Select Bibliography and Websites 1. Primary Sources • Shakespeare quotations in the text are taken from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (The Alexander text), published by Collins, 1951; 1981. • The Arden editions of the individual plays are usually worth buying for their extensive and often perceptive introductions. They are published by Thomson Learning. The website is at: http://www.ardenshakespeare.com • Shakespeare's Sonnets can also be read in the Arden edition, edited by Katherine Duncan-Jones, Thomson Learning, 1997. A. William of Stratford • William of Stratford's 'signatures' can be seen at: http://www.nationalarchives. gov.uk/museum/ • Documents on the life of William of Stratford can be read in David Thomas: Shakespeare in the Public Records, HMSO, 1985; Robert Bearman: Shakespeare in the Stratford Records, Alan Sutton, 1994; and Samuel Schoenbaum: William Shakespeare: A Documentary Life, Oxford, 1975. • Documents on William's life can also be read online at: http://fly.hiwaay.net/ ~paul/shakspere/evidence1.html or: http://www.william-shakespeare.info/william-shakespeare-facts.htm There are more than 100 references to William and his family in the public records—the product of assiduous research, especially in the 20th century. But, apart from wills, baptism, marriage and death certificates, they relate largely to acting, business, financial and legal matters. They indicate that he was an actor, that he was reluctant to pay his taxes, that he was a maltster, and that he was a moneylender who was quick to sue for debt. There is absolutely nothing in these records to connect him with the authorship of the works ascribed to him: no manuscripts of plays or poems; no letters to friends; no notes; no anecdotes about his writing; and no references to books or a library. The picture they paint of the man is a total contrast to any intelligent image of the true author. The main documents are listed below. 469 1564, 26th April: William's baptismal record is in the Stratford Parish Register of Holy Trinity Church. It reads, 'Guliemus filius Johannes Shakspere' (i.e. William, son of John Shakspere). 1582, 27th November: William's marriage license record is in the Bishop of Worcester's Register, Worcestershire Record Office. It records the grant of a marriage license to 'wm Shaxpere et Anna whateley'. 1582, 28th November: William's marriage license bond is in the Bishop of Worcester's Register, Worcestershire Record Office. It is for the marriage of 'willm Shagspere and Anne hathwey'. 1595, 15th March: The accounts of the Treasurer of the Chamber record payments for 'two severall comedies or enterludes' shown before Her Majesty to 'William Kempe, William Shakespeare and Richard Burbage' (Public Record Office, Pipe Office, Declared Accounts No. 542, f. 207b). 1596, 20th October: A coat of arms was granted to William (it would have cost 30 guineas). The shield and crest drawing from the first of two rough drafts of the coat is kept in the College of Arms (MS. Vincent. 157, art. 23; art. 24). The motto was 'Non sanz droict' ('not without right'). 1596, Michaelmas: William Wayte "swore before the Judge of Queen's Bench that he stood in danger of death, or bodily hurt", from "William Shakspere" and three others. The magistrate then commanded the sheriff of the appropriate county to produce the accused who had to post bond to keep the peace, on pain of forfeiting the security (Public Record Office, Court of King's Bench, Controlment Roll, Michaelmas Term 1596, K.B. 29/234). 1597, 4th May: William's purchase of New Place, Stratford, paying a £60 fine, is documented (the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust MS., item 1, case 8, in New Place Museum, Nash House; Public Record Office, Court of Common Pleas, CP. 24(1)/15; C.P. 25(2)/237). 470 1597, 15th November: William's tax default, 15th November 1597, is documented in the King's Remembrancer Subsidy Roll in Bishopgate ward. He failed to pay an assessed 5s (E. 179/146/354). 1598: William is listed as an actor in 1598 in a List of Actors in the initial presentation of Ben Jonson's Euery Man In His Hvmovr. "Will Shakespeare" was a "principall Comoedian". 1598, 12th January: William is mentioned in a Bill of Sale. Wyllyn Wyatt Chamberlin "Pd to Mr. Shakespere for one load of stone xd" (Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Records Office, Corp. Rec., Chamberlain's Accounts, 1585-1619, p. 44). 1598, 24th January: William is mentioned in a letter by Abraham Sturley, who writes that "our countriman mr Shaksper is willing to disburse some monei upon some od yardeland or other Shottrei or neare about us" (Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Records Office, Misc. Doc. I, 135). 1598, 4th February: William is mentioned on a List of Hoarders. He is named as having illegally held 10 quarters (80 bushels) of malt or corn during a shortage (Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Records Office, Misc. Doc. I, 106). 1598, 1st October: William is again listed as a tax defaulter. In the King's Remembrancer Subsidy Roll, he is listed as a tax defaulter who failed to pay an assessed 13s.4d (E. 179/146/369). 1598, 25th October: The one known letter to William is dated 25th October 1598. Richard Quiney wrote an undelivered letter asking Shakspere for a £30 loan. It is written "To my Loveinge good ffrend & contreymann mr wm Shackespre" who "shall ffrende me muche in helpeing me out of all the debettes I owe in London I thancke god & muche quiet my mynde which wolde nott be indebeted" (Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Records Office, MS. ER 27/ 4). Notice that Quiney spells the name 'Shackespre", suggesting that it was pronounced 'Shacks'–'Pre'. 471 1598/9: In the Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer Accounts of Subsidies (a tax record), William is listed among those in Bishopgate ward who have moved out of the district (E. 359/56). 1599, 21st February: A tripartite lease for the Globe Theatre was signed. It consisted of an agreement between Sir Nicholas Brend (grounds owner), the Burbage brothers, and five members of the Lord Chamberlain's company, which included William. 1599, 6th October: Tax record. Shakspere is among those listed in the Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer Residuum London accounts as delinquents owing back- taxes (E. 372/444). As Schoenbaum suggests in William Shakespeare: A Documentary Life (Oxford, 1975), the marginal note Surrey, and the reference to 'Residuum Sussex', added later, signify that Shakespeare had migrated across the river to the Surrey Bankside. 1600: According to the Court record, "Willelmus Shackspere" brought suit against John Clayton for a £7 debt. Whether this is our Willie is not certain. 1600, 6th October: Tax record. Shakspere is listed in the Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer Residuum Sussex accounts (E. 372/445) and a tax bill of 13s.4d. is still outstanding. 1601, 25th March: Will of Thomas Wittington, Worcestershire Record Office states: "Item I geve and bequeth unto the poore people of Stratford 40s that is in the hand of Anne Shaxspere, wyf unto Mr. Wyllyam Shaxspere, and is due debt unto me". 1602, 13th March: John Manningham made the following entry in his Diary: "Vpon a tyme when Burbidge played Rich. 3. there was a citizen greue soe farr in liking with him, that before shee went from the play shee appointed him to come that night vnto hir by the name of Ri: the 3. Shakespeare overhearing their conclusion went before, was intertained, and at his game ere Burbidge came. Then message being brought that Rich. the 3.d was at the dore, Shakespeare caused returne to be made that William the 472 Conquerour was before Rich. the 3. Shakespeare's name William" (British Library, MS. Harley 5353, f. 29). 1602, 1st May: Shakspere bought 107 acres of land and 20 acres of pasture in Old Stratford from William and John Combe for £320 (Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Records Office, MS. ER 27/1). 1602, 28th September: Shakspere acquired a quarter-acre of land with "Chapel Lane Cottage" and a garden (Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Records Office, MS. ER 28/ 1). 1603: William is named in a List of Actors in the initial presentation of Ben Jonson's Seianvs his Fall. "Will. Shake-speare" was a "principall Tragoedian". 1603, 17th and 18th May: Two identically worded warrants were written for letters patent authorising "William Shakespeare...and the rest of theire Assosiates freely to use and exercise the Arte and faculty of playinge Comedies Tragedies histories Enterludes moralls pastoralls Stageplaies and suche others like as theie have alreadie studied or hereafter shall use or studie aswell for the recreation of our lovinge Subjectes as for our Solace and pleasure when wee shall thincke good to see them duringe our pleasure" (Public Record Office, Privy Seal Office, Warrants for the Privy Seal, P.S.O. 2/22; Chancery, Warrants for the Great Seal, C. 82/1690). 1604 According to a Court record, Shakspere sued the apothecary Philip Rogers for 35s.10d plus 10s damages, seeking to recover the unpaid balance on a sale of twenty bushels of malt and a small loan (Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Records Office, MS. ER 27/5). 1604, 15th March: In the Master of the Wardrobe record, Shakspere is listed among "Players" who were given scarlet cloth to be worn for the King's Royal Procession through London (Public Record Office, Lord Chamberlain's Department, Special Events, L.C. 2/4(5), f. 78). 473 1604, 24th October: A survey of Rowington manor reported that "William Shakespere Lykewise holdeth there one cottage and one garden by estimation a quarter of one acre and payeth rent yearly ijs vjd" (Public Record Office, Exchequer, Special Commission, E.