer Counsel against Essex, 177.

Why not Shakespeare, 176.

Unacquainted with Shakespeare, 301.

Does not claim the plays, 54-

Connection conjectured with First Folio, 137.

Lunacy to mention name of, 22.

What hand in plays possible, 23.

No authorship in "Misfortunes of Arthur," 23.

Did he set up type for First Folio? 300.

Why should he conceal depository of Cipher? 290.

A persistent office seeker, 289.

Not a plotter against the Crown, 289.

An obsequious courtier, 289.

Curious begging letters of, 289.

Was he "Gagged" or "Muzzled"? 309.

Must have read Cipher in proof, 309.

Could he have anticipated his rank? 310, 311.

Bacon, Delia. (See DELIA BACON.)

Baconian Theorists - Reasonable as compared with Esthetes, 18, 225.

Baconian Theory - Strong point of, 16.

Has historical side, 23.

When theorists would be crazy, 21.

Lord Palmerston and the,

Mr. Furnivall as to, 19.

Why alluded to, 18.

Arises legitimately, 288.

Disposed of by Donnelly cipher, 300.

Its advocates learned and courteous, 288.
Ballet Brilliant, devised by Davenant, 151.
"Balthazar "- Played by Jack Wilson, 208.
Baptism-Anglican, recognized by Rome, 226.

Baptista-Correctly used as man's name, 207.
Bankruptcy-Davenant avoids, 145.

-

Bar Sinister A Shakespeare equals royal, 274.
Barnefield-Poems by, among sonnets, 73.
Barnstaple Shakespeare's company at, 281.
Bartholomew Fair-A hit at Puritanism, 138.
Basle - Fastolffe, ambassador at, 259.
Bath - Shakespeare's company at, 281.
Beaconsfield-Speeches compared with novels, 5.
Beadle-As played by Sinclo, 207.

The Stratford, threatens summary proceedings, 84.
Bear Baiting Denounced by Puritans, 140.
Beatrice Given a guardian, 151.

Beeston

-

-

Fellow-actor with Shakespeare, 164.

Authority for schoolmaster story, 164.

Begetter What is a, 77.

Bell, John W.- Prepares statistics, 271.

Benedick-Given a brother, 151.

Benefit of Clergy - Abolished in England, when, 67.
Betterton-Sent by Davenant to France, 149.

His Hamlet lean and thoughtful, 90, 236.

Bible - King James's, 138.

Supposed to forbid amusements, 140.
Shakespeare familiar with Bishop's, 228.
Wide circulation of, 139.

Immense effect of, 139, 141.

Birchen Rods - Principal course at Stratford school, 61.

Bishop's Bible. (See BIBLE.)

Blackfriars-Certificate of players, 219.

Some foundation for forgery, 219.
Black-letter-Plowden's report in, 173.

Unattractive, 173:

Blackness. (See MASQUE OF BLACKNESS).

Blewitt-George, Louisa, descendants of Shakespeare, 273.
Blood-Circulation of the, 203.

Blount, Ed.-Charged for printing First Folio, 138.

Was he confederate to Cipher? 309.

Boar's Head Tavern- Owned by Falstaff, 223.

Falstaff aliens to Magdalen College, 269, 223 (note).

Bond, Antonio's - Not single, 178.

Books of Songs and Sonnets- Popular publications, 52.
Booth, Edwin His Hamlet, 90.

Bones, Shakespeare's. (See CURSE, GRAVE.)

Boucicault, Dion - We do not write his life from plays, 6
Manly words of, 27.

Idea of changes in text, 230.

Bradley Descendants of Shakespeare named, 274.

Bristol-Shakespeare's company at, 281.

British Museum- Mrs. Windle confides Cipher to, 275.

Britton, John-Testimony as to rural schools, 64.

Brokers-Lovers' oaths called, 176.

Brook, Lord. (See GREVILLE, SIR FULKE.)

Broome-Played "Master Brooke," 208.

Broomholme Priory - Fastolffe buried in, 260.

Brothel Scenes - In Pericles, Shakespearean, 213 (note).

Brown, Charles Armitage - Early reader of Sonnets, 81.
Discovery as to, 81.

Method with, 36.

Browne, Sir Thomas - Complains of piratical printers, 74.
Brutus and Cassius- Rymer on quarrel of, 157.

Bull-Dogs-Dr. Johnson's learned note about, 214.
Burbadge-Required a fat Hamlet, 90, 236.

Burlesque-In Davenant's time, 151.

Law, equaled by Sonnets, 30.

Butler of Ireland, Chief (see Fastolffe).