That did not better for my life provide, Than public means, which public manners breeds. Poems. 799. Shakspeare's contemplation on the shortness of life. That time of year thou may'st in me behold, Which by and by black night doth take away, 800. Shakspeare's apostrophe to his soul. Poor SOUL, the centre of my sinful earth1 Poems. any reflection on Divine Providence. The expressions made use of are merely poetical: Fortune, in the language of poetry, is an imaginary being, supposed to distribute the lots of life according to her own humour. k Vinegar. "Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself."-Phil. iii. 21. Why so large cost, having so short a leasem, Eat up thy charge? Is this thy BODY's end? Poems. 801. Shakspeare's faith and hope in Christ alone. "In the name of God, amen. I, William Shakspeare, at Stratford-upon-Avon, in the county of Warwick, gent.; in perfect health and memory, God be praised! do make and ordain this, my last will and testament, in manner and form following; that is to say,— "First, I commend my soul into the hands of God, my creator, hoping, and assuredly believing, through the only merits of Jesus Christ, my Saviour, to be made partaker of life everlasting; and my body to the earth whereof it is made." From his Will P. "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away."-Ps. xc. 10. Feeding upon Christ by faith. "Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection."- Luke xx. 36. "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"-1 Cor. xv. 55. "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." ."-Rev. xxi. 4. P The original will is preserved in the Prerogative Office at Doctors' Commons, with which the above preamble precisely agrees. This is the more necessary to notice, as there has long been shown at a house in Stratford-upon-Avon, along with alleged Shakspeare relics, a large written paper in a gilt frame, professing to be a faithful copy of the real will. In this paper the preamble is drawn up in the Roman Catholic form, and the whole fabrication is expressed so as to induce the belief that Shakspeare died a Papist. 802. Shakspeare a Protestant. [Shakspeare having been claimed as a Papist, a selection from the evidence to the contrary furnished by himself is here given. It can scarcely be supposed that a Papist would have dared to put into the mouths of his Dramatis Personæ expressions so anti-Popish.] The supremacy. Thou canst not, Cardinal, devise a name Tell him this,—That no Italian priest Absolution. 16-iii. 1. 16-iii. 1. Though you, and all the kings of Christendom, Against the Pope, and count his friends my foes". 16-iii. 1. a The invariable reading has been "heaven;" but "God" is supposed by Collier to have been the word employed before the statute of James I. against the use of the name of the Creator on the stage. This repudiation of the papal authority is followed by the Pope's legate excommunicating King John in the following terms: Then by the lawful power that I have, Thou shalt stand curs'd and excommunicate: And meritorious shall that hand be call'd, Canoniz'd, and worship'd as a saint, That takes away by any secret course Thy hateful life. The original of this denunciation was a principal cause of Faith. Play fast and loose with faith? so jest with Heaven. 16-iii. 1. Oaths are straws, men's faiths are wafer-cakes. 20-ii. 3. Cardinal Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester. 21-iii. 1. Name not religion, for thou lov'st the flesh; 21-i. 1. This cardinal is more haughty than the devil. 21-i. 3. Now, by God's mother, priest, I'll shave your crown for this. 22-ii. 1. Under my feet I stamp thy cardinal's hat; 21-i. 3. Stand back, Thou, that giv'st whores indulgences to sin: 21-i. 3. Presumptuous priest! this place commands my patience, Or thou should'st find thou hast dishonour'd me. the establishment of Magna Charta; for the English barons, fearful that King John would be intimidated by the papal threat, forced him to sign the great charter, the first words of which are,-"The Church of England shall be free, and shall have her whole rights and liberties inviolable." A man of thy profession and degree; And for thy treachery, What's more manifest? 21-iii. 1. York, and impious Beaufort, that false priest, And, fly thou how thou canst, they 'll tangle thee. Cardinal Beaufort is at point of death, Blaspheming God, and cursing men on earth, The secrets of his overcharged soul. 22-ii. 4. 22-iii. 2. Lord Cardinal, if thou think'st on heaven's bliss, 22-iii. 3: Cardinal Wolsey. I love him not, nor fear him; so I leave him 25-ii. 2. 25-ii. 4. Is this your christian counsel? out upon ye! But Cardinal sins, and hollow hearts, I fear ye. 25-iii. 1. I'll startle you Worse than the sacring bell, when the brown wench I know thou art religious, 24-iii. 2. And hast a thing within thee, called conscience; And keeps the oath, which by that god he swears; • The making confession to a priest. 32-v. 1. |