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SHAKESPEARE’S
ENVIRONMENT
BY
MRS. C. C. STOPES
DIPL. EDIN. UNIV., HON. F.R.S.L.
AUTHOR OF “SHAKESPEARE’S FAMILY,” “SHAKESPEARE’S WARWICKSHIRE
CONTEMPORARIES,” “THE BACON SHAKESPEARE QUESTION ANSWERED,”
“WILLIAM HUNNIS AND THE REVELS OF THE CHAPEL ROYAL,”
“BURBAGE AND SHAKESPEARE’S STAGE,” “BRITISH
FREEWOMAN,” ETC., EDITOR OF SHAKESPEARE’S
SONNETS, ETC.
LONDON
G. BELL AND SONS, LTD.
1914
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CHISWICK PRESS: CHARLES WHITTINGHAM AND CO.
TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE, LONDON.
P. viii, line 6, for “of” read “to.”
P. 206, lines 21 and 22, for “Royal Academy” read “NationalGallery.”
P. 332, line 3, for “White Tanners” read “white tawers.”
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In this volume I have collected a few of my oldpapers which all contained something new atthe date at which they appeared. They are all moreor less connected with Shakespeare, and bear atleast on my studies to try to understand the influenceswhich affected his immediate predecessorsand teachers, those which helped to mould his ownthought and character, and those which showedsomething of his influence on his contemporariesand immediate successors. My period therefore extendedfrom the accession of Henry VIII in 1509, tothe national crisis in 1640. Little as each item ofitself may seem to tell, every one helps to fill in, aswith a touch of the brush, the colours in the background,which throw out more clearly the outlinesof the central figure. For Shakespeare knew allabout the training of the boys at school, all aboutthe legal troubles of his relatives and friends andpartners, he knew the contemporary history andliterature of his time, and above all, its character.If perhaps I have made too prominent the story ofhis monument in Stratford, of which he could notknow, it was to draw attention to the contemporary[Pg vi]estimate of himself and his genius as recorded onthat tomb; and to collect every scrap I could findto throw light on its subsequent history, the lasttouch of which was provided me by the kindness ofMr. Dugdale of Merivale.
I included the Introductory Chapter, which hadnever been printed, in remembrance of a special occasion,fully to be understood only by the membersof the Shakespeare Societies. On a day of storm,snow, and sleet, in Stratford-on-Avon, the 23rd ofApril 1908, I had thought it my duty to travelto London to be present at the CommemorationDinner at which Dr. F. J. Furnivall was to preside,and the guests of honour were to be Mr. Austin,then Poet Laureate, and Sir John Hare. They wereeach to deliver an address. When I was comfortablyseated at dinner, Dr. Furnivall sent Mr. Hunt,then Hon. Secretary, to say that Sir John Harehad brought a written addre