hn Ashwell, of
Stratford, 1583, it is stated that "John Shakespeare, of Clifford
Chambers, was in his debt." It is quite probable he was the John often
in debt, who had "no goods to seize," in Stratford-on-Avon, generally
supposed to be the poet's father.

Other notices of the name, besides the Henry and Antonio
above-mentioned, appear in the Clifford Registers. Charles Malary and
Alice Shakespeare were married in 1579. Katharine Morris, servant to
John Shakespeare, was buried in 1587; Julian Shakespere buried July 22,
1608; John Shakespere buried October 20, 1610. His will was proved at
Gloucester in 1611. These latter dates set the question of identity at
rest.

An agricultural John was in occupation of Ingon in 1570.[233] I believe
him to be our John, the brother and surety of Henry. We must not forget
that as Ingon was so near Snitterfield, John of Ingon _may_ be the John
Shakespeare, _Agricola_, of Snitterfield, who administered Richard's
goods, and was fined, October 1, 1561, at the Snitterfield Court. And
there are many Johns of Rowington, fully entered in Mr. Rylands'
"Records of Rowington."

Just as his father had _doubles_, so had William. There was a William
Shakespeare drowned in the Avon, and buried at St. Nicholas, Warwick,
July 6, 1579.[234] The world would not have known what it had lost had
this fate overtaken "our Will," but it makes us shiver now as we think
of it, even as a past possibility. It has been thought that this youth
was the son of Thomas Shakespeare, shoemaker, of Warwick, and brother of
John the shoemaker of Stratford. But he seems rather young for that
relationship.

Another contemporary William seems to have been in a small way of
business as a farmers' agent, sometimes as a lender, and sometimes as a
borrower. Among the Shakespeare manuscripts at Warwick Castle are
preserved bonds for 2s. 6d. for a quarter of a year's use of L5 by
William Shakespeare in 1620, 1624, and 1626. Another of "three quarters
of oats to Will Shakespeare for a quarter's use of L5 due upon the 10th
of May last, 1621," and some for the sale of malt.[235]

It has seemed to me much more than probable that this was the William
who sued Philip Rogers in the Court of Record at Stratford-on-Avon,[236]
in 1604 for the price of a strike of malt sold and other money due. "The
declaration filed by William Shexspere" in the Court has been accepted
by Halliwell-Phillipps and all the Baconians as concerning the poet.
B