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LONDON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 1867.

CONTENTS.-No 292.

NOTES: The Shakespeares of Rowington, 81 Arthur Wolfe, Lord Viscount Kilwarden, 86-A few more Notes

on Hannah Lightfoot, 87-Sweat like a Brock: Cuckoo Spittle The Rose of Dawn" - Tradition about Tamerlane "My Mother's Grave," by the Rev. J. Moultrie "Lord Dundreary"- Index: Margin, 88.

QUERIES:- Dryden's Morecraft: "Cunning" or "Cutting"? 89-Burying Iron Fragments- Richard de Cholmondeley-Clan Tartans-Courts of Queen's Bench and Exchequer Donizetti and Bellini - Frederick, Prince of Wales Hanging in the Bell-ropes- Mrs. Lawrence, of Wavertreehall, Liverpool Francis Meres Norden's "Survey of Kirton in Lindsey"- Paxton Family - Quotations wanted - References wanted Shekel The Genealogy of the Ussher Family, 89. QUERIES WITH ANSWERS:-George Halyburton, Bishop of Dunkeld-First Sabbath School in England - Vulgate Bible, 1491, 92.

REPLIES:- Solomon and the Genii, 93-The Songs of Birds, 94 Doctor Wolcot, Ib.- Consecration of a Church by an Archdeacon - Drawings-The Knave of Clubs "Leo pugnat cum Dracone"- Rev. John Darwell - Tomb in Barbados - Monument of O Piers Shonkes, at Brent Pelham, co. Hertford-"Magius de Tintinnabulis"- Extraordinary Assemblages of Birds Tennyson's Early Poems-Style of "Reverend" and "Very Reverend Scot, a Local Prefix - The "Victoria Magazine"- Source of Quotation wanted-Parc aux Cerfs-Scandinavian Li terature, &c., 96.

Notes.

THE SHAKESPEARES OF ROWINGTON.

The Shakespeares of Rowington were at one time thought to have had amongst them the paternal grandfather of our great poet. Some little evidence which looks like an approximation to the truth has now directed the tide of opinion upon that subject towards a kindred branch of the same stock, which was settled at Snitterfield; but Shakespearean inquirers still look with interest to the Rowington branch, and gather up with pains-taking curiosity every little fact that "turns up" respecting them.

I have now to lay before you some particulars which will, I think, be considered definitely to fix the status in the world of one family of the Shakespeares of Rowington, and to determine some other interesting questions respecting them. They will also go a long way towards removing from them all claim to close family connection with the poet, and towards disposing of an ingenious suggestion of MR. COLLIER (who was the first to direct attention to the Snitterfield branch as containing the poet's ancestors), that the Shakespeares of Rowington and Snitterfield might in fact be but one branch of the same family, which had removed from the former of those places to the latter at some unknown period. I am not aware that the following particulars have ever been published or noticed; but if it should turn out that they have not altogether escaped the

eagle eyes of some of our multitudinous inquirers, I hope I shall be pardoned for soliciting further attention to them than (so far as I am aware) they have hitherto received.

The facts I am about to state have come to light in the following way. Among the many good deeds which are doing at the Public Record Office under the direction of the indefatigable Deputy Keeper, Mr. Hardy, there is in progress a very useful and important work of arrangement of the remaining Records of the Court of Star Chamber. This work is being carried on by Mr. George Knight, a gentleman in the Record Office of great intelligence and accuracy. Mr. Knight happens to be absent at this time, and it is on that account that I communicate with you on his behalf. It will be understood that I have no connexion with the matter, except as Mr. Knight's deputy in making this announcement. If there be any interest or value in these papers, we are indebted for its discovery solely to Mr. Knight.

As the facts which are here disclosed are wrapped up in the tautology and formality which were the customary characteristics of our legal proceedings during the Tudor and Stuart reigns, it will perhaps be as well that I should state what appear to me to be the results, referring your readers to the copies of the documents themselves, which I inclose, in proof of what I state.

