discovery that _Shakespeare_ lived in St. Helen's Parish,
Bishopsgate, has been claimed for an American, though Hunter mentioned
in his "Life of Shakespeare," 1845, that in the Subsidy Rolls of London
a William Shakespeare was assessed in 1597 in that district.[313]

[Illustration: NORDEN'S MAP OF LONDON, 1593.

_Between pp. 142, 143._]

The entry is: "Affid. William Shakespeare on v^li goods,[314] assessed
xiii iiii^d." The "affid." affixed to it shows that the Shakespeare
named tried to avoid payment on some grounds. It has surprised many, and
satisfied others as suitable, that the poet should have lived in this
neighbourhood, near so many of his theatrical friends. But I do not
think it is certainly proved that it was our Shakespeare at all. Two
references of Collier seem to locate him in Southwark in 1596, and in
1609, near the site of the Globe Theatre. Several of the name lived near
Bishopsgate before and after his death.

John Scatcliffe, of St. Botolph's, Aldersgate, cook, bachelor,
twenty-four, and Mary Shakespeare, of the same, spinster, twenty-four,
at St. Botolph's, December 20, 1637;[315] in later years, Nathaniel[316]
Shaxspere and Elizabeth ----, widow, married August 18, 1663, in St.
Botolph's, Bishopsgate; Henry Shakespeare, of St. Botolph's,
Bishopsgate, bachelor (twenty-five), and Elizabeth Hartwell, of same,
spinster (twenty), her parents dead, with consent of her grandmother,
Elizabeth Gaye, of same, at St. Botolph's, March 26, 1663; William[317]
Winch and Abigail Shaxpere, married September 30, 1680; Francis Hill and
Saray Saxspere, September 28, 1682; John Shakespeare and Edith Murry,
married at St. Botolph's, Bishopsgate, January 2, 1699; William
Shakespear and Anna Maria Carter, both of this parish, July 9, 1733.

There was a Matthew Shakespere who, on February 5, 1566-67, married
Isabel Peele in Christ Church,[318] Newgate Street. She was probably
daughter of James Peele, Clerk of Christ's Hospital from 1562 to 1585,
and sister of George Peele,[319] the dramatist, educated in the Grammar
School there. They seem to have had a large family.[320] On January 18,
1569, Johanne, daughter of Matthew Shakespere, was baptized, and buried
on February 11. On March --, 1574, Francis, son of Matthew Shakespere,
baptized; on August 27, 1578, Jane; on April 7, 1583, Thomas. There was
also a Humphrey entered as son of _Hugh_ Shakespeare, August 5, 1571.
But as among the burials there appears "Humphrey, so