fay, that our author was here, as in fome other. places, hafty and inattentive? It is certain that there is nothing in which he is lefs accurate, than the computation of time. Of his negligence in this refpect, As you Like it, Meafure for Meafure, and Othello, furnish remarkable inftances." 10. HAMLET, 1596. The following paffage is found in An Epistle to the Gentlemen Students of the Two Univerfities by Thomas Nashe, prefixed to Greene's Arcadia, which was published in 1589: "I will turn back to my firft text of ftudies of delight; and talk a little in friendfhip with a few of our trivial translators. It is a common practice now a-days, among a fort of fhifting companions, that runne through every art, and thrive by none, to leave the trade of Noverint, whereto they were born, and bufie themselves with the endevors of art, that could fcarcely latinize their neck-verfe if they fhould have neede; yet English Seneca, read by candle-light, yeelds many good fentences, as Bloud is a beggar, and fo forth: and, if you intreat him faire in a frofly morning, he will affoord you whole Hamlets, I fhould fay Handfuls, of tragical fpeeches. But O grief! Tempus edax rerum;-what is that will last always? The fea exhaled by drops will in continuance be drie; and Seneca, let bloud line by line, and page by page, at length muft needes die to our ftage. งา 66 6 See Meafure, for Meafure, A&t I. fc. iii. and iv.-As you like it, Act IV. fc. i. and iii.-Othello, A& III, fc. iii: I lept the next night well, &c. Not having seen the first edition of this tract till a few years ago, I formerly doubted whether the foregoing paffage referred to the tragedy of Hamlet; but the word Hamlets being printed in the original copy in a different character, from the reft, I have no longer any doubt upon the subject. It is manifeft from this paffage that fome play on the ftory of Hamlet had been exhibited before the year 1589; but I am inclined to think that it was not Shakspeare's drama, but an elder performance, on which, with the aid of the old profe Hiftory of Hamlet, his tragedy was formed. The great number of pieces which we know he formed. on the performances of preceding writers, 7 renders it highly probable that fome others alfo of his dramas were conftructed on plays that are now loft. Perhaps the original Hamlet was written by Thomas Kyd; who was the author of one play (and probably of more) to which no name is affixed. The only tragedy to which Kyd's name is affixed, (Cornelia,) is a profeffed tranflation from the French of Garnier, who, as well as his tranflator, imitated Seneca. In Kyd's Spanish Tragedy, as in Shakfpeare's Hamlet, there is, if I may say so, a play reprefented within a play: if the old play of Hamlet fhould ever be recovered, a fimilar interlude, Imake no doubt, would be found there; and fomewhat of the fame contrivance may be traced in The old Taming of a Shrew, a comedy which perhaps had the fame author as the other ancient pieces now enumerated. 7 See the Differtation on the Three Parts of King Henry VI. Vol. XV. p. 246. The Spanish Tragerly. Nafle feems to point at fome dramatick writer of that time, who had originally been a fcrivener or attorney: "A clerk foredoom'd his father's foul to cross; Who penn'd a ftanza when he should engrofs;" who, inftead of tranfcribing deeds and pleadings, chose to imitate Seneca's plays, of which a tranflation had been published many years before. Our author, however freely he may have borrowed from Plutarch and Holinfhed, does not appear to be at all indebted to Seneca'; and therefore I do not believe that he was the person in Nafhe's contemplation. The perfon alluded to being defcribed as originally bred to the law, (for the trade of noverint is the trade of an attorney or conveyancer, ") I formerly conceived that this circumftance alfo was decifive to fhew that Shakfpeare could not have been aimed at. I do not hesitate to acknowledge, that fince the first edition of this effay I have found reafon to believe that I was miftaken. The comprehenfive mind of our poet embraced almoft every object of nature, every trade, every art; the manners of every defcription of men, and the general language of almoft every profeflion: but his knowledge of legal terms is not merely fuch as might be acquired by the cafual obfervation of even his all-comprehending mind; it has the appearance of 9 "The country lawyers too jog down apace, "Each with his noverint univerfi face." Ravenscroft's Prologue prefixed to Titus Andronicus. Our ancient deeds were written in Latin, and frequently began with the words, Noverint Univerfi. The form is fill retained. Knoto all men, &c. technical skill; and he is fo fond of difplaying it. on all occafions, that I fufpect he was early initia ted in at leaft the forms of law; and was employed, while he yet remained at Stratford, in the office of fome country attorney, who was at the fame time a petty conveyancer, and perhaps alfo the Senefchal of fome manor-court. I fhall fubjoin the proofs below.* 3 86 for what in me was purchas'd, King Henry IV. P. II. Purchafe is here ufed in its firict legal fenfe, in contradiftinction to an acquifition by defcent. "Unless the devil have him in fee-fimple, with fine and recovery." Merry Wives of Windfor. "He is 'refed on the cafe." Comedy of Errors. with bills on their necks, Be it known unto all men by these prefents," &c. As you like it. 66 who writes himself armigero, in any bill, wars rant, quittance, or obligation." Merry Wives of Windfor. "Go with me to a notary, feal me there "Your fingle bond." Merchant of Venice. Say, for non-payment that the debt fhould double." Venus and Adonis. On a conditional bond's becoming forfeited for non-pay ment of money borrowed, the whole penalty, which is ufually the double of the principal fum lent by the obligee, was formerly recoverable at law. To this our poet here alludes. "But the defendant doth that plea deny; In Much Ado about Nothing, Dogberry charges the watch to keep their fellows counfel and their own. This Shakspeare transferred from the oath of a grand jury man. "And let my officers of fuch a nature VOL. II. As jou like Le it, I The tragedy of Hamlet was not registered in the books of the Stationers' Company till the 26th of July, 1602. I believe it was then published, though 66 "He was taken with the manner." Love's Labour's Loft. Enfeof' d himself to popularity." King Henry IV. P I. "He will feal the fee-fimple of his falvation, and cut the entail from all remainders, and a perpetual fucceffion for it perpetually." All's well that ends well. 66 Why, let her except before excepted." Twelfth Night. which is four terms, or two actions;—and he shall laugh without intervallums." King Henry IV. P. II. keeps leets and law-days." King Richard II. "Pray in aid for kindnefs." Antony and Cleopatra. No writer but one who had been converfant with the technical language of leafes and other conveyances, would have ufed determination as fynonymous to end. Shakspeare frequently ufes the word in that fenfe. See. Vol. Vol. XIV. p. 130, n. 7; and [Mr. Malone's edit.] Vol. X. p. 202, n. 8." From and after the determination of fuch term, is the regular language of conveyancers. 66 Humbly complaining to your highness." ---- n. King Richard III. Humbly complaining to your lordship, your orator, &c. are the firft words of every bill in chancery. "A kifs in fee farm! In witnefs where of these parties interchangeably have fet their hands and feals," Troilus and Creffida. "Art thou a feodary for this act?" Cymbeline. See the note on that paffage, Vol. XIX. p. 103, 104, n.3. "Are thofe precepts ferved?" fays Shallow to Davy, in King Henry IV. Precepts in this fenfe is a word only known in the office of a Juftice of peace. Tell me, what ftate, what dignity, what honour, "Can't thou demife to any child of mine?" King Richard III. hath demifed, granted, and to farm let," is the conftant language of leafes. What peet but Shakspeare has ufed the word demifed in this fenfe ? |