It appears then that at Rowington, which is a village in Warwickshire, lying about nine or ten miles due north from Stratford-upon-Avon,* there was seated a family of Shakespeares, the existence of which has been traced back to the fifteenth century and down to the seventeenth. Among these sharers in a name which has become illustrious there was a Richard Shakespeare, who, from about 1564 to 1614, occupied his own copyhold messuage situate at Turner's End or Church End" in Rowington, and farmed half a yard-land-some ten or 15 acres - which he held together with his house. In this place Richard Shakespeare and Elizabeth his wife brought up a family of five children -four sons, named respectively William, Richard, Thomas and John, and one daughter, named Joan. Of the sons, William, the eldest, according to the custom of the times in such families as this, remained at home and devoted himself to the assistance of his father in the cultivation of his little estate; John, the youngest, became a weaver, but continued to live at Rowington, although not, after a time, in his father's house. Thomas perhaps migrated to Kenilworth. Of Richard, the younger, there is little information. Joan remained at home, unmarried.

Mr. Hunter says, "about three miles," but surely that was a mistake. He was probably thinking of Snitterfield.

This state of things lasted until William, the eldest son, attained the mature age of forty years. During all that time he had worked with his father in the labours of the farm, and had received at his father's hand, in lieu of labourer's wages, his "meat, drink, and apparel," and nothing else. In those simple times there was nothing extraordinary in such an arrangement. It constituted at once the reason and the excuse for what Gibbon terms "the insolent prerogative of primogeniture." It was the customary price paid by the eldest son for the reversion of his father's land. The position of William Shakespeare was in truth precisely that of the elder son in the parable; and as if by way of following out the parallel, we are told that Richard Shakespeare, the father, always

affirmed that his son William should have his lands, and that as he might bestow (that is, settle in life) the rest of his sons and his daughter, so his eldest son was, "in personal estate also, like to fare the better." Nothing could well be nearer to the meaning of the words of the Eastern apologue, "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine."

But after a service of forty years these prospects did not satisfy the eldest son. He yearned after a present independence, and remonstrated with his father. Again the terms of the sacred narrative are applicable:-"Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and yet thou never gavest me" not "a kid that I might make merry with my friends," but, in the words of the present documents, "any stock, or other thing, whereby I might raise myself any means to live upon." The father took the application unkindly, and resisted it. The bright eyes of a certain Margery had probably some influence upon the decision of the dissatisfied heir. After some contention, he quitted the paternal roof, and with his father's " very good liking and allowance," as he asserts, he went "to service." His new way of life was prosperous. He "got some money into his purse." He married Mistress Margery, and moreover, was rich enough to "lend and bestow" much of his earnings upon his brother Richard. But his absence occasioned trouble at home. As the father's infirmities increased with age, the removal of his eldest son came to be more acutely felt. It assumed more the appearance of a desertion. And there were those around the old man who magnified what he thought to be his son's precipitancy, into an act of unpardonable insubordination. Even his very success in his new way of life was turned against him. Joan, the only daughter, to whom her father bore "extraordinary favour and affection," the aged mother, who, next to the father, felt most forcibly the inconveniences attendant upon the loss of the service of the eldest son, and the youngest son, the Benjamin of the family, all united to keep alive and increase the irritation

and unkindness. The old man came to look upon William's conduct as a self-willed abandonment of his position. Quarrels, threats, and blows ensued. William's access to his father was opposed. It was even sought to close the door of his father's house against him. The catastrophe may be anticipated. In the last month of the old man's life, he settled his little farm, after his own death and that of his wife, absolutely upon John, but subject to an annual payment of 41. to William. The new heir had but a short time to wait for his inheritance. The arrangement was legally completed in March 1614; in the following month both the father

and the mother went to their rest.

But in such cases the death of the principals is but the beginning of fresh troubles. The 4. per annum was directed to be paid half yearly at Michaelmas and Lady Day, in the porch of Rowington church, between the hours of ten and two. On the first occasion when a payment was to be made, the parties met in the church-porch, and the disinherited William received his forty shillings from the hands of his brother John. On the second occasion John Shakespeare went early into the church porch. His brother Thomas and two of his friends Edmund Fowler, a tailor, and Thomas Sadler, a hemp-dresser, both from Coventry, joined him there. John produced the money, and told it out on a bench in the church porch. Having done this, and influenced, as he states, by former threats of violence on the part of William, he left the money in the care of his brother Thomas, and charged him and his friends to stay the necessary time. William alleged that they did not do so; that they stayed only until twelve o'clock; and that by such breach of the stipulated condition his own right as heir had revived. He endeavoured to enforce his claim by violence, in which he was assisted by Mrs. Margery. John then filed a bill in Chancery against William to secure the possession of his lands. A commission was issued to take the evidence of Fowler and Sadler as to how long they remained in the church-porch. They swore that they remained ready to pay the money until "the clock had stricken two," and upon their evidence Sir Julius Cæsar, the Master of the Rolls, decided in favour of John. William contended that the testimony of Fowler and Sadler was untrue, and filed a bill in the Star Chamber against all the parties. In the bill he states his case fully, and in the joint answer of all the defendants-John and Thomas Shakespeare, Fowler, and Sadlertheir version of the story is reiterated. The result does not appear, but if there be any thing else about it in these Star Chamber Papers, we may be sure that Mr. Knight will discover it.

