for Shakespeare, to fill up the series of historical plays which pass under his name.

It is no part of the present writer's plan to enter upon any discussion of these pieces; but it is hoped that these remarks may induce others more competent to study the plays and to compare them closely with the Promus and with Shakespeare.

There is one play, The Misfortunes of Arthur (1587), in the production of which there can be no doubt that Francis Bacon had a share. In the old record of this play he is only accredited with having contributed the 'dumb shows'; but in certain passages and scenes there appear the same peculiarities of expression and thought as have been found to connect the Shakespeare' plays with entries in the Promus, and it seems easy to distinguish the pages which have been illuminated and beautified by the hand of Bacon, if, indeed, he did not altogether write them. At Appendix H are some extracts from Mr. Collier's account of this early play, and notes of the chief passages in which Bacon's touch seems discernible. In the same appendix will be found a letter from Bacon to Lord Burghley respecting a masque which he proposes to assist in getting up at Gray's Inn. With positive evidence before us that in the years 1587 and 1588 Bacon was engaged in theatrical enterprises, it should not be thought impossible that such plays and masques were but the seeds and weak beginnings' of the mighty series of works which began to appear, according to Dr. Delius, before 1591,' and which followed each other in rapid succession until about 1615, when Bacon's appointment as Attorney-General placed him beyond the necessity of writing for money, whilst it deprived him of the leisure hours which he had previously devoted to those unnamed works, the works of his recreation.'

6

PROMUS.

Folio 83.

1. Ingenuous honesty, and yet with opposition and strength.

2. Corni contra croci. Good means against badd, hornes to crosses.

This it is that makes me bridle passion,

And bear with mildness my misfortune's cross. (3 H. VI. iv. 4.)
I have given way unto this cross 1 of fortune. (M. Ado, iv. 1.)
We must do good against evil. (All's W. ii. 5.)
Fie, Cousin Percy! how you cross my father.
He holds your temper in a high respect,

And curbs himself even of his natural scope

When you do cross his humour. (1 Hen. IV. iii. 2.)
I love not to be crossed.

He speaks the mere contrary. Crosses love not him.

(Thirty times.)

(L. L. L. i. 2.)

3. In circuitu ambulant impii-honest by antiperistasis.-Ps. xii. 9. (The ungodly walk (around) on every side.)

Cold or hot per antiperistasin-that is, invironing by contraries; it was said. . . . that an honest man in these days must be honest per antiperistasin. (See Col. of Good and Evil, vii.)

I'll devise some honest slanders. (M. Ado. iii. 1.)
Its. . . . fery honest knaveries. (Mer. Wiv. iv. 4.)

(See No. 130.)

1 Cross in Collier's text.

4. Silui a bonis et dolor meus renovatus est.-Ps. xxxix. 2. (I was silent from good words, and my grief was renewed.)

'Tis very true, my grief lies all within ;
And these external manners of laments
Are merely shadows to the unseen grief

That swells with silence in the tortured soul. (R. II. iv. 1.)

Cor. What shall Cordelia do? Love and be silent. Then poor Cordelia! And yet not so; since I am sure my love's more ponderous than my tongue. (Lear, i. 1.)

5. Credidi propter quod locutus sum.-Ps. cxvi. 10. (I believed, therefore have I spoken.)

D. Pedro. By my troth, I speak my thought.
Claud. And, in faith, my lord, I spoke mine.

Bene. And, by my two faiths and troths, my lord, I spoke mine.

What his heart believes his tongue speaks.

I speak to thee my heart. (2 H. IV. v. 4.)

(M. Ado, i. 1.) (M. Ado, i. 1.)

By my troth, I will speak my conscience. (Hen. V. iv. 1.) Speakest thou from thy heart?-From my soul. (R. J. iii. 2.) (See 2 H. VI. iii. 2, 156-7, 271; R. III. i. 2, 192–3; Lear, i. 1, 93.)

6. Memoria justi cum laudibus, ac impiorum nomen putrescet.—Prov. x. 7. (The memory of the just lives with praise, but the name of the wicked shall rot.)

(Quoted in Observations on a Libel.)

