Shakespeare and his London Associates 85 



that the said bill of Complaint as they are verely persuaded is 

 onely preferred against them for molestacion and vexacion sake 

 and thereby to putt these defendants to vnnecessary and great 

 charges in suits of lawe without iust cause so to doe, And 

 further they the said defendants for themselves and each of them 

 for himself e saith that true it is as they and each of them beleeve 

 and are verely prrswaded that the said Richard Burbage is seised 

 of and in an estate of inheritaunce of and in all that great hall or 

 roome with certeine other roomes ouer the same sett and beinge in 

 the Blackefryers in London erected furnished and buylt with 

 Stage Galleries and seates as in and by the said bill of Com- 

 playnt is sett forth and declared and the said Richard Burbage for 

 himselfe sayth that true it is that he the said Richard Burbage 

 did heretofore for the terme of one and twenty yeares demise 

 the same vnto the said Henry Evans one other of the defendants 

 in the said bill of Complaint named at the yeerely rent of fortie 

 poundes to be paid quarterly duringe the said terme which said 

 terme of one and twenty yeeres is not yet expired by force and 

 vertue of which said lease he the said Henry Evans did enter in 

 and vppon all and singuler the said premisses and was thereof 

 lawfully possessed as in and by the said bill of Complaynt is sett 

 forth and alleadged. But whether the said Henry Evans did for 

 good and valueable consideracion (or any consideracion at all) 

 graunt all or any parte of the said terme vnto John Marston gent 

 in the said bill of Complaint named or whether the said Marston 

 by force and vertue of any such graunt entred into or vppon such 

 or any parte of the premisses as in and by the said bill of Com- 

 playnt is supposed theise defendants or any of them cannot cer- 

 teinely depose for that they nor any of them were at any time 

 present at preuie consentinge or acquainted with any dealings 

 and bargaines made or supposed to be made by or betweene them 

 the said Henry Evans and John Marston neyther doe they 

 or any of them knowe that the said Marston had any such or any 

 parte at all in all or any the goods apparell for players properties 

 playe bookes and other thinges then now or at any time vsed by 

 the Children of the Oueenes Ma tes Revells in and about their 



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