Newark post. (Newark, Del.) 1910-1969, 1916-04-12

she was executed.
: But st. PauPs cathedral was the
place of greatest general inter
: est in the City Proper. The
streets of the city radiated from
= it as a center. During the morn
ing it's wide covered outdoor ves-
tibules were the meeting places
for the staggering bucks of the
town. Many a fatal duel had it's
beginning in an accidental or in
tended slight affront under the
arches of "Poules." Here politics
were discussed, the latest news
from the court, from Spain, from
France, and from Flanders. Here
were arranged other meetings in
taverns; here were Matched up
robberies and assassinations; and
here were told wondrous tales OF
foreign travel and conquest. And
in the "churchyard"-i. e., at the
buildings on the streets facing
the church were sold books of all
kinds, including many of the plays
of Shakspere himself.
In the City Proper, also, the
Queen with her court had apart
ments;" and for this reason it
should be Of the greatest interest
to any one interested in Shak-
spere and his works. About the
Queen centered the gay and spec
tacular life of the time. Elizabeth
loved pomp and entertainment.
She gathered about her most
brilliant circle of mobiles from all
parts of the world; and for their
entertainment S h e spared n o
trouble and no expense. There
were Mosques combining the most
brilliant conceptions of the mas
tel literary men and architects of
the day, and costing thousands of
dollars for a single performance.
In her presence were given special
performances of the greatest plays
with magnificent scenery. ga
Midsummer Nights Dream was
such play.
Again, Elizabeth was a lover of
literature and richly patronized |
literary men, as cid members Of
her cour; and others of the nobil-
ity. Shakspere was often invited |
to give his plays at the court.
Some of them were even written
at the invitation of the Queen her
self. The merry Wives Of Wind
sor" was composed by Shakspere
in answer to the Queens request |
that he write her a play showing
Sir John Falstaff in love.
The Bankside, however, has
really more interest for us than
has the City Proper. The Thames
RIVER furnished the means of
communication between different |
parts of the city. 1t was covered |
by boatmen who made things
lively with their shouts Of 'West-
ward Ho!" Eastward Ho!" lndi-
eating the direction in which they
were ready to carry passengers.
But for the great mass of London
crs the Bridge furnished the chief
means of communication. Here
all day long surged multitudes 60
ing and coming. It's sides were
Tired with shops, for in addition
r. of ia
tion, it was also q business mart.
In the Bankside section of Lon
don were the taverns-the meeting
places Of merchants, travellers,
soldiers just back from the wars,
adventures; likewise the meeting
place of sharks, bunco steorers,
and confidence men ready to fleece |
the newcomer from the country.
Here in the taverns met the
dramatists and planned their
plays, and later collaborated in
writing them. Here was the Tab
ard Inn, at which Chaucer's Can
terbury Pilgrims met on the night
before they began their immortal
pilgrimage to Canterbury, "the
holy blisful martir for to seke."
And here, finally, were the the
aires, at which were given in the
afternoons the plays through
which the people of London saw
enacted again scenes from their
history which had happened, many ,
of them, at places in London IA
miliar to every inhabitant.
Such, in brief, was Shakspere's
London.