And we should have
supposed that any one possessing even the smallest acquaintance with the
law writing of the period must have known that the scroll which looks
like a flourish at the end of the surname is not and cannot be an "s,"
but is most certainly without any possibility of question a "p," and
that the dash through the "p" is the usual and accepted abbreviation for
words ending in "per," or "peare," etc.[12]
Then how ought we, nay how arewe, compelled to read the so-called
signature? The capital S is quite clear, so also is the "h," then the
next mass of strokes all go to make up simply the letter "a." Then we
come to the blotted letter,
[Illustration: Plate XL. FACSIMILES OF LAW CLERKS' WRITING OF THE NAME
"SHAKESPEARE," FROM HALLIWELL-PHILLIPPS' "OUTLINES OF THE LIFE OF
SHAKESPEARE," VOL. 2, 1889.]
this is not and cannot be "kes" or "ks" because in the law writing of
the period every letter "s" (excepting "s" at the end of a word) was
written as a very long letter. This may readily be seen in the word
Shakespeare which occurs in Plate 39 on the eighth line above the
signature of Daniell Nicholas. What then is this blotted letter if it is
not kes or ks? The answer is quite plain, it is an "X," and a careful
examination under a very strong magnifying glass will satisfy the
student that it is without possibility of question correctly described
as an "X.
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