The papers appended are copies of the bill and answer in the Star Chamber. Mr. Knight informed me that he had also found the Bill in

Chancery, and that it was accurately recited in the Bill in the Star Chamber. The latter bill, it will be perceived, was filed on June 9, 1618.

JOHN BRUCE.

"To the Kings most Excellent Maiestye. In all humblenesse complayninge sheweth to your excellent Matie yor humble obedient & dutiefull subject William Shakespeare of Roweington in the Covnty of Warwick, husbandman, That whereas John Shakespeare of Roweington afforesaide, weaver, did the first day of May one thousand six hundred and sixteene exhibite a bill of complaynt into the honble Court of Chauncery against yor said Highnesse subject, Thereby complayninge and sheweinge, That whereas one Richard Shakespeare late of Roweington afforesaide deceased, father of yor saide highnesse subiect, was in his life tyme lawefully seized to him & his heires accordinge to the custom of the mannor of Roweington affores'd of and in one coppiehould or customary messuage or tenement & halfe yeared lande, wth all & singular the appurtences therevnto beelonginge, lyinge and beinge in Turners ende or Church end in Rowington afforesaide, pcell of the mannor of Roweington afforesaide, And beinge thereof soe seyzed and havinge issue fower sonnes: viz. William Richard Thomas & John Shakespeare, And hee the saide Richard the Father bearinge an entyre love & affection to the saide John Shakespeare, more then to the saide William his eldest sonne or the rest, And especiall for that hee the saide William had for many yeeres togeither bin very disobedient & vndutiefull to his saide Father & taken very vnnaturall and vncivell courseses [sic] to his saide fathers great greefe, Hee the saide Richard, the father, therefore for many yeeres toogeither beefore his death, That is to saye for the space of Ten yeeres or there aboutes, intendinge after his death & the death of Elizabeth his wyfe to leave the saide coppiehoulde messuage Lande & p'misses vnto the saide John Shakespeare, To hould to him & his heires accordinge [to the custom] of the Mannor afforesaide, And to that end & purposse, did, accordinge to the custome of the saide Manno, make severall surrenders, & beinge still soe resolved & determyned did allso, in or about the moneth of March in the twelveth yeere of his Mates raigne that nowe is of Englande &c, att Roweington afforesaide, surrender into the handes of the Lorde of the afforesaide Manor, by Thomas Ley & George Whome his attorneys, & two of the customary tennantes of the Manor afforesaide, accordinge to the custome of the saide Manor, All & singular the afforesaide messuge or tenement halfe yearde lande & prmisses, wth all & singular the appurten'ces, to these severall vses followinge, That is to say, to the vse of him the saide Richard Shakespeare & Elizabeth his wyfe for & duringe the terme of their naturall lives & the longer liver of them, & after the deceasse of them the saide Richarde & Elizabeth then to the vse & beehoofe of John Shakespeare & his heires for ever, accordinge to the custome of the Mannor afforesaide, wth this pviso clause or sentence therein conteyned, That is to say, That the saide John Shakespeare his heires executors or assignes should yeelde pay or cavse to bee paide, yeerely and every yeere after the deceases of them the saide Richard and Elizabeth, & not beefore, vnto the saide William Shakespeare, his eldest sonne as afforesaide, for & duringe the terme of his naturall lyfe, the some of Fower powndes of good & lawefull English mony, at two termes or feastes in the yeere, That is to say, at the feast of Sainte Michaell the arke Angell & the Anuncation of or blesse Lady Saint Mary the vergin, by even & equall portions, The same allwayes to bee tendred & payde in the Church porche in the pish Church

