William Kemp, one of Shakespeare's
fellow-actors, dancing the Morris, to tabor and pipe, makes the pipe
as long as from mouth to waist--viz., about 18 inches, which agrees
with Mersennus. A similar woodcut in 'Orchesographie' makes the pipe
even longer. Both represent pipe as conical, like oboe. The length of
the tabor, in these two woodcuts, seems to be about 1 ft. 9 in., and
the breadth, across the head, 9 or 10 in. No snare in the English
woodcut, but the French one has a snare.

2. CORNET (treble), date 16th or 17th century. Tube slightly curved,
external shape octagonal, bore conical. Cupped mouthpiece of horn, 6
holes, and one behind for thumb. Lowest note, A under treble staff.

3. RECORDER. Large beak-flute of dark wood. Three joints, not
including beak. The beak has a hole at the back, covered with a thin
skin, which vibrates and gives a slight reediness to the tone. The
usual 6 finger holes in front, a thumb hole behind, and a
right-or-left little-finger hole in lowest joint.

4. SMALL FRENCH TREBLE VIOL, 17th century. _Back view_, same shape as
of all other viols of whatever size. 6 strings, 4 frets.

5. TREBLE VIOL, as used in England and Italy; label inside--Andreas
(?) Amati, Cremona, 1637. _Side view_, shews carved head and flat
back. 6 strings, 4 frets, ivory nut.

6. TENOR VIOL. English, late 17th century. _Front view_, shewing
sloping shoulders. 6 strings, 7 frets, plain head.

7. VIOL DA GAMBA BOW. Ancient shape. No screw. This shape in use later
than 1756.

8. VIOLONCELLO BOW. Modern shape, with screw.

_Bottom row, counting from left._

1. BASS VIOL, or VIOL DA GAMBA, or DIVISION VIOL. Italian, 1600.
Carved head, inlaid fingerboard, carved and inlaid tailpiece. 6
strings, 7 frets.

2. LUTE. Italian, 1580. Three plain holes in belly, obliquely.
Ornamental back. Flat head. Pegs turned with key from behind. 12
strings--viz., 1 single (treble), 4 doubles, 1 single, and 2 singles
off the fingerboard (basses). 10 frets.

3. ARCH LUTE. Italian, 17th century. 18 strings, 8 on lower neck, 10
on higher, off the fingerboard. The latter are 'basses,' and probably
half of them duplicates. 7 frets on neck, 5 more on belly.

INTRODUCTORY

A principal character of the works of a very great author is, that in
them each man can find that for which he seeks, and in a form which
includes his own view.

With Shakespeare, as one of the greatest of the great, this is
pre-eminently the case. On