In addition to these three plays, there is a fourth evidence of the way in which the Clown who had purchased a coat of arms was regarded, in a pamphlet or tract of which only one copy is known to exist. This tract which can be seen in the Rylands Library, Manchester, used to be in Lord Spencer's library at Althorp, and is reprinted by Halliwell-Phillipps in "Outlines of the Life of Shakespeare," 1889, Vol. I, pages 325-6.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE XV. Bacon's Crest from the Binding of a Presentation Copy of the Novum Organum, 1620.]

To commence with Ben Jonson's "Every man out of his humour." The clown who had purchased a coat of arms is said to be the brother of Sordido (a miser), and is described as an "essential" clown (that is an uneducated rustic), and is styled Sogliardo which is the Italian for the filthiest possible name.

The other two characters in the scene (act iii. sc. I) are Puntarvolo who, as his crest is a _Boar_, must be intended to represent Bacon;[2]

and Carlo Buffone who is a buffoon or jester.

Enter Sogliardo (the filth), who is evidently the Stratford Clown, who has just purchased a coat of arms:--

Actus Tertius, Scena Prima, Sogliardo, Punt., Carlo.

_Sog_. Nay I will haue him, I am resolute for that, by this Parchment Gentlemen, I haue ben so toil'd among the Harrots [meaning _Heralds_] yonder, you will not beleeue, they doe speake i' the straungest language, and giue a man the hardest termes for his money, that euer you knew.

_Car_. But ha' you armes? ha' your armes?

_Sog_. Yfaith, I thanke G.o.d I can write myselfe Gentleman now, here's my Pattent, it cost me thirtie pound by this breath.

_Punt_. A very faire Coat, well charg'd and full of Armorie.

_Sog_. Nay, it has, as much varietie of colours in it, as you haue seene a Coat haue, how like you the Crest, Sir?

_Punt_. I vnderstand it not well, what is't?

_Sog_. Marry Sir, it is your Bore without a head Rampant.

_Punt_. A Bore without a head, that's very rare.

_Car_. I, [Aye] and Rampant too: troth I commend the Herald's wit, he has deciphered him well: A Swine without a head, without braine, wit, anything indeed, Ramping to Gentilitie. You can blazon the rest signior? can you not?

_Punt_. Let the word be, _Not without mustard_, your Crest is very rare sir.

Shakspeare's "word" that is his "motto" was--non sanz droict--not without right--and I desire the reader also especially to remember Sogliardo's words "Yfaith I thanke G.o.d" a phrase which though it appears in the quartos is changed in the 1616 Ben Jonson folio into "I thank _them_" which has no meaning.

Next we turn to Shakespeare's "As you like it." This play though entered at Stationers' Hall in 1600 and probably played quite as early is not known in print till it appeared in the folio of 1623. The portion to which I wish to refer is the commencement of Actus Quintus, Scena Prima.

Act 5, Scene i.

Enter Clowne and Awdrie.

_Clow_. We shall finde a time _Awdrie_, patience gentle Awdrie.

_Awd_. Faith the priest was good enough, for all the olde gentlemans saying.

_Clow_. A most wicked Sir _Oliver, Awdrie_, a most vile _Mar-text._ But _Awdrie_, there is a youth heere in the forrest layes claime to you.

_Awd_. I, I know who 'tis: he hath no interest in mee in the world: here comes the man you meane.

(Enter William)

_Clo_. It is meat and drinke to me to see a clowne, by my troth, we that haue good wits, haue much to answer for: we shall be flouting: we cannot hold.

_Will_. Good eu'n _Audrey._

_Awd_. G.o.d ye good eu'n _William_.

_Will_. And good eu'n to you sir.

_Clo_. Good eu'n gentle friend. Couer thy head, couer thy head: Nay prethee bee couer'd.

How olde are you Friend?

_Will_. Fiue and twentie Sir.

_Clo_. A ripe age: Is thy name _William_?

_Will_. _William_, Sir.

_Clo_. A faire name. Was't borne i' the Forrest heere?

_Will_. I [Aye] Sir, I thanke G.o.d.

_Clo_. Thanke G.o.d: A good answer: Art rich?

_Will_. 'Faith Sir, so, so.

_Clo_. So, so, is good, very good, very excellent good: and yet it is not, it is but so, so: Art thou wise?

_Will_. I [Aye] sir, I haue a prettie wit.

_Clo_. Why, thou saist well. I do now remember a saying: The Foole doth thinke he is wise, but the wise man knowes himselfe to be a Foole.... You do loue this maid?

_Will_. I do Sir.

_Clo_. Giue me your hand: art thou Learned?

_Will_. No Sir.

_Clo_. Then learne this of me, To haue is to haue.

For it is a figure in Rhetoricke, that drink being powr'd out of a cup into a gla.s.se, by filling the one, doth empty the other. For all your Writers do consent, that _ipse_ is hee: now you are not _ipse_, for I am he.

_Will_. Which he Sir?

_Clo_. He Sir, that must marrie this woman.

Firstly I want to call your attention to Touchstone the courtier who is playing clown and who we are told "uses his folly like a stalking horse and under the presentation of that he shoots his wit." Notice that Touchstone refuses to be married to Awdrey (who probably represents the plays of Shakespeare) by a-Mar-text_, and she declares that the Clown William "has no interest in mee in the world." William--shall we say Shakspeare of Stratford?--enters and is greeted as "gentle" (_i. e_. he is possessed of a coat of arms). He says "Thank G.o.d" he was born in the forest here (Ardennes, very near in sound to Arden). "Thank G.o.d" is repeated by Touchstone and as it is the same phrase that is used by Sogliardo in Ben Jonson's play I expect that it was an e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n very characteristic of the real man of Stratford and I am confirmed in this belief because in the folio edition of Ben Jonson's plays the phrase is changed to "I thank _them_" which has no meaning.

The clown of Ardennes is rich but only rich for a clown (Shakspeare of Stratford was not really rich, New Place cost only 60).