In addition to his three known mentions of Shakespeare by name (1619, 1623, 1630?), Ben certainly appears to satirise his rival at a much earlier date; especially as Pantalabus, a playwright in _The Poetaster_ (1601), and as actor, poet, and plagiarist in an epigram, _Poet-Ape_, published in his collected works of 1616; but probably written as early as 1602. It is well known that in 1598 Shakespeare’s company acted Ben’s _Every Man in His Humour_. It appears that he conceived some grudge against the actors, and apparently against Shakespeare and other playwrights, for, in 1601, his _Poetaster_ is a satire both on playwrights and on actors, whom he calls “apes.” The apparent attacks on Shakespeare are just such as Ben, if angry and envious, would direct against him; while we know of no other poet-player of the period to whom they could apply. For example, in _The Poetaster_, Histrio, the actor, is advised to ingratiate himself with _Pantalabus_, “gent’man parcel-poet, his father was a man of worship, I tell thee.” This is perhaps unmistakably a blow at Shakespeare, who had recently acquired for his father and himself arms, and the pleasure of writing himself “gentleman.” This “parcel-poet gent’man” “pens lofty, in a new stalking style,”—he is thus an author, he “pens,” and in a high style. He is called _Pantalabus_, from the Greek words for “to _take up all_,” which means that, as poet, he is a plagiarist. Jonson repeats this charge in his verses called _Poet-Ape_— “_He takes up all_, makes each man’s wit his own, And told of this, he slights it.” In a scene added to _The Poetaster_ in 1616, the author (Ben) is advised not “With a sad and serious verse to wound Pantalabus, railing in his saucy jests,” and obviously slighting the charges of plagiarism. Perhaps Ben is glancing at Shakespeare, who, if accused of plagiary by an angry rival, would merely laugh. A reply to the _Poetaster_, namely _Satiromastix_ (by Dekker and Marston?), introduces Jonson himself as babbling darkly about “Mr. Justice Shallow,” and “an Innocent Moor” (Othello?). Here is question of “administering strong pills” to Jonson; _then_, “What lumps of hard and indigested stuff, Of bitter _Satirism_, of _Arrogance_, Of _Self-love_, of _Detraction_, of a black And stinking _Insolence_ should we fetch up!” This “pill” is a reply to Ben’s “purge” for the poets in his _Poetaster_. Oh, the sad old stuff!