Francis Bacon Tale of the Shakspere Epitaph

Annotation

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. The stone at Stratford, that now marks the grave of William Shakspere, was placed there about sixty years ago. The original slab, on which was carved the most exceptional epitaph known to history, had been worn out and de stroyed. The genuine text of that epitaph is re produced here in picture, with the authorities for it, and the reader should inspect it carefully as a first step. It is very strange; but, after the lapse of more than two hundred and seventy years, these four lines Of doggerel verse are found to declare a perfectly unsuspected crime; and, if the confession they make be true, - as I must frankly sayi believe it is - they expose one of the most consummate frauds ever imposed on mankind.