that their connection is mentioned. That comedy confirmed him in her good opinion, as well by the art it exhibited in carrying out her wishes, in a manner so flattering to her pride, as by its merit as a composition. It is remarkable that both The Merry Wives' and 'Midsummer Night's Dream' introduce the fairies, as if Shakespeare wished to show the Queen that they were not better known to Spenser than himself. They maintained a friendly contest for her favour, while they praised and loved each other. It does not appear that she ever bestowed any gift on Shakespeare, but Spenser was more fortunate, as she once presented him with an order for a hundred pounds. This seemed such a piece of extravagance to Burleigh, that he refused payment. The great minister, gorged with three hundred manors, looked upon authors in the same light as Pitt, who replied to an application for some assistance to Burns, that literature would take care of itself. Spenser received for his order only a wise shake of the head; and on an appeal to the Queen, Burleigh declared it was madness to give "all this for a song." "Then give," said the Queen, "what is reason." Burleigh still evaded payment, which drew from Spenser an epigrammatic remonstrance to Elizabeth "I was promised, on a time, To have reason for my rhyme; I received nor rhyme nor reason." This epigram exhibits the familiar relations to which the poet was admitted by Elizabeth, and renders it probable that the sonnets in which Spenser is referred to by Shakespeare,1 are also addressed to her. It is difficult to imagine who else received the praise of every pen, taught "the dumb on high to sing," and gave "grace a double MAJESTY." True, 'Sonnets lxxviii. to lxxxvi. one of these sonnets salutes its object as "I grant, sweet love, thy lovely argument "sweet love,' but the Queen allowed great latitude on this point, and in the next stanza Shakespeare acknowledges that his Muse is a "saucy bark." Another sonnet may allude to Elizabeth's acceptance of the dedication of the Fairy Queen' : "I grant thou wert not married to my Muse, And therefore may'st without attaint o'erlook Of their fair subject, blessing every book." But the succeeding lines could not apply to Spenser, as they censure the gross flattery of dedications, and that of the 'Fairy Queen' was not open to this reproach. Elizabeth admired Shakespeare also as an actor, although "the top of his performance," as we have seen, is rather slighted by Rowe; and one so impressed as the Queen by personal attractions was naturally pleased by his noble appearance and gentle, engaging manners. There is a story that on one occasion, when he was performing the part of majesty, she wished to see whether he would maintain his assumed character, if brought to address herself; and for this purpose dropped her handkerchief on the stage, just as she caught his eye. Another time, it would have been a scramble for the Court, but now all kept their places by the royal command, appearing not to note the incident. It seemed to be really unnoted by Shakespeare. The scene progressed, the moment for his exit was approaching, and he still made no sign. But the "saucy" Muse knew what was expected and, at the last moment, he wound up his speech with this impromptu : "Yet, ere we take to horse, forbear a space, Till we restore our sister's handkerchief;" and the purpose was carried out in true kingly style. 6 Shakespeare never lent the influence of his Muse to the service of faction, at that time so busy, and engaging all his friends. Even in Midsummer Night's Dream,' where he alludes to Throckmorton's conspiracy and the captive Queen of Scots, he maintains his neutrality, and does homage to Leicester without abusing his adversaries. But a time had come when he must plunge into this whirlpool to drag out a drowning friend. The play of King Henry VIII.' is an appeal to Elizabeth for the life of Essex. The action is brought as near as possible to her own reign, introducing her parents and even herself, and exhibits all the unscrupulous means adopted by courtiers to ruin an enemy, particularly when in favour with the Sovereign. The presence of her mother reminds her how nearly she was touched by such intrigues, and she could not but see a bearing on passing events in the fall of the great favourite Wolsey. The absence of Essex in Ireland had afforded his enemies an opportunity of weakening his influence with Elizabeth, and this is pointedly adverted to by Surrey, who declares he was nominated to the same position, in order that Buckingham might be destroyed in his absence: "Plague of your policy! You sent me deputy for Ireland: Far from his succour, from the king, from all, That might have mercy on the fault thou gav'st him." But an unmistakeable reference is made to Essex by the RING, by which Cranmer is to appeal to Henry, when the hostile cabal leaves him no other resource :— "If entreaties Will render you no remedy, this ring Then make before them." 2 The ring was intercepted in its way to Elizabeth, but she heard of it from Shakespeare, so deeply interested in this 2 Ibid., act v. 1. 1 'King Henry VIII.,' act iii. 2. transaction, not only on account of Essex but Southampton. He tells her, at the same time, his opinion of the unhappy Earl : "He's honest, on mine honour. God's blest mother! I swear he's true-hearted; and a soul None better in my kingdom."' Some of the commentators maintain that this play is the one mentioned by Sir Henry Wotton as a new production in 1613, under the title of 'All Is True,' because the latter is described as "representing some principal pieces of Henry the Eighth." The compliment to James the First, in the speech of Cranmer, may seem to support their argument; but, in fact, it counts for little, as the passage is evidently wedged in, cutting the tribute to Elizabeth in two. The internal evidence is more in favour of the view we have taken. His feelings towards the Queen were entirely changed by the execution of Essex, and he has left a record of the impression it produced upon him, which, though hitherto overlooked, admits of no misconception : "Great princes' favourites their fair leaves spread And all the rest forgot for which he toiled."" He made no lament for the Queen at her death, though it gave a theme to every poetaster in the kingdom; and his marked silence elicits a reproach from a contemporary :- "Nor doth the silver-tongued Melicert Drop from his honied muse one sable tear To mourn her death, that graced his desert, Shepherd! remember our Elizabeth, And sing her Rape, done by that Tarquin, Death." 3 He could hardly be expected to deplore an event which terminated the captivity of his friend the Earl of Southampton. As the news spread, such a throng went to visit the Earl, that the approaches to the Tower were blocked up with carriages, and, when even Bacon wrote to ask permission to present himself, Shakespeare must have been the foremost there. His patron was free, and this disposed him to feel kindly towards the new monarch even if he had possessed no other claims. But, as learned as Elizabeth, and, like her, an author, James was an admirer of literary merit, and a worshipper of the Muses. It does not appear that he conferred any substantial benefits on authors, but he treated them with great consideration, and Shakespeare was won by kindness when he could not be bought with gold. He was the more open to favourable impressions of the King, from the partiality he evidently entertained for the Scotch, and which he had manifested long before in his presentment of Captain Macmorris in 'King Henry V.' It is by no means improbable, indeed, that he was known to the King before his accession to the English throne; for he is supposed to have been one of a company which visited Scotland in 1601, and which is mentioned in that year by the designation of the "King's serwandes," in the register of the Town Council of Aberdeen. This record informs us that the players had visited that town, where the freedom of the guild was conferred on their chief, Laurence Fletcher. Shakespeare was undoubtedly a member of Fletcher's troop shortly afterwards; for James issued letters patent from Westminster on the 19th May, 1603, mentioning the "King's servants" by name, and "William Shakespeare" appears second on the list, next to "Laurence Fletcher." The patent licenses the players at the 'Globe,' and is headed "Pro Laurentio Fletcher et Willielmo Shakespeare et aliis." 1 1 See Appendix. |