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 64, tells of an adventure of 'one M^r. Venard (that went by the name of Englands Joy)' in jail, where he afterwards died.

EDWARD DE VERE, EARL OF OXFORD (1550-1604).

Meres (1598) includes the earl in his list of 'the best for Comedy amongst vs' but although Oxford had theatrical servants at intervals from 1580 to 1602 (cf. ch. xiii), little is known of their plays, and none can be assigned to him, although the anonymous The Weakest Goeth to the Wall (1600) calls for an author. J. T. Looney, Shakespeare Identified (1920), gives him Shakespeare's plays, many of which were written after his death. FRANCIS VERNEY (1584-1615). Francis, the eldest son of Sir Edmund Verney of Penley, Herts., and Claydon, Bucks., entered Trinity College, Oxford, in 1600, and was knighted on 14 March 1604. As a result of family disputes, he left England about 1608, and became a pirate in the Mediterranean, dying at Messina on 6 Sept. 1615 (Verney Memoirs^2, i. 47). G. C. Moore Smith (M. L. R. iii. 151) gives him the following play. ''Antipoe. 1603 < > 8''

[MS.] ''Bodl. MS.'' 31041, 'The tragedye of Antipoe with other poetical verses written by mee Nic^o. Leatt Jun. in Allicant In June 1622', with Epistles to James and the Reader by 'Francis Verney'. Presumably Verney was the author, and Nicolas only a scribe. ANTONY WADESON (c. 1601). Henslowe made payments to him on behalf of the Admiral's in June and July 1601 for a play called The Honourable Life of the Humorous Earl of Gloucester, with his Conquest of Portugal, but these only amounted to 30s., so that possibly the play was not finished. Doubtful Play

The anonymous Look About You (cf. ch. xxiv) has been ascribed to Wadeson. LEWIS WAGER (c. 1560). Wager became Rector of St. James Garlickhithe on 28 March 1560. Some resemblance of his style to that of W. Wager has led to an assumption that they were related. He was a corrector of books. The Life and Repentance of Mary Magdalene > 1566

S. R. 1566-7. 'An interlude of the Repentaunce of Mary Magdalen.' John Charlwood (Arber, i. 335).

1566. A new Enterlude, neuer before this tyme imprinted, entreating of the Life and Repentaunce of Marie Magdalene: not only godlie, learned and fruitefull, but also well furnished with pleasaunt myrth and pastime, very delectable for those which shall heare or reade the