83

of Roweington afforesaide, betweene the howers of Tenn of the Clocke in the forenoone & too of the Clocke in the afternoone of the same dayes, or to the like effecte, As in & by the saide Originall surrender it selfe, made in the sd Twelveth yeere remayninge in the handes of the high Steward of the saide Mannor or his then Deputy may appeare, wch saide surrender beinge saide Richard & Elizabeth shortly after, that is to say, thus made in mann & forme afforesaide, They the in the moneth of Aprill then next followinge after, did both of them departe this lyfe, wherevppon the saide John Shakespeare, accordinge to the saide surrender, after shortly afterwardes at the next Courte then after houlden their deceasses did enter into the saide prmisses & for the Mannor afforesaide, in the sayde moneth of Aprill in the twelveth yeere of his Maties raigne afforesaide, The George Whome two of the saide customary tennants of saide surrender was by the afforesaide Thomas Ley & the Mannor afforesaide accordinge to the Custome of the saide Mannor brought into the saide Courte then & there houlden for the Mannor afforesaide, and p❜sented beefore the Jurey or homage then & there sworne, vnto Henery Michell gentleman the Deputy steward of the p'sently of his owne heade added these wordes therevnto, saide Manno', who received the same surrender & viz. (or else voyde &c) wch the saide Steward did wthout the consent of the afforesaide John Shakespeare. And afterwardes at the same Courte hee the saide then deputy Steward did admitt the saide John Shakespeare tennant vnto the coppiehould messuage lande & pmisses, To hould to him & his heires accordinge to the custome of the Mannor afforesaide, wherevppon the saide John Shakespeare payed his fyne then therefore assessed by the saide the mannor afforesaide. And the same John Shakespeare Steward, & did his fealty accordinge to the custome of farther shewed that his saide Father & Mother both of them dyeinge in the saide moneth of Aprill, Hee the saide John Shakespeare at Michaellmas then next followinge, beinge the first tyme & day of payment after their deaccordinge to the pviso or clause in the saide Surrender, ceases, did accordinge to the saide Surrender tender & paye vnto the sayde William Shakespeare his brother, at or in the Church porch of Roweington afforesaide, betweene the howers of tenn & two of the clocke afforesaide, the some of Fouerty shillings of lawefull English monie weh hee the saide William Shakespeare beinge then & there readye did receive accordingely. And at the Annuncation of or lady then next after, beinge annother day of saide Church porch & betweene the howers afforesaide did payment, hee the saide John Shakespeare at or in the in like manner by himselfe or some other on his beehalfe tender & offer to pay vnto him the saide William Shakesaide William Shakespeare not beinge their ready to respeare the some of Forty shillinges more. And hee the ceive or demaunde the same, or any other for him, betweene the saide howers of Tenn & two of the clocke afforesaide, to the saide John Shakespeares knoledge, hee poynted on his beehalfe to tender & pay the same after the saide John Shakespeare or such other as hee apthey had continued there till the hower of two of the clock was fully expired or neere there abouts, did depte saide William Shakespeare or any other for him would thence & went about other business supposinge that the not have come thither at all that day, but would rather have sent or come himselfe to the saide John Shakespeares howse for the Same, never the lesse the saide John, beinge very carefull & respectfull of the payment thereof, did allso on the morrow after the day of the saide tender of Fouerty shillings as afforesaide, cavse one to goe to the howse of the saide William Shakespeare who did in like mann offer & tender the same there vnto him the saide William in the saide John Shakespeares beehalfe. But,

