He was so great a Benefactor to the Stage, that he wrote of himself eight and forty Plays; whereof 18 Comedies, _viz._ _As you like it_, _All's well that ends well_, _A Comedy of Errors_, _Gentleman of_ Verona, _Loves Labour lost_, London _Prodigal_, _Merry Wives of_ Windsor, _Measure for measure_, _Much ado about Nothing_, _Midsummer Nights Dream_, _Merchant of_ Venice, _Merry Devil of_ Edmonton, _Mucedorus, the Puritan Widow_, _the Tempest_, _Twelf-Night_, or _what you will_, _the taming of the Shrew_, and _a winters Tale_. Fourteen Tragedies, _viz._ _Anthony and Cleopatra_, _Coriolanus_, _Cymbeline_, _Hamlet_, _Julius Caesar_, _Lorrino_, _Leir and his three Daughters_, _Mackbeth_, _Othello the Moor of_ Venice, _Romeo and Juliet_, _Troylus and Cressida_, _Tymon of_ Athens, _Titus Andronicus_, and _the Yorkshire Tragedy_. Also fifteen Histories, _viz._ Cromwel's _History_, _Henry_ 4. in two parts, _Henry_ 5. _Henry_ 6. in three parts, _Henry_ 8. _John King of_ England, in three parts, _Pericles Prince of_ Tyre, _Richard_ 2. _Richard_ 3. and _Oldrastes Life and Death_. Also _the Arraignment of Paris_, a Pastoral. Many were the Wit-combats betwixt him and _Ben Johnson_, which two we may compare to a _Spanish great Gallion_, and an _English Man of war_: Mr. _Johnson_, (like the former) was built far higher in Learning, solid, but slow in his performances; _Shakespear_, with the _English Man of war_, lesser in Bulk, but lighter in sayling, could turn with all Tides, tack about, and take advantage of all Winds, by the quickness of his Wit and Invention. His History of _Henry_ the Fourth is very much commended by some, as being full of sublime Wit, and as much condemned by others, for making Sir _John Falstaffe_ the property of Pleasure for Prince _Henry_ to abuse, as one that was a _Thrasonical Puff_, and emblem of mock Valour; though indeed he was a man of Arms every inch of him, and as valiant as any his Age, being for his Martial Prowess made Knight of the Garter by King _Henry_ the 6th. This our famous Comedian died _An. Dom_. 16--and was buried at _Stratford_ upon _Avon_, the Town of his Nativity; upon whom one hath bestowed this Epitaph, though more proper had he been buried in _Westminster Abbey_. Renowned _Spencer_, lie a thought more nigh To learned _Chaucer_, and rare _Beaumont_ lie A little nearer _Spencer_ to make room For _Shakespear_, in your threefold, fourfold Tomb, To lodge all four in one Bed make a shift Until Doomsday, for hardly will a fifth Betwixt this day and that, by Fates be slain For whom your Curtains may be drawn again. If your precedency in Death do bar A fourth place in your sacred Sepulcher, Under this sacred Marble of thine own, Sleep rare Tragedian _Shakespear_! sleep alone, Thy unmolested Peace in an unshar'd Cave, Possess as Lord, not Tenant of thy Grave, That unto us, and others it may be Honour hereafter to be laid by thee. * * * * *