The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1864-12-09
Shaksp cares Prayer-Book.

Mr.. Toulmin Smith, of Highgate, gives an in
terestng account Of Il prayer-book picked up for
al few pence last spring By a man living at Whit
Church, North Shropshire. Neither the seller
nor buyer thought that there was anything of
interest in the book beyond the fact of its being
an old black-letter copy; but when Mr.. Par
fridge, of Wellington, to whom it was offered
for sale, looked through it, he found in it the
name Of William Shakespeare in two places, and
afterwards third repetition of the name was
also found.
Mr.. Smith states that being anxious to see this
remarkable relic, and for the purpose of being
better able to judge Of its genuineness' that he
went to Wellington on the Goth of September
last, and spent some time in personally examin-
ing the book with the aid Of glass. an essenta!
means in such cases. this being the same which
he always uses in examining ancient records and
writings. The book is represented as q very
small one, being three inches and half in length
and an inch and hree-quarters in thickness. -
The date of the prayer-book is 500, and that of
the Psalms, which form part of the volume, is
1894.
At the end of the prayer book itself is the sig
nature civilian Shakespeare; !" after "The Con-
fession of the Christian Faith" which is at the
end of the volume, is the signature "W. Shak-
speare," and underneath this signature is the
date 1000. Mr.. Smith then states that by the
aid of the glass he found plain traces of another
signature, in what seemed the arme hand and
in different part Of the book is the signature
"M. Shakespeare" On the inside Of the left
hand cover is some writing, almost illegibe, but
of which the words ''Stratford on Avon" are
plainly traceable There is no erasure on any
of the leaves on which any of these signatures
occur.
Mr.. Smith then says that this book (if genu-
ine) which has remained so long undiscovered,
and now discovered at last on the borders of
Wales is not a matter Of surprise. The commu-
nicaion between Warwickshire and Wales was
in past centuries very frequent. One Of the old
crosses in Birmingham was called ''Welch Cross"
land fnh, saws Mr. s., IA statement in man.
uscript "Certifcates of Colleges" of the first
year of Edward W., now in the Record Office,
that the non-maintenance of the bridges in Bir-
ming ham is likely to he n great noysauuce to
the Kings majestys subjects passing to and
from the marches of Wales. When the volume
at the dispersal Of the effects of Shakespeare, thus
got into the borders Of Wales, it would be pretty
sure to he forgotten in corner at least after the
time when the form of the prayers contained in
1t ceased to he the one in use; for The edition is
not, it must be remembered. the form of the
Common Prayer-book now nnctioned BY law"
The writing of these signatures, it is said, are
not identical with that ofauy known signatures
of Shakespeare, bnt the character of the writing
is the same and the differences are strong proofs
of genuinencss, instead Of the contrary. A for
ger or mere imitator would not have made differ
ences of the sort that are here actually tJund.-
IT must he borne in mind that there is differ
ence of sixteen years between the date found I'M
der the signature in this boo!; and the date of
Shaksreare's will.
Mr.. Smith, after some speculation as to the
genuincness of the book, continues: "At pres
emit it appears to me that the best Judgment
points to considering this TO be the vertable
own Prayer-book of him WHOM, as Warwick
shire man myself, may in q double sense call
our William Shakespeare"