nowe soe it is may it please yor good LOPP, that the saide John Shakespeare haveinge on this manner duly tendred the saide Forty shillinge vnto him the saide William Shakespeare vpon thannuncation of our blessed Lady St Mary the vergin last was twelve moneths, & on the morrow after at the howse of the saide William as afforesaide, And hee the saide William beinge of a contencious & troublesome spirrit, & soe beinge & endeavovringe by all meanes to trouble & vex the saide John Shakespeare, & to put him to vnnescessary charges & expences in the Lawe, hath not wth standinge the lawefull tender of Fouerty shillings made as afforesaide, denyed to accept thereof or to receive the same of the saide John, but alleadgeth that the same was not at all tendred at the place & between the howers afforesaide, or that the saide John did not stey out vntill two of the clock accordinge to the saide surrender. prtendinge that the saide messuage & p'misses are thereby forfeyted. And there vpon hee the saide William Shakespeare & Margery his wyfe or one of them at seuerall tymes sithence in most rude & vnlawefull manner hath attempted & made diverse entreys into the saide coppiehould messuage Lands & p'misses, & endeavoured to get the possession thereof, & hath sore brused and hurtt the saide John Shakespeare, & made diverse assaults vppon him, & hath allso since hurte and beaten his beasts & other cattell beinge in the grownds pcell of the saide prmisses, & turned them out of the said growndes. And lastly the saide John Shakespeare shewed vnto yor good LoPP, that the saide William Shakespeare in or vppon the sixth day of Aprill last, at a Courte then houlden for the Mannor afforesaide did in his owne pson come into the saide Courte, & in full Court beefore the Stewarde then & there beinge, did make clayme & tytle to the saide messuage Lande & prmisses as eldest sonne & heire of the saide Richard Shakespeare p'tendinge the same to bee forfeyted, For that the saide John did not pay vnto him the saide William the saide some of Fourty shillings on the feast day of thannuncation of or blessed Lady St Mary the vergin last was twelve moneth, accordinge to the trewe meaninge of the saide surrender, And thereby intendeth to sue the saide John at the Comon Lawe vppon the saide p'tended forfeyture, notwith standinge the same haveinge bin lawefully tendred as afforesaide, & all bee it the saide John in or vppon the Anuncation of or blessed Lady the vergin St Mary last was twelve moneth, beinge the saide p'tended day of forfeyture, did tender at the saide Church porch of Roweington afforesaide, betweene the howers of tenn & two of the clocke [and before the same] weare fully expired, or neare there abouts. And there beinge none other duringe duringe [sic] that tyme (to this defend's knoledge) for or on the beehalfe of the saide William to demaund or receive it, yet did the saide John Shakespeare like wise sende the same to the saide William at his howse on the morrowe after. And allso hee the saide John haveinge in like manner at Michaellmas last, & at thannuncation of or blesse Lady last, made seu'all tenders of Forty shillinges duely at the vsuall place afforesaide & beetweene the howers afforesaide, to & for the vse of him the saide William, & there beinge ready to receive it [sic] hath allso in very gentle & curteous manner by him & others on his bechalfe desired of him the saide William Shakespeare to receive & accept of the same, toogeither wth all the arrearages thereof, yet that to doe hee the saide William Shakespeare hath alltogeither refused, & still doeth refuse, & prtendeth & soe giveth out that the saide John Shakespeare hath forfeyted the same, And prayeth to bee releeved tuchinge the same forfeyture, & prayeth proces of Subpena against the same William Shakespeare yor highnesse subject, as by the same bill of Complt remayninge in recorde more at large appeareth. After wch yor saide highnesse subject beinge served wth pces of

Subpena to appeare in the saide Honorable Cote did appeare [and] vppon his corporeall oath given in the saide Courte of Chauncery did answer as followeth, That the saide Richard Shakespeare in the bill menconed, beinge the Compits Father, was in his life tyme, about Fyftie yeeres toogeither next beefore his death, seized to him & his heires accordinge to the Custome of the saide Manno of Roweington, of & in the saide Coppiehould or customary messuage or tenement & halfe yeard lande in the Bill menconed wth thapp'tyñces, & beinge soe thereof seized & havinge Issue Fower Sonnes, That is to say, The saide Willia' Shakespeare, his eldest sonne, Richard & Thomas his second & third sonnes, & John Shakespeare his youngest sonne, And beinge soe seized thereof the Complts said Father did, vntil the Complt was growen to the age of Forty yeeres or neere there abouts, yemploye the compl in his service wthout ever bestoweinge vppon him any stocke or other thinge whereby the Complt might rayse him any meanes to live vppon, onely allowinge vnto him meate, drincke & apparrell, allwayes affyrminge vnto the Comp1t and to others, as well after such tyme as the nowe Compit went from him to service as beefore, that hee shoud have his Lande, & that, as hee might bestowe the reste of his brothers & sister, so he was in psonall estate allso like to fare the better. And he sayeth That about twelve yeeres scithence the complt by the very good likeinge & allowance of his saide Father, did goe to service & in such service haveinge gotten some monie into his purse, did lende & beestowe much thereof vppon Richard Shakspeare the Complts brother & other wise helpe & assist him, & did allso, in all dutiefull manner, respect & vse his saide Father & mother, and did him many services to his very good likeinge & acceptačon. But the Complts saide Father bearinge an extraordinary favour & affection to Joane sister of the Complt, did give much creadit to what shee vsed to say, weh shee the saide Joane frindinge & loveinge the deft above all the rest of her bretheren, the deft & shee combyned themselves toogeither howe they might obteyne the inherritance of the saide p'misses from the nowe complt, & beinge allwayes at home wth him, And this Compit allwayes abroade at service, soe farr prvayled wth him, by some falce Informacons or other sinister meanes not well knowne to the Complt, As to get him to make surrenders from tyme to tyme of the saide p'misses to some such effect as by the bill is set set (sic) forth. But by such surrenders there was as this complt hath creadibly harde & doeth beleeve to bee trewe allwayes a greater yeerely some appoynted to bee payde vnto the Complt & his heires then is menconed in the Surrender in the Bill specified & haveinge soe brought their purposses to passe, The deft vsed all the meanes hee coulde to keepe the Complt from comeinge to his saide Father, & many tymes when the Complt was sent for by his saide Father to come to him did violently assault the Complt and offer to shut thee doore vppon him, & was soe borne out & embouldned by the Compits mother & the saide Joane their favours wch they had with the Complts Father, as that hee threatned the defend' in the life tyme of their saide Father, That yf he did lett him from haveinge the saide p❜misses, hee would keepe the Comp1t in prison as longe as he lived. All weh charges of the Complts saide sister & brother the deft weare gen'ally very hardely spoaken of by the neighbours there dwellinge. And hee sayeth hee taketh it to bee trewe that the saide Richard Shakespeare the Complts Father did at or neare about the tyme in the bill menconed in that bee halfe, surrender into the handes of the Lorde of the saide Manno. by Thomas Ley & George Whome his attorneys & then two Customary tennants of the saide Mannor, accordinge to the Custome of the saide Mannor, the saide Messuage & prmisses with thapp'tences to the vse of the saide Richard Shakespeare

