The Richard of Rowington who died in 1561 mentions a son William in his will. The second Richard of that place had a son William mentioned in the will of 1591. The third Richard and his wife Elizabeth had four sons--William, Richard, Thomas, John, and a daughter Joan. William had worked as a labourer without wages on his father's property, with expectation of succeeding to it. But some years before his father's death he went, with his father's permission, out to service, and married a certain Mrs. Margery. His father was incensed against him, and left the little property to his youngest son, John, November 13, 1613, proved in 1614.[237] Legal proceedings were commenced in 1614 at Worcester by William about the property of his mother, Elizabeth. A Chancery suit between the brothers was inst.i.tuted in the Star Chamber,[238] and the case was heard at Warwick, in 1616, before four Commissioners, one of whom was Francis Collins, gent., the overseer of the will of the poet.

William the plaintiff was then about forty years old. This is probably the same man who felt injured by his family while supported by his wife's money in his lawsuits. The mark of a William Shakespeare is found on a roll of the Customs of the Manor of Rowington, confirmed by the jury in 1614. Was he the same? And if not, which of these was the William Shakespeare whose name appears in the list of the trained soldiers of Rowington,[239] taken before Sir Fulke Greville at Alcester, September 23, 1605, erroneously by some believed to be the poet?[240]

There is preserved a pet.i.tion of William Shaxsper, Richard Shuter, and others of Rowington, co. Warwick, to the Committee for the Safety of Coventry and Warwick. About St. Andrew's Day they had some sea-coal which lay at Barford, near Warwick, which they had sold to Lady Lucy, but the soldiers of the city finding fuel scarce, had burnt 5 10s.

worth of it. They pray satisfaction for their coals. Underwritten by Mr.

Basnet is an order to pay this sum, April, 1646.[241]

A William Shakespeare, of Hatton, married Barbara Stiffe in 1589; styled "gent." at baptism of his daughter _Susannah_, 1596. John Weale granted to Job Throgmorton the cottage in which William Shakespeare dwelt at Haseley, March 4, 1597.[242]

In the Star Chamber proceedings is the notice of a fine levied "inter Willielmum Shackespeare et Georgium Shackespeare, quer. et Thomam Spencer, arm. Christopherum Flecknoe et Thomam Thompson deforc. de octo acris pasturae c.u.m pertinentiis in Claverdon, alias Claredon, 12 Jac. I.

(1615)."[243]

I have collected these ill.u.s.trations in order to show that the name William was not by any means rare in the Shakespeare family, and to account for some of the errors made concerning descents.

In 1589, also in the Star Chamber proceedings, we find there is a case brought by "Mary Ruswell against John Vale and Katharine his wife, and Aylese Shackspire." This Alice Shakespeare was John Vale's mother-in-law and a widow. Is it not possible she might be the sister "Alice Shakespeare" referred to in the Griffin will?

In most of the Warwickshire districts where the name is found in the earlier half of the sixteenth century it is found in the latter half, and also in the seventeenth century, though sometimes branches migrated to new neighbouring localities. It would be impossible to work out every family in detail in a work such as this.

And yet some notices are necessary to complete the rapid survey. The Shakespeares appear in two groups, one north and east of Stratford-on-Avon, as at Ingon and Snitterfield. One family had settled at Tachbrook, nine miles north-east by east from Stratford. There was baptized "Roger, son of Robert Shakespeare, 21 April, 1557." Robert was a weaver, and was probably son of Richard Shakespeare, of Haseley, weaver, in the reign of Henry VIII. He had also a son John, born 1574; a daughter, Alice, buried 1559; another, Isabel, baptized 1560.

Roger married Isabel Parkins in 1592, and Alice Higgins in 1595, and seems to have had a son, John, not in the register. But on April 22, 1628, Elizabeth Shakespeare, the daughter of John and Christian his wife, was baptized, and on April 4, 1630, Judith Shakespeare, the daughter of John and Christian Shakespeare. Later generations of the families of Roger, John, and Walter are recorded there.[244]

A few Shakespeares have been found in Alcester. But the older centre lay further north. By far the greatest number of names are found in the villages to the west of a line drawn between Coventry and Warwick, including Meriden, Hampton-in-Arden, Berkswell, Knowle, Balsall, Kenilworth, Packwood, Lapworth, Baddesley Clinton, Wroxall, Haseley, Hatton, Rowington, and Budbrooke.

The early parish registers of Wroxall are lost, and only begin with 1586.

On Dec. 9, 1588, Fraunces Shaxper ... was buried.

May 29, 1592, Nicholas Shaxper and Alice Edmunds m.

March 25, 1593, Peter, fil. Nicolas and Alice Shaxper, bap.

