readers to draw the conclusion, from the words which he has underlined, that Lord Bacon wrote the dramas of Shakespeare, and that to Sir Tobie Matthew the secret of their authorship was intrusted.

The epistle is inserted by Dr. Thomas Birch, among "Letters, Speeches, Charges, Advices, &c. of Francis Bacon," and may be found, with some others, at the end of the volume. Dr. Birch says of them :-" The following letters, wanting both dates and circumstances to determine such dates, are placed together." The communication is not of the slightest consequence, nor does it contain one tittle of evidence in support of Mr. William Henry Smith's theory. But its author played a rather prominent part in his day and generation, was very intimate with Lord Bacon; therefore some account of him may be acceptable to many readers, and will also serve to convince them, that had he possessed such information as that to which Mr. William Henry Smith alludes, it would long since have been given to the world.

Tobie Matthew, the son of Dr. Tobie Matthew, bishop of Durham, and afterwards archbishop of York, was born at Oxford, in 1578, his father being at that time dean of Christchurch. In a letter to Sir Thomas Chaloner, Bacon styles him "my very good friend," and "a very worthy young gentleman ;" and Anthony Wood (Athena Oxonienses, vol. iii. p. 403) says that "he had all his father's name, and many of his natural parts; was also one of considerable learning, good memory, and sharp wit, mixed with a pleasant affability in behaviour, and a seeming sweetness of mind, though sometimes, according to the company he was in, pragmatical, and a little too forward."

Whilst travelling upon the continent, Mr. Matthew was induced, by the influence, it is said, of the Jesuit Father Parsons, to abandon the religion of his family and country, and to become a Roman Catholic. This did not diminish

* London, 1763, p. 392.

the friendship between him and Bacon, although it is probably in reference to this perversion that the latter wrote the following touching epistle, which has been published, but without date:*

"Do not think me forgetfull or altered towards you. But if I should say I could do you any good, I should make my power more then it is. I do fear that which I am right sorry for,-that you grow more impatient and busie then at first; which makes me exceedingly fear the issue of that which seemeth not to stand at a stay. I myself am out of doubt that you have been miserably abused when you were first seduced; and that which I take in compassion, others may take in severity. I pray God, that understands us all better then we understand one another, continue you, as I hope he will, at least, within the bounds of loyalty to his Majesty, and natural piety to your Country. And I intreat you much to meditate sometimes upon the effect of Superstition in this last Powder-Treason; fit to be tabled and pictured in the Chambers of Meditation, as another Hell above the ground; and well justifying the censure of the Heathen; that Superstition is far worse than Atheism; by how much it is less evil to have no opinion of God at all, then such as are impious towards his divine Majesty and goodness. Good Mr. Matthews receive your self back from these courses of Perdition. Willing to have written a

great deal more, I continue, &c."

Controversy in those times ran high, and as Tobie Matthew was unwilling to take the oath of allegiance, he quitted England in 1609. In July, 1617, he obtained permission to return, but was again compelled to depart in October, 1618. In a letter written at Brussels, during this second exile, he thus addresses Lord Bacon :—

* Scrinia Sacra: Secrets of Empire, in Letters of Illustrious Persons; a Supplement to the Cabala, 1654, p. 67.

"Most Honoured Lord, I am here at good leisure to look back upon your Lordship's great and noble goodness towards me, which may go for a great example in this age; and so it doth. That, which I am sure of, is, that my poor heart, such as it is, doth not only beat, but even boil in the desires it hath to do your Lordship all humble service."*

He was recalled in 1622 to lend his assistance in forwarding the match with Spain; and for his exertions in furtherance of the same, was knighted by James I., at Royston, on the 10th of October, 1623. He died in a Jesuit College at Ghent, in Flanders, October 13, 1655.

Tobie Matthew is said to have been a man of " very good parts and literature, but of an active and restless temper." His change of religion seems to have deeply affected Lord Bacon, who with reference to that subject in another of his letters, thus addresses him :—

"For in good faith, I do conceive hope, that you will so govern your self, as we may take you as assuredly for a good Subject, and Patriot, as you take your self for a good Christian. And so we may again enjoy your company, and you your conscience, if it may no other ways be. For my part, assure your self (as we say in the law), mutatis mutandis, my love, and good wishes to you, are not diminished."+

Whilst upon the continent, Tobie Matthew translated his friend's essays into the Italian language, and in his epistle to the duke of Florence, prefixed to that translation, refers to Lord Bacon in these terms :—

"St. Austin said of his illegitimate son, Horrori mihi erat illud ingenium, and truly I have known a great * Birch, Letters, &c., p. 225.

+ Letters of Sir Francis Bacon, collected by R. Stephens, 1702,

p. 47.

number whom I much value, many whom I admire, but none who hath so astonisht me, and, as it were, ravisht my senses, to see so many and so great parts, which in other men were wont to be incompatible, united, and that in an iminent degree in one sole Person. I know not whether this truth will find easie belief, that there can be found a man beyond the Alpes, of a most ready wit; most faithful memory; most profound judgment; of a most rich and apt expression; universal in all kinds of knowledge, as in part may be seen by that rare incomparable piece, the 'Advancement of Learning,' which future ages shall render in different languages. But be the faith of other nations what it will in this point, the matter I report is so well understood in England, that every man knows and acknowledges as much, nay, hath been an eye and ear-witness thereof; nor, if I should expatiate upon this subject, should I be held a flatterer, but rather a suffragan to truth.”

The following letter, written by Lord Bacon in 1623, the very year in which the first folio of Shakespeare was published, is so important that we are induced to give it entire. It will be seen that in this communication Bacon refers to his literary labours, and the works he had been revising; but amongst these no mention is made either of poems or dramas; and it is hardly possible to believe that on such an occasion he would have refrained from noticing the collected edition of his plays, had he really been the author of the folio of 1623. To Tobie Matthew he could unbosom himself; and there cannot be the slightest doubt that to him, at least, he would have spoken of his dramatic works without hesitation. The letter is indorsed to "Mr. Matthew into Spain," and the fact of the separation, though temporary, of the friends, would afford an additional reason for confidence:

44

"GOOD MR. MATTHEW,

"I THANK you for your letter of the 26th of June, and commend myself unto your friendship, knowing your word is good assurance, and thinking I cannot wish myself a better wish, than that your power may grow to your will.

"Since you say the Prince hath not forgot his commandment, touching my History of Henry VIII., I may not forget my duty. But I find Sir Robert Cotton, who poured forth what he had, in my other work, somewhat dainty of his materials in this.

It is true, my labours are now most set to have those works, which I had formerly published, as that of Advancement of Learning, that of Henry VII., that of the Essays, being retractate, and made more perfect, well translated into Latin by the help of some good pens, which forsake me not. For these modern languages will, at one time or other, play the bankrupts with books: and since I have lost much time with this age, I would be glad, as God shall give me leave, to recover it with posterity.

For the essay of friendship, while I took your speech of it for a cursory request, I took my promise for a compliment. But since you call for it, I shall perform it.

66

"I am much beholden to Mr. Gage for many expressions of his love to me; and his company, in itself very acceptable, is the more pleasing to me, because it retaineth the memory of yourself.

"This letter of yours, of the 26th, lay not so long by you, but it hath been as speedily answered by me, so as with Sir Francis Cottington, I have had no speech since the receit of it. Your former letters, which I received from Mr. Griesley, I had answered before, and put my letter into a good hand.

"For the great business, God conduct it well. Mine own fortune hath taught me expectation. God keep you."

* Letters, Speeches, Charges, Advices, &c. of Francis Bacon. By Thomas Birch, D.D., 1763, pp. 346.