Beneath is a Phoenix in the midst of flames,

Edinburgh. Printed by John Wreittoun, are to bee sold in his Shop, a little beneath the Salt Trone. 1607."

The other curiosity in the Malone Collection,' above alluded to is,

"A GODLY MEDYTACYON OF THE CHRISTEN SOWLE, concerning a Love towardes God and hys Chryste, compyled in Frenche, by Lady Margarete, Quene of Navarre, and aptely translated into Englysh, by the ryght vertuose Lady Elizabeth, Daughter to our late Soverayne, Kyng Henri the VIII.

Inclita filia olim Anglorum regis Henrici
Latiné fabula in Christi erudito.

Imprinted in the Yeare of our Lorde 1548, in Apryll."

Having just above mentioned a great literary curiosity belonging to my friend, Mr. George Chalmers, this seems a proper occasion to introduce the mention of one still greater, which constitutes him the envy of all collectors in this way, and was, by many, thought not to exist. This is,

"THE TRUE TRAGEDIE OF RICHARD, DUKE OF YORKE, and the Death of good King Henrie the Sixt.

With the whole Contention betweene the two Houses of Lancaster and Yorke. As it was

sundrie

sundrie times acted by the Right Honourable the Earle of Pembrooke his Servants.

Printed at London, by P. S. for Thomas Millington, and are to be sold at his Shoppe, under Saint Peters Church in Cornwal. 1595."

This is in Duodecimo. It is, in the eyes of Collectors, invaluable. Mr. Chalmers purchased it for something more than six pounds, at the sale of Dr. Pegge's books: but if it were now exposed to sale, it would not improbably produce fifty.

Mr. Chalmers, in his Supplemental Apology, has produced some most extraordinary and convincing proofs, that Shakspeare copied much of this play from one of Marlow's on the same subject. I shall only produce two lines, and refer the curious reader, for other particulars, to Mr. Chalmers's volume, above referred to, p. 293, et seq.

MARLOW.

GLOS. What! will the aspiring blood of Lancaster Sink into the ground, I had thought it would have mounted.

SHAKSPEARE.

GLOS. What! will the aspiring blood of Lancaster
Sink in the ground, I thought it would have mounted,

KEMBLE

KEMBLE COLLECTION.

I NEXT proceed to make my acknowledgments to Mr. Kemble, whose name I am happy to introduce on this occasion, because it gives me the opportunity of declaring how proud I am of his friendship, which I have enjoyed for a long series of years. As soon as I explained to him the intention I had in view, his stores were immediately opened to me; and what is more, The discovered an eager promptness to point out the more rare and curious articles in the Garrick Collection, which I was anxious to ascertain, but which were out of the ordinary habits of my studies.

Of the many rarities in his collection, I mention that first which seems to be the greatest, which is not only not in the possession of any other collector, but which is asserted in Baker's Biographia Dramatica, to exist only in manuscript. Mr. Kemble had the good fortune to meet with it accidentally on a stall in perfect condition, and to purchase it for a very trifle. The following is its description:

"A NEWE ENTERLUDE, drawen oute of the Holy Scripture, of Godly Queene Hester, verye

necessary.

necessary. Newly made and imprinted this pre

sent Yere, M.D. LXI.

Com nere vertuous matrons and women kind,

Here may ye learne of Hesters duty,

In all comlines of vertue you shall finde
How to behave yourselves in humilitie.

This is in black letter. At the end we find

66

Imprynted at London, by Wyllyam Pickerynge and Thomas Hacket, and are to be solde at theyr Shoppes."

It is by no means easy to comprehend what the use or importance of this same Hardy Dardy is in this piece.

He is, it seems, introduced as a kind of Buffoon; and the following is his first speech. He enters as the King Assuerus leaves the place.

HARDY DARDY.

A proverbe as men say, a dogge hath a day

When so ever that it chaunce,

He that wyll drinke wine and hath never a vine,

Muste sende or goe, to Fraunce,

And yf he do not endure he cannot,

He

He muste nedes shrynke.

Shrinke, yea say that againe, for it is a great paine

To be with out drynke.

In such case am I, I sware by Goddes pety,

I lacke both drynke and meate.

But as I say, a dogge hath a day,

For now I truste to get;

My tyme is come for to get some

If I be not lette.

It is the common worde Aman is a Lorde

And Aman is of price.

And hath perdye all this cuntrie,

At his rewell and device.

And I trust to be one of his yemanry.

To weare his bage and marke,

An office I wold beare, and it noughte elles wheare
But the Keper of his Parke.

2. "THE BLOODIE BANQUET. A Tragedie.

Hector adest secumque deos in prœlia ducit.

Nos hæc novimus esse nihil.

By T. D.

London.

3. THE TRAGEDIE OF CLAUDIUS TIBERIUS NERO, Romes greatest Tyrant. Truly represented out of the purest records of these lines:

Et studio et labore.

London. Printed for Francis Burton, dwelling in Paules Church Yard, at the Signe of the Flower-de-Luce and Crowne. 1607."

The