Nov. 17, 1594, Susannah, daugh. of Nicolas and Alice Shaxper, bap.

Sep. 17, 1595, Elizabeth, ux. William Shaxper, buried.

Sep. 10, 1596, Cornelius, fil. Nic. and Alice Shaxper, bap.

Feb. 3, 1599, Annah, dau. of Nic. and Alice Shaxper, bapt.

April 9th, 1600, Annah, dau. of Nic. and Alice Shaxper, buried.

June 15th, 1603, Hester, dau. of Nic. and Alice Shaxper, bapt.

(No Registers from 1604 to 1641.) 1641, Peter Shakspeare buried.

May 17th, 1642, William Smith and Catherine Shakspere, m.

Sept. 25, 1645, Nicolas Shakspere buried.

May 16th, 1665, Ralf Stokes and Margaret Shakspeare m.

Jan. 26, 1670, Robert Shakespeare and Ann Averne m.

Oct. 4, 1678, Jane, dau. of Robert Shakespeare the elder, buried.

March 29, 1681, Robert, fil. Richard Shakespeare and his wife, bapt.

May 30, 1714, Ann, ux. Robert Shakespeare, buried.

May 13, 1719, Robert Shakespeare buried.

From the Hatton and Haseley Registers, which recorded the death of Roger Shakespeere, 1558, and of Domina Jane, 1571, we also find:

Isabel, uxor Thomas Shakspere, formerly wife of John Tybotes, buried April 4, 1570.

Nov. 5, 1570, Katharine Shakespere, filia Nicolas Shakespere, bapt.

Jan. 6th, 1579, Elizabeth, dau. of Nicolas Shakespere, bapt.

Jan. 6th, 1589, William Shakespere and Barbara Stiffe, married.

March 25, 1593, Peter, son of Nicolas and Alice Shakespeare, bapt.

Sept. 8, 1593, Thomas, son of Nicholas and Elizabeth Shakspere, bapt.

March 14, 1596, Susannah, dau. of Wm. Shakspere, gentleman, and Barbara, bapt. (March 6th, 1597. This child was buried.) July 23rd, 1598, Katherine, dau. of Wm. and Barbara Shakspere, baptised.

Sep. 21, 1606, Thomas Shaxper buried.

Dec. 26, 1607, Nicholas Shaksper of Busall buried.

Jan. 26, 1607, Elizabeth Shaksper of Busall buried.

Aug. 28, 1608, Marie, daughter of Thomas Shaxsper, bapt.

Feb.--, 1610, Barbara, wife of Mr. William Shakspere, buried.

Jan. 20, 1612, John Hastings and Susanna Shaxper, married.

The parish registers of Haseley and of Hatton are mixed.

There are many Shakespeare wills preserved in Lichfield. Christopher Shakespere of Packwood, August 31, 1551, proved August 15, 1558, mentions a wife Isabel, and sons, Richard, William, Roger, Christopher, and John, and daughters Alice and Agnes; Elizabeth Shakspere of St.

Werbergs, Derby, 1558; Roger Shakspere of Tachbrook, August 2, 1605; wife Alice and son John; William Shakespeare of Coventry, shoemaker, March 18, 1605-6; Administration of John Shakespeare's goods, 1606; Thomas Shakespeare of Packington Parva, April 28, 1610, had a wife, Phillip, and sons, George (who was to have Coleshill lands), Thomas, Andrew, and a daughter, Alice Croft; Anne Shakespeare of Knowle's will, 1743.

There has been a group entered in the Calendar in relation to the Shakespeare and Ensor connection (Nichols's "Herald and Genealogist,"

vol. ii., p. 297):

Thomas Shakespeare of Coventry, admin. 1693.

George Shakespeare of Fillongley, will 1700.

Sara Shakespeare of Pen, admin. 1712.

Thomas Shakespeare of Arley, " 1720.

William Shakespear of Coventry, " 1724.

William Shakespear of Arley, " 1729.

George Shakespear of Coleshill, " 1734.

Anne Shakespeare of Coventry, " 1751.

George Shakespeare of Fillongley, " 1754.

Mary Shakespeare of Aston, " 1768.

There was an administration granted to Elizabeth Shakespeare, widow, of the estate of Roger Shakespeare, of Chesset Wood, in the parish of Hampton-in-Arden, April 15, 1597.

John Shakespeare, of Knowle, Warwickshire, left to his eldest son, Henry, 5, and to each of his children 5--John, Elizabeth, Henry, Thomas; to his granddaughter, daughter of John, 5; his property he left to his youngest son, John, 33 Charles II., September 30, 1681.[245] A William Shakespeare,[246] of Knowle, is mentioned in 12 George II., as "tenant to the precipe."

