Before the close of 1613, Shakefpeare may be confidered as virtually domiciled at Stratford, although occafionally vifiting the metropolis. In the deed just cited he is described as "William Shakespeare of Stratford-on-Avon, in the County of "Warwick, gentleman," which implies that he had now made his native town his permanent home.

of a copy of Stowe's Annals,' 1631, formerly in the poffeffion of Mr. Pickering, "The Globe playhouse was built up again in "1614, at the great charge of King James " and many noblemen and others." Taylor, the Water Poet, notices the event with something of congratulation in the following epigram:

"As Gold is better that's in fire tried, "So is the Bankfide Globe, that late was burn'd;

"For where before it had a thatched hide, "Now to a stately Theatre 'tis turn'd. "Which is an emblem that great things are

won,

By thofe that dare through greatest dangers

run."

That he had arrived at the fulness of fame may be gathered from the teftimonies of his contemporaries, one of whom, Chriftopher Brooke, in a dramatic poem published in 1614, entitled 'The Ghoft of Richard the Third,'' makes Richard utter the following complimentary lines, the most unequivocal tribute which had yet been paid to Shakespeare as a dramatist:

"To him that impt my fame with Clio's quill,

"Whose magick rais'd me from oblivion's

den,

"That writ my ftorie on the Muse's hill, "And with my actions dignifi'd his pen; "He that from Helicon fends many a rill, "Whose nectared veines are drunke by thirstie men;

"Crown'd be his ftile with fame, his head with bayes,

"And none detract, but gratulate his praise."

The following is the title of this interesting tract, of which the only perfect copy

As Shakespeare's Richard the Third' had been printed with his name in full at least four times before 1614, there can be no mistake as to whom is meant.

We are told by Rowe, that the latter part of the poet's life was spent "in eafe, retirement, and the conver"fation of his friends," and that "his

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pleasurable wit and good nature en"gaged him to the friendship of the

known is in the Bodleian Library; but it has been reprinted by the Shakespeare Society :'The Ghoft of Richard the Third, expreffing himself in three parts: I. His Character. II. His Legend. III. His Tragedie; containing more of him than hath been heretofore fhewed either in Chronicles, Plays, or Poems. By C[hriftopher] B[rooke]. Lond. printed for L. Lifle, and are to be fold at the Tiger'shead, 1614, fm. 4to. Dedicated to the worfhipful Sir John Crompton, Knight, and his worthy Lady, the Lady Frances Signor, C.B., with verfes by W. Brown, George Chapman, Fr. Dyne, George Wythers, Robert Daborne, and Ben Jonfon.'

"gentlemen of the neighbourhood." But of his table-talk at this period, comparatively nothing is known. It appears that he was on very intimate terms with Mr. John à Combe, an elderly gentleman of Stratford, who collected the rents of the neighbourhood for the Earl of Warwick, and was noted for his wealth and ufury. One day in the gaiety of converfation among their common friends at a tavern, faid to be the Bear at Stratford, Mr. Combe told Shakespeare that he fancied he intended to write his epitaph, if he happened to outlive him; and fince he could not know what might be faid of him after his death, he wished

1 The term ufury, which is now one of reproach, was formerly the accepted meaning of fimple intereft or ufance of money, which in Shakespeare's time was ten per cent. But mere money-lending at any intereft, as a profeffion, was not then confidered refpectable.

it might be done immediately. Upon which Shakespeare wrote these

lines :

"Ten in the hundred lies here engrav'd; ""Tis a hundred to ten, his foul is not fav'd; "If any man afk, Who lies in this tomb? "Oh! oh! quoth the devil, 'tis my John-aCombe!"

Rowe fays that the sharpness of this fatire fo ftung Mr. Combe that he never forgave it. But this may very well be difcredited, as Mr. Combe on his demife, eighteen months afterwards, fhowed his friendship to Shakespeare by bequeathing him a legacy of five pounds, and Shakefpeare, on the other hand, bequeathed his fword to the old gentleman's nephew, Thomas Combe. Befides which, there is nothing more offenfive in the lines than the jokes currently uttered at tables of hilarity. Steevens has taken fome pains to difprove the reputed authorship, but