Ireland Samuel William Henry

Ireland, Samuel William Henry (1777-1835), was articled to a conveyancer, and began at an early age to forge and cleverly utter remains of Shakespeare, as his father had a craze for discovering some scrap of the great dramatist's handwriting. Amongst his spurious documents were contracts between Shakespeare, Lowine, and Condell, a deed of gift to William Henry Ireland, a deed of trust to John Hemynge, a Protestant confession of faith by Shakespeare, letters to Anne Hathaway, and others, a new version of King Lear, and an original drama, Vortiyern and Rowena, which Garrick produced at Drury Lane. He was exposed by Malone, and his drama broke down on its first performance. The rest of his life was passed in comparative obscurity and poverty. He published a full confession of his forgeries (1805).