reverend Father in God Lord John Bishop of Worcester and his offycers for licencing them the said Willm and Anne to be maried together with once asking of the bannes of matrimony betwene them and for all other causes which may ensue by reason or occasion therof that then the said obligacion to be void and of none effect or els to stand and abide in full force and vertue. L. S. R. H. L. S.

(Signed by a cross and another mark.)

Stratford Registers. Baptisms:

13 1583, May 26, Susanna daughter to William Shakspere.

14 1584, February, Hamnet and Judeth sonne and daughter to Williã Shakspere.

15 1589. Term Michs., 31 and 32 Eliz.: Abstract of a Bill of Complaint brought by the Poet's father against John Lambert in the Court of Queen's Bench respecting an Estate at Wilmecote near Stratford-on-Avon. - (Public Record Office. Coram Rege Rolls. Fo. 516. 1311.)

Warwick. Memorandum that in Michaelmas term last at Westminster John Shakspere by his attorney preferred his bill against John Lambert son and heir of Edmund Lambert on the plea of trespass on the case; reciting that to the said Edmund Lambert in his life time on the 14th November 1578 by an indenture of that date were conveyed by John Shakspere and Mary his wife a messuage or tenement a yard of land

and 4 acres of arable land with the appurtenances in Wilmecote in the County of Warwick to have and to hold the same to the said Edmund his heirs and assigns for ever provided however that if the said John Shakspere his heirs exõrs admors or assigns should pay or cause to be paid to the said Edmund Lambert £40 of lawful English money on the feast of Saint Michael 1580 the said indenture should be void, reciting that on the death of the said Edmund Lambert who had entered into possession and seisin of the premises the said premises descended to his son the said John who doubting of his right and title to the premises and knowing that John Shakspere intended to sue for recovery of the premises promised in consideration of the said John and Mary and their son William assuring to him his right and title to the property to pay to the said John Shakspere £20 by instalments as therein mentioned but though the said John and Mary and William had foreborne to sue for recovery of the land and were always ready to make such assurance the said John Lambert had not paid over the money as mentioned and the said John Shakspere had sustained loss and damage thereby, in respect of which the present action was brought.

N.B. The above-proposed arrangement amounted to a sale of the equity of redemption of the property and conveyance to John Lambert in fee simple on payment of £20 in addition to the £40 the amount for which it had been mortgaged to Edmund Lambert. The action seems to have been abandoned. The following are the opening paragraphs of the Bill:

Warr. Memorandum quod alias, scilicet termino Sancti Michaelis ultimo preterito, coram domina regina apud Westmonasterium venit Johannes Shackspere per Johannem Harborne, attornatum suum, et protulit hic in curiam dicte domine regine tunc ibidem quandam billam suam versus Johannem Lambert filium et heredem Edmundi Lamberte nuper de Barton Henmershe in comitatu predicto yoman in custodia marescalli . . . de placito transgressionis super casum: et sunt plegii de prosequendo, scilicet Johannes Doo et Ricardus Roo que quidem billa sequitur in hec verba-Warr: Johannes Shackespere queritur de Johanne Lamberte filio et herede Edmundi Lamberte nuper de Barton Henmershe in comitatu predicto yoman.

16 1592. Title, Dedication and Address of Henry Chettle's "Kind-Harts Dreame," in which the author regrets the part he took as editor of Green's "Groatsworth of Wit" (see No. 29), from his subsequent knowledge of Shakespeare as an author and as a man. (Date of entry at Stationers' Hall, 8 Dec. 1592.)

KIND-HARTS DREAME. Conteining five Apparitions, with their Invectives against abuses raigning. Delivered by severall ghosts unto him to be publisht, after Piers Penilesse Post had refused the carriage. Invita Invidia. by H. C. Imprinted at London for William Wright.

To the Gentlemen Readers. It hath beene a custome, gentlemen (in my mind commendable) among former. authors, (whose workes are no lesse beautified with

eloquente phrase than garnisht with excellent example) to begin an exordium to the readers of their time, much more convenient I take it, should the writers in these daies (wherein that gravitie of enditing by the elder exer. cised, is not observ'd, nor that modest decorum kept, which they continued) submit their labours to the favourable censures of their learned overseers. For seeing nothing can be said that hath not been before said, the singularitie of some mens conceits (otherwayes exellent well deserving) are no more to be soothed than the peremptorie posies of two very sufficient Translators commended. To come in print is not to seeke praise, but to crave pardon; I am urgd to the one, and bold to begge the other; he that offendes, being forst, is more excusable than the wilfull faultie; though both be guilty, there is difference in the guilt. To observe custome, and avoid, as I may, cavill, opposing your favors against my feare, Ile shew reason for my present writing and after proceed to sue for pardon. About three moneths since died M. Robert Greene, leaving many papers in sundry bookesellers hands, among other his Groatsworth of Wit, in which a letter, written to divers play-makers, is offensively by one or two of them taken; and because on the dead they cannot be avenged, they wilfully forge in their conceites a living author; and after tossing it two and fro, no remedy, but it must light on me. How I have all the time of my conversing in printing hindred the bitter inveying against schollers, it hath been very well knowne; and how in that I dealt, I can sufficiently proove. With neither of them that take offence was I acquainted, and with one of them I care not if I never be. The other,' whome at that time I

1 I.e., Shakespeare.

did not so much spare as since I wish I had, for that, as I have moderated the heate of living writers, and might have usde my owne discretion, especially in such a case, the author beeing dead,— that I did not I am as sory as if the originall fault had beene my fault, because myselfe have seene his demeanor no lesse civill, than he exelent in the qualitie he professes;besides, divers of worship have reported his uprightnes of dealing, which argues his honesty, and his facetious grace in writting, that aprooves his art. For the first, whose learning I reverence, and, at the perusing of Greenes booke, stroke out what then in conscience I thought he in some displeasure writ; or, had it beene true, yet to publish it was intollerable; him I would wish to use me no worse than I deserve. I had onely in the copy this share;-it was il written, as sometimes Greenes hand was none of the best; licensd it must be ere it could bee printed, which could never be if it might not be read. To be breife, I writ it over; and, as neare as I could, followed the copy; onely in that letter I put something out, but in the whole booke not a worde in; for I protest it was all Greenes, not mine nor Maister Nashes, as some unjustly have affirmed. Neither was he the writer of an Epistle to the second part of Gerileon, though by the workemans error T. N. were set to the end;-that I confesse to be mine, and repent it not.

Thus, gentlemen, having noted the private causes. that made me nominate myselfe in print; being as well to purge Master Nashe of that he did not, as to justifie what I did, and withall to confirm what M. Greene did; I beseech yee accept the publike cause, which is both the desire of your delight and common benefite;