Ber.

..

His good remembrance, sir,
Lies richer in your thoughts than on his tomb;

So in approof lives not his epitaph

As in your speech. (All's W. i. 2.)

He lives in fame that died in virtue's cause. (Tit. And. i. 2.)

(See Much Ado, v. 4, song; Rich. III. i. 81, 87, 88; Ham. iii. 2, 129-134.)

Let her rot. (Oth. iv. 1.)

May his pernicious soul rot half a grain a day! (Oth. v. 2.) (Compare H. V. iv. 4, 94-99; and Sonnets xviii. xix.)

7. Justitiamque omnes cupida de mente fugamus. (And we all chase justice from our covetous heart.)

In the corrupted currents of this world
Offence's gilded hand may shove by justice;
And oft 'tis seen, the wicked prize itself
Buys out the law. (Ham. iii. 3.)

8. Non recipit stultus verba prudentiæ nisi ea dixeris quæ versantur in corde ejus.—Prov. xviii. 2. (A fool receiveth not the words of prudence unless thou speak the very things that are in his heart.)

Men of corrupted minds. despise all honesty of manners and counsel; according to the excellent proverb of Solomon, The fool receives not,' &c., as above. (De Aug. vii. 2.)

(See No. 230.)

may breathe

my last

Gaunt. Will the king come, that I
In wholesome counsel to his unstaid youth?

York. Vex not yourself, nor strive not with your breath;
For all in vain comes counsel to his ear. . .

Gaunt. Though Richard my life's counsel would not hear,

My death's sad tale may yet undeaf his ear.

York. No, it is stopped with other flattering sounds. . Where doth the world thrust forth a vanity,

So it be new, there's no respect how vile,

That is not quickly buzz'd into his ears?
Then all too late comes counsel to be heard,
Where will doth mutiny with wit's regard.
Direct not him whose way himself will choose,

"Tis breath thou lack'st and that breath wilt thou lose.

(Rich. II. ii. 1.)

9. Veritatem eme et noli vendere.-Prov. xxiii. 23. (Buy the truth, and sell it not.)

Knowledge which kings with their treasures cannot buy.

(See No. 232.)

(Praise of Knowledge.)

10. Qui festinat ditari non erit innocens.-Prov. xxviii. 20. (He who hasteth to be rich shall not be innocent.)

(Quoted in Essay Of Riches.)

With a robber's haste crams his rich thievery up. (Tr. Cr. iv. 4.)

11. Nolite dare sanctum canibus.--Matt. vii. 6. (Give

not that which is holy unto dogs.)

Celia. Why, cousin! . . . . not a word?

Ros. Not one to throw at a dog.

Celia. No, thy words are too precious to be cast away upon curs. (As Y. L. i. 3.)

A good lustre of conceit in a tuft of earth,

Pearl enough for a swine. (L. L. L. iv. 3.)

12 Qui potest capere capiat.-Matt. xix. 12. (He that can receive it, let him receive it.)

(Quoted No. 238.)

13. Quoniam Moses ob duritiam cordis vestri permisit vobis.-Matt. xix. 8. (Moses, on account of the hardness of your hearts, gave you this permission.)

(Quoted in Essay Of Usury.)

If one get beyond the bound of honour. . . . hardened be the hearts of all that hear me. (W. T. iii. 2.)

(See also No. 434.)

14. Obedire oportet Deo magis quam hominibus.-Acts v. 29. (We ought to obey God rather than men.)

Q. Kath. Have I with my full affections

Still met the king? lov'd him next Heaven? obeyed him?
Been, out of fondness, superstitious to him?

Almost forgot my prayers to content him?

And am I thus rewarded? (Hen. VIII. iii. 1.)

Had I but served my God with half the zeal

I served my king, he would not in mine age

Have left me naked to mine enemies. (Hen. VIII. iii. 2.)

15. Et unius cujusque opus quale sit probabit ignis.1 Cor. iii. 13. (And the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is.)

Tried gold. (Mer. Ven.)

The fire seven times tried this:

Seven times tried that judgment is

That did never choose amiss. (Ib. ii. 9, scroll.)