Mark's Day (St.), supposed influence of, on
life and death, i. 323.

Markham (Gervase), a miscellaneous writer
in the time of Shakspeare, biographical
account of, i. 505. List of his works,
506, 507. notes. Their great popularity,
506, 507. Notice of his " Gentleman's
Academie, or Book of St. Alban's," i.
70. note. 257. note. Dedication to, 70.
His difference between churles and gen-
tlemen, 71, 72. notc. His edition seen by
Shakspeare, 71. note. Directions of, for
an ordinary feast, 80. note. His expla-
nation of terms in hawking, 267-
269. note. On different sorts of hounds,
283, 284. Description of the qualifica-
tions of an angler, 294-296. Notice of
his "Discource of Horsemanshippe,"
299. note. Precepts for learning to ride,
299, 300. List of his poems, 692, 693.
His address to the Earl of Southampton,
ii. 17. note.

Marriage, ceremony of, in Shakspeare's time,
i. 223. Procession, ibid. 224. Rosemary
strewed before the bride, 224. Ceremonies
in the church, 225. Drinking out of the
bride cup, ibid. 226. Blessing the bridal
bed, ib. Description of a rustic marriage,
227-229. How celebrated in the North
of England in the 18th century, 229. note.
Martial, epigram of, happily translated, i.

690. note.

Martinmas, or the festival of St. Martin,
i. 190. Winter provision then laid in,
ibid. Poetical description of, 191-193.
Universally observed throughout Eu-
rope, 191. Allusion to this day, by
Shakspeare, 193.

Martin Mar-Prelate, notice of, i. 457.
Mascall's (Leonard), " Booke of Fishing,"
notice of, i. 291, and note.
Masks generally used in the age of Shak-
speare, ii. 95.

Masques, splendid, in the age of Shakspeare,
account of, ii. 187-190. Allusions to them
by Shakspeare, 191-193. Unrivalled
excellence of Ben Jonson's masques, 578.
Massinger (Philip), merits of, as a dramatic
poet, considered, ii. 561, 562. Illustra-
tions of several of his plays, viz.

City Madam, i. 75.

وس

Act ii. scene 1., i. 180.

Guardian, i. 262, 263.
Virgin Martyr, i. 310.

Master of the Revels, office of, when insti-
tuted, ii. 202. The superintendance of
the stage and of actors, committed to
them, 203. Players sometimes termed
children of the revels, 204.

Maxwell (James), a minor poet of the age of
Shakspeare, i. 693.

May-Day, anciently observed throughout
the kingdom, i. 152. A relic of the
Roman Floralia, ibid. Poetical descrip-
tion of, in Henry VIII.'s time, 153.
Cornish mode of celebrating, ibid. How
celebrated in the age of Shakspeare, 154,
155. Allusions to it by the poet, 155,
156. Verses on, by Herrick, 156, 157.
Morris-dances, the invariable accompa-
niment of May-day, 157, 158. Robin
Hood and his associates, when intro-
duced, 159-163. Music accompany-
ing May-games, 164, 165. Introduc-
tion of the hobby-horse and dragon, 156.
Description of the May-games, as cele-
brated in Shakspeare's time, 167-171.
Opposition made to them by the Puri-
tans, and their consequent decline, 171-
173. Revived by King James's "Book
of Sports," 173, 174. Their gradual
disuse, 174, and note.

Maying, custom of going a Maying, i. 155.
Verses on, 156, 157.
Mayne's "City Match," illustration of, i. 388.
Maypole, ceremony of setting up described,

i. 154.

Measure for Measure, probable date of, ii.
452. Its primary source, 453. Ana-
lysis of its characters, 454-456,

Passages of this drama illustrated in the
present work.
scene 1., ii. 125.

Act ii.
Act iii.
Act v.

scene 1., i. 378. ii. 455, 456.
scene 1., i. 222.
Menæchmi of Plautus, the basis of Shak-
speare's Comedy of Errors, ii. 286-288.
Merchant of Venice, date of, ii.385. Proba-
ble source of its fable, 385, 386. Analysis
of it, 387, 388. And of its characters,
388-390. Particularly that of Shylock,
388, 389.

Illustrations of this drama.
Act ii. scene 8., ii. 389..
Act iii. scene 2., ii. 93.
Act iv. scene 1., i. 374.

Act v. scene 1., i. 187. 381. ii. 390.

Meres (Francis), critical notice of his "Com-
parative Discourse of our English Poets,
with the Greeke, Latine, and Italian
Poets," i. 468. His censure of the popu-
larity of "La Morte D'Arthur," 525.
Encomium on Shakspeare's Venus and
Adonis, ii. 29. And on several of his
dramas, 287.

Merry Pin, explanation of the term, i. 131.

note.