The will of Robert Shakespeare, of Wroxall, March 19, 1565, shows that he had a son Nicolas, that another Nicolas owed him money, and that his goods were prised by a William Shakespeare. John Shaksper, of Wroxall, labourer, leaves his goods between his son Edward and his wife; mentions his sister Alice, his brother Woodam's children, his cousin, Laurence Shaxper, of Balsal, or Beausal, his brothers, William and Nicolas, and his daughter, Alice Windmiles, December 15, 1574.

William Shakespeare, of Wroxall, husbandman, in his will, dated November 17, 1609, left legacies to brothers and sisters not named.

John Shakespere of Budbrooke, left his best suit to Nicolas Shakespeare; to his father-in-law, Thomas Burbidge, his best boots; to Mary Shakespeare, two shillings; to Isabel Poole, late servant to Nicolas Shakespeare, ten shillings. Anne Burbage, now the wife of William Shotteswell, sole executrix, December 28, 1642.[247] He was buried December 30, 1642.[248]

Nicolas Shakespeare,[249] of Budbrooke,[250] being aged and weak, leaves 4 to the poor; 10 to his mother-in-law, Penelope Parkes; 40 to his brother-in-law, Richard Parkes; 10 to his cousin, Richard Naso; 10 to William Sattlewell, of Packwood. Residue to his dear wife Marie, sole executrix, October 23, 1655.

John Shakespeare,[251] yeoman, of Lapworth, made his will October 30, 1637; proved by his wife Dorothy 1638. He had no children, and his nephew, John Twycross, came in for most of his possessions. He left his brother Christopher sixpence a week. Christopher's son John, and his two grandsons, John and Thomas, had each twenty shillings. There was another brother not named, whose three sons, Edward, William and Thomas, and three daughters were to have 3 6s. 8d. each. Edward's two sons had also legacies. The testator also mentions his sister, Catharine Shotteswell, Catharine, Elizabeth, Winifred, Humphrey, Thomas, and John Shakespeare.

Overseers, John Fetherston, of Packwood, Esq., and John Shaxpere, of Ringwood. Dorothy Shakespeare left no will. Letters of administration were granted to her nephew, Antony Robbins, July 13, 1655.[252] In the table of benefactions in Lapworth Church (near Knowle) it is recorded that John Shakespeare and John Twycross gave each two shillings a year to the poor of Lapworth and Packwood. "Humphrey Shakespeare gave twenty shillings to the poor of this parish, and the like to the poor of Rowington, 1794."

Thomas Shakespeare, of Lapworth, fuller, February 21, 1655, desires to be buried in Rowington. He leaves to his kinsman, Richard Shakespeare, of Kenilworth, his implements and 5; to his kinsman, Thomas Shakespeare, of Lapworth, 5; to his kinsman and G.o.dson, Thomas Shakespeare, of Rowington, 5; to his kinsman, Richard Shakespeare, 6 13s. 4d.; to his kinswoman, Mary Shakespeare, 5; to his kinsman, John Shakespeare, 5; to his brother William's son's daughter Elizabeth, sixpence, if demanded; to the poor of Rowington, forty shillings. The executrix was his kinswoman, Elizabeth Shakespeare, and the overseers, Thomas Sly, of Lapworth, and his kinsman, Thomas Shakespeare, of Whittlygate in Rowington; proved May 18, 1658.[253]

It may be seen that Rowington was the central source of most of these Shakespeares. Besides those already mentioned, we may note that there was a case of John Shakesper _versus_ William Skinner, farmer, of the Church of Rowington; an answer of William Skinner to the Bill of Complaint; a doc.u.ment relating to Thomas Shakespeare, of Rowington, 1571, marked "Skinner"; and another concerning John Shakespeare. John Shaxper of Rowington's will was drawn up in 1574.[254] He left his property called Madywattons, at Shrawley, to his son George, with remainder to his daughter Annis, and 20 to his son Thomas. He left legacies to his brothers Nicolas and Thomas and his Aunt Ley, the midwife. His wife's name was Eleanor. His goods were prised at 8 6s.

8d. by Thomas and William Shaxper, among others. The will of Richard Shakespere, of Rowington, November 13, 1613, which caused so much heartburning, showed that his son William had a son John, and that his son Richard had four sons (Thomas, William, Richard and John). Thomas and John's children are not mentioned. Another will[255] in the same year of Thomas Shakespeare, of Mowsly and Rowington, October 13, 1613, mentions sons--John, Thomas and Richard; and daughters--Eleanor, Joan and Annis. John had two sons--William and John. John Shakespeare de le Hill, Rowington, made his will January 20, 1652; his wife was Mary; his children, William, John, and Margaret Vernon.