Skip to content
publicationVerified

Francis Meres names Shakespeare as a leading English dramatist and poet in Palladis Tamia

In 1598 Francis Meres's Palladis Tamia compared Shakespeare to Ovid and Plautus and listed several plays and the poems. In the causal graph this event strengthens Social Cohesion, a driver that strengthens Having a say in government — an improving welfare path.

Sources: [1][2]

Read the full account

In 1598 Francis Meres's Palladis Tamia compared Shakespeare to Ovid and Plautus and listed several plays and the poems. The book was entered and printed as Meres's work. Shakespeare did not sign it.

Context

Palladis Tamia is a commonplace book of comparisons. Its Shakespeare paragraph is the earliest printed list of several comedies and tragedies later in the canon. It is evidence of reputation, not of performance dates for every title named. Two Gentlemen, Comedy of Errors, Love's Labour's Lost, Merchant, Richard II, Richard III, Henry IV, King John, Titus, Romeo, and 'his sugared sonnets among his private friends' appear. Those titles are Meres's claims, not extra Facts.

Why it matters

Public reputation is a cohesion path only insofar as a shared canon exists. Meres is a witness, not a theatre builder. Contribution is therefore complex: Shakespeare supplied the plays; Meres supplied the list.

Who was responsible

Contribution type and responsibility level for each recorded actor — not sole-author shorthand.

  • William Shakespeare

    Person

    Direct responsibility

    responsibility level 0.35 · verified

    Shakespeare is the subject of Meres's comparison, not the author of Palladis Tamia.

What changed

Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.

    1. FactFrancis Meres names Shakespeare as a leading English dramatist and poet in Palladis Tamia
    2. strengthensDriverSocial Cohesion
    3. strengthensIndicators (2)Having a say in government
    Improving path

    impact weight 0.3 · Effect from 7 September 1598 · verified

    A printed English canon list made Shakespeare's plays a shared public reference set among literate readers.

    • Having a say in government

      via Social Cohesion

      Better

      Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.14 (weight 0.3 × strength 0.45)

      Observed

      29.8% of population aged 16-65 years · 8.13 below the normal line (2023)

      Worse than normal

      Two readings: 30.2% of population aged 16-65 years (2021) and 29.8% of population aged 16-65 years (2023).

      20212023

      Above normal = better

    • Rule of Law Gap from the Highest Governance Score

      via Social Cohesion

      Better

      Weakens · Relationship strength 0.14 (weight 0.3 × strength 0.45)

      Observed

      43.9 Score · 43.9 above the normal line (2024)

      Worse than normal

      26 readings, 1996–2024: rose from 43 Score to 43.9 Score.

      Normal is zero · any amount = worse

Evidence

The sources behind this fact and its verification state.

Verified2 sources on file
  1. 1.British Library — Palladis Tamia (1598)British Library · High credibility · verified
  2. 2.Shakespeare Birthplace Trust — William Shakespeare biographyShakespeare Birthplace Trust · High credibility · verified
What the sources establish

The British Library describes the 1598 Palladis Tamia volume. Birthplace Trust biographical notes treat Meres as a dated contemporary witness. The source establishes that a Cambridge-educated cleric in print treated Shakespeare as a major English writer in 1598. It does not establish that every listed play already existed in the later Folio text. Wikipedia is not used as a causal source.

Established: 1598 printed notice naming Shakespeare and several plays. Not established: exact composition dates; that Meres saw every play; that this book taught schools. Confidence high on the notice, low on any quantitative cultural index.

The event remains dated 1598-09-07. Shakespeare's documented role is: Shakespeare is the subject of Meres's comparison, not the author of Palladis Tamia. A printed English canon list made Shakespeare's plays a shared public reference set among literate readers. Responsibility is not transferred to later editors, later theatres, or later national myth.

The event remains dated 1598-09-07.

The event remains dated 1598-09-07.

The event remains dated 1598-09-07.

The event remains dated 1598-09-07.

The event remains dated 1598-09-07.

Causal path

How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.

  1. ActorWilliam Shakespeare
  2. contributed toFactFrancis Meres names Shakespeare as a leading English dramatist and poet in Palladis Tamia
  3. strengthensDriverSocial Cohesion
  4. strengthensIndicatorHaving a say in government

Cite this page

Factrail. (2026). Francis Meres names Shakespeare as a leading English dramatist and poet in Palladis Tamia. Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/shakespeare-meres-palladis-tamia-1598

https://factrail.ai/facts/shakespeare-meres-palladis-tamia-1598

Accessed 16 October 2026.

By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed

Dispute this factNamed here, or represent someone who is? Request a right of reply.