Shakespeare and his London Associates 89 



ferred against them or against any of them for molestadon and 

 vexae/on sake theirby to put them to vnnecessarye and great 

 Charges in suite of Lawe, w th out iuste cause as by their said 

 Aunswere ys moste falslye and moste vainlye alleadged, for this 

 Complamaat ys not soe profuze and Lavishe of his expences 

 eyther in Lawe or otherwize, howsoeutr the deffend tes by their 

 false and Treacherous dealinge w th him (in this mattrr wheirof he 

 nowe Complaineth) have exasperated and provoaked him againste 

 them, as to spend his monye and looze his tyme vpon so perfy- 

 deous persons, vnlesse his Complaynte were iuste and full of 

 Equitye, and soe to be manifested by good proffe w th out exception, 

 and theirfore as he this Complamante is well able to maintayne 

 his said Bill of Complainte to be good certaine and sufficyent, and 

 the matt rs theirin alleadged to be iuste and true, and their- 

 fore fitt to be aunswered vnto : Soe on the Contrarye parte 

 doth this Complamante averr that the defend tes said aun- 

 sweres are verye vncertaine, vntrue and insufficyent in the Lawe 

 to be Replyed vnto for manye grosse and apparaunte faults 

 and imp^rfectiones theyrin moste plainlie appearinge, the advan- 

 tage and benefitt of Exception wheirof nowe and at all tymes 

 hearaft 1- to this Complamante saved for Replicac/on theirvnto he 

 saithe in all thinges as in his said Bill of Complaint he hath saide, 

 w th this allsoe, that the said Complamante will averr and prove, 

 that the saide clefts not Contentinge themselves w th abuseinge 

 him by their encouragm tes to proceede w th their Bargaine in the 

 said Bill of Complamt menc/oned, w th the said John Marston, and 

 soe to paye his said hundred pounde for the particulars in the said 

 Bill likewize menc/oned w ch they secretlye mente and intended 

 that he this Compla///a/zt should never enioye, but be by their 

 fraude vtterlie defeated both of monye and Bargaine as much as 

 in them laye, but w th an inveterate and increasinge mallice 

 towards him this Complainant, they the said defend tes intendinge 

 their vttermoste skill and power to Supplante this Complaiaa»t 

 from havinge anye Commerce or deallinge in anye matt rs of playes 

 or enterludes, did aft r such tyme as they had entred vpon the said 

 howse and goodes for w ch the Complamante had payde as affore- 



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