In addition to all these concurring circumstances, we have the confession of our poet's father himself; for, in the bill which he exhibited in chancery, in 1597, he describes himself as a "man of very small wealth, and who had very few friends, or alliances, in the county of Warwick." This declaration, indeed, was made several years after the period now under consideration; but, at the same time, corresponding with all the various proofs here adduced, serves, in some degree, to corroborate them.

While this subject is under our consideration, the following notices, preserved in a manuscript, in the Herald's Office, which I have already had occasion to quote, require to be particularly considered.

At the bottom of the grant of arms to John Shakspeare, made in 1596, we are told-" This John

estate, lived, as we have already seen, at Barton on the Heath, in Warwickshire, where he died, according to his son's account, about the year 1586. He was perhaps a relation of Mary Shakspeare; for her mother, Agnes Arden, left a legacy to "Joan Lambard," who might have been the wife of Edmond. That Mr. Lambart was obliged to pay this debt for Mr. John Shakspeare, may be inferred from the statement made by Shakspeare himself in the bill which he filed against his son. See Appendix. The other friend of our poet's father, here mentioned, who, according to the mode of that time is familiarly called Cornish, was perhaps the son of Walter Cornish, who lived in Stratford, in Wood-street, as appears from the following entry in an account book of the bridge-wardens of Stratford:

"Anno regni regis Henrici Octavi decimo sexto.

"Item the saide Bruge-wardens lafte in the box at their departyng [a blank here in the original] the which was geven by the hole consent of the honesty of Stratford to the reparation of the tenement in Woode Streete in the tenure of Walter Cornyshe."

sheweth a patent thereof under Clarence Cook's hands in paper xx years past 2.

"A justice of peace, and was baylif, officer, and chief of the towne of Stratforde upon Avon, xv or xvi years past 3.

"That he hath lands and tenements of good wealth and substance, 500/.

"That he married a daughter and heyre of Arden, a gent. of worship"."

One of these assertions, it must be acknowledged, is wholly inconsistent with the account I have now given, concerning the distressed circumstances of John Shakspeare; but, when the history of this paper is known, it will not, I conceive, tend, in the smallest degree, to invalidate the foregoing state

ment.

It appears, from another manuscript in the same office', that Sir William Dethick, and Camden, had

2 This grant was made by Robert Cook, Clarencieux; and if it was made to John Shakspeare whilst he was bailiff, it must have been made between Michaelmas, 1568, and Michaelmas, 1569, which was twenty-seven years at least before these notes, were written. In the exemplification of 1599, the heralds expressly say that John Shakspeare obtained a grant of arms while he was bailiff.

3 This also, as appears from the foregoing note, is a great inaccuracy. Twenty-six or twenty-seven years past" would have been nearer the truth.

4 Vincent, 157, No. 24.-A gentleman of worship was the phrase of the day, denoting a person of a respectable situation; if not wealthy, yet at least in easy circumstances.

s W. Z. p. 274. "The Answer of William Dethick, Garter, principal king of arms, to two matters, among others, whereof he was accused by some of the officers, whereof information was

been charged, by some of the officers of the College of Arms, with having granted several arms wrongfully, either in respect of the arms themselves, which, in some cases, were said to be too similar to others already possessed by various ancient families, or in respect of the persons to whom they were granted, who, it was alleged, were either tradesmen, or persons of so low a condition as not to be entitled to such an honourable distinction. Among the persons to whom objection seems to have been made, on both these grounds, was John Shakspeare; and the notices or minutes concerning him, above given, appear to have been short hints, preparatory to the defence which was made in form, on the 10th of May, 1602, before Henry Lord Howard, Sir Robert Sidney, and Sir Edward Dier, chancellor of the order of the Garter, against the libellous scrowl, as Dethick terms it, which had been exhibited against him and Camden; and, therefore, these notices are not to

heard the 1st day of May before the Right Hon. Henry Lord Howard [Qr. Lord Henry Howard, afterwards Earl of Northampton], Sir Robert Sydney, Lord Governer of Flushing, and Sir Edward Dier, Chancellor of the order of the garter, and day given the said Garter to answere hereunto, namely, the 10th of May ensuing, 1602."

6 "The Answere of Garter and Clarenciaux, kings of arms, to a libellous scrowle against certen arms supposed to be wrongfully given.

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'Right Honorable. The exceptions taken in the Scrowle of Arms exhibited, doo concerne these armes granted, or the persons to whom they have been granted. In both, right honble. we hope to satisfy your Lordships."

They then mention twenty-three persons, to whom they were charged with having granted arms improperly, either in respect of

be implicitly relied on. It is observable, that when these officers made their defence in form, an extract from which is given below, they said nothing about

the persons, or of the arms granted. Among these is found John Shakspeare; against whom the charge seems to have been twofold; and without doubt, one of the allegations of the "scrowle," or bill of complaint (which I have in vain endeavoured to recover), was, that he was a tradesman.

The answer of the heralds (as far as we are concerned with it) is as follows:

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Shakespere.-It may as well be said that Hareley, who beareth gould a bend between two cotizes sables, and all other that [bear] or and argent a bend sables, usurpe the coat of the Lo. Manley. As for the speare in bend, is a patible difference; and the person to whom it was granted hath borne magestracy, and was justice of peace at Stratford upon Avon. He married the daughter and heire of Arderne, and was able to maintain that estate."

I add a few of the other answers, as they serve to confirm what I have suggested, that the occupation of John Shakspeare was one of the grounds of the complaint.

"Peake.-Mr. Peake is no grasier, but he is a gentleman of Grayes Inn, well qualified in all good study and learning, and of competent living. But he made good proofe that this coate of arms was borne by his grandfather, John Peake of Thurlangton in Leicestershire," &c.

"Cowley.-This Walter Cowley, who as it cannot be denied to be descended of that house of Cowley in the county of Staff. untruly called Ironmonger, being unwilling to prejudice the heir of that house," &c.

"Whitmore.-Mr. Whitmore a rich marchant of London, born in the countie of Salop, where he possessed fair lands," &c.

"Elkyn. Lee.-Mr. Elkin and Mr. Lee, who are depraved as base tradesmen, it is well knowen they have bin both Sheriffs of London, and M. Lee shortlie to be Maior of that cittie: so that it cannot be denied but unto men of that place of civil government, such honor of arms hath bin alwayes allowed in former ages." MS. in Off. Arm. W.Z. p. 276.

these "lands and tenements worth 500l.;" but only asserted, generally, that John Shakspeare married an heiress of good family, and was able to maintain that estate and assuredly John Shakspeare never possessed property of such value. I have already had occasion to observe, that the confirmation of arms, in 1599, was obtained chiefly to do honour to our poet, as descended, by his mother, from the ancient and opulent house of Arden; and hence, probably, the insertion of the words, great grandfather, in that instrument, instead of grandfather, which is found in a former grant: Robert Arden, the favoured servant of King Henry the Seventh, being the grandfather of John Shakspeare's wife, and, consequently, the great grandfather of our poet, who was then more immediately the subject of the heralds' consideration than his father. It is extremely probable that they applied to him, on this occasion, for he was then in London, to furnish them with materials for their defence; and as he, without doubt, stated to them the value of his own real property, at that time, they might, when they wrote these minutes, very naturally suppose that it had descended to him from his father, who had died about nine months before. It is remarkable that eight days before the hearing of this cause, our poet had completed a purchase (as we shall see hereafter), which, added to his former acquisitions, gave him lands and tenements nearly of the value of five hundred pounds. Being, however,

7 That our author was in London, in May, 1602, is proved by an endorsement on the back of a deed, which will be more particularly mentioned hereafter.