Merry Wives of Windsor, tradition respect-
ing the origin of, ii. 435, 436. Analysis
of its characters, 436, 437.

Passages of this drama illustrated in the

present work.

Act i. scene 1., i. 252.307.409,ii.178.

scene 4., i. 82.

Act ii. scene 1., i. 577.

scene 2., ii. 134.

Act iii. scene 3., i. 271.577. ii. 94. 114.

scene 5., ii. 132.

Act iv. scene 2., i. 362.

scene 5., ii. 117. 169.

Act v. scene 5., i, 82. ii. 340. 341.

343.347.

Metrical Romances, origin of, i. 522, 523.
Michael (St.) and All Angels, festival of, i.
334. Superstitious doctrine of the mi-
nistry of angels, 334-340. Michaelmas-
geese, 340, 341.

Middleton (Christopher), a minor poet of
the age of Shakspeare, i. 693.

Middleton (Thomas), a minor poet of the
age of Shakspeare, i. 693. Wrote seve-
ral pieces for the stage, in conjunction
with other dramatic poets, ii. 565. Es-
timate of his merits as a dramatist, 565,
566. Illustrations of his "Fair Quar-
rel," i. 224. And "No Wit, No Help
like a Woman's," i. 226.

Midsummer-Eve, superstitious observances
on, i. 328. Midsummer-Eve fire, of
Pagan origin, ibid. 329. Fern-seed only
visible on that eve, 329. Spirits visible
of persons, who are to die in the follow-
ing year, 330, 331. Recent observance
of Midsummer-Eve in Cornwall, 331.
Visionary appearance of future husbands
and wives supposed to take place on this
Eve, 332, 333. Plays and masques per-
formed then, 333, 334.

Midsummer-Night's Dream, composed for
Midsummer-Eve, i. 333, 334. Its pro-

339.352.

scene 2., ii. 353.

Act v. scene 2., i. 226. ii. 329. 346.
Milan Bells for hawks, notice of, i. 268, 269.
Milk Maids, procession of, on May-day,
i. 155. note.

Milton's "Comus," illustration of, i. 131.
Illustrations of "Paradise Lost," i. 339,
381. Proof that he imitated Shak-
speare's Pericles, ii. 279, 280. notes.
Exquisite passage from his "Paradise
Lost," on the ministry of angels, 401.
Ben Jonson the favourite model studied
by Milton, 578, 579.

Ministry of Angels, superstitious notions
concerning, i. 334-339.
Remarks of
Bishop Horsley on, 339, 340.
Minstrels better paid than clergymen, i. 93.
Their condition in the age of Elizabeth,
557. Their costume described, 558, 559,
Dissolute morals of, 559, 560. Allu-
sions to them by Shakspeare, 560, 561.
Their profession annihilated by act of
parliament, 561. Allusions to their
poetry by Shakspeare, 574-593.
Miranda, remarks on the character of, ii. 506.
" Mirrour for Magistrates," a collection of
poetical legends, planned by Sackville,
i. 708. Account of its various editions,
709, 710. Its character, 710. Influ-
ence on our national poetry, ibid.
Monkies, kept as the companions of the
domestic fool, ii. 145, 146.

Monsters, supposed existence of, i. 384-389.

Muncaster (Richard), a minor poet of the

age of Shakspeare, i. 693.

Munday (Anthony), notice of his Versions of " Palmerin of England," i. 547. "Palmerin d'Oliva," and "Historie of Palmendo," 548. List of his poems, 693, 694.

Murdered persons, blood of, supposed to flow on the touch or approach of the murderer, i. 372, 373.

Murray (David), a minor poet of the age

of Shakspeare, i. 694, and note. Music of the Morris-dance and May-games, i. 164, 165. Description of the music of the fairies, ii. 342, and note. Shakspeare passionately fond of music, 390.

"Myrrour of Knighthood," a popular romance, alluded to by Shakspeare, i. 570. Mythology of the ancients, a favourite study in the time of Elizabeth and James I., i. 449. Critical account of the fairy mythology of Shakspeare, ii. 302-337.

N

note. Supposed influence of St. Withold, against it, 347-349.

Nixon (Anthony), a minor poet of the age of Shakspeare, i. 694.

Noises, sudden and fearful, supposed to be forerunners of death, i. 361.

Norden (John), notice of the topographical works of, i. 480, 481. And of his poetical productions, 694.

Novels (Italian), account of, translated in Shakspeare's time, i. 538-544. List of those most esteemed in the 15th and 16th centuries, 544, note.

Nutcrack Night, i. 341.

Oberon, the fairy king of Shakspeare, derivation of his name, ii. 337, note. Analysis of his character, 337-340.

Ockland's EIPHNAPXIA sive Elizabetha, a school-book in Shakspeare's time, account of, i. 26.

