Also eight hundred and ninety-four plays by the following seventy-five authors of the eighteenth century and sixty-three dramas written in the early part of the nineteenth century. No traces of Promus notes have been found in any of these:

'THE MISFORTUNES OF ARTHUR.'-Thomas Hughes, 1588.

'IT appears that eight persons, members of the Society of Gray's Inn, were engaged in the production of the Misfortunes of Arthur, for the entertainment of Queen Elizabeth at Greenwich on the 8th of February 1587-viz. Thomas Hughes, the author of the whole body of the tragedy; William Fulbecke, who wrote two speeches substituted on the representation, and appended to the old printed copy; Nicholas Trott, who furnished the introduction; Francis Flower, who penned choruses for the first and second acts; Christopher Yelverton, Francis Bacon, and John Lancaster, who devised the dumb shows then accompanying such performances, and a person of the name of Penroodocke. . . . The "Maister Francis Bacon " spoken of at the conclusion of the piece was,

of course, no other than Lord Bacon; and it is a new feature in his biography, though not, perhaps, very prominent nor important, that he was so nearly concerned in the preparation of a play at Court. In February 1587 he had just commenced his twenty-eighth year. . . . The mere rarity of this unique drama would not have recommended it to our notice; but it is not likely that such a man as Bacon would have lent his aid to the production of a piece which was not intrinsically good, and unless we much mistake, there is a richer and nobler vein of poetry running through it than is to be found in any previous work of the kind. The blank verse is generally free and flowing, although now and then deformed by alliteration, and rendered somewhat monotonous by the want of that variety of rhythm which Marlowe may be said to have introduced, and which Shakespeare scarcely exceeded. . . . There are (in this piece) evident approaches to the irregularity of our romantic drama. It forms a sort of connecting link between such pieces of unimpassioned formality as Forrex and Porrex, and rule-rejecting historical plays as Shakespeare found them and left them.'-From J. P. COLLIER'S Supplement to Dodsley's Old Plays.

Passages in the Misfortunes of Arthur compared with entries in the Promus, and with other portions of Bacon's writings, as well as with the Plays of Shakespeare:

Induction.

Forsooth, some old reports of altered laws

Clamors of courts and cavils upon woords.

Compare Promus, Nos. 440, 442, 445- Hic clamosi rabiosa fori.

Lawyers' forms of pleading.'

Compare Promus, No. 150.

Use the vantage of the time.

Compare Promus, No. 152. Note, in the illustrations: 'Sir Pro-
teus... made use and fair advantage of his days.'

Time and vantage crave my company. (2 H. IV. ii. 3.)
The advantage of the time prompts. (Tr. Cr. iii. 3.)

Beyond him in the advantage of the time. (Cymb. iv. 1.)

Presumptuous sense whose ignorance dare judge

Of things removed by reason from her reach.

Compare Promus, No. 332. Note: Things beyond the reaches of

our souls.

To serve a queene for whom her purest gold
Nature refin'd, that she therein might sett
Both private and imperial vertues all.

Set this diamond safe

In golden palaces, as it becomes. (1 Hen. VI. v. 3. Said of Mar

garet of Anjou.)

Gild refined gold. (John, iv. 2.)

Never so rich a gem

Was set in worse than gold. (Mer. Ven. ii. 7. Of Portia.)

Compare Promus, No. 86-of discords.

The malice of thy swelling heart. (1 Hen. VI. iii. 1.)
Swelling, wrong-incensed peers. (R. III. ii. 1.)

The swelling difference of your settled hate. (R. II. i. 1.)

Act i. Scene 2 contains no Baconianisms.

Act i. Scene 3.

Who now can heale my maymed mind.

Compare Promus, No. 1241.

A thousand wayes do guide us to our graves.

Compare Promus, No. 499.

This way to death my wretched sons are gone. (Tit. And. iii, 1.)

The way to dusty death. (Macb. v. 5.)

Too late is to repent.

Woe, that too late repents. (Lear, i. 4, and R. III. iii. 4, 86.)

(And see illustrations to Promus, No. 367.)

Death is the end of paine, no paine itselfe.

Many times death passeth with less pain than the torture of a limb. . . It is as natural to die as to be born; and to a little infant perhaps (Essay Of Death.)

the one is as painful as the other.

To die, to sleep. (Ham. iii. 1.)

In this harsh world draw thy breath in pain.

(Ham. v. 2, and Oth. v. 2, 89.)

The fear of death is most in apprehension. (M. M. iii. 1.)

Thou with patience would'st relieve, (Ib. ii. 1.)

Great griefs, I see, medicine the less. (Cymb. iv. 2.)

Some salve for perjury. (L. L. L. iv. 3.)

A salve for any sore that may betide. (3 Hen. VI. iv. 6.)
Salve the long-grown wounds of my intemperance.

(Seven times.)

(1 Hen. IV. iii. 2.)

To want your stately troupes, your friends, and kinne.
Honour, love, obedience, troops of friends. (Macb. v. 3.)

Act i. Scene 4.

Bad to worse.

Promus, Nos. 50 and 956.

A mean.

Promus, No. 87.