From another lift, which undoubtedly was made by Sir Henry Herbert for the purpose I have mentioned, I learn that Macbeth was revived in 1663 or 1664; I fuppofe as altered by D'Avenant.

Nov. 3. 1663. Flora's Figaries
"A paftoral called The Ex-
posure

£.2.

2.

16.

I.

2.

"Revived play. Taming the

Shrew

"The Generall

"

Parfons Wedinge

"Revived play. Macbeth

"K. Henry 8. Revived play

Sir William D'Avenant's Company, after having played for fome time at the Cockpit in Drury-lane, and at Salisbury-court, removed in March or April 1662, to a new theatre in Portugal-row, near Lincoln's-inn-fields. Mr. Betterton, his principal actor, we are told by Downes, was admired in the part of Pericles, which he frequently performed before the opening of the new theatre; and while this company continued to act in Portugal-row, they reprefented the following plays of Shakspeare, and it thould feem thofe only: Macbeth and The Tempest, altered by D'Avenant; King Lear, Hamlet, King Henry the Eighth, Romeo and Juliet, and Twelfth Night. In Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark was reprefented by Mr. Betterton; the Ghost by Mr. Richards; Horatio by Mr. Harris; the Queen by Mrs. Davenport; and Ophelia by Mrs. Saunderfon. In Romeo and Juliet, Romco was reprefented by Mr. Harris, Mercutio by Mr. Betterton, and Juliet by Mrs. Saunderfon. Mr. Betterton in Twelfth Night performed Sir Toby Belch, and in Henry the Eighth, the King. He was without doubt alfo the performer of King Lear. Mrs. Saunderfon reprefented Catharine in King Henry the Eighth, and it may be prefumed, Cordelia, and Miranda. She alfo performed Lady Macbeth, and Mr. Betterton Macbeth.

The theatre which had been erected in Portugal Row, being found too fmall, Sir William D'Avea nant laid the foundation of a new playhouse in Dorset Garden, near Dorfet Stairs, which however

he did not live to fee completed; for he died in May 1668, and it was not opened till 1671. There being strong reason to believe that he was our poet's fon, I have been induced by that circumftance to inquire with fome degree of minutenefs into his hiftory. I have mentioned in a preceding page that the account given of him by Wood, in his Athene Oxonienfes, was taken from Mr. Aubrey's Manufcript. Since that sheet was printed, Mr. Warton has obligingly furnished me with an exact transcript of the article relative to D'Avenant, which, as it contains fome particulars not noticed by Wood, I fhall here fubjoin:

"MS. Aubrey. Mus. ASHмOL. LIVES. SIR WILLIAM DAVENANT, KNIGHT,

POET-LAUREAT,

was borne about the end of February in street in the city of Oxford, at the Crowne Taverne; baptized 3 of March A. D. 1605-6. His father was John Davenant, a vintner there, a very grave and difcreet citizen: his mother was a very beautiful woman, and of a very good witt, and of converfation extremely agreeable. They had 3 fons, viz. Robert, William, and Nicholas; (Robert was a fellow of St. John's Coll. in Oxon. then preferd to the vicarage of Weftkington by Bp. Davenant, whose chaplain he was; Nicholas was an attorney :) and 2 handfome daughters; one m. to Gabriel Bradly, B. D. of C. C. C. beneficed in the vale of White Horfe; another to Dr. Sherburne, minifter

9 Mr. Warton informs me, that " it appears by Aubrey's letters that this Life of Davenant was fent to Wood, and drawn up at his request."

of Pembordge [-bridge] in Heref. and canon of that church. Mr. W Shakspeare was wont to goe into Warwickshire once a yeare, and did comonly in his journey lie at this houfe in Oxon. where he was exceedingly refpected. Now Sir William would fometimes, when he was pleasant over a glaffe of wine with his moft intimate friends, (e. g. Sam Butler, author of Hudibras, etc. etc.) fay, that it seem'd to him, that he writt with the very spirit that Shakespeare [wrote with], and was contented enough to bee thought his fon: he would tell them the ftory as above. He went to schoole at Oxon. to Mr. Silvefter; Charles Wheare, F. [filius] Degorii W., was his fchool fellow: but Í feare, he was drawne from fchoole, before he was ripe enoughe. He was preferred to the first Dutchefs of Richmond, to wayte on her as a page. I remember, he told me, the fent him to a famous apothecary for fome unicorne's horne, which he was refolved to try with a fpyder, which he empaled in it, but without the expected fuccefs: the fpider would goe over and through and thorough, unconcerned. He was next a fervant (as I remember, a page alfo) to Sir Fulke Grevil Ld Brookes, with whom he lived to his death; which was, that a fervant of his that had long wayted on him, and his lor- [lordship] had often told him, that he would doe fomething for him, but did not, but ftill put him off with delay; as he was truffing up his lord's pointes, comeing from ftoole, [for then their breeches were faftened to the doubletts with pointes; then came in hookes and eies, which not to have faftened was in my boyhood a great crime,] ftabbed him. This was at the fame time that the duke of Buckingham was ftabbed by Felton; and the great noife and report of the duke's, Sir W. told me, quite drown'd this of his lord's, that was