De

Omens, prevalence of, in Shakspeare's time, i. 349-351. Warnings of danger or death, 351-354. Dreams, 354. moniacal voices, 355. Corpse, candles, and tomb-fires, 358. Fiery and meteorous exhalations, 360. Sudden noises, 361,

Act iv. scene 1., i. 389.
Act v. scene 2., i. 384.

Overbury (Sir Thomas), the first writer of "Characters," i. 509. Character of his productions, ibid. Especially his poem on the choice of a wife, 510. Imitation of it, ibid. Notice of editions of it, 694, and note ||. Mrs. Turner executed for his murder, ii. 96.

Owls, superstitious notions concerning, i. 393, 394.

P

Passions, exquisite delineations of, in Shakspeare's dramas, ii. 546-549. "Passionate Pilgrim," a collection of Shak speare's minor pieces, when first printed, ii. 41. Probable date of its composition, 42. An edition of this work published by Jaggard, without the poet's knowledge or consent, 43-45. Shakspeare vindicated from the charge of imposing on the public, in this edition, 45-48. Critical

remarks on the Passionate Pilgrim, 49. Pastoral romances, account of, i. 548-552. Paul's (St.) Day, supposed influence of, on

the weather, i. 323. and note.

Paul's Walk, a fashionable lounge in St. Paul's Cathedral, during the age of Shakspeare, ii. 182-185.

Pavin or Pavan, a fashionable dance in the time of Shakspeare, account of, ii. 173, 174.

Payne (Christopher), "Christmas Carrolles" of, i. 695.

Paynter's (William), "Pallace of Pleasure," a popular collection of romances, i. 541. Probable cause of its being discontinued, ibid. 542. Constantly referred to by Shakspeare, 542.

Peacham (Henry), a minor poet in the time of Shakspeare, i. 695. Peacham's description of country-schoolmasters, i. 97, 98. Instruction on the best mode of keeping books, and on the best scite for a library, 436, 437. And on the choice of style, 447, 448.

Peacock Pies, anciently eaten at Christmas, i. 200.

Pearson (Alison), executed for supposed intercourse with fairies, ii. 318, 319. Peasantry, or Boors, character of, in the

age of Elizabeth, i. 120-122.

Peele (George), a minor poet of the age of Shakspeare, i. 695, 696. Character of his dramatic productions, ii. 239, 240. Peend (Thomas de la), a minor poet in the age of Shakspeare, i. 696.

Peg Tankard, origin of, i. 131. note. Ex-
planation of terms borrowed from it, ibid.
Percy (Bishop), notice of his "Friar of
Orders Grey," i. 579, 580.
Ascribes
Pericles to Shakspeare, ii. 265.
Percy (William), a minor poet of the age
of Shakspeare, i. 696.

Perdita, remarks on the character of, in the Winter's Tale, ii. 499, 500,

Peri, or benevolent fairies of the Persians, notice of, ii. 302.

Periapts, a sort of spell, supposed influence of, i. 364.

Pericles, the first of Shakspeare's plays, ii. 262. Proofs, that the greater part, if not the whole of it, was his composition, 262, 263. 265, 266. Its omission in the first edition of his works, accounted for, 264. Its inequalities considered, 265267. In what parts his genius may be traced, 268. Examination of the minor characters, 270, 271. Of the personage of Pericles, 272, 273. Admirable scene of his recognition of Marina, 274. And of his wife Thaisa, 275. Character of Marina, examined, 276-279. Strict justice of the moral, 279. This play imitated by Milton, ibid. note. Dryden's testimony to the genuineness and priority of Pericles, 281. Internal evidences to the same effect, 282. This play probably written in the year 1590, 282, 283. Objections to its priority considered and refuted, 285, 286. Probability of Mr. Steevens's conjecture that the hero of this drama was originally named Pyrocles, after the hero of Sidney's Arcadia, 283,

284.

Passages of this drama illustrated in
the present work.

Act i. scene 2., ii. 272.
Act ii. scene 1., ii. 273.

scene 5., ii. 268, 269. notes.

Act iii. scene 2., ii. 270, 271.
scene 4., ii. 276,

Act iv. scene 1., ii. 276, 277.
scene 3., ii. 278. note.
scene 6., ii. 278.

Act v. scene 1., ii. 273, 274. 279.
scene 3., ii. 275.

Periwigs, when introduced into England, ii. 93.

Petowe (Henry), a minor poet of the age of Shakspeare, i. 696.

Pett (Peter), a minor poet of the age of Shakspeare, i. 696.

Pewter, a costly article in the age of Shak speare, ii. 118.

Phillip (John), a minor poet of the age of Shakspeare, i. 696,

Phiston (William), a minor poet of the age of Shakspeare, i. 697.

" Phœnix Nest," a collection of poems, in