& Elizabeth his wyfe the Complts Father & Mother, for & duringe the terme of their naturall lives & the longer liver of them, & after their deceasses to the vse & beehooffe of the defendant & his heires, wth such pviso in effect & substance as by the bill is set forth. And further the then defen & nowe complaynant confesseth the surrender of the saide p'misses & the estates exp'ssed in the bill of the then Complayn' & the condicon conteyned in the saide surrender & grant, but denieth that the saide Forty shillinge was tendred accordinge to the saide Condicon in [sic] the feast day of Thannuneacon of St Mary the vergin at such tyme & in such manner as is menconed in the bill of Complt. But the same was tendred the same feast day betweene the howers of Elleaven & Twelve, & not afterwarde as by the saide answer amongest other thinge appeareth. To wch answer the saide then Complt replied amongest other thinges mayntayninge the saide tender of Forty shillinges vppon the saide feast day to bee made & tendred agreeable to the trewe meaninge of the saide Condicou. And there beinge a pfect Issue vppon the saide tender, a Comission was awarded out of the Honoble Court of Chauncery vnder the great seale of England in vsuall manner vnto John Norton gent. Francis Collins gent. Thomas Warner clarke & John Greene gent., givinge power & authority to them three, or any two of them, to examine such wytnesses as as should bee pduced on the pt of the plt or deft tuchinge the same cavse, wherevppon & by vertue of the saide comission the thirteenth day of January one thousande six hundred & sixteene, in the fowerteenth yeere of yor Highnesse Raigne of England, &c., The saide Comissioners did sit to execute the same at Warwick in the County of Warr. at wch day & place by the wicked vngodly & vncorrupt subornacon of the saide John Shakespeare & Thomas Shakespeare one Edmonde Fowler of the Citty of Coventrey taylor, & Thomas Sadler hempe dresser of Coventrey afforesaide weare pduced beefore the saide comissioners, wyttnesses on the beehalfe of the saide John Shakespeare & by vertue of the saide Comission weare then & there sworne vppon the Evangellist of God to answer the truth & noethinge else but the truth, to all such Inter'gat. touchinge the p'misses as they should bee examined of, Soe helpe them God. And therevppon they beinge examined to the Eighth Inter', wch was: Item], wheither did the Complt or you or yor selfe or any other for or on his the saide Complts beehalfe, vppon the feast day of Thanunciation in the Thirteenth yeere of the Raigne of the Kings Matie that now is, in the Church porch of the parrish Church of Roweington afforesaide make tender or offer, & was in readinesse to pay the some of Forty Shillings, accordinge to the effect of the afforesaid surrender or pviso therein conteyned, beetwine the howers of Ten of the clocke in the fore noone & two of the clocke in the after noone of the same day, as you knowe have credibly hard or do verily beeleeve; declare the whole truth of yor knoledge beeresay & beleeffe & the cavses & reasons thereof. To weh Inter. the saide Fowler answered falcely vntruely corruptly & vnlawefully, that [vppon the feast day of thannuncacon of or blessed Lady the vergin St Mary in the thirteenth yeere of the Kings Matie that now is of England, &c. To the Eighth Inter. he sayeth, that] vppon the feast day of thannuncacon of or Lady in the thirteenth yeere of the Kings Mats raigne that now is, the deponent at the request of the saide Thomas Shakespeare came with the saide Thomas Shakespeare & one Thomas Sadler to the church porch of Roweington afforesaide, about halfe an hower after one of the clocke in the after noone of the same day, And this depont sayeth that the saide Thomas Shakespeare in the beehalfe of the complt did then &

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there tender the some of Forty shillinge in the prsents of this depont & the saide Thomas Sadler. And that this depont did tell the saide monie to bee payd to William Shakespeare the deft or to any other to his vse, & that the saide Thomas Shakespeare & this depont & the saide Thomas Sadler did there continue ready to pay the same monie as afforesaide vntill the clocke had stricken two & then there depted. And hee farther sayeth that duringe all the saide tyme neither the saide defent nor any other for him did come to receive the saide monie. And after the same thirteenth day of January the saide Thomas Sadler being pduced a wytnesse on the pt of the plt in the saide cavse beefore the Comissioners by vertue of the saide Comission & sworne vppon the holy Evangellists of God by the saide Comissioners to testifie the truth of all such matters as hee should bee examined of tuching the cavse in question, beinge examined vppō the saide Eighth Inter. most falcely vntruely wickedly & corruptly & vnlawefully, by the subornacon of the saide John Shakespeare & Thomas Shakespeare, did vntruely falcely corruptly and vnlawefully depose beefore the saide Comissioners, the same thirteenth day of January in the Fowerteenth yeere of yor highnesse raigne of England &c. To the eighth Interr. this depont sayeth that vppon or Lady day was twelve moneth, beinge the thirteenth yeere of the Kings Mats raigne that now is, at the request of Thomas brother of the Complayn', Hee this depont & one Edmond Fowler did come from Coventrey to meete the saide Thomas Shakespeare at Rowington, & when they weare come within about a quarter of a mile of Rowington they did meete with the saide Thomas Shakespeare, & that theie went all togeither to the Church porch of Roweington, & that the saide Thomas did there in the prsents of this deponent & the saide Fowler, on the beehalfe of the saide complt John Shakespeare, tender to pay the some of Forty shillings to the vse of William Shakespeare the deft. And sayeth that they came thither about halfe an hower after one of the Clocke, & stayed there vntil the clocke had stricken two, & then they tould the mony & sawe it was just Forty shillings, weh all the tyme of their beinge their did lie vppon a bench in the saide porch, but this depont did not see the saide William Shakespeare, nor any other for him, come to demaund or receive the saide monie. And soe this depont the saide Thomas Shakespeare, & the saide Fowler went there way togeither, till they had gon' about a quart'r of a mile, & then the saide Thomas Shakespeare depted from them & went towards Killingeworth, & this depont & the saide Fowler went towards Coventrey. Whereas in very deede the tender was made onely beetwine the howers of elleaven & Twelve of the Clocke of the same day & not after. And therefore the saide deposicon was most falce vntrewe & corrupt, to the great displeasure of Allmighty God & contrary to the lawes & statuts of this Realme, & contrary to yor highnesse peace yor Crowne & dignity, & to the great prjudice & ou'throwe of yor saide subject & his cavse dependinge then in Courte of Chancery; weh deposicons weare shortely after the takeinge certified into the saide Courte of Chancery by the said Comissioners in vsuall manner & there published, & the cavse pceedinge to hearinge, by reason of the saide deposicons, The cavse at the hearinge was decreed against yor saide subject in the saide Courte by the honoble Sr Julius Cesar, Knight, master of the Rolles, in Easter terme last, to the great damage of yo saide subject for wch yor saide Subject had [hath? noe releeffe but in the High Court of Starr Chamber, where he humbly prayeth that hee may bee releeved, & severe punishment adjudged vppon the saide deftes accordinge to their severall offences & agreeable to the Lawes & statuts of this Realme. In tender consideracon whereof may it please yor excellent Majesty to graunt yor high

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