has been the subject of much controversy (cf. Halliwell-Phillipps, ii. 88; C. M. Ingleby, The Elegy on Burbadge, in Shakespeare, the Man and the Book, ii. 169). It exists in two versions, one of 86 lines, the other of 124 lines. Of the shorter version several undoubtedly genuine manuscripts are known, and it is probably only by accident that one of these omits ll. 2-5 of the following passage, which is given completely by all the rest:
Hee's gone & with him what a world are dead,
Which he reuiud, to be reuiued soe.
No more young Hamlett, ould Heironymoe.
Kind Leer, the greued Moore, and more beside,
That liued in him, haue now for ever dy'de.
Oft haue I seene him leap into the graue,
Suiting the person which he seem'd to haue
Of a sadd louer with soe true an eye,
That theer I would haue sworne, he meant to dye.
Oft haue I seene him play this part in ieast,
Soe liuely, that spectators, and the rest
Of his sad crew, whilst he but seem'd to bleed,
Amazed, thought euen then hee dyed in deed.
In the longer version ll. 2-5 are not only omitted, but are replaced by an interpolation of many lines, detailing a number of parts, some of which belonged to other companies than the King's, and are not likely to have been played by Burbadge. No manuscript of this version is forthcoming, and there can be little doubt that the interpolation is due to Collier, who referred to the version in his New Particulars (1836), 27, and published it in his Memoirs of the Actors (1846), 52, professedly from a manuscript in the possession of Richard Heber. Of the shorter version I can add to what has been recorded by others that in Stowe MS. 962, f. 62^v, I have found a copy of it, with the title 'An Elegie on the death of the famous actor Rich: Burbage, who died 13 Martij A^o. 1618', and an ascription to 'Jo ffletcher'. Other copies also give the date of Burbadge's death, or refer, as do the opening lines themselves, to the fact that he was skilled not only as an actor but as a limner. John Davies testifies to this in the verses of 1603 already cited. The accounts of the Earl of Rutland for the birthday tilt of 1613 contain the entry, '31 Martij, To M^r. Shakspeare in gold, about my Lordes impreso, 44^s. To Richard Burbage for paynting and makyng yt, in gold, 44^s'; and those for the tilt of 1616, '25 Martij, 1616, paid given Richard Burbidg for my Lordes shelde and for the embleance, 4^{li} 18^s' (H. M. C. Rutland MSS. iv. 494, 508). The gallery at Dulwich contains a picture presented by William Cartwright, which is described in his catalogue as 'a womans head on a boord done by M^r. Burbige y^e actor'. The inveterate tendency of mankind to guess has led to suggestions that he may have painted the portrait of himself in the same gallery, the Chandos portrait of Shakespeare, or the original of the Droeshout print.
One other record of Burbadge, apart from his company, may be noted. On 31 May 1610 he was employed by the City, with his fellow James Rice, to deliver a speech to Prince Henry at a water-pageant on
