Ireland, William Henry

Ireland, William Henry,

1777–1835, English forger of Shakespearean documents and manuscripts. Besides forging deeds and signatures relating to Shakespeare, Ireland fabricated two plays, Vortigern and Rowena (1796) and Henry II (both pub. 1799), as the works of Shakespeare. Edmond MaloneMalone, Edmond,
1741–1812, English literary critic and Shakespearean scholar, b. Ireland. His studies (1778) in the chronology of Shakespeare's plays are still considered highly valuable.
..... Click the link for more information. , however, exposed him, and Ireland later acknowledged the hoax.