WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

AS HE LIVED.

An Historical Tale.

BY CAPTAIN CURLING,

Author of "John of England." "Soldier of Fortune."

WARWICK:

H. T. COOKE & SON, PUBLISHERS, HIGH STREET.

(COPYRIGHT.)

PREFACE.

The nature of the following work is sufficiently indicated by the title. In it the most interesting portions of the career of Shakespeare, taken from the best accredited sources, are brought forward in a pleasing narrative, the dialogue being in the style of the Elizabethan period.

Throughout the work the writer has endeavoured, amidst a great deal of stirring incident, and a subordinate tale of much interest, to place the Poet constantly before the reader, whether on or off the scene. The story commences when he was about seventeen years of age, and carries him through some of the eventful "chances" of that glorious epoch which called forth his own "muse of fire," and caused him to ascend "the brightest heaven of invention;" and, after showing him the sharp "uses of adversity," leaves him at the moment of success, whilst Elizabeth and the entire Court-circle are turned to him whose matchless genius has just enchanted them.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I. A Forest Scene
CHAPTER II. The Youthful Shakespeare
CHAPTER III. Charlotte Clopton
CHAPTER IV. The Family of the Cloptons
CHAPTER V. A Domestic Party in Elizabeth's Day
CHAPTER VI. A Disagreeable Visitor
CHAPTER VII. Plots and Counterplots
CHAPTER VIII. Stratford-upon-Avon
CHAPTER IX. The Tavern
CHAPTER X. The Churchyard of Stratford-upon-Avon
CHAPTER XI. The Stratford Lawyer
CHAPTER XII. The Sonnet
CHAPTER XIII. Mother and Son
CHAPTER XIV. The Lovers
CHAPTER XV. Charlecote
CHAPTER XVI. The Attack
CHAPTER XVII. The Capture
CHAPTER XVIII. A Revel at Clopton
CHAPTER XIX. The Plague at Stratford
CHAPTER XX. More Trouble at Clopton
CHAPTER XXI. Domestic Affliction
CHAPTER XXII. Bereavement
CHAPTER XXIII. The Vault
CHAPTER XXIV. The Village Fete—Ann Hathaway
CHAPTER XXV. The Twelfth-tide Revelry
CHAPTER XXVI. The Misled Wanderer
CHAPTER XXVII. The Suitor
CHAPTER XXVIII. Shottery Hall
CHAPTER XXIX. The Lovers
CHAPTER XXX. The Adventurers
CHAPTER XXXI. The Benedict
CHAPTER XXXII. The Hostel
CHAPTER XXXIII. The Deer Stealers