ILLUSTRATIONS

OF

SHAKSPEARE,

&c.

Printed by Richard Taylor and Co., 38, Shoe Lane.

OF

SHAKSPEARE,

AND OF

ANCIENT MANNERS:

WITH

DISSERTATIONS

ON THE CLOWNS AND FOOLS OF SHAKSPEARE; ON THE
COLLECTION OF POPULAR TALES ENTITLED

GESTA ROMANORUM ; AND ON THE
ENGLISH MORRIS DANCE.

Br FRANCIS DOUCE

THE ENGRAVINGS ON WOOD BY J. BERRYMAN.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

London:

PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, AND ORMY.

PATERNOSTER ROW.

MDCCCVI

PREFACE.

THE practice, and also the necessity of explaining the writings of Shakspeare, have already been so ably defended by former commentators, that no other apology on the part of those who may elect to persevere in this kind of labour seems to be necessary than with regard to the qualifi cations of the writer: but as no one in this case perhaps ever thought, or at least should think, himself incompetent to the task assumed of instructing or amusing others, it may be as well, on the present occasion, to waive altogether such a common-place intrusion on the reader's time. It is enough to state that accident had given birth. to a considerable portion of the following pages,