William Combe to the foregoing Bill (L. 126).

[Page Heading: Biographical Documents]

3

THE PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE IN LONDON preserves the following: record of
the purchase by John Shakespeare of two houses on Henley Street,
Stratford-on-Avon (L. 8); record of a mortgage on an estate at "Awston
Cawntlett" given to Edmund Lambert by John and Mary Shakespeare (L. 9);
Bill of Complaint brought by John Shakespeare against John, son of
Edmund Lambert, respecting an estate at Wilmecote, near Stratford (L.
15); Ms. accounts of the Treasurer of the Chamber, "To Willm. Kempe,
Willm. Shakespeare & Richarde Burbage, servaunts to the Lord
Chamberleyne, upon the Councelles warrant dated at Whitehall xv^to
Marcij 1594 for twoe severall Comedies or enterludes shewed by them
before her Majestic in Christmas tyme laste paste, viz: upon St.
Stephens daye and Innocentes daye xiij.li. vj.s. viijd., and by waye of
her Majesties rewarde vj.li. xiii.s. iiijd. in all xx.li." (L. 25);
record of the purchase of New Place by Shakespeare (L. 32); papers in a
Chancery suit relating to the estate at Wilmecote mortgaged to Edmund
Lambert, and consisting of a Bill of Complaint by John and Mary
Shakespeare against John Lambert for his refusal to accept L40 and
reconvey the property to the complainants, John Lambert's answer, and
the replication of John and Mary Shakespeare to the answer (L. 35); a
subsidy roll showing William Shakespeare as a defaulter in respect of a
tax of five shillings, October, 1596, and of thirteen shillings and four
pence, October, 1598, based on an assessment made about 1598 or 1594,
when the poet was living in St. Helen's, Bishopsgate, and paid after he
had moved to Southwark (_Athenaeum_, March 16, 1906, and L. 42); Royal
Warrant for a Patent and the Patent itself (May 19, 1603) licensing the
company of actors, "Laurence Fletcher, William Shakespeare, Richard
Burbage, Augustine Phillippes, John Hemmings, Henrie Condell, William
Sly, Robert Armyn, Richard Cowly and the rest of their associates" as
the King's Servants (L. 87, 88); the Accounts of the Revels at Court in
the reigns of Elizabeth and James, containing entries showing
performances at Court of "The Moor of Venis," "The Merry Wives of
Winsor," "Mesur for Mesur" by "Shaxberd," "the plaie of Errors" by
"Shaxberd," "Loves Labours lost," "Henry the fift," and "the Martchant
of Venis" by "Shaxberd" (twice, being "againe commanded by the Kings
Ma^tie"